There is an art to the “gun,” just as there is an art to the fist, the open hand, the kick, the knife, the sword, etc. There is also a science to the “gun,” to its usage and application. Thankfully, there are great and generous friends who have blessed Whitefire and the KIA with their tremendous gifts and loving support. Among the most generous and devout families in the history of the Karate Institute of America are the Griffins.

The first chapter of The Black Belt Book of Life is entitled, “Martial Arts is Life.” Sparring, which is a fundamental aspect of martial arts, therefore reflects many facets of life, perhaps the most critical of which is “problem solving.” We all have problems is life. That’s a gimmie. Who is there whose life is devoid of problems? Answer: no one. The issue is, “How do we solve our problems?” Truly, sparring fortifies us with meaningful tools and problem-solving capabilities.

Tristan “Raptor” Ligtvoet and Josh “Viper” Shamassian back in the day Perks are benefits. Sparring is light contact fighting designed to simulate actual combat for learning purposes but without the full intent of actual fighting, whose goal is to physically defeat your opponent. One of the many critical perks of sparring is independence – a state where the individual is autonomous, free and sovereign. Being independent is a critical aspect of personal identity and character because it negates one’s need and desire to be dependent on others.

All true warriors share a culture of common characteristics. They are determined, strong, courageous, focused, resilient and unyielding in their pursuit of victory. Paige J., pictured here, is a true warrior on the track. On 4 May 2019, at the Kids Run the OC event held at the Orange County Fair Grounds, Paige ran a one mile race with hundreds of kids in her 9 year old age group and finished third with a time of 6 minutes, 42 seconds!

There are many aspects of fighting taught at the Karate Institute of America, a few of which are distance, angle, guard, posture and alignment. However, the most critical of all fighting skills is TIMING. This principle is corroborated by the great Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi, as seen in his following quote. Students of the Kiado-Ryu will remember the Seven Timings taught in our fighting curriculum: Up Back Backside Welele Draw Cross Change Once these critical timings are mastered, the student is well on his way to becoming a Master Fighter of great skill.

Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack. How true are these words from Sun Tzu—one of the greatest military minds in history! When we have a defense that is skilled in strategies, tactics, techniques, movement, stealth and strength, it is invincible. When these same martial precepts are applied to an aggressive, intelligent and unrelenting attack, the warrior will be victorious. These two excellent principles of war should be paramount in the mind of great fighters and great generals.