Shudo.

[Dave Hart]

I've just returned from the Dai Noppon Butoku Kai, rensei Taikai that was held in Brussels over the week-end. It was there that I was able to witness a demonstration of Shudo, a "New approach to Martial Art" as it says on the freebie book that was given out there (complete with DVD.)

The Origionator, Sensei Yves Thelen, has a long martial arts history being a Shotokan Sandan in 1975, when he met with Master Murakami (Shotokai) when Master Murikami settled in France. Sensei Thelen also studied Master Ushiba's Aikido, and has creaed a style which tries to embrace or meld the two styles together. The book has the blessing of Sensei Pierre Chalmagne Hachidan Hanshi (Aikido) from Belgium, who I assume is possibly the Aikido instructor of Sensei Thelen

Having watched the DVD (which is copywrited so sorry no clips folks), I must admit I find it somewhat confusing. The style is mainly people spinning around each other and punching/kicking to miss their opponent, every potential strike is telegraphed far too much as far as I can see, although this would make for fewer accidents in the dojo, I wouldn't consider it to be an effective way of teaching a form of self defence. The actual demonstration looked like a group of adults trying to play a kiddies game of "Tag" .

Maybe I'm missing the larger picture as I'm not an Aiki man myself, so I would be interested to know if anyone else out there has come across this new style - Shudo, or has any imput on the developer Sensei Thelen. The web site listed in the book www.shudo-online.com is no damn use at all as far as I can see, just a series of shopping links.

[Hughes]

I found this website (http://www.angelfire.com/space/shudo/index.html) by googling the sensei's name. Everything is in french, you may find a video on one of the page.

Shudo is claimed to be a synthesis of karate and aikido, done in an open spirit, non-competitive. The intermediate stage of M. Thelen elaboration was named "Aiki-Karate-Do".

Site says: Yves Thelen is (or was) International Karaté-Do Shotokaï (I.K.D.S.) technical director. He was student of Tetsuji Murakami, european representative of Shigeru Egami.
He also studied Aikido, but, nothing is said about where/when/with whom. And then he brought up the Aiki-Karate-Do

I can't tell much about it, beeing far from an expert in unarmed arts!

[Hughes]

Another page (http://www.shudokan.be/shudo_A/Shudo_A.htm), in english this time.

[gmanry]

Here is video:

http://www.shudokan.be/Video/Video.htm

Looks like very sloppy aikido randori to me.

[Howard Quick]

Looks like CRAP to me!

[joe yang]

"Crap"? Shudo! Shu nuff? The Shugun of Harlem? You call that crap?

[don]

Sorry, not sure where I read it, perhaps Harry Cook's A Precise History of Shotokan Karate, but Egami Shigeru, head of the Shotokai, himself went the way of aiki-karate via dialog with Inoue Noriaki, Ueshiba's cousin and, to some, co-creator of aikido, and ended up with something that came to be called Shintaido. Cook contemptuously dismisses Inoue's Omoto inspired philosophizing about triangles, circles, and squares in a footnote.

[BomberH]

Here is video:

http://www.shudokan.be/Video/Video.htm

Looks like very sloppy aikido randori to me.

The technique on that video was complete crap!!

[Tony Wolf]

Assuming that Shudo is a development of Shintaido or Taido, these arts are seldom taught or presented as self-defence methods. AFAIK they are closer to "martial rituals" with social, ethical, esoteric and performance elements, in which the movements of the practitioners are intended to symbolize various philosophical principles. Anyway, they are not actually intended for use in combat.

[Howard Quick]

Apparently Taido was developed by a Japanese submarine commander in 1949.
It was developed on the same principles of evading enemy ships and subs!

Anyway, they are not actually intended for use in combat
If this is the case then thay are not actually a martial art and this should be made known by their teachers!

[Dave Hart]

I got a free copy of the complete video that the clip above came from, and to me it looked like a group of adults playing a game of "Tag", Yes everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves, but with the best will in the world I could not take this seriously. My feeling is that Sensei Thelen may have gone off half cocked here. Combining two similar arts may not be such a bad thing, but I don't believe that it is properly worked out at the moment.

[don]

...they are not actually intended for use in combat.

If this is the case then thay are not actually a martial art and this should be made known by their teachers!

Kind of a facile presumption of what is and isn't MA. How do we define MA to cover our bases here?

These folk might do quite well if attacked, we don't know.

We've all heard the stories of "martial artists" getting mugged, raped, etc. If they can't defend themselves do we then demote TKD, karate, or whatever? Don't think so myself.

I heard of a life-guard who fought off a rapist using a pressure point technique to knock him out. She had learned this in her lifeguard courses. It was meant for making a desperately struggling drowning victim manageable. Do we elevate lifeguarding to MA?

Real self-defense might involve a whole lot more of chance than we care to admit having spent our thousands on dues, seminars, equipment and the rest.

There's more to MA than fighting.

[Howard Quick]

Don, I define MA as an art of self defense. This is probably a little ambiguous as it can be effectively used for attacking or in an offensive manner.
The attacks being used in that video are utter garbage! At one point the person demonstrating the techniques has his back to an attacker as they’re moving toward him with a straight front kick. The kick is pulled or he would have planted it right in the middle of his back.
As for TKD, are you talking modern, Olympic TKD or an older form of TKD. The Modern, Olympic stuff is garbage! There is no power in any of the kicks and they’ve forgotten how to use their hands, either defensively or offensively! They jump around with their hands hanging around their thighs. What is that? Definitely not MA!
As for Karate, for the most part there are still many strong styles which utilize good body movements combined with strong and powerful kicks and strikes. There are also those which train purely for tournaments, kata competition and point fighting. Those that train purely for these are not, in my opinion, practicing MA. I’m sure some could defend themselves well if need be, but these are the types of people who could defend themselves effectively before they began training.
I agree with you about a lot of chance being involved when defending yourself. There is also a lot more to MA than fighting but if you are not learning an effective means of self defense, what are you learning?

As for your story about the lifesaver, are you serious? Do you have an article we can read?
Sorry if you take offense to this but I seriously doubt that ever happened!

[don]

This is probably a little ambiguous as it can be effectively used for attacking or in an offensive manner.
The attacks being used in that video are utter garbage!I agree.

At one point the person demonstrating the techniques has his back to an attacker as they’re moving toward him with a straight front kick. The kick is pulled or he would have planted it right in the middle of his back.I've seen the same thing done with noted MA-ists of unquestioned ability.

As for TKD, are you talking modern, Olympic TKD or an older form of TKD. Any MA.

There is also a lot more to MA than fighting but if you are not learning an effective means of self defense, what are you learning?If you're not checking for weapons, what are you doing? (Shaking hands...) :)

As for your story about the lifesaver, are you serious? Do you have an article we can read?
Sorry if you take offense to this but I seriously doubt that ever happened!I read it in the paper in high school, lo, these many years ago. You're a man after my own heart demanding references. Sorry, I can't provide one.

Thanks for the response.

[Emile]

Apparently Taido was developed by a Japanese submarine commander in 1949.
It was developed on the same principles of evading enemy ships and subs!


If this is the case then thay are not actually a martial art and this should be made known by their teachers!

Very funy, but Taido founded by S.Shukumine has nothing to do with Shudo nor Shintaido.

[Carl Long]

I've just returned from the Dai Noppon Butoku Kai, rensei Taikai that was held in Brussels over the week-end.

Hello Mr. Hart,

I was at the DNBK Budosai in Belgium as well. Which group were you there with? I sat at the dinner table during the banquet on Sunday night with a few guys from the UK. Perhaps we ran into each other while we were there? Just wondering...

Regards,

Carl Long
Jikishin-Kai Intl

[Dave Hart]

Were you the guy that was there doing the Jikiden display alone? If so I was the bloke sitting 2 to your left. We (my son and I) were on the floor at the same time as yourself. Our display was the Sessa-Aikuchi set from Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu.

[Carl Long]

Yes, that was me doing the Jikiden. It got a little lonely out there by myself ;)

I do remember you and your son from the demonstration. As well as us sharing the only cool spot in the gymnasium next to the doors.

I had the pleasure of being invited by a couple of your fellows to sit with them at dinner. They were a very nice group of iaidoka. I sat with a Mr. Ansell, Mr. Selvey, Mr. Scrivens, Mr. Fujii , Mr. Passmore and I am afraid that my memory has failed me in regard to the other gentlemen's names.
If you know them, please send my warm regards. I hope we have the opportunity to meet again in the future. Perhaps in Japan in 2008?

Best wishes,

Carl Long
Jikishin-kai Intl.

[Dave Hart]

I was with Dave Ansell and Fujii Sensei yesterday in Exeter, helping out at a combined Iai and Kendo seminar, along with the other guy who's name you couldn't remember ...France Empegine. As I said outsidethe hotel, you have Mike Selvey's number, and if you ever find yourself at a loose end while here in the UK give us a call.

Everyone has started saving already for the 2008 bash, it seems strange though that nothing has been organised as yet for 2007. The Belgium gathering was announced at the previous Rensei Taikai in Portugal.