“Learn without thinking,”

wasted work.

To think without studying, -

dangerous business."

Chinan Sanda (1842- 1925) 

Five instructions from Sensei UECHI Kanbun:

1. First, learn to relax with any movement, no tension. Tension mainly originates in the facial muscles and neck, and then moves on to the rest of the body. Relax your face and neck, which will allow you to get rid of tension in all your movements.
2. Choose a position for balance that does not require you to strain while remaining in that position. Keep your head straight, don't lean forward - think about keeping your face away from the wrestling area, but don't lean back. Maintain the feeling of concave chest and arched back, but with a straight spine.
3. Exercise every day. Flexibility is essential for learning relaxation. The muscles should be soft and well stretched.
4. When you punch, don't throw your hand or fist - just straighten your arm completely without pause or tension. Not slowly, with tension, but a natural jerk directed outward, without swinging and hesitation. This will increase the impact force. When you kick, imagine a whip. The movement is soft and natural. The foot hits strongly, then returns to the bent position on its own - no need strain or pull it away.
5. When you block, do not counter the force of the blow with a block, but deflect it gently or strike the attacking limb. Get out of the line of attack, wrap your arm and hand around your opponent's and jerk him off balance. This will open the enemy to your counterattack.

Components of training - 稽古【Keiko】

1. 準備運動 - Junbi Undo - Warm-up exercises.
2. 補助運動 - Hojo Undo - Auxiliary exercises.
3. 三戦 - Sanchin - Learning the Sanchin kata:
   1. 三戦の練習 - Sanchin no Renshuu - Performing the Sanchin kata;
   2. 三戦鍛え - Sanchin Kitae - Performing the Sanchin kata with verification.
4. 型 - Kata - Learning kata:
   1. 型の練習 - Kata no Renshuu - Execution of kata;
   2. 型の分解 - Kata no Bunkai - Analysis and practice of combat decoding of the kata.
5. 体鍛え - Tai Kitae - Body Tempering:
   1. 小手鍛え - Kote Kitae - “Padding” of the forearms;
   2. 下肢鍛え; 足鍛え - Kashi Kitae; Ashi Kitae - "Stuffing" of the legs;
   3. 肚鍛え - Hara Kitae - “Stuffing” the belly.
6. 中間補助運動 - Chukan Hojo Undo - Intermediate auxiliary exercises.
7. 約束組手 - Yakusoku Kumite - Stipulated duel.
8. 自由組手; 自由攻防 - Jiyu Kumite; Jiyu Kobo - Free/free duel; Free attacks and defenses.
9. 補強運動 - Hokyo Undo - Additional strengthening exercises.

TRAINING FEATURES

守破離 => 守破離 => 守破離

"Syu-Ha-Ri"

“Concept “S hu - H a - R” i", taken from calligraphy and transferred to Japanese martial arts.

Long and very accurate copying of a sample (in graphics - charter), then adding your own handwriting (half-chart) and, finally, discovering a new one, improvisation, breakthrough (cursive writing).

However, even at the last stage, they write the same symbols (hieroglyphs, letters...) as at the first, and do not invent a new Chinese letter, it just becomes a living cursive handwriting.”

Today in karate there is an extremely fair concept of three stages of training:

• “Shu” - “following tradition” - means that you need to memorize everything exactly as the teacher shows. This requires many years of training, otherwise there will be no basis for moving to the next level.
  • In life, this is the stage of a child’s development when parents are indisputable authorities for him.
• “Ha” - “break with tradition” - means the opportunity to break the chains of tradition, try to improve the school’s technique, harmoniously incorporating into it the best techniques from other schools, which means the desire to find one’s own ways of development. Many people try to do this too early because they overestimate their capabilities.
  • In life, this is the stage of development of a young man when his parents are wrong about everything.
• “Ri” is to rise above everything that has been studied before, to find higher and more general principles, which means “to go your own way following the wisdom of tradition.”
  • In life, this is the stage of a man’s development when you realize that your parents are right, but you are already going your own way.

This means that the ultimate goal lies in completely free execution of movements, free from the shackles of standardization. But almost no one goes that far. Most students stop at the first stage of education without completing it.

Most students, due to their European mentality, cannot follow the path 守破離 - Shu-Ha-Ri (copying (exactly following tradition) - searching for one’s own (breaking with tradition) - following one’s own path with respect for the wisdom of tradition) and it’s not enough for them to copy themselves - they need a verbal explanation of the method. Hence, unfortunately, we have such a large amount of chatter and a small amount of actual work.

THE GOAL OF ASPIRATIONS IN BUDO

一米一汗

【 Hito Kome, Hito Ashi】

“a grain of rice is a drop of sweat”

A person who begins to practice martial arts is riddled with traditional prejudices. It will take a lot of time before he trustfully accepts the previously completely alien values ​​of BUDO. For a beginning student and even for an experienced student, the role of the teacher is to teach him various techniques and reveal their meaning. However, at first, students have difficulty understanding that practicing martial arts is not about mastering a set of some techniques, but about finding a path - “BEFORE”, which leads far from everyday life. So far, all the students’ aspirations are aimed specifically at mastering individual techniques. When a teacher draws the student’s attention to some abstract, ideal values, the student often resists him, defending the infallibility of his own views.

The student needs to make some effort to look inside himself and resolve his own problems, which often prevent him from finding the true path. There is no need to debate what truth is and what lies are, but to carry out and perform the exercises. Some improve technical skills; others develop their personality. To understand this is the goal of aspirations in BUDO.

INTERNAL ESSENCE AND EXTERNAL APPEARANCE

By the expression “goal of aspiration,” the master understands not only the achievement of some kind of external success - many strive precisely for success, without thinking at all that they need to achieve righteousness (“sisei”), but also the acquisition of a special state of soul: internal dignity , which will manifest itself in any of their actions, in any action. Therefore, for a teacher, a person’s perception of the world, his inner essence, is more important than his actions, because he knows that erroneous actions violate the basic principles of life. BUDO classes clearly demonstrate this. A technique has not yet been invented that would allow a person to develop his technical skills, regardless of what is in his soul. The philosophy of BUDO teaches you to avoid war, because in combat conditions you cannot improve your skills. However, students cannot understand this most important principle for a long time.

Righteousness can be achieved only by striving for the ideal and being prepared to sacrifice oneself at any moment, and not at all by achieving any external success. Everyone can achieve success, but only a few are capable of sacrificing themselves. The master teaches, first of all, to find your inner essence; only then will a person be capable of some important actions. The master knows that even if you win the war, you will not win justice. If a student strives specifically for external success, he will not comprehend the PATH OF BUDO.

TRAINING PRACTICE – “KEIKO” OR “RENSHU”?

The concept of "keiko" (exercise; reflection) refers to the practice of exercises that not so much enhance technical skill as develop the personality of the martial arts practitioner. If a person does not reflect, he will not realize the essence of this practice (keiko). A true understanding of its essence and the ability, in a constant struggle with oneself, to realize the possibilities inherent in the exercise, are the foundations on which in the arts of BUDO the formation of the spirit and the ability to control one’s own energy are based (Chinese: “Qi”, Japanese: “Ki” )

The concept of "keiko" (稽古 ) in the arts of BUDO the concept of “renshu” (練習) is opposed), usually meaning "training". This is a practice that develops a person’s physical capabilities. In the teaching about the WAY, which is followed by people involved in the arts of BUDO, this concept is used only as one of the components of “keiko”, since the main focus here is on achieving internal balance and harmony, and vital energy helps to achieve such a state (Chinese: “Qi”) ", Japanese: "Ki").

So, the concept of “keiko” covers various elements of the teaching about the WAY, namely WADZA("technique"), CI(“energy”) and SYN("spirit"). The goal of the practice is to connect waza, ki and shin; if this can be achieved, a person will understand how to act. The result of such practice will be not so much the mastery of any martial art skill, but rather a genuine understanding of one’s own position in life. Until a person achieves inner harmony, he will not achieve noticeable success in BUDO. Thus, the path of BUDO is not only about athletic

The student must always be ready to comprehend the Path; he must do everything in order to be able to learn. This statement is extremely important, because a person is always inclined to believe that he knows everything in advance. Therefore, when studying BUDO, students are often ready to decide for themselves what is important to them in these classes, and what, in their opinion, is mere nonsense. They are ready to lose sight of everything that is incomprehensible to them and immediately forget it. Sometimes a lot of time will pass before they understand that the best way to study is to completely trust their teacher, his experience and knowledge, rather than arbitrarily judging everything.

Only then will the student truly be imbued with the spirit of BUDO when during classes he trusts not so much his own opinion as the experience of the teacher and completely relies on him. In the teaching about the WAY, there is no need to prove the truth or falsity of certain provisions, there is no place for disputes between the teacher and his students, there is no need to discuss whether certain exercises are necessary or not and whether they are structured correctly. Wherever the opposite happens, where students, not yet becoming true masters, already begin to judge everything, there is no place for a teacher. He can withdraw where there is no reverence, there is no BUDO.

To study in a DOJO means to be imbued with the very spirit of BUDO and strive to achieve mastery under the guidance of a TEACHER. However, until the master testifies that he himself has not become a real master, he has no right to interrupt his studies, no matter what level he has reached; otherwise he will have to subsequently start all over again.

There is no hierarchy among BUDO masters. Here we are talking about the understanding of the WAY itself, and not about the individual stages of achieving this understanding. Mastery begins when the understanding of the WAY comes. Only after this can the student independently continue to study the PATH.

Conventional or sports training methods do not help to understand the WAY. The traditional BUDO learning process is fundamentally different from any other educational processes, where the student tries to either gain new knowledge or master some skill. In BUDO, progress is achieved not in the process of learning itself, but as genuine human intimacy is established between master and student. It can arise only if the student himself is ready for it. If he avoids a trusting relationship with the teacher, then there will be none. When practicing BUDO, you must constantly think about your behavior, about your attitude towards life, otherwise you will not gain higher understanding.

Often students do not realize this and therefore persist in their delusions. For them, there are boundaries that they cannot cross, no matter how differently they explain it. However, in fact, it all comes down to one thing: they cannot overcome their “I”, and this prevents them from finding the true PATH; when they are faced with the need to rise above their egoism, egocentrism, selfishness and self-confidence, it is easier for them to declare that they themselves are mistaken WAY than to admit that they persist in their errors. They can find a tolerable explanation for any failure, but this will not save them from repeating failures in the future. No matter how sophisticated logical reasoning such a person resorts to, the very logic of his thought is limited, because in front of him there is a barrier that he is not yet able to overcome and which hides the true state of affairs from him.

In this article, I want to invite you to evaluate your progress in the language from a Japanese (and also Chinese) point of view. A little philosophical, but at the same time quite practical.

Once upon a time, my husband was heavily involved in karate, and he told me about the old Japanese concept of "Shu Ha Ri" (守破離 ; It's funny that these Japanese characters are actually Chinese. And the values ​​are completely the same).

It's about going from a green beginner to a master.

The idea is that at the first stage, basic techniques are memorized, at the second, various variations of techniques, and at the third, the accumulated experience allows you to create your own techniques.

The concept of "Syu Ha Ri" is now very popular in the business field. It can be used in any type of learning, but we will talk about languages.

The first stage is Xiu, which means “to maintain”, “to adhere to (the rules)”.

At this stage the foundations are laid. The stronger the foundation, the more success you can achieve in the future.

What should be done at this stage? Improve your pronunciation, learn simple phrases and grammatical structures.

Memorization usually makes students very angry, but surprisingly, this method works great. Once you learn it, that’s it, your memory has a stranglehold on the correct grammatical structures. I don’t like this method, but at university we were often forced to use it.

The Shu Ha Ri principle assumes that the student has a teacher who will take care to eliminate mistakes. The student should be left with a clean, polished form.

During this period, students may be indignant: why do native speakers speak with errors, and they can, but we can’t? I want to go all out: pick up slang, grab a variety of materials and forget about mistakes.

For example, Chinese has the structure 太。。。了 (=too...). But I notice that the Chinese often leave out 了。If I copy them and say 太认真 ("too serious")，太麻烦 ("too problematic") without 了，I will make mistakes. Because sometimes it's appropriate and sometimes it's not. But it’s too early for a beginner to delve into the nuances.

There is also a popular opinion: “The Chinese speak without tones, why am I worse?” But although the Chinese usually do not speak with clear tones, if you do not learn them once and for all, then you yourself will not understand anything by ear, and they will not understand you.

Fortunately, while in martial arts the first stage can take many years, in languages ​​everything is simpler. If you study well, a couple of years will be enough. It will probably take three years to master complex oriental languages.

By the way, both in languages ​​and in martial arts, many quickly jump from this step to the next in order to “finally start doing more interesting things.”

I won’t bore you and say that “that’s the way to do it,” I myself have “skipped over” more than once. It just means that at a high level of language proficiency you may still have gross errors (grammar, pronunciation).

It is logical that the longer you used incorrect patterns, the more firmly they became ingrained. It’s easier to get rid of them at the beginning of the journey, rather than at a high level. If it's important to you, of course.

The second stage is called Ha - “to break, break (the rules)”- that is, to depart from the canons.

We are finally starting to rely on our linguistic intuition. By this time a thing had happened: getting the feel for the language . Maybe we don't remember or even know the exact grammatical rule or correct combination (collocations) , but we feel that “it sounds better this way.”

And most importantly, at this stage the student is no longer indignant at the illogicality of the foreign language - he begins understand , why everything works this way and not otherwise. The puzzle is finally starting to come together.

We begin to experiment with synonyms and grammatical constructions: what will happen if this word is replaced with another, similar one - will the meaning change much? Can this sentence be rephrased like this?

Here's an example. Swedes often say the word j ä vla (“damned”, “damn”). After looking at him on the forums, you boldly comment on your Swedish friend’s offer to meet him for coffee: “Jävla bra!” (“awesome, “damn great”). And you wonder why he’s laughing at you. And this sounds inappropriate, which you will definitely understand during this stage.

This is a time of trial and error. It is no longer important to follow the rules. It is important to learn how to express your thoughts correctly.

Also at this stage it is interesting to become more familiar with dialects and slang. When you already have a solid foundation, it's time to go broader and learn variations.

It seems to me that at this stage a person should have at least a confident B1. Or even B2.

Many people get stuck at this stage, because it seems like you are already cool: you speak quite fluently, in general they understand you, but what about minor mistakes - who doesn’t have them?

If you want to rise higher, you need either a good teacher who will help you hone your linguistic sense and clean out minor mistakes, or your own attentiveness, meticulousness and patience.

The third stage is Ri, “to leave”, “to go beyond (the practiced techniques).” This is the highest skill.

The Ri stage is the stage of pure improvisation. Beautiful and successful improvisation.

I think that at this stage a person can spontaneously and appropriately come up with his own neologisms.

For example, in Swedish there is such a suffix -is , which gives words a colloquial and sometimes diminutive connotation. You want to call someone “sunny”, take the floor sol (“sun”), and come up with a word solis .

Now you are like a fish out of water when it comes to linguistic subtleties and nuances. It’s easy for you to choose the right words in order to give your words the right tone and place the right emphasis.

If you want to explain a concept from your native language and culture, you may accidentally come up with a saying that already exists in the language. You didn’t know her, just solid experience helped you guess the correct answer.

For example, how do you say “the train has left” in English? In the sense that “that’s it, the chance is lost”? The “master” will realize that it is unlikely to be something with a train (and rightly so, in English it is That ship has sailed or We've missed the boat ). He will think about it and say “it will probably be something like “A little too late.” And he will guess! Almost guess: this will sound "Too little too late" .

The point here is not to necessarily know this rather popular phrase, but to easily and naturally come up with something on the go. Yes, so that the guess is successful and approximately coincides with how they speak this language.

By the way, a similar concept exists in Chinese culture and Chinese martial arts.

In Chinese, Xiu Ha Ri corresponds to 地 (“earth”), 人 (“man”) and 天 (“sky”). It's even easier to remember than the Japanese concept!

"Earth" - the basics.

“Man” – learns, tries, looks for ways.

“Heaven” is the level of God :)

I think at every stage there are many moments that bring joy. At the first stage, it is the delight of new discoveries and rapid progress. On the second – the joy of freedom and a certain independence. Well, on the third – pure creativity and awareness of how cool you are :)

Sukhari or Rusks(守破離) is a Japanese concept of teaching various techniques (usually martial arts). Includes 3 stages of training:

• Xiu- involves strict adherence to the rules and instructions of the teacher. The student’s task is to concentrate on the action and hone its execution. Through repeated repetition, he masters all the rules and techniques. When this happens, the Xiu level has been reached. Training moves to the next stage.
• Ha- at this stage the student stops blindly following all the rules. He thinks about his actions, changes the rules, tries to break them, builds a new system of his own rules. He also learns new techniques from other teachers.
• Ri- at this stage the task is to free yourself from the rules, to move into a new dimension (Tao), where there are no rules, but the natural course of things. When the body is finally freed from all rules, the Ri level is reached and the Shu phase begins in a new dimension.

There are three stages in any teaching.
- Non-critical. In order to assimilate any teaching at the level of knowledge, it is necessary to approach it uncritically, with complete trust. Become his sincere fan. Get the moral right to retell it. Anyone who skips the first stage becomes dropout. Anyone who gets stuck on it becomes zombie.
- Constructive-critical. In order to assimilate a teaching at the level of understanding, it is necessary to approach it constructively and critically with the desire to improve it, improve it, eliminate its internal contradictions and inconsistencies with the facts, and give it harmony and beauty. Anyone who skips this stage becomes defector, and the one who gets stuck on it - eternal student.
- Destructive-critical. In order to assimilate the teaching at the level of overcoming it, it is necessary to discover its limits, its limitations and inability for further development without radical restructuring. To destroy to the ground and identify suitable elements for building a different, more perfect teaching. Anyone who starts from this stage, skipping the first and second, becomes ignorant. Anyone who does not miss any of the three stages, who goes through them consistently and without guile, becomes successor.

And here's more on this topic in Hagakure, about the usefulness of a person at every stage.

“In a person’s life there are stages of comprehension of teaching. At the first stage, a person learns, but this does not lead to anything, and therefore he considers himself and others inexperienced. Such a person is useless. In the second stage he is also useless, but he is aware of his own imperfections and sees the imperfections of others. In the third stage, he is proud of his abilities, rejoices in the praise of other people, and regrets the shortcomings of his friends. Such a person can already be useful. At the highest stage, a person looks as if he knows nothing.”

These are the general steps. But there is also one more stage that is more important than all the others. At this stage, a person comprehends the infinity of improvement on the Path and never considers that he has arrived. He knows exactly his shortcomings and never thinks that he has succeeded. He is devoid of pride, and thanks to his humility he comprehends the Path to the end. Master Yagyu is said to have once remarked, “I don’t know how to defeat others; I know how to conquer myself."

Study hard all your life. Every day become more skilled than you were the day before, and the next day more skilled than you were today. Improvement has no end.

Four stages of learning: 1. Unconscious ignorance 2. Conscious ignorance 3. Conscious knowledge 4. Unconscious knowledge

“In a person’s life there are stages of comprehension of teaching. At the first stage, a person learns, but this does not lead to anything, and therefore he considers himself and others inexperienced. Such a person is useless. In the second stage he is also useless, but he is aware of his own imperfections and sees the imperfections of others. In the third stage, he is proud of his abilities, rejoices in the praise of other people, and regrets the shortcomings of his friends. Such a person can already be useful. At the highest stage, a person looks as if he knows nothing.”

Xiu - involves strict adherence to the rules and instructions of the teacher. The student’s task is to concentrate on the action and hone its execution. Through repeated repetition, he masters all the rules and techniques. When this happens, the Xiu level has been reached. Training moves to the next stage.
Ha - at this stage the student stops blindly following all the rules. He thinks about his actions, changes the rules, tries to break them, builds a new system of his own rules. He also learns new techniques from other teachers.
Ri - at this stage the task is to free yourself from the rules, to move into a new dimension (Tao), where there are no rules, but the natural course of things. When the body is finally freed from all rules, the Ri level is reached and the Shu phase begins in a new dimension.
The English version of the wiki has a more extensive explanation.

Here is another interpretation that describes the dangers of these three stages.

There are three stages in any teaching.
- Non-critical. In order to assimilate any teaching at the level of knowledge, it is necessary to approach it uncritically, with complete trust. Become his sincere fan. Get the moral right to retell it. Anyone who misses the first stage becomes a dropout. Anyone who gets stuck on it becomes a zombie.
- Constructive-critical. In order to assimilate a teaching at the level of understanding, it is necessary to approach it constructively and critically with the desire to improve it, improve it, eliminate its internal contradictions and inconsistencies with the facts, and give it harmony and beauty. The one who skips this stage becomes a defector, and the one who gets stuck at it becomes an eternal student.
- Destructive-critical. In order to assimilate the teaching at the level of overcoming it, it is necessary to discover its limits, its limitations and inability for further development without radical restructuring. To destroy to the ground and identify suitable elements for building a different, more perfect teaching. Anyone who starts from this stage, skipping the first and second, becomes ignorant. The one who does not miss any of the three stages, who goes through them consistently and without guile, becomes a successor.

And here's more on this topic in Hagakure, about the usefulness of a person at every stage.
“In a person’s life there are stages of comprehension of teaching. At the first stage, a person learns, but this does not lead to anything, and therefore he considers himself and others inexperienced. Such a person is useless. In the second stage he is also useless, but he is aware of his own imperfections and sees the imperfections of others. In the third stage, he is proud of his abilities, rejoices in the praise of other people, and regrets the shortcomings of his friends. Such a person can already be useful. At the highest stage, a person looks as if he knows nothing.”
These are the general steps. But there is also one more stage that is more important than all the others. At this stage, a person comprehends the infinity of improvement on the Path and never considers that he has arrived. He knows exactly his shortcomings and never thinks that he has succeeded. He is devoid of pride, and thanks to his humility he comprehends the Path to the end. Master Yagyu is said to have once remarked, “I don’t know how to defeat others; I know how to conquer myself."
Study hard all your life. Every day become more skilled than you were the day before, and the next day more skilled than you were today. Improvement has no end.
From NLP

Four stages of learning: 1. Unconscious ignorance 2. Conscious ignorance 3. Conscious knowledge 4. Unconscious knowledge.

Another article on this topic.

The author of this article is Yukiyoshi Takamura

Note.Sensei Takamura and wrote this article as part of the Shindo Yoshin Ryu Instructor's Manual. Although written specifically for instructors, there is so much value in this article that we decided to make it accessible to everyone.

The concept of su-ha-ri literally means mastering a kata, moving away from a kata, and abandoning a kata. Training in classical Japan always pursued precisely these goals and took place within the framework of this particular educational process. This unique approach to learning existed in Japan for many centuries and became the means by which many traditions of old Japanese knowledge were preserved, including such diverse fields as martial arts, flower arranging, theater, poetry, fine arts, sculpture and weaving. Although the concept of su-ha-ri was so successful that it survives to this day, new approaches to teaching and learning are now changing this old Japanese method of passing on knowledge. Whether the traditional arts of Japan and the purposes they serve will be successfully transmitted to the new generation depends entirely on modern teachers and their wisdom regarding the strengths and problems inherent in the concept of su-ha-ri. In this article I will discuss su-ha-ri and the unique applications of this concept to the proud tradition of the Takamura-ha school of martial arts of Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu.

Soden: entry level training.
Su(mastering kata)

Kata, or form, is the core of teaching in traditional Japanese knowledge schools. This is the most visual representation of the school's knowledge, embodied in seemingly simple concepts or sequences of movements. Since kata is quite easy to master, it is often mistakenly believed that kata is the most important aspect in determining a student's ability or level of advancement. In fact, if kata is taught correctly, then they do contain similar information in the form of ura, that is, in a hidden form, but this information lies deeper than the surface (omote) of ordinary observation.

If a student does not devote himself entirely to mastery of the omote level of kata, he is doomed to forever remain a beginner, unable to advance to the true depths of knowledge that are hidden from him in the form of ura. In order to truly experience su and master a kata, the student must subject himself and his ego to mastering a seemingly random set of exercises that are repeated over and over again. Very often this initial level - the soden level - is intended to challenge the student's ability to concentrate and his desire to learn. In addition, in some strict traditions the purpose of kata is to create physical discomfort. Overcoming physical discomfort in these types of kata is the first level of training to mentally concentrate exclusively on one task. As the student progresses in learning the various katas, he begins to encounter various manifestations of stressful situations or situations that try to distract his attention. As these challenges increase, the student learns to respond to information and stress in increasingly effective ways. After some time, neuromuscular reactions begin to occur on an intuitive level and are no longer controlled by the student at a conscious level. When this level of kata is mastered and performed satisfactorily, the student is considered to have reached the first level of training. In subsequent training, he will have to master more complex kata, which will become even more varied tests for him, but now the mental methodology of training will begin to work - and the first goal of kata training is considered achieved

Learning difficulties at the soden level.
At this level the kata can be learned independently. In the end, it is simply repetition of physical exercises that, by overcoming yourself and following instructions, allow you to gain personal experience. This may seem like an exaggeration, but anyone who knows the basic kata can take on students to train them at the first level of training. Some students are even able to reach this level with guidance, such as books. However, this approach puts the student in a dangerous situation, especially when mastering kata that must be performed in pairs. Great difficulties are caused by the lack of scrupulous attention of the teacher to the correct external form and proper timing. To put it simply, the teaching ability of low-level instructors suffers from the fact that their own training is itself quite mediocre. Because of this, they teach the wrong skills to their students and they have to relearn them later. This is not only potentially dangerous - it can discourage the student from learning altogether. Such training led to the fact that many excellent promising students, having received such experience, abandoned their studies and dropped out of training. Careful instruction, even at the most basic level of kata training, is absolutely essential. Basic skills are the core of the correct execution of all actions and should not be underestimated.

Chuden: intermediate level of training.
“Su” is amazing on a level.

At the wonderful level, learning kata includes a new element. This element is application, or bunkai. The student is shown the deeper reasons for the need to master the kata and the structure of the kata. The scenario in which the kata is performed is also studied and evaluated. However, this study and evaluation is limited to pure performance of the kata without any variations. Only through such a rigorous regimen of teaching a kata can its applicability be demonstrated to the student at a level that the student is capable of comprehending. In the process of teaching, the teacher helps the student begin to understand the essence of ura - those aspects that are hidden beneath the surface of the purely physical form. For some students this becomes a revelation, for others it was already obvious at some point. In either case, the teacher must accurately present the basic concepts at a more abstract level than before. This allows us to chart the path to the next concept of su-ha-ri.

Ha(departure from kata).

In the traditional Japanese concept, su-ha-ri ha is the first hint of allowing the student to be creative. This happens the first time he performs henka waza, or variations. These are called "deviations from an existing form within a form" or "orthodox variations that adhere to the rigid form of the main kata." It is now that the student is directed to monitor any reaction to failure to perform the kata in its pure form. In this situation, particularly careful instruction is required from the teacher, since excessive deviation from the basic form will lead to sloppiness in the execution of the technique or even its complete distortion, and blind adherence to rigid boundaries can destroy the talent of intuitive understanding of what lies below the surface. The goal now is to stimulate this talent, but this experience of creativity must be carefully regulated by the boundaries of the main kata. A kata must remain recognizable as a kata. If a kata deviates too much from the standard, it ceases to be related to the original one and becomes a different expression of the technique. At this level of training it is essential to avoid such deviations.

Ha, that's amazing.

When a student discovers the boundaries within a major kata, he begins to see that his learning opportunities are virtually endless. His skills are now increasing in leaps and bounds, something he had not experienced in the past. At this stage, the best students demonstrate their potential for the first time. The concepts and forms of ryu are combined in a way that stimulates the student's mind. He now appreciates the kata more fully and understands the wisdom of the technique that lies within them. Therefore, many teachers believe that this period in the progress of students is the most fruitful, and the results of the teacher’s work are fully manifested.

Difficulties in learning at the wonderful level.

At this stage, one should firmly adhere to the root concepts of the tradition. Deviation from the concepts that define the art allows the student to progress in directions not intended by the founder of the art. In order for the ryu to continue to maintain its identity and its core, it must stay strictly within the boundaries of the kata. Exceeding certain limits at this stage can be disastrous for the student, and the possibility of achieving his highest potential can be compromised. At this stage of teaching, teachers often fall into the trap of moving away from rigid structures. They misjudge the student's progress and believe that their level of understanding is much higher than what is actually achieved. At this intermediate stage of training, the student's intelligence and technical skills must be constantly tested. Sometimes overzealous students try to go too far, too fast. This tendency must be avoided or it will hinder further advancement and learning.

Joden: advanced level of training.
Ri(refusal of kata)

Some students of modern martial arts feel that kata and su-ha-ri are too restrictive and old-fashioned. In fact, this position is flawed because it misinterprets the purpose of the kata. Like many armchair specialists, such people have not received proper training in kata beyond the joden level and make judgments about things that they lack the qualifications to understand. Like many observers who do not have the experience of truly in-depth study, they view kata as an art in itself, rather than as a complex teaching tool that lies merely on the surface of the very core concepts of the art being studied. Kata “is” art - in a flawed interpretation. This is the same as thinking that a dictionary gives a complete picture of a language. Unfortunately, many of the older martial arts traditions in Japan unwittingly contribute to this distorted understanding by overemphasizing the role of kata. Very often in such schools, important root elements and knowledge were lost in ancient times, and what remains is omote, or the upper shell of the kata. Since such schools have nothing left except kata, they often bury their mokuroku (technical arsenal) a second time, presenting kata as the primary driving force of ryu. When this happens, the school inevitably degenerates into a state of simplified dance in which ura and kata applications become secondary goals. These traditions are completely dead. They resemble skeletons that try to pretend that they are the whole person.

"Ri" - what is it?

It is difficult to explain what ri is, since it is not studied as much as people come to it. This is the kind of performance that simply comes after the levels of su and ha have become an integral part of the one who worked them. This is the mastery of kata to such an extent that the outer shell of the kata ceases to exist. All that remains is the underlying truth. This is the form in which the form is not conscious. This is an intuitive execution of the technique, as effective as the form before it, but completely spontaneous. A technique that is freed from the limitations that result from the process of conscious comprehension truly becomes a vase of meditation in motion. For one who has achieved ri, observation becomes his own expression of reality. The mind becomes capable of operating at a much higher level than was previously possible. To the casual observer, it appears that the one performing the technique is almost clairvoyant, able to anticipate events and forestall attacks before they even occur. In reality, the observer is confused by the inertia of his own thinking. When the level of ri is reached, the time between observation and the corresponding reaction is reduced so much that it is practically not perceived. This is "ki". This is "mushin". This is "yu". It's all of this together. This is a manifestation of the highest level of military skill. This is what we call "wa" in Takamura Ryu.

The level of technical performance inherent in ri is beyond the capabilities of many students of the art. Most people are simply not capable of achieving this, this advanced level of expression of the school's capabilities. However, often those who never reach this level of technical mastery become excellent teachers, able to take a student to the edge of mastery even if they themselves cannot make the leap to intuitive performance - ri. Some observers are reluctant to acknowledge this restriction, which prevents everyone from entering the elite. This kind of thinking seems strange to me. I would like to remind such observers that not all human beings have the innate ability to achieve mastery in their chosen field. As human beings, we are all endowed with certain talents and shortcomings. It is these individual abilities and shortcomings that make us humans different and unique creatures. To try to deny this truth is to try to deny the existence of that which constitutes our individuality. With this in mind, it is necessary to be humble and remember that achieving mastery in one area does not guarantee having even an average level of ability in another. Likewise, mastery of technical performance does not always guarantee mastery of teaching.

Difficulties in learning at joden level and above.

When a student has consistently mastered the level of ri, he has mastered all the technical knowledge that the sensei can teach him directly. The process of mentoring and teaching must now change. The teacher must also allow the nature of the connection between himself and the student to change. From this point on, the student fully carries the traditions of the school and is bound by a keppon (blood oath), which means control of his ego and recognition by the student of the fact that without his teacher and his school he would never be able to realize his potential as a student. He must firmly know that all that he possesses is due to the devotion of his teacher to his work of teaching, as his teacher, in turn, owes to his teacher. His behavior should reflect that he is forever indebted to his school and should always be modest in the presence of the teacher. Likewise, the teacher must allow the student to exercise independence and be able to express himself in ways that he was not previously allowed. More like a leader and a person showing the way, a teacher with a joyful heart should stand next to his student. He too must be humble and aware of his responsibility to the school and continue to live up to the principles and standards that he taught to his student. His learning task is completed. Now he is not a father, but a grandfather.

Unfortunately, it is precisely at this time - the time when a school needs a teacher most - that many fail to cope with their task. Instead of demonstrating self-confidence and pride in the accomplishments of their students, they fall prey to vanity and lack of spirit. This is because they assume that this is the end of the respect that the disciples had for them - an end that in reality does not exist. Often this problem manifests itself in the fact that the teacher tries to restore such a connection between the teacher and the student, which does not allow the student to realize his mature leadership position within the school. Some teachers perceive deviations from their own path as students rejecting what they have been taught. Although in order for a student to achieve a higher level of self-expression within the school, some knowledge does have to be rejected. Some teachers are reluctant to acknowledge that deviations from their teaching at this level are actually a manifestation of the student's individuality, maturity and confidence. This confidence - and this must not be forgotten - was conveyed to the student by the teacher as part of the agreement between student and teacher. The teacher must remember his responsibilities and treat the student as a member of the school. He must humble his heart and remember the time when he himself was a disciple. He must do this in order to continue to be an effective leader on the Path.

Conclusion: white becomes black and then white again.
This is a call to every member of the school to know their responsibilities and regularly look into the mirror of the kamidan (home altar) - into the mirror that reflects the pure truth. And humbly ask the kami to help him look into his own heart and its motives critically, to hear the quiet voice that can become a harbinger of vanity and the search for profit. Only through the path of truth can teacher and student go through the process of su-ha-ri, fulfill their duties responsibly and pass on knowledge and wisdom to the followers of the school.

Features of traditional training

In traditional bu-jutsu training there are three levels called Soo Ha Ri .

In Japan, the concept of "Su Ha Ri" is used not only to describe the overall evolutionary progress towards the study of martial arts, but also as the entire life cycle of the student-teacher relationship.

"Su"- hieroglyph "to protect, to protect" implies strict adherence to tradition, exact reproduction of the taught technique. This stage is often called the “collar” stage.

The hieroglyph "Su" has two meanings: "to protect, to guard." This double meaning describes the relationship between student and teacher in the early stages of martial arts training, which can be compared to the relationship between parents and their children. The student must absorb everything that his teacher shares with him, must strive for knowledge and be ready to accept any comments and constructive criticism. The teacher should look after the student in the sense of looking out for his interests, caring for him and encouraging his progress, much as a parent looks after his child while he is growing. "Su" emphasizes learning the fundamentals in an uncompromising manner, so that the student gains a strong foundation for subsequent stages of training, and that all students perform the technique in the same way, although personality traits, body structure, age and abilities vary.

"Ha"- hieroglyph "break, break, break a rule" implies complete adaptation in understanding the basic techniques, a transition to variable practice (henka), internal awareness of the most important components of the style (literally “a flash of consciousness or internal insight”)

“Ha” is another concept with a corresponding double meaning - “to break, break, break a rule.” Having gone through a significant stage of training when the student comes to “inner insight,” he begins to free himself from the “collar” in two directions. In terms of technique, the student overcomes the fundamentals and begins to apply the principles acquired through the development of basic techniques in a new, more free and creative manner (Henka waza). The student's individuality begins to show in the way he performs the technique. At a deeper level, he also becomes liberated from blindly following the teacher’s instructions, he begins to reflect (doubt, ask questions) and discover new things more through his own experience. This stage can be frustrating for the teacher, as the student's own path of discovery leads to countless questions that begin with the words "Why...". At the Ha level, the relationship between teacher and student resembles the relationship between a parent and his adult child; the teacher is a master of the art, and the student can now become an instructor for others.

"Ri“- the hieroglyph “to separate, release” implies independence and freedom when, having received knowledge, you move away from it on the basis of what you have comprehended yourself, through the unity of Shin (kokoro) - spirit, Gi (waza) - technology and Tai - body.

"Ri" is the stage at which the student, now of high rank, moves away from his mentor, having absorbed everything that could be received from him, but this does not mean that there is no longer a connection between the student and the teacher. In fact, everything should be just the opposite, the bond between them should be stronger than ever, almost like between a parent and his adult son or daughter, who now have children of their own.

Although the student is now completely independent, he retains the wisdom and patient guidance of his teacher, so that their relationship is enriched by the experiences they share. But now the student develops and learns more through his own exploration rather than through receiving instructions, and can give vent to his own creative impulses. The student's technique now bears the imprint of his individuality and character. "Ri" also has a double meaning, the second meaning being "to release". As the student strives for inner independence from the teacher, the mentor, in turn, must let the student go.

"Su", "Ha", "Ri" is not a linear progression. It's more like concentric circles, so "Su" is present in "Ha" and both are present in "Ri". Thus, the basics remain the same, only their application and the gentleness of their execution changes as the student progresses in his training and his personality begins to get a taste for the technique being performed. In a similar way, the student and the teacher are always connected by close relationships and knowledge, culture, experience and tradition.

Ideally, “Su”, “Ha”, “Ri” should be expressed in the fact that the student will surpass his mentor, both in knowledge and skill. This is the source of the development of art as such. If the student never surpasses his mentor, then the art will, at best, stagnate. If the student's ability never reaches the master's ability, the art will begin to fade. If the student can assimilate all that his mentor gives him, and then achieve an even higher level of skill, the art will increasingly improve and prosper.

In Ryu there is the following systematization for training: Shoden, Chuden, Joden, Okuden. However, passing the levels “Su”, “Ha”, “Ri” based on the technical techniques being studied depends only on you, and is not transmitted to you by others.

In ancient times, a Bujin (warrior) achieved the level of "Ri" in battles by risking his life.

Bujutsu is a technique of fighting for one's life.

Ryu is not a sport or a game in which there are rules and dangerous techniques are prohibited. It is not easy to restrain an attacker without causing him pain.

Do not slander others or feel contempt for them.

Eizan (mountain) is high, and Kamogawa (river) is respected, although it is lower.

Other Ryukha (ancient ryu) have their own individual, inherent qualities that have their own advantages. Thus, denigration of other schools is extreme rudeness, baseness and a manifestation of one’s own vanity and arrogance.

Trust is a source of strength and harmony. It is important to value honor, trusting your mentor, trusting yourself. Don't lose self-respect, don't break trust, don't let vanity develop into arrogance.

From Ryukh's training manual.

Vitaly Alexandrov Chapter from the book “Email Marketing Strategy. Effective mailings for your business"
Publishing house "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber"

Step 3. Import the current database into the mailing service.

Automation - SY

At this level, we launch basic automatic scripts: welcome chain, reactivation letters. To work successfully, we must already have a well-functioning mailing service.

Behavioral segmentation - SY

We begin to receive sales data from the CRM directly into the mailing platform. We use data on the average bill and total purchase amount to send letters to customers based on their purchase history.

Case

What we did: used an informational occasion - a race victory - to remind the subscriber about an online sportswear store.

What we used: data on user purchases. We identified subscribers who bought goods from a certain collection - the winning team, and those who bought sports goods with logos and in the corporate colors of other teams participating in the competition.

Hypothesis: subscribers who were already interested in a certain brand and bought products from the collection will react positively to the newsletter.

What we received: the mailing gave twice the click rate compared to the monthly average and three times the conversion for the same average receipt. That is, we increased sales from the segment six times compared to regular mailings.

Disadvantage of this segmentation: I didn’t have to take the entire base. Our segment made up 35% of all buyers. But the rest can always be sent another news feed.

Consumer segmentation - SY

This is superhero level. We already use purchase history and information about mailing list reading activity, and also add data about user behavior on the site. As a result, we should see a user profile in the CRM system with a lot of data about him. Now we collect absolutely all the data about him and can use it to hyper-personalize communications.

What is hyper-personalization? This is a level of communication where 99% of messages are collected and sent automatically, using data about user behavior and purchases.

Table 5. Efficiency curve

Having implemented most of the mechanics at the SY level, you will most likely encounter a problem: the results do not live up to expectations. The system brings money, but user interest in communications is constantly decreasing. Email open rates are falling.

What to do? There are two ways: test or find insights and launch new communications.

Intermediate level - HA

At this level you start testing different hypotheses. If at the SJ level you did not pay attention to testing at all, then here this will become your main task. A/B tests on timing, title, sender's name, content in the body of the letter - this is what you bet on. And it really starts to improve results.

Test one. Online store

Through A/B testing, it was revealed (Table 6) that the menu in letters with promotions distracts the attention of subscribers from the main offer, so it was moved down in promotional letters (Fig. 1).

Table 6. Results of menu testing in emails

This is what a sales letter now looks like.

Rice. 1. Personalized sales newsletter with menu below

Remember that testing results cannot be scaled or transferred from one business to another.

The same mechanics can work great for one company, but not produce any noticeable effect for another company working in the same field. Be sure to take this into account before you start implementing something new.

Test two. Services sector

Tested the name of the button in the email.

The test showed that the “Find out more” button was clicked 2.5 times more often (Table 7). However, those who clicked on “Leave a request for a card” ended up leaving more applications on the site in absolute numbers than others - the conversion to application here was three times higher.

Table 7. Testing the “Find out more” and “Apply for a card” buttons among subscribers

It is important to evaluate each test in terms of the long-term results of its results. This is why headers should be tested last.

Well, you will find out that with a period at the end of the sentence, letters are opened better. But in the next test you most likely will not confirm this. There are too many factors that influence open rates, they are always different and cannot be guessed.

Let's look at the table of testing elements (Table 8).

Table 8. Testing different elements of the letter among subscribers

It contains nine elements that are important to test in your email campaigns. Each test has its own purpose and a detailed commentary on how to conduct it and interpret the results. I would like to draw special attention to the criterion of importance. It is either LR (Long Run, long-term) or SR (Short Run, short-term). For example, after testing the title and even finding some interesting patterns, you are unlikely to be able to use the result in the future. This is due to the fact that the header is influenced by many factors: weather, time of sending, name of the sender. And all these factors are collectively more significant than the title text. The priority of testing a particular element is indicated by color: light gray - first, dark gray - second.

Maximum level - RI

At this level, you write the constitution yourself, and are not just subject to the fundamental law. You create, test and launch new mechanics that are not mentioned in any textbook. These are insights from your audience, and they only work for you.

At this level, it is critical to have all the data about the user's purchases and behavior at their disposal. After all, the more information, the more insights and the better results you can achieve.

You can skip the CA stage and go straight to the RI stage. This is possible thanks, oddly enough, to love for the client and the desire to satisfy his needs as fully as possible. The difference is that split tests are designed to probe the client and guess his requests. Some worked, some didn't. But really significant things and breakthroughs are done without split tests - through a call to action that resonates in a person’s heart.

Example. Real estate agency news digest

For a whole year we worked on a digest for a luxury real estate agency. During this time, there was a certain seasonality in the indicators associated with the specifics of the business.

As we can see from the graph (Fig. 2), the unique Click Rate is less susceptible to seasonality and is within the range of 6.7-10% throughout the year. At the same time, we set a goal: to make sure that subscribers click on objects, and not on category buttons, menus, or logos.

Rice. 2. Email marketing indicators for a real estate agency

If we had simply removed unnecessary links from the letter, we would have immediately seen a strong decrease in Click Rate and a drop in traffic on the site. Therefore, we began to act in stages, improving and finalizing the letter template. Every month we measured the result, expressed in the percentage of clicks on blocks that were “useful” for the client (Table 9).

Table 9. Clickability of valuable blocks

What did you get? Over the course of the year, we increased the share of clicks on real estate in different parts of the email that are “valuable” for the client to 95.4%. At the same time, we did not lose in click-through rates (without taking into account seasonality).

Summary

There are three levels - SYU, HA, RI. Every company and every person goes through these stages, just like email marketing. At the same time, the company goes from the absence of any communications to the level where it begins to take into account first data on the activity of reading mailings, then information about purchases and, at the highest level, information about customer behavior. The more data we have, the more accurate we can make an offer and the happier your client will be.

This matrix helps you understand one simple idea: you don’t need to invent the electric car while everyone around you is driving carts. Take the simplest actions that will immediately give results, and after that start improving the working mechanisms and coming up with new mechanics.

2. The principle of the peaceful warrior

The essence of this principle lies in one phrase: “Give as much as you can without asking for anything in return,” that is, be good. If we move from philosophy to practice, we see the following. Apparently, all your competitors are first of all thinking about how to make money as quickly as possible from the client, to “squeeze out” as quickly as possible. But this approach won’t work for long: people see the falseness. It’s very easy to stand out from such companies by saying: “Get a free audit, I don’t ask for anything in return.” Eg:

• marketing agencies can conduct a free audit of advertising campaigns;
• production can provide free samples;
• online stores can give gifts, free delivery;
• brands can give gifts or give promotional codes for books/taxi.

The mechanics are as follows. The user visited the site and was shown a pop-up - a pop-up form for collecting contacts.

In the pop-up (Fig. 3) they gave, for example, a free video. The person subscribed to the newsletter and received what was promised in the letter. Everyone is happy. The consumer received the benefit, you received the potential client.

Rice. 3. An example of a pop-up for collecting contacts on a website

Rice. 4. Example of a welcome letter

The second expression of this principle is to give benefits, give bonuses without warning, provide content for free.

Letter from Booking. I booked the hotel and they told me about three places nearby that would be great to try. Weather information was also sent (Fig. 5). Not super useful, but nice.

Letter from Ostrovka. Russian hotels have also adopted this practice. Thus, Ostrovok gave a compliment in the form of a guide to Vladivostok, where I booked a hotel (Fig. 6).

Rice. 7. Useful letter from a fitness club

In principle, World Class could not send me such materials. But they do it because they want to be useful.

There are a great many such examples. There is only one point: give away content, brochures, courses, samples for free. Once you give something for free, the customer is more likely to buy from you because they now believe they will get more than just the product for your price.

Think about what you can give. Surely there is something free for you, but very valuable for people.

3. The principle of hyper-personalization

The essence of the principle: offer only what a person really wants to receive. If he looked at some products on the site, show them in the newsletter and give analogues. If we are talking about a man, there is no need to send him a selection of women's perfumes - contact him by name and emphasize that he can choose these products as a gift. If he often flies by plane, it makes sense to indicate the amount of accumulated bonus points in the newsletter.

Let's look at a few examples. Below is a letter from a grocery retailer, where literally everything is personalized (Fig. 8).

Rice. 8. Maximum email personalization

Let's analyze what exactly is personalized:

• message in the email preheader;
• calling by name at the beginning of the letter;
• amount saved;
• number of points awarded;
• individual selection of products (Fig.) based on purchase history with discounts.

Rice. 9. Card Product

This personalization saves time when choosing a product, improves the impression of the company and makes communications useful.

As your base grows, stop sending general mailings; even at the strategy planning stage, plan to switch to fully personalized content in mailings in six months to a year. Against the background of constant information noise, people are increasingly less likely to listen to what does not concern them. And they are increasingly looking at those companies that can satisfy their interests.

4. LTV principle

No step in email marketing should be taken without considering the consequences for the client. If you launch a sales mailing to those who recently bought a product from you at a higher price, rest assured: they will either forget about you forever, or unsubscribe, or send you to spam. In general, they will make sure that you will no longer reach them.

Email marketing is a channel that allows you to increase revenue per person over a long period. If there is one less person in the database, then the revenue from the channel will automatically decrease in the future.

I will illustrate this thesis with an example. We counted how cohorts of new customers were purchasing from one of our ecommerce clients. Each new thousand subscribers brought 800 thousand rubles. revenue for four months with an average bill of 6 thousand rubles.

So before you launch a new trigger, consider how it will affect future customer revenue.

Summary

We have discussed four principles on which the email marketing strategy is based.

1. From simple to complex.
2. The principle of the peaceful warrior.
3. The principle of hyperpersonalization.
4. LTV principle.

Follow them and you will get results you never expected.

The first time the client confirms his subscription to the newsletter, leaving his email on the website and clicking on the “Subscribe” button. The second time he confirms by clicking on the link in the letter, which arrives immediately after he has subscribed to the newsletter on the site.