Since the earliest times of mankind’s tumultuous existence, warriors have sought to increase the effectiveness of their combative arts.  As advances in the culture’s understanding of the human body increased, so too did their ability to attack its weaknesses.

With the discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, the correlation of attacking the same targets of the body matured into a Martial Science.  Acupuncture is believed to have been discovered after warriors were wounded in battle and then seemingly miraculously healed of long chronic conditions after recovery.  Over time, it was discovered that the specific location of the injury and the degree of injury could be lessened until only a small needle prick was enough to a precise target to get the same result.  Thus, the needle replaced the spear.  In parallel, advances in the arts of Acupressure were advanced allowing the practitioner to bring healing with only a touch.

As this medical knowledge was applied to healing, the antithesis was revealed as well.  What heals can also inflict injury and even death!  The same points that brought healing could be manipulated in such a manner as to render someone unconscious, to destroy limbs, and even render death.  The overarching difference was in the type and level of stimulus along with the application of other sciences, defining the sequence of blows.  Even a blunt strike could do the same.

Over the centuries, this knowledge was collected in secret warrior texts and further hidden in Martial Arts forms.  With the passage of time, sadly, much of this knowledge was lost to antiquity, until a fortuitous visit by an Okinawan master to the United States changed all of that.  His name was Taika Seiyu Oyata.  The old arts were about to get new life!

Professors Tom Muncy and Rick Moneymaker happened upon a training session with Master Oyata and experienced first hand his seemingly superhuman ability to render a person unconscious with merely a slight tap.  This was unheard of in present day Martial Arts! But, how was he able to do this?  How did it work?  Master Oyata was very forthright in explaining that he did not know how it worked and only knew the techniques he had learned from his family art.  The science was missing to explain the techniques, which seriously hindered the ability to advance the art.  A paradigm was needed but none was in sight.

After developing a close and personal relationship with the master, Muncy and Moneymaker buried themselves in researching the “why it works” aspect of the Martial Arts.  An answer must be found so they could apply the newfound knowledge to their arts and others.  If this could be documented, more of the lost combative arts could be resurrected, picking up where ancient warriors left off.  They knew they must crack the hidden code of Martial Science which had been dormant for eons.

To break such an old code required immersing themselves in the minds of their predecessors and becoming experts of the medical sciences of their day, Traditional Chinese Medicine. They would have to become expert laymen in Acupuncture.

Acupuncture had spread from mainland China to other continents of the world and influenced not only the medical sciences, but the Martial Arts as well.  Japanese, Korean, Indian, and other people groups had benefited from its contributions.  Many of these people were Martial Artists wanting to incorporate the teachings into their art forms.  

As time continued its perpetual march onward, however, many of these advances became lost to the newer generations.  Techniques were being taught without the explanations of where and why they were included in the forms.  As a result, the secrets were buried within the forms, waiting for someone to find them again.  The continual degradation has continued into the modern era, with few Martial Arts practitioners even knowing the deeper aspects of their arts ever even existed!

Investing countless hours of deep and difficult research into TCM, Professors Muncy and Moneymaker, began to recognize the targets of the master’s strikes.  Furthermore, they even began to realize the sequencing of the blows were integral to their effectiveness. Finally, the code was beginning to be cracked and a new era in Martial Arts about to begin! As the dust of antiquity began to release its grip, the arts took on new life!

With a renewed vigor for research empowering them onward, they began to identify more and more of the “why” the arts were designed as they were.  Not only that, but the effectiveness of the techniques soared to new levels as they applied their new findings!  This was a new genesis in growth for not only their arts, but all Martial Arts.  Martial Science was born!

While training with the old master as much as they were able, they continued to refine the basis of the techniques and perfect their system.  Not only that, but they began to see patterns and subtle nuances in the techniques that made them really work.  These became known as Players to the Game for lack of a better term.  These were identified across numerous systems from all over the globe, although many current practitioners do not even know their existence or practice them today.

Now, with over three decades of traveling the world and forming their own Martial Arts organization to continue the research they started, the Dragon Society International is doing just that.  The martial explosion they ignited has grown to levels no one ever expected all those years ago.  Certified Instructors continue to document and identify the Martial Science Players to the Game to levels previous generations never knew.  Imagine if the warriors of old time could see where things have evolved now!  Over two hundred Players have been identified in the time since this research began and it is nowhere near complete.  Much work remains to be done.  While others are practicing the same techniques and forms over and over, devoid of the deeper understandings required to make their systems work, the DSI continues to lead the way just as it has always done.  The rebirth of the Martial Sciences will continue as long as Martial Artists like the DSI continue to lead the research and share what they have discovered.