BEYOND THE STYLE
by Sijo Vlad Piatră -> The Universal Fighting Matrix of Sento
I myself, like many of you, have searched through various styles the Solution to the problems of fighting.
Although every studied style has taught me something, it was like I would have given you just one piece of a car when you came to me to buy the whole vehicle. Only the whole is working… not isolated elements.
Instead of looking for answers in limited areas which only focus on certain angles, certain categories of techniques, certain fighting distances, and certain rules, I suggest you should look at the fight beyond these stylistic elements.
I suggest you approach the fight from top to bottom (big to small).
Roughly the fight can be seen as Fighting Distances mainly.
Let's say a big distance from which someone shoots with a handgun or throws a knife
A long-distance where someone can strike with a long object such as a baseball bat or a boken
A distance from which someone can kick or use short sticks
A distance from which someone can strike with hands, knees, or the knife and holds
A distance from which someone can strike with the elbow and hands from a close distance and where holds on the head or body can be applied
And a distance in which we are on the ground in various positions and closed distance
This is where the study of the fight should start: the Distance.
Moving further, we should focus on the Guard, or better said, the Dynamic Structure (on the move).
And here, within each distance, we can study the force structure by which we can attack and defend ourselves more efficiently, generating force.
Moving further, the next logical element is the Footwork, how we make the transition from distance to distance, and also ground fighting.
Only then we can go to the Technique area on each distance, and we can think which could be the attacks for each distance; the conclusion would be they can be kicking, with the arm grabbing or punching, or using a stick or a knife.
Once the attacks are identified, we can experiment with the way they could become more efficient speed-wise, force-wise, and angle-wise, and we are going to realize that Attacks can only be of two kinds:
- From the inside and the outside
- and can be more speed or more power.
Once these things are understood, we must experiment with the technique in order to be able to choose the most efficient techniques with an accent on pragmatism.
The next step is the Defensive, and there we find there are only a few defensive forms:
- Interceptions
- Blocks
- Parrying
- Side-steps
- Damages.
Also, the Universality of the chosen techniques must be taken into account, specifically to be valid for everyone, not just for the 100kg individual.
Of course it’’s not easy and several universal principles must be taken into consideration in order to find the solution to the maze called fight (SENTO - in Japonese)
This way, the holistic functional hybrid and universal beyond the style system takes shape.
Also, the Universality of the chosen techniques must be taken into account, specifically to be valid for everyone, not just for the 100kg individual.
Of course it’’s not easy and several universal principles must be taken into consideration in order to find the solution to the maze called fight (SENTO - in Japonese). Such as rhythm (cadence), pressure, contact surfaces, and the principle of duality found in every technique and within each of us, etc.
Also, the way in which techniques are integrating, flowing from one into another etc.
The aim of this study would be more satisfying than the stylistic dogma and much more appreciated by the seekers within the martial art, the BUDO students respectively or even the contact sports students like MMA or Kickboxing, to say nothing of those interested in pragmatic self-defence.
And then one can continue the holistic study into the combat physical fitness area or even the spiritual area of Budo.
As practitioners of the martial arts way, to say nothing of the instructors, we have the duty to be complete and pragmatic, at the end of the day martial means fight and the real fight involves contact and life and death combat.
The real contact, distances, levels of attack, hand to hand combat or using a certain weapon, should be your guide, together with universal principles in your sincere search of budo. And don’t forget, without sparring everything is just lip service! 
I’ll be waiting for your opinions, questions, ideas and any comments on my email sentokan@yahoo.com or here on the blog.
I wish you a happy, satisfying journey on the way of BuDo!
OSS!
Sijo Vlad Piatră