Luke Paul Crocker

Classical Martial Arts Research Academy (CMARA) · Research and Development

A short term Independent Research Assignment for the Barrie Learning Center. This was prepared for the final assignment of a Social Studies (University Preparatory Credit) in July of 2011. Officially completed on May, 1st, 2013! Abstract: Is there a reliable process that one may utilize in order to shape their unconscious? What effect does this...

Of the countless classical martial arts found in feudal Japan, there is a particular collection of traditions and lineages that carry within them a certain body of knowledge recognized for their unconventional utilization of the human body. These particular currents of practice and thought (koryūha; 古流派) are either found within the regions of Iga a...

In 2008, Masaaki Hatsumi's martial arts book, Unarmed Fighting techniques of the Samurai (UAFTOTS) was published. I was at that time living at as dojo as a uchideshi (living-in student) where myself and three others lived with the teacher and practiced for eight hours a day the very techniques described in this publication. At the time I found this...

In 2008, Masaaki Hatsumi's martial arts book, Unarmed Fighting techniques of the Samurai (UAFTOTS) was published. I was at that time living at as dojo as a uchideshi (living-in student) where myself and three others lived with the teacher and practiced for eight hours a day the very techniques described in this publication. At the time I found this...

In 2008, Masaaki Hatsumi's martial arts book, Unarmed Fighting techniques of the Samurai (UAFTOTS) was published. I was at that time living at as dojo as a uchideshi (living-in student) where myself and three others lived with the teacher and practiced for eight hours a day the very techniques described in this publication. At the time I found this...

Differences between the times of armor and the battlefield and today’s combative sports are numerous and diverse, from placement of the feet and hands, to the usage of kamae and tachi, types of weapons, qualities of movement, so on and so forth. One of the first details that we are going to look at here is the notion of placing the body in proporti...

Written by Luke Crocker Merihari, is the expression of timing, cadence, speed, and the very flavor of the tie itself. One may tie their partner hard and fast to express a dominance over them, or slow and sensual to manifest an intimate and sensual atmosphere. Alternatively, this can be changed up in which one ties slow and hard to employ sadism int...

THe illustration that is commonly reproduced in relation to the Batto (抜刀) section of Yamamoto Kansuke's Heiho Okugi Sho (兵法奥義書).

The Batto (抜刀) section of Yamamoto Kansuke's Heiho Okugi Sho (兵法奥義書), written in 1701.

There has been some discussion in the YouTube community over a segment from a document called the Heihō Okugi sho (兵法奥義書), a piece from a larger compilation written around the 16 th century. The section of interest is regarding the skill of battō (抜刀), that is to say, drawing the sword [from the scabbard]. This is the earliest source of a documente...

Ikebana developed from an inherent appreciation of nature, fundamental to the Buddhist tendencies which had reached Japan around 500-600 BC and the art form grew slowly from the appreciation of plant life, evolving into a subtle art of manipulation, geometry and performance. The evolution of Ikebana saw a cultural practice emerge that specific arra...

In Japanese culture, the term Shingyōsō (真行草) has its roots in many sources; This is a concept that can be found in everything from Toshi Keikaku (City, urban, and town planning; 都市計画), to the categorization of utensils found in Sadō (Tea Ceremony; 茶道), it is however most known for its use in Shodō (Calligraphy; 書道). WHat follows is an analysis and...

This is a documentary by CCTV on Master Cheng Zong You 程宗猷, in Chinese and English subtitles. This particular master published work on the single broadsword, an adaptation of the Japanese katana (longwsord) used by Japanese pirates, transmitted to Cheng Zong You by Liu Yun Feng who learned from the Japanese and acquired many theories and ideas from...

From the Wubeizhi (Record of military preparation; 武備誌), read as Bubishi in Japanese and not to be confused with the Okinawan manuscripts that influenced Tōte (Karate). The Chinese version spans 240 volumes in the 1621 version, written by Bo Gengi (茅 元儀, Chinese. Mau Yuanyi, 1594-1640). In a total of 240 volumes, he expounded on important points of...

In 2008, Masaaki Hatsumi's martial arts book, Unarmed Fighting techniques of the Samurai (UAFTOTS) was published. I was at that time living at as dojo as a uchideshi (living-in student) where myself and three others lived with the teacher and practiced for eight hours a day the very techniques described in this publication. At the time I found this...

A re-translation of Masaaki Hatsumi's "Unarmed Fighting Techniques of the Samurai" (武道体術), published in 2008. Due to numerous questionable translation errors in the official publication, and with the blessing of having the original Japanese text in the appendix, I have been continually translating each chapter as my own practice demands. This chap...

In the upper tiers of many classical Japanese composite martial arts there exists the practice of arresting a prisoner with a length of rope for the purpose of presenting to authorities or interrogation. The skill itself is called hayanawajutsu, and is considered quite a difficult technique to master and thus, few learn it and fewer still teach it....

In this seminar, Dr. Kacem Zoughari lectured, demonstrated, and shared with the attendees many of the intermediate techniques and concepts of the archaic Japanese combat system, Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu (玉虎流骨指術). in addition to presenting concepts such as Marobashi (轉), also found in prestigious traditions such as Yagyu Shinkage-ryu (柳生新陰流), the tech...

In the Edo period, it was considered a deep honor to deliver a prisoner to the magistrate, particularly in a considerately functional and aesthetic way. It was a peculiar honor for the prisoner to have been tied and prostrated; though shamed and humiliated, they were also significant enough to have such treatment. This article observes some of the...

The practice of kinbaku is quite a bit more involved than simply binding the partner, and though it may involve some very primal or sexual energy, it far from equates to such. The art and science of kinbaku and shibari is an expression of beauty, functional bondage, and of course safety (Safe, Sane, and Consensual is still a thing). However, for it...

The practice of kinbaku is still quite young, even the supposed “masters” in Japan and around the world are still developing. It is an art still in a very early stage of development and standardization; at best we have contemporary shibari in that sense. Thus, we all have so much to learn and so many directions in which we can shape our own corner...

This is the transcription by myself of the lecture presented by Dr. Kacem Zoughari on the subject of stretching and flexibility in the classical martial arts of Japan. The origional YouTube video can be found here: https://youtu.be/ySrwU6Fx-8g

Transcript of Masaaki Hatsumi's Unarmed Fighting Techniques of the Samurai from 2008. Originally there was numerous typos and errors, thus over the past several years I have been re-translating the content for my own notes. Over time there had been demand for this to be made public. Now Zoran Mijic has been assisting in transcribing the Japanese co...

The classical martial arts of Japan have always been recognized for their swordsmanship, spearmanship, grappling, etc. Very little has been said, and for obvious reasons, about the concealed weapons of the old traditions. Even in Japan there are many traditions around to day that simply are not aware that their own history included teachings on the...

It’s supposedly clear how the ancient warriors of Japan practiced their trade, including that of grappling, sword, and so on. However, just the very fact that the sword wasn’t the primary weapon of the warrior class until much later, instead the spear and practice of the bow and arrow were the bread and butter, this should lead us to question our b...

Submitted in part for completion of English studies credit at the Barrie Learning Center. A short review paper of Elie Wiesel's "Night", a personal account of the Nazi-Jewish Holocaust, and observation of themes of survival. Here I break down the elements of survival into three groupings: the capacity to deceive, economy of resources (and the resou...

Excerpts from various footage of renown martial arts historian, Kacem Zoughari giving lectures and explanation on various subjects related to classical martial arts. Subjects include historical context, on training and practice, the emphasis on ambidexterity in classical Japanese martial arts, kamae (the attitude and fighting postures in the martia...

Below is my translation and compiled notes on the material. The source is the Santō Tonkō Gata section from the end of the Tenchijin no maki, an early curriculum developed by Masaaki Hatsumi, sōke of the Bujinkan international organization. Aside from the scrolls themselves in his possession, this is from the oldest version available to the public....

Japanese transcription of the formal unarmed kata of Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu.

It is no easy task to interpret the meaning of the kanji for shinobi or nin (忍) 1 , best known as the first character for the term ninja (忍者), the spies, saboteurs, and assassins of ancient Japan. It appears that the kanji is largely defined by the person reading it, and is directly proportionate to the depth of his or her practice. The character a...

Fūsui: The Observation of Environmental Psychology in the Practice of Classical Japanese Martial Arts Though the ancient Chinese practice of fēng shuǐ hasn't had the best reception in the west by scientists, martial arts practitioners, or people in general, the principals have none the less been very effectively integrated both into large-scale war...

A pair of articles written by Shoto Tanemura, the founder of the Genbukan Martial Arts Organization. For the publication another individual had translated it and the final product provided both the Japanese and English. I was not satisfied with the translation quality and thus re-translated it myself. Due to copy-write complications, I will not be...

As initiated by a late night discussion, this short essay was originally going to be a short transcript, but then it grew as I looked for more sources and use of the term 心妙剣 in relation to Buddhism, bujutsu and ninjutsu. This is a rather early stage and will be better compiled in the future.

It was a very special seminar, that celebrated the 10th anniversary of Kacem visiting and teaching seminars in Slovenia, with the theme of Togakure-ryū (戸隠流) and Naginata (薙刀). The Santō Tonkō no Kata (鼠逃遁甲の型) was taught and explored through the technique of Migi Kata Ude Tonsō no Kata (片腕遁走之型) . Kacem starts with the original version and touches...

“Let us here deal with poetry, its essence and its several species [ . . . ] and the way in which plots must be constructed if the poem is to be a success [ . . . ]” (Aristotle 1447α). An analysis of the Shakespearean character of King Macbeth and his eligibility to be identified as the tragic-hero archetype.

Much debate has been conducted regarding the legalization of marijuana, with an unusual amount of contradicting research. There are many perspectives to take into account, and they always seem to come down to the personal motives of the debater. Whether it’s being argued from a medical, political, or economical perspective; it continually comes dow...

Kacem visits the U.K. to share his knowledge of the Shinden Fudō-Ryū and Gyokko-Ryū Iaijutsu. This seminar is a very special one as it shows rarely seen Iaijutsu from the Gyokko-Ryū. As well as showing the Iai, Kacem also demonstrates his knowledge of Iai Kumiuchi. Access to the write-up is available here: http://onmitsukage.com/programs/margate-2...

There has been much challenge and criticism towards William Shakespeare's plays. Some say he's sexist, over-extravagant, controversial, and so on. There is even a rumor that he may have never existed! Here I would like to adress the subject of plagiarism on Shakespeare's part in the 1606 play, Macbeth.

A component fro ma series of projects on the subject of Japanese poetry. This particular segment was focused on one of Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, and his poetry.

This was presented at the Barrie Learning Center (Canada) for the partial fulfillment for a minor credit in historical and anthropological studies with the focus particularly on the subject of civilizations. I made it a sort of challenge to approach the province of Iga (伊賀国) as an ancient civilization on it’s own as it effortlessly met the criteria...

Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長) was the first of the three unifiers of Japan in the late 16th century. He was born in Nagoya Castle in the province of Owari in June 23, 1534. He took his own life in defeat at the shrine of Honnô-ji in Kyoto city in June 21, 1582 at the age of 48. He was a warlord (daimyo; 大名)1 during the Sengoku Jidai (Warring States Period;...

In this seminar, Dr. Kacem Zoughari lectured, demonstrated, and shared with the attendees many of the fundamentals of the archaic Japanese combat system, Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu (玉虎流骨指術). In addition to discussing concepts such as Saidai saishō (最大最小), and classical ergonomics and biomechanics, some of the techniques presented were Koku (虚空), Renyo...

In this seminar Dr. Kacem Zoughari lectured, demonstrated, and shared with the attendees many of the fundamentals of the Japanese jujutsu system, Shinden Fudo-ryu (神傳不動流), Currently headed by Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi. The techniques covered were Kata Mune Dori (片胸捕), Matsu Kaze (松風), Ryuko (竜虎), Ude Ori (腕折), Gedan Gake (下段掛), Kyuin (久陰), Kimon Nage(鬼門投...

The theme of this seminar was to study the way, forms, strike and foot work of the Kukishinden-ryū. Kacem had shown and discussed the techniques from the Shoden Gata: Seion (生音), Yume-otoshi (夢落), Suiyoku (水翼), just to name a few. The important thing to remember is to not only mimic closely the densho's description of understanding the flow. But, a...

A section of Kansuke Yamamoto's Heiho Okugi Sho (兵法奥義書), particularly the section on batto (抜刀), which is the skill of drawing the sword from it's scabbard.