Michael Bark’s May competition experience

On Sunday 17th of May I entered a fight competition in Padova. I occasionally enter such events to gain sparring experience outside of the group’s environment.

An outline of the rules are as follows:

Open weight – any weight could enter.
Open style – any system of martial art could enter.
Open grade – any grade of martial artist could enter,
No gloves or other protection – aside from a groin box.
Full contact kicks and knees – to both the head and body.
Full contact hands and elbow strikes – to the entire body.
Stand up with take downs – no ground work.
3 minute rounds – maximum of three rounds with about 10 seconds pause in between.

I had three fights in total that went the entire distance, one of which I won. The entire tournament was full of great learning experiences, on and off the mats.

Concerning my actual fights I saw the following points from which to learn from:

I noted that my stamina was pushed to the limit. Nine minutes of almost continual fighting really took its toll on me.
I realized that in the heat of battle the elbows of my punching arms at times lost connection and flayed out somewhat, which meant that I skimmed over my opponents’ bridges rather than cutting into them.
My legs were not strong enough to take the low round house pounding with ease, in fact as I write this, over a week after the event, I am still incapable of training.
In relation to this point, after I had initially closed the distance I failed to retain or stick close to my opponents, instead allowing them to break off, regain distance and pound my legs.
I saw that more study needs to be carried out in how to effectively take an opponent down.

I am sure that there are many other points that current allude me, but I’m sure these will surface in time even if I fail to write them down.

Throughout the whole event I was delighted by the acts of chivalry all about me. Men who only moments earlier had been pummeling at each other were aiding each other’s injuries. During my own downtime between each match, as well as after all my matches were completed, I received recovery advice and treatment from a competitor’s coach whom I had never seen before. Away from the mats the congratulations were shared and backs slapped in a completely uncondescending manner.

All in all it was a great experience, even if I am a little ‘inconvenienced’ as a result of it!

A Warrior’s Creed

I have no parents:
I make the heavens and Earth my parents.

 

I have no home:
I make awareness my home.

 

I have no life or death:
I make the tides of breathing my life and death.

 

I have no divine power:
I make honesty my divine power.

 

I have no means:
I make understanding my means.

 

I have no magic secrets:
I make character my magic secret.

 

I have no body:
I make endurance my body.

 

I have no eyes:
I make the flash of lightning my eyes.

 

I have no ears:
I make sensibility my ears.

 

I have no limbs:
I make promptness my limbs.

 

I have no strategy:
I make “unshadowed by thought” my strategy.

 

I have no design:
I make “seizing opportunity by the forelock” my design.

 

I have no miracles:
I make right action my miracles.

 

I have no principles:
I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.

 

I have no tactics:
I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.

 

I have no talents:
I make ready wit my talent.

 

I have no friends:
I make my mind my friend.

 

I have no enemy:
I make carelessness my enemy.

 

I have no armour:
I make benevolence and righteousness my armour.

 

I have no castle:
I make immovable mind my castle.

 

I have no sword:
I make absence of mind my sword.

 

Anonymous Samurai; 14th century

To be a Good Champion

If you have a mind to be a good champion, be quiet in a great man’s house; be surly in the narrow pass.

Do not beat your hound without a cause; do not bring a charge against your wife without having knowledge of her guilt; do not hurt a fool in fighting, for he is without his wits.

Do not find fault with high-up persons; do not stand up to take part in a quarrel; have no dealings with a bad man or a foolish man.

Let two-thirds of your gentleness be showed to women and to little children that are creeping on the floor, and to men of learning that make the poems, and do not be rough with the common people.

Do not give your reverence to all; do not be ready to have one bed with your companions.

Do not threaten or speak big words, for it is a shameful thing to speak stiffly unless you can carry it out afterwards.

Do not forsake your lord so long as you live; do not give up any man that puts himself under your protection for all the treasures of the world.

Do not speak against others to their lord, that is not work for a good man.

Do not be a bearer of lying stories, or a tale-bearer that is always chattering.

Do not be talking too much; do not find fault hastily; however brave you may be, do not raise factions against you.

Do not be going to drinking-houses, or finding fault with old men; do not meddle with low people; this is right conduct I am telling you.

Do not refuse to share your meat; do not have a niggard for your friend; do not force yourself on a great man or give him occasion to speak against you.

Hold fast to your arms till the hard fight is well ended.

Do not give up your opportunity, but with that follow after gentleness.

Source: Gods and Fighting Men – The Story of the Tuatha De Danaan and of the Fianna of Ireland. Lady Augusta Gregory 1904. www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/gafm/

Areté

The word areté was borrowed from ancient Greek philosophy to serve as the heraldic motto or battle-cry of Chivalry-Now.
    

 Areté is a concept that refers to the excellent performance of an attribute for which a thing or species is recognized. For a bird it might be flying. For a horse, running. A firefly, how brightly it glows.
    

Examining the areté of human nature, Greek philosophers concluded that certain abilities stood out as examples of excellence. Chief among these were virtue, compassion, and the rational mind. When a person strongly reflects these qualities, morally and intellectually, he or she is said to express the areté of the human nature. Although there is no exact translation for the word in English, it has often been translated as “the greatest good.”
    

Ancient philosophers carried their ideas of areté into the surrounding culture and influenced it accordingly. Just sharing the concept of areté, with its accompanying ideals, inspired people to do their best in life. One need only look at the incredible accomplishments of Classical Greece to appreciate this. In a couple hundred years, it laid the foundations for the future development of all western philosophy, science and democracy, art and medicine. A large portion of what we deem indigenous to western civilization traces its roots back to ancient people who pondered the meaning of areté, and worked to exemplify it in their lives.
    

As we set about to repair the broken culture of today, it pays to understand the concept of areté and apply it in our daily lives. Just introducing the word into the popular vocabulary provides a major step in getting people to think about who they are, and who they can be.
    

In this respect, I can think of no better concept to describe the essence of Chivalry-Now.
    

The areté we promulgate begins with consciousness, the living awareness that gives birth to the rational mind, to awareness and the appreciation of virtue, to self-development, compassion, and service to others. Responsible consciousness is the foundation of authenticity, integrity and personal freedom. As the living vehicle of conscience, it provides the heart of moral justice and self-reflection. All of this comes from within, from the experience of life itself. To impose it from outside oneself is to lose it altogether.
    

Chivalry-Now believes in the human potential that areté unveils – potential that can transform us into people who question things stale beliefs, who think for themselves and do what’s right. Here we find the truest, most cost effective approach to social change and personal fulfillment — at the same time.
    

I encourage you to make areté part of your vocabulary. Feel comfortable with its implications. Talk about it with other people. Cultural change begins with taking the first step.

Dean Jacques, www.ChivalryNow.net