Go Rin No Sho

Go Rin No Sho

Go Rin No Sho also known as “The Book of Five Rings” is a classic guide to strategy written by Miyamoto Musashi over 300 years ago. Master Musashi was the most famous samurai in Japan, he never lost a duel.

To prove that strategy, not strength or skill, was the most important element to achieve victory. Midway in his life Musashi began to only use wooden swords to win his many victories.

I was introduced to The Book of Five Rings by Grand Master Lamarr Thornton who taught me the foundations of Kendo (the way of the sword). The Musashi book is required reading for Kendo practitioners.

Part of my training was to practice with a thick wooden sword called a Bokken. During a difficult and stressful point in my life Master Thornton suggest that I performed one thousand Suburi movements (basic Kendo foot work and over the head cuts) with a heavy Bokken that he gave me.

Each day after the first 500 cuts my mind was cleared of stress. The daily routine of 1000 cuts helped me focus and pull through that difficult period in my life; I will always be grateful and I still have the bokken at the Ki center as a reminder.

Kushinda Lamarr Thornton has used his knowledge of the martial arts to help hundreds of people young and old in his Harlem New Breed Life Arts school at 233 West 135^th Street.

Kushinda Thornton has published a new book “Reverse Knockout Strategy for The Victim” a 50 year pictorial history of martial artist in Harlem and the Tri-State area. It is also a karate boxing strategy and self-defense text book.

On Saturday October 10^th the first book signing will be part of the first annual New Breed Combat Sports League Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony. This event will take place at P.S. 175 located at 134^th street between Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd, from 1:00pm to 7:00pm.

I invite you to join action movie actors Micheal Jai White, and Wesley Snipes who both studied with Kushinda Thornton along with Harlem legendary martial artist such as Grand Masters Sam McGee and Abdul Musawwir who will help celebrate Master Thornton’s new book.

Many well-known martial artists from the New York City area and across the country will become the first inductees into the New Breed Combat Sports League Hall of Fame on October 10^th.

For additional information on Master Thornton’s book or the Hall of Fame event call 212 749-0434 or 917 743-4365. 

I am honored that Kushinda Thornton invited me to be among the first Hall of Fame inductees I hope you can come out and join us this coming Saturday.