KIAI Instructor Interview--Brett Denison
This article the latest in a continuing series of interviews with the various Instructors within KIAI
KIAI: How old
were you when you start training in the martial arts, and what made you start?
Brett: I became interested at a very young age; I was around 8 or 9 years old. The things I had seen in martial arts movies staring Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris had fascinated me. I didn’t know much about martial arts at the time (I still know very little, even after 25 years of training and studying), meaning I knew very little about the differences between the various styles. What I did know was I wanted to learn every thing I could about them—pretty ambitious for a 9 year old ;-)
I visited two or three martial arts school near my house, but they were charging so much money for lessons that I couldn’t convince my parents to let me join. Then we found a small dojo that was actually very close to our house, but the school didn’t have any advertisement, only a flyer on the window…I happened across the dojo by accident. The dojo taught Shotokan Karate and Jujutsu and only charged a fraction what other schools were asking. I signed up immediately and have been training ever since.
KIAI: What
made you start practicing sword arts?
Brett: I was introduced to swordsmanship through my training before I really got interested in it. Kenjutsu and Iaijutsu were an integral part of the curriculum of the jujutsu ryu I was training in. Once I was introduced to it, I was fascinated by it and have continued to train and learn ever since.
KIAI: Did you
ever have the chance of actually using your martial arts--especially your sword
art?
Brett: Not sword related, but I have had to use elements of my training. You will all think this is funny, but,..
This took place about 15 years ago. I was leaving for work one morning, and it had snowed the night before, and as I was walking down a hill leading to the parking lot of the apartment complex I lived at, as I stepped onto the pavement of the parking lot (briefcase and cup of coffee in my hands) I stepped onto a patch of ice, and my feet came out from under me. And I fell I dropped my coffee (but didn’t spill any on myself) and landed in a side breakfall position. I got up, brushed myself off and got in my car and drove to work…not a mark or scratch on me.
KIAI: Are you
a full time instructor, if so, what are the benefits and challenges?
Brett: That really depends on how you define a "full-time" instructor. No, I do not teach in order to make a living and put bread on the table, but I do teach six or more classes a week, each being approximately two hours long.
KIAI: If you
had the chance to start all over again, would you choose to pursue the martial
arts?
Brett:
KIAI: How many
times per week do you train?
Brett: I try and train, at least a little, every day. Usually when I am training by myself I practice Iaijutsu kata.
KIAI: What do
you think of under age (juvenile) black belts?
Brett: I personally don't think a person under the age of about 16 has the maturity and personal development to grasp or comprehend the more subtle elements of training that I associate with Yudansha (black belt holder). Many od these younger black belts have excellent physical abilities, but this is such a small piece of what goes into training and at these younger ages they system to be very focused on just the physical portions.
KIAI: What is your opinion of competitive (sport) martial arts?
Brett: Here is area where I will probably offend some people. I don’t believe competitions have any place in martial arts…period. Competitions are very different from randori, jiyu waza, or kumite practiced within a dojo. These are training exercises that help to solidify and enhance certain skills—there is no winner or loser in these activities.
As stated by Karl Friday (1997, p. 2, “Legacies of the Sword”), “A key concern for these classical schools, and a cardinal point separating them from some modern cognate martial disciplines such as kendo or judo, is the insistence of the former on preserving the authenticity of their training and fighting methods. Students today learn, or believe they learn, the same arts of sword, spear, glaive, and unarmed combat that the samurai practiced. The traditional ryuha almost universally reject rules and modifications of technique or equipment that would allow safe practice of their arts as competitive sports. For them, maintaining combative reality and practicality is an essential component of the learning process: When this sense of realism and danger is removed, with it vanishes the unique frame of mind it produces. And without this, they believe, the bugei become indistinguishable from non-martial sports and other forms of exercise.”
This frame of mind is imperative in Budo training, and this cannot be developed within a ring with judges and referees. The term “military art,” as used herein, describes a system, school, or style whose objective is success in combat. Historically this included horsemanship, fencing, archery, weapon making, and even underwater swimming. In more contemporary usage, we mean a martial art, which places its primary focus on effective and practical self-defense, as opposed to emphasizing beauty of movement, scoring of points, or rigid adherence to traditional form. The term also implies that it indeed an art; encompassing history, lineage, ethics, philosophy, applied science, self-development, and service to family, community, and nation, rather than simply being a collection of fighting techniques.
A Martial Art can be defined as a system of techniques--physical and mental, developed as an effective means of combat and or self-defense; both unarmed and armed. As stated by Donn Draeger, “martial arts are manifested by the threefold relationship: (1) combat, (2) discipline, and (3) morals.” If you take just the term combat, Webster’s dictionary defines that as, “an engagement fought between two military forces.”
Now with that stated, I have the utmost respect for these competitors, and it requires a great deal of skill to successfully compete, but these are different skills than the ones cultivated in the dojo.
KIAI: Do you think the general public is misled about the ability
and practicality of budo due to the media’s portrayal of martial arts and
martial arts entertainers?
Brett:
KIAI: Do you think events like the “UFC,” etc. hurt or help
martial arts?
Brett:
KIAI:
Do you think the non-tangible benefits of budo like self-confidence, self-reliance,
self-respect, discipline, leadership, maturity, etc. are as important to young
budoka as the physical ability to defeat or control another person in today’s
sometimes deteriorating contemporary society?
Brett: I think these elements are critical, and I would go so far as to argue that without these elements, what a person is studying cannot be considered budo.
KIAI: Where are martial arts, in general, heading?
Brett: I feel martial arts are returning to their roots. There is huge interest in the older more traditional arts, specifically the Japanese arts, and I think this will continue. You can even see this in some of the new epic movies that are coming out, such as “The Last Samurai.”
KIAI: What, in your opinion, is the greatest detriment to the
martial arts?
Brett: Commercialism and misrepresentation.
KIAI: In your
opinion, what is the ideal age to start martial arts training?
Brett: 10 years old
KIAI: What is
your favorite part of training in Japanese swordsmanship?
Brett: I enjoy all facets of swordsmanship, but I particularly enjoy the focus and solitude of kata training.
KIAI: What are
your opinions and thoughts regarding tameshigiri, and do you practice it?
Brett: Though I have only been practicing tameshigiri for a short period of time, I believe it is a critical element of swordsmanship and can greatly improve a persons skill and understanding of the basic movements. It has the ability to highlight the most minor errors in a very telling fashion.
KIAI: What do
you think of kendo’s “armored philosophy” versus chanbara’s “padded
way”?
Brett: Though I have never practiced neither Kendo or Chanbara, I believe they both have their place. Kendo has more history and tradition, which appeals to many and Chanbara is a new and exciting competitive endeavor that appeals to many others.
KIAI: Do you
own an authentic Japanese made shinken, if so, how does it compare to the modern
shinken sold today?
Brett:
KIAI: What do
you think of the many modern martial art systems that are trying to copy the
ancient ryuha?
Brett: I believe that many people are being drawn to the more traditional arts, yet authentic dojo teaching these arts are very rare. I believe schools trying to recreate the structure of the koryu ryuha, provided they try and maintain the more traditional structure are filling a very valuable void, provided they are clear about the fact that they are not in fact koryu ryuha.
KIAI: Do you
think it is necessary to have at least a basic understanding of the native
language and culture of the country of origin for the martial art(s) you train
in?
KIAI: Brett, thank you for taking the time to share some of your vast knowledge and experience, we wish you the best in your on-going Budo training.