It was as a youngster in the mid-70s that I first considered the feasibility of the “holy grail” of the martial arts: a synthetic form that would combine all the best elements of the disparate styles into one cohesive, all-encompassing and succinct system: in other words the ultimate martial art.

I pored over the various books listing various styles. I pondered the encyclopaedic, sophisticated variations of jujutsu locks and holds, the smooth flow of the myriad Shaolin styles, the... Read More

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I met a martial artist today outside of my dojo. We ate lunch and talked about martial arts. After half and hour, he wouldn't stop talking. He kept going about forms, applications, the arts he's studied, his opinions on MMA. The man was all over the page. At some points he talked at length about ninjutsu with authority, never knowing that I have studied Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu with the Bujinkan. During this time I simply listened and kept asking him questions, trying to learn what I could.

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