IT'S BEEN AWHILE SINCE I'VE UPDATED THE MASTERS CORNER DUE TO TIME AND HAVING ADDRESSED SO MUCH ON THIS
PAGE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 6 YEARS.
THE MARTIAL ARTS SEEMS TO BE GROWING IN 2010 IN MANY WAYS. SO MANY OF MY FELLOW KARATE-KA THAT I'VE COME
TO KNOW OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 30 YEARS HAVE GROW AND CONTINUE TO GROW IN THEIR LEARNING AND TEACHING'S.
I THINK I'M STARTING TO SEE A RESURGENCE IN TRADITIONAL KARATE TOURNAMENTS. SO MANY OF OUR TOP KARATE-KA
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS HAD GOTTEN AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL KARATE CIRCUIT TO ENTER THE MMA OR KICKBOXING ARENA. I FEEL
THIS WAS BROUGHT ON BY MANY TOP ATHLETES WANTING TO TEST THEIR SKILLS IN AVENUES OTHER THAN JUST PLAYING TAG.
WHAT WE'VE DISCOVERED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IS THAT TRADITIONAL KARATE SKILLS CAN AND
DO WORK IN THE FULL CONTACT ARENA AS EVIDENCED BY LYOTA MACHIDA AND MANY OTHER LOCAL FIGHTERS SUCH AS DEVAN PLAISANCE AND
STATE CHAMPION BRANDON MCMAHAN.
RECENTLY I'VE SEEN SOME OF THESE YOUNG STARS REALIZING THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY DUE BOTH COMPETE IN FULL CONTACT
MATCHES AS WELL AS POINT FIGHTING. THE TRICK IS THE CONDITIONING AS THE YOUNG LIONS WHO TRAIN TO ENTER THE CAGE ARE MUCH MORE
CONDITIONED THAN THOSE THAT DON'T. I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL OF THE TOP ISSHINRYU FIGHTERS RECENTLY THAT ARE WINNING TRADITIONAL
TOURNAMENTS BUT ARE STARTING TO QUESTION IF THEY REALLY CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES WHEN THE ACTION IS LIVE AND FOR REAL. MY ANSWER
IS THAT YES YOU CAN BUT YOU HAVE TO TRAIN FOR LIVE ACTION AND NOT JUST DEPEND ON YOUR SKILLS AT PLAYING THE GAME OF TAG AS
THAT KIND OF TRAINING WILL LAND YOU IN THE HOSPITAL IN THIS DAY OF EXTREME MARTIAL ARTS AND CONDITIONING.
Gregg McMahan
SHICHI-DAN ISSHINRYU
