Martial arts magazine budo international 280 1 fortnight 2015

Major Avi Nardia is one of the leading head official instructors for the Israelite army and police in anti terrorism and CQB, he along with Ben Krajmalnik have made a new basic dvd in the field of firearms and safety, training techniques in IPSC. Instinctive Shooting in Combat. Combat Instinctive Point Shooting - IPSC is a shooting method based on instinctive reactions and kinematics to shoot short distances fast and in dynamic situations. A self defense discipline in order to survive in life t h r e a t e n i n g situatuations , where you need a very fast and accurate shooting abilities, when you must take the gun out as soon as possible and shoot at a short distance without using the sight.

In this first volume you will study how to handle the weapon ( revolver and semi -automatic ) dry firing practice and security, "Point Shooting" or instinctive shooting , at a close range and a series of movements and exercises for weapon retention , low stress and multiple attackers ; exercises on how to recharge with one hand, ... and finally practice shooting gallery with guns such as AK- 74, M -4 , M -249 machine gun and even M -16 grenade launchers .

REF.: • KAPAP7 All DVDs, wichi is produced by Budo International, si provided and alone in the formats DVD-5 or MPEG-2, in VCD, DivX or the like is however neves offered with a special holograma sticker. Besides our DVD is characteristed coverings by the hig quality in pressure and material. If this DVD and/or the DVD covering do not corespond to the requirements specified above, it concerns illegal pirat copy.

ORDERS: Budo international. net

"Karma, when properly understood, is just the mechanism through which consciousness manifests" Deepak Chopra.

A

nyone who has lived long enough know it's true: family and karma are synonymous words. Not much to explain about this, but there are still people who have not yet dawned on the matter. My grandmother, who was wise, used to say that "Friends are the family we choose", but it's for sure that the one that life and destiny have given us, sooner or later will end up at least questioning us.

There are many atavisms around family, some of them are meaningless in the context of modernity. It is healthy to review them, because being decent, impeccable or morally straight (whatever the direction of personal criteria or predilections), often mixes to the detriment of ourselves, if we don’t draw a clear dividing line at this point.

It doesn't escape no one's attention that we humans are a group species. We need each other to survive and although the selfish gene is registered in our system, we know just as well that our chances of success and survival are directly proportional to our ability to empathize with the group we belong.

The assumption of psychological and sociological roles is the next step in understanding the scene in which the game of family life is to be played. More or less aware (one and all) of all these particulars, the very events of life lead us unfailingly, sooner rather than later, to contrast ourselves in the family confrontation.

My master José María Sánchez Barrio said that “the closest is the most distorting” ... What a talent! And what is closer than one's family?

In every family there is a character with a special skill to drive you insane in an Express service. That's why those unforgettable Christmas family gatherings are the most false set-ups of joys, known to all, where it's not rare to check how more than one ends up drunk in order to be able to put up with so much love and harmony in so little time and space.

To that cocktail of infinite recriminations of a lifetime of coexistence in which grievances accumulate by millions, you must add the icing on the couples, male or female, third in discord, which often bring out the worst in each one.

Selfishness is rampant in the family battlefields and the atavistic behaviors cloud the more enlightened lucidity, enveloping us in the most extreme stupidity and meanness. Things "you wouldn't do to your mother", as stated in the expression, are precisely what you end up doing to the closer ones, sometimes to your own mother.

"The family is a great institution. Assuming, of course, that you like living in an institution."

Groucho Marx

Where are the limits, the insurmountable barriers?

We've all heard or experienced stories that make your hair stand on end. People with an impeccable social image which has committed outrages astonishing in its immediate environment... ghosts of revenge, hatred, suspicion and longest of the infernal lists, run amok in the fertile territory of unconsciousness, in which, trapped in feelings difficult to understand and easy to justify, inevitably take out the worst of oneself.

I think there's no need to be hostage to atavisms. We should face the karmic process with the counterweight of consciousness. Saying that your brother (father, mother, cousin, whatever) will always be your brother, is just an atavistic discourse; past certain limits, one should know when to put an end to the lie, guilt and the obligations that carry a position for which you haven't applied (at least consciously) in this life. When you are grown up, you should have the privilege of deciding on that regard, because that is part of the releasing process of living.

While you're at process of "manufacturing", you stick to the standards (what else can you do!) But once you've earned the right (and acquired the power!) to being an individual, you must position yourself in these matters.

There are privileges and obligations in those "charges" of which one must be able to resign.

Once our Karma is satisfied in its fulfillments is when our level of awareness and action in the acts has reached its culmination both internal and externally. No easy task, because you have to go beyond the string of grudges and imaginary debts unconsciously accumulated during years, in which we were tender sponges which settled lots of emotional experiences, generally disturbing. But it's possible, because the greatness of clarity and understanding implies that once you see something from many points of view (not only your own), you are released from the unconscious doubt that accompanies your proceed. That's why I say that karmic ties can be solved and not only that, it is our obligation to do so.

Accumulating more debts, whether there are other lives or not in which issues will have to be again elucidated, will only be possible within the framework of lucidity, deep understanding and determination to cut the link.

All I want to leave behind is an intense love perfume that enraptures mine, the chosen ones, in such a way that they will not even know that what they're breathing is my scent.

With those with whom I may have something to fulfill, so be it; but debts are not eternal, even mortgages have an

Alfredo Tucci s General Manager to BUDO INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING CO. e-mail: budo@budointernational.com

expiration date. That's the law, what has a beginning has an end.

Nevertheless, in these matters, each one is every one. Therefore, that said, I apologize to you for my reflections in loud voice, which are only my truth; if they do you a good service, I will be happy, because this matter is not easy to understand for anyone. As I said, each one responds according to his or her nature.

https://www.facebook.com/alfredo.tucci.5

B

udo International English Edition is growing each and every issue thanks to you all for reading and enjoying the world's #1 martial arts magazine.

In July of this year with our dear friend Jean Claude Van Damme on the cover we broke all records for the magazine having close to 30,000 readers and for anyone in the martial arts business this is a huge number of readers. Star power really does work well for all concerned.

Now we are growing again and will have a new issue every 2 weeks. I have no idea how our illustrious leader Alfredo Tucci can do it, but it will make us even more current and up to date with information.

We are also planning on doing an article each month on up and comers in the martial arts look for a story on Silvana Shamuon of Canada an up an coming new super star plus all new champions from all over the world Brazil's Mario Hayashi Jr. winner of both Kata and Kumite in the recent WKO world Championships in Curitiba Brazil and Cinthia Costa as well from Brazil an amazing fighter from Brazil, Marcia Budd Scheneff from Canada the womens kata champion and the USA Team who won the Team kumite championships.

These YOUNG GUNS are the stars of the future and we at Budo International want to promote and expose the world to these champions.

So watch us grow and be apart of the new revolution in martial arts magazines.

Classic Masters

Japanese Tradition Abstract At 60 years old, Patrick McCarthy is a 5th generation disciple of Uchinadi with an impeccable lineage of Okinawan instructors, starting with his late teacher Kinjo Hiroshi [1919-2013], who was preceded by his instructor Hanashiro Chomo [1869-1945] who was taught by Itosu Ankoh [1832-1915], and his master Matsumura Sokon [1809-1899], -historically the tradition's most visible pioneer.

McCarthy has studied the art of karate since childhood, and enjoyed an outstanding competitive background before migrating to Japan as a field-researcher, where he ultimately surfaced as a best-selling author. He's been a nationally rated fighter, kata and weapon competitor, twice North American Karate champion and World Senior's Kata & Kumite champion with countless municipal, local and other domestic/international-related victories to his credit. Few can describe themselves as a legitimate Japan-trained and accredited 9th degree black belt in traditional Karatedo, with a Hanshi-level teacher's license...

McCarthy Sensei can!

Text: Don Warrener & Patrick McCarthy, 9th Dan Hanshi Photos: Don warrener his Canadian-bor n Australian resident, also holds Yudansha ranks in Jujutsu, Judo, Yamaneryu Kobudo and Japanese swordsmanship [Sugino-ha Katori Shinto Ryu].

He has literally trained under the who's who of the fighting arts, and studied in Japan [Okinawa], China [Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Fuzhou and the Shaolin Monastery ... several times], Korea, SE Asia and the Philippines. He's been teaching professionally since 1972, operated his own dojo since 1974 and is one of only a handful of traditional karate instructors worldwide to ever grace the covers of Karate Illustrated, Official Karate, Traditional Karate, Combat, Budoka, Blitz, Bujutsu, American Samurai, Fight Times and Shotokan Karate Magazines concurrently! McCarthy Sensei has been the subject of countless newspaper and magazine articles, radio and TV programs, a film documentary and worked in Hollywood film projects [the last being, "Roxanne," with Steve Martin]. He has written and translated no less than 8 books [one a best seller/Bubishi/Charles E Tuttle Pub Co], produced a myriad of educational video presentations and instructional DVD's, written articles for all the major Martial Art magazines around the world and forewords for no less than a dozen books by other well known authors. He's been featured in not one but two separate best selling

T

books ["Karate Masters" & Combat Karate" by Jose Fraguas] along side such notable masters such as Nakayama, Nishiyama, Kanazawa, Mikami, Okazaki, Ozawa, Sakumoto, Higaonna, Demura and Dalke, etc. He's amidst less than a handful of non-Japanese to ever successfully establish themselves in the art of Traditional Karate and be recognized both in Japan and worldwide. He's an IBA-based PhD [supervised by Dr. Rony Kluger] who's traveled the world [more than 60 countries] teaching the results of his groundbreaking research in over 1000 professional seminars for the past twenty years and responsible for having developed the world's very first government accredited college-level 2-Year MA's Instructor's undergraduate program - originally hosted by Australia's College of Natural Medicine's Faculty of Health Sciences.

McCarthy Sensei currently oversees his own organisation with a worldwide membership. He's been widely recognized for his outstanding contributions to the art of Karate with awards from the Canadian Government [1985 Provincial Government of Ontario, Premier of Ontario, Certificate of Recognition in appreciation of achievements in amateur sports; 1985 Citation: Ontario Sports Award Program from

Karate & Kobudo

Okinawa “By the mid-1980's, twenty years of training in the traditional fighting arts had left me rather frustrated by its rule-bound practices, inflexible rituals and cultural ambiguity. It wasn't that I disliked it or wanted to quit practicing but I could no longer accept the modern interpretation of ritualized practices�

William Davis Premier of Ontario], Canadian Jujutsu Association [1985 Distinguish Service Award], the US Naval Academy [HOF], Jujutsu America [Meritorious Service Award], American Law Enforcement agencies, the Israeli Military/YAMAM, the World MA's Organization and Blitz Magazine, he was also named "History General" of the Museum of Sport Karate, cited in Sep of 2010 by the USNKA and inducted into its Hall of Fame and presented with their prestigious, "Living Martial Art's Treasure" award, and inducted into the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame in 2012.

- Don Warrener The Journey - Not the Destination

By Patrick McCarthy, 9th Dan Hanshi It may have started with wrestling, boxing or even baseball, all of which I was hopelessly passionate about in my childhood. However, if there was ever any doubt, the mid-1960's National Film Board's documentary on Canadian judo champion, and Olympic silver medalist, Doug Rogers, sealed my fate and forever change my destiny!

From the time I first entered the dojo, until I made black belt, and then across my entire competitive career, throughout a fascinating era of cross training and field studies in Japan, China and SE Asia, and the authoring of papers, journals and books, as an instructor and even throughout the lofty lecturing position I enjoyed in academia, the fighting arts have always provided a wonderfully balanced pathway upon which to experience life to its fullest.

Early Days I was a kid from Rockwood Court, a middleclass neighbourhood on the east coast of Canada in the small port city of Saint John, New Brunswick.

Summer vacation had just finished and I was already back at school … it was the 2nd week in September of 1964 and I wouldn't turn ten years old until my birthday nearly three months later, in December.

Spellbound, I sat motionless on my chair in our school auditorium watching that wonderfully motivational documentary film about Doug Rogers.

I was not unfamiliar with superheroes as my favourite comic book and movie characters of that era were Superman, Batman and Hercules, etc. However, even a 9-year old kid understands deep inside that such heroes are only makebelieve… not real! Yet, there and before my very eye's, was a genuine superhero! I wasn't watching a cartoon character but rather a real live person; an Olympic Champion… and a Canadian… just like me!

As I listened to his passionate story about sacrifice and dedication the idea of transformation for anyone with the genuine desire to succeed sounded possible. As I continued to watch how he practiced, competed and become a champion I imagined that I too could become empowered just like him, if I was only to take up the fighting arts. When I got home from school that day I immediately shared my feelings with my parents who subsequently wasted little time in getting me enrolled at the local Judo club. Little did I know that this would become the starting point from which a childhood passion gradually transformed into an adult vocation and ultimately a professional career. For the past fifty years I have enjoyed living my dream…and I'd like to tell you something of it.

Dream ~ Believe ~ Achieve When the opportunity arose to start teaching in 1972, albeit still as a teenager, I found myself inexplicably drawn to it.

There is a saying; “Once you've found something you're truly passionate about you'll never have to work a day in your life.”

Having spent my entire life with the fighting arts, I can

Karate & Kobudo “... The fighting arts have always provided a wonderfully balanced pathway upon which to experience life to its fullest�

Karate & Kobudo honestly say that I have never wanted, dreamed or desired to be or do anything beyond this humble calling.

In 1970, the company my father worked for transferred him from Saint John, New Brunswick to Toronto, Ontario… the largest city in Canada, which represented a move of some 1500km. Relocating to a new place and so far away at such an age, and without the social networking that is commonplace today, meant losing touch with my childhood friends and dojo. Coming from a small town with just more than 50,000 people to a thriving metropolis with a population of over 2-million represented a colossal change in my life… but one that I most enthusiastically embraced. In 1970, Toronto was literally a mecca of fighting arts, and I wanted to study them all!

During that wonderful era I enjoyed the opportunity to meet and train with many noteworthy instructors, including Tsuruoka Masami [the father of Karate-Do in Canada], Ron Forrester [the father of Canada's Jujutsu movement], Prof.

“It was also during the Vancouver years that I grew more and more disgruntled with the egos, tournament scene, childlike political animosities and discouraging commercial exploitation of the traditional art”

Okinawa

Karate & Kobudo Wally Jay [Small Circle Jujutsu founder], Richard Kim [the Harvard Professor of Karate-Do], Wally Slocki [the premier Canadian tournament fighter of his era] and many, many more. Such instructors all played an influential role in shaping not just my physical skills, but also my character and the way I came to embrace the art of learning!

Tsuruoka Sensei wrote, “My first recollection of Mr. McCarthy was when he entered my dojo as a young, raw, brash and inquisitive kid who'd just moved to Toronto from Saint John, New Brunswick. Patrick had no idea of the ways, philosophy or etiquette of Budo, but only wanted to continue developing his physical skills in the art of fighting.”

Prof Wally Jay wrote, “I first met Patrick McCarthy when he was still a teenager, and, with great interest watched his remarkable progress in the world of martial arts. I witnessed the transition from all-round competitive champion, to respected teacher and international lecturer. It came as no surprise to me that Patrick has been described as the foremost historian of Karate-Dodo in the Western World.”

When I was 32 years old, Prof Ron Forrester kindly wrote, “I have known Mr. Patrick McCarthy for over 18-years. He is a person totally dedicated to the fighting arts and ways. His credentials are of the highest standing and the Canadian Government has honoured him when the Province of Ontario awarded him the prestigious 'Certificate of Recognition,' for his outstanding contributions. I can recommend him, without reservation, as an extremely capable and teacher of the fighting arts and as a person, his character is beyond reproach.”

Sensei Richard Kim wrote, “From an early age, Patrick McCarthy has been a devout student of Karate-Do. Maturing under my direction, he acquired a creative approach to learning, and came to realize the importance of balancing his physical training with metaphysical exploration. Moreover, through the precepts of Karate-Do, Mr. McCarthy has lear ned that empirical research and introspection are absolute necessities for one to discover that which lies beyond the immediate results of physical training.

Formerly one of Canada's most prominent Karate-Do teachers, Patrick McCarthy is second to none physically, which made him unparalleled in his reign as a competitive

Okinawa champion. Relocating to Japan where he became my personal representative, Patrick McCarthy's star is now shining on a new horizon. Of all the thousands of students that I have had over the years, Patrick McCarthy is by far the most talented. Whatever he does, he does exceedingly well.”

Thinking Outside the Box In order to get to the Toronto Karate dojo where I was training in 1970, I used to have to travel through Chinatown. Making my way through Chinatown as a teenager was like entering an oriental labyrinth of sight, sound, beauty and mystery. The cultural mystique, language, food, even the pretty girls and especially its fighting arts helplessly captivated me. I couldn't help but seize the opportunity to deepen my understanding of Karate by studying several Chinese and SE Asian fighting arts during that time. The principal sources of that learning were found at the Hong Luck Kung Fu club, the Jing Mo Goon, Liu Seong, Canadian Karate-Do/Kung Fu Association, the Fire Dragon and Yao Loong Kung Fu Centre. A wonderfully influential and inspirational period, filled with indelible memories, what I experienced during those five years changed everything I had previously understood. The biggest gift, however, was the ability to cross train in different arts and, 'think outside the box.' The idea of, “Thinking Outside the Box,” cross training and innovativeness had become so well entrenched in my psyche, that I firmly believed the deepest message of the traditional fighting arts was eclecticism and the continual search for more innovative ways of accomplishing the same outcomes.

Prof Wally Jay wrote, “Learning Karate-Do during a generation when the art was void of the answers he sought, his need to understand "how" and "why" were the determining forces in shaping the kind of person Pat ultimately became. Vibrant during his competitive career, he is as meticulous now, in his research and teaching, as he ever was as an athlete.

Although the nature of his attention has shifted from the competitive arena to the field of research, the intensity with which he pursues “his obsession” is second to none. Anyone who has had the pleasure of taking a lesson, attending a seminar or sitting in on one of his illuminating lectures can immediately describe Pat's regard for both the work which captivates him and the people with whom it is shared.”

The Vancouver & Japan Years At 25-years old I seized a fortuitous opportunity to relocate on Canada's West coast. In 1979 I moved from Toronto, Ontario, to Vancouver, British Colombia, where I established the Vancouver Karate Centre, with my new business partner, Rod Philipsen.

Competitively speaking, it was also a time when I was deeply entrenched in the opentournament scene and travelled extensively throughout Canada and the USA. Local students and instructors quickly came to know the VKC as a place that warmly welcomed

guests irrespective of the style they came from. I enthusiastically continued to embrace many wonderful learning opportunities from such visiting guests. The chance to make friends in the Japanese, Chinese, SE Asian and Korean fighting art communities strengthen my ties with local instructors of various traditions and again opened the doors for greater learning and insight. I regularly hosted local and international instructors of that era at the VKC including names such as Prof. Wally Jay, Richard Kim, Teruo Chinen, Remy Presas, Steve Armstrong, Jerry Gould, Bill Wallace, Benny Urquidez, Joe Lewis, Eric Lee, Alex Kwok, Cindy Rothrock, George Chung, Jon Funk, Ken Low, Bruce Currie and Don Shapland, etc.

It was also during the Vancouver years that I grew more and more disgruntled with the egos, tour nament scene, childlike political animosities and discouraging commercial exploitation of the traditional art. I had my own ideas about the actual functionality of the art but remained publicly silent because they were in direct contradiction with all I had learned and I did not want to be openly criticized or ostracized by my community.

Detachment By the mid-1980's, twenty years of training in the traditional fighting arts had left me rather frustrated by its rule-bound practices, inflexible rituals and cultural ambiguity. It wasn't that I disliked it or wanted to quit practicing but I could no longer accept the moder n interpretation of ritualized practices [i.e. kata, hyung, xing - classical choreographed routinesform/ patterns]. Consequently, I began to search for a new teacher, style, or even an organization that could teach me the original and more functional application practices in a rational, coherent and systematized manner.

Specifically, I was looking for someone who could…

• 1. Use the habitual acts of physical violence as a contextual premise through which to improve my skills and understanding rather than continue to depend upon rulebound practices with a compliant partner attacking me with a controlled reverse punch, etc.

• 2. Teach me the prescribed original oldschool responses and counter-attacks to and against these habitual acts of physical violence with functional variations if/when something doesn't work or goes wrong.

• 3. Reveal how such prescribed templates [i.e. the mnemonic rituals which make up the c l a s s i c a l l y choreographed routines/kata] not only culminated the lessons already imparted but, when linked together, clearly offered something greater than the sum total of their individual parts. #4. Clearly identify and demonstrate where these prescribed mnemonics exist in the

Karate & Kobudo

classical-based choreographed routines handed down in kata and how they're linked back to the habitual acts of physical violence.

The Japan Years When I first went to Japan and started to lear n how to speak Japanese, I'd ask the old masters what it was like to train under their teachers. Through personal interaction and speaking with such people, local functions, interviewing them and or taking film and photographs of their practices, I was given certain insights into the fighting arts and its fascinating social culture. For each encounter, I would wonder what was the value of this meeting, how did this meeting contrast with other people I've met, what did I get from this meeting, and how is this information going to help me. Finally, not only how I will use this experience and information but also how can I help other people with it?

I found Japan to be a wonderfully pensive culture and spent considerable time delving into its historical landscape, social mindset and spiritual teachings. One of the most enjoyable aspects of Japanese culture was the friendly manner in which social interaction took place. In the many years I resided in Japan I never once ever felt a threat to my own insecurities... admittedly, it took some time to better understand the Tatemae~Honne cultural phenomenon.

I also came to understand how the Japanese traditional fighting arts were, in so many ways, a microcosm of its culture… a miniature representation of its customs, mindset and values. As I found out more about myself through the fighting arts, I discovered my strengths and my weaknesses. Such a thing not only allowed me to work diligently in an effort to transform my weaknesses into strengths it also allowed me to enhance existing strengths.

Japan was, however, not all I expected it to be. There was ample frustration, significant confusion and remarkable disappointed! I suppose in many ways I was more than a little naive in expecting to encounter incredible superhuman skillsets performed by the many masters I came into contact with. In my mind, partially conceived from all I had been told about the oriental masters and partially because of how they'd been portrayed in Hollywood movies and myths, I expected to experience remarkable performances from young masters bordering the impossible to encountering patient old masters imparting incredibly discer ning wisdom with provocatively

“I also came to understand how the Japanese traditional fighting arts were, in so many ways, a microcosm of its culture… a miniature representation of its customs, mindset and values” enlightening answers for just about everything.

While there was certainly no shortage of excellent practitioners everywhere I looked, I found no trace of such superhuman performances or overly illuminating teachings anywhere in Japan or Okinawa, for that matter! I don't mean to say or even suggest that all the instructors, recognized masters and leaders I came into contact with were useless, incompetent or uninformed, as this was simply not the case. What I do mean to say, however, was just how surprised I was at the time to realize that we in the West were every bit as talented and knowledgeable as were those who had been placed on such high pedestals and subsequently deified!

A bit disillusioned, I decided to return to cross training and augment my studies with various combative practices. I took up Katori Shinto Ryu swordsmanship, Shoot Fighting and Submission Wrestling and trained under three of the country's top instructors; Sugino Yoshio [19041998], Sayama Satoru [DOB 1957] and Takada Nobuhiko [DOB 1962]. Cross training opened many new doors of opportunity while provoking valuable new insights into both training and life that I had never before realized. The opportunity to travel back and forth to Korea, China and SE Asia for the expressed purpose of participating in and cross-comparative analyses of other fighting arts became a regular experience. In China, Fujian Province, Shanghai, Beijing and the Shaolin Temple became important destinations of significant discovery. While Korea was important and certainly from a cultural point of view, it was Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines that offered the most incredibly valuable experience in support of better understanding the art of Karate.

Based upon that lengthy and unique experience, I started making my own deductions without finding the need to seek out the approval of others, as functionality became its own authority.

Such findings ultimately lead me to understand the origins, development and evolution of the fighting arts in Okinawa along with what organic forces influenced radical change. Discovering the process and essence of what the

Okinawan pioneer masters sought out and established as traditions lead me to discover and revive dormant practices no longer embraced by the Japanese modern and rule-bound counterpart.

Delving deeply into the cultural abyss, having the wonderful opportunity of working with so many different instructors, and at the very sources of origin, learning the language and studying both the surviving original instructional documents, and the historical circumstances in which the arts were cradled and evolved, was both an indelible and life-changing experience. Recognizing the terrible ambiguity, which shrouded an otherwise relatively easy-to-understand art, the ongoing experiences collectively resulted in establishing a baseline contextual premise theory I called, the “Habitual Acts of Physical Violence” [HAPV-theory]. In support of this contextual premise I leaned heavily upon a highly functional and very common Chinese and SE Asian practice mechanism called, 2-person drills.

Tsuruoka Sensei, “After leaving Toronto, he [McCarthy] settled in Vancouver where he established his own dojo and further refined his skills.

However, his passion to learn was so great that he ultimately migrated to Japan to further his knowledge of Budo. There, at the source, he was deeply influenced by the culture, philosophy and psychology of the martial arts and came to understand the true value of patience, respect & tradition. It did not stop there, however, for his interest in such things took him as far as Okinawa, Fuzhou, the Shaolin Monastery and beyond. In those distant places, he feverishly searched out the evolution and contributions of pioneer teachers. His research, published articles, instructional videotapes and books, including the best-selling Bubishi (Bible of Karate-

Do) are testimony to his dedication & pursuit of knowledge. In my opinion, Mr. McCarthy is one of the foremost western historians of Karate-Do Do and I am pleased to lend my name in support his ongoing efforts.

Karate & Kobudo

Traditional Arts

ETNOLOGIA MARCIAL Some years ago we published an exceptional video, a real discovery! The native Palo Canario (Canary Stick) fighting style perfectly differentiated within this ancient tradition, in the frame of a family who had managed to preserve it. Fourteen years have elapsed since then and a generation of martial artists needs to rediscover these jewels, so I decided to republish this article and share with you the extraordinary mastery and exquisite peculiarity that characterize this unique tradition. A TREASURE!

Traditional Arts

MARTIAL ETNOLOGIA

Reportage

Following the line that we have established in this magazine of recovering and making,known traditional Western Martial Arts styles we are honored to present today one,of the most inter esting and characteristic styles of the Canary Staff,(a clearly Spanish Art) from the Canary Islands the Acosta family style.

As has happened so many other times in history a family style has,come into the light thanks to the vision of an exceptional man who acts,as a bridge between the past and the future.

Mr. Marino is a simple man but with a great human intensity. His,powerful look doesn’t hide the fierceness of a warriorlike character adorned however, with an affable friendly and funny touch.

Fr om,humble origins working-class people he has that natural wisdom proper of someone who lives close to nature instead of having the back turned to it. The skin polished by the country’s sun frames a cunning smile that can distract from those intense and

mesmerizing eyes that look out unabashedly from the heart of an upright man; he is a wonder ful person who intensively caught my attention.

His style is unique. He handles a shorter and lighter staff than in other,styles what undoubtedly gives not only an intense rhythm to his movements ,but also a fluid and natural way about his gestures ,offering great effectiveness to his attacks and checks. The ways in which these staff players manage their weapon would make the hair of fencing lovers with bigger names and fame on the world panorama stand on end.

It is a style that goes far beyond the merely traditional far beyond,a curiosity we are speaking about a total Martial Art in which what,counts is undoubtedly defeating the adversary.

The lovers of staff fighting are advised don’t say we didn’t warn you!,Let them be careful if they confront a player of this school! Here… they,are very serious.

Alfredo Tucci “Though the staff is played with the hands, it is always carried in the heart.”

Traditional Arts The play of the Canary Staff THE ACOSTA FROM TENERIFE A Dynasty, Three Centuries, A Tradition The Art of fencing with staffs is one of the most notable manifestations of the popular culture of the Canary Islands and from the times of the first inhabitants it has been conserved and continues being practiced on these islands.

This thousand-year-old discipline, a mix of fighting and folklore inherited from the culture of the aboriginal Guanches, has today become a true symbol of the identity of the people of the Canary Islands. It is an Art and a sportive-recreational practice still a minority but on the rise, with a lot of projection for the future, and a living example of the perseverance of these people to maintain their traditions.

Many accounts from the epoch of the conquest of the Canary Islands, back around the year 1400, mention the great skill the aboriginal Guanches possessed fencing with staffs as weapons of war, of defense and attack. Staffs hardened with fire left a profound memory of blood among the Spanish troops that tried to colonize them. Once the Islands were conquered and annexed to the kingdom

of Castilla, the use of the staff disappeared for a while due to the prohibition that the new governors imposed, impeding people from entering the city centers with their staffs. But the country people always resorted to its use outside the villages as a method of self-defense in order to resolve one conflict or another originating from the ownership of livestock and the pasture land areas or even to put somebody in their place. Also at that time, it was a custom for the boys of each family to confront one another to demonstrate their skill with the staff at the popular festivals that were celebrated in the villages. On numerous occasions they had to face veritable duels for the quarrels that existed between families.

Though a fight could occur anywhere, it seems that the festivals were the preferred place for them, and for a simple motive, to demonstrate manliness or to conquer a woman. What is certain is that for many of these men it seemed “that if there wasn’t any fight, it wasn’t a festival”.

Time went on and the people from the countryside jealously guarded the art in the hearts of the families. The grandfathers transmitted this wisdom to their grandchildren and these to their children for more than four centuries. Marino Acosta Armas inherited this practice from his ancestors who were also expert players. His family was always in

MARTIAL ETNOLOGIA

contact with all those traditions that had a Canary flavor; fighting, dog or cock fights, and, of course, the art of fighting with staff. Time did everything else, converting Marino into the principle exponent of the traditional Acosta Style of Staff Play from Tenerife, considered one of the fastest and toughest styles.

Each family clan developed a particular style for the use of the staff.

Some were specialized in long distance, others in the short, and others employed it as defense against bladed weapons. In present times, there are various styles identified: Deniz, Verga, Morales, Garafiano, Vidal, Conejero, Quintero, and the Acosta style. Each one of these styles shows technical differences that can be easily appreciated merely by watching them.

This technical wealth, this diversity of schools and styles, is part of the greatness that the martial culture from the Canary Islands possesses.

Many Martial Arts practitioners in Spain and in other places in Europe have heard about the arts that are practiced on the Canary Islands. It seems that these commentaries have been the only indication that one has had of the existence of the Canary Staff play, perhaps for the simple fact that it isn’t an art that comes from the East and there isn’t much graphic and audiovisual documentation, so it doesn’t awaken sufficient interest

Traditional Arts among the community of martial practitioners. No one could imagine that only a few kilometers from the Iberian Peninsula there are some Masters who keep these ancient fighting techniques intact and at such a high level. There is a generalized belief that the foreign is always better than one’s own, and perhaps this kind of belief contributes even more to the fact that the Canary Staff resides so close to us and yet continues being unknown. There are indications that schools were created in Cuba and Venezuela through the knowledge that some Canary emigrants took there. However, it is more difficult to understand that in the greater part of Spain it is totally unknown. Some masters who emigrated to Cuba to work in the sugar cane fields say that many Cubans wanted to learn the art of the staff and resorted to the people from the Canary Islands to teach them. These masters were opposed because it was the only means they had to defend themselves from the Cuban machete. For that, the Cubans had a lot of respect for them.

The masters only taught the members of their families and on very rare occasions, people very close, because they knew that an individual who achieved a good handling of the staff would be capable of fighting against three or four people at the

same time, even against themselves.

If there was some student who showed too much uneasiness about learning, they simply didn’t teach him, because it was believed that he had come only with the intention of “looking for the knowledge”. The masters knew very well that these techniques, in the hands of a student who didn’t show sufficient respect and spirituality, could be used sometime without dignity and without justification. For many of them, it meant that “power without spirituality was no more than brute force”.

They were very reserved men and even guarded a certain number of techniques that they never taught to their students so that when the moment came, they could use them in a compromised situation and come out victorious. It was like having an ace up your sleeve, because there was always the risk that the student would want to get ahead of the master. These hidden or secret strikes were called “the last point”, and from there comes the typical saying: “The last point is not taught to anybody”. In this way, they taught little by little, leaving the last technique for the end, which the master kept as a favorite. What is certain is that the art of the Canary Staff is immersed in a mysterious world dominated by a multitude of legends and superstitions and suspicions about being taught, given

MARTIAL ETNOLOGIA

Traditional Arts that the practice of the staff was associated with a prohibited and punishable fighting instrument. And for that, the masters preferred to go unnoticed, hiding their talent and wisdom as something very secret.

It is surprising how on all the continents they have developed a multitude of fighting arts, each one with its own characteristics and connotations. However all of them present common philosophical aspects. The Canary Staff play has not been outside this same martial tradition. Just as with other arts, it has the figure of the master, with a genuinely familial transmission, its own nomenclature, traditional dress, and especially, a philosophy of respect and occultism toward the tradition. So, it is not strange that the masters choose a few students as the true transmitters of their knowledge.

The Acosta Dynasty The origin of the Acosta style can be situated midway through the 1800s, in the region of Esperanza (Tenerife), as an evolution of a style of staff play proper of that area and apparently lost. This evolution is the fruit of the emigration to Cuba of some players who adapted it to the combat at short distance in order to face some bladed weapons. Its oldest known master is Florentin Vera, and after him there were the masters Maximiliano Hernandez Acosta and

Leopoldo Acosta Acosta (Mr. Polo), born in 1908. Later, the children of these men inherited their mastery, Ramon Herandez Acosta (son of Maximiliano) and Santos Acosta Acosta (sone of Mr. Polo), who, as a consequence of a tragic physical disability, delegated it to his brothers Pedro Acosta and Anastasio Acosta (Tato), the youngest of all the brothers and whose motor capacity was also and unfortunately affected by a labor accident.

It wasn’t until the epoch of the disappearance of Francisco Franco that the Acosta style crossed over the limits of a tightly closed family circle.

The active members of the family met to correct errors, improve the techniques, and to practice the precise movements and in this way excel over other players.

A the end of 1977-78, Marino Acosta, helped by his cousin Pedro Acosta Acosta (another son of Mr. Polo) decided to begin to teach groups of students who didn’t belong to the family, in that way becoming the first Masters who opened up the style to people outside the family nucleus, a novelty that would suppose the definitive impulse that that style needed to guarantee its perpetuation. Since then, schools from various municipalities in Tenerife have been formed, like that of the Campitos, personally directed by Mr. Marino and his cousin Pedro.

There are schools in Valle de Guerra, Las Mercedes, Arafo, Santa Cruz de

MARTIAL ETNOLOGIA

Tenerife, Puerto de la Cruz, and most recently, the incorporation of Cartagena in Murcia (Spain) as the first school created outside the islands and directed by Alfonso Acosta (from Cartagena, and whose mother is from the Canary Islands). Although in the past, the style was at the point of disappearing, nowadays it is in safe hands with Marino, his sons, and a group of students who, like him, incessantly fight to transmit the style in its purest state.

Characteristics of the Acosta Style The style is called Short Staff by its ancient practitioners in order to differentiate it from the others on the islands, which they call Long Staff, and it presents unique and very differentiated technical characteristics: among them, the central grip of the staff, the absence of wide, circular techniques, and big movements of the guards, on many occasions, jumps.

Short Play (short distance) predominates and Crouched (with techniques initiated from below). Full Stop (block defenses of the opposing staff) is habitual and one doesn’t practice changed play, normally passing the staff from one guard to another from below or inside (by the front and below the body of the player).

Although each one of the masters of the Acosta style highlights his

Above: Mr. Polo Above left: Polo and Santos in the midseventies execute “stop with loose hand”.

To the right: the “three pillars” of the school.

Traditional Arts particular way of using the staff, Leopoldo Acosta (Mr. Polo) was the one who gave the style fame for aggression and speed. He customarily fought very crouched, squatted down, or with one knee on the ground and from this position he launched points and strikes, creating a lot of discomfort for the one fighting standing up, because in order to project a technique against the adversary there is no choice but to open the arms and in this way one can go inside and surprise the adversary, and in that, Mr. Polo was an expert. Some players today, like Carlos Darias, first traditional master not belonging to the Acosta family, still conserves this way of fighting squatted down, so particular and similar to that of Mr. Polo. By putting a knee on the ground, one is more protected, you create a lot more danger and you maintain more control over the other player.

If Mr. Polo was the most charismatic of the masters of the Acosta style, Mr. Marino is recognized as the greatest exponent when it comes to transmitting the style and recovering forgotten angles for the young practitioners from that almost abandoned part of the Acosta play, and what is known as “play from above”. And it isn’t that the old masters (Mr. Polo and Mr. Maximiliano) didn’t know them, but determined to perfect a lower game, they left it aside.

But we never ignore that before one played from among all the styles despite each one personalizing his technique.

The practitioners from the school of Marino Acosta, and we include the family members who play today, learn from the beginning the debt of respect that exists to Santos and Pedro Acosta, to Marino and to any other master who, like them, has dedicated a great part of their lives to spreading the art that they loved so much and that our ancestors hid.

This article also serves as a homage and recognition to all of them.

The Canary Staff is a gentlemen’s art that praises human values.

Practicing it and keeping it alive not only keeps us closer to the Canary culture, but also makes us better men.

MARTIAL ETNOLOGIA

Self Defense

The self-defense industry is becoming more and more creative each year with the production of new gadgets capable of providing tactical advantages to their customers. This is certainly the case of a practical device invented by the famous international Master Amaro Bento, of Portuguese origin, which is causing a stir among its users. The author tells us here about his invention: the Chameleon.

Tactical key ring MADE IN Portugal Developed in Portugal by a Portuguese, the Chameleon.

Object of injected plastic manufactured in different colors

Self Defense The chameleon: - It is avant-garde.

- It is a trendy utensil as a keychain.

- It is efficient in any position.

- Adapts to any person, regardless of age, height and weight.

- It causes pain to the aggressor but it is almost impossible to hurt anybody with it.

- It can be used in any position.

Today this device is widely used in many places worldwide for self-defense and in many security companies in Switzerland is the official keychain for service.

With the Chameleon was also created a training system called Tactical Chameleon Defense (TCD), in which, in just one day (in the case of civilians) or two days (for security forces), people learn the basic use of Chameleon.

We are also looking for instructors and masters of the various Martial Arts who are interested in making the TCD instructor training course, so they can offer courses in their zones.

What is the Chameleon Tactical Defense - TCD? Amaro Bento, inventor of TCD, is an expert in close combat and self-defense. Over the last 20 years, Amaro Benedict founded several martial arts schools geared to the amateur teaching, but also to train professional members of civilian and military security forces in hand to hand fighting.

Throughout these two decades of intense research on Martial Arts, Amaro found that there are not so many "tools" in the market that can provide, in a simple and efficient way, a legitimate means to defend yourself and others. A simple and efficient self defense "tool" should be something that accompanies us every day and is present in our daily routines. Being familiar with a particular object, allows you to use it very effectively in the context of self defense.

With this in mind, Amaro Bento has conceived in an original form, suitable for both men and women worldwide, a tool for everyday use which allows you in

Weapons cases of extreme necessity to use it as a "weapon" for legitimate selfdefense: the Tactical Chamaleon.

What are the advantages of Tactical Chameleon Defense TCD? Thanks to its ergonomic design, the Chameleon adapts perfectly

to all kinds of hand, whether large or small, and it can be used in situations of tactical pressures or to control the aggressor.

In situations of extreme necessity and with due proportionality, it can serve as an impact object, without causing injury. No matter where the attacks may come from , with the Chameleon Tactical you will be able to deal with various threats, if your own safety or that of others so requires.

Being a small object of everyday use, it is not considered a prohibited instrument, although its use as an instrument of defense should be made in strict compliance with legal provisions on self-defense.

The benefits and potential use of the Tactical Chamaleon Defense are numerous.

It can be used to defend yourself and others, it can be used by civil and military security forces.

The Tactical Chameleon can be used also as a keychain, so it is a constant companion of all persons, regardless of age, in all situations of daily life, especially by women in those critical moments of opening the door of the house or the car - times when

Self Defense occur most of the robberies or assaults -. The Chameleon Tactical is thus the small object that can save your life.

How to carry the TCD The Tactical Chameleon can be carried on your bag or around your neck as a modern piece of jewelry, and thanks to a simple locking system it can be quickly removed and have it ready to be used as self-defense tool in seconds.

This simple and fast handling is also a very good solution for people with physical limitations, as well as for the security team members who can carry it hanging on their belts.

Make up your mind to visit our training centers and check by yourself the many advantages and simple and practical applications of the Tactical Chameleon!

Our professional instructors will be happy to show you how to deal with this amazing tool.

"Change your chance of defense." www.tacticalchameleon.com

In this first article of 2015, I would f i r s t l i k e t o e x t e n d N e w Ye a r ' s greetings to all our friends, readers and suppor ters and wish them a happy and prosperous 2015. Best wishes to all the martial community.

Today I'd like to address one of the most controversial issues for Wing Tsun practitioners. It's one of those reasons that so often generate unproductive discussions among "brothers", and in which the most traditional branches will never reach agreement with those that promote evolution and adaptation to modern times.

I've been asked the question countless times: Is there ground fighting work in Wing Tsun / Wing Chun? Surely many of the teachers who are reading this column will have been overwhelmed with same question on many occasions and they know that what I'm saying is real.

Is there ground fighting in Wing Tsun?

ell, it must be said that in Wing Tsun there is NO ground work and that actually it NEVER existed anything of the like. I've heard many times masters that, when being asked the famous question: But if you fell down, what you would do? have answered with the famous reply: "Get up immediately" I recognize that, for many years, this statement of Grandmaster Wong Shun Leung seemed to me an overwhelming and totally indisputable logical assertion, but NOT today.

After years of practicing and observing the evolution of the martial arts in general, I'm sure about the need to stop turning a blind eye to this need and start practicing ground fighting in methodical and professional way, from the Wing Tsun viewpoint. The reasoning is equally logical and all we have to do is just change the approach of the question. Perhaps, instead of asking ourselves, what if we fell down? in order to be able to respond as the Great Wong Shun Leung ... we should ask ourselves, what happens if an adversary TAKES you down and FORCES you

W

to stay on the ground ??? This little nuance, that makes the difference, makes us approach the subject in a completely different way. The question can sound the same, but in practice is quite different: In the first question, a slip, a sweep or any imbalance caused by the struggle itself can lead us to the ground, and a well-trained practitioner, with a quick gesture, can retrieve the position and get up rapidly recovering his verticality and therefore the "center" of a Wing Tsun fighter, who will always try dominating the center line on his enemy's AXIS. But ... What if an adversary who knows your strategy, fixes your legs and puts on the floor to "pass your guard" without leaving you an inch of space, mounts you and finalizes you with some of the excellent strangulation or dislocation techniques that the huge arsenal of the grappling and ground fighting systems have tested for several hundreds of years?

Don't answer. It was just a question for your own reflection...

When I started practicing Wing Tsun, I remember the famous dialectic confrontation between one of the most outstanding Wing Tsun masters of history (Dai Sifu Emin Boztepe) and the Gracie family. The

WingTsun occasion, that seen with hindsight I find it really sad, I must admit that at that time caused a great stir and especially a deep reflection among all of us who were hardcore fans and admirers of the career of Dai Sifu Emin. But, why not admit it was amazing how those men dressed in white, who came from Brazil, were so

confident to challenge anyone who wanted to fight them, regardless the style, WITHOUT rules and no time limit? There was no doubt; a new type of "predators" had come to the ecosystem of Martial Arts. And they had come to stay!

Again I want to try to call for a reflection those practitioners of Wing

Tsun with an open mind and the spirit required to understand Wing Tsun as a system of Chinese Boxing and not "only" as an element that is simply linked to the practice of Chi Sao, in which practitioners just do it with their school mates and brothers. Now for this, I would refer once more to two key elements for understanding this system:

1. The Art of War. General Sun Tzu 2. The origin and evolution of the system itself In the FIRST of them, I could quote several sentences of this excellent book of General Sun Tzu, which gives its name to my association (TAOWS: The Art Of War Society) but there's one that serves to almost everything

in regard with Martial Arts: "Know your enemy and yourself and you will not be defeated in a hundred battles."

You will agree with me that it's just IMPOSSIBLE to defend attacks and strategies of a high-level enemy without knowing, at least basically, his strategy. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to design a plan or a strategy

to win if we are not mindful of our enemy and his plans. Therefore, again, Martial Arts place us in the study of the art of our potential enemies that will define the strategies to be used.

When I stepped into the world the Grappling (I'm a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner), first thing that surprised

WingTsun me was the excellent methodology, the concretion and precision of its techniques and, especially, the clarity of combat strategies.

It's something really amazing! The more I practice, the more I realize how utterly disrespectful and insulting may be for a Grappling practitioner, that the classic styles make statements such as: "Anti-Ground PROGRAM" or "Anti-Grappling". It's something in which I insist my instructors and

students of the system. I don't want to ever hear such expressions to any of them. I find it deeply offensive and disrespectful to the hard work of those who train fighting styles. Half joking, half serious, my Grappling teacher tells me often: "The best antigrappling program is practicing grappling..." EXACTLY! There is no other way...

Also, I'd like to quote in this point, the attempts of programs against

"grapplers" that the various associations have been generating since that time when Royce Gracie burst onto the martial panorama in the first UFC, rolling over everyone that crossed his road... In my opinion, and with the current perspective, such programs are completely and utterly useless, because they've forgotten the main thing to develop a strategy against anything: KNOW the ENEMYยก

When I view any of these programs I have personally taught for years, I smile and think how lucky we were!

Yes, we were very fortunate, because if a mid-level grappler had grabbed us and put into the ground, for sure we would have a hard time. We were not even able to imitate correctly any takedown technique and we simply restricted ourselves to do something that even the worst grappler in the world would do so badly.

As you see, to know the "enemy" is fundamental to try to win.

The SECOND assertion is what most discussion generates. To understand why Wing Tsun is so, we must refer to the origins of the style now about 500 years ago. In China, a nation that emerged from the union of different ethnicities who only shared a vast geographical area bounded by large mountain ranges and the sea, in that era, those closed "ecosystems"

generated different combat systems (Chinese Boxing) disputing each other the hegemony in the fighting world, which explains why styles and substyles arose.

New styles of Chinese boxing emerged to overcome the dominant style. This explains how the Wing Tsun was born as a RESPONSE to other Chinese styles; styles that used hitting methods that were very powerful and circulars, as well as long

WingTsun and medium distance to hit the enemy. At that juncture, Wing Tsun emerged as an ANTIDOTE (or at least as an intend) against this type of fighters. And, undoubtedly, it WORKED! Then, where is the problem?

It's really easy. "Predators" have changed. Potential enemies are no longer Chinese boxers of the Hung Gar Kuen style or similar. Techniques, tactics and strategies of potential enemies of a Chinese boxer practicing Wing Chun Kuen, are no longer the same ... so the response to them should be different. We will not say that they are ineffective, but anyway they need a flexible adaptation to the change of scenery.

Many of the more traditional styles don't want to see this for various reasons (all of them very respectable) and don't consider these interesting points. I wish them LUCK. I will do. I will because Wing Tsun style is so rich in its adaptability that it allows us to adapt to this and many other things

just by looking at the style forms and ideas that hide in them. In reality, it is simply a matter of attributes. What should we need to perform a logic ground fighting program that fits Wing Tsun?

1) Know the enemy (workout of grappling and classic fighting systems to know the attacks and real dangers of potential enemy).

2) Tactile sensitivity (chi sao / chi guerk).

3) Mobility in any scenario (standing or on the ground).

4) Capacity to hit without space (an inherent feature of the style that we already have).

5) Know the objectives where to attack an enemy that uses such strategies.

6) 5 years training.

As you see, nothing that cannot be solved with study and especially with point number 6 on the list.

In short, to those who claim that in Wing Chun there is no ground: It is EFFECTIVELY so. There never was.

But then say: You better begin to realize that the scenario has changed or begin to pray that never face someone who brings you on the floor...

There are some comrades who merely say: "But I can always attack the grappler's eyes or even bite him..." Curious... do you think a grappler can't poke your eyes or bite you? Common sense, gentlemen....

I n t h e TA O W S A c a d e m y w e perform ground fighting work as an extension of the standing work.

Also, we have developed work programs for our students, in which they can learn, at least basically, what to do if faced with these situations. We'll be happy to show them to any Wing Tsun follower who wishes to stop by one of our official centers.

I hope that this reflection can serve.

With my respects Sifu Salvador Sรกnchez TAOWS Academy

Goju-ryu and Kyusho The integration of a style to Vital Point Application Got style? GOJU-RYU or otherwise? Do you have a number of years dedicated to a discipline of BUDO and have developed a strong foundation forged with numerous hours of practice, study and repetition? If so, I salute you. I salute you for maintaining the legacy and memory of our past masters and honouring the spirit of what we do (and what others will not), regardless of your affiliation or style. I salute you for the hours of traditional drills and kata you have endured and continue to endure in the way of BUDO. I salute you for the people you have helped along your journey.

Yo u h a v e m a d e a g r e a t investment within yourselves which the sum of equates to a well-wir ed, fine-tuned human m a c h i n e o f B U D O ( o n m a n y, many levels).

So, I have a proposition for you. Why not take your training one step further and study the intriguing world of VITAL POINT application the world knows as KYUSHO? Chances are, based on your foundation of kata and traditional curriculum, you are already targeting VITAL POINTS or at the very least, you are in very close proximity of these KYUSHO targets!

Integrating GOJU-RYU to KYUSHO has been and continues

Kyusho International

to be an exhilarating journey for me personally to say the least. I have had the opportunity to meet and learn from others in different systems, ideologies and methods of BUDO. So, the purpose of this article is not to only project a GOJU-RYU perspective of how to apply KYUSHO and / or useful concepts / methods to the system, but also to encourage other disciples of other disciplines to pursue, seek and implement your WAY and ideologies to KYUSHO. For this article I will use the technique “KAKEI” of GOJURYU and trust other stylists can relate the concept to their discipline. The following method is the means I personally use and share to acquire the end goal and assist in the learning curve of our KYUSHO.

The Method First and foremost, you will need to put your style into Kyusho! Do not put Kyusho into your style. As previously mentioned, if you have any degree of proficiency in your art, you have become wired a certain way. Don't fix what isn't broken! Integrate into the next step. Take your system and abilities and apply it to Kyusho!

Next, proceed with “SHO-SHIN”. It means “BEGINNER's MIND”. It is the ability to be open, eager and resist the temptation of preconceptions of a given task or subject, regardless of your experience. Slow things down! Learning a new concept or technique can be exhilarating and we can lose control emotionally which will affect our progression. I often ask my new students if “practice makes perfect” and they respond “YES”. I disappoint them and tell them “No, perfect practice makes perfect”.

The point is you can go Hell's Bells and sort of get it, or you can invest in the time cultivating your martial assets and really get it. Nature's Law is you must crawl, then walk, then run.

Learning something new should be no different. Feel it, experience it and apply it! The end goal is “MUSHIN” or “EMPTY MIND”, applying without thinking and this is the goal Kyusho International associates strive for. The ability to connect to the Vital Point(s) in a real life and dynamic environment.

The next step is to determine an attack and a counter attack to a specific vital point. We will employ the scenario utilizing a Goju-ryu / Kyusho based continuous fighting drill (again, I encourage you to explore the possibilities within your own system). The attack in this demonstration will be a high level punch and the counter measure will be the utilization of “KAKEI”. The target will be LU-7 located 1.5 AU (Anatomical Units) behind the crease of the wrist on the thumb side of the forearm.

Once you have established the vital point location, required trajectory and method of activation, move on to a more progressive but moderate regiment (the crawl, walk, run rule).

Below is a 3 phase systematic approach to assist you in the development and progression of obtaining “Mushin” or “Empty Mind” to any given Kyusho application. Don't forget!

Communication with your training partner is crucial to your skill development! Discus the actions, sensations, good hit / bad hit etc. and keep giving each other feedback.

The 3 Phase Approach The training drill utilizes an attacker “TORI” and a defender “UKE” and for ease of explanation, we will use TORI and UKE to identify each individual in the drill. Applying a rule of “right foot moves first” will support the initial learning curve of this exercise.

Phase 1 - 1 Step Targeting - TORI (attacker) steps right foot forward / right punch - UKE (defender) steps backward right foot / left KAKEI- UKE to LU-7 Repeat 3 times then switch arms

- TORI (attacker) steps left foot forward / left punch - UKE (defender) steps left foot backward / left KAKEI-UKE to LU-7 Switch roles (attacker becomes defender / defender becomes attacker) and repeat the exercise

Phase 2 - Continuous Targeting Drill (simplified) Set 1 -TORI (attacker) steps right foot forward / right punch -UKE (defender) steps right foot backward / left kakei-uke to LU-7

-UKE (defender) steps right foot forward / right punch -TORI (attacker) steps right foot backward / left kakei-uke to LU-7 -TORI (attacker) steps right foot forward / right punch

Kyusho International

-UKE (defender) steps right foot backward / left kakei-uke to LU-7 Set 2 -TORI (attacker) steps left foot forward / left punch -UKE (defender) steps left foot backward / right kakei-uke to LU-7 -UKE (defender) steps left foot forward / left punch -TORI (attacker) steps left foot backward / right kakei-uke to LU-7 -TORI (attacker) steps left foot forward / left punch -UKE (defender) steps left foot backwards / right kaki-uke to LU-7 Set 3 and Set 4 duplicate Set 1 and Set 2, however the roles are reversed. TORI (attacker) becomes UKE (defender) and UKE (defender) becomes TORI (attacker)

Phase 3 - Continuous Targeting Drill (advanced) This is a more advanced drill comprising of a longer set with more footwork and hits on the target. The advance drill consists of 16 sets with the TORI initiating the exercise (attack) to the UKE with the 9th set reversing the roles of TORI and UKE. The next step is implementing the various vital point drills knowledge to Jiyu or freestyle adding vital points of the legs, body and head! Kyusho International is a global collective that believes not in theory, but in reality based training and study, applicable to any style (or no style).

Good health, well being and good training to you. Enjoy the journey.

Steve Lynch is a Kyusho International Certifying Instructor from Canada, 80kms north of Toronto. Special thanks to Athena Pickard Photography, Eric Watts, associates of Canada Goju Karate Federation and Kyusho International. www.kyusho.com/ki-locations/canada/

KM "R.E.D"... Three Letters full of sense!!!

Abbreviation of Search, Evolution and Development, here's three letters that represent the foundations of the KMRED Group.

Indeed, the KMRED Group is primarily a Combat Academy, whose main objective is that of developing a credible "CONTENT" for Self Defense.

Parting from a very refined Krav Maga that emphasizes the basic principles and not the mere technique by the technique, along with a long experience in combat disciplines, the Group specialists have set up for many years now an "effective" system with regard with "Anti Aggression" methods.

"R" as in Research Courses, trips to the sources of disciplines, exchanges, tests, study of "returns of experience" etc ... everything is good to try to always do it better, simpler!!!!!

However, parting from the fact that in regard with Martial Arts and combat sports everything had already been invented, it is now necessary to exploit and bring together what is best done, by drawing on disciplines that are focused on real confrontation or combat sports. What could be more effective than a British boxing direct hit, a Thai boxing elbow strike, a Judo projection or even a triangle choke in Ju-Jitsu?? These are techniques that have proven to be highly effective... the only questions left are where? When? How? A finding, in short, that obliges us to conduct our research, not towards new techniques, but to the study of the contexts that surround situations of physical confrontation. Many techniques are good in specific contexts, the goal being to first select those that will work in 70% to 80%, and, in the second place, the "exceptions".

"E" as in Evolution The "Crash Test" trial To determine whether a base or technical principle is in line with our goals of efficiency, we subject them to a "Crash Test". In comparison, in the automotive industry, new vehicles pass crash tests, whose results are ranked from 1 to 5 stars.

5 stars is a vehicle in which the chances of survival are higher (which, of course, doesn't mean that it guarantees at a 100% that you can emerge unscathed from an accident) So our options are subject to tests taken in situations as close

as possible to reality, with the right material, and from there we select only what offers better results in o rd e r t o m a k e o u r p ro g r a m s evolve.

"D" as in Development The development and evolution of our research is primarily intended for our students, but also to be shared with everyone. That's why the KMRED Group set up a few months ago in its training centers in southern France, an instructors course for people who want to integrate our teaching team and

share in tur n the results of our investigations.

Managers and guarantors of the R.E.D. principles are the co-founders of the KMRED Group: Christian Wilmouth, Faustino Hernรกndez and Dan Zahdour, all three Chief Instructors of Krav Maga of Level 5, and Instructors of various Combat Sports. However, validation of the main changes is carried out in consultation with all instructors of the Group, since the secret of success lies in knowing how to surround yourself with efficient and dedicated collaborators and never get away from "reality"....

Hwa Rang Do Hwa Rang Do® signature move: INSIDE CIRCLE-UNDER C-LOCK The inside circle-under C-lock can be found in numerous martial arts and in many movies. A dynamic, effective and often misunderstood technique, it is a signature move in Hwa Rang Do® and requires some detailed examination. You can start to study this technique from the Tae Soo Do® Brown B e l t ( Ta e S o o Do® is the undergraduate program to access the more complex Hwa Rang Do®).

et’s start to analyze the grip: the two hand thumbs-crossed grip.

It is not complex, both hands grab the opponent’s hand, with the four fingers in front and the thumbs crossed over each other on the back. No special angles are applied with the grip itself. Pressure is put on the wrist only when you rotate under the opponent’s arm for the takedown.

To execute the takedown after acquiring the mentioned grip (both of your hands are on his right hand), step out with your right foot, then step through with your left as you whip your opponent’s arm overhead in a large counterclockwise arc. Once your left foot touches down, it is essential that you drop to your left knee to tighten the torque on his wrist (you have to use your weight to attack the wrist).

By dropping his arm, you prevent your opponent from spinning underneath and out of your lock. As long as you have the proper angle and the correct grip, it is very

L

Korean Styles easy to apply pressure on the pinkie knuckle with a slight twist and take your opponent to the ground and/or dislocate the wrist.

A common mistake is to pull the arm laterally. You have to push downward instead, and maintain constant pressure on the wrist. If the arm straightens and the 90-degree angle is compromised, just twist the wrist inward and toward your opponent and the angle will be easily reacquired. Also, while spinning under the arm, avoid standing too high with your back arched and your hands behind your head, as this will weaken

your balance and give your opponent the opportunity to spin out of the hold.

The inside circle-under c-lock is a very effective technique that allows you to dislocate the opponent’s wrist or take the opponent down even if you’re lighter than him. The reason is easy to understand, you can concentrate all of your weight on a single point: the wrist itself.

This Hwa Rang Do® principle is very important in our lives too. We all have problems, usually many problems, and the best strategy to face them is starting from one and try

to solve it in the best way as possible, with all of our energy. If we try to solve too many problems together the consequence is usually that we are not able to improve our situation.

About the author: Hwa Rang Do® Head Instructor, Lieutenant Colonel of the Italian Military Police Force (Carabinieri) and Engineer Marco Mattiucci is the Chief of the Italian Branch of the World Hwa Rang Do® Association and one of the main followers of Grandmaster Taejoon Lee.

Hwa Rang Do

(MISSION STATEMENT OF THE WORLD HWA RANG DO速 ASSOCIATION) HWA RANG DO速: A legacy of Loyalty, Relentlessly seeking Truth, Empowering Lives, Serving Humanity

L

A former street cop, sheriff, and maximum security prison guard. Chris Sutton is the founder of Cobra-Defense in Clearwater, FL. Cobra-defense is a law enforcement based self-defense system. Cobra-Defense is the official self-defense system of John Graden's Martial Arts Teachers' Association (MATA-www.MartialArtsTeachers.com).

Instructor certification in CobraDefense is at www.SelfDefenseCertified.com.

Chris Sutton is availble for seminars and special training. He can be reached at 727-791-4111 or Cobra@CobraDefense.com

et's face it, bullying is no longer like it was when you and I were growing up. In the old days, bullying had to happen face-to-face.

You had to actually be in physical contact with another person to effectively bully them or to get bullied.

Today, fifty percent or more of incidents involve cyber bullying, which takes place online. Two people don't even have to meet each other face-to-face for one to bully the other. It can happen with the push of a button. We have Internet tough guys and girls, people who hide behind a screen name and think they can say anything they want. For kicks they try to wreak havoc on somebody's life, without ever having to meet the person face-to-face. Their victim may be a classmate, or perhaps even a complete stranger.

The impact of bullying is very real. Let's face it, we have kids who are killing themselves because of a change in status on sites like Facebook and numerous other social media venues. Children and adolescents are at an extremely emotional time in their life. Whatever is going on in their immediate world with their friends and in their social life is everything to them. This makes them extremely vulnerable to bullying.

Oftentimes bullying is going on right in under your nose, and you don't even know it. Most students haven't been taught an effective way to communicate these situations with parents and/or teachers, to clear the air.

There isn't an easy-to-follow and effective action plan in place. Oftentimes the situation just goes on and on and on, until you see the end result. Then we call it bullying, after the damage is already done.

Someone can get bullied for weeks and months and years on end with no physical contact. They're waking up not wanting to go to school and in fear for their life, because of something someone said about them in a social media forum on the Internet. The bullying may go on at night while the student is asleep, and when they wake up the next morning they read all sorts of horrible stuff and then they have to go to school and deal with the looks and the laughing behind their back, because it seems like everybody in the whole school has read it, too.

There is face-to-face bullying. There is cyber bullying. The reality is that both wreak havoc on the victims, not only if they may be weaker physically, but because they are susceptible to influence by their peers, which most children are.

There are a variety of reasons why bullies do what they do, but that's a whole other book. We don't have room here to go into psychological profiles, domestic abuse, kids who have been enabled their whole lives, kids who feel as if the world owes them something, kids who won't settle for anything less than to be the alpha male or alpha female. Bullying happens for many reasons. We're not here to discuss where it stems from. We are here to learn what we can do about it prior to, during, and even after a bullying situation occurs, so you can protect your child from the reality of today's world.

Zero tolerance is the approach you have to take with your child when it comes to bullying. This is a must. There's no way around it. There are no half efforts here. Like a fire that starts out small, what starts out as a seemingly minor confrontation between your child and a bully will only get bigger if you let it go and don't take some kind of action. Eventually the problem becomes so big that it gets out of control. Instead of stepping on a burning match, you're having to call on the fire department. Or in the case of bullying, the police department. And in many cases, by that time it's just too late.

You as a parent must look at every single situation, address it, and attack it. There is no situation that is too small. Once you have identified it as a case of bullying, then you have to address it immediately.

What exactly is bullying? The dictionary definition is “to use superior strength to intimidate or influence someone emotionally or physically�. In real life, bullying can take on a variety of different forms. When we talk about zero tolerance and addressing things immediately, you have to know when a situation qualifies as actual bullying. We don't want to be overzealous, walking on eggshells all the time.

Once you determine that bullying is in fact going on, then you have to take immediate action steps. Remember, that fire can get out of control really quickly, and the effects of bullying can last well into adulthood. It's up to parents and other responsible adults to help young people cope with the world we live in today. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe environment, and it's up to the adults in that child's life to make that happen. It's up to you.

No, despite we appear together in these photos taken at our last meeting in our studies, this is not an interview I made to him, but I didn't want to miss the chance of giving the touch of a human profile, something I've always considered essential in this literary "genre".

Because Master Sewer is a peculiar person, easy going and highly educated, it takes time to enter the barriers that formality involves, barriers always desirable on the other hand, because education, a good education like his, will never be sufficiently stressed. Exceedingly cautious, he's never heard to speak ill of anyone. A slight sarcastic tone, not sardonic though, adds a friendly and familiar touch to his pleasant company. His eyes are tender, because they can't hide his natural goodness, based on more than a generous spiritual nature, because true compassion is seen in his actions and that only is given by the one who has already tasted in his own flesh the pain of life. Without ever bragging about it, he gives the best of himself and he does so with generosity and joy. Martin Sewer is a good man, something essential to being a good Master.

Alfredo Tucci

Interview with Grandmaster Dr. Martin Sewer, 8. Dan BI: When have you started Martial Arts and why?

MS: Inspired by my father I started with approximately six years of age with Judo. This I did for thirteen years. At competitions I was very successful and was normally among top ranks. When I reached the brown belt and prepared for the black belt I quit Judo.

BI: Did you practice any other kind of Martial Art in your childhood?

MS: Yes, I did. My teacher in Judo had orginally done Jiu-Jitsu. Because of that he tought his more advanced students often Jiu. In addition Shotokan Karate was tought in the very same dojo, which I also participated for two years.

BI: Did you fight full contact?

MS: When I was young I boxed for about two to three years. So yes I liked to fight full contact back then and do like it still. Back then finding full contact fighting tournaments in Kung Fu were I lived without Internet was not possible. As I learned, however, they already did take place here in Switzerland.

BI: What got you intrested in Kung Fu? MS: Bruce Lee. I loved his movies and books in younger years. I tried his methods and wanted to learn everything that had something to do with Kung Fu. But as a twelve year old, living in Adliswil (township near of Zurich), this wasn`t easy. Internet wasn`t really a thing back then, so I couldn`t easely google it.

BI: Because of what did you start with actual Kung Fu training?

MS: A fellow student of mine in Karate was learning Kung Fu. This was my first access to Kung Fu. BI: What kind of Kung Fu was that?

MS: He learned a system, which a man had dreamed about, quite similar to the movie „Karate Tiger“. I know, this sounds quite unbelievible. But it`s the truth. This man`s name was Romeo. He dreamed the complete Kung Fu system. He practiced and then tought it to others. So this was the very first Kung Fu I got to know.

BI: What kind of a system was this?

MS: It was a 10-Animal system with 5-ElementBoxes. Today you could say quite similar to Hung Gar and its concepts. Positions and hand gestures are all the same.

BI: This sounds really quite unbelievible. Surely not everyone believes it to be true.

MS: Yes, indeed. This is actually the first time I mentioned this to this extent. I know the majority of people, wouldn`t think it possible. However, it`s true.

There`s more between heaven and earth than we might think.

BI: Well, how did you proceed?

MS: I trained and finished the system with my former training partner Andy. After that I travelled to China and Hong Kong.

BI: There you met your master, Grandmaster Dr. Chiu Chi Ling, 10. Dan? MS: No, I met him in Zurich 1989 at a seminar on the holiday of Pentecost and learned from him. Back then I participated in many seminars and courses and learned from many very good teachers.

BI: Then you travelled to Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling to Hong Kong?

MS: I wanted to learn from him. But he never answered my lettres or faxes. Because of that I didn`t know if he would accept me as his student.

BI: So you travelled to Hong Kong and tried to become his student?

MS: Grandmaster Wu Mei Ling from Konstanz arranged training trips to China at this time. If I remember correctly, I joined one of this trips in 1991 and travelled China. There I met many masters and grandmasters. No one impressed me like Chiu Chi Ling.

After my trip through China I stayed in Hong Kong and learned from Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling.

BI: How did manage to get in touch again with Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling?

MS: I found his school. Rang the bell and OldGrandmaster Chiu Kow opend the door. He impressed

Entrevista me very much, being already 90 years old then. He was a real gentleman. But his eyes were hard. I didn`t know anything about him. Later I wrote a biography about this man. Chiu Kow didn`t speak any English and I not a word Cantonese.

We comunicated only with gestures.

Nevertheless I achieved that he called his son Chiu Chi Ling, which knew immediately who I was. Some time later he was in Mo Kwoon (Martial Arts school). Lessons started right then.

BI: Chiu Chi Ling is a legend in Martial Arts. What is it like to learn from him?

MS: The training was very tough. He tought me about eight to ten hours per day. Fortunately I was already in a good shape and had a solid standing.

Otherwise I woudn`t have been capable of going through with it. Sifu Chiu tought as much as I could take. Forms, weapon forms and exercises. I was stuffed with knowledge. After class I went back to my guestroom and fell fully clothed asleep. In the middle of the night I then woke up and was hungry. Fortunately this was no problem in Hong Kong. There`s always something to eat.

Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling who is normaly a funny man is very strict and precise with his lectures. He had me train the techniques as long as it took me to exercise them perfectly. I remeber well a class in my school in Zurich where I had to perform an exercise for four hours.

Today I`m very thankful for that. The Shaolin Hung Gar Kung Fu with which he entrusted me is a real treasure to value.

BI: How did you proceed after this intensive beginning (1991) in Hong Kong?

MS: Already in 1992 I invited Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling to Switzerland again. He accepted my invitation. My lessons were continued every day then. He told me something about an exam at the end of my time in Hong Kong. But I didn't understand what he wanted to tell me. Back in Switzerland (1992) I asked him again about it. He said I took part in the final exam held by Chiu Kow and Shiu Ying (Chiu Kow's wife) and passed it (Masters-exam) That's how I got my permission to teach my own classes in 1992.

BI: Wow - You were only 21 years old and already „Sifu“. Wasn't it too early?

MS: Yes. It was way too early. In the chinese way of thinking one is a young Sifu with 30 years even. I had to p ro o v e m y s e l f i n t h e e y e s o f b o t h traditional chinese and european Sifus.

But in my defense: I didn't bestow this title upon myself. It was given to me by my Sifu. In retrospective it wasn't a wrong call. I was able to proove myself and the skills of my students and their re s u l t s a t c o m p e t i t i o n s s p e a k f o r themselves.

BI: Most wester n masters or teachers were two to three times in Asia. How often have you been there?

MS: I've been to Hong Kong over 40 times. Besides my master visited Switzerland almost every year and taught me.

BI: So you were a young master. How did you go on after that?

MS: In 1993 I founded my school KUNG FU SCHULE MARTIN SEWER. In the beginning it wasn't easy. I had many obsticles to take. In 1995 I finally found some rooms and the success of consequent and hard training started to show. In 1999 I was named ChiefCoordinator of Europe by Grandmaster Dr. Chiu Chi Ling.

BI: Oh - this must have been a big step for you! How did your fellow students from neighbouring european countries react?

MS: Indeed, it was a big step. My master supported me above-average.

These were the consequences. Most of my fellow students reacted with envy and a lack of understanding. They are all older in years than me. But not obligatory in regard of Kung Fu experience.

According to my Sifu most of them are Sidai's (younger Kung Fu brothers). In addition none of them has learned and trained as much and hard as me. I myself can not evaluate this and so can't they either. Just as I wasn`t there when they lear ned, they weren`t there when I learned.

BI: You were elected the first non chinese succesor of style of the Chiu Chi Ling lineage of Hung Gar

Kung Fu. How did this happen and what does it mean to you?

MS: Around 2006 I was in San Francisco, home of choice for my master. When I was there, he treated me like his own son and I participated in his family life for the first time. While he was driving me to the airport, he asked if I would take it and do it. I told him I would and we both knew what was meant.

In 2007 in Canada he mentioned this in public the first time. Because of that a student got so jealous that he refused to continue his lessons under Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling. Since then Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling is more careful with such delicate matters. He doesn`t want anyone to be jealous. However he already repeated this in YouTube Videos.

This means a lot to me. I am proud to represent this style and lineage. There`s a lot of responsebility involved. I will give my best to live up to this task. I hope one can forgive if I can`t do everything right all the time. I try at least.

BI: You are Grandmaster today. How can one become a Grandmaster?

MS: There are three ways to become a Grandmaster: 1. If you trained masters yourself (Family system) - I have trained masters. Their masters degree was confirmed by Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling.

2. The Kung Fu society acknowledges you as a Grandmaster - Since 2006 I was acknowledged by differnt international organisations as Grandmaster. In 2012 and 2013 I won the „Martial Arts Top Level Demonstration Match“ in the category „Grandmaster“ in Malaysia.

3. You are head of the style.

- I am not at the moment, but I am going to be.

BI: Everyone who saw you and your Master together can see your position in this old and famous Kung Fu family. Such warmth and repect isn`t often seen. Thank you very much, Grandmaster Martin Sewer, for this Interview. We would love to read and see more of you in future.

MS: Thank you and thanks to your readers for their interest in our old Martial Art. I would love to write for your magazine again.

Avi Nardia "A knight in shining armor is a man who has never had his metal truly tested" ~UNKNOWN Text: Avi Nardia, Tim Boehlert Photos: Ken Akiyama & Budo archives

In a forthcoming DVD produced in conjunction with Budo Magazine, we'll share ideas from traditional Martial Arts and CQB with modern day variations and techniques.

Teaching Martial Arts and Combatives, I often see 'heroes.' It's said that after a war the marketplace is loaded with heroes and hero stories. Israelis at the age of 24 are writing autobiographical books about themselves. I've met many new Grand Masters. I've met men that after taking only a few days training with me, where they could hardly survive, are now Grand Masters!

Students that I've kicked out of the Army and Police Academy ar e now the 'r eal-deal', accompanied now with their own war stories and life experiences. It all makes me wonder how the Israeli Martial Arts got watered down to the level that is prevalent today.

This new wave of Martial Artists and websurfers run from one movie to the next movie fad, and they seem to only study the Martial Arts in waves and set their dreams and goals on a movie depiction of what some hollywoodtype thinks is the latest/hottest Martial Arts and they fail to understand that it's the man who makes the title and not the title that makes the man.

Close Quarters Battle (CQB) ideas are not new.

"To study the old is to understand the new." Hanshi Patrick McCarthy Suijutsu ( in Japanese) history tells us that fighting could take place anywhere, and that thereby a Samurai had to be ready to fight in every situation - immersed in the water of a river or the sea for example. In the old days a Bushido person had to study many arts from horsemanship to swimming and even writing and music and culture so as to be open minded and to have a broad viewpoint and to also have skills.

Self Defense

Self Defense As a joke I always said that in Israeli Martial Arts we have also 'Sue Do': the art of suing! Around 2000 there were many lawsuits all over due to some dirty moves by a few greedy lawyers that had travelled to Israel for a few days, including sight-seeing, and when they got back they were experts in Israeli Martial Arts and they actually tried to trademark it.

When I moved to the USA, I was one of the few to fight it. As a result of that, they attacked me in many forums, in any way they could including paying internet criminals to slander me by building an on-line blog that called me a fraud, citing that they were the real deal. None of them served in the Israeli Army an hour or even in the Israeli Police but somehow they miraculously knew the real Israeli Martial Arts and sold certificates to teach it! It was really funny as the certificates were signed by Imi Lichtenfeld, who had passed away 15 years before, but he still managed to sign the certifications.

During that time I said I'd fight in court, or on the on-line forums, anywhere on the internet, in sea or air as that's a part of my trust of what is CQB. You should able to fight in any field that you may find yourself in. I fought the slander and I never went down. It wasn't and still isn't right.

When we teach and study combatives remember: the point of Combative Martial Arts is aggressiveness, fearlessness and determination. The spirit of not giving up. And when I see different combative systems I can see no matter where and when they were 'made', they have a common lineage back to all of them. But this line is also brutality and we have to remember one more fact - age. And don't forget injuries. Most combative arts are taught to kids between 18 to 22 who are in the best fitness of their lives! Any former soldier will admit that 'yes, we were young and yes the body paid the price with injuries that we carry for a life-time.' All admit that we must listen to the body and train smart.

I was invited to Wingate Sport University in Israel to lecture on the subject 'slow is fast.' I was paid by the Israeli government to explain the idea of how bones are on a continual growing process until we're almost 22, and how all the stress on bones and joints can create damage for that will last us a life-time. How the muscles are faster to grow and adapt, but how the bones, joints and ligaments are slower to grow and adapt and why we need to train slower to build a system. When asked why we get our young people into the Army in Israel at the age of 18, the answer is simple: they are too young to understand, easy to manipulate and direct. At an older age they would be smarter and maybe also refuse.

After seeing so many soldiers, police officers and special forces soldiers for so many years as a trainer I could see also different injuries. What does it mean to kill a person? "The weight of knowing that you've killed another person: is heavy. I've seen guys lose religion over it, and I've seen guys gain religion over it, through a course entitled 'The Anatomy of a Kill.' It was about what bullets do to people" he says. "How they tumble through the body, what kind of damage they do, the difference between soft organs and hard organs, what happens when the bullet hits what, how to deploy the round earlier so it pulls earlier and does more damage." A friend asked me how do you train for it and how do you teach for it? It's a hard issue.

Do we talk to civilians or Army?

In my days I used to take my Counter-Terrorism Unit student to the hospital mortuary and show them bodies. The parts after bad accidents. I remember

Self Defense two friends that had been in suicide bombing situations and both said that each time they went in with the right mindset, they acted professional as a doctor or nurse would in the same situation, but that once they made a mistake and went in with the wrong attitude and mindset and lost it. So we can build, but that doesn't mean that one day we won't fail.

Combatives is a hard subject and this is why I like to keep teaching part of swordsmanship when I teach combatives as it's the ultimate CQB using a sword in a mêlée. A mêlée is disorganized close-combat with a group of fighters. A mêlée happens when groups fight together in combat with no regard for group tactics or fighting as a unit. Each combative fights alone.

"Among many types of fighting encompassed by the general term 'close combat' includes the medieval and ancient mêlée and the modern terms hand-to-hand combat and close quarters combat (CQC.) Close combat occurs when opposing military forces engage in restricted areas, an environment frequently encountered in urban warfare. Military small unit tactics traditionally regarded as forms of close combat include fighting with hand-held or hand-thrown weapons such as swords, knives, axes, or tools. In modern times (since World War II), the term 'close combat' has also come to describe unarmed hand-tohand combat, as well as combat involving firearms and other distance weapons when used at short range.

William E. Fairbairn, who organized and led the famous Shanghai Riot Squad of the Shanghai Municipal Police, devised a system of close-combat fighting for both soldiers and civilians which bears his name, 'the Fairbairn System,' incorporating use of the handgun, knife, and unarmed martial arts fighting techniques.

Since that time, the term 'close combat' has also been used to describe a short-range physical confrontation between antagonists not involved in a military conflict, for example in riots and other violent conflicts between law enforcement personnel and civilians. Hand-to-hand combat, sometimes abbreviated as HTH or H2H, is a lethal or non-lethal physical confrontation between two or more persons at very short range (grappling distance) that does not involve the use of firearms or other distance weapons.”

[1] While the phrase 'hand-to-hand' appears to refer to unarmed combat, the term is generic and may include use of striking weapons used at grappling distance such as knives, sticks, batons, or improvised weapons such as entrenching tools.

[2] While the term hand-to-hand combat originally referred principally to engagements by military personnel on the battlefield, it can also refer to any personal physical engagement by two or more combatants, including police officers and civilians.

Self Defense [3] Combat within close quarters, to a range just beyond grappling distance, is commonly termed close combat or close-quarters combat. It may include lethal and non-lethal weapons and methods depending upon the restrictions imposed by civilian law, militar y rules of engagement, or ethical codes. Close combat using firearms or other distance weapons by militar y combatants at the tactical level is modernly referred to as close quarter battle. The U.S. Army uses the term combatives to describe various

military fighting systems used in hand-to-hand combat training, systems which may incorporate eclectic techniques from several different martial arts and combat sports.Close Quarters Combat (CQC), Close Quarters Battle (CQB) or Close Combat Fighting is a physical confrontation between two or more combatants.

[4] It can take place between military units, police and criminals, and other similar actions. In warfare it usually consists of small units or teams engage the enemy with personal weapons at very short range, up to 30 meters, from proximity hand-to-hand combat to close quarter target negotiation with short range firearms.

In the typical close quarters combat scenario, the attackers try a very fast, violent takeover of a vehicle or structure controlled by the defenders, who usually have no easy way to withdraw.

Because enemies, hostages/civilians, and fellow operators can be closely intermingled, close quarters combat demands a rapid assault and a precise application of lethal force. The operators need great proficiency with their weapons, and the ability to make split-second decisions in order to minimize accidental casualties.Criminals

for example, a jungle is potentially a stage for close quarters combat. source: CQC Manuals

sometimes use close quarters combat techniques, such as in an armed robbery or jailbreak, but most of the terminology comes from training used to prepare soldiers, police, and other authorities. Therefore, much material relating to close quarters combat is written from the perspective of the authorities who must break into the stronghold where the opposing force (OPFOR) has barricaded itself. Typical examples would be commando operations behind enemy lines and h o s t a g e

After teaching for many years I see how spirit and mind must be in place.

Many times it's more important than just the body conditioning in combative arts. The problem is in thinking about how to share it with students, mostly young and inexperienced, who may have their eyes on only the shiny armor and the

rescues.Although there is considerable overlap, close quarters combat is not synonymous with urban warfare, now sometimes known by the militar y acronyms MOUT (military operations in urban terrain), FIBUA (fighting in builtup areas) or OBUA (Operations in Built Up Areas) in the West. Urban warfare is a much larger field, including logistics and the role of crew-served weapons like heavy machine guns, mortars, and mounted grenade launchers, as well as artillery, armor, and air support. In close quarters combat, the emphasis is on small infantry units using light, compact weapons that one person can carry and use easily in tight spaces, such as carbines, submachine guns, shotguns, pistols, knives, and bayonets. As such, close quarters combat is a tactical concept that forms a part of the strategic concept of urban warfare, but not every instance of close quarters combat is necessarily urban warfare-

brave knight, and also how to make them understand Zanshin and Kamae.

While talking with a friend from traditional Martial Arts I could see how Kendo explained it to me and that's what I learnt best from Kendo, and now as a teacher. I was very surprised, but at the same time happy to hear and understand Kamae.

Kokoro no Kamae is the posture of your heart and mind. In Budo training you assume a posture so that you guard your weak points and make it difficult for an enemy to attack you; and at the same time, it is a strategy to expose the enemies weak points.

If you face an enemy without a kamae, you will be an easy target.

Learning basic usage of kamae is among the first lessons beginners study. We physically adjust ourselves in certain ways in response to what the enemy shows us. We learn that from each kamae there are more favorable ways to move attack and

Beyond the technical

defend and less favorable ways. You learn the strengths and the weaknesses of each posture and how to use them strategically against various types of attacks. You even see kamae in sports. Football and basketball for example use formations to respond to their opponents formations and have options to use based on their opponents adjustments.

Kamae is also present in games like chess and of course in war in terms of battle formations.

Beyond physical kamae (just placing your arms legs and body in specific ways) there is m e n t a l kamae. If we look at he physical basics again, even there is present a mental aspect.

You want to use

your body in such ways as to lie to your enemy. This is basic Kyojitsu Tenkan ... Kyojitsu Tenkan basically explained means that what the enemy can perceive and react to is not truly what your intention is. If it looks like your leg is open to an attack, it is not, if it looks like your arm can be grabbed, that is because you want them to grab it. Your true openings are hidden, and your true strengths are hidden as weaknesses. Many people never develop these skills, even at this level (and they miss most of the art by doing so) so it is not surprising that when it comes to mental and spiritual kamae not only do the vast majority never even think about it, they never train it nor gain skill with it.

Life is combat NOT sport! “Make your fighting stance your everyday stance.�

- Miyamoto Musashi "Beware the ego, it will be your downfall..."

Self Defense Ritual Cat When the spiritual teacher and his disciples began their evening meditation, the cat who lived in the monastery made such noise that it distracted them. So the teacher ordered that the cat be tied up during the evening practice. Years later, when the teacher died, the cat continued to be tied up during the meditation session. And when the cat eventually died, another cat was brought to the monastery and tied up. Centuries later, learned descendants of the spiritual teacher wrote scholarly treatises about the religious significance of tying up a cat for meditation practice.

Source: traditional A few days ago radical Muslims kidnapped three young Jewish kids and murdered them in cold blood. This act set about a new wave of hatred in Israel. Many Israelis demanded revenge. This is an ongoing story and was broadcast internationally - touching everyone. 'An eye for an eye' is the demand of many for revenge.If this is the way it will be the way, then we will soon be blind. This one act led to the attempted kidnapping of an eight year old by Jewish radicals, religious terrorists, that was at the last minute saved by his mother. SHe was able to thwart the kidnapping. The very next day these Jewish radicals managed to kidnap a 15 year old Muslim kid and burned him alive. What a shame, and how inhuman. The mother of one of the Jewish kids that had been murdered, Naftali Frenkel, R.I.P. said "there is no difference in blood to blood, or religion... a murder is a murder." These words by a mourning mother show that she is a warrior. Warriors do not lower themselves to the standards of other people; they live independently, according to their own standards and code of honor.

I find these words most important in these sad days in Israel as I see how low people can go. It makes me sad, and sick at the same time. Three terrorist's kidnapping three kids and killing them simply because they are radical Muslims and the kids were Jewish. In Return six radical Jewish men kidnap a poor Palestinian Muslim child and brutally murder him in the most evil of ways - by burning him alive. These actions are not representative of Israelis and nor by the religious belief. These people are sick criminals and evil humans.

These are not warriors, these are cowards. It's a shame to even call them human. Terrorists are terrorists and war criminals, whether they be Muslim or Jewish or represent any religion. As responsible teachers, we must stop this crazy world from degrading further through education and by making warriors that will follow friendship love and peace.

Religion is not the problem, there are plenty of wars started by atheists (Hitler, Stalin et al). The problem is human nature. Unfortunately far too many people are just sheep who will blindly follow the dogma of whatever group they identify with.

Whether it be Islamic fundamentalism or political correctness, the problem is still the same: group think, intolerance and the arrogance to believe that you are right and everyone who disagrees with you is wrong.

To hate is easy.

This is why in traditional Martial Arts we teach our students to teach with Love and peace and tolerance and when we need to teach combatives, sometimes it's just teaching how to hurt or how to kill, but we forget the manners and

Avi Nardia values. When you research the old Japanese military ways, they always followed Jutsu: Kenjutsu changed to Kendo Jujutsu to Judo from just art and skills to 'The Way.' The way of the modern era of teaching is from love and peace and tolerance, and not just skills. Today in MMA we face going backwards to just teaching skills and how to hurt and win, but not to make a very important point. Do we also teach in the right way and to the right people?

This made me leave the 'family' and build my own family that will follow those values and morals and here is the story of the 'family': One day a man travelled deep into the jungle and met a monkey. He said hello to the monkey and was surprised when the monkey returned his greeting with "hello my friend!" The man didn't know monkeys could speak, and so he asked the monkey to about this. The monkey said "yes we can speak, we just hide it." The man then said "we humans say that monkeys and humans are of the same family." The monkey was really happy to meet his 'new' relative and didn't stop exclaiming "my family, my family!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere a lion attacked both of them and the monkey pulled the man up into his tree and climbed high up to a safer place. The lion said "throw the human to me, and I will eat only him and I will set you free." The monkey replied "no way, he is my family." Through the long night the man eventually got tired of trying to out-wait the hungry lion below, and so he asked the monkey to watch over him as he slept and said that when the monkey would go to sleep and he would watch over him. While the man slept the lion asked the monkey again to let him eat the man, and he'd let the monkey go free. But the monkey replied again "No. We are family." When the man woke, he told the monkey to sleep and stated that he'd keep watch over him. The Monkey went to sleep and the lion asked the man to "throw the monkey down to me to eat and I'll set you free! The man didn't think twice, and he threw the monkey down to the lion, but the monkey woke up quickly and before the lion could set his paws on him he jumped back into the tree and climb back up to where the man sat safely. This was really embarrassing to the man. Both knew what happened, but no one spoke of it. Then the lion fell asleep and the monkey said to the man "let's go!" and he walked him safely all the way back to the edge of the jungle and said goodbye. As the man started walking, the monkey called him and said "can I ask you favor?" "Yes!" the man said, happy that the monkey still considered them friends despite what the man had tired to do to the monkey. The monkey said to him "would you please not mention to anyone that we are family?"

This brings me back to the Israeli Martial Arts, as I have been stabbed in the back by 'friends' and other greedy people that had been too ready to sell my friendship for almost no money and I decided to simply say "Please don't mention that we're family." I have since built my own family called WARRIOR, as warriors follow their heart and keep their values and morals! This is my family.

Self Defense

Weng Chun

The secret weapon of Weng Chun Kung Fu s ancient Chinese fighting strategy to defeat bigger and stronger opponents is to fight the opponent s structure, rather than their strength and speed. For that purpose the ancient masters of We n g C h u n c r e a t e d t h e 1 6 strategies poem: Loi Lau Hoi Song, Huen Lau Kau Da, Kwun Fan Jeet Chuen, Chum Kiu, Biu Chee. et us first examine the Kwun Fan Jeet Chuen and Chum Kiu Biu Chee: Kwun- means rolling. The Kwunstrategy for example utilizes an inside rotation of the arm to create a leverage on your opponent s incoming attack.

Whether this takes the form of a strike or a kick, with the leverage of Kwun we can strike back from a safe position, or lock or trap the arm or the leg, and use this situation for further attacks. Another method is to utilize the leverage for creating constant forward pressure to destroy the opponent s structure. We perform Kwun- rolling using the arms, legs, hands, feet, shoulders, hip, or with the whole body.

Fan- means dividing. The Fan- strategy aims at dissipating the force of the opponent. A good example for Fan is the double back fist of Weng Chun, where the incoming strike of the opponent is deflected and guided with one arm, while at the same time you give him a back fist strike with the other arm. This pulls the opponent into your attack, multiplying the damage and at the same time throwing him out of balance. The Palm up- hand / Tan Sao is also a very famous Weng Chun hand utilizing the Fan strategy. Tan Sao Fan-strategy can be combined with a simultaneous punch or kick.

Jeet- means cutting, intercept, and the Jeetstrategy is used to disrupt the opponent s timing

L

Text: Andreas Hoffmann, Christoph FuĂ&#x;, Photos: Gabriela Hoffmann, Budo International

Weng Chun Self Defence: How to render Speed and Power of the Opponent useless!

Weng Chun

Weng Chun or to intercept his attack. For example, when the opponent is preparing a kick, you can Jeet- intercept his kick with your kick. The idea is to cut the opponents fighting rhythm or his preparation of attacks. A good time to use Jeetintercept is also when the opponent changes the side of his attack, because then he usually is a little bit off balance, which is meant to be utterly disrupted by utilizing Jeetintercept. An interesting aspect of Jeet- intercept is the mental application level: To attack the opponent at the very moment when he prepares himself for action. By surprising and

overwhelming him, the fight becomes easy. Thus he will always be one step behind.

Chuen- means inch, small, and the Chuen- strategy utilizes a small quick change, for example of your hand, to insert the opponent s attack, providing for example an opportunity to get behind him and to attack him from this superior position. To know the small point sometimes change a position with the opponent totally: Only a slight change of the sweet spot might lead to a completely different position towards the opponent.

Especially at the higher levels as a fighter, you need to know the details.

Chum- means to lower, to sink, to put down, therefore the chum-strategy aims at lowering the opponent s structure. For example, if he enters with a double leg takedown, you would increase his downtur n thru your forearm, so he will loose balance, and you can control him from a top position, e. g. with punches.

Kiu- means bridge, and according to the bridge strategy the Weng Chun fighter always adopts a suitable position in relation to the attacker, while using timing in such a way that he can achieve the greatest possible effect on the attacker by applying relatively little force, so that he is able to control him effortlessly. If the opponent attacks you, he offers you a bridge which you can use.

Another Kiu saying is ◊Kiu Loi Kiu Seung Go“, which means ◊If there is a bridge, cross on top of the bridge”.

Biu- means darting, and following the Biu strategy, you would for example perform a semicircular punch from inside to outside, mostly using the forearm and the finger strike to disconcert your opponent, to break his timing (“Jeet�- strategy) by surprising him with an fast finger strike. Especially if you Chun-lower his arm (his structure), you can easily follow up by a Biu-darting attack and throw your opponent off balance.

Chee- means finger, hence the Chee strategy is all about knowing how to use the fingers for darting or grapping.

We can consider these ancient Weng Chun strategies as universal. I use them in Sanda Sparring, Chi Sao training,

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Tai Chi and Pakua push hands etc.

Whenever you examine combat more closely, you will find these strategies behind the techniques. The late Chinese Weng Chun Grandmaster Wai Yan was the only Grandmaster in China I ever met who properly understood and applied this principle oriented fighting style. His Weng Chun lifework was to unify all traditions of Weng Chun Kung Fu in his famous kung fu school Dai Duk Lan after World War Two, and to understand the underlying principles and strategies more deeply. Daily hard training and sparring at Dai Duk Lan with Weng Chun Grandmasters as well as Grandmasters from other styles, like GM Yip Man etc., thus establishing a high level of Weng Chun Kung Fu after World War Two. I myself became his last student, and today I focus on teaching this high level Martial Art (Weng Chun) worldwide. This is the reason why Weng Chun competitors are so successful even we are small in numbers. Become part of Weng Chun s evolution and join our schools: www.weng-chun.com

Weng Chun

“TAOWS Academy. Wing Tsun Advanced”. Sifu Salvador Sánchez Wing Tsun is an excellent style of Chinese boxing that permits a lifetime training experience and an integral development of the individual.

Its ideas, techniques, philosophy etc , it all belongs to an ancient art and must be studied and understood in its whole. Sifu Salvador Sánchez focusses his second dvd on the wooden dummy and how it influences all of the Wing Tsun practice. Given that the wooden dummy form is taught at the final levels of the actual system of today, most practitioners that leave the system before time don't have the opportunity to know the ideas and concepts hidden within the form, and they cannot incorporate them in their practice.

For TAOWS academy it is very important that the practitioner understands what he is doing always and in every aspect, and for this, in this dvd we are going to follow the same outline that we follow in our classes, seminars and training sessions. Our outline follows six steps, the first one is to develop an idea, what we want to achieve. The second part are the forms, Siu Nim Tao, Chum Kiu, Biu Jee, the wooden dummy form, depending on each s level, the third part is footwork, mobility understood. The fourth pillar is Chi Sao, Chi Gerk, stickiness, the soul of the system. The fifth element is non stickiness and no contact, to know what to do in order to reach contact with the opponent in a safe way.

REF.: • TAOWS-2

All DVDs, wichi is produced by Budo International, si provided and alone in the formats DVD-5 or MPEG-2, in VCD, DivX or the like is however neves offered with a special holograma sticker. Besides our DVD is characteristed coverings by the hig quality in pressure and material. If this DVD and/or the DVD covering do not corespond to the requirements specified above, it concerns illegal pirat copy.

ORDERS: Budo international. net

The Second Introductory Lesson For children, the second lesson nearly mirrors the first, with the exception that a white belt test is given at the end of the lesson. The test is a review of the techniques and ideas you’ve taught the student up to that point. At the conclusion of the test, two digital photographs or Polaroids are taken with the student and the instructor — one for the student and one for the school. The photos, while not absolutely essential, are a nice memento of their first lessons and a strong visual reminder of their positive experience at your school.

Of course, there’s no reason not to teach a few more techniques to a student who shows exceptional talent, but the general rule with the intro lessons is that less is more.

When teaching adults, depending again on the student’s ability, an instructor can teach any number of techniques.

Here’ a sample lesson for teaching an adult (the techniques in bold are emphasized):

Adult Intro Lesson Plan (Sample) • Attention, Bow, Ready Position • Guarding Stance • Footwork • Jab • Head Movement • Slipping and weaving • Front Leg Stretch (I can always do better than I think I can) • Front Kick • Back Kick • Wrist Release When teaching adults, the idea is to fit the lesson to the person’s needs. The way you’d train an executive carrying 40 extra pounds would be much different than the way you’d teach a marathon runner. Furthermore, it’s vital to remember that the lesson is taught in such a way as to overcome any objections to enrollment, such as objections about price, commitment, class times and so forth.

Self-Defense: "Our program stresses practical self-defense and reaction training. As you learn and improve your skills, you will see your confidence in your abilities increase. We want you to start

your self-defense training with the basic concepts of distance with an opponent or attacker."

It is very important to end the lesson with this: “Let's discuss the VALUE of what you've learned today. If you can develop a black belt attitude of focus, concentration, respect for yourself and others, spirit and intensity, and the understanding of what it takes to be successful in the challenging goals you've set for yourself, you will have acquired something truly worth a fortune. As you begin your study of the martial arts, always put these qualities and skills above all else.

John Graden is the Executive Director of the Martial Arts Teachers’ Association and the author of the bestselling books on how to run a successful martial arts school without selling out. www.MartialArtsSchoolOwners.com

MA Pro

WING CHUN GUNG GUNG FU: FU: The Explosive Art of Close Range Combat

Five brand new Wing Chun DVDs 1 DVD: “Bot” Jom Doh Basics Complete “Bot” Jom Doh Form, 108 Motions, Historical Information about the Wing Chun Broadswords, Detailed Knife Blocking and Striking Techniques, “Bot” Jom Doh Footwork, Details of the footwork orientation of the form, One-man “Bot” Jom Doh Drills 2 DVD set: “Bot” Jom Doh, Applications, Drills, Concepts & Principles Applications of the motions from the “Bot” Jom Doh form, Knife vs. Knife, Knife vs.

Pole, Drills, Concepts and Principles, Specially created Knife drills for the Wooden Dummy, Detailed Knife Blocking and Striking, Knife techniques as compared to their empty-hand counterparts, Cutting Principles

Sifu Randy Williams’ extensive collection of books on Wing Chun in 6 volumes, the series contains the history of Wing Chun, the theory and description of all Wing Chun forms in detail, Volume 6 is focused on instructing the system and provides additional information about Wing Chun Combat Theory from A to Z! This great work, originally written in 1988 and newly revised and updated is a must for the library of any serious student of the art.

You can order the entire series as a set of 6 books, or by individual volume, and the new DVDs can also be ordered individually or in sets directly from us through our website:

1 DVD: CRCA Wing Chun “Biu Jitsu” Groundfighting Contents: The concept of “Reverse Engineering,” Chokes; Rear, Front Standing, “Guillotine,” Head-and-Arm, Side-Mount Shoulder Choke, and many other Groundfighting drills and techniques.

2 DVD set: “Look Deem Boon” Gwun Volume 1 ( 55 min. ) Content: Pole Details, Pole Drills, Pole Footwork, Form Overview, “Look Deem Boon” Gwun Form, 6 ½ Strikes of the Pole, Applications: Pole vs. Pole

www.shop.crca.de One Volume SingleWeapon DVD Biu Jitsu DVD DVD Set (all 5)

€ 49,90 € 39,90 € 25,90 € 149,90

The shipping & handling costs are not included for more information please contact us: Copyright © 1989 CRCA Enterprises Publisher CRCA-Lopez / Mario Lopez, Atroper Str. 56, 47226 Duisburg, Germany E-Mail: info@crca.de

“Look Deem Boon” Gwun Volume 2 (60 min.)

Heavybag Drills, Dummy Drills, Two Man Drills, Form overview, Pole vs. Knife

News

text & Photos: GM Maurice Elmalem Demetrius Angelo

Urban Action Showcase Film Festival NYC Nov 7-8, 2014 Urban Action Showcase Film Festival in collaboration with HBO/Cinemax on Friday evening Nov. 7, 2014 hosted a welcome reception celebrating diversity in the Action genre. Now in its second year it the UASF is becoming more recognized for bringing together action movie stars of this caliber all under one roof. Gracing the event with their presence were Ron Van Clief The Black Dragon, Cynthia Rothrock Lady Dragon, Don The Dragon Wilson, Vincent Lyn (Operation Condor), TJ Storm Black Cobra, Taimak (The Last Dragon), Marrese Crump (The Protector 2,The Wrong Side of Town), Gloria Hendry (James Bond, Black Belt Jones) Michael Wood, Oso Taya Casel, Sonny Simon, Sugar Ray Crosson, Michael De Pasqual Jr, Rio Hayes, Ric Myers (Inside Kung Fu Magazine), Willie the Bam Johnson, Moses Comp, Christopher Mobby, Keith Taylor, Janet Blow, Michael

Chin, Ernie Reyes (The Run Down, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Sifu Alan Golberg, Robert Samuels and more. This year's showcase was dedicated to the “Last Dragon� tribute was given to movie star, my dear friend Taimak, a former student of Grand Master Dr. Richard Chun.

Host Demetrius Angelo, is a great martial artist with over 35 years experience in various martial arts styles, and 15 years employed by HBO. He created this showcase in order to recognize, encourage, promote and facilitate multicultural and minority interest in the Block Buster Action genre. The quest of UASE is to celebrate, diversity and honor past, present and future achievers in action films. It also encourages the participation of ethnic minority films makers, promote minority action film production throughout various media outlets, help ease distribution worldwide, inspire minority interest in the art of film making networking education and development.

Friday night as the event progressed action stars were

interviewed live by the vast correspondents. Everyone gathered at the HBO theatre for a brief welcome and intro by host, Demetrius who then invited guests and audience to take a moment to interact.

Saturday Nov 8th at the Hilton hotel seminars were given by the action film stars, Masters of the Martial Arts joined Action Filmmakers, Producers, Comic Book Artist and Content Creators from across the country for a full day of Panels, Seminars and Master Class all promoting the various aspects of Action Filmmaking. Some of the many highlights of the event included the Action Icon and Masters of the Martial Arts Screen Combat series with Cynthia Rothrock, Marrese Crump, Robert Samuels, Oso Tayari Casel, Ron Van Clief, and Hanshi Nikwan Murphy individually teaching everything from Hand to Hand, Weapons and Firearms for the screen.

The expo was largely comprised of martial arts supply companies booths and displays. Here each star took the liberty of sharing their knowledge, experience and success as well as encouraging new comers to challenge

News

acting and learn more about movie making. I had the chance to converse with few grand masters, producers, stars, and it was quite an informative moment especially with my partners of The Martial Arts Kids (the movie that made a buzz world wide).

The UASE launched its 1st Annual Call 2 Action Martial Arts Action and Talent Competition

presented by Willie Bam Johnson and sponsored by Dynamics World. For the first time ever over 16 Action Icons and Grand Masters gathered to judge 4 categories of Martial Arts Championship competitors went head to head for a walk on Fight role in one of the many attached film companies which included Po Boy Films, Tradition Films, ASC

Troopers Touch Entertainment, among others. There where both a Kids and Adult Division with One Grand Champion emerging from each division.

Traditions Films gave us a sneak peak at “The Martial Arts Kid� starring Cynthia Rothrock and Don The Dragon Wilson.

They were joined on stage for a special Q & A with fellow co-stars

News

T.J Storm, Matthew Ziff, Nassim “Young Dragon� Faras Lahrizi, Producers, James Wilson, Maurice Elmalem, Cheryl Wheeler Duncan, Dr. Robert Goldman, Director Michael Baugarten and more. At about 2pm everyone were invited to the AMC Theatre in Time Square, NYC, for the preview of The Martial Arts Kid movie and watch the Last Dragon Film as well as others. We were then invited back to the showcase finale at the AMC Theatre where Demetrius Angelo presented awards to all the stars, while showing clips of their films and highlighting their achievements in film and show business. As The Martial Arts Kid movie trailer played repeatedly the audience became thrilled and complemented the quality of production, cast and music. Sitting

next to me were my partners, James Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock, Dr. Goldman and Don Wilson and from the look in their eyes I knew how thrilled they were with the satisfaction of the audience. The movie will be released in theatres April 2015 Among the nominees for the UASE 2014 awards where Action Icons were honored along with the winners of the film festival who received awards and distributions deals. Cynthia Rothrock and Gloria Hendry received the Urban Action Showcase Urban Fists of Legends Legacy Award while Cynthia received both the Legends of Hong Kong Cinema and Dragons Award as well. Don The Dragon Wilson and Ron Van Clief The Black Dragon both joined Cynthia in receiving the UASE Urban Fists of

Legends Dragon Award. T.J Storm and Ernie Reyes Jr. both received the UASE Urban Fists of Legends Decade Award while Michael Woods, Robert Samuels and Vincent Lyn joined Cynthia in receiving the UASE Legends of Hong Kong Cinema Award. New comer, Marrese Crump took home the UASE Urban Fists of Legends Prodigy Award to cap off the Icons of Acton honoree awards. We then were invited to the Empire Hotel at Columbus Circle NYC Roof Top restaurant farewell party.

Congratulations to Demetrius for such a superb job. All the best for the future and keep on growing with great success to make your indelible print on the world with Urban Action Showcase Film Festival. Until next time, Good Luck.