Satria Silat

The following video is from a system called Satria Silat and it shows bridging and takedown techniques from their system.  Interesting stuff and worth taking a couple minutes to watch... but I want to you watch the video with the concept of "universal movement skills" in mind.  Those of you who are training with us at the moment will recognize the takedowns (done a little differently but similar to those demontrated) and how these techniques can be found in everything from Wrestling to BJJ to Kali.  Think about it...

Angel Cabales' Legacy

For those of you that are not familiar with Serrada Escrima the name Angel Cabales will be unknown.  Those of you who do recognize his name will know that he left a number of highly qualified instructors to carry on his teachings after he passed many years ago.  Angel's accuracy and speed never diminished, nor did his passion and intensity for sharing his martial art.  The following video is representative of the martial legacy that Angel left behind and the instructors that continue to develop and transmit his art.

New "Gray Man" Novel out on 10/04/11

For those of you who followed my lead and picked up Mark Greaney's first two "Gray Man" novels (and enjoyed them as much as I did) you'll be happy to know that a new one will be released next Tuesday (10/04/11).  Entitled "Ballistic" this new novel will find Court Gentry (the Gray Man) flushed from his hiding place in the Amazon rain forest and sent back into harms way.

"Ballistic" can be pre-ordered through Amazon.com for $10.20.

NOTE: both Lee Child and Stephen Hunter have new books coming out as well.

Ted Nugent on Gun Control

You can never tell where people stand on the Second Amendment.  There will be no surprise to anyone that knows me that I firmly and resolutely stand by the individuals right to keep and bear (translation: carry) arms.  I have had personal experience with the use and application of firearms in less than ideal situations and feel that their presence led to the conclusion of conflict not the escalation of it. My own feelings, based upon traveling around the USA over the last 30 years or so, is that the more restrictive the gun control laws are the more danger you are going to be in and the more open they are the safer you are going to be and feel.  You're going to find a lot of inflammatory comments about how unsafe guns are but the presence of firearms will reduce crime and violence in the short and long term - period.

A now a word from Uncle Ted Nugent on the Second Amendment:

Heavy Persian Meel Swinging

Army Maguire, or Ageless Strength, is one of the strongest people I know.  He is also one of the smartest people I know.  So when Army talks about the benefits of swinging the Meel (Indian Clubs) I listen.  They are an excellent tool to create and restore mobility in the shoulder girdle, balance the anterior and posterior structure, and develop endurance and power.

More Golok Training

Following is another video on the application of the Golok.  Due to its small size and tip it would be a challenging weapon to close on but highly advantageous to use in close quarters.

Silat Suffian Bela Diri

From the Silat Suffian Worldwide website:

PURPOSE

• To uphold the traditional values and spirit of Bruneian Culture and martial arts in diversity, friendship, tolerance, respect, discipline, honor, loyalty, family and bravery at its highest level.
• To commit in striving for the highest standards of excellence in: understanding, teaching, developing quality instructors and students.
• To provide an educational, safe, enjoyable and positive training environment.
• To provide outstanding understanding in the principles of the art, and organized instructions equal to other professional service industries in the world.

NOTE: this looks like an interesting system of Silat.  I particularly like how they apply to Golok - fast, direct and devastating.  Take a look on their website, as well as on YouTube, for more examples of their training.

 

Tae Kwon Do versus Muay Thai

Came across this on YouTube and I thought I would share it with you if you haven't seen it yet.  It's a video of a match between a TKD practitioner and a Muay Thai practitioner.  Not sure where the Muay Thai fighter trained, or how much experience he has, but he didn't make Muay Thai appear very effective.  I've seen similar pair-ups before and the outcome was very different... is the TKD fighter that much better or is something else going on?

Here is another clip.  Watch the difference in the fighters, especially the Muay Thai fighter, and how his structure and stalking skills differ from the fighter above:

Knowledge is Universal

After studying the martial arts the better part of 35 years and training with some of the most respected instructors in the world I've learned one important lesson - knowledge is universal.

What does that mean?  It means that no martial art has the market cornered on being the best or the most effective and that in the rest space and time, everything works.  Now, don't get me wrong... there have to be some serious alignment of the heavens for some stuff to even have a chance of being effective - but it could happen!  Look at it this way - any system that digs deep enough into a particular aspect of combat is going to discover certain universal principles that work and others that don't.  Guro Dan once said that there are only so many way you can punch, kick or throw another human being... and throughout time all those ways have been found and forgotten many, many, many times.

The following video is from a Korean system of martial arts and demonstrates their utilization of a short stick to control and submit someone.  I can almost guarantee that this material wasn't developed in a "vacuum" and has been influenced by other martial arts - but it does show you that knowledge is transferred and assimilated across cultures and martial arts.  NOTE: observe the similarities behind the final locking and control positions.  The transitions and entries into the locking and control positions are different than what we teach in the Filipino Martial Arts, or what I teach as part of the Police Command and Control Baton Program, but if it's got two arms, two legs and a neck you can choke - it's all the same!

For Want of a Knife

Doug Ritter of Knife Rights recently sent out an article that appeared in the August 28 issue of the LA Times in the Knife Rights newsletter. It concerns the death of an 11-month-child in a burning car. One man was there quick enough that he might have saved the child. However, the car seat the child was strapped into by a seat belt held the child captive in the burning auto. The buckle was too hot for him to unfasten and he could not remove the baby from the car.

He did not have a knife to cut the seat belt. He asked folks at the scene of the crash if anyone had a knife. No one had a knife. One man ran to get one, but by the time he returned, the entire car was engulfed in flames and rescue was impossible. The article included a photo of a hero, Salvadore Martinez, his hands and arms bandaged by burns caused by the fire and his attempted rescue.

The news article was well-written and included the fact that a life could have been saved had someone at the scene had a knife. I believe that in many instances that had a knife been available lives could have been saved. But the fact that no knife was available either augmented the severity of an accident or cost a life.

I wonder how many times tragic events like this happen and how often the fact that no knife was present has been omitted in the reporting of the accident?

NOTE: Thanks to Gary Boisen for passing this article along to me.

Tough Little Kids!

The Russo Brothers attended Erik Paulson's CSW Training Camp in 2011 and the following video is Erik working with them both on their striking and takedown skills.  Amazing athletes and well disciplined - they have great careers ahead of them!

Simplification is the Goal

Those of you who have trained with me for any period of time know that I STRONGLY believe in simplifying the training process.  Just because you "know" 24 counters to the Cross means that you can pull off any of them when it matters.  Most martial artists spend way to much time developing skills that either have very low probability of being successful or just look "cool" to do.  Think about what you are practicing and determine if it is going to benefit you in the long run as a martial artist or is it just an extra piece of "fluff" to add the mix.

I think applying the "80-20 Rule" is more reasonable, especially when your butt is on the line. (NOTE: if you don't know what the 80-20 Rule is look here.)  So that means that you should be spending your valuable training time on things that are going to actually pay-off for you.  This is doubly true when it comes to your conditioning time... quit screwing around with the bench press and grab a couple kettlebells instead; you'll thank me someday.  This also means that you should be looking for this that you can do that have a broad application as opposed to a narrow one.

My baseline philosophy in training has always been to make it as simple as possible - but being simple doesn't mean it's easy!

The following video show Erik Paulson "schooling" the interviewer on the similarities between the Kimura and the Toe-Heel lock.

Never... Not Ever!

Someone recently asked me if I taught "nunchucks" as part of the FMA program at Martial Arts Koncepts.  My response was that traditionally it fit within both the FMA (the Tabak Toyok) and JKD programs as an impact weapon and is taught, but not very often.  The reason being that you're going to be hard pressed to find a set of 'chucks lying around to use in the event you need them and if you carry them as a defensive weapon it could mean a felony charge for you and at least a night or two in jail.  While I always enjoy training with them and teaching others to use them, I don't make being functional with them a requirement for my students.

BTW - the following video is a perfect example why I don't teach 'chucks often.  This is not a baseline for martial skill it's more like baton twirling.

Erik Paulson - In the Ring

Following is a the lead-up and the fight between Erik Paulson (41 years old at the time) and Jeff Ford in 2007.  Watch the fight as Erik feels out Jeff's defense and then fakes high and enters low for a single leg takedown and a beautiful transition to an arm bar.  I would have been thrilled to see him pull off a leg lock but they may have been off-limits for this fight.  Either way - enjoy!

The Pugilists - Reality TV Show

The following video is a "treatment" for a potential reality TV show featuring Erik Paulson, Tonya Paulson, and Freddy George.  The series will follow the day-to-day operation of the CSW Training Center and the fighters and personalities that pass through their doors.  No word on if this is still in development or has been scrapped... if I find out more I'll pass it along.

Guro Dan - The Filipino Martial Arts and the Military

In this two-part interview with Guro Dan Inosanto he discusses his background and the background of his most prominent instructors.  He makes the point of mentioning that the majority of his FMA instructors served in the military (U.S. or Philippine) and that was why their training methods were so realistic.

Filipino Kali in the Movies

The following is from Sifu Burton Richardson and shows some nice choreographed fight scenes from movies that Sifu Burton was in or worked on.  Enjoy!

JKD 1-2 Series

The JKD 1-2 Series refers to training to defend against the Jab-Cross combination.  This is a fundamental training series in the JKD/Jun Fan curriculum and should be trained in the left lead, right lead, and the mixed lead (left vs. right and right vs. left).  A basic understanding of the various lines the Cross can come in on will make this training more beneficial so pay particular attention to which counters match up to a wide cross and which match up to a tight cross - they are not necessarily interchangeable!

Kali Demo in England

The following video shows a quick Kali demonstration in England done by Guro Dan Inosanto and Sifu Burton Richardson.  Nicely choreographed and well received by the audience.

Saturday AM Classes - September 2011

We will be having Saturday morning Martial Arts Koncepts classes in September on 09/10/11 and 09/24/11 from 1000 to 1130 AM.  Please mark your calendars NOW!

NOTE: we will be continuing work on Double Stick Abecedario training and CSW Standing and Groundwork this month.  Saturday morning classes will be a little more "intense" for the next couple months so come early and be prepared to train hard! 

Guro Dan Discussing Filipino Military in WWII

Great historical information on the Filipino Martial Arts and their use during World War II.  NOTE: many of you have had the opportunity to hear this lecture in person from Guro Dan at seminars, but if you haven't, it is a great historical perspective on how deeply integrated the FMA were in the combat action in this part of the world.

Do You Need A Reason?

Why do you train? Really... why? Do you train in the martial arts out of some fear of a future event?  Or do you train to look deep inside yourself to find the person you are yet to become?  Only you know the answer.  But I put this to you - you will need to fail to succeed. You will need to work on the things that you fear or are bad at. Then, and only then, will you be able to succeed.

Think about it. The answer to this question will determine you succeed or fail in life and in your martial arts training.