El Camino #23 English

El Camino Martial Arts Magazine was born with the aim of promoting martial arts and reaching the largest number of people in a digital way, according to the times and technologies. We hope you like it and join us in this beautiful martial universe, with the love of always:

Graphic Direction:

Mario Segnini Fursa.

Commercial Address:

Mario Segnini Fursa.

Editorial Address:

Javier Acosta Serrano.

Main Editor (English Version):

SM Guy E. Larke

The opinions expressed in this magazine are the responsibility of each person who is published and promoted; is made and distributed with No.23-04/05 from Montevideo Uruguay for the month of April-May.

Thank you.

INDEX:

02 -ABOUT HAPKIDO IN GENERAL

SBN Ramón Navarro

04 - CELLULOID: MONEYBALL

MAESTRO Jesús Ricardo Félix

05 -THE TRADITIONAL CENTER

MARTIAL ARTS MÉXICO

06 - DOJO THEORIES....

SBN Javier Acosta

07 - EEUU UECHI RYU WinterFest ´23

SENSEI Cecilia Salbuchi

09 - JUDO FOR LIFE

PROF. Marcelo Ehrlich

13 - TSD ECONOMY

Elias Pulgar

14 - A STORY OF ONGOING BROTHERHOOD

CM THOMAS GORDON

SMASTER Guy E. Larke

19 - COMBAT TAEKWONDO

SMASTER Guy E. Larke

21 - THE DEATH OF BRUCE LEE: HISTORICAL REVIEW Part 1

Javier Orue

25 - TANG SOO DO URUGUAY

SBN Mario Segnini

26 - MUSASHI´s BOOK OF FIVE RINGS.....

SBN Mary Cayte Reiland

27 - MATE and KARATE

KSN Renso Perez

28 - MA and ME (CAP. 18)

PROF. Carlos Damasco

30 - FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTS - FMA

KJN Patricio Saavedra

32 - THE INTRODUCERS OF TAI CHI IN THE WEST

Javier Orue

36 - DOJO STORIES

SENSEI Gerardo Balves

38 - THE AMAZIN ODYSSEY OF GM CLINTON ROBINSON (P4)

SMASTER Guy E. Larke

ABOUT HAPKIDO IN GENERAL

Sbn Ramón Navarro

A pleasure to greet you all. Only to recall that from the Republic of Panama, SabomNim Ramon Navarro 6th Dan Black Belt in Song Moo HapKiDo that we are expanding outside our country through the International Song Moo Kwan HapKiDo Federation where as technical director, to serious people who regardless of what martial art you are in and wish to teach this martial art, you can write me at my WhatsApp +507 67808222 if you are willing to learn our curriculum and follow it I will help you with great pleasure. You will have to work this method as it is. I will not be giving rank just to give it but let's talk is the best to be clear according to what you want and what we need it to happen.

Hap Ki Do means The Art of Coordinated Power and it can be said that its syllables are really three expressions and they sound like one-word HapKiDo, so HAP is several things, but mainly Coordinated, United and Harmony; Ki is Energy, Force or Power and Do is Art, Way or Way of Life and it indicates humanity.

It is a martial art not a sport, however it is very competitive so it is mainly for health and knowing what to do in case of an emergency in which your life is physically at risk. It was actually created in a way that you can say it was made for the special forces or as we say in HapKiDo circles: it was made for war.

Most martial arts have forms whatever they are called and they are usually the ones used to pass the rank. I imagine that if they are Japanese styles they use kicks, although the Korean styles use more variety of kicks. KunFu is like a mix and depending on whether they are from the north or south of China they use more kicks than the other region.

In HapKiDo the basics cover calisthenics with stretching or flexibility for what's known as a warm-up or cool-down. It is important to mention that it is believed to do the push-ups in the warm-up and the abdominals in the cool-down more benefitial. Since it is a Korean martial art, the kicks are done then the blocks and the blows or strikes continue then falls that serve to do less damage depending on the situation and the schools or styles of HapKiDo that use them continue with acrobatics, but they are part of the falls. First meditation is done and thus prepare the mind for training and at the end to return the body to that state of tranquility after this strong activity, returning the body and mind to their natural state. In meditation, control of the breath must be achieved and it is done before starting the warm-up, but first special breathing must be done to develop internal energy or Ki, which is called DanJon Ho Hup Bop. After the self-defense segments, they are known as techniques or HoSinSul which is supposed to mean self-defense. This, like all martial arts, is self-defense and I ask you not to misinterpret what I am saying is that these arts have two branches, which are combat and self-defense. What is the

difference? That the combat is already tacit to what the fight is and the personal defense that is like dominating or controlling the opponent or aggressor in the middle of the combat. This is done with specific blows, dislocations, what we call breaks and projections or throws such as the fighting part on the ground, only that HapKiDo specializes in whether you have to end up on the ground, that is, fight like JuDo or JuJutSu or Wrestling. Either they call this JuJitSu, don't delay lying down or finish off the floor quickly and stand up as soon as possible.

The traditional weapons of martial arts are learned in HapKiDo from Black Belt level up also modern or homemade weapons such as the stick or a towel, ropes such as the belt or a tie etc. are included. It is not specifically included in any specific part of the learning curriculum, but if these weapons are done in order, whatever they may be, they must be learned and before or in color belt levels since one must know how to use the entire body as a weapon then the traditional weapons, which are many according to the taste of the Master or the organization but it should be the short stick, the Bamboo Sword or Chuk Do, then the long stick the Chan Bong that is better known with Japanese phrasing or the Bo but in Korean which is the Chan Bong then the metal sword the Ching or Gum that can be written as Kum and we call it Gum Do etc.

This martial art is accepted to be a mixture between an ancient Japanese art, Aiki Ju Jutsu from the Daito Ryu school, and the ancient Korean art of Tae Kyun or Teakyun, however, it developed to the point that the name used to say is Daito Ryu. Aiki Ju Jutsu with the nickname of Yawara which means ancient Jujutsu and had 100 techniques plus the use of the sword, let's say the long or normal sword and the short one besides and only 12 low kicks.

This Tae Kyun is a specialty on kicking techniques which includes locks, jumping kicks and jumping spins that come from the Taoist monk Lee or Lee DoJa and it is said that in HapKiDo there are 125 basic kicks that are used in this art but if The student has the ability to develop their skills when they are in the KoDanJa or KoDanCha stages, which is an Advanced Black Belt or 4th Dan or higher. They can have 365 kicks besides the use of weapons such as the sword, the wooden sword and the bamboo sword plus the Short, medium and long

poles, in addition to the police baton, and the walking stick is used, preferably with a hook: to say where it was, additionally the rope that is used to tie the enemy, rather the aggressor.

The order should be this, but it will depend on the style or organization to which the student belongs to. We are all students, but we must do everything possible to become students. The student can be good or bad, well, a bad student would be only if he is a person who likes to take advantage of what he has learned and use it inappropriately. In reality, there are no bad students, there are students who cannot easily do the techniques and applications or have a hard time learning them. The student in general when he is already in the training area or in the Dojang that in Spanish is said or written in Doyang and remains inside the school or what is known as Kwan is the Dojang or Doyang which means training area and You can say Academy since in or within an Academy is where you train. The student is the one who does the best when training that when he arrives at the Dojang he changes and starts to review instead of waiting for the call of class formation.

It is accepted that the main characters such as DojuNim - creator of the system, Mr. Choi Yong-Sul (in Korean the surname comes first then the name) that his first student was Suh Bok-Sub and after that first group one of those students is DojuNim Ji Han-Jae who was the one who expanded this learning after having achieved the second Dan and the equivalent of the black belt level two, the 2nd Dan also in the TaeKyun of the art of Sam Rang Do.

From there, HapKiDo has expanded outside

of Korea with many organizations, that is, schools with names of different styles of this martial art. HapKiDo came to Panama in 1976 thanks to Grand Master Park Song-IL who was the first non-adult student to be an assistant to DojuNim Ji Han-Jae and he started in 1958 before this HapKi Ju Kwon Sul was called HapKiDo which has spread to many other places through other great masters from 1960s to the present with many students that learn or teach. So what is HapKiDo? It is a South Korean martial art like TaeKwonDo, TangSooDo, HapKiDo and TaeKyun. It can be said that all but HapKiDo is sport type. HapKiDo is not a sport because it is a martial art specialized in self-defense for the street, that is, it is a martial art that has no restrictions and everything is valid to defend oneself. It has no regulations, so everything is valid and we of Song Moo HapKiDo and other styles would say that if there is any serious rule based on respect for the humanistic aspect of the Do in its name and this is the rule: Everything is valid if you have to defend yourself but do not continue hitting him after you defended yourself because it would be an act of cowardice. That is why it is said that the powerful man never shows his power unless it is necessary and this is called humility.

It is not necessary to go looking for recognition, well, being a new student in most cases he does not know anything about martial arts so he can be deceived by this type of people who give themselves ranks or get them fraudulently and the truth is that is a topic that does not go here so we will skip it.

Learning a martial art is not like because you joined a class you are going to leave the class like Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris or now John Wick because the truth is that it is an activity that takes time not only to learn it and to master it but to develop what is being learned and practiced daily. It is the only real way to achieve being an expert and more. That is why it is said to be a lifestyle.

Today, as always, the martial art is learned to maintain a good physical condition, improving your health as well as developing your skills and flexibility, plus self-defense as many times as possible each week, forming a way of life.

There are organizations that can be said to be federations, associations or just with the name of their style and they have the word Kwan in Korean which would be one of three: school, style or house. These Kwan are not only to register and form an organization as well as to be disseminated, but the Kwan is only so that the different schools of that style can regulate their learning and all the schools follow the same type of training.

The Song Moo Kwan or Song represents nature, Moo is to let know it is a martial art and Kwan is the school or style of this HapKiDo like us and this school was formed thanks to Grand Master Park, Song-IL its founder in 1976 and Me, Ramón Navarro, his oldest student as the first to teach as his assistant and after 13 years authorized to have my own Academy that has already been 46 years that I have taught and am the one whom directs the expansion of our art through the International Song Moo Kwan HapKiDo Federation and member to Korea HapKiDo Federation as director representative for the country of Panama.

apply the innovative method with the help of his assistant. For this he must face coach Art Howe, personified by the great Philip Seymour Hoffman.

CELULOID: MONEYBALL

These are times of crisis for Mexican soccer, instead of working on a change to improve the league and thus impact the national representative, the figures are made up and the names of the coaches are changed. The structure is still based on mediocrity and sports such as baseball have stolen the limelight. The representatives of the baseball team such as Randy Arozarena, Luis Urías, Álex Verdugo, among others, demonstrated that they could compete face to face with the best teams in the world, such as Japan or the United States. While the soccer directors continue to give the fans gruel with their fingers, sports like baseball, martial arts, and boxing raise their hands and demonstrate how a country is represented with dignity. On the other hand, the major league baseball season has started with some substantial changes. Now there is a clock that reduces pitch time for the pitcher and forces the batter to get into the batter's box with fewer seconds. This in order to reduce the duration of the games, also the size of the bases reduces the space and is intended to encourage steals, since the pitcher can only revive a couple of times, etc. It is in the name of the king of sports that this week at El Celuloid we will talk about the

movie El juego de la fortuna (2011).

Moneyball, by its English name, is an American film directed by Bennett Miller. Miller is a director with a moderate career who has worked on films such as Capote (2005) or Foxcatcher (2014). The Game of Fortune is inspired by the method used by former baseball player Billy Beane to recruit low-profile players with high performance. For this, the executive, with the support of his assistant, relied on the statistical method to assemble a team with a modest payroll and make it competitive.

The New York Yankees had eliminated the Oakland A's in the 2001 postseason series. Brad Pitt plays Billy Bean tired of low-budget teams being passed over by rich teams. This is how he meets the economist Peter Brand, played by actor Jonah Hill. Peter explains to Billy how statistical analysis can yield hard data on the potential performance of a low-key player. For example, players who do not have a high batting average but do have a high number of bases per ball that gives them the opportunity to score. Seeing his best players parade to the rich teams, the executive decides to

Despite Brad Pitt's flat performance, The Game of Fortune is a definitely recommendable film. In it, baseball lovers will be able to take a look at the method that led the Boston Red Sox to end the curse of the great bambino. We also observed how the criteria of the teams to hire or not a player had to do with personal or even racial issues. Billy Bean, in his attempt to introduce a scientific method to the ball game, encountered some adversaries who threw stones in his path. But in the end, he came to show that under his approach, a lowbudget team could compete with the big monopolies of the ball game. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ou-bhZM7eBo

Maestro Jesús Ricardo Félix

The Traditional Center Martial Arts

It is born from the idea of not establishing a single system as unique and the study and teaching of the enormous variety of martial arts around the earth, the study, the practice, the history, the technique, the philosophy and above all the orderly opening are the fundamental bases of this construction, which begins to forge in 2012, with the interest of Sbn Javier Acosta and the full support of his Kjn Eduardo Martínez V. the latter a world legend of martial arts.

Accompanied over the years by masters of Japanese Jujitsu, Wing Shun, Aikido, Karate, Tkd, Kick Boxing, Muay Thai and Tang Soo Do and having practiced some of them for long periods and others for short periods, the doubt ideas are generated, aligned and this study center is formed that today offers its students the various variables of the Moo Duk Kwan school, as well as Aikido, Self Defense, Kick Boxing and a hybrid similar to MMA, that directs and studies Ksn Donovan Aguirre, in the studies of weapons Ksn Dr. Daniel Rodríguez and in the organizational support

the Ksn Melba Valenzuela and Ksn Taira Aguirre, all of them with the freedom to seek and bring to this project the ideas and concepts of those that orbit the same but are in different tribunes, some years ago the CTAM has crossed borders and has teaching relations with various countries, as well as its first subsidiary school in Las Tunas Cuba directed by Ksn Alexei Pérez who is also part e fundamental part of the study of martial arts, we have teachers endorsed by the CTAM in Uruguay and Argentina for Kick Boxing and Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo, today Sbn Javier Acosta, participates as a technical advisor to different organizations around the world in terms of teaching for the physical disability, thanks to his career as a volunteer teacher at the Mexico telethon foundation, he also directs the El Camino Podcast editorial and to this day remains faithful to his great teacher Kjn Eduardo Marinez who is part of the promotion of the Taekwondo Hall Of Fame 2019 and holds the highest degree in Mexico, as well as a Dan Bon Directo from Kjn Hwang Kee.

The traditional martial arts center is the greatest achievement of Sbn Javier Acosta and each of its

members, it is tangible and grows solid every day. Today, together with Sbn Mario Segnini from Uruguay, the learning and massification of martial arts through technology is studied and practiced fraternally, he is the one who today travels the do accompanying Sbn Acosta and learning at the same time for his students, As you can see, the important thing is not to be a giant, it is to walk with giants...

Javier Acosta Serrano

SBN

DOJO THEORIES...

SBN Javier Acosta

Dojo theories…

Being born before the world of martial arts, we will find an endless number of new teachings, we will face challenges and it will depend on each one to know his role at the present moment, whether you are a beginner or the greatest teacher.

The questions will be present with a thirst for a fair and correct answer, it will be necessary to do what must be done, investigate, study and conclude at times. What do those people do? dressed like that and with so much protocol. Will they feel different?

- Could it be that they are different? Could it be that they are violent?

Well, each one is a question mark and it must be investigated, studied and concluded, otherwise what you have understood will be very minimal. That minimum of so many minimums will serve you a lot and does not detract from your degree, on the contrary it gives you your place and will make you people of respect, if you delve into the research, study

and conclusions you will advance in many other minimums that will do their job accompanied of greater responsibilities.

Theories are the basis of research, what cruelty we have had with the word theory, leaving it alone without research. Theories are assumptions and these will always be necessary for critical thinking, they will be nutritious to the extent that they are given with respect.

So, it is not a valid theory to think that they dress like this and have so many protocols to feel different, to be applauded or to be revered or loved, or it could be that they do it out of simple

martial tradition, which would be wrong, I don't know. of a western Dojo that does it according to ancient uses and customs. In the martial art there are armies, which must be used for the general good of humanity, armies that essentially conglomerate equals and that by order, have each one carrying out an activity in favor of their army, in the work of all this the common good, respect must be the axis of that army, see respect as a kind act, that is, someone who can be loved with respect.

So no theory is going to help you if it is only theory, supposition and theory are mules that do not conceive with oblivion, oblivion that ultimately ends up defeating both after they are concluded. Let's respect more in all senses and that respect will not want to leave our side. The level of hatred in the world must go down, you are not a warrior of light fomenting hatred and resentment, you are not a martial artist, it is very difficult for us to overcome our ego.

Sbn Javier Acosta Director of CTAM World Director ISKA Sonora.

Every year George Mattson Sensei organizes an event called WinterFest that takes place during the month of March (winter for that region of the world), in Orlando, Florida. The idea of WinterFest is to bring together different personalities who can make valuable contributions to their colleagues and students. It is not an event closed to the organization that Sensei Mattson founded, the IUKF (International Uechi Ryu Karate Federation), although certainly many of the attendees are members of it; rather, it is an event for all practitioners who wish to participate. During this year I had the immense fortune of being able to participate in WinterFest as a speaker and in the Danish exam table. For 3 days the routine was to start at 9 AM with formation and opening by Sensei George, and Sensei Buzz and Judy Durkin (organizers of the annual SummerFest). Sensei George starts all of his seminars with Sanchin. He

2023 SENSEI CECILIA SALBUCHI

tirelessly repeats that he is the base of the style and that we must constantly go there to improve as karatekas. Sanchin provides base, connection with the earth to execute a blow with power, formation of the kamae, proper breathing, hardening of the "iron shirt", improvement of concentration, etc. And what I like most about Sensei is that he has an exercise for everything! So we always perform various Sanchin but with our mind revising and aiming for something different. Around 10 AM the rest of the speakers begin to pass by. Each one with a different theme to offer. In this year, a modality was launched where two speakers taught classes at the same time and each individual chose the topic of interest to him. Approximately 20 speakers passed by and left their mark. In the courtyard, Sensei George was showing his smart device “Herman” and how to use it. The "Herman" is basically a sensor that is placed on a heavy

bag, spotlight or vest, which helps measure a practitioner's reaction speed and punch force. The computer issues a command and the practitioner must hit as fast and hard as he can. So, every break between classes, we would go out to the patio to spend time with Sensei and play with this tool. The vast majority of those present were Uechi Ryu black belts from all organizations in the region. Friends and admirers of Sensei George Mattson no matter who is his teacher in Okinawa. A climate of camaraderie without equal. Some attendees and speakers were not of the style, which was also very to our liking since it is interesting to receive a class with different topics than usual. What unites us all is the desire to learn and practice. All the teachers trained alongside us. It didn't matter if you were 20 or 80, nor if you were 1st Dan or 9th. Those who stayed seated for a while were those with a particular ailment… the rest

were standing up and practicing. I had a chance to practice with 9th and 8th Danes. And to give my class to people whose rankings vastly surpassed me... but who received my point of view with respect and enthusiasm. And I will tell you what my class consisted of:

Kanshiwa Bunkai Renzoku.

If you visit my YouTube channel, you will see a tutorial to make Kanshiwa. What you may not know yet is that it is one of my favorite katas for exercising. So much so, that we ended up designing different exercises around it, turning the traditional Bunkai into a more dynamic one to do in the dojo or for exhibitions. It basically consists of executing Kanshiwa moving backwards, while a single opponent attacks us from the front. All the movements of the form are respected, but we removed the turns to be able to work with a single attacker. Renzoku means

"Continuous" or "Consecutive", so now you begin to understand where we are aiming. There are some variants. We can split the form in half (eg you throw 6 blows and I bunkai the first part of the Kanshiwa; then I throw 6 blows and you blow the second part of the Kanshiwa), or into 3 sections of 4 blows each , or in 4 sections of 3 hits, etc… In the dojo we usually ask the little ones to only use the first half of the exercise, and when they are more advanced we use the second, thus completing the form progressively. And as a closing I shared a work under construction, which is to execute Kanshiwa bunkai but in circles. The traditional way is that the defender is placed in the middle and the attackers around. In this way the uke defends himself using kanshiwa and the attackers take turns delivering a Tsuki.

And if the matter were reversed?

The Kanshiwa performer must move diagonally to use his kata against an opponent fixed in one location. The objective of this exercise is to learn the importance of side exits towards the opponent, an idea similar to Aikido's Irimi. Later I will share something about it, for now I leave you a short video about our Kanshiwa Bunkai Renzoku.

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=tSLBnRLiQt8

JUDO FOR LIFE

Prof. Marcelo Ehrlich

Hello friends readers of the digital magazine "El Camino". In this new note, we continue with the exciting topic of Personal Defense! And more than anything, to give a clearer vision to those people who do not know about the subject, or to help understand the difference between it, with Martial Arts and combat sports. The fact that one practices a Martial Art does not mean that one is practicing self-defense, the concept is greater, I am doing something that will take me many years, a lifetime, a Path that speaks of self-improvement in all areas, mutual aid, of sacrifice,

of constant practice, where self defense is just one more specialty! When we talk about selfdefense, self-protection or another name for this activity, we must also differentiate: who practices it, why we practice it, in what field it will possibly be used, against whom, what to be careful of, I have weapons, I have protective clothing, those who can attack me, also have protective equipment or are just criminals, that is, those I must defend myself against, are military or armed civilians, have experience in teams or are individualists, at the time of the attack I am alone or

with colleagues to support me, I am in the middle of a city full of people, in a shopping mall, a disco, a factory, in a field, access control to a private neighborhood, in a armed conflict, in a bank, walking in the street, in my house… Why these questions? Because it is very different what I must adapt to police, military, civil personal defense, security guards, escorts, custodians, Health personnel, police officers who take care of a jail, etc. A combat scene is not the same for the military who are fighting in all parts of the world, than for a policeman, who must control and arrest a thief, murderer, rapist, etc. A Security Guard who must maintain order in an altercation in a shopping center, get a rioter out of a movie theater, get a violent drug addict out of an event, a civilian who pulls down a thief who robs the passengers from the bus !... And when I'm in those actions, and I don't have support from a team… I see that I'm alone! And I must decide my action!

If I did not have a professional education, about the consequences of my actions, I can make mistakes and I must accept the consequences. If I do not know the current Legislation of the Country, and I exceed my limits in my defenses, transformed into attacks violent and seriously injure the attacker or cause death, I will be accused of using unnecessary force, not according to the attack received and I must accept the consequences! Whether we like it or not, the laws determine my actions, if I don't know that, I will have a very bad time! It is not necessary, in civil life, to end the life of another, even if it is the bad one! It is different in an armed conflict, where your life and that of others are really in danger of death. Combat systems make the difference. They are structured so that you can defend yourself against various attack situations, in the civil or military field, since they were designed for those situations. And as I said in previous notes, if

you attend self defense seminars and don't practice afterwards, that knowledge is lost, but if you don't adapt that practice to different situations, that knowledge is lost! If I am awarded a Certificate after a seminar and I frame it and hang it on a wall, but I don't practice, it will not serve me in an emergency situation, and it will only witness, that I attended that event, but I did not continue with the constant practice , as it should be! In many security companies, they do not carry out seminars, courses, or events on real security in operational personal defense, they do not train the Security Guard, in this specialty, because they think they will never need it, a serious mistake! They let the employee use what he knows or what he doesn't know, in situations he has no idea! You don't always have time to ask for help or permission to act. Not all of the soldiers who are security guards have the operational knowledge for these situations. Being military does not train them for these tasks. They could spend years doing kitchen

tasks, masonry, etc., without carrying out defensive actions tasks, if we do not train these people in real security, they will make mistakes in their actions, which companies do not want! Many years ago, I came into contact with soldiers and former soldiers from the State of Israel, who taught a combat system for soldiers, police and civilians, which is still in force, but always evolving. Techniques from different Martial Arts were in that system, because each one provided solutions, to the way of facing the reality of combat. That or other combat systems have updated their reactions to violence, which has changed over the years, and that is the important thing, not to do the same as 150 years ago! Many have criticized me for saying this! But I tell you: everything is changing, violence too! They don't attack us in the same way, the attacks have changed, the weapons have changed! I have police students in prisons in Uruguay and they tell me about the weapons used by the inmates, they adapt what they

find to be scary and hurt or kill, and nobody protects the police, from that arsenal or from those people who live in violence and You have nothing to lose! That is why I say that we must adapt to a new concept in Personal Security, the police must be protected from these attacks, we must all be aware of the materials that they can use to make weapons, with common materials that they adapt by filing or cutting to manufacture bladed or blunt weapons. Perhaps the reality of the prison or of the military groups in the conflict zone does not reach us in the information on the networks or the news, perhaps street violence does not reach us until we play! And when you are an ordinary person on the street and they try to rob you, hurt you, rape you, or impose their violence on you, you don't realize what you should do! You must use your full potential to defend yourself! In order not to be another victim, in order not to let them rob you, mistreat you, rape you, you must use all your potential to avoid this mistreatment, this evil action against yourself or others! And for that, you must know

what things I must do, I can do, how far to do, without falling into criminal proceedings! Combat systems will prepare me to deal with specific situations, if my practice is continuous, police and military training will prepare me, if my practice is continuous, Martial Arts will prepare me if my practice is continuous! There are no secrets, good Teachers, good Instructors, good Citizens and my responsibility to help others, is what prepares us in Personal Defense, to help others who need our knowledge and determination! This thematic development is to help people think differently, not against Martial Arts, Contact Sports or Combat Systems, but to change the approach, everything is good, everything works, everything is usable, but keep in mind that Everything is changing, and we must adapt to the changes!

I am not looking to show you techniques or specific situations of Self Defense, but to tell you that adaptability to change and situations is what allows us to take positive action in Self Defense. Sometimes I can see how the danger is coming towards me, (if I

was attentive to the environment), and choose the appropriate response, avoid the conflict, escape, etc. Others will take me by surprise, and I must control the fear, in order to act.

On the street, the assailant knows that he must act as quickly as possible and flee, before the victim reacts, the people who are nearby and can get physically involved, or call the Police. Today with surveillance by cameras in the streets, we can continue to flee from him, from the bad guys, but the bad time, the physical and psychological damage, has already been done. When I practice self-defense, it is not to become a champion, nor to obtain a colored belt and maybe I will never be involved in a problem that we talked about before, but it gives me security, but it is not a "false security"! That is why the training sessions must be serious, the attacks as close to reality, the defenses must be logical responses to those attacks (not fantasies). If we practice Martial Arts, combat sports, or the like, we will also be more prepared to face these situations than those who have never practiced them.

Prof. Marcelo Ehrlich. Judo Sakura. See you in the Dojo and in "El Camino".

Dynamic Tang

Soo Do

I was looking on Facebook when I came across a post from Master John Correlje asking for help with his book, he needed someone who knew the Tan Tui or Damtoi forms in Korean. The tantui are a series of short forms 12 in total that belong to Wushu and can also be found in many styles of northern China.

GM Hwang Kee learned these forms during his 14 month stay in China when he trained with Yang Kuk Jin and later trained for some time with Li De Jiang who was a Quanfa (kung fu) instructor. These forms strongly influenced Soo Bahk Do, which is why I became interested in studying them. For this reason I offered to help Master Correlje in his book. It was a very enriching experience to be able to

cooperate with him. At the time I received the complete book at my house sent by the Master John Correlje from Holland in gratitude for my help.

There I could see the quality of the material that was in this book, during all the years of practice in martial arts I have had many books, but this book is simply the book of books in tang soo do. It contains a history of all the masters who created the forms and who in some way influenced these forms to be part of tang soo do. In addition, in some cases it contains more than one version of some forms, since it depends on the organization, sometimes the forms have changes.

The drawings are very good, they help you to see step by step the development of the shapes in question. I think every serious practitioner of tang soo do should have this book which has the cooperation of different teachers from different parts of the world. Then the Master John Correlje asked me if he could translate the book into Spanish, which I obviously agreed. Now they will be able to have this book in their language and be able to understand it even more. You won’t regret it.

KJN Patricio Saavedra

ECONOMY

Tang Soo Do

by Elias Pulgar Olguin

Greetings to our readers, we are in a process of political, cultural, climate and economic change worldwide. It is important to maintain a completely controlled mind, since martial artists require mental control, in order not to lose temper and have a weakening of character, the virtue of mental strength is put to the test in critical and difficult moments and it is what It allows us to get out of problems, that is, to resolve conflicts and problems in the midst of tension and outside our comfort zone, which is why we must make an effort to be complete. Every martial artist must take care of his dojang and the organization to which he belongs, but we must raise the standard in our schools and also talk about somewhat uncomfortable topics.

Dear readers, Paraguay is on the verge of having a President that is different from what several Latin American countries have followed. Many will wonder what I am talking about? we

enter a problem that touches us directly, what happens if the teacher of the school cannot pay? The school must close, if gasoline goes up, everything goes up in price and parents privilege school, medicine, food and basic necessities and services, in summary the background of many things are political and we cause this when we annul a vote or We simply don't pay because we don't understand how a country works. What we are experiencing is serious and I see myself in the moral obligation to talk about it since the practice of martial arts should be, in my personal

opinion, like going to school. Martial Arts educate our children for life and give us fundamental tools for our lives, that is why a vote has so much weight, the pencil has an impressive power in our lives, with a pencil we can destroy our countries.

Dear readers, I invite you to the world of knowledge, even if it is, to find out who will make the decisions and we do not have to close our schools because the country has economic problems, when there are votes, investigate who could come to power, for our students, our children, our parents, our grandparents for all of us. May it be a month of prosperity, training and lots of energy. Tang Soo!!

The KO of a pencil

BROTHERHOOD

CM Master Thomas Gordon´s 16th Korean Martial Arts Festival

by SMaster Guy E. Larke

Soke Michael DePasquale Jr.

For Keynotes, they had:

Grand Master Ken MacKenzie

Grand Master Inwan Kim.

Grand Master Jimm McMurray

Session Leaders

GM Kevin Janisse

GM Jim Faralli

GM Jimmie Mickens

GM William Widmeyer

GM Steve Kincade

Master Thomas Gordon

Master Bradley Lord

Master Chris Dufour

Master Calvin Longton

Master Alain Burrese

Master Nikolai Lee

Concepts of brotherhood and fraternity have been with humankind likely as long as the skills of survival and education. Something humans share with many other mammals is the need to bond with of their kind. Perhaps we will never really completely fathom all the reasons but it seems to be an established fact.

It seems an interesting coincidence that those four concepts developed throughout civilization; many times, in conjunction with each other. Over centuries and across continents legends sprung of brotherhoods such as the Three Musketeers, the three generals from the Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and so on. All these tales, true or pure fiction, featured upright individuals with martial skills from all backgrounds who gathered for common causes. Needless to say, these tales and history lessons filled my imagination as I grew as a young man and a budding martial artist.

Sadly the 20th Century internationalized not just the arts, but the concept of federations,

contracts and the like. Enlightenment, fitness, and self-defense at a price. For some these are great opportunities. For those simply want to train it is a nightmare! Where can one go to just train?

Enter CM Thomas Gordon’s Korean Martial Arts Festival in 2007. In addition to a wide range of instructors (called Session Leaders), he also sought out the very best in the Korean and even the Japanese arts to lead this annual event. He had Keynotes which were basically some of the most respected names in the industry today. Respected not only in skill (usually 50 years of experience) and notoriety, but in personality and charisma. Lastly, he had a very select few Pioneering Keynotes which aside from being living legends of the arts, were masters of masters. These veterans went way beyond half a century of experience each one.

For Pioneering Keynotes, they had:

Dr. Hee-Young Kimm

Grand Master Rudy Timmerman

Grand Master No-Won Park

Mrs. Amanda Howard

Mr. John Wilkerson

For Korean martial arts exponents of all systems, last April 20th – 22nd in Crestview, Florida was a 1 in a million opportunity. The host, Master Gordon, a highly respected martial artist in his own right, held his festival for the 16th time. The KMAF was previously rated by Black Belt Magazine, Official Karate and Tae Kwon Do Times as one of the crèmes de la crème events in the martial arts arena in general (not just the Korean arts).

Most events survive three to five times. But 16!!! There has to be some secret to his success. Being the insatiably curious person that I am I had to know. Here are a few insights…

1. What made you decide to do such an event?

Good question, bottom line, I wanted to train.  I’ve traveled a lot and been to many

symposiums, seminars, mat times, and “fests.”  Went to the first rotating seminar like this in the mid 90’s while training under a Soke in Ju-Jitsu.  As a participant, what I wanted was a good event that I felt I got my money’s worth.  I wanted to be around friendly people with instructors willing to share their knowledge and made newcomers feel like family.  I didn’t care for the “this is who I invited – we’ll see who shows up” kind of hodgepodge seminar where the emphasis was on the presenter and not about the participant.  I’ve paid $299 for a 12-hour seminar and walked away feeling like I got a great deal (well, “limped away” would be a better choice of words).  I’ve paid $45 for a seminar and felt like I had wasted 6 hours of my life.

What I found lacking was an annual event where people could come together and train regardless of organizational politics.  A place where white belts through high level Black Belts would be welcomed and could learn in a fairly ego-free, friendly environment. For those of us that enjoy the Korean arts, these events can be challenging to find. So, in a flash of brilliance (or perhaps blissfulness), I started working on hosting such an event and the Korean Martial Art Festival was created.

First thing was to talk with a man I consider a mentor with Grand Master Rudy Timmerman from Holland and now calls Ontario, Canada home. He was absolutely instrumental in making the KMAF a success. In fact, it was mostly members of his National Korean Martial Art Association (NKMAA) that made up the first instructor list for the first annual Korean Martial Arts Festival in 2007 with Masters Troy Trudeau of North Carolina, Kevin Janisse of Oregon, Doug Custer of Michigan, and Dusty Miner of Ontario, Canada.   Also had Grand

Master Jimm McMurray from Texas, Master Joe Poff from Florida, Master Dante James from Colorado, Master Wesley Wing from Florida, and Master Chris DuFour from Florida.

2. How did it turn out?

On a “martial art value” scale, it turned out great!  We had some really solid presenters teach.  In addition to Grand Master Timmerman, we also had living legend in the ITF world with Grand Master Hwang, Kwang S (K-9-1) coming to teach.   The group was small, probably forty in attendance and that’s counting the presenters who made up about 25% of the attendees!  But it was a friendly environment and everyone had a good time.

For my personal martial arts, not so good.  I can’t run the event and train.  However, I do bring a lot of the presenters back down to our dojang later in the year so it all works out nicely.

Now, for the not so good part.    The event was held in a local hotel.  In the dining room to be exact.   The carpet was so dirty we all had black feet.  Those wearing white uniforms

had black streaks.  It was embarrassing.  One of the guests had a snake come out of the bathroom.  We’re guessing it came up through the toilet.  It was horrendous.  Eventually the hotel got shut down.

Financially, I lost money and I did for several years.

3. What have you learned since then?

I hardly know where to start.  For one, no more dives for hotels!  Now we stay at the number one rated hotel in the area and the event is held at a clean and well-lit city-maintained property.  Grand Master Kenneth MacKenzie said something this last event that hit me hard.   He commented how a young, low ranking, non-Korean pulled this off.  It was a complement, a huge complement and from a person I have a lot of respect for.  However, it also made me think about how, at 35 years old and a 5th degree, I was young and impetuous.  Jokingly, I say, ONLY took 12 years but if finally worked out.  My mother calls that tenacity.  I call it being too dumb to quit.

4. What has changed?

More high caliber people coming to the event and even less tolerance for stupidity and egos.  We’ve added the Saturday night banquet.  I fought the banquet idea and didn’t want to mess with it.  First few times we did the banquet and used it to give the awards to the presenters.  Then we ran in conjunction with a Hall of Fame.  None of that fit the atmosphere of “no egos.”  I’m not knocking Hall of Fames as they have a place.  Also, not being critical of organizational events as they clearly have a place.  But it’s not what we wanted.  The desire was to have

a place where the participants felt welcomed.  Over the years we put more focus on the participants.

5. If you go back to year 1 what would you do differently?

There’s nothing I would do differently.  I made a lot of mistakes impulsive at times and too cautious at others.  But it’s those mistakes that molded me and shaped the event.

instructors?

The first event was based on people that I knew or Grand Master Timmerman recommended.  After that, they must have been on the mats with me or a Keynote presenter.  I generally attend 4-6 events a year so I’m easy to find.

9. If a reader felt they were qualified how do they get involved? What should they expect?

future instructor list.  They apparently don’t respect the other instructors giving of their time and talents.    If a presenter forgets they were once a white belt, they’re off the future instructor lists.

10. Do you think working with so many different masters have affected your own training or how you teach at your own school?

Absolutely!  When I first started teaching, I was eager to get new techniques.  A little later in my training and I was looking at concepts.  Now I look at presentation.  Does the instructor command the floor?  Is everyone engaged or are they looking at the clock?  I’m no longer so interested in WHAT they’re teaching rather than HOW they’re teaching.

11. Everyone claims their visitors feel like family but so many of yours really DO feel the brotherhood. How is that possible with such a mix of styles and ranks?

6. Why a 3-day event and why April?

April is THE best month to come to this area.  We’re close to Destin, FL and its gorgeous white sugar sand beaches.    With that I avoid Grand Master Timmerman’s August event, our annual May tournament with Gulf Coast Martial Art Championships, and hurricane season.  People that don’t live in hurricane areas freak out over the thought of a big wind coming through.  Locals yawn until we see Category 4 winds.   Still, best to avoid hurricane season which is June through November.  In this area, December – February can be fairly cold.  Like in the teens cold.  So, it was literally down to March or April.

7. Do you have a lot of repeat attendees? What are the reasons for that in your opinion?

Yes, many repeats.  Many have been 8+ of the 12 years.  I’m told it’s a homecoming event.  And that’s awesome, simply awesome.

8. How do you choose your seminar

Any martial artist is qualified to attend.  If they wish to instruct, as mentioned above, they need to get on the mat with me at a seminar.  Doesn’t have to be KMAF, any event.  Then they have to ask themselves what they’ll bring to the table.  This has become a bigger event with some very big names.  Most school owners are big fish in their own ponds.  At KMAF, it’s a big pond with some very big fish.

Far warning though, while I’m huge on proper etiquettes and paying respects, I bristle at egos and get annoyed at the people with overflowing resumes full of empty accolades.  Along with the ridiculous gold uniforms and “honors” they’ve nominated themselves for and expensive paper with implausible rank with a skillset that would rival a solid green belt.    Seemingly having no grasp of the ethical implications their worthless resumes covey to their students (if they even have any), I want to shake them and explain to them that their opinion of themselves is of ZERO consequence – it’s what others think of them in which builds a legacy.

If a presenter agrees to being part of the event and then misses for anything other than a family emergency, they’re forever off

I like people.  Genuinely like people.  I’m sincerely appreciative that each person came…each individual person.  To quote my mother again, she would always tell me, “Son, it doesn’t cost anything to be nice.”

Training, sweat, tears and comradery filled the long weekend. What there was not was any kind of testing, certification, or chest thumping. Gordon has made a reputation of cutting anyone who rubs guests the wrong way. It is meant to be an experience where everybody matters regardless of rank. No surprise next year’s event has already been announced with people counting the days.

The 2023 Festival

Among the highlights was a heart wrenching telling of GM Rudy W. Timmerman’s holocaust memories (https:// crestviewbulletin.com/holocaust-survivorshares.../) which were humbling to say the least. To anyone who has heard the accomplishments of this martial arts icon, this simply added to it!

Friday started out with UFC legend Dan The Beast Severn doing a 1.5 hour clinic on MMA strikes and take downs. GM Timmerman’s unforgettable speech was at the same time. Master Bledsoe followed with lessons on cane techniques while Master DuFour did a

kicking seminar.

Saturday started with Master Burrese and GM Joe Cayer followed by Dr Kimm's heavily anticipated seminar. Newcomers

CM Nelson Pinto, Master Dennis Barebo, and Master Robert Exagul Jr. grabbed the attention of attendees. Lastly, GM Michael Munyon surprised all with a unique tourniquet seminar.

During the banquet, Crestview City Mayor JB Whitten joined them with guest speaker Shihan Wade Ishomoto who was a charter member of Delta Force.

They look forward to seeing new faces next year on April 19-21, 2024. For next year, they have confirmed:

Dan Severn

GM Troy Trudeau

GM Jim Faralli

GM Monty Hendrix

Master Stinson

Master Paul Heinselman

SM Nikolai Lee

Master Dante James

Master John Ellis

Other upcoming events to consider:

July 21-23 Korean Martial Art Masters Hall of Fame (KMAMHOF) hosted by GM Widmeyer in Marion, Indiana (USA)

August 18-20 50th Anniversary of National Korean Martial Art Association (NMAA) hosted by GM Timmerman in Sault Saint Marie, Ontario (Canada)

October 6-8 International Hapkido Summit hosted by GM MacKenzie in Voorhees, New Jersey (USA)

April 19-21, 2024 Korean Martial Art Festival (KMAF) in Crestview, Florida (USA)

Testimonials:

Rudy W Timmerman

No one should miss this event; it just does not get any better than the KMAF!

Nelson Pinto

The best event of this type with multiple teachers and different schools, it filled all the boxes. Kudos to CM Thomas Gordon, Master Amanda Sanders and all the team behind of this big event, where we all expressed different ideas, concepts and teachings in an environment of family, Brotherhood and Sisterhood. Thank you

Joe Cayer

Very honored to be able to teach & attend. Great event.

Janet Longton

The speakers at the banquet were so interesting. Loved meeting Shihan Ishomoto. Could have listened for hours. What a fascinating human and hero. I was unaware GM Timmerman was a holocaust survivor. Anyone record that? Love to see it. Explains his incredible kindness. Always a pleasure to see him and GM Kimm as well as Dan Severn. Such kind and humble people. Outstanding event as usual. This year was the best one ever. Your team is remarkable and it shows from the leadership down.

For more information see Facebook or go to http://kmaf.info

Sr. Master Guy Edward Larke has dedicated his life from a young age to the pursuit of the martial arts, Asian culture and hoplology. It led him to Korea in 2000 and has lived there since then. He lives in Seongnam city with his wife Gi-Ryung and son Alexander. He holds black belts in Teuk Gong Moo Sool, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Taekgyeon, Bon Kuk Kumdo, Korean kickboxing, Karatedo, Wushu, Cheonji-muye-do, and various other arts. Currently he teaches Taekwondo, Karate and Cheonji-muye-do full time in addition to writing for various magazines and running Kisa-Do Muye & Marketing. He can be contacted at kisadomuye@gmail. com .

ENTER THE REAL OF COMBAT TAEKWONDO

Part 2 Combative Taekwondo Stretches Its Limbs

By Master Guy Edward Larke

Between the COVID epidemic, the financial effects from that, and the repercussions of the war in Poland, the world seems to debating whether to flee or hide. As far the martial arts industry goes, thousands of schools are closing and quite a few organizations as well.

Tae Kwon Do master and founder of Combative Tae Kwon Do, Jeong In-Cheol, knows this situation all too well. A successful seminar leader and author of several books, he himself was nearly c rippled by these international crises. His faith and the support of his family of a

few loyal devotees kept the fires of his passion ablaze. In the last part of this series, I introduced his art to you and how it came about. Since then, there has been some new developments. One, or rather, two, significant events came about February 11th to the 15th in Europe. The first was in the UK on the 11th with his brother-in-arms and Taekwondo master, Andy Jeffries. Stevenage Taekwondo in the city of Stevenage in England. Jeffries already integral in the development and propagation of the discipline, was elated to receive his old friend to his gym. Most of the attendees were studying with the founder since 2017. They were very passionate and committed to their training. February 13th to the 14th brought the warrior-scholar to the picturesque country of Norway. Sixty eager students awaited him

from the Geumgang Club under the leadership of Master Werner Lindgard. The devotees were so curious about his system. Many of them already read through his many books. In addition, he was interviewed by NRK News (on Norwegian national television), plus a broadcasting team from the Korean Embassy in Norway. Upon returning to his homeland, Jeong went to work on fining his homepage www. combativetaekwondo.com, to better serve his students around the world. The World Combative Taekwondo Union’s focus since day one was to tweak or fine tune martial artists’ skill-sets to allow them to face any altercation that might occur. Being conscientious of how foreign students and masters many times feel cheated or robbed by large organizations, he set up 3 levels of membership that were all one-time only payments! Private Youtube videos for members are underway as well. This was the perfect companion to his international online seminars that he has been hosting over the last few years.

For more information go to Facebook, www.combativetaekwondo.com or office@combativetaekwondo. com Also: Grandmaster Andy Jeffries 8th

Dan Changmookwan, 6th Dan Kukkiwon

www.stevenagetaekwondo. co.uk

andy@stevenagetaekwondo. co.uk

Senior Master Guy Edward Larke has spent most of his life enamored with the martial arts of Asia and Asian cultures in general. These led him to move to South Korea 20 years ago where he continued to study, research, and write about the various disciplines that shaped his life. In addition to teaching martial arts in Korea, USA, Malaysia and Denmark he has written over 800 articles in over 20 magazines. He named the synthesis of his pilgrimage Kisa-Do Muye (the Knights Way Martial Arts). Larke can be found on Facebook or by e-mail at kisadomuye@gmail. com.

The death of Bruce Lee: His historical review (1st part)

While Lee lived anonymously in Los Angeles, he was able to manage his life comfortably. He was cheerful, selfcontained, considerate of others and so dedicated to his training ideals that he never smoked or drank. He much less he would experiment with drugs. However, once he reached success, where with each successful image, the opportunities and demands increase in geometric proportion, he was betrayed by his old mental habits. By struggling to do everything himself and perfectly, he suffered a massive psychic overload. His personality changed noticeably as his behavior grew more and more disturbed. At the end of his life, he was like a wildly reeling wheel about to shoot off his hub. The story of Bruce Lee, therefore, is the story of how the "deadliest man on the planet" ultimately fell victim to himself. What was driving Bruce Lee? What was he trying to achieve?

To answer these difficult questions, we have to retrace the growth of his personality from his early years. One of the most striking characteristics of his personality was his quickness to declare himself. In fact, watching the brief but fiery life of Bruce Lee is like watching a man fire a cannon. The gunpowder that led to this human

cannonball was likely the now-familiar hyperkinetic or hyperactive infant syndrome, a condition that can assert itself as early as the age of six months. At around 5 pm on May 10, 1973, Hong Kong-based American missionary surgeon Dr. Don Langford was preparing to leave Baptist Hospital in the Kowloon suburb of Tong. Suddenly, the switchboard operator yelled at him to wait for an emergency. Bruce Lee was taken to the hospital, seriously ill. Dr. Langford knew Bruce Lee very well. For the past year and a half, the Tulane-educated physician and minister from Tennessee had been the Kungfu star's family physician, the only physician Lee had placed his trust in. On more than one occasion, Dr. Langford met him at a location in the film where he had suffered a kick in the groin or a severed hand; Because it didn't matter where or how the Little Dragon was injured: he always insisted that they take him to Dr. Langford. The doctor, for his part, went with mute apprehension and even some resentment. The famous star was a very difficult patient. In fact, after observing Lee carefully over a considerable period of time, Dr. Langford had concluded that the actor was in the strict medical sense of the word "hysterical." For example, instead of going into the office like any other patient and explaining what ailed him, Lee would not allow

the doctor to do his job until he had witnessed a full enactment of the entire incident that led to his injury. . Instead of getting on with his job, Langford would have to stand with the other members of Bruce's adoring entourage as punches erupted from his nose and high kicks were inches away from the precious instrument cabinet. of the. Then, as the climax of the performance, Lee would focus all of his fury into one final paroxysm of rage and swear a blood oath to kill the man responsible for this outrageous humiliation. For Bruce Lee, the image was based on the idea that while he killed dozens of men with his bare hands, no one would hurt him until the last duel to the death with the supervillain. An injury for Bruce Lee, therefore, was not just a matter of physical pain or nervous anxiety: It was a matter of honor! God help the man who accidentally touched Bruce Lee's face! This afternoon was very different from previous occasions. Instead of the big fighter storming into the ER like a Mafia Godfather followed by his team of trusted henchmen, Lee was led into the clinic in a horizontal position by four men who appeared to be carrying a corpse. All they could tell the doctor was that Lee had been working at Golden Harvest Studios when, for no apparent reason, he collapsed and lost consciousness.

Although Lee had been picked up and taken to the hospital, just minutes from the studio, it was obvious to the doctor that the actor was nearly dead. Lee was in a deep coma and was barely breathing. His eyes were spinning in circles. His blood pressure was low and he was sinking further. He had no reflexes. His body was drenched in sweat from a fever of 105°. The initial image was of a stroke victim or a man who has suffered some traumatic injury. Dr Langford. he suspected that he was seeing a condition not uncommon among Chinese youth: a leak, or even hemorrhage, produced in the brain by a congenital defect in the wall between a vein and an artery. The only remedy was to open the skull and repair the damage. However, when the doctor looked around him, he realized that he could not operate because his staff was beginning to panic. This was not the first time these otherwise competent nurses and attendants had faltered and even fled. Whenever a famous person is brought in at the time of death, the Chinese, who are afraid of being responsible in such a case, will try to escape. Recognizing this danger, Dr. Langford enlisted two other doctors he could trust to help him: Dr. Cecilia Wong, an anesthesiologist, and Dr. Peter Vevo. Hong Kong's leading brain specialist. Even when Langford took these precautions, he saw his patient dying. Before attempting any surgical procedure, the patient had to be stabilized. Ordering the anesthesia machine brought down from upstairs (to act as a respirator), the doctor inserted a breathing tube down Bruce

Lee's throat and an intravenous needle into his arm, to counteract the effects with glucose. of shock. At that moment, Dr. Vu appeared and examined the patient. What he saw suggested that he had not bled into the skull but that the brain had swollen and was pressing dangerously against the skull. The treatment for this condition was a dehydrating agent called Manito! (The same substance used to cut cocaine.) Manito!, which is actually synthetic urea, which produces a strong flow of urine. With the patient unconscious and unable to urinate, there is a danger that his bladder may rupture. Langford then inserted a catheter into Lee's penis. It was during this painful procedure that the dying actor gave his first sign of life. Still unconscious, Bruce Lee reached down and took the doctor's hand. As soon as Lee showed one sign of life, he showed others. He began to hover over the operating table. In these uncontrolled movements, Dr. Langford recognized a new threat. He recalled the case, not long ago, when a Japanese specialist had been brought in for a concussion. As Langford shone his flashlight into the man's eyes, the mighty Japanese stormed out of the table like an enraged animal and attacked the doctor hand and foot. The brawny missionary had to fight for his life. In time, he subdued the patient. But Langford knew he wouldn't stand a chance with a demented Bruce Lee. Immediately, he began binding the wrestler's arms and legs with duct tape.

Over the next two hours, Bruce Lee gradually regained consciousness. As

Dr. Langford recalls: “First, he opened his eyes. Then, the sign of pain goes away but he couldn't speak. He recognized his wife and made signs of recognition. Later, he was able to speak, but it was confusing." Within hours of the start of the attack, Lee was approved at St. Theresa Hospital, which had an open bed. At this point, Dr. Wu took over as admitting doctor, and he recalls that Lee had recovered so far that he could remember his collapse and make jokes about it. The next day, the man who had come so close to death seemed perfectly normal. This amazing recovery along with certain tell-tale symptoms persuaded Dr. Wu and Dr. Langford that Lee had been taking a powerful medication. The day after his collapse, Bruce was questioned by Dr. Wu in the presence of his wife. The suspicion that Lee was using drugs was instantly confirmed. When Lee reported the incident, it all started with him feeling depressed that day in the studio. He had formed the habit of altering his mood by eating hashish, which he obtained from Kathmandu. That afternoon, he had gone into the men's room of the study and taken some of the drug. Instead of experiencing an improvement, he began to feel bad. Finally, he collapsed against the toilet door, pushed it open, and then sprawled across the study floor, where he made a last-ditch effort to hide his condition by telling the men who rushed to his rescue that he had dropped his glasses and were looking for on the floor. Lee then gave Dr. Wu a sample of the hashish he had been eating. Hashish in Hong Kong is even more exotic than opium in New York. Dr. Wu was greatly

alarmed by his discovery of Lee's drug use. He sternly challenged Lee that by continuing to take the drug he could scramble his brains or even commit suicide. After all, he had come within an inch of dying just the day before. If the doctor had been surprised by the discovery that hashish was at the root of Lee's complaint, he was not so surprised by Lee's attitude upon receiving sensible advice to desist. Lee not only rejected the doctor's advice, but ridiculed the idea that hashish could harm a man. He explained that: A famous Hollywood actor who had taken very good care of his health, Steve McQueen, had introduced him to the drug. If the drug produced harmful effects, Lee argued, his friend McQueen would have warned him of the danger. What's more, Lee protested, he was living under unbearable pressures. He had a huge deal at the time with Carlo Ponti that would make him the highest paid actor in the world. He was working on a movie, Game of Death, which required him to do everything himself: write, direct, coordinate stunts, act. He was practically going crazy. The only thing that had helped him was the hashish, which allowed him to relax. Dr. Wu was not easy to persuade. He pointed out that it didn't matter what

hashish did or didn't do to other people. The drug was deadly for Bruce Lee. It is possible that he has developed a specific allergy or has become hypersensitive. Only more tests could tell what had really happened. Meanwhile, it was urgent that he stop. "Why can't you stop?" demanded the doctor. Looking past the questioner to him, Lee fumbled for the answer. He then uttered the line that should have been carved on his tombstone. Speaking with unconscious irony, who could

have known that only ten weeks later he would. "It's the only thing that makes the clock stop!" Lee exclaimed. The clock that Bruce Lee tried to stop with drugs was always ticking inside his head. Lee, one of those young people who are afraid of dying before harvesting their full brains, always sought to fill every moment of his life with activities that help him improve and progress. He was an idealist, a perfectionist, a control freak, would latch on to a goal with the tenacity and emotional intensity of the obsessive-compulsive personality and would push himself to the limit in the effort to achieve the "mythical" majority, even while working for them. achieving one goal, however, would be distracted and tormented by the thought that other equally important goals were not receiving his attention. He then got into the habit of performing many activities simultaneously, dividing his consciousness into "separate tracks" and shifting his attention from one effort to another like a man constantly twisting the channel on a television. Conitnue..........

Source: Playboy Magazine - Year 1980

Thanks to Specialized Journalist Javier Orue (ARG) for sending us this material.

Web: wttsdu.com

Facebook: @worldtraditionaltangsoodounion

Correo: worldtraditionaltangsoodounion@gmail.com

Why Tang Soo Do?

You have come this far, and that means then that you have opened your world of possibilities regarding martial arts, they are no longer those "few you knew".

Today you have the opportunity to offer in your recognized institution an innovative and original proposal, until now non-existent in Uruguay. At the same time, offering ancient values and teachings through an art such as TSD, which has been transmitting a philosophy of life from generation to generation for hundreds of years.

You come to our meeting at a time when two of the best ingredients that an organization can offer you are combined: youth: we have been operating in Uruguay for approximately four years with sustained growth, and experience: the Uruguayan TSD is made up of a team of instructors who average more than fifteen years of being at the forefront of martial arts schools, working together with other institutions and betting on permanent training both within martial arts, as well as in various areas (first aid, education, nutrition and more).

Our commitment:

Without a doubt, the world is a different place from the one you and I remember from our childhood, even more so from that world that gave rise to martial arts. It is then necessary to take on the challenge and take charge of the role that we have in society when it comes to transmitting our teachings. Today we talk about some concepts that we believe are key:

Bullying - The reality of school and other areas is a fact and our attention is directed to that focus when it comes to the little ones Self-defense - Of course, when thinking about daily activities, from leaving our homes, to the various situations that can also arise there, it is fair to think of tools to be able to solve these situations.

Sport - Leaving aside the great variety of devices that offer us "entertainment", the endless hours of work, in short, the routine. It can be a challenge, but we have decided to say NO to a sedentary lifestyle.

Meditation - Exclusive benefit for Tang Soo Do practitioners. It has not been placed on this list by chance, it represents everything that makes us unique as human beings, meeting our feelings, emotions, who we are, pursuing harmony and achieving

self-control in the broadest sense of the concept.

Values - We could mention endless articles on this list, but it is true that the fundamental basis of martial arts is values, act as a reinforcement and in some cases as a source of inspiration. - Respect - Trust - Selfcontrol -

If we could summarize all this in a dream, we would then speak of integration in the broadest sense, people of all ages, genders, creeds practicing in harmony to take today's society to another level, where coexistence and peace are the common denominator. . But we clarify, we need you in the process, you, EVERYONE.

Contact: SBN Mario Segnini: +598 98 731 076

Musashi's Book of Five Rings: The Book of Wind

SBN Mary Cayte Reiland

Musashi goes on to discuss footwork. While footwork is important, too many jumps and shuffles in your footwork can lose you your advantage against your opponent. Your footwork should be natural, and it should indicate your intent. Your footwork in battle should be no different or less natural than your footwork when you’re walking down the street.

Tang Soo readers, happy April! This month, we continue our discussion of Musashi’s Book of Five Rings, the Book of Wind. This book is something of a pun, since I read that the Japanese character for wind can also mean style. In this book, Musashi talks about style and critiques other styles of martial arts.

Musashi starts by saying that you cannot know strategy unless you know the difference between yourself and others. It makes sense, in this day and age, martial artists from the same area travel in the same circles, even if they don’t go to the same schools, and are most likely to compete with the same people at the local tournaments. That gives martial artists the perfect opportunity to learn others’ styles and know the differences in their style from yours. Again later on, Musashi reinforces the idea of studying multiple styles and having multiple instructors, because only when you understand the philosophies of others can you reinforce your understanding of yourself.

Musashi goes on to discuss other schools, schools that focus on fighting, where the focus is on keeping distance from your

opponent, fancy footwork, focusing on only one part of your opponent, or focusing on speed. Let’s delve.

Keeping distance from your opponent is both good and bad in my opinion. Keeping no more than a leg’s length of distance (more would be dangerous) from your opponent allows you to see more. You can see your opponent’s entire body without moving your head, so you can see the technique start and anticipate what will happen. Musashi would disagree with me on this point. He believes that distance weakens your resolve, which keeps you from defeating your opponent quickly.

Some teachers will tell you to keep your eyes on your opponent’s weapons, some will tell you to look your opponent in the eye, and some will tell you to keep your eyes on your opponent’s feet. According to Musashi, this is not a good idea, because it fixes your spirit in place and can be used against you by your opponent. Musashi says your eyes should be focused on “no-thing”. When I read that I immediately recalled a scene from The Last Samurai when Captain Algren is told that he has “too many minds” and to have “no mind”.

Some schools emphasize speed, as if speed is all you need to win a fight. Speed can help win a fight, but it’s not the only factor. Speed can help, but careful timing is needed in a fight. Know when to advance, advance and act quickly, but don’t lose your poise and rhythm. Musashi believes in “quickness” rather than “speed” in a fight. Speed can make you lose your control over the situation and thus lose the fight.

Musashi’s endnotes make for interesting reading. First he discusses how another’s style should never be criticized. Every warrior has lived different experiences that shape the way they train and teach. It reminds me a lot of ru pa. Every martial artist has a teacher, but then life happens, they learn different things, and then they find themselves on another path, stemming from their teacher’s path.

Next month will conclude our exploration of the Book of Five Rings. I am very much looking forward to the abstract notions of the Book of the Void (No-Thing). I know I’ve learned something from Musashi’s teachings, hopefully you have as well. Everyone take care, and Tang Soo!

MAKIWARA (The Silent Master)

It has been said that the makiwara (kwongo, in Korean) is a silent Master. He doesn't explain anything, but one understands immediately when a blow was made incorrectly. He doesn't charge a dime, but the price of the lesson can be a skinned knuckle. From his immobility, the silent Master points out my excesses and shortcomings, my technical defects, my incorrect mental attitude. The silent Master also has no voice to praise my successes. If I did something right, it was the right thing to do. Training with the makiwara is a delicate, precise task that gradually excludes everything that has nothing to do with it. On that external object I project, with each impact, all my interiority. I summon my scattered thoughts, my emotions, my personal biography. It all fits in my fist and I throw it at the makiwara. After thousands of repetitions over the years, one seems to become the makiwara. It is important to harden the knuckles or the edges of the hands. But as often happens in Martial Arts, the important thing is not where

one believes. The development of calluses or the strengthening of the muscles involved in a blow is a consequence of performing repetitions on the makiwara respecting the technical patterns: eye contact, hip rotation, relaxation at the yin moment of contraction, tension at the minimum yang moment of expansion while accelerating at the end of the stroke, exhalation at the moment of impact. If I only think about hardening my hands, I will end up tense, with a feeling of disgust, sore, slow, powerless, injured and, if training like this persists, with serious consequences on joints, muscles and ligaments. The makiwara is an element that allows one to acquire a nontransferable experience: the notion internal one hit. One understands that little strength and great strength always end in a sore hand; the makiwara is not silent but stops hitting back. There are makiwaras made on a board with a certain degree of flexibility. A weak blow will cause a bounce of the hand; a blow with excessive force, in addition to the risks for the practitioner, could end with the split makiwara. These

two extremes imply an incorrect spiritual attitude, because the thing is not about defeating anyone or being defeated. It's about learning. Personally, for many years I used a rigid makiwara, with the impact surface covered with rope. The rigidity of the makiwara forces me to a flexible attitude, controlling my speed and power. There is not much margin for error. You can't set strength against something else strong than one As in every item of the Martial Arts, training with the makiwara always begins and ends with a bow. It's not that the silent Master asks me for it, but I can't stop thanking that inanimate object for allowing me to give it life by throwing mine against it.

On 4/14 at dawn, six practitioners from the Uruguayan Hapkido Center left in two vehicles, with its Director Sabon Nim Mario Da Silva fourth Dan, the Kiosanim third Dan, Carlos García Arocena, the Kiosanim second Dan Diego Duarte, Jorge Ferreira Cinturón Red, Juan Diego Franco blue belt and the undersigned Blue belt. Destination: Picada Ecológica Verano, eighty km. north of Porto Alegre. The reason: to participate in the 20th Um Yang Hapkido Camp, dictated by Kwan Yan Nim Alexandre Gómes, eighth Dan in Hapkido and eighth Dan in Taekwondo W.T. Said Master began practicing Martial Arts in 1977, at the age of eight, in the discipline of Judo. Due to his father's profession, he has lived in various cities in Brazil, being himself born in the city of Santiago, Estado Grande do Sul. In 1984 he began to practice Taekwondo and Hapkido. He was and is a disciple of the Grand Master Tebolee Ninth Dan. At the age of 6, he was already a Taekwondo Black Belt, he was the Brazilian Tetra Champion of his

category and a Bronze Medal in the Pan-American Championships in 1988, in Lima (Peru), he was also a Hapkido demonstration Master. eight times in Korea; country in which he traveled to Korea on several occasions, the last one last year 2022. But most importantly, a great Teacher and human being. After fifteen hours of travel, with stops included, we reached our destination. Through procedures we located ourselves in the assigned property and set up two tents under a heavy rain that had unleashed. We were the first to arrive, since the Seminar began the next day and the rest of the practitioners, including Master Gómes, arrived early the next morning. How could it be otherwise, we had brought Uruguayan meat in a conservatory and we got an indoor barbecue, the grill was Carlos García Arocena and we ate to our satisfaction. Before midnight we were already in bed, since we were very tired. The next day a long day of practice awaited us. We got up early and with some

Arts and ME (Cap. 18)

good mates we started the morning. Around eight o'clock the rest of the practitioners arrived with Master Gómes. Greetings through the opening of the Seminar. It was held outdoors in a beautiful grassy park, in the early morning it had stopped raining and everything was dry. Energy breathing exercises, warmup and practice falls were performed. Later we got in pairs, to carry out self-defense techniques, those corresponding to white and yellow

Martial

Profesor Carlos Damasco

belts. At twelve o'clock the first part of the Seminar ended. We were very satisfied with this first phase of the Seminar and we took the opportunity to have lunch and rest, and at fourteen o'clock. we continued A while before the second part, we visited a water course with beautiful waterfalls that are in the place, something very beautiful, and animals including monkeys; A paradise! About fourteen o'clock. It started to rain again and we did the practice indoors, a little tighter, since we were forty practitioners, but with the same enthusiasm. This stage lasted until 18:00, completing the yellow and orange belt techniques and part of the green ones. This second part was very strong and very technical, and Maestro Gómes showed us his excellent ability, being very aware of us that it should be said by the way, we were the only foreign practitioners. By Saturday we were full, we shared a snack with juices, coffee and various fruits. The rain was very intense and we did not have

many options; we bathed and stayed in the tents. About twenty o'clock It stopped raining and once again a good grill made by the group's official grill [C.G.Arocena). We enjoyed dinner, we laughed, but above all we showed great camaraderie and friendship. We all agreed on the excellent level of the Seminar and we were very enthusiastic about the last part of it. At twentythree p.m. we already fell asleep On Sunday at five in the morning we were already up. At At 6:30 a thirty-minute Meditation class began by Yoga Professor Eliana Policarpo. Subsequently, a Hapkido Energetic breathing class by Master Gómes. It is noteworthy that in this art the use of energy is of the utmost importance. We had a break of a few minutes to have a coffee and we continued with the Seminar, completing the green belt techniques and we did all the blue ones. At noon the Seminar ends. They gave us the attendance certificates, and we took a few souvenir and

camaraderie photos. I emphasize that M. Gómez promoted to the black tip belt to Jorge Ferreira. The red to Juan Diego Franco and also to me. Obviously it was a great surprise and a great pride, and at the same time a great responsibility for the Degrees obtained. The farewells arrived, we took down our tents and prepared our belongings for the return to our Country. The return was complicated by heavy rains, but we arrived without problems at three in the morning on Monday. On the night of this day, we trained together again; But that is another story. Until next time!

Filipino Martial Arts - FMA

By KJN Patricio Saavedra

Filipino Martia Arts FMA

Philippine Martial Arts, also known as Arnis Kali, are a set of fighting systems originating in the Philippines that have gained popularity around the world for their beauty and effectiveness. These martial arts are characterized by the use of weapons, such as staves, knives, and swords, as well as empty hand techniques. With a rich history and a diversity of variants, the Arnis Kali is a true gem in the world of martial arts.

Origins of the Arnis Kali

The Arnis Kali has its roots in the ancient fighting techniques of the indigenous people of the Philippines, who developed methods of defense and attack using improvised weapons and empty hand techniques in their fight against foreign invaders. Over time, these techniques evolved and merged with outside influences, such as Chinese and Spanish martial arts, giving rise to a unique and diverse form of combat.

Variants of the Arnis Kali

One of the most fascinating features of the Arnis Kali is the wide range of variants that exist. Some of the more popular variants include Eskrima, Kali, and Arnis. Eskrima focuses on the use of staffs and is known for its fluidity and speed in handling weapons. Kali, on the other hand, is a more general term that encompasses various forms of Filipino Martial Arts, and is characterized by its focus on technique and strategy. The Arnis,

for its part, focuses on the use of knives and empty hand techniques.

Arnis Kali Techniques

The Arnis Kali is based on the principle of "almazan" or "interlocking", which involves the use of circular, fluid movement patterns to defend and attack effectively. Arnis Kali practitioners learn to wield weapons and apply empty hand techniques in combination, allowing them to adapt to a variety of combat situations. In addition, emphasis is placed on mobility, agility and precision in the handling of weapons, as well as the ability to react quickly to the opponent's attacks.

Benefits of Arnis Kali

The Arnis Kali offers a number of benefits both physical and mental. In physical terms, training on Arnis Kali improves coordination, strength, flexibility and balance. Constant movement and repetition of movement patterns help develop muscle memory and agility. In

addition, training in Arnis Kali also improves situational awareness and the ability to react, which can be useful in everyday life situations. From the mental point of view, the Arnis Kali promotes concentration, discipline and self-confidence.

The most popular Arnis Kali styles:

Doce Pares Eskrima: It is a style that focuses on the use of staffs and knives, with a focus on speed and precision in the handling of weapons. He is characterized by his fast and aggressive style, with an emphasis on direct attacks and efficient defenses.

Balintawak Eskrima: It is a style of Arnis Kali characterized by its focus on close range combat. It is based on the use of fast and close movements, with an emphasis on empty hand techniques and defense against weapons.

Modern Arnis: It is a style of Kali Arnis developed by Grandmaster Remy Presas, which combines elements of Eskrima and other Filipino martial arts, as well as empty hand and self defense techniques.

It is characterized by its focus on fluidity and adaptability in combat.

Kali Ilustrisimo: It is a style of Arnis Kali that focuses on self defense and the practical application of techniques in real combat situations. It is based on the use of short and fast movements, with an emphasis on improvisation and adaptation to different scenarios.

Pekiti-Tirsia Kali: It is a style of Arnis Kali that focuses on hand-tohand combat and knife combat. It is based on the use of explosive and brutal movements, with an emphasis on quickly neutralizing opponents. These are just a few of the many Arnis Kali styles out there, each with their own particular characteristics and approaches. The diversity of styles in the Arnis Kali is a sample of the richness and complexity of these Filipino martial arts.

In future issues I will be talking more in depth about the different styles of Filipino Arnis.

See you in the next issue

RESCUING THEM FROM OBLIVION: THE INTRODUCERS OF TAI CHI IN THE WEST

Gerda Geddes first encountered Tai Chi at sunset. Walking through the fog-filled streets of Shanghai in 1949, she observed an elderly Chinese man making slow, meditative movements in an open field. Trained in modern dance in Norway, Geddes was quickly drawn to the show: "As I watched I had a feeling of hot and cold running down my back... and I remember thinking, 'This is what I've been looking for all my life." . Strangely, Geddes wasn't the only one interested. Sophia Delza, an American with an established career in dance and choreography, was also drawn to the Chinese martial art of Tai Chi while she was in Shanghai that same year. Like most Westerners at the time, neither had any prior exposure to Tai Chi, but both found value in what they witnessed. In a pair of

settings that challenged the race and gender boundaries of the era, Geddes and Delza trained with Tai Chi masters before bringing the Chinese martial art back to their home countries. In a curious image of the other, both served as pioneers of forgotten roles in Western martial arts culture, taking Tai Chi beyond China, and elevating it to its current incarnation in a global culture. Tai Chi is one of the most popular martial arts today, with practitioners around the world numbering in the millions. But still, if the Chinese art is adopted in cultures and age groups, it has been more for health and recreation than for its martial applications. In this regard, it can be easily forgotten that Tai Chi originated as a combative art, and that it is derived from Kung Fu. Although its origins are often shrouded in folklore, Tai Chi Chuan, which translates as "supreme fist," likely emerged hundreds of years ago at the hands

of Taoist monks in China, at a time when martial systems held sway. between the violent social realities of that time. Over time, Tai Chi would evolve to be characterized as a "soft" style of fighting, which seeks to redirect the opponent's energy and movement against him. The art's emphasis on slow movement, breathing, and other notions of Qigong (or energy cultivation) have made it attractive over time and considered a healthy exercise separate from any martial context. While the many Kung Fu systems have struggled to become relevant in recent years, Tai Chi's popularity surged in the 21st century, especially with contemporary research rating the health benefits that its practitioners spoke of. As martial arts historian Ben Judkins writes: "...the medical benefits of practices like Taijiquan have been discussed again and again in the West for over a century. But only recently have medical professionals devoted attention to the benefits of Taijiquan." Taiji to treat some chronic conditions." Clinical studies in recent years have linked the practice of Tai Chi to many health benefits, including reduced heart disease, decreased stress, and increased well-being in the elderly. Last year, the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggested that the beneficial attributes of practicing Tai Chi were substantial enough for it to be "prescribed" by doctors to treat a wide variety of conditions, including arthritis and diabetes. "It all comes down to relevance," explains Jess O'Brien, author of the book Nei Ji Quan: Internal Martial Arts, "The Northern Praying Mantis style is not for everyone,

but Tai Chi is adequate for public needs. For the For most people, the appeal lies in their mind-body training." This modern appeal is especially fascinating to consider in the historical context of Delza and Geddes, as they both envisioned the relevance of Tai Chi and its potential health benefits more than fifty years ago, but were eventually forgotten among male martial arts narratives. . By the time they traveled to China in the late 1940s, Delza and Geddes had led lives full of experiences.

Delza was born into a bohemian family in Brooklyn, surrounded by art and liberal politics. She trained modern dance, studied in Paris, before returning to New York to begin a career that included theater and film. In 1928, she danced with James Cagnet in the Grand Street Follies on Broadway, and later performed in recital at notable theaters around the city. Following her husband to Shanghai in 1948, Delza quickly became the first American ballerina to

perform and teach at Chinese dance schools and theaters. Geddes was born into an upperclass family in Norway. Like Delza, she trained modern dance as a child, before studying psychotherapy under the controversial psychiatrist Wilhem Reich at the University of Oslo. As a young woman, Geddes joined the resistance against the Nazi occupation, and after a series of encounters she escaped to Sweden hiding under a wooden truck. By the time she and her husband arrived in Shanghai in 1949, she was developing the idea of uniting her studies in dance and psychotherapy to create a type of exercise like mental therapy. But as she watched the old man do Tai Chi at dawn, she Geddes realized that she no longer had to invent such a system, as the Chinese had apparently been performing it for centuries. Even so, the notion of a Western woman learning Chinese martial arts was unprecedented back then. "These Chinese have a problem

with me because women didn't do Tai Chi in those days," Geddes would later explain. "Most of the women still had their feet tied." Even when confronted by a martial code that excluded foreigners and women, a huge language barrier, and the tumultuous circumstances in China before the communists took power, both Geddes and Delza managed to study under Chinese teachers. Delza studied the Wu style of Tai Chi under famed practitioner Mah Yueh-ling in Shanghai and later returned to promote it in New York. Conversely, Geddes learned the Yang style of Tai Chi from Choy Hak Peng in Hong Kong before returning to teach it in England. In the same time and environment that teenage Bruce Lee was banned from Yip Man's Wing Chun school for his European descent, these were revolutionary relationships that challenged the social boundaries of his era.

Back in Europe, Geddes's efforts to promote Tai Chi were initially met with confusion and disinterest, while Delza quickly found success showing the art in high-profile establishments in New York City. In 1954 he held a public demonstration at the Museum of Modern Art. As Judkins explains, it was a highlight for American martial arts culture: "In 1954 there were no public performances or demonstrations of any kind of Chinese martial art. Seeing a little bit of the Lion Dance on Lunar New Year, or a little Chinese student association demonstration at some international festival" at universities was the closest Americans could get to seeing Chinese martial

BENNY MENG

arts." The interest generated from those demonstrations would soon lead to Delza teaching regular Tai Chi classes at Carnegie Hall and the United Nations, long before the first modern martial arts performances in the United States (including Ed's Kenpo Karate school). Parker in Pasadena around 1957, and the beginning of Bruce Lee's teachings in Seattle in 1959). In the UK, Geddes's efforts eventually gained interest at the London Contemporary School of Dance, which eventually incorporated her classes into the first-year programme. Within a year of each other, the two gave what were apparently the first televised Tai Chi demonstrations in their respective countries. In 1961, Delza wrote what is possibly the first book in English on Chinese martial arts: T'aiChi Ch'uan: Body and Mind in Harmony. As she explains at the beginning, her intentions were "to draw the attention of Westerners to this ancient masterpiece of health and fitness...which...is highly appropriate in these modern times."

But if Delza and Geddes had had a spiritual vision for an "ancient" art in the modern world, it was an entirely different future of martial arts that got the spotlight. By the early 1960s, the martial arts culture in the West was still very small, although it would soon increase in popularity substantially. Since the latter part of the century, Judo had crossed borders, and was the first Asian martial art to take root in the Western world (in fact, President Theodore Roosevelt trained under a Japanese Judo master at the White House. enthusiasts, Roosevelt displayed Judo techniques against young people visiting the Oval Office). During World War II, many soldiers were introduced to Okinawan Karate, and returned home determined to practice it and promote their culture. Ed Parker held his first International Karate Tournament in Long Beach in 1964, the same summer that Judo was introduced to the Olympic Games. In 1965, Kung Fu master Ark Wong assured on paper that he would no longer restrict teaching to Chinese students and

now anyone interested could enroll in his classes. In 1966, Bruce Lee's role as Kato in The Green Hornet was the spark that finally lit the fire. Lee's performances were a spectacle that captured the public's imagination and soon propelled martial arts culture to enormous popularity. In the early 1970s, the Kung Fu craze exploded and the culture of mental and physical fitness that Geddes and Delza had envisioned fell behind the male-dominated martial culture. Over-the-top action movies and promises of esoteric fighting techniques emphasized the combative component of the equation, propelling Asian martial arts to another height. As enthusiasts devoured the martial arts media material, the contributions of Delza and Geddes did not fit the prevailing narrative of the dynamic fighting skills of men, and instead the two women were excluded from coverage. Despite introducing the Chinese martial art of Tai Chi to their respective continents, as well as leading careers that spanned decades and thousands of students, neither Delza nor Geddes received significant coverage from Blackbelt Magazine, the perennial publication for the martial arts community. "Pop culture has done as much to forget things as it has to discover them," Judkins explains. "Delza was erased from popular memory. We could only have Bruce Lee and 'kung fu mania' as a new and exciting phenomenon if we all pretended that Delza hadn't taught us many of those things 15 years earlier." In fact, when Delza's name was mentioned in the martial arts

community as the first proponent of Tai Chi, she was often cited as a critic, as her lack of martial emphasis was said to constitute an "incomplete" system. . Jess O'Brien, whose book Nei Jia Quan features a diverse group of Tai Chi masters, defends the legacies of Delza and Geddes by ensuring that the definition of Chinese martial arts is not one-dimensional. "People want martial arts to have a definition, but there is no singular goal," explains O'Brien, "Tai Chi is multifaceted and can take you down many paths. And there are people who say it needs to be about fighting, but if it is adopted as a meditative or healing art there is nothing wrong with it." As dancers, both Delza and Geddes embraced Tai Chi as an alternative and holistic approach to dance and movement, essentially an antidote to the difficult physical expectations of their industry. Over time, Delza would continue to promote Tai Chi with a health-oriented perspective, while Geddes would move towards spirituality. Even so, they were both aware that they were practicing something that was a martial art, even if fighting was never their goal.

In the long run, despite criticism and obscurity, Delza and Geddes seemed to prevail with their vision. In the course of sowing the seeds of Tai Chi in the West, his students (and his students' students) now teach all over the world. Since her death in 1996 and Geddes' death in 2006, Tai Chi's popularity has grown worldwide, while its health benefits are supported by clinical studies. Many of the Kung Fu

fighting styles that once garnered attention have struggled to attract a following in the 21st century. There's a very apt "soft style" logic to this: Delza and Geddes were successful in their vision, even as their more famous counterparts fell on hard times.

By Javier Orue Specialized Journalist

OKINAWA: The only cradle of the KARATE

A new ADVENTURE is about to begin. And very important because of the number of students who accompany me on this occasion, there are a total of 26 practitioners from 4 countries: CanadaUruguay - Chile and Argentina.

The representative delegation of the International Group of Kyudo Mugen Kyudokan Dojos that will be making its trip to Okinawa between May 26 and June 10 is made up of the following practitioners:

CANADA:

BALVES Gerardo – CAPARROZ

Mariela – CALDERONE Jason – GRONOWSKA Magdalena.

URUGUAY:

RABELLINO Diego – ZOCCOLI Alberto – FERNANCEZ Elbio.

CHILE:

OLIVARES José – MENESES Javier – REYES Jessy – CONTRERAS

DOJO STORIES

Sensei Gerardo Balves

Guillermo – VARGAS Javiera –FARIAS Fabiana – MENESES Pablo – OLATE Cristóbal – RAMIREZ

Sebastián – MIRANDA Camilo –DIAZ Nicolas – OLIVOS Sebastián – GARATE Brayan – ULLOA

Danilo – CARREÑO AlexandraASTUDILLO Cristian – NUÑEZ Camila – MORALEDA Angie.

ARGENTINA:

SANCHEZ Gaston – HUAMAN Diego.

A new trip to the Honbu dojo Kyudokan in Okinawa, something that invites me

to present some points that I consider to be of the utmost importance.

This will be my 6th group trip, guiding several students who will visit the land of karate for the first time. others have already accompanied me on more than one occasion.

My first 2 trips to Okinawa (of the many that I have been lucky enough to make), at the beginning of the nineties, and which made me return more than I ever imagined, were marked by permanent discouragement on the part of those who in They really should have encouraged me. Perhaps

because they had the perception that there, in Okinawa, they taught differently, and that's how it was, to my surprise, well, that's another story. They were all hindrances and negatives. But a hard head like me, ignored the discouragements, and my desire surpassed my fears and doubts.

Those disappointments, far from conditioning me, prompted me, years later, to open the way for those who later came with me.

But hey, in this instance what matters to me is to capture a vision that will surely help someone to make the right decision.

For Karate lovers, traveling to Okinawa can become a goal, due to an interest in perfecting the technique or simply for fashion tourism. However, I believe that such a decision should have other bases, very different from technical or enjoying the wonderful white sand beaches and warm water that Okinawa offers us.

We should ask ourselves, what do we expect to find in Okinawa?

Someone recently commented that when you come back from Okinawa we don't come turned into ¨Sakugawa¨ or ¨Matsumura¨..., and that is absolutely true.

The truth of Karate is basically and solely supported by our daily practice.

So what else do we hope to find?

I would say that once we are convinced to make that long and expensive trip, we should sit down with our Sensei or whoever has the experience of having been in Okinawa before, and let him tell us the important things that we should know.

Because? To get the best out of

it and get the most attention from the teachers we visit.

On our first trip, few things will surprise us, but we will like many... But the essence of Okinawan Ti will take longer to come to life.

We have to generate in the teachers of the island, the confidence that we are not just some more visitors who come to take pictures and then presume that they are already authentic ¨Okinawan practitioners¨, which is not easy, and for this we must know how to behave, what things are what they value in a foreigner.

They will never tell us anything, but they will always be watching our behavior.

The Okinawan in general is a very affable person with spontaneous and natural attitudes, he does not have studied postures, he is simple, but as observant as he is grateful.

Hence the importance of knowing certain situations that we, culturally millions of kilometers away, do not identify as transcendent.

We must know that in Okinawa as anywhere there are good and not so good teachers. Since many have seen in the modernity of the current ¨karate tour¨ a new and why not lucrative way of life, this leads them to show a karate ¨for export¨.

And for us, depending on our previous experience, it can be difficult to separate the 'chaff from the wheat'. We must be demanding when selecting who to train with.

We should take some time to read and memorize a bit of the history of karate and our School or, if we don't have it, the one we are going to visit.

It would be surprising to know

how the true masters of Okinawa value that we know their origins... Okinawa is not a myth, it is a total reality. It can nourish us with knowledge of all kinds. But it can also plunge us into the deepest disappointment. For which we will have to be prepared. Many practitioners arrive loaded with dreams and the reality of the school they practice is very different. A good part of these students end up looking for another teacher, and I assure you, it is not easy.

But, for those who walk the Do, it ends up being a benefit for the rest of their days.

Today there are many who think that there is nothing else in Okinawa that they cannot develop in their local Dojo. They may be partly right. And I say in part, because I think that there is much more hidden on Karate Island than what is shown. Only once is not enough to discover it and without obtaining the due trust from the teachers, then it will be closed to us. Much less if it has never left and is spoken through the pride of self-knowledge.

But, here, I am not trying to convince anyone.

This short article only tries that whoever has the opportunity to reach Okinawa does so in the best conditions and thus is able to see the forest above the tree.

THE GREAT SECRET OF OKINAWA, IS IN DEFINITIVE THE GREAT SECRET OF KARATE: ¨... MAKE THE EVIDENT HIDDEN, AND THE INVISIBLE TANGIBLE...¨

A new adventure is almost ready to begin, I'll tell you when I get back. Ganbatte Kudasai forever.

Gerardo Balves

The Amazing Odyssey of GM Clinton Robinson Part

4 – Today, Tomorrow and Onwards!

By Sr Master Guy Edward Larke

Larke - So, you said that after your 6th Dan in the ATA, that you left.

Robinson - Yeah, I did. It was over something quite foolish. I won't go into full detail.

Larke - Just briefly is fine.

Robinson - Myself and H. U. Lee had a disagreement was prefaced. First, I want to say I think the man was brilliant. I learned so much from him, that it's unreal. I mean, he really influenced me more than anyone in terms of my character and my teaching style. I give total credit to him for the things that he did. Sadly, the falling out was over the telephone. He said something very negative and I said that perhaps I shouldn't be in this organization. Then there was dead silence. After that, things went south. What's it? Looking from retrospect, the problem was, you had two people that had too much pride to admit they were wrong. it would have been really easy for me to say, “You know what, I'm sorry.”

Larke - It was the that was the older you, you would have mended the fences.

Robinson - That's right. So, I was like, wow, I didn't believe I'd done

that. He didn't believe I said that. So, I wondered what was I going to do from there? I remembered I had a Kukkiwon rank for years. Let's see if I can get back in there. So, I sent some letters. Surprisingly, to this day, I think cooking one keep great records, because they found my old handwritten certificate. They replied telling me I had a new number.

Larke - They recognize your 6th, Dan?

Robinson - No. I actually tested for the 7th in a different group. They would not recognize that. So, they led me in as a 6th Dan. I said, No problem. “I'll go through your hoops, guys.” So, I rejoined the Kukkiwon.

Larke - So how did your students

react to that after being in the ATA for so long and then switching to the Kukkiwon?

Robinson - You know, devastated. I lost most of my people. That was another important lesson. You know, we talked about instructor loyalty and things of that nature. People are loyal to the biggest group. So basically, I was at a point of starting over again. Plus, I had to learn over again to see because I had to learn the new poomsae/ hyung and plus the sparring concept and methods changed. So, I immediately started making trips to Korea. I didn't start teaching it right away. It's important to me that I understand what I'm teaching. You know what I mean? Because if you ask me a question. I don't want to make up some nonsense. I need to know from personal experience. So, I went there the first year and found it made no sense to me. So, I immediately went back the next year. Things made a little bit more sense. I personally practiced those Taegeuk other forms myself for one year, before I began introducing them into the school. We started participating in the Olympictype tournaments. I got involved with the California Taekwondo Association. As matter of fact, I was Vice-President of that group

several times and had developed some very successful fighters in the USTU/ USAT. Prior to the COVID Pandemic, probably some of the top fighters in the US came out of my group. So, I mean, I think I have an ability to adapt. I can look at what you're doing. I can pick out the things that are necessary for me to have a certain level of success with that, and pass that along to my people.

Larke - What aspects or attributes do you think makes the perfect fighter?

Robinson - A variety of things. I don't think you can just take one thing. There are so many different attributes that come into play. Even in terms of working with fighters, I kind of have a concept that sounds maybe more like a military concept. The first thing I have to do is, I need to be aware of what my capabilities are. So, I need to know what I can do, and what I can do with. Then I have to do some intelligence gathering and find out something about my opponent. I find that out from the opponent themselves. That occurs as a result of playing various roles.

One time I might attempt to be a bully. I might attempt to appear as a coward. Maybe I retreat or charge him. I need to change stances. I need to use different footwork and body positions. So, all of these things are necessary before I can initiate my strategy. Plus, I need to determine what type of fighter he is. My general rule of thumb is for the guy that attacks all the time, attack the hell out of him, because he's not used to people coming at him. For the guy that stands there and waits, you wait

on him. Let him make that decision.

Larke - What's that? Mirroring?

Robinson - Mirroring is a good term for that. That's right. Well, the guys that wait, are used to people coming at them. The guys that attack is used to people running away from them. Nobody comes with them. So generally, they won't have a defense. The guy that's waiting there won't have an offense. So, you want to be certain of that prior to initiating your plan. So, really, it’s acting. I like to tell my guys, “You know, this is not that serious. If you want to be aggressive, look as if you are playing a role. You know, let's be the bully. Maybe I can scare the guy. Maybe I can’t. In fact, I can recall an incident I had in Oakland, California years ago. I was at a competition. This was in the before they had any type of equipment. It was a Karate tournament. You were not supposed to punch people in the face with a fist. If you did, you got a warning. So, I was fighting this guy and my first move was run to over just smack him in the face. I stood my ground and stared him down to intimidate the guy. Well, the very next move was him punching me in the face. He and I went at it for real.

Both of us got disqualified. Actually, he and I became good friends after that. It's not about making enemies. It’s about moving forward together and making friends.

Larke - Do you think the switching over to the Kukkiwon and learning the new system made you a better martial artist?

Robinson - Not necessarily, because I brought the things with me. From my initial training, I now see the logical reasoning behind some of the things that the Kukkiwon does. But at the same time, I see the advantages of some of the old stuff. So, I see myself as a blend.

Larke - Has your opinion changed over the years on Poomsae or Hyung?

Robinson - I enjoy it now. A lot more. I think it's something you can do for life. You know, I mean it's a good workout. It balances you on both sides. I do some poems every day. That surprises people. Because heck, I'm just about 75 years old. I can't kick as high as I used to kick. But you know, I still can still kick and you know, what, what shocks a lot of people is, I do burpees every day. I'm here to tell you, that's a demanding

exercise. I don't do as many as I did when I was young. But I can still do them. I just do them differently. It's still a workout. But I mean, I think the forms they've been trying to perfect and looking at the angles, how to do this and getting the stances correct. It’s a great idea! I focus on the little things. I’ve also learned over the years, it's not so much all about what people perceive as power. I mean, if I'm relaxed, move fast, and on the moment of impact I tighten up, that's efficient. So, I don't know, go for the real tight Shotokan type. Let's move forward.

I think as I look at Taekwondo these days, one of the things I don't like, is the various organizations making things so difficult for people to transition from what they were doing. I mean, this is basically what's led me to create this association, United World Taekwondo Association.

Next issue we will finish this epic story of my friend, Grandmaster Robinson. We will discuss his organization and more about his views of the martial arts in general. Watch for it!!!

Sr. Master Guy Edward Larke has dedicated his life from a young age to the pursuit of the martial arts, Asian culture and hoplology. It led him to Korea in 2000 and has lived there since then. He lives in Seongnam city with his wife Gi-Ryung and son Alexander. He holds black belts in Teuk Gong Moo Sool, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Taekgyeon, Bon Kuk Kumdo, Korean kickboxing, Karatedo, Wushu, Cheonji-muye-do, and various other arts. Currently he teaches Taekwondo, Karate and Cheonji-muye-do full time in addition to writing for various magazines and running Kisa-Do Muye & Marketing. He can be contacted at kisadomuye@gmail. com .

“El Efímero Observador”

It is a reflective philosophical work, its author exposes issues as controversial as they are common, taking them to extreme points, and always looking for a healthy individual balance in thought, no dogmas, die to radicalism and without hypocrisy or contracts, a look at the daily life of each one of us who inhabit the planet and the wornout concepts and customs waiting to be destroyed with a hammer.

BIOGRAPHY:

He was born in the city of Hermosillo, in 1976, the son of Juan Manuel Acosta and Yolanda Serrano (+), he develops in a context of traditional education, his early social relationship occurs in a certainly different way, attached to having friends from the elderly, always questioning the social changes that were seen in his contemporaries, as well as the prejudices and value judgments that occurred in a time overwhelmed by capitalism and consumerism in Mexico. A child with a lot of imagination, and even an inventor of non-existent events, someone who, based on fantastic odysseys, captured the messages that his teachers gave him, sometimes harsh, many others with laughter in between. Married to Melba Valenzuela since 1998, with whom he had four children, student of society and its behavior, insatiable reader and lover of balance of thought, volunteer for various causes of a social nature, martial arts teacher, seminarian, and international competitor in Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, etc. Today he debuts as a writer and continues in his social causes from his own trench, the traditional center of martial arts.

ENDORSEMENTS:

“I recommend reading this book,

which reminds us of the values that are being lost today, the ways of teaching, the factors that influence one's personality and good customs. Order in your life as a fundamental stone, find your place in the world, meet your inner being and always seek the truth.

Mario Marcelo Segnini Fursa martial arts teacher Graphic Designer,

Radio Panelist and Entrepreneur. Montevideo, Uruguay. “Whenever we talk about teaching, it is easy for us to think of schools, high schools, universities, but… What if the path we follow in our lives is marked by many more ingredients than those? You have to read this work then, and rediscover yourself with information that sleeps in your mind. I invite you to recognize and change old patterns.

John Suarez martial arts teacher Entrepreneur, Neurosales Trainer, Apprentice of life. Montevideo, Uruguay. "The Ephemeral Observer", a recommended reading in these times where the generation gap seems to get bigger and bigger Finding yourself, the importance of keeping

the values and roots of each being strong. Observe, describe, understand and never judge.

Daniel Rodriguez Garcia Medical Specialist in Rehabilitation Master of Martial Arts