In Japanese, Jissen means actual combat, and is the title chosen for a new magazine published by pragmatic traditionalist Iain Abernethy sensei.

The magazine is a free online magazine that discusses topics that appeal to traditional martial artists who are studying (or want to study) the applied aspects of their arts.

It is hoped that Jissen will become the central publication for a strong community of pragmatic traditionalists and will be instrumental in a return to the core values and practices of the traditional arts.

Topics discussed in Jissen include

• Practical Martial Arts
• No Nonsense Training
• Self-Protection
• Kata Application / Bunkai
• Physical Conditioning
• In-Depth Information

I am pleased to advised that Jissen magazine is available for download through the Essential Karate Blog.  To be informed when new updates are available, please either subscribe to the blog’s web feed with a blog reader (I suggest Google Reader), or sign up for the Essential Karate Newsletter.

Jissen Magazine Issues for Download

Issue Seven (Summer 2010)

Contents: The Gurkhas: Masters of the Kukri – Cross Training and its Relevance for Sport – Functional Training With Kettlebells For Karate’s Hojo Undo – Structure and Function of a Knife: Knife as Weapon Series– Gavin Mullholland Interview – Speed in Training – Kyusho – Ben Hockman Interview on Training in Urban Krav Maga – It’s Hard to Fight When You Can’t See – How Many Martial Artists Does it Take to Screw in a Light bulb? – Martial Arts Scepticism: How Factual is Martial Arts TV – Fighting Dirty: Karate/TKD’s/TSD’s Most Commonly used Technique – Dead or Alive – The Martial Arts Unanswered Question – The Roundhouse Kick: Karate’s best Kick or a Threat to your Survival? – Karate’s History

Contributors: Michael Rosenbaum – Andrew Adams – Chris Denwood – Rev. Art Chenevey – Michael Rosenbaum – John Titchen – Nikolai Faerne Skarby – Lawrence Kane – Eric Parsons – Jamie Clubb – Charlie Wildish – Kris Mansfield – Ron Briens – Martin O’Malley – Iain Abernethy
How to download: Right click on the cover image and then select “save target as” (some times “save page as”). Then choose where you wish to save the file (normally the “desk top”) and download it.

Issue Six (December 2009)

Contents: Martial Arts Scepticism: The Pornography of Reality-Based Self Defence – Never Give Up – Bouncer – How to Win a Bar Fight – Karate’s Holy Grail – Whiter Shade of Pale – Anatomy of Back Stance – Flow in Modern Karate – Oh S*it! Taking Chudan Uke to the next level – Stav – Karate Jutsu – Bunkai and the Horseman – The Innocent Walking Stick – Dave Turton Interview – Styles: Are They Killing Karate? – Transitional Aspects of Karate (Part 2) – Contact in Training (Part 2)

Contributors: Jamie Clubb – Lawrence Kane – Geoff Thompson – Rev. Art Chenevey – Michael Rosenbaum – Dave Turton – Andi Kidd – Chris Littlefair – Nikolaj Fænø Skarbye – Eric Parsons – Tony Brush – Kris Mansfield – Ron Briens – Ernest Tuff – Michael Rosenbaum – Iain Abernethy – Chris Denwood – John Titchen
How to download: Right click on the cover image and then select “save target as” (some times “save page as”). Then choose where you wish to save the file (normally the “desk top”) and download it.

---

Issue Five

Contents: Reality Based Training! What Is It & Who Really Needs It? – Traditional Values – Self-Defence & The Law – Chinto Kata: History & Application – Ed Francisco Interview – Martial Arts Scepticism: Martial Appeals – Extract from “Waking Dragons”: The Field of Truth – Tradition & Reality – Contact in Training: Part 1 Making Contact – Gary Chamberlain Interview – Feeling Fear & Practicing Kata – Transitional Aspects in Karate: Part 1 – Okinawan Karate: An Eclectic Arsenal – The Bunkai of Basics 3: Hikite – The Little Black Book of Violence Foreword – The Way of Kata: Part 5 – The Gearbox Concept

Contributors: Rev. Arthur Chenevey – Tony Somers – D. Cooper – Iain Abernethy – Ed Francisco – Michael Rosenbaum – Jamie Clubb – Goran Powel – Ben Hockman – Stewart McGill – J.W. Titchen – Gary Chamberlain – Martin O’Malley – Chris Denwood – Matthew Apsokardu – Matthew Miller – Sergeant Rory Miller – Kris Wilder – Lawrence Kane – Mark Campbell
How to download: Right click on the cover image and then select “save target as” (some times “save page as”). Then choose where you wish to save the file (normally the “desk top”) and download it.

---

Issue Four

Contents: Martial Arts Scepticism: Philosophy and Ancient Wisdom – The Myth of the Quick Kill – Getting To The Root Of It All – The Four Stages of Man – Kushanku Kata: History & Application – Whatever Happened to “Rock Kata”? – Bassai Bunkai – Tales of a Street Gang – Adaptable Karate: The 3 stages of kata analysis: Part 2 – The Way of Kata: Part 4 – Forearmed for Combat: Strengthening and Hardening the Forearms – Creating Kata: Historical Precedents – Words – The Bunkai of Basics: Part 2 – Taekwondo’s Black Hole – The Little Black Book of Violence by Kris Wilder & Lawrence Kane

Contributors: Jamie Clubb – Rev. Arthur Chenevey – Eric Parsons – Tony Somers – Iain Abernethy – Brian P. Struchtemeyer – Mark A. Cook (aka “Oldman”) – Keith Le Bihan – Chris Denwood – Kris Wilder – Lawrence Kane – Robert T. Tuohey – Dave Nielsen – J. W. Titchen – Matthew Miller – Stuart Anslow
How to download: Right click on the cover image and then select “save target as” (some times “save page as”). Then choose where you wish to save the file (normally the “desk top”) and download it.

---

Issue Three

Contents: Martial Arts Scepticism: A Manifesto – Differing Visions – How to Spar for the Street: Part 3 – How to Survive a Knife Assault – Debunking Taekwondo Myths – Adaptable Karate: Part 1 – The Way of Kata: Part 3 – Kata Training for Fighting Reflexes – Naihanchi / Tekki Bunkai – Creating an effective application: Do San – Power and Impact

Contributors: Jamie Clubb, Eric Parsons, Iain Abernethy, Rev. Arthur Chenevey, Stuart Anslow, Chris Denwood, Laurence Kane, Kris Wilder, John Titchen, “Oldman”, Matt Sylvester

How to download: Right click on the cover image and then select “save target as” (some times “save page as”). Then choose where you wish to save the file (normally the “desk top”) and download it.

Jissen Issue No. 2

Contents:

• Karate Grappling: Does it Exist?
• Knives: Face Facts of Run Away
• The 360 Degree Drill & Traditional Karate
• The use of the Forearms in Combat
• The Hierarchy of Training
• The Street – The Way of Kata: Part 2
• Self-Defence & Dissimilar Air Combat Tactics
• How to Spar for the Street: Part 2
• Are Turns Really Turns?
• In Defence of Spear-Hand Strikes
• Victory Over Myself

Contributors: John Titchen, Iain Abernethy, Jamie Clubb, Lawrence Kane, Kris Wilder, Chris Denwood, Dan Redmond, Lowell Hein, Matthew Sylvester, Brian P. Struchtemeyer, Eric Parsons & Michael Rosenbaum

How to download: Right click on the cover image and then select “save target as” (some times “save page as”). Then choose where you wish to save the file (normally the “desk top”) and download it.

Jissen Issue No. 1

Contents:

• Tradition and Karate
• There is nothing “peaceful” about the Pinans
• Kiai: the fading cry of the martial artist
• The way of kata
• On-Ko-Chi-Shin
• Taekwondo Patterns & Self-Defence
• Personal Securit
• The bunkai of basics
• How to spar for the street

Contributors: John Titchen, Iain Abernethy, Jamie Clubb, Lawrence Kane, Kris Wilder, Chris Denwood, Stuart Anslow, Peter Consterdine, Mathew Miller

How to download: Right click on the cover image and then select “save target as” (some times “save page as”). Then choose where you wish to save the file (normally the “desk top”) and download it.