For the last several decades, martial arts has come and have been gone. New innovations, new ways, and new ideas. In search for that true essence of the martial arts science. Now the New Art, The Golden Art of Striking. Hanshi known as Soke Grandmaster Irving Soto, 10^th Degree Black Belt and Cover Red Belt, after studying for 43 years in the martial arts of Atemi Aiki-Jitsu as well as Jujitsu, and holding 39 high ranking black belts in different art forms, combining some of the best techniques and innovating his own idea into the martial arts of Atemi, which is the lost and forgotten art form. Soke Grandmaster Soto founding the present system called Atemi Cobra Jujitsu Te. After spending 18 years with the late Grandmaster Yamamoto.

After devoting four decades in the martial arts science. Atemi Cobra Jujitsu Te is the NEW powerful art for the next millennium years to come. Soke Grandmaster Soto is the highest authority and Last heir to the art of Atemi. Through intensive hours of researching and hands on and practical training, and scientific researching with body autonomy and physiology, Grandmaster Soto has created the Golden Art for the new generation to come. One of the most powerful innovators in the world right now, Soke Grandmaster Soto. Before Grandmaster Yamamoto was dying, giving him his two ancient swords, leaving Grandmaster Soto head of the Ryu and do, meaning the head of the family, and to continue on with the Atemi and the Aiki-Jitsu, and leaving him in charge of his humble dojo and the federation, and was given a 10^th Degree Black Belt with Cover Red Belt. Atemi was valued as a treasure of the masters. For 4000 years, and through generations of masters, it was a secret art. It was only taught to the highest skilled level of mastery.

Today with the art of Atemi Cobra Jujitsu Te, Grandmaster Soto has revived the dying art of Atemi and elevated Atemi to the highest level.

People think that Atemi is just the art of striking. This is not true. Atemi incorporates sophisticated reversal locks and incredible poison hand technique in midair and tweeta hand and bone breaking right in midair and high level of throwing techniques which makes the person fall on his head or break his spinal column. With technique of paralyzation and sophisticated poison hand locks and joint manipulations, twisting and throwing in midair and koppojitsu--bone breaking, and pain compliance locking techniques, and jaji-jitsu as well--meaning rope technique incredible cutting the circulation of the blood flow to the heart, the incredible grappling and grippling locking and Roman Greco moves, as well as the sophisticated art of striking..

Atemi incorporates 365 attack points central nervous system creating excruciating pain to the body as well as 81 points of death to the body itself and 240 in the chest and 39 in the head, just with the flicking of the fingers one can be paralyzed or die, the Cobra is the poison hand which by grabbing or striking at an angle can put the person to sleep or hurt him severely, tweeta hand, Cobra Locks, sophisticated throwing, or the koppo-jitsu bone breaking, or the Iai-Jitsu, or the devastating art of throwing Kyu-Jitsu, ground floor fighting, grappling and grippling, trap hands and the incredible boxing mechanism and locking techniques, and being able to escape from holds as well. The Art of Atemi 365 attack points of the central nervous system and sophisticated kicking techniques. Inside fighting and outside fighting and short-range fighting and sleeping techniques, and Poison Hand technique, and Shutokai--movement of the hand, the Incredible finger locking techniques and arm locking techniques and pain compliance techniques, and elbow locking techniques as well, and koppo-jitsu. By combining some of the most effective techniques, he has created the new art for the Millennium Years to Come. Atemi wastes no time with fancy stances. The foundation of the system in incredible. Each stance represents 50 to 60 techniques or each block mechanism is powerful. The system holds 100,000 techniques that are accounted for as well as written down. The facilitation as well as fluidity of movements and blocks are incredible. The art of striking 365 attack points in the central nervous system.

Many martial arts masters and instructors claim to know Atemi; but this is not true. It is more than just a kick or punch, or a takedown or a twisting of the wrist. Most martial artists today either charge in like two bulls or step out of the way. Everyone fights the same way. The New Golden Art of Striking, called Atemi Cobra Jujitsu Te, founded by Soke Grandmaster I. Soto is the solution to the dilemma of fighting the same as everyone else. As a martial artist you must be able to change and innovate constantly all the time.

The martial art Atemi Cobra Jujitsu Te cannot be practiced as a toy. It is a serious undertaking that requires much study of the body autonomy and body physiology and pressure points, as well as understanding of the self.

Each master like Ueshiba, or Mas Oyama, Gogen Yamaguchi, Jigoro Kano, Funakoshi, and many other masters have broke from tradition and made their own creation. Grandmaster Soto has done the same with Atemi Cobra Jujitsu Te, the new martial art for the Millennium Years to Come.

Soke Grandmaster Irving Soto was born in the Bronx, New York in 1954. At the age of 2 years old in the year 1956, his parents moved to Brooklyn, New York. One day his mother took him to the Laundromat to do her laundry. There was an Oriental man called Tashioshi, who owned and operated a Laundromat and he taught classes in the back. Only certain kids in the neighborhood were taught. This is where he began his training in an art called Jujitsu. While his mother traveled back and forth from Brooklyn to Chinatown, while she worked, she used to leave her son with a Chinese. Family. And the man, the head of the household, was a Kung Fu master. This is where young Grandmaster Soto began his training from a Shaolin Master. Later on calling him "stepfather" who gave him an insight into Chinese culture and heritage. While growing up, he had a thirst for learning martial arts science and to have extensive knowledge of martial arts. He continued to train with Tashioshi in Brooklyn as well. In 1968, at the age of 14, Tashioshi took the young Master Soto to Japan with other students to compete in the World Nationals in Japan where he became Kata Champion, and fighting champion, and weapons champion. This was the first time the Young Master Soto had been to Japan.

When Tashioshi moved away from the neighborhood, it was heartbreak for young Soto. He continued to study Kung Fu and found a new master in JiuJitsu called Charlie Sparrow and Rudy Jones, and Master Ellis Evans. It was a different style of Jujitsu--their own innovation. These were trying times for the young master because there were many street thugs, gangs, rapists, murderers, and con artists in the neighborhood called Brownsville. They challenged him numerous times, but failed to defeat him. These encounters served to be the training grounds for the future World Champion. In 1972, he was invited to fight the Bare Knuckle Championship in Japan, which he won--becoming Bare Knuckle Champion of Japan. As a result of winning the Bare Knuckle Championship, he was invited a year later by the Japanese Association to attend the Kumite which was held in Japan. Then later on he was invited to Hong Kong in 1974 to compete in the Kumite there, which he won as well--becoming World Kumite Champion for the second time.

As I reminisce in the years of yesterday, in my silent way of thinking, I remember the year was 1973, I was a young man. I used to always dream of becoming a famous swordsman. But that's kind of unreal for a young man at the age of 19 years old. After all, I've only been practicing since the age of 2 years old in the martial arts. This was the moment I've been waiting for all my life to fight the great tournament or the great fights of all fights where all the best fighters of the world show up. This would be the ultimate challenge for me. I remember sitting down when I arrived, there were two big guys standing by the door; It looked more like Men in Black, except they were Japanese. Man was I scared! There were all these martial artists around me and middle aged men and older men than me. I didn't go around asking people their age but they were older. A half mestizo and Puerto-Rican and Indian; If you understood back in the 1970s people wore 'fros. It was the style back then and people were bellbottoms and platform shoes and you name it, they did it. But my main quest was to compete with the best. I remember we lined up in a big line where they kinda gave you numbers and a ribbon in your belt and asked you to sit down and wait until your number be called. This was all in Japanese and at that time I didn't understand one word of Japanese. To the left, I seen a man with long hair, who is the late Yamaguchi; you'll probably know him as the Cat. On the other side was someone famous, he was MasoTaso Oyama or Mas Oyama, and a man called Yamamoto, and other masters which I can't recollect their names because I only remembered the famous ones that they used to always talk about back home back East. When I say back East I mean Brooklyn, New York; to me that's home. It was a privilege for a Brooklyn guy to go to Japan to compete. It was sponsored by a group of Japanese organization that sponsored me to represent them. It was by invitation only. I thought I was going to a regular tournament, but man was I surprised! See don't get me wrong I was in top condition--meaning I could throw a kick as fast as you could blink. I tried to mimic Muhammed Ali's moves with the Alley Shuffles and Rope-a-Dopes. But anyway, getting down to the true essence. The first fight I saw was very stunning how he jumped up and did a spinning back kick and knocked him out. This was only a second in the first round. After that I was called to compete. After beating several of my opponents, I was sitting down then all of a sudden this big Japanese guy approached me and with a gesture of his hands said "Hai!" Like in other words, "Come on get ready to fight." And there was the same guy I saw when I first sat down knocking that guy out in 2 seconds flat. When I looked into his eyes he looked so mean an yet---remember this is a thought of a young guy 19-years old thinking. The judge says step into the mat in Japanese. And we bow to the judges, we bow to each other and then we begin. So we begin to fight full contact. He threw fast spinning wheel kicks--I ran in and out more like a runner--trying to evade this guy's kicks because I knew he was good. See he wanted me to stay there and wanted me to fight him his way. But you know growing up in Brooklyn you learn 2 things: you learn how to duck and how to get out of the way. So this is normal for me. But not to this, the Japanese person I was fighting. He wasn't used to that style--He was used to more honor way of fighting, sort to say. Call it what you want to call it--Streetfighting whatever. But he was not used to that so I began to hurt him severely. I had such fast legs myself that he opened up the wrong way that I hit him in the bridge of the nose knocking him out and winning the Kumite for the first time--becoming World Kumite Champion. Call it what you want, sheer luck but I call it technique. Then at the end of the night, I was approached and asked to see the masters at the tribune--meaning tables where they were sitting. And there was this big Japanese guy talking English, I was asked to join his organization to study with the Great K. Yamamoto of the Kokorougawa of the Tansuke Tanaka Samurai Clan organization of Samurai Aiki-Jujitsu Kyu-Jitsu Kogochi Jitsu which I accepted. That's where I began my journey back and forth, traveling from the United States and Japan to continue my training in martial arts science. Whenever I got the opportunity I stayed for 8-9 months to learn from this great master. My master was a strange individual--never talked one word of English, but yet his technique of Aiki and jujitsu was extraordinary. Sometimes I found it overwhelming because he was so traditional and so strict. And in the classes there was no talking and no horseplaying around. Because if you did, then you got whacked with a stick or asked to sit down for the remainder of the class and watch.

But after spending 18 years with my master and him granting me my grandmastery in Atemi Aiki-jitsu, holding the rank of 10^th Degree Black Belt, I can honestly say today that I know the true martial arts science. Today, Grandmaster Soto is one of the highest-ranking Grandmasters in the world itself. After spending 43 years in the martial arts science, continuing the tradition from the masters of yesteryear, he has founded his own Ryu, called Kogochi (Atemi-Jitsu) Cobra Te. Today Soke Dr. Grandmaster Soto with his extensive experience and learning of the martial arts science and knowing 100,000 techniques or more, is the last heir of the Kyu-Jitsu Aiki-Jitsu Atemi system evolved to bring the new technique to the new millennium years to the modern world, calling his system Kogochi (Atemi-Jitsu) Cobra Te. Following tradition as well, Grandmaster Soto holds a 10^th Degree BlackBelt/Red Belt presented by his master and awarding him his two ancient swords upon his death. He is a 3-time Hall of Fame member: World Soke Council in Florida; Sokeship given by Grandmaster Billy Davis at the Golden Global International Martial Arts Hall of Fame and Sokeship given by Grandmaster John Denora; Sanuces Ryu-Mushaba Force under Dr. Moses Powell. Among the championships he has won throughout his fighting career are the following: he was a former 8-Time World Kumite Undisputed Champion (1973 through 1980), 4-time World Kickboxing Champion of the USA, and Europe, holding the Universal Title in Europe, 4-Time Grappling and Grippling Champion of Japan, 3-Time Techniques Champion of Japan, and East Coast Champion in Jujitsu. As a champion he has had over 279 fights in his lifetime career. He has won 279 of these fights by knockout.

Soke Grandmaster Soto teaches Aiki-Jujitsu and is the Founder of the present art of Kogochi (Atemi-Jitsu) Cobra Te. He has been given Lifetime membership into Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujitsu under Grandmaster John Denora of Aiki-Jujitsu through intensive practice to achieve the principles and techniques of Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujitsu Association of the United States of America for the rank and lifetime membership. He is also the Head of the International Bushido Federation of the USA and Japan. He is the President, Founder, and Executive Director of the Golden Global International Martial Arts Hall of Fame and has been awarded commendations from the Mayor of San Diego, Susan Golding and the Mayor of Hollywood, Johnny Grant as well as by the Sheriff of New York, Phil Crimaldi. He is an actor, appearing in Spanish films in the 1970s. He has also appeared in an MTV commercial that aired nationally. He has choreographed movie fight scenes for Remo Williams. He is also a musician. As a poet, he is recognized by the National Library of Poetry and his work has appeared in the publications of the National Library of Poetry. He is an author of 4 books: Experience the Power of Atemi--The Untold Secrets of the Masters, The Forgotten Art of Atemi--Understanding Grappling and Grippling, Atemi Cobra-Jujitsu--Martial Arts for the Millennium Years to Come in the New Generation, and the Hall of Fame Book--Masters in Action.

He had the New York dojo for 10 years, teaching over a thousand students, before moving to San Diego, California. Following the footsteps of masters such as Jigoro Kano, Morehei Ueshiba, and Gogen Yamaguchi, and the Great Yamamoto, Grandmaster Soto broke from tradition and brought the most secret and powerful art from Asia to the West, Grandmaster Soto, who trained in Japan for 18 of his 43 years in the martial arts, emphasizes the principles of honor, respect, and discipline, and because the Atemi art is so powerful, he constantly reminds his students that power and humility are the interlocking forces which balance each other.

The Art of Atemi was valued as a true secret and treasure of the masters of the martial arts science. For so many centuries stories have been told of the secret of the death touch passed down from Shaolin monks to the Buddhist and Samurai in Japan. For many centuries Atemi was the "Forgotten Art"--only a handful, maybe 3 to 4 masters had practiced it. Passed down through the Samurai and the masters of Judo and the Jujitsu was developed in Asia more than 4,000 years ago. In China, they practice the poison hand death touch, known as dim-mak or Chu hand. In Japan, the touch of death is called the Power of the Intercepting Stop Fist--The Power of the Fist, the te--called Shutokai--empty hand soft hand technique to the vital points. Atemi focuses on striking one of the 365 points in the central nervous system. The Art is so deep and complex that it requires mastery of human physiology and body autonomy and to understand all internal organs and systems within the body. And to this day, scientists cannot understand why a single strike to the central nervous system can kill a man. Samurai masters spend numerous hours practicing Iron Palm and developed their fists with bamboo and makiwara attached with hard rope, hard bags made out of sand, gravel, stone, and rock. One of such man was called Grandmaster Yamamoto.

Grandmaster Yamamoto was born in the province of Kyoto, Japan in the year 1900 and died in 1990at the age of 90. I really never knew my master’s first name, other than I had extreme respect for him and we never asked for his name--and that was extreme tradition in the classroom setting. You never really knew his first name, but just his last name. That was very extremely respectful. "It is not like today's dojos, where students run around and call their sensei by the first name." But the little that I knew of him--that he was an awesome martial arts player. Silent like a lamb but with the grace of a true samurai master. Before I continue articulating about my master let me go through some general history so you can understand the person I'm introducing today. I didn't know my master--just that he was called Yamamoto. See you have to understand the Budo or the Way of the Samurai. It was considered an essential part in the Way of the Sword, rather than the sword fighting. If a man only learns sword technique, he was hopeless and not able to survive in the feudal days. He would limit his technique. Even if he achieved the true mastership of the sword, the Bushido imposed its rules. Like concentrating on the use of the sword and in the image and learning how to become pure and ensure and in mobility and immortal. Bushido also influenced every minute of the life. Life of a true Samurai; the rules were the same. These same rules later confined every aspect of behavior internal and external of the training and the actual fact of Bushido origin, which dates before the founding of the Kamakura shogunate in 1192.

With the warlike outfits, helmets, and kimono; with the clandestine appearance have considerable influence on the spirit and customs of the Japanese. The word Bushido has been very much embodied by Nitobe, the "Soul of Japan" in other words. This word should embrace the many war life, government, Samurai life, and the art of war. Bushi meaning warrior and do meaning the way. In absence of your sword or weapon, the Samurai would find necessary to have his ultimate secret weapon--the Art form called Atemi, which is the valued treasure of the Samurai. To practice where to strike in the internal organ, in the body autonomy and to understand the physiology of the body itself; what distance; when to come in and when not to come in; how to utilize his own weight against him, to use the body of the rock as well--by twisting and turning the hips. In other words, 365 attack points of the body and to the central nervous system and the incorporation of the grappling and grippling that incorporated the tweeta hand devices and pain compliance technique, and sophisticated locks--sort of entrapping the hand and koppo-jutsu "bone breaking"--these were some of the essential movements of the Samurai, and to be able to stop the heart in a single blow. It was very important where he knew the place to strike, especially if he was in combat with multi-levels of attack, and multiple attackers coming from multi-levels of direction. If he was not able to draw his sword from his Koiguchi-Kanagu-Sageo or in American terms, from his holster then he would use his fists, or the palm of his hand, or the thrust of his finger or his blade or his katana to accomplish his mission--the blow of death--the Way of the Samurai.

According to my master there was a Chinese master Lau Vang Tong, who was a Shaolin monk who would teach history and teach the science of breathing, and teach the science of striking as well, and the theory of 5 elements: earth wind, fire, void, and water--infinity like in wood and metal, and the art of death, and the sense of Taoism, Buddhism--meaning the way of the path and the way of the warrior. The same in Japanese, do, the way of the Budo. Saying if the body and mind are one, to develop physical and mental capacity can be the way to improve and enlighten. As he also taught Tachuan. Part of his teaching was formed into a physical practice in the limbering up of the joints and bones. He was a monk in the south Chinese district of Canton. For centuries the Shaolin temple were the centers for the variation of 600 types of Chinese boxing. Where the monks went out and taught these art forms as a sense of soothing and belief and healing principles, like acupuncture, herbology, and heating vibrating palm to cure many types of cancer, etc. to East Asia, to Africa, to Puerto Rico, to the Philippines, to Russia, and of course, Japan itself. My master learned from Lau Vang Tong from an early age, and during the time of the Shogun because he was told in order not for them to be able to use weapons anymore. As he explained to me he went into seclusion to begin intensive training in the Poison Hand and Atemi. At a very early age, he crossed paths with Jigoro Kano who was older at the time and the Takeda family from Daito-Ryu, and Morehei Ueshiba of Aikido, and Gogen Yamaguchi, and many more famous warriors and famous young masters at that time. And they exchanged ideas and knowledge through these times. During that time was the revolution of Karate. As he explained it was 300 years or 400 years old and Ninjitsu as well. And in 1945, during Pearl Harbor, when the Atomic bomb was thrown in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. After the war, he went into seclusion to further his training and started his own dojo named Kokorougawa where he taught the fine simplistic form of Kyu-Jitsu and Aiki-Jitsu and explained the elements of Ninjitsu as well, and the Poison Hand called Atemi. Almost like a form clandestine atmosphere. See you have to understand at that time they were very much under siege by the United States Government because General MacArthur had imposed strict rules: no right to bear arms, no martial arts training. So they had to go underground. So according to my master, martial arts was diluted. A lot of the secret forms they developed, a lot of the secret kanji, scrolls, and katakana, and in writing was destroyed in fear of reprisal from the new opposition that was implemented by the United States. By the 1940s, the complete art of Atemi was known only by one master, Grandmaster Yamamoto. And only the masters that were part of this clan knew it in order to teach worthy students. And by the early 1970s,Grandmaster Yamamoto selected ten ninth-degree black belts out of 1000 students to whom he would teach the Atemi art. Only one of those ten students was Non-Japanese, a young American named Master Irving Soto. During the 1950s and 1960s, Ueshiba was very famous for his Aikidokai developing his system from the takeoff of AikiJitsu. Thus, creating the Aikidokai. And at this time, Gogen Yamaguchi with Master Miyagi was famous for developing Goju-Ryu in the 1930s. In 1952, when Master Miyagi died, Gogen Yamaguchi became the successor and Grandmaster of Goju-Ryu founding a famous kata called Superente. My teacher's dojo was located 160 kilometers away from Tokyo, a place called Iwama 93 to 160 kilometers from Tokyo. Ueshiba also had a school built around there. On April 26, 1969 Morehei Ueshiba died and my master was saddened at the loss of his friend.

I loved my master, his teaching, and his philosophy, and incredible techniques that influenced a young man from Brooklyn, New York.

Grandmaster Soto throwing the uke 8 feet up in the air.

After World War II in 1945, when the new world order was implemented in Japan, enacted by General MacArthur not to bear arms and not to practice martial arts as a form of military, a lot of the secret scrolls, and kanji and writing had to be destroyed. There were only a few masters practicing Atemi--and only one master, Grandmaster Yamamoto knew the complete Art of Atemi.

At this time because of the strict world order. All methods of martial arts had to become restrained with control, so even the poison hand techniques of Atemi became secrets of the masters and after decades you wouldn't hear nothing else of it but just tournaments and more like a sport setting and board breaking, and kata waza movements..

The martial arts had to be adapted in a form of exercising so it wouldn't look as being military. As you all know that martial arts--meaning military. So a lot of the secrets had to be put aside, and through time the arts became diluted. Later on the masters creating a ranking structure which today is known as belts. At one time you wouldn't wear a belt--you would wear a sash.

while other systems attempted to include Atemi in their systems to increase and augment their techniques' potency were unsuccessful because the true knowledge of it was only heard to maybe a handful of masters. And to master it takes a half a lifetime, which Soke Grandmaster Soto has done.

Jigoro Kano, Gogen Yamaguchi, Gichin Funakoshi, and Morehei Ueshiba incorporated Atemi into their systems, but the full scale knowledge of Atemi has never been passed down to their students. Today, in 1999, you have seen Professor Soto dramatically revive the Art of Atemi. For the last 43 years in the martial arts, Professor Soto has intensively studied body autonomy and body physiology. As you see today with Professor Soto's efforts, a lot of people claim to know Atemi with his the growth of the presence Atemi schools increase dramatically, as well as on the internet. Soke Grandmaster Soto remains the highest authority of Atemi.

.

In Judo, for example, there are three major divisions. The third and final division is known as Atemi-waza--Atemi-waza is known as movements but not striking, no striking methods. Jigoro Kano made Atemi-waza--meaning movements fundamentals of movements and grappling, and bone breaking as well, an important part of Judo after learning them from Gichin Funakoshi; Atemi-waza is so deadly that it is not allowed in Judo competition , and is taught only to high-ranking black belts. Other examples of systems that use Atemi are Tatsu Tanaka's modernized version of Jujitsu called, Goshin-jutsu; part of the modernization included an emphasis on Atemi-waza. Yet another form of Jujitsu known as Hakko-Ryu uses Atemi strikes and touches based on principles of Koho Shiatsu. Kenpo, too, emphasizes various methods of striking anatomical vital points. However, unfortunately only a handful few people know Atemi, and the true Atemi masters went underground. Professor Soto's quest is to bring Atemi back to the martial arts community and letting them know about Atemi so they can continue furthering their studies.

What makes Kogochi (Atemi-Jitsu) Cobra Te unique is that the art wastes no times with fancy stances or unnecessary movement. Atemi goes directly to the vital points. While many martial arts require that the practitioner grab or get a hold on the opponent before executing the technique, Atemi devastates the human body as soon as contact is made. Atemi Cobra Jujitsu Te also deals with grappling and grippling, and devastating tweeta hand devices, joint manipulation, bone breaking, etc., and poison death touch. Other martial arts rely on punching or kicking hoping that they grab the guy and put them on the floor to disable attackers, or by knocking them out with the sheer thrust of the kick as well. Atemi focuses on redirection of chi flow through the circulatory and central nervous systems by using accurate body positioning and placement. The effects that Atemi Cobra Jujitsu has on the human body are devastating--instant paralyzation and death just with the mere offense of flicking the wrist or locking the hand--not just by striking as well. At its least damaging--meaning if you weren't trying to punch the guy or hit the guy, an Atemi technique can enact a trance-like state and loss of balance and break the vessels in the vein. Those effects can be immediate, or occur several weeks later, depending on the executor's intention and level of skill.

In Kogochi (Atemi-Jitsu) Cobra Te, the way of the stopping fist, each hand placement plays an important role in the Atemi strike. Like trap hands, by facilitation of body movement and body structure, one can connect at an angle by using his redirection of energy as well causing severe trauma and loss of life. Although different hand positions one must practice to develop forearms, biceps, triceps, fist, elbows, fist, open hand. By using pellets, gravel, sand, and a wooden dummy to strengthening up the arm or with bamboo striking up the hand and elbow so you can develop some of the Iron Skin or Iron Fist method by using iron or wood. But it is not necessary as long as you learn the body physiology and body structure of the human autonomy

In karate, practitioners rely on 45 attack points and linear motions, Atemi CobraJitsu strikes use circular movements and "tweeta" hand devices--wide circle theory and small circle theory and redirection of the hands and joints. A tweeta hand device involves gripping, twisting, and manipulating the hand and fingers in such a way that a high amount of stress and pressure are placed on the joints and tendons of the entire arm. This pressure causes excruciating pain, and disrupts the central nervous system, which is governed by the spinal column and medulla oblongata, and controls the body automatic response mechanisms, such as breathing.

The Atemi Cobra strike redirects the arm and the rest of the human body at unusual angles, bending the hand or wrist to place pressure on a joint or limb; techniques might bend the finger back at an angle greater than 45 degrees, or might force the palm of the hand against the wrist. Such a strike destroys blood vessels and arteries, causing extreme pain and paralyzation of the body parts.

The Atemi strike and the tweeta hand was developed by Soke Dr. Grandmaster Soto. He spent many intensive hours studying and practicing the human physiology and body autonomy until his immerse knowledge of striking points became instinctual. Ancient charts were studied intensely to learn about physiological striking points that kill and decapitate. Atemi also uses wrist locks, arm twisting, pain compliance, and subduing command techniques, and tweeta hand devices, and Cobra locks. Its footwork utilizes some fencing movements and ideological throwing techniques which breaks the bones and paralyzes the person in midair, and its fluidity and circular movements are based on the octagon. As the octagon reaches in all directions, so Atemi reaches the body on the inside and outside of all attack levels. Hip placement and foot movement on that octagonal axis allows the practitioner to react and respond to multiple attackers.

While developing a practical system in the face of today's urban violence, Grandmaster Soto--has worked for various law enforcement agencies--has also retained Atemi's traditional emphasis on spirit and honor. By joining old and new, Atemi is a valued art for the new millennium and the next century. Soke Dr. Grandmaster Soto is the Samurai for the Next Millennium Years.

By Soke Grandmaster I. Soto, 10^th Degree Black Belt

3. Goose-Neck V-Lock. The opponent simulates to grab you in your lapel. At this time you semi-position yourself on the outside of the arm--embedding your elbow into your chest sort of like in a goose-neck and chicken wing, putting excruciating pain within his wrist and elbow, paralyzing the person or the opponent or the attacker.