You gradually feel that you have become quite accustomed to Shindenkan's courses. I can say that after being in the system for 7 years. Maybe some black belts will laugh and say I've only skimmed the tip of the iceberg, but so be it. I am not saying that I can yet in any way predict what will happen on these courses. I would actually say that you are actually a little surprised every time. And that's only good!

For POMW this was particularly evident. For myself (and many others, I know) one of the first thoughts was, "now that's all for them!", and I questioned whether it was really necessary to start working with firearms. I mean, wasn't it already enough with the skills that come from the original system?

This, perhaps most of all, was what the first of three parts of POMW A attempted to answer. Shindenkan and the modern firearm, what exactly is the connection? After the course, it dawned on me that the choice of name POMW – Project Old Modern Warrior probably not entirely coincidental. I want to say that if you think POMW is only about firearms, then you are completely and utterly wrong, and possibly completely right. If POMW is simply a course in the use of firearms, then perhaps it should be more accurately called Shindenkan Teppojutsu. (Where the word 'teppo' or "hay”, is the Japanese term for a firearm). However, this is not the case and the name POMW tells us that the course is about more than that. Namely, the bridge between the ancient warrior that we know and deal with here in Shindenkan, and then the modern warrior, who uses the latest technology, on today's battlefields.

And it's actually not as strange as it might sound. Because in war and martial arts, what has always been essential has been the practitioner's level of self-knowledge and clarity. Have you come to terms with the fact that you might have to pull the trigger to save your life or someone else's? Are you clear about the consequences and your own reactions? This is the kind of question that is put at the forefront of POMW A. Not because it is new to us. After all, we have already trained in the use of many types of deadly weapons. But when it's a gun, it's so easy to kill that suddenly we can't run from reality. During the course, Kimu Sensei estimated that 70% of us would very quickly be killed on a battlefield because we were not clear enough through a very simple test.

So to answer a previous question. Yes, we could probably make do with the original competencies. If the goal is simply to create competent and settled people, then we could probably easily do it without lifting a single weapon. But that is not what is important! Firearms are weapons like all other weapons, and to us they are therefore a tool; a real and concrete tool that makes it easier for us to deal with reality and the things we are undecided about.

Furthermore, Yakami Shinsei-ryu is a timeless system. A multi-track martial arts system that relates to the real world. And therefore POMW is precisely a manifesto of this timelessness. That what we train, even if it is 1000 years old, is still at least as relevant and effective in the modern world. The interesting thing about POMW is that before the course was created, there were no direct shooting skills in Shindenkan at a high level. This is no secret. But in the spirit of the old warrior, and with the old and timeless skills, a process has been created that can meet our own quality requirements. That is my conviction after the 1st part of POMW A and hopefully it will also be after the next 2 parts 🙂

We are often told that Shindenkan is a strange karate system. And yes, it is! Often I doubt if I even want to call it a karate system anymore. Because it is not what we train that defines us. That's the way we train! The way in which we take advantage of the ancient skills, and use them to look into ourselves, and become strong and clear-headed people in the modern world. With POMW this is only more apparent. And with these words I want to say thank you for this time!