A Man’s Posture for Action

“I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.” –Gilbert K. Chesterton

The Japanese sword-fighting art iaido focuses on the strength a warrior conveys in his posture, movement, and bearing. The word “iaido” has been translated as “the way of mental presence and immediate action.” Iaido is also sometimes called “moving Zen,” as it does not emphasize fighting so much as it concentrates on the proper form and controlled body movements that flow into a fight. It is very much the Japanese sword-fighting, martial arts equivalent of “smooth is fast and fast is smooth.” An iaido instructor, or sensei, will teach his students to focus first on learning how one’s  deportment, presence, and stature can deter aggression by expressing strength without fighting; only if necessary should a practitioner of iaido reach for his sword, and if he does, he does so swiftly with well-practiced movements. Miyamoto Musashi, a seventeenth century samurai and sword master, wrote of “finding the rhythm in yourself” in The Book of Five Rings, a short but profound treatise on the martial arts.

I saw iaido in practice when I visited the Noma Dojo in Tokyo.

“This is the way of the warrior,” the sensei told me. “But this ancient art has been misunderstood by Americans, and even by many Japanese today. A warrior spirit isn’t one who fights. It is one who is ready and able to fight, and by being ready and able, can avoid most fights. A person who masters iaido learns to control himself, to be calm and strong and ready to act, but also ready to love with a more open heart.”

That is a quintessential Japanese way of looking at manliness, as even Samurai warriors would also master Zen arts such as flower arrangement, painting, and the Japanese tea ceremony.

I bring up iaido because it emphasizes something our society too often ignores: namely, that strength, posture, self-control, and a presumed capability to fight is fundamental to how men organize themselves in an inevitable hierarchy. Men respect other men who stand up straight, look them in the eyes, have a quiet but assertive voice, and a commanding presence. It really is that primal. As iaido teaches, a man will judge another man by how he carries himself.  And in difficult situations, the man’s man will remember what Sun Tzu wrote in his classic book of military strategy, The Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”

It’s unlikely that any of us will be called upon to employ the art of fighting with swords, like iaido, but from it we can learn the important lesson that a man fights only if attacked, or if it is necessary to protect or save someone else, or if there is no alternative. At such extreme times, former UFC champ Matt Hughes has the right advice. “The person attacking you, or someone else, has already opted not to behave as a gentleman. They are a criminal,” says Hughes. “Use any advantage. Fight dirty and be fast and first. Use the bar stool next to you. Go low. Do whatever it takes. And, as quickly as possible, put obstacles between you and disengage. Your only mission is to protect yourself and others and to stop the fight as quickly and humanely as possible. After the fight, all people remember is who won anyway.”