We in Shingitai must do our part to change this sad state of
affairs. Start with yourself. Resolve to start a consistent
physical training program. If you don’t have a copy of
Strength and Conditioning Secrets of the World’s Greatest
Fighters, go to our website (www.johnsaylor-sja.com) and order
a copy today. Study this book from cover to cover and use that
knowledge to transform yourself into a new person.
Exceptions
to the Rule, or “Attitudes are better caught than taught.”
Thankfully
there are exceptions to the pitiful slug-like physical conditioning
of most self-defense martial artists. Let me tell you about
a couple of them.
The
first is Dan Rinchuse, a 60-year-old Uechi Ryu Karate and Shingitai
Jujitsu instructor from Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Dan trains
hard, both on the mat and off. When I’m in town doing
a seminar, the night before we always go down into Dan’s
basement gym. This place has all kinds of cool stuff: a collection
of weights, bands, climbing ropes, a variety of traditional
grip-training devices from Uechi Ryu, even a beautiful wood
floor, and much more. Even more impressive than the gym itself
is what Dan can do with it all!
Recently,
Dan underwent a knee replacement surgery, but used the down-time
from martial art training to concentrate on other areas of his
body and to strengthen the Shin (mental toughness and strong
spirit) aspect of Shin Gi Tai. He has made tremendous progress,
and now after a time of rehab, has returned to his martial art
training. Dan has always been a lead-from-the-front type instructor
who is a continuing inspiration to his students.
Another
friend of mine, Jim Jelinek, is 56 years old and is a long-time
Shingitai Black Belt. Each Tuesday evening Jim has me up to
his home dojo in Orville, Ohio to train him and a few other
dedicated students. The youngest person in this small group
is 36 years old. The rest are anywhere from mid-40’s to
56. What’s unusual about this group, though, is their
dedication to training. Jim, the oldest, whom we lovingly call
“The Bone Yard” due to his slender frame, and because
whenever he runs into you it hurts, sets the tone with his attitude
and personal discipline.
Our
group starts each practice with 20 to 30 minutes of physical
training exercises designed to strengthen potential injury sites
and to improve overall conditioning. Occasionally we employ
ultra-slow exercises like squats, leg raises, and push-ups to
improve tendon and ligament strength and breath control. In
these slow exercises Jim is the undisputed champion of our small
group, often going as long as 5 minutes in a squat, for example.
Jim could go longer so I put a time limit on it so that we can
move on to our specific Shingitai Jujitsu training.
Like
Dan Rinchuse, Jim, who has lately been suffering from tendonitis
in his left shoulder, uses injury not as a vacation, but as
an opportunity to concentrate on strengthening other areas of
his body.
Jim
Jelinek has often spoken to me about envisioning our little
dojo as being a “research and development lab” and
a “prototype of what a dedicated, self-defense oriented
group of older martial artists can become.” Trust me,
although most of these guys are primarily self-defense oriented,
there is definitely no “second-stringer” attitude
in this club. They think like “major-leaguers” and
are striving to become one of the elite.