Shintai karate, My introduction to the Martial Arts. A.Cherouvis

I had the opportunity to talk with Tom Callos who is a marketing guru about the use of the internet as a tool to promote ones art. Me writing this blog is a result of our conversations. Not to mention my cousin Steve Contes's influence who is the founder of the Taiji Center in Springhill, Florida, who also started to express his thoughts regarding the martial arts in a blog.

I started my martial arts training back in 1973 at the age of 13. It was during the initial fad of terrible karate movies like  "Five Fingers of Death"; and the charasmatic Bruce Lee who at the time helped bring karate into the public eye.  My Cousins and I started  with Taekwondo classes at the YMCA in Smithtown, NY. I have to admit after a few classes, I hated karate. I spent more time doing push ups, practicing kata's that made no sense to me and being told by the instructor "who sent you". I was terrible, plus it was difficult for me to see an application for what I was learning.

Than one night my cousin John came home after taking his first class at the Taizen School of Self-Defense located in Seldon NY. I remember him showing what he learned that first night. It was basically, someone is threatening you, you step away from the threat approximately 4 feet into a ready stance. Once the threatening party comes within striking distance,  you kick him with a front snap kick to the groin. It was so simple, but there was a practical application.   It was that concept of nothing fancy, just a simple and effective method to defend ones self that reignited my interest into the martial arts.

When I began studying at Taizen durng the early 70's, there was a clear difference from what we were being taught compared to the more traditional schools. Howard Tague the founder of Taizen devised a system that was extremely effective. He was definitely a head of his time. Plus he didn't fit the mold of your typical instructor. His physical presence alone was very intimidating. On the dojo floor, for a big man he moved like lightning. There was a tremendous emphasis placed on ki flow and structure. As a student, the emphasis was not on the rank but becoming skillful fighters.

My instructor at Taizen was Vincent Miraglia. Shihon Miraglia became the founder of Shintai School of Self-Defense.  For myself and other students, having the opportunity to study under Vinny Miraglia was an incredible experience. There is no other martial artist like him. One of the amazing skills of Shihon Miraglia is his uncanny ability to read an opponent. During countless hours of sparing, it was amazing how clear he could read his opponent.  And we're not talking about anything fancy or acrobatic, just clean movements working off strikes, timing your opponent and countering when the opportunity is made available. There wasn't a class that would go by where you wouldn't leave wanting to learn more. Shihon Miraglia was a great inspiration. I can honestly say, that I would never have been able to stick with the art if it weren't for Vinny Miraglia's teaching.

Shihon Miraglia  placed emphasis on being an artist through movement. A martial artist, one who is not confined by rules or obligation. There is no right or wrong, just what you are doing in the present. To be a black belt was to be free in movement, along with the body and mind working as one entity. But in order to achieve this takes a life time of study.  Not to mention the 1000's of  hours  training to develop effective blocks and strikes.

 Initially when I started karate I wanted to be able to defend myself. The longer I stayed in the art, being able to kick butt was the last thing on my mind. It was actually the opposite. On a side note, I can remember Shihon Miraglia firing a punch, hearing the crack of the gi and looking at two large knuckles coming within a half inch of my face and thinking that would put a damper on someones day. For the layperson, I don't think anyone can imagine getting hit by such a strike. You would have to think that you were hit by a club. It was those experiences that put me off to fighting. I would much rather walk away from an altercation than to hurt someone. There is so much more the art has to offer than being able to kick butt. In fact the people who want to only learn to kick butt, never last that long with their training.

After 30 + years of training, I'm still a student of the martial arts. I tell my students that I don't claim to know it all. Training in the arts is an on going process. Now that I'm in my early 50's I still feel that I can improve. I just hope I can pass along the same benefits I had acquired from the martial arts to my students.