How to use To-Shin Do DVDs

One of the primary benefits of the DVD program – even for those studying full-time at a dojo - is the opportunity to use your "down time" away from the training hall and training partners to steep yourself in knowledge and familiarity with the movements, techniques, curriculum, and philosophies of our art.

Have you ever found yourself sitting there watching some dumb TV show, and wondered, "Why am I wasting my time with this?"

When that happens, jump up and put in a disk – any To-Shin Do disk – and spend a few minutes just soaking it in.

One of the most difficult aspects of perfecting your To-Shin martial art skills is getting down the subtle aspects of the movement AS A RESPONSE TO THE INTENTIONS AND TACTICS OF THE AGGRESSOR.

The "technique" as such is only the starting point.

In other words, what we are NOT DOING is "learning stuff" that we can simply repeat over and over again regardless of the demands of the moment in a fight.

This is of course very different from the approach taken by many martial arts.

To-Shin Do is a very advanced reality.

This is of course very difficult to transmit by DVD.

A student will watch the DVD, do his/her best to imitate what s/he thinks s/he saw, but often old habits or preconceived ideas will pop up as their movement INSTEAD OF the lesson on the DVD.

A student will perform the move, utterly convinced that s/he is doing just what was on the screen, and yet in truth be doing something very different.

Sometimes this results from having trained in another martial art (or even with another approach to taijutsu) and believing that the old art is "the same thing" as this new one.

Sometimes this results from having studied with another teacher who is not really very good, and still hanging on to that not-very-good teacher's prejudices and bad habits.

Sometimes, (and this is a really difficult situation for you) this results from your training partner's inability to deliver a really good and authentic attack that causes you to have to do the To-Shin Do move correctly.

Watch the disk's lesson over and over again and let it sink in.

I cannot emphasize this too much.

Just watch over and over again.

Tape yourself, and then watch your movement on tape right after watching the same movement on my DVD.

Compare the results as objectively as you can.

Specifically, how is your movement different from what we have shown on the DVD?

What are the hands and feet doing?

What about posture and keeping your face and body safe from immediate counter-attack?

What about distance and angling and placement?

What about timing?

Have you caused the attacker's balance to be compromised?

The DVDs are one step in the multi-faceted process of self-transformation that is To-Shin Do training.

Other required (not optional) facets include just training A WHOLE LOT, traveling to where you can take a lesson – private or group – with a qualified To-Shin Do teacher, and possibly having to submit several tapes to us at Hombu before you qualify for the Kihon diploma (classical studies) or Blue Belt (which is really To-Shin Do taijutsu Kihon).

Remember that it is not easy and simple moving through the lessons and belts even under expert supervision at a good To-Shin Do school.

How could it possibly be any easier or faster training on you own?

Any good taijutsu teacher will tell you that it is challenging to get students to follow feedback instructions in person, so it must be even harder for feedback to be communicated and utilized properly over distance.

So then, some might ask, if it is so difficult, why would SKH Inc offer the program in the first place?

Because it is so much better than not offering any help at all!

DVD long-distance home-study is an "as good as possible" service to those who do not live in the neighborhood of a To-Shin Do instructor, and yet are determined to know and have these skills.

Even though DVD instruction could never be as efficient as full-time study with a great To-Shi, it is a great way to at least get started, it will give you a thorough exposure to the material and thereby cut down the learning time when you do get with an instructor, and it is without question better than studying with a bad or even mediocre teacher.

Keep going and enjoy the determination to not let inconvenience get you down.

Remember that many good taijutsu practitioners have developed reliable skills and even gone on to become teachers even though they spend more time away from their teacher than with him or her.

You can do it too!

- Stephen K. Hayes