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American Martial Arts Institute Seminar Day 2002:
Cane Seminar
September 27th and 28th
On September 27th and 28th, Master Shuey presented two seminars for the
American Martial Arts Institute at the Mohawk Y.M.C.A. in New York. This
year's seminar lecturer was Master Mark Shuey Sr., a seventh dan in Hapkido and
known internationally as The Cane Master.
The Friday evening seminar was open only to staff members and instructors.
It began with an intense 45-minute yoga workout. Master Shuey begins all
of his personal workout sessions with a minimum of 1½ hours of yoga. The
Cane Master has more than a passive interest in yoga. He has released six
instructional videotapes with a seventh on the way.
"I'm trying to get yoga back into the martial arts," Master Shuey explained.
Most traditional martial art forms derived their origins in India where yoga and
the martial arts developed together. It wasn't until many years later that the
two split into separate disciplines.
The yoga workout was followed by a brief history of the cane. When compared to
the tonfa, sai, or sword, the cane may seem like a new extension tool, but it
is a traditional weapon with a rich heritage. In ancient Roman and Egyptian
culture, the cane indicated social status. In the 1300's you were beheaded for
the grievous act of carrying a cane past the Czar of Russia. Even the name
"cane" may derive its name from the term Canine because travelers once used
it to protect themselves from packs of wild dogs.
During the seminar, Master Shuey passed around a wide variety of handcrafted
canes. Master Shuey shapes all of the canes he sells himself, choosing only the
best hardwoods: oak, hickory, ash, cherry, walnut, and hickory heartwood.
The Cane Master taught a wide variety of techniques to the instructors and
encouraged all to invent their own.
The second day's seminar was open to first rank brown belts and above and yellow
belts thirty years or older. The day began with the American Martial Arts
Institute's semi-annual ceremonial black belt breakfast, where new black belts
were presented their certificates. Master Shuey was the guest of honor,
sitting at the head table.
Following the ceremony, students joined instructors for a three-hour seminar.
This seminar began with a warm-up, but in place of yoga was isometrics.
Participants used the resistance of their own muscles against the cane to
develop strength. Master Shuey also demonstrated how the cane could be used
with bands of surgical tubing to train all the muscles traditionally developed
at a gym. Many students noted how heavy a cane could feel.
Again, the workout was intense.
After the isometrics, it was time for the meat of the seminar to begin.
Master Shuey taught a variety of exercises that stretched out the muscles,
warmed-up the body, and prepared the mind for the cane workout. Students
practiced drills with the cane that developed hand-and-eye coordination and
muscle strength, and taught basic blocks, strikes, and deflections.
Seminar participants paired off, filling the gymnasium and practicing
techniques demonstrated by Master Shuey. Students began with blocks and
counters, deflecting punches and kicks. The Cane Master showed how the
crook of the cane could be used to strike, control the body, or lock up a
joint. Escapes from arm grabs and bear hugs demonstrated the versatility
of the cane. In addition, student's learned how to catch and control kicks
and punches alike. As Master Shuey put it, the number of techniques is
only limited by your imagination.
After hours of instructing the group and pairs of students, the seminar
was coming to an end. Master Shuey then performed his cane kata that has
won him the tournament title Grand champion on more than one occasion. It
was impressive.
The seminars were truly a wealth of knowledge. They will be experiences
long remembered by everyone who participated.
Seminar Participants with Master Shuey
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