Outposts.....learn about em

Ask A Black Belt: What Makes A Student Excel ?

My team mate Chris Martinet has been making a great series on jiu jitsu. I feel this is one of his best and I think it applies to so much more than jiu jitsu. Enjoy....

Dr. Dre Plays Chess on the Cover of XXL!!

This is beautiful. I love it on so many levels. The funny thing is, people will STILL act shocked when you explain that Hip-Hop has shown more love to the game of chess than any other music form on earth.

Jrobi breaks out a wicked trap

HHCF Jiiu Jitsu Team Member Patrick Ryan Gets Blue Belt!

I'm proud to share with the world that HHCF Jiu Jitsu Team Member Patrick Ryan was awarded  his blue belt from Rodrigo Mendes. I knew it was coming soon. He's competed a lot this year (including the Worlds where he had a stellar submission in his first match). He also hosts the Jupiter Jiu Jitsu competitions down in Florida. For those in the chess world, Patrick had a serious role at both Chesspark and WuChess. I have a photo of him playin' RZA on tour somewhere. He's been at almost every HHCF event and we are all VERY proud of him for getting his blue, his contribution to the chess and jiu jitsu communities.

Pawn structure is soooo crucial

In Search of Musashi

Origins of A Legend: In Search of Musashi
By: Adisa Banjoko

In the history of martial arts, few names stand as tall as Miyamoto Musashi. This unconquered, self taught swordsman has inspired so many different kinds of people its hard to fully measure his impact. MMA fighters,  BJJ practitioners and business men across the globe read his classic Book of Five Rings as a source of motivation. When watching movies like Twilight Samurai, Shogun Assassin, Twilight Samurai or cartoons and comics like Usagi Yojimbo and Samurai Jack- they all contain elements of Musashi's philosophical DNA. But beyond the Book of Five Rings and the Japanese fiction epic Musashi, by Eiji Yoshikawa very little is known about him.

Lucky for us, William de Lange has written a book appropriately entitled The Real Musashi: Origins of a Legend. After studying Japanese culture and swordsmanship Mr. de Lange chose to put together a book on Musashi's real life to demystify one of the worlds greatest strategists. William de Lange created a  powerful piece of work on Miyamoto Musashi that is as well researched as it is well written. He takes the context of all of Musashi's travels very seriously. I believe some people may not be as interested in certain maps or details of certain family members etc. I personally found this to be amazing. For instance, I never knew Musashi had a daughter. I was shocked to learn that he killed his first opponent at the age of 13.  I also learned how close Musashi came do dying when he fought Sasaki Kojiro. There is so much in the book. I do not want to ruin for you. So rather than continue, I'll let Mr. de Lange tell you about his findings and his methods while in search of the the real Musashi. 

Adisa Banjoko: When did you first learn about Musashi and at what compelled you to write this book?

William de Lange: Oh, that's hard to say. Actually, the first memory I have of my budding interest in Japan's feudal era was watching Shogun when I was in my early teens. Oddly enough, I don't have any clear recollection of first reading about Musashi. Being a practitioner of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu my interest was automatically first drawn the the proponents of that school of the legendary swordsmanship, Kami Izumi Ise no Kami, and of course, Yagyu Muneyoshi and Yagyu Munenori.

It was only when I set out to write my trilogy on Famous Japanese Swordsmen that I seriously immersed myself in the life and times of Miyamoto Musashi. In that series I trace the origin and development of the various Japanese schools of swordsmanship by describing the lives of their practitioners against the greater historical backdrop of incessant civil war. That study soon led me to the realization that this towering figure on Japan's martial landscape really deserved his own book. Not only because in comparison to the other swordsmen there is such a wealth of material, but also because he does not really fit into the format of my swordsmen series.

The reason for this was that most of the swordsmen of Musashi's time represented just one link in a long line of swordsmen, each of whom made small changes and improvements in the particular school in which they were raised and trained. Musashi, by contrast, developed his Niten Ichi-ryû—with its distinctive use of two swords—virtually out of nothing. In that sense he is a unique character in he pantheon of Japanese swordsmen.

He also is unique in having developed his own philosophy of heiho (the art of warfare). In that sense only Yagyû Munenori comes close with his Heiho kadensho, although that work was very much influenced by the writings of his close friend Takuan Soho. Similarly, Musashi stands out by his great talent in the field of calligraphy and painting, reason enough, therefore, to dedicate at least one book to the life and times of Miyamoto Musashi.

AB: How did you begin the process of telling his story?

WDL: Naturally, the first thing I did when I began my research was to look what original sources there were on Musashi. Of course there is the Book of Five Rings, but sadly, Musashi only spends only half a page in describing the event of his life. I therefore had to look elsewhere, to accounts of Musashi written by his contemporaries or their close descendants, who wrote down what was passed down to them by men who had known Musashi alive. It was then that I realized that there actually is a great wealth of different sources, some more, some less reliable. I found that two of the most reliable sources are the Bushu denraiki and the Bukoden, both of which were written around the middle of the eighteenth century.

I also found that though various authors who had delved into Musashi's life had come across these text and and quoted from them, but no western author had as yet taken the trouble to translate and use these texts in full. It was then that I decided to carefully translate both text before I set out to write the actual biography of Musashi's life.

AB: What about Musashi intrigued you the most during your research?

WDL:The question whether he actually took part in the Battle of Sekigahara. Having translated both the Bushû denraiki and the Bukoden,
as well as studying a number of other text and sourses I have come to the conclusion that, though his father Muni did, he himself did not,
but actually took part in the siege of Tomiku castle, situated on the southern island of Kyushu, where he had moved with his father.

AB: How long did it take you to find the scrolls and what was the translation process?

WDL: Oddly enough, both the Bushu denraiki and the Bukoden are quite well known in Japan. Both works have been republished during the previous century, along with a considerable amount of serious scholarship. This groundwork helped me as, inevitably, some passages in both text are quite obscure and hard to understand. I also found that, because of this existing body of work, certain aspects of Musashi's life that are still shrouded in mystery in the West are already quite well known and undisputed in Japan. One example is Musashi's role in the siege of Osaka castle, in which he almost certainly served under the Mizuno Katsunari. This, by the way, is not so much proven by one of the above texts, but by the Kiro zatsuroku, written by the Confucianist scholar-warrior Matusdaira Kunzan.

                                               The sequel drops in March 2011

Perhaps one of the most remarkable things to be gained from the Bushu denraiki is that, quite contrary to the generally accepted view in the West, Musashi did not take part in the Battle of Sekigahara, the great contest for supremacy between the eastern and western forces. Instead, he took part in the siege of Tomiku castle, on the southern island of Kyoshu, fighting for the western warlord Kuroda Yoshitaka.

AB: Why do you think so many people around the world have find such deep inspiration from Musashi's legend and his real life?

WDL: I  think that most people, including myself, are struck by his fierce independence of mind. At no stage in his life did Musashi truly submit to any form of authority, choosing instead a solitary life and only serving various warlords in the capacity of adviser. I think it is that spirit of independence that shines through, not only in his unique style of fencing, but also in his writings, calligraphy, and paintings. He is a truly unique individual, with an absolute belief in his own abilities and approach to life and its inevitable difficulties.

AB: What if anything have you learned about Musashis relationship with Takuan Soho, the famous Buddhist Monk and author of The Unfettered Mind? In the fiction novel, it framed them as dear friends.

WDL: Actually, I'm not aware that Takuan and Musashi were befriended.Takuan wrote his work for his good friend Yagyû Munenori, who is said
to have encountered Musashi near Kyoto once, but so far I have not found any sources that refer to such a relationship.

AB: What did you learn about him the most that inspired or touched you in a deep way?

WDL Inevitably I was most inspired by the man's independence of mind; his belief in his unique destiny from a very young age and the unwavering conviction with which he pursued it. Most touched I was by Musashi's inconsolable grief over the death of his one child, a baby girl—another remarkable discovery that lies in store for those who read the Bushu denraiki.

AB: I was interested to find out he had so much money. How did he make it? Through teaching swordplay?

WDL: It seems that throughout his life Musashi was quite well paid by those who requested his services. During his last years in Kumamoto, for instance, he received a stipend of three hundred koku (bushels of rice), as well as a stipend sufficient to support seventeen servants. Compared to that, his old friend Shiota Hamanosuke only received twenty-five koku.

AB: You study swordsmanship in Japan. Has studying Musashi taught you anything philosophically or realistically as far as swordplay is
concerned?

WDL: Yes, that the basic principles are always the same, regardless which school of thought you adhere to. This applies to all aspects of
swordsmanship, as well as all the other forms of marital art: whether it concerns breathing techniques, one's gravitational center, the importance of mushin, all Asian martial arts begin from the same basic principles. They only differ in their approach and the details of their execution.

                                  A statue dedicated to Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro

AB:  What is your favorite part of the book?

WDLI particularly enjoyed translating the first part of the book. Not only because (for various reasons I explain in the introduction) the Bushu denraiki is more knowledgeable about Musashi's early life (while the Bukoden is more about his later life), but because it was especially in his early youth that Musashi's rebellious independence of mind shines through. Thus he leaves home at the age of nine, and thus he breaks away form the ranks—and almost gets killed—during the siege of Tomiku castle some seven years later.

AB: What's next for you?

WDL:Having translated both the Bushu denraiki and the Bukoden, I have now set about to recount his life in full. In order to do so I have translated a large number of additional early text, including the above mentioned Kiro zatsuroku. Some of these texts have never been used before by Western authors, so I intend to quote from them at length in my forthcoming biography of Musashi.

Adisa Banjoko has been covering BJJ and MMA for more than ten years. He holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and founder of the Hip-Hop Chess Federation. For more info on him follow him on Twitter @hiphopchess

Jrobi Always Keeps it Fresh....

Fight Philanthropy: Hip-Hop Chess Federation Creates HHCF Jiu Jitsu Team

The Hip-Hop Chess Federation now has its official HHCF  Jiu Jitsu Team. We are a group of people involved in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu who dedicate their lives to helping people off the mat as well. Fight Philanthropy is what we do. Fight Philanthropy is how warriors give back. In a few months, you will see the members of this team doing some amazing things to serve the greater global community. I want to take a moment to thank all the people involved who chose to be a part of this team. Also note that every person on the team is not an expert at the art. You don't have to be a Black belt to give back. You will see some of these people at Boston University March 26th 2011 when RZA defends his HHCF Chess King title belt....

See you on the boards,
Adisa Banjoko

Interview with Chess.com IM David Pruess

About a year ago, maybe less, I met IM David Pruess  from Chess.com at the Cal States Championship. He was a very laid back guy. We had some cool conversations about chess and life and competition. He did some great simuls and he guides kids into chess very well. Not long ago,  I caught up him on line the other month and I interviewed him via Google Chat. Check it out!!

Adisa Banjoko: At what age did you start playing chess and who taught you?

 David: my dad

he also taught my little brother, and I mostly played with them until I went to a Berkeley Chess School chess program for kids at age 12. that's when I found out about tournaments, books, theory...

AB: When did you realize you were good?

 David: Haha, I thought I was good like a lot of kids who don't know what's out there. I already thought I was good when I went to a summer camp and got scholar's mated 20 times in a row by some kid, until the time came to go home.

that's when i realized I was not good.

me: How did you face those losses? A lot of kids might have just quit. What made you keep going?

David: I was just dizzy, didn't know where the punch was coming from. It didn't affect whether or not I played though. I played cause I loved chess. I would have played all the time, but I did not know the opportunities that were out there to play (until 12).

 AB: Now for those that don't know what it takes

  What does it really take to be a Master?

 

David: a lot of time, perseverance, losing hundreds of games and learning lessons from them, and pushing yourself to always be better than you were before... and a lot more, the list of qualities is extensive. those are some that seem most important to me.

 AB: How did your parents prepare you for dealing with tournament pressure?

 David: I'll say this, spending time does not necessarily equate to improvement. If you don't feel you are making an effort while you are practicing, playing, studying, the time probably doesn't count for much.

 they didn't. They taught me great things like to love other people, but they didn't care about chess or competition. in fact, they taught me never to compare myself to other people, and for the most part, I never do.

AB: How did you find a balance between knowing not comparing yourself to other people but at the same time seeking this high level? It seems hard to do.

 David: yeah i was lost for a while in my high school years, thinking it was important to be able to beat other people, get recognition in the chess community. then i got over it and returned to just playing for the love of the game, and to improve myself, without regard to how i matched up to others.

  I think one reason i came back to balance was that playing for love of the game is fun, playing to prove you are better than someone else is not.

 or I just slowly remembered that it's nasty to want to be better than others.

  by the way, i was never competitive like that outside of chess, so it's definitely the competitiveness of chess that managed to bring that trait out in me. and i'm glad i got over it.

 AB: Tell me about how you got hooked up with Chess.com

 David : a lucky meeting for me with the two founders, lead to a dream job. I checked out their site, saw that they were great in their design. From a couple personal conversations, I decided they had the right ideas about how to treat everyone in the chess world with respect, and build for everyone at the same time. Then I was anxious to get to work with them.

(good stuff on your page by the way; just checked out recession-proof soul, and the american education is failingvideo)

 AB: (thanks man!)

  Any last words?

David: not any time soon!For more on IM David Pruess check out www.chess.com today! 

RAW All-Star Cheer Connects with HHCF for Guinness Book Event!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS CONTACT:

Veronica Cohen

cheer@rawtalents.org  

 Cheerleaders Across California will gather for Guinness World Record!

California Cheer Teams Seek World Record By Uniting at 2010 California Spirit Challenge

 September 29th, 2010, San Jose, CA- RAW All-Star Cheer Gym is proud to announce that it will be hosting The 2010 California Spirit Challenge on November 14, 2010 at the Alum Rock Youth Center in San Jose,CA. The purpose of the 2010 California Spirit Challenge is to break the Guinness Book of World Record for the largest cheer dance at a single venue.  

“Cheer leading is one of the longest athletic traditions for American girls” said RAW Cheer coach Tavi. “ California girls have a reputation across the world for being the some of the most fierce cheer leaders. We’re going to gather cheer leaders from all over the state and break the world record together. RAW Cheer is going to show the world what it means to have California spirit!

RAW All-Stars is partnering with internationally known non-profit the Hip-Hop Chess Federation & other sponsors to rally squads and get them trained for the six-minute synchronized performance all participants are required to perform on the day of the event.

HHCF Founder Adisa Banjoko stated “Cheer squads might seem like an unlikely ally. But the truth is cheerleading is one of the biggest fitness traditions for American females. It takes a strong mind and tons of physical strength to pull off the stunts these young ladies accomplish. As a foundation that strongly believes that you must have a strong mind and strong body, for that reason we’re a proud sponsor of RAW All-Stars and this amazing event.” 

This event is open to cheer teams members of all ages. To register your team  for participation in the 2010 California Spirit Challenge visit www.RawTalents.org where you can learn the moves for the cheer dance and other details about this historic event. For up to the minute updates follow us now at www.twitter.com/RAWcheer