Kapatiran Suntukan Martial Arts

KSMA Summer Jam 2012

2012-01-17T09:42:00.001-06:00

KSMA has had a long standing commitment to coming together to share what we know with others in tandem with learning from whom we are able. In that tradition, we are having the first KSMA Summer Jam in Des Moines, IA, on June 23 and 24 of 2012.

This is a chance to train with a variety of people, see old friends and make new ones.

A major part focus for this event is for instructors to share aspects of their arts with those outside their normal circle. We welcome any who wish to participate. We will be following a format similar to past successful events. There will be a series of sessions throughout the weekend from the various instructors. While we encourage you to attend all sessions to get a full appreciation of the event, it is not required. Please contact us if you have an interest in sharing what you know, and we can establish a time for you to do so during the Summer Jam.

Co-directors Terry Trahan and Jay Carstensen will be teaching elements of Aneh Palu Kali-Silat. Others will be announced as they come on board.

Saturday evening will consist of a hang out session/potluck dinner as breaking bread and sharing water is an essential aspect of our community. This is a time for us to swap stories of high adventure and just kick back and build relationships.

Cost will be $50. Contact Jay about lodging options.

Improvise

2012-01-16T12:52:00.001-06:00

I heard two stories recently about how the skills of improvisation comedy apply to everyday life and business. One of those referenced Tina Fey’s book, Bossypants, specifically the section, “Rules of Improvisation That Will Change Your Life and Reduce Belly Fat”. This struck a cord with me. I feel a few of those points can be applied to martial arts and then back to life. Let’s go down her list and compare.

“Agree and say yes.” In Fey’s words, she means to keep an open mind and start with yes and see where that takes you. You may not agree with what is happening, but it is a place to start. To me, this means accepting what is happening right now and acknowledge it is occurring. An apt analogy could be, “man that looks like a fist coming my way. And it’s getting bigger.” It may not be physical either. The verbal equivalent could be if someone is getting in your face, check yourself. Don’t escalate the situation. Keep control of the situation by repeating back what they are telling you, let them know you hear what they are saying and attempt to de-escalate the scene.

“Yes, And...” Ms. Fey suggests at his point, we add something to the conversation. In the case of the fist above, you could see it and (re)act (to)on that stimulus with something you have practiced for just such an instance. With de-escalating, you may agree with what they are saying and offer a way to defuse what’s going on.

“Make statements.” Ms. Fey suggests now is the point to offer your opinions and be part of the solution. In the case of a non-verbal confrontation, you will be hitting and doing damage. Verbally, you can state clearly that you are going to make things right by leaving.

“There are no mistakes, only opportunities.” Here, Ms. Fey states that you have to make to best of the situation you are in and recognize that things could go wrong. In a physical confrontation, actions performed by you may not go off they way you had hoped, but you can’t linger on that. You need to keep plugging away to get out of the circumstance. In the verbal situation, you may say the wrong thing at the wrong time, so you need to accept that, apologize, and move on.

As is true with improvisation, the same goes with martial arts: practice. The more you explore, the more you are able to adapt to the moment and just flow with it to get what needs done, done. Join us at Kapatiran Suntukan Martial Arts to learn the skills you need to get out of a situation when you have to.

Moving Pictures

2011-11-30T08:52:00.002-06:00

KSMA Co-director, Terry Trahan has a YouTube Channel that you all should give a gander.
Train well.
Jay

Rule #16

2011-10-25T08:51:00.003-06:00

I have a list of rules that has come down through a few people. It is great, and I refer to it often in class. For this post, I want to look at Rule #16. It reads as follows and has commentary (in italics) by my good friend, Terry Trahan:

I am so dangerous I can afford to be polite, reasonable, and mellow.

Only the weak, insecure, and those who live in fear need to woof. Always treat others with respect, strive to understand all points of view, and never let yourself be controlled by negative emotions.

I thought of this rule outside of class during a conversation about teaching and training the martial arts. The subject came up that the public persona of a martial artist can be that of a thug (their word) or a person looking to prove themselves. The person who brought this up had studied an art in college and was saying how the majority of his classmates became more gentile over time and sought resolution over aggression. They did, however, have the ability and willingness to use what they knew should they need to. That being said, this doesn’t mean there aren’t people with Cobra Kai attitudes out there, they just don’t come from my school.

Because of the nature of what we do, I took away a lesson long ago from Marc “Animal” MacYoung about injecting humor into the lesson to keep things from getting to that point where aggression is the overruling emotion. One other lesson about humor I learned along the way is that humor helps the brain retain more information because you relax and things happen more easily without the tensions of various stresses. Ultimately, we want to enjoy and have fun with what we do, so we have a good time while training with the understanding that we are doing something Rory Miller refers to as the practice of “creating cripples and corpses.” Dire, I know.

The further down the road of studying the martial arts you go, the more you come to understand Rule #16 and see that it is not a statement of contempt but of compassion.

Roll with the changes

2011-10-20T16:38:00.003-06:00

KSMA is organic in its nature and we are still adjusting to the workings and trappings any organization goes through in times of change. In order to facilitate a more open group, we have decided to move to a “pay as you play” approach for members. Therefore, instead of paying an annual due, we will ask members to contribute to the group in a manner that fits your abilities, needs or goals. This could be a series of videos or documents to help advance the group, participation in either version of the study group (a note about the study group: if you are exploring your own art, you do not have to submit a payment per student training with you. If you are enrolled in a KSMA program, that's $10 per student training with you in that course to be paid annually - also, unless those students have met the criteria for membership, they are not consider part of the group), or another way you may help out to be settled upon by Terry and Jay along with yourself. If you don’t feel you can contribute something, then monetary compensation is the route for you at the $50 per year rate. The money goes into a pot for group use such as maintaining the website and various administrative needs.

It is still and will always be our desire that we have a group of willing participants who share their knowledge with the group freely as has been our experience in the past.
We are also going to be focusing on Southeast Asian martial arts such as kali and pencak silat as well as more personal survival tactic methodologies such as krav maga and other no nonsense-type programs. This is not to say that we are excluding members by any means, but merely reflecting who is still active in the group. There was also some reticence expressed by those in other systems may not have fully understood the intent of the group and are certainly welcome to come back on board as we are still open to what other systems can show us.

Some archival papers are descriptive of what we were striving to attain with the group. We feel they are still the driving factors of KSMA. Among those things were:

KSMA is a vehicle of discovery and liberation
KSMA is a honbu, or non-related family (it certainly has been that, right down to the family squabbles)
KSMA is a tribe of common threads, interests and drive to maintain the group
KSMA is a reference resource willing to share any and all information

Along with those items above, KSMA is a place for you to receive recognition of your hard work either via the neutral third party aspect of the group or as a supplement to your existing rank if that is something you need or desire. This is important for those who may be outside of traditional schools. We strive to maintain the integrity of your art and the group and completely understand the limitations we put on membership will keep our numbers low. That said, if someone inquires about the group or one of its members, they will know that they are getting world class contacts and information.

Be well.

The Dojo Manager

2011-07-28T13:47:00.009-06:00

Often times when we get together, we discuss martial arts, fitness, food, family and general life encounters. Most of us do not delve deeply into our day-to-day work lives. For example, did you know that KSMA member Dan Williams is an information technology wizard? A while back, Dan designed the code for this cool tool - The Dojo Manager. I have been using it to track student progress and potential leads for a couple months now and have found it very helpful. Please check in with Dan on the full capabilities of the program. I know I have just skimmed the surface, but this is how it is helping me with the day-to-day bookkeeping for my school.

Starting with the Basics
What’s a school without students? When students are added, the default setting for them is “active.” There is an “inactive” status you can choose as well if someone goes on a hiatus from your school. If they don’t return after a certain amount of time, you can delete their profile (as long as they are marked inactive). Under each student’s profile, you can input a variety of information. There are fields for the obvious stuff: name, address. You can also add personal information like birthday, class attendance, images and more. A catch-all note section is also provided for whatever you may need outside of the standard sections.

The system includes an option to have multiple locations, and you can indicate where the student trains. You can also input the ranking of your system then apply that system to students’ profiles to track their progress. This is super easy once you assign the system to the student, you can click a plus button next to the hours earned, and it adds your default length of class.

Tracking the Benjamins
Critical to keeping any school rolling is money. The Dojo Manager makes payment schedules and transactions a breeze. You are able to add transactions which generate a printable invoice for each student. The invoice can also indicate when their dues expire if you work on a dues basis.

Marketing
Another section which I find very useful is for visitors and leads. I have the option of tracking everyone who has contacted me about the school and do a follow up if they provide that information. This is the perfect place to track how the student heard about your school: web, friend, advertisement, etc. This is an excellent way to track return on investment (ROI) to know you are spending your advertising/marketing dollars wisely.

Beyond Regular Classes
If you host seminars there is an Events page. This page also doubles as a place to track testing schedules.

That wraps up the pages I have had a chance to explore, but you may have a purpose for the other pages which include: Expenses (track that money), Bulk Actions and Reports. The My Account page is for your pertinent information such as standard class duration (this is linked to the plus button to track time on the mat for each student). There is another tab on the Account page that allows you to set up standard transactions. This is handy as well if you have several payment options.

All in all, I can recommend this system as an economical way to get a handle on part of the management side of your school’s activities. Oh, and by the way, it is donation based. Help the brother out and kick him some greenbacks if you find the Dojo Manager as cool as I do!

KSMA Announcement

2011-06-23T13:47:00.003-06:00

In the Beginning

In the late 90s, Kapatiran Suntukan Martial Arts (KSMA) began in an environment of rancor and mudslinging on early internet forums and gossip at gatherings. The idea that the message (the arts) was getting lost behind egos and politics led Brandt Smith to form KSMA. It would be an open community free of the bickering which was becoming more the norm than training. It would be tribal in the sense that everyone had a role regardless of skill level. Those roles would be apparent at the times we would get together or be borne out of the meetings. Ultimately, the knowledge would be shared amongst the group. We could be sounding boards for ideas and bodies to toss around and experiment with. So the group began and continued on.

Over the years, KSMA has strived to maintain that open atmosphere and welcomed those interested in coming under the canopy as long as they met the few criteria established when the group was founded. In return, KSMA would provide the “necessary administrative and mental support toward the associated instructors.” The original intent was to avoid a headmaster-type person and not have a “tiered structure, but a brotherhood.” Since Jay was handed the reins in 2006, he has tried to maintain this style of organization and keep the conversations between us going. This can be difficult because of the various factors which hinder us in the modern age: Distance, timing and availability.

Look Where We Are

KSMA of the present is a loose group insomuch that we are there for each other if needed. Many of us have personally experienced the willingness to help each other reach an understanding with the skills and knowledge of fellow members. Most of us have a primary focus combined with a love of learning. How far we reach beyond our core art is based on personal preference. We respect this and appreciate it. We are thankful of all the relationships which have developed over the years and look back with fondness, and some regret, toward those who have left who helped us grow. We honor those who shared the information by letting others know from where that knowledge came.

One attempt to move the group forward was to establish the Brothers in the Arts inner core for the group. This could be best described as a hub to the wheel that is the group. Perhaps, it was a step toward the tiers that may seem outside the original intent of the group slightly, but it reflected the actuality of the growth of the group and is a realization of what was a original goal: “To have a number of representatives across the nation that reflected the intent of the group.” It was also an attempt to have more input across the board in an effort to avoid the aforementioned headmaster, as one of the reasons for founding the group was to provide sources of research and development in the martial arts. Another reason includes being able to offer options to those seeking knowledge, having a sense of brotherhood in sharing openly what we know and learning from others which may lead to insights in what we do individually. Having this group is a natural expression of KSMA. This group helped to establish focal points for the group. This had a positive effect of broadening the circle of members and giving us places to get together on a regular basis.

The Road Ahead

Without form, there is no path. As KSMA has been loosely formed in the past and becoming looser each year, it was decided to take our organization one step further. It is out hope that with a little structure, we can take KSMA to the next level.

Our vision of how to help our organization survive and thrive looks like this.

Mission Statement

Kapatiran Suntukan Martial Arts is dedicated to further study and the education of interested parties in various systems of martial arts and Personal Survival Tactics and give support as needed to members. Members are obligated to share their knowledge as well as learn. All parties involved with the group shall be upstanding citizens of their communities.

The group will be led by Terry Trahan and Jay Carstensen acting as Co-directors. In the event they reach an impasse, Bobbe Edmonds will act as third party intermediary. Terry and Jay will oversee the group and make decisions regarding its activities, membership and direction.

General Membership

As a member of KSMA, you will receive -

A support network
Recognition of hard work and dedication
Opportunity to train with a wide range of people
Discounts for sanctioned events
Access to a variety of instructors
Inclusive environment for exploration and expansion of your art
Electronic newsletter featuring news and technique breakdowns
Access to the group FTP site

Membership requirements are as follows.

All potential members will be met face-to-face
Attend at least 1 KSMA sanctioned event annually
Learn, develop and share your knowledge
Train regularly and consistently - You don’t have to train what we train, but you have to train
Maintain regular contact with the co-directors
Be good - Don’t be a dick.
Use of the terms and logos for Kapatiran Suntukan Martial Arts, KSMA, Aneh Palu Kali-Silat, and Personal Survival Tactics need written permission from the co-directors

Members will be required to attend at the KSMA annual event. If you can’t make it, then host your own. If you host your own, we will discuss who will teach and what will be taught. We don’t want these things to break the bank as we are still of the mindset to keep things affordable. Eventually, there will be a “pot” for KSMA to draw from. The money will be put toward various aspects for the advancement of the group, such as assisting in offsetting costs for seminars or helping to fund various tangibles like certificates, member passbook logs and swag. The fee structure is below.

Study Group

The Study Group Program has two options. The KSMA Instructor Development Program is for anyone wishing to learn Personal Survival Tactics or Aneh Palu Kali-Silat as taught at seminars by Terry and Jay and teach it to interested parties with KSMA endorsement. This will be accomplished with a combination of distance learning and seminars for those not in the same locale as Terry or Jay.

Upon entering the Instructor Development Program, the student will be given the first level of the curriculum they choose to study and will be given permission to form the Study Group. Video progress updates will be sent to either Terry or Jay to be reviewed and comments made for the student. Subsequent levels will be offered when the Study Group Leader meets the skill sets laid out in each level. Leaders of the Study Groups will also meet the requirements of KSMA membership to maintain eligibility. Those who train with the Study Group Leader that have not had a face-to-face meeting with either Terry or Jay are not members of KSMA until after such time as an introduction can take place and they meet the criteria laid out for inclusion in the group.

The second Study Group option is for people who are in an art other than what we offer. We see this as a research and development lab to take your art to whatever level you wish. We will provide insight, critique, and encouragement in an environment where you can delve deeper without judgement. You can pick any aspect of your art to explore for in-depth study, provide an idea of what you look to discover and send a video of your study. If desired, we will share this with the whole group for discussion, otherwise we can provide feedback on your premise and findings to help you grow within your art.

The Brothers in the Arts group will cease to exist and those wishing to be active in the group can opt for the Study Group affiliation described above. This move will take us back to the non-hierarchal intent of the group. In the future, please refrain from using the name and logo unless you are a member. Details regarding usage will be offered to you upon registration.

Any organization has expenses and in order to stay on top of what will be needed for the group, KSMA will have an annually paid membership. This will cover the necessary expenses involved with running the organization. Also, we have found that in order for people to take things seriously, there has to be a buy-in of some sort. We recognize this may limit participants, but we also see that as a plus because those who are “in” are dedicated to their studies and to the ideals and mission of the group.

KSMA Fee Structure

General Membership-$50 Annually
Study Group (Price includes General Membership)-$50 Annually + $10 per student

Testing Fees
Level Testing $75 per test
Instructor FREE

Seminars
Taught by Terry and/or Jay
Lodging and travel is the responsibility of the host-varies and is dependent on mode of transportation and locale of lodging.

One Day
8 hours of instruction
$275 one instructor
$425 two instructors

Two Day
16 hours of instruction
$425 one instructor
$650 two instructors

Full Weekend
21 hours of instruction
Friday evening is at the host’s prerogative to open it to all or be a private session for invited attendees only 
$600 one instructor
$850 two instructors

Any profit over covering the costs of the seminar and lodging will be split between KSMA and the host.

Tip your waitresses

In conclusion, these changes were not come to lightly. This is an evolutionary step for the group and one that must be made to facilitate growth. We look forward to walking together down this new path.

This is a call

2011-06-16T08:26:00.002-06:00

A few years ago, the KSMA community stepped up to help one of our own with a medical issue and it had a positive outcome. Now there is another friend in need.
Bobbe Edmonds injured his back a while ago and is trying to raise the funds to be able to continue training us. If you are able in any way to contribute, I urge you to send whatever amount is comfortable to his paypal account he set up to raise the cash to pay for his surgery. He is closer everyday to being back on his feet and working out.
Please send your donation to Fistwind@att.net
Thanks and take care of yourselves!
Jay

Posture, Structure, Stance and Mobility

2010-11-10T11:05:00.004-06:00

Guest Blogger Bobbe Edmonds

Motion is to Pencak Silat what Rooted Stances are to Karate

Stance + Posture = Structure

Structure + Footwork = Mobility

Structure divided by Footwork = Mobility vs. Stability

In the above equations I am using the following terms and definitions in a calculated formulae:

1: Stance: The position and transition of all body elements from the waist down. This sometimes includes the spine.

2: Posture: Position and alignment of all body elements from the waist up. This always includes the spine.

3: Structure: The marriage of Stance and Posture to reflect the needs of the body’s defenses or attack at any given time. Structure is a fluid concept, it does not mean “Stance” or “Footwork”, it means the use of a variety of postures in Silat while maintaining balance in motion.

“Stance” in the accepted Martial Arts reference can be misleading when it comes to Pencak Silat. In the fundamental training of any Martial Art, a stance is noted as a means of sinking the body closer to the ground using the legs for support and stabilization. Now, we do that anyway, every day, just by walking. But a stance is more of an unmoving thing, and the word itself when in reference to Martial Arts usually invokes a kind of statuesque image, the practitioner in a deep-seated squat of some sort, tensing his body and rooting himself as much as possible. Although this is a correct definition, it’s not a really a true one.

Balance is the heart of stance work, and any art worth its salt will show this early on. Pencak Silat is no different in this regard, only in the approach. In any art, there are essentially two applications of balance in Silat, and they both serve an important purpose:

1: Balance in STILLNESS (Rooted stance, sinking/squatting with a wide base, almost no mobility at all)

2: Balance in MOTION (Footwork, Body English, high mobility & ground coverage)

Balance in stillness isn’t difficult to achieve, it only presents one option: Stand still and find your balance. You would have to be a pretty thick brick to not have some degree of mastery over this after a few months of training. Some arts specialize in this, the common rationale behind such training being that you must be able to stand there and absorb ANYTHING that is being hurled at you. Indeed, most arts advocate sinking deeper in whatever stance and rooting to the ground to appear “immoveable”. The fallacy with that sort of thinking is that it’s only one side of a two sided coin: Motion is just as important as static rooting, and a lack of one will force you to overcompensate with the other. Thus will begin a long confusing road of trying to force the fit of something into a situation where it doesn’t belong, a place where common sense should have just pointed to MOVING out of the way for a better vantage point.

Balance in motion is the more difficult concept, it doesn’t have a permanent place of residence and therefore harder to nail down in specific terms and postures.

You can observe the stance-posture-structure relationship in any martial art and discover how it supports the nuances of that particular style: Pencak Silat is mobile and fluid, so less time is spent in rooted positions. Karate is more rigid in terms of posture and stance, so it’s mobility lends itself to the rooted approach. Southern Chinese Kung Fu styles usually have a blend of the two, although it’s never a balanced one, the static sink/root method being the more dominant.

To understand the unique use of stance in Kali and Pencak Silat, first look at the objective of these arts: Motion. Everything in the combat systems of the Archipelagos points to MOVING, not ROOTING. Think of stance like this: If you are constantly moving with an innate sense of balance and coordination, then your stance becomes just wherever you happen to be standing, in whatever position your legs/feet happen to be in. It’s not something you think about, or have to look down to make sure it’s there; if you train for it then it WILL be there. The first action in the feet should be to move, not root to the ground. You need to be able to find balance and stability in motion, moving from one point to another without achieving the rooted aspect of stance. If your first action is to sink and root, then you will have to bring your musculature back to the initial point of relaxation before you can move at all, and who has that kind of time in a fight? Mobility is necessary for entries, evasion and counters. Mobility allows you to adjust for sudden changes in tempo and rhythm of the fight, as well as drastic shifts in terrain, conditions, etc. Mobility promotes adaptability, and helps you maintain a feeling with your opponent at several angles at once. Rooting in stance/structure only applies in a force-against-force contest, something you should be striving to avoid.

The rooting method is usually the first style of stance work trained, and therefore it’s the style that’s emphasized the longest in a practitioner’s life. It’s embedded in his mind, and he will always return to it because it was drilled in as a beginner. Because of this, progression is really the key when training stance. Most beginning students can’t tell their left from their right when they start training Martial Arts, and complex motor patterns will only confuse them. In this respect, focused stance training is fundamental because it teaches a slow step by step process of transitioning from one space to another in a specific manner. Without this training, the beginner will usually have a much rougher road to achieving flow in Silat. That being said, there should be a natural progression OUT of stance work and INTO footwork/Body English, a progression that should move with the momentum of the student’s learning curve. If you delay the transition into motion, then the student gets used to drilling in a static stance, and will have a knee-jerk impulse to “sink and root” in preparation of any conflict.

The problem with this approach is that it encourages you to “sink into a stance” during times of stress in combat, and root when you should move. It is a static element brought into a dynamic atmosphere (fighting). In training different Martial Arts styles, I have discovered that the traditionalist is often taught that the right stance can counter anything, and by implication, if their stance is strong enough then they can withstand even the most brutal attacks. There is some merit to this, and it does have application…But it’s not really a strategy you can go to war with. A rooted stance of ANY sort only works in one direction at a time: The front, or whichever way you are facing/direction you are going, and it will assuredly stack the deck against you in a fight because you will feel encouraged to either stand in the path of danger and “absorb it” as if you were a tree, or meet the attacking force head-on. This is not a very prudent strategy, especially if your opponent is faster or stronger than you, and it will cause you to make poor decisions in combat because you chose a poor position to begin with, and will constantly be playing “catch up” to your opponent’s lead.

Also, if you were successful in the initial clash and you did manage to deflect the incoming barrage, you will likely have every muscle and joint locked down, with the muscle mass so dense and rigid it can hardly move at all. You will be inhibited from responding to any openings quickly, nor will you be able to recover or change positions with any real speed, you must unclench your body first. Once you activate density in your body during combat stress, you will find it difficult (if not impossible) to regain mobility and relaxation needed for fluidity, because you have an innate momentum built up in favor of tension over relaxed, dynamic motion. Again, you will return to your first principles, the thing you were taught at the beginning, only it will be working against you even if you are doing it right.

It may seem as if I am campaigning against the rooted stance approach. Actually, it’s a necessary element, and it does have its uses…but they are far more limited than the use of mobility, and it doesn’t lend itself to fluidity very easily. For this reason you must have a firm grasp of the uses and disadvantages of each.

There is much written about the mathematical and mechanical elements of stance, many calculations, diagrams and equations laid out to give the appearance of something more meaningful than simply “balance in motion”. In a motion-based martial art, this idea is fundamentally wrong, and it’s a mistake to pursue some algebraic formulae hidden within horse stance, except maybe as an academic exercise. Not that the math itself won’t add up, it will. In fact, if you try hard enough you will discover several different formulae for each stance you know. However, the focus will always be on finding that math in the first place, looking for geometrical patterns in every stance instead of looking for the fluidity OUT of stance.

Next on the list: Posture.

By posture, let me say right off the bat that I am not speaking of “proper bone alignment” or “correct shoulder-spinal placement” like what you get from etiquette class. This isn’t the kind of straight-backed walking posture, but how you position your upper body in relationship with two separate points: Your feet & your opponent. Your posture will reflect your ability to move, defend or attack, depending on how you position yourself against an opponent.

Structure is the final element, and it’s last for a reason: You will have to master Stance and Posture to get to Structure, because it’s a combined element of the first two. Structure deals with our body’s trained and natural defenses, and how we find balance while using them in motion. But the definition of structure isn’t “Stagnant”. There are degrees of stability, and you have to decide what you need more of at the appropriate moment: Rooted, unmovable structure or a fluid, less stable one. There are times for sinking down and absorbing everything coming at you, and times to get the hell out of the way.

Moving allows you to negate an attack when “structure” cannot withstand the force. If you do not know or train for this, then you will not be prepared for it when it hits, nor will you be able to recognize when the opponent is doing it to you. If you train for balance in motion, you will not be confused. Your hands and feet will seem to move almost on their own, and your attention will be focused on the attacker, not how good your stance is. Balance is something you FEEL, not SEE.

When it comes to the Filipino and Indo-Malay martial arts, the name of the game is balance in motion. We don’t simply lurch in one direction and pray to God that we have balance when we arrive. The recognition and capitalization of an opening in your opponent’s defenses will only occur if one or more of you is in motion, usually responding to the other’s motion. To pull this off under combat stress conditions, you must be comfortable and confident in your abilities to flow with balance.

If an opponent is simply standing there with his guard up, why attack? You will need to move to a better position, or change your strategy. Also, motion is critical in countering your opponent mentally. Standing still is a mistake, because it allows your opponent to draw a clear bead on you, plot his attack, and gain the advantage of ground and the ability to adjust for his surroundings, as well as any tactical advantages to be had. Movement makes planning difficult for your opponent and allows you to stack the odds in your favor by choosing the setting & pace of the fight.

Rooting also doesn’t address what to do if the attacker decides to use a feint & you are caught by it. The purpose of feinting is to lure your opponent into over-committing to an attack that was never going to the evident target in the first place, a tactic designed specifically for targeting rooted structure. Mobility will save you, but a rooted, non-mobile structure bets the farm on a single roll of the dice. You better be able to fight perfectly every time, because that’s what you are training for. And nobody ever fights perfectly, something always goes wrong.

This article isn't about "A" versus "B", but to bring to light the glaring differences between the rooted and mobility camps. In the end, you have to have a mastery of all four elements. Then you can decide for yourself what tool is most prudent for your situation, mobility vs. stability, strength vs. speed, footwork/Body English vs. stance.

A new milestone

2010-11-07T21:28:00.002-06:00

Last weekend was a celebration at Auraria Self Defense. First, it was the 2 year anniversary of me starting to teach there. But more importantly, I had the opportunity to recognize the hard work put in by my students. It is my honor to announce the promotion to Level One in Applied Self Defense Silat the following;
Troy Bernal, studied with me for 5 years+, and really brings out the best in those he trains with.
Raja Simha, great analytical ability and beginning to understand letting it flow.
He is also responsible for me teaching publicly.
Johnathon Colvin, even though he wants to be a cop, he is still the most improved.
Shawn Sneed, came in with a lot of his own training, and heads the program, but has taken what he was given and made it his.
I also was able to induct Troy, Raja, and Johnny into the KSMA, so we have a branch here, in the birthplace of the organization.
A few pictures follow.

Heads Up

2010-10-25T20:34:00.002-06:00

Maha Guro Brian Buzz Smith will be amongst a gaggle of instructors at an event in Illinois in April. I will pass along more information as it becomes available.

Here is the skinny sent from Buzz:

Friends,

April 23 & 24, 2011, FMA Brotherhood Gathering in Belleville, Illinois.
This will be momentous occasion for the WSEF.

Dignitaries to include GM Anthony Davis, GM Tasi Alo, GM Chuck Cadell, GM Ron Saturno, Guro Brian "Buzz" Smith,
Master John Malmo, Guro Kim Satterfield, Guro Wes Bennett, Sifu Ralph Paris & possibly Maha Guro Mike Klement.
Also, a very special guest will be LD "Stoney" Stone, Sensei of merit, motivational speaker & just an outstanding individual.

There will be 2 days of workouts, seminar time, & privates by appointment. The event is open to the public. This will be an event that the Midwest Martial Arts Community has not seen. This is a collaboration of momentous proportion, encompassing several systems of the FMA.

There are adequate accomadations very close by the event please feel free to begin to make your hotel reservations now. This event will be a huge building block for future events in coming years.

There will be much more details to come.

Please feel free to email me here on MyFMA.net for any questions.

Regards,

Guro Mike Schwarz

Still Available!

2010-08-29T20:07:00.000-06:00

This set of DVDs is for anyone with an interest in Pencak Silat.
Go here and order: Bambang Suwanda

2010-08-13T14:27:00.002-06:00

Over the years one can see trends in martial arts. They tend to revolve around the new kid on the scene. A lot of that ripples out across what we train. The next big thing drives established schools to adopt these trends or aspects of them in order to stay fresh.

These fads take hold for a few years and play out. On occasion they gain a foothold in a wider circle. However, even that wider circle maintains a niche clientele. Heck, even what comes to the mind of the everyday person as martial arts (tae kwon do, karate, gung fu) are a niche.

Regardless of style studied, there is a trend coming down the pike to have a better understanding of violence and its effects. For years, the group I hang out with from time to time has discussed the various aspects of not only the physical but the psychological aspects of what Rory Miller calls, “training to create cripples and corpses.”

Some schools will see this as an opportunity to cash in on the next big thing without seeing the long-term advantages to their students. The flip side is the students will take it in without seeing the long-term advantages of the knowledge. What I mean here is the vast majority of the students will listen to the message, take it in, but not use it when they need it most.

Knowing something two or three times a week for class or rank testing is not putting into practice. Even practicing doesn’t hit the mark directly. My friend Buddha (short, bearded guy, not the plump-bellied dude you see in some Asian establishments) likes to point out, “all plans go to shit on contact.” He’s got it right. You could train every day and feel pretty good about what you do, but all that goes out the window when the shit hits the fan due to a variety of factors.

More and more schools need to bring in people to discuss the reality of violence and the understanding that it comes in so many varieties. It is best to be prepared the best way you can be, but the limitations of knowing that what happens may not be what you are training for.

Instructors need to be upfront and frank about what their goals for their students are. If you teach primarily for fitness and competition, you owe it to your students to make them understand that goal and draw a massive line in the sand about what they are learning.

Too many factors go into violence to say, “this will happen and you do this.” I think if you want to be well prepared, learn how to be aware of your surroundings. Awareness is one of the best skills you have, and you can train this skill easily. Start by being aware of places where bad things are known to happen, and avoid these places. If you are in a situation where bad things can happen, be aware of exits. Look at the people and pick out who may be doing what you are doing. You are looking for those who are scoping the crowd and in doing so, you show you are aware of what is going on around you. That step alone could help you be passed over by those intent to do bad things.

Pay more attention to places you are familiar with as well. Your routine may be being watched and made note of by bad people. What are the exits at your workplace? Is the parking lot monitored? Do you unconsciously go from the store to the car?

What are some other suggestions you can come up with to make yourself and others more aware?

Traveling the Globe!

2010-07-24T09:29:00.002-06:00

Buzz has been invited to the Philippines to share his knowledge of the arts!

In his words:

Some of you may know that TINK and I are going to the Philippines for our overdue honeymoon. What you may not know is I was invited by Guro Michael Tuscano to stay with him and have him be our guide. I have been trying to find out the true history of Kuntaw and it started in his area of the Philippines. I told him I would be open to teach some of his students of what i know. So he decided to have a seminar for his group. I agreed but I also sugegested that he open it up to any other groups in his area. I agreed to do the seminar for free. He could charge a small fee to cover expenses and put the rest of the proceeds into his organization. I think he was a bit amazed that i would do this. I referred Guro Mike to check out the posts about our Gathering stateside.

I had been trying to make contacts in the Philippines to find the old timers in the art. I finally contacted Grand Master Shanfrank Aycocho and he offered to be our guide thru the Northern philippines and drive us down to meet Guro Mike- a 12 hour drive. When told about the seminar idea- he said he too would do it for free and has stepped up to the plate. Meanwhile Guro Mike contacted a local Arnis master to also participate.

Now it gets better. Guro Mike reserved the Aquinas University to hold our event there.

Here is a note he sent to me:
"Good day Master, I started inviting participants of different Martial Arts Club here, and I also invite some of the Barangay Police/Tanod of the nearest Barangay in Legaspi City including some Security Agencies. And I also write the Managers of different Malls here if they are interested to send their security guards for this training. Yesterday some foreign Martial Artist contacted me for reservation. Master, if there are some Instructors who would like to join to us, the registration fee is for the foods only and the accommodation are at their own risk. I hope it will be a great day for all of us. Thanks very much for the support. God bless you."

I hope to keep everyone informed as it goes along its steamroller path. Buzz

The information about it is below

FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING SEMINAR
August 14-15, 2010
Aug. 14, 2010 : DM Hall, Aquinas University, Rawis, Legaspi City
Aug. 15, 2010 : St. Michael Beach Resort, Sto. Domingo, Albay

Hosted by: AQ BICOL ARNIS REPELON- Aquinas Chapter
(SHOA KUNE DO STYLE)
in cooperation with BICOL ARNIS REPELON, INC. (Main Headquarters) and
ABSORB, Inc. (Albay Brotherhood of Strong and Responsible Blackbelts, Inc.)

GUEST LECTURERS:

Master Brian “Buzz” Smith
of Traverse City, Michigan, USA,
Founder and Chief Executive Director of AMKA/BAKA and member of KSMA
He is also part of the American film SCOURGE as the leading cast and fight director; this movie will be shown this year.

GM ShanFrank Aycocho
of Metro Manila, Philippines
Founder and Chief Executive Director of AMAC-KKAASI
(Aycocho Martial Arts Center- Kuntaw Kali Arnis Aycocho System Inc.)

Maestro Roger B. Bataller
of Legaspi City, Albay, Philippines
Founder and Chief Executive Director of BICOL ARNIS REPELON, INC.

Open to all Martial Arts enthusiasts. For more information, please contact BROD LYNDON R. ANTE (ABSORB) CP 09103139425; BROD ALVIN SALAZAR (AQ BAR) CP 09177578493; and BROD MICHAEL M. TUSCANO (AQ BAR) at AUL Acctg. Office Tel. (052)-482-0542/ email at: aqbicolarnisrepelon@yahoo.com or kuntaw_sacredstrike@yahoo.com.

The Gathering of the Tribes, 2010 (10 Years and counting)

2010-06-15T13:29:00.090-06:00

Well, the 10th annual Gathering of the Tribes has come and gone now leaving in its wake many smiles, achy bodies, bruises galore, sleep deprivation, and fond memories. This event has always strived to be a place for sharing ideas, and building community, as well as physical training…a place for finding/strengthening family. This year proved to be no different.

Our numbers have hovered, historically, in the twenties for attendance. We don’t do a lot of advertising. Mostly, you have to know someone who’s already here…and almost always we’ve communicated in some form or another prior to the Gathering at least a couple times. It wasn’t consciously planned, but just sort of evolved this way. Most years we get about thirty (plus) people who want to attend, but then, for one reason or another, are unable to. (Hence the twenty-ish) An attrition of 25-30% is pretty typical, which makes this year so different. Of the 42 people who signed up, we had 38 in attendance, and that’s not including families! There were more families and kids here this year than ever before...our property resembled a State Park with all the tents and campers present.

There were many first time faces to join the veteran Tribe members, and based on feedback I’ve received so far, it looks like everyone felt welcome.

I’m not going to do much in the way of review for the various training workshop because I wasn’t able to attend the majority of them…and other people have, or will, review them in their own posts.

The reason I wasn’t working on the mats/grass much was because I was kept very busy teaching the knife making classes. I was surprised and pleasantly overwhelmed by the response to the Bladesmithing offering this year. The people who participated in the class ranged from “almost no experience with power tools whatsoever,” to returning blade smiths from last year’s class (and everything in-between). Many of them started out with blanks I’d roughed out ahead to save time. A couple started from scratch with their own designs. All of them were unique.

They definitely kept me busy, but had such patience and dedication to their work that they turned out some very beautiful blades. I was truly touched that they would want take the time to try this. Joseph, Todd, Geoffrey, Jeff, Kym, Josh…thank you for allowing me to share this with you.

Another facet of the Gathering is recognition of achievements or services through out the year..some of them are humorous ribbing, others are genuine salutes. My good friend Bobbe made the revelation this past year, through some Ancestry research, that he is in fact, Dutch. My wife (being Dutch-Indo) and I decided to put together a little “welcome to Dutchdom” care package for him…which he will never forget. (…or forgive, most likely…) Along with this, he was issued Bunny Slippers (made by our own Tina Gray) in honor of his 2D self from the previous year.

Next, Jay welcomed new additions to the KSMA branch of the family. Jacob, Hannah, Amberly, Geoffrey, and Chuck (Sullivan), it’s good to have you on board. “Brotherhood” status was also conferred to Bobbe and Buzz.

Now we weren’t the only ones with recognition “machinations” going on here. Bobbe had his own devious plans in the works as well. With Edmonds Martial Arts, it’s rare to get publicly recognized for anything serious. (For instance, if you happen come to class with your fly down, Bobbe is likely to “publicly recognize” you loud enough for the neighboring counties to hear…repeatedly; but that’s not something you’re likely to hang on your wall.)

Well, this year, we at the Gathering were privileged to witness Bobbe taking a moment to be serious and recognize two outstanding people from his crew, publicly. Todd and Joseph were both granted Na-Guro for their excellence and dedication to training. If you don’t know Bobbe, you won’t be able to truly appreciate what this means…so take my word for it, it’s Something.

But wait, there’s more…

After this, we were supposed to be surprising Buzz with something…and I was (I thought) pretty much in charge of “organizing” everything. Little did I know that I wasn’t totally in the “loop”. Apparently the rest of them had plotted behind my back to surprise me. *insert sheepish grin here*

Well, they pulled it off. Buzz and Deb honored me with a beautiful Shadow Box that held one of my favorite phrases… “Life in Every Breath.” I was truly speechless. (Those of you who know me can shut up now…I can hear you laughing…) For the story on that phrase, email me or call me and I’ll share it with you…it was a turning point for me.

So, we’re back on the list of presentations that I am part of…Buzz’s surprise 60th birthday party. A bunch of us had been planning this for almost a year, lead by Mrs. Treachery herself, the Momma Pixie…Deb Smith. As a lead in, Bobbe (Pendekar Dutchboy) did a rather impromptu Roast of not only Buzz, but the majority of the Core Gathering Members. (My favorite was the bit about Buzz’s Anyo’s, or forms, being originally for defense against Velociraptors!)

Next we presented Buzz the “Guardian of the Tribe”, a special Kuntaw inspired blade…which was possible due to the whole Tribe coming together to make it happen. We also presented him a framed “card” signed by all the contributors. Happy Birthday, Maha Guru Buzz! (You can see more pics of the blade on this website.)

This ended the presentations for Saturday and now it was time for potluck feast. Per our historical offerings, Jeanne and I supplied the Grilled Chicken Sate. The Pinda Sauce was excellent! I think it lasted about 5 minutes. (I could be wrong…it might’ve been less) Food and merriment went on into the late hours with the Gathering core members doing a twilight podcast, 2-3 hours long, which it was later discovered, never recorded. (We revisited it the next evening and actually recorded one.)

The next day, there was one more presentation to be made. For his hard work and dedication to his studies in Pencak Silat Pertempuran (PSP) was my good friend, Sterling Heibeck, was awarded the rank of Pelatih. He will be teaching PSP at the Innovative Martial Arts dojo on Tuesday nights. If you’re interested in studying with him you can contact Sterling, or myself, (contact info is on our website) for more details.

There are a few unsung heroes of the Gathering who really need to be mentioned here as well…

Jeanne, my wife, should be nominated for Sainthood. Most would not believe how much effort she puts in before the weekend festivities. With me in school, working, as well as teaching classes, a majority of prepping the house for invasion was left to her. Add to that being a Den Mother to all of us heathens during the Gathering… *insert headshake here*… and the post war clean up after the event. (…and this isn’t even discussing the demon-possessed plumbing that decide to rear its ugly head during the Gathering…and the week after.) This is not an undertaking for the faint of heart. Jeanne, I love you…thank you for all your hard work and patience!

Amberly is very close friend, occasional student/workout partner, and incredible unsung hero during the weeks leading up to, and during, the Gathering. She came over numerous times to help prep the house, as well as assist with transportation to and from the Airport, Food prep, and just helping to keep things running smooth. Thank you Amberly!

Alicia, another friend of the family, came over to hang out and ended up helping out tremendously! You were awesome! Thank you for all your help. From photographing events, to helping with prepping and clean up…you totally rocked!

Tina, Deb…you’ve always stepped up unasked, and really made a difference. This has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for lightening the load. Tina, you did an absolutely fantastic job on designing the Logo for the Gathering!
I know there are people I’ve failed to mentioned…and for that please accept my apologies. Just know that everyone pulling together is what makes the Gathering a success year after year. Thank you.

After Sunday’s festivities wrap up in the afternoon, people generally begin to pack it in and head home. There are still numerous little classes going on the side here and there…but mostly, things are done, and the energy levels change to more of a relaxed sort.

Jeanne and I were fortunate to be able to spend a few days with some of our closest friends just chilling and relaxing…as well as spend some time getting to know some new friends a bit better outside the friendly chaos that is the Gathering. What a great way to be able to wind down an excellent event…

Richard Bach said, “The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.”

To those of you returning, it was great to see you all again…to catch up, strengthen our friendships, and reconnect. To those of you who are new…welcome to the Tribe. We look forward to seeing you again next year.

Peace and Safe Journeys…
Chuck Pippin - Innovative Martial Arts

The Gathering - 2010

2010-06-08T08:22:00.019-06:00

Proverbial Group Shot

The annual Gathering of the Tribes in Grand Rapids, Michigan, celebrated a milestone that few groups of this nature reach: 10 years.

Of all the times I have attended this event, I can honestly say this gathering had the most open and upbeat feeling of them all.

Gracious hosts, Chuck and Jeanne, opened their home and land to the hooligans freely and suspended the normalcy of life to be available to us out-of-towners. We owe them both a great deal for making this happen year after year.

The caliber of character of the attendees has only become better over time. This year saw many new people, brought mostly by friends who dragged them along. It was the largest turnout I can recall, especially of those bringing along their families.

Daylight hours were spent on the main stage with primary instructors along with break out sessions. The primary activities were geared to anyone with step-by-step training. The extracurricular stuff was quite specialized and more spontaneous.

Day one traditionally starts off with Innovative Martial Arts hosts Chuck Pippin and Don Young. They focused on intention and tapping into that bit that says, “TIME TO GO NOW!”

Terry Trahan followed with an effective defense against a low line attack.

Bobbe Edmonds went over some keen aspects of Hubud with the assistance of two of his guys, Todd and Josh. What he showed takes this training tool beyond the mere drill where many stop with it (I was guilty of this too, once).

After lunch, I went over one way to establish a comfort level when on the ground. Many thanks to Buddha and Buzz for the midnight rolling ramblings the evening prior!

Brian ‘Buzz’ Smith was next up and with the high number of new people about, he went over his very effective principles of “What time is it?” and “Can I have my allowance?” I love the various ways Buzz shares knowledge. He presents it in a way that sticks.

The end of the first day is when we take care of any business that needs to happen. We started off with a little gentle ribbing of Bobbe with a gift basket of uniquely Dutch offerings.

A gift for DeEdmonds

Last year Bobbe was unable to be with us and we compensated as best we could…. As he was able to be with us this year and he has a penchant for running about without shoes and we had put some slippers on him last year, we presented him with a pair. Excellent work, Tina, I am sure you are on Bobbe’s naughty list now.

"...and I still call you friends?"

This year saw the induction of several people into KSMA. We invited Chuck Sullivan, Hannah DeWinter, Amberly Fletcher, Geoffrey Bosmann and Jacob Kuznicki to the group. I expect them all to be great.

Welcome to KSMA

Up next, we expanded the Brotherhood by adding Bobbe Edmonds and Brian ‘Buzz’ Smith to the upper ranks and I am truly honored to have them as driving members of the group. We look forward to any ideas or insights they may have.

Bobbe had some business to take care of as well and promoted Todd Erven and (let’s just call him) Joe to Na Guru. From what I witnessed from both of them (and a spirited exchange of elbows between Todd and I that allegedly happened) and via conversation, they deserve it.

Buzz and his pixie, Deb, had something up their sleeve as well and presented Chuck with a really cool shadow box with his motto, “Life in Every Breath,” blazoned on the glass. It was a very nice present for someone that has given so much to advance the group and is a cancer survivor. Chuck really is a cut above the rest.

Bobbe then took center stage to rub all our noses in it as a lead up to presenting Buzz with a present from a good number of us to celebrate his 60^th birthday.

Chuck has been honing his skills as a knife maker and really stepped up for this one. Photos really do not do it justice. Its name is Guardian of the Tribe and here is the description from the certificate that came with it:

"The steel is a random pattern Damascus billet, forged specifically for this project. It began as 16 layers of high carbon steel, folded five times…to end up with 256 layers. The billet was forged in collaboration with Master Blacksmith Tim Carr, of Black Bear Forge. Chuck then stock removed, polished and etched to bring out the figure of the layers.

The handle is fashioned from a single piece of cocobolo, with red micarta and brass spacers. The guard is also brass. Hand fitted and shaped, the handle is fixed to the tang with a tough binary epoxy, as well as pinned with brass.

The sheath is made from oak-cured leather, custom formed and hardened to fit the blade. The sheath was also designed with a reversible sleeve to enable it to be left or right handed."

"Now I have a nice knife to cut my steak with!"

Truly this is an awesome piece.

Chuck’s work can be seen here. He will work with you to get you the blade you want. I should mention that throughout the entire weekend there were people making knives with Chuck’s guiding hand. Check out Tony’s post on his experience.

Firing up the forge

The Quench

The Quench - FLAME ON!

Steps in the process

After all this frivolity, it was time to clean up and get ready for a night of hanging out. It is always a feast for the mind as well as the belly. The variety of food and conversation left us quite satisfied.

We had a great round table discussion lasting well into the evening Saturday night which was a lot of fun with much laughter and appreciation for what we have.

WAY too much jocularity

Late nights are par for the course and I am sure many of us caught up on sleep after the weekend ended.

Day two this year was just a fun-filled as Saturday with each session having a good number of participants.

Craig Gray, a great instructor, shared some of the gun disarms of Krav Maga. If you are within driving distance to any of his seminars, it is well worth the distance. Less of the martial artist, Craig is about getting it finished with minimal thought. I appreciate his approach.

Sean Stark was up next and with the help of Sterling Heibeck. They showed us a good flow from Pencak Silat Pertempuran. After his presentation, Sean awarded Sterling with the rank of Pelatih. We were all honored to be there and I am especially proud of Sterling. Great job, brother!

After lunch, KSMA noob, Geoffrey Bosmann showed us some neck manipulations and a little close range kali.

Ian Robbins wrapped up the day with an impromptu boxing clinic that many enjoyed greatly.

All in all, this year’s gathering had a great number expectations set upon it last year. It by far exceeded those, and they can only get better.

Gathering Numbers

2010-05-25T09:01:00.001-06:00

It appears that this year's gathering may be the biggest ever. Last count was over 40 participants.

Oh, the stories to be told...

The Gathering

2010-05-11T20:02:00.002-06:00

Just a little over two weeks away from the 10th Gathering of the Tribes.

Loads of fun planned!

Looking forward to seeing the hooligans, old and new!

Enhance your brain

2010-04-11T17:43:00.004-06:00

There is a new set of DVDs out which anyone with an interest in Pencak Silat will want to own.
Go here and order: Bambang Suwanda

Terry Steps Out

2010-04-07T12:39:00.004-06:00

Terry Trahan visited Des Moines recently and shared concepts he teaches at his school in Denver, CO. This was Terry’s first public seminar and the beginning of something I foresee being the next step in instruction opportunity for him.

Terry started the day off with a short lecture about his way of thinking and application along with types of ambush and assaults. Along with those, Terry discussed the use of force continuum. He touched on the idea of de-escalation and how that starts with you.

I have fresh experience from a recent seminar on some of the conceptual knowledge that Terry was sharing and it is good to hear it again from another source. Terry added more terminology to my brain with some other ways to look at violence. These are

Frenzy Violence – either mass or individual
Fear Violence – quiet and reserved feel and the possibility to talk down.
Tantrum Violence – Boundary Testing, pay attention, don’t acknowledge
Criminal Violence – chest puffing, predation

The bulk of the physical aspects of the seminar were spent on a few entries repeated over and over to help make them feel integral with the body and situation.

Overall, I think Terry has come into his own and look forward to the future. I highly recommend any chance to train with him to enhance your understanding of your art.

I asked those in attendance to give their thoughts as well.

The Weasel Speaks: Terry Trahan’s Inaugural Seminar
This past weekend I attended the Inaugural seminar of my good friend Terry Trahan. I’ve known of Terry for almost 10 years, and been privileged to call him a friend for the past 5 or 6 years. When Jay Carstensen, of KSMA, told me he was going to bring Terry in for a seminar, I was all for attending and supporting it.
The focus of the seminar was surviving a violent encounter. Terry began with a general talk on violence. Topics included recognizing the different types of violence and triggers for those types of violence. He also addressed the body’s natural responses to violent intention directed at it. We discussed the force continuum, some of the legal and ethical implications, as well as figuring what is worth fighting for in each of us as individuals. We also discussed the importance of understanding motivations of the criminal mind. All of this, in my opinion, one of the most important, and under addressed, topics in martial art schools of any type.
After the 3rd cup (pot) of coffee, Terry was ready to start the physically interactive portion of the day. According to Terry, what he has to share is not martial arts, but survival tactics that he’s found to work across a broad spectrum of violent experiences. He teaches from experience and has dedicated himself to sharing this knowledge in hopes that it will help protect us and our loved ones. What he offers is “Vender Neutral” tactics to increase your ability to respond to ambush. He stresses the importance of finding something that works for you and then continuously drilling it until you don’t have to think about it. He provides a foundation to experiment and build from but leaves it up to us, and our existing training, to fine-tune it.
We covered both armed and unarmed adversaries and application concepts while Terry punctuated the idea that it’s the same basic core foundation…you don’t need 512 techniques to survive. You only need a couple tools that you know “really fucking well!” He drove this point home again and again during the day. While we did do variations, everything came back to core movements established early on.
Terry was also very conscientious about taking the time to adjust it for varying sizes and strengths. (We had some very small gals in attendance…with some very pointy elbows. Thanks Terry)
For myself, after having almost 2 decades of training in a variety of martial arts, I totally appreciated the repetition as well as the reduction of the number of things covered at the seminar. I’d rather cover 2 or 3 topics to the point of “beating a dead horse” than 20-30 topics and only touch on them. I’ll remember 2 or 3…and be able to apply them enough to continue applying them outside of the seminar. The second I leave an event like this, I’m already starting to forget things…unless we’ve drilled them ad-nauseum. During a conflict, the more options you have to consider, the more time it takes to decide what to use…this is not a point in your favor when milliseconds count.
Terry has grown unbelievably as a teacher and public speaker. His material is well thought out, and well presented. He is articulate, blunt, to the point, and will not feed you a line of bullshit. He believes in what he says, does, and has to offer. The tools he gives you have the potential to save your life. If you ever have the opportunity to attend his seminar, do yourself (and your students) a favor…GO!
Chuck

Terry offered more than just techniques for self-defense. He gave us information to help us better understand the reasoning behind some attacks and how attacks happen. With knowledge of the different types of violence: frenzied, fear, tantrum and criminal, we may be able to better adjust our response. In addition, he shared the OODA loop: observe, orient, decide, act and reminded us that we will be in a different spot in the loop as our attackers. Combining this information with actual training gave me a solid base to center the seminar. Terry is an excellent instructor, and I’m looking forward to what he will share in May at The Gathering.
Tina

Terry did a great job at this seminar! His info was important, invaluable and REAL! He conveyed the knowledge in a friendly way, yet expressed it in a way that really makes you think and react. I've always enjoyed his point of view, and respected his skills. Though I've "studied" martial arts for 20+ years, he still brings refreshing newness to self-defense. You can only hear so much before it’s just not NEW or is a re-hash of something you've already heard. It’s not too common to get info that is that "real" and ANYONE of ANY skill can understand and use. Not to spread the butter too thick, but there are seminars I will go to, and some I wont go to (free or not)! He's definitely a person every person should attend a seminar, regardless if you’re into martial arts or self defense or just don't want to be a victim. THE REALNESS aspect of it all, speaks mountains, regardless if you’re a climber. Not to mention, it was just plain FUN. Good people always help a seminar or any kind of training, physical or mental, but you MUST have a good trainer or leader to inspire you to want to learn and utilize the information shared.

Thanks for everything Terry! And to Jay, thanks for hosting and inviting us into your house & yard!!
Jake

I loved the seminar that Terry put together. For myself, the discussion regarding the four types of violence was a fresh perspective that I will keep with me in all of my future training. The experiences and knowledge that Terry shared during this weekend only further solidify the material he covered. Discussing the mentality of an attacker serves as a reminder that all of the training we do can only serve us if we are ourselves mentally prepared to meet that psychological demand and the reality of the brutality that may occur. I have always enjoyed Terry's approach to defense, as it is very straightforward, simple, and real.

And hot pockets rule. ;)
Amberly

It became abundantly clear that Terry Trahan doesn’t teach martial arts so much as methods for survival. This seminar raised my awareness of legal implications of using force, helped me to prepare a useable defense out of my own instinctive flinch reflex, and deepened my understanding of how to generate more power into my movements. Terry’s teaching method is very practical.
Tony

I enjoyed the seminar very much, and feel I got a lot out of it. It definitely put into perspective how fast an assault can happen and how little time you have to react to it. I learned about the different types of assault and how to deal with them. Ultimately it taught me to be aware of my surroundings and what someone is doing. And of course I learned how to defend myself against a knife attack. All of the knowledge I walked away with from this seminar I think is very helpful, though hopefully I'll never have to use it.
Hannah

Rory Miller Seminar - Ambushes and Thugs

2010-03-25T12:58:00.006-06:00

Leave the Thumbs

The snow began in the late evening Friday. By Saturday morning at 4 a.m., there was about 5” on the ground, three of those a heavy slush on the road to plow through. In town, the roads were fair. Once I hit the highway south of town, I was in fading ruts and swerving across the lanes. I lost track of the times my plowing of snow caused me to slide at an angle down the road causing me the need to crank the wheel to maintain forward progress. My 45-minute drive took a little over an hour. Then it was Tony’s turn. Luckily he had the 4x4 and could go through the snow as opposed to pushing it. We were on the road to KC by 5:15 a.m. or so with a hope to be there by 9 a.m.. After an hour on the road, I could clearly see Tony’s knuckles breaking through. It was slow going, and we were a little late, but there.

The seminar was hosted by Eric Parsons and sponsored by YMAA Publishing and Eric and the YMAA representative were both gracious hosts.

When we walked into the gym, the group was already engaged in slow motion one-for-one exchanges to help with becoming more efficient. It was refreshing to see most people in street clothes, and the air was quite positive.

Rory Miller weaved in between people giving tips and recommendations. The principles of this exercise dealt with Movement, Pain, Damage and Shock. Slowing down and exploring options helps to see ways to gain efficiency in actions.

At one point, Rory added an unexpected element and had us cradle a focus mitt and pretend it was a one-month-old baby. That changed many people’s tactics.

After the slow motion exercises, Rory took center stage before a whiteboard and previewed his upcoming book with the work-in-progress title, “7.” The book is divided into seven distinct areas to consider when dealing with violence. These points an others were in a handout (which I got at the lunch break since we arrived late) highlighting what he wanted people to take home emphasizing this is not about martial arts or fighting, but about violence.

The first of the seven focuses on the ethical and legal aspects of any encounter. He stressed that our hobby deals with the creation of corpses and cripples. We must be prepared emotionally and morally to deal with that. These martial systems we practice predate the modern legal system in many ways. Rory encouraged all of us to be aware of state’s laws regarding self-defense.

The second category is understanding how and why violence happens. If you are unaware of what’s coming, it will most likely not have a pleasant outcome. He brought up the monkey dance, group monkey dance and predation all of which are detailed well in his current book.

Third was applying avoidance and the use of escape and evasion along with de-escalation. This follows what I have said for years; if you know of an area where bad things happen don’t be there. If you find yourself in a place like that, have a way to get out. If you do find yourself in a confrontation, do your best to de-escalate the situation. Talk calmly, rationally. If the bad guy wants your wallet, give it to him. You can replace the contents. You can’t bring back life.

Fourth is operant conditioning. As we don’t choose when and where bad things happen, we need to have a near-unconscious action to use when it does.

Next was dealing with the freeze. Rory emphasized the need to recognize it happening and to be able to tell yourself to do something and act on it. It may be a two-step process to break out of the freeze – do X, now do Y. No matter how much you practice something, the moment it happens you will most likely freeze. Rory had some good personal examples. He had gone through medical training for emergency situations but when it happened for real, his brain seized. He overcame it by telling himself to move and act. Then all the training kicked in.

The sixth subject he covered was the actual fight. Subcategories of this are you, the bad guy(s), the environment, and luck. All these factors come into play and should be considered along with dealing with the natural chemical cocktail flowing through your veins.

The final issue is the aftermath of any confrontation. You will need to accept what just happened (coming full circle to the ethical aspect in the first category) as well as legal issues. That natural chemical cocktail which rushed through your body can affect you more than you think. It is best to try and maintain your mental acuity as well as be ready for criminal or civil ramifications.

Rory’s next book will focus on these seven facets in much better detail than I am retelling it, so keep an eye out for that release.

In addition, Rory covered the OODA loop: Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. The biggest concept to take away from this is that when you begin your loop, the person engaging you is already acting. They have already been through the loop. Rory pointed out that the moment and the chemical cocktail can’t prevent you from making the next choice and to pay attention for that.

After this discussion, we did a little infighting drill from a clinch. This evolved into blindfolded drills with one person sightless. They had to feel and figure out what the next move by the opponent would be. Once again these were done in super slow motion to really tap into the movements.

Next Rory began a discussion about the use of force continuum. This was an informative talk regarding the levels of action one has based on the situation. The first is presence. This is you coming into a situation and letting others know you are there. This alone could diffuse the circumstance. The next step would be some sort of verbal acknowledgment like, “HEY! Knock it off!” Following this could be some sort of touch such as at the elbow of the person to get them to see you are there or to gently guide them away.

From there it develops into forms of physical control from locks to handcuffs.

You often have some amount of control through the beginning of the situation, but this is when it goes past what Rory referred to as the “4/5 split.” At this point, things go from a controllable situation to one lacking control which can lead to injury. Serious physical control is fighting to regain order and most likely involves fighting hand-to-hand. The final level is deadly control and has tools that will cause bodily harm with death as a distinct option.

Rory discussed the when’s and where’s to each of these levels in the use of force continuum and mentioned again looking up state laws.

This conversation led into a discussion on self-defense as an affirmative defense. In other words, putting the justification of its use in the hands of the one claiming it. This means it is on you to give justification why you performed a crime-like action to defend yourself. One will have to take into account witnesses, as well as the brain can make up some wacky things it thinks it recalls seeing and hearing. You will need to show the bad guy

· Had intent in doing harm to you or the person you were helping.

· Had the means to harm you, and

· Had opportunity to commit and act against you.

In some states you also have to show preclusion. This is when you need to show that you exhausted every other means to avoid the confrontation and/or used the amount of force necessary and not more.

Next Rory touched on the post encounter action. The instant you can flee, DO and get to a safe place. After arriving at that location, it is imperative to check yourself to make sure you are not injured. This may seem like an odd comment, but the adrenalin of the confrontation may not let you feel the injury just yet. Once you have determined your situation medically, call 911 and report a crime has been committed on you. Say as little as possible until you speak with an attorney. When the police arrive, do as they say and don’t let them have to make a quick decision. They will do their job – let them. They will most likely use tactical questioning to get you to talk, calmly request that you will speak with them as soon as you have spoken with an attorney. Remember, they are rolling up with little information and will most likely be having their own chemical cocktail coursing through their system.

After lunch, we looked closer into Operant Conditioning (OC). Rory asked us what our “Oh shit!” response is to something coming at our face. Two-thirds of the room put both their hands up, most of the rest dropped their chins and raised a shoulder. A few simply didn’t know. Those who didn’t know just picked an option to try.

The ones who threw their hands up were given a drill that had them do a move like a waiter-stance supported with the rear hand. They then used that to enter on the neck of the assailant.

Those who dropped the shoulder were shown an elbow spear entry with the off hand covering the midsection and under arm of the elbow spear arm.

Both groups were shown drop stepping that produced a lunge-like entry into the opponent.

We did this form-like to get the feel for it and followed that up with an opponent. Throughout the remainder of the afternoon, we added elements to the practice. The first was to have someone stand behind us and swing a stick at us doing the drill. This was to sharpen our action and trigger the OC. After this exercise, we moved into multiple assailants - two on either side, one in front. The final drill of the day was an attack from behind. All of these are good practice in developing OC. Rory encouraged all of us to pick our own version and work it.

After a water break and having the door to the media room unlocked, we watched a few videos showing various aspects of the day regarding the monkey dance, the OODA loop (particularly where it didn’t break), and violence.

Rory discussed the common mental makeup of predators and how they view the world and people differently. He mentioned two types: Resource Predators and Process Predators. The Resource Predator wants something and sees you as an animal or object who has what he wants. Rory’s analogy was you are the soup can holding his soup. The Process Predator enjoys what he does. Both forms of predation are usually without witnesses and can use either a blitz attack or charm to attack their prey.

We wrapped up the day with an after action report by everyone. It was a good mix between technique and understanding of the main topic of violence, as well as by knowing what to do doesn’t mean you will do it.

Overall, I found the day to be an excellent compendium to Rory’s book, Meditations on Violence, and highly recommend attending any of his seminars.

It's coming up!!

2010-02-25T11:22:00.001-06:00

Anonymous

2010-02-19T06:42:00.001-06:00

For some reason the number of anonymous comments have increased lately - mainly from spammers.
Therefore, no more anonymous comments will be approved.
Thank you for your understanding.

Busting the lower half

2010-02-07T20:07:00.000-06:00

Celing Silat - Boar Silat Seminar
Just wanted to take a second to let you know that if you are located in Central Florida that Guru Sean Stark will be doing a 2-3 hour seminar for five bucks!

The seminar will be on Silat leg destructions (Silat Celing) at:

Martial Arts World
6606 Old Winter Garden Rd
Orlando, FL 32835

(Corner of Hiawassee & Wntr. Grdn. Rd)

On February 21st. 5pm til we're done.

You should bring shin guards, eye protection and wear street clothes.

Here's a link to the write up: check it out

Sterling is looking for players

2010-01-07T09:18:00.005-06:00

Pencak Silat Pertempuran is a simply structured and easy to learn presentation of those principles, positions, and movements or mechanics that best exemplify the most common and useful aspects of Indonesian pencak silat. Those elements that are taught include: Evasions, Entries, Catches, Joint Locking, Takedowns, Destructions, Eradication, Ground fighting, Weapons, Spiritual and Cultural elements.

A Silat Pertempuran Study Group is available in Grand Rapids, MI at the Innovative Martial Arts Dojo. The group will meet every Tuesday from 6:30pm-7:30pm. This study group is for adults and is open to all levels of practitioners. Please visit the Innovative Martial Arts website for more information.

Upcoming Krav Maga Seminar

2010-01-04T09:20:00.002-06:00

Sat. Feb. 20th Krav Maga instructor Moshe Katz will be once again giving a seminar at West Side Fitness here in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Moshe is a highly sought after defensive tactics instructor from Israel and has taught law enforcement, military, and civilian seminars throughout the world. He is coming in directly from Israel to teach us authentic Krav Maga from the country it originated. Moshe is the only student ever to get a 4th degree black belt from Itay Gil (star of the Human Weapon - Krav Maga episode).

This training is beneficial for anyone (ages 16 - 60) who want to learn more about personal empowerment and self defense. All styles and experience levels welcome. Law enforcement and military personnel encouraged to participate.

What: Krav Maga Seminar w/Moshe Katz

Where: Westside Fitness
1618 Leonard NW
Grand Rapids, MI 40504

When: Sat. Feb. 20th
9am - 4pm

Cost: $70 paid in advance
$80 at door

Moshe seminars fill up quickly, so please remember pre-payment is the only way to reserve your spot and take advantage of the discount. Otherwise it is $80 at the door if we have any room left!

Make your checks for $70 out to Ronin Martial Arts and Send to:

Craig Gray
449 South Division
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Give me a shout if you have any questions and/or if you would like to pre-pay to save your spot.

Thanks,
~Craig Gray
Ronin Martial Arts Academy
616-901-9529

speaking of knives...

2009-12-13T12:15:00.003-06:00

I was asked to provide my thoughts on the Boker Plus Chad Los Banos (CLB) Karambit by my good friend, Terry.

Like other blades in the Boker Plus line, it is reasonably priced and well made. It has a nice heft that helps it feel like a lot of knife. The frame lock is thick and holds the blade well. The clip can be set into four positions and I settled on tip up carry to have the option to deploy the blade upon removal from my pocket and have it in a tip-down, edge-out position with my index finger in the retention ring.

The blade has a tanto style tip with a recurve toward the handle starting halfway along the edge. It is Chinese 440 stainless steel with a titanium black matte coating. The edge is what I would call “factory” and could use a sharpening. The handle is G-10. It also has a carabiner in the retention ring yet am not keen on the precise use for that as most users would most likely want different access to the tool.

Holding and using the blade does feel like an extension of my body and I never felt as if I had to lay it down to continue what I was doing.

As for calling it a karambit, I am a bit confused. Traditional design of a karambit has a more obtuse angle of blade to handle ranging from something like 45 degrees to up to 90 – think a mini sickle. This blade comes off feeling and looking more as a straight blade with a retention ring. The overall deployed shape has a pleasant curve to it. However, I am not saying the design is bad by any means. I have a blade that Chuck Pippin and I made which was inspired by the design of the karambit and has a retention ring, but I wouldn’t called it a karambit because of the retention ring.

The CLB Karambit has it’s pros and cons like all blades and I recommend at least holding it to see if it is one you could use as an Every Day Carry blade.

Journey of the Blade by Chuck Pippin

2009-12-07T12:23:00.026-06:00

I asked Chuck to write something about knife making since I had a good time doing it myself as recounted here Put Hammer to Steel.

*sharing what you know*

Here is his story:

I am sitting on my old office chair (turned shop stool) in front of my forge. The garage is dark, outside the limit of light generated by the flame. The weather has turned cold, but I don’t mind. The heat generated by the forge is more than enough to keep me comfortable. Its deep, droning, rumble is soothing to me.

*the forge*

Presently I’m prepping a blade for heat treating; a process called “normalizing”. After I’ve pounded, ground, filed and polished the blade into the shape I want, it leaves the steel pretty “stressed out.” Normalizing is a way to help it relax prior to heat treating and tempering.

The nice thing about this process is that it serves to “normalize” me as well. I find myself somewhat mesmerized watching the steel slowly heat to a deep red-orange color. I can almost see the molecules stretching and relaxing as I bring the blade up to a non-magnetic state, to then let it slowly cool.

*Keet - a custom design for Tina*

As I am doing this it occurs to me that this particular blade is part of a commissioned set. I think to myself “I have customers! How did I come to have customers?” My thoughts drift to how this began, and what an interesting and rewarding journey it has been so far.

I listen to the forge. I watch the steel. I remember the beginning…

In January of 2005, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. That weekend of discovery began with what we believed to be a strained back muscle. Alas, it was not the back. After a trip to the ER we thought perhaps it was a kidney stone. Two more visits to ER, with multiple CAT Scans, led to them finding not only a kidney stone, but also “something else” that they wanted to run tests on. What they found, was a tumor, 19cm x 8cm, wrapped around my heart. Further testing showed more tumors on my liver and a lymph node in my neck which was slowly choking off the carotid artery on the right side. I asked one of the doctors what Stage 5 was…he said there wasn’t one.

*Zemlyi - a commission for Jay*

A week later, I “woke up” in a drugged-induced stupor as a new resident of the Oncology ward at Blodgett Hospital.

Thus began a year of chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, and radiation, as well as, strangely enough, my knife making journey.

I’ve always loved blades: knives, swords, pretty much anything with a point or edge. As long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by them. My studies in martial arts have only deepened my interest. It amazes me how different cultural influences have created such a wide variety of shapes and sizes for this most basic tool.

Anyway…

The chemo really kicked my ass. Essentially, the treatment uses poison to try to kill what is already trying to kill me. Since Hodgkin’s is systemic, carried thru the blood, they were trying to kill the bone marrow. It was MISERABLE. I was tired and weak all the time, couldn’t eat, couldn’t drink enough to stay hydrated, couldn’t sleep, and was nauseous all the time.

TV and movies were a distraction for a while. However, you can only watch the same reruns so many times. Books worked sometimes as well, but weren’t interactive enough. I really needed something to distract myself with…

*Revenant - a commissioned blade, 09/09*

My good friend, George, is a “jack-of-all-trades” fellow. It turns out, he’s into knives too…as is his dad. They just happened to know several prominent Blacksmiths around the Michigan area. (Surprisingly, there is quite a presence in Michigan when it comes to blacksmiths…go figure.)

*Talon - a blade for Dan’s Black belt graduation*

One of their friends is a Master Smith who lives about 45 minutes away from Grand Rapids. A group of them hold “forging parties” a couple weekends a month, which George invited me to attend with him. Their forging party consists of a bunch of blacksmiths (of all levels) getting together and basically pounding on steel for the afternoon. They might be making Damascus, forging knife billets, or actually forging blades.

*Walang - made for MG Buzz Smith*

When we got there, I was introduced around then we settled back to watch. With its constant low frequency hum and steady glow, the gas forge was hypnotic. The smiths used power hammers, hydraulic presses, and hammer & anvil, all depending on their task. It was amazing to watch a piece of round stock tool steel flatten and move into a 15 inch bowie knife. I was also introduced to the process by which Damascus steel is made. I’d seen finished Damascus blades, but watching the multiple steel plates being forge welded and pounded into one piece was nothing short of incredible.

I was so enthralled with the process that I didn’t even realize how much time had passed. Six hours, and about a thousand questions, later it was time to go home. What was an amazing first day! (And I hadn’t even felt nauseous the entire day.)

*Dad-Pick - a father/son collaboration*

I went to a couple more forging parties with George. The group was so open with sharing knowledge. I decided that I wanted to try this. I asked how to get started and was told the best place for me to start would be with stock removal. The Master Smith (and I forget his name now) said “Chuck, everything comes back to stock removal at some point, no matter how well you forge it.” He gave me my first billet of high carbon steel...O-1.

In a nutshell, stock removal is essentially taking a billet of steel (a piece of flat stock, in this case) and removing steel thru the use of cutting, grinding, filing, and polishing to shape your blade. It’s very comparable to sculpting in this respect.

*my first blade - ever*

One of the most used tools in any knife shop is the belt grinder. This marvelous piece of equipment comes in numerous sizes, shapes, and configurations ranging in price from under $20 all the way up to a couple thousand dollars. George helped me find my first grinder, a little 1x30 model, for $18 at Harbor Freight. He also recommended that I get a book by Wayne Goddard entitled “The $50 Knife Shop”. I did, and it’s an excellent book! I highly recommend it if you’re thinking about trying your hand at knife making.

I also picked up some files, sandpaper, and soft firebricks. You can make a forge for small knives in about 10-15 minutes, and use a MAPP Gas cylinder and burner for a heat source. This set up works very well. (see “The $50 Knife Shop- One Brick Forge” - great stuff!)

I drew up some designs, chatted with George about how to start the process, and was off to start knife making. It was great!

*designing with Ian*

The look on my Oncologist’s face was priceless…Although he was less than thrilled with my new hobby. A side effect of chemo is a reduction in the body’s ability to clot and fight infection. Any little cut or scrape has the potential to bleed uncontrollably and get infected. Even bruises can be dangerous! (Shaving, fortunately, wasn’t an issue for me, as the hair loss is a very real side effect of chemo). His was a valid concern. I have yet to speak with a knife maker who hasn’t been “bitten” by his work at some point.

There’s something very “Zen” for me when it comes to knife making. I was able to forget, for a time, my nauseous-ness from the chemo, the general discomfort, etcetera and “lose” myself in the process of bringing a blade into being. It is incredibly rewarding for me to watch the change from stock material to functional art.

*focus*

I made numerous mistakes early on, and learned from them. I created a lot of extra work for myself as well…but that actually worked to my favor at the time. (more distractions…) I learned that if you polish the blade to a beautiful 1200 grit shiny finish before you heat treat, you do all that work over again after heat treat…so only take the finish to about 300 grit before. (Just as George said…twice)

I learned that pin holes need to be drilled pre heat treating if you don’t want to burn out drill bits. If you don’t, you’re going to be annealing (softening) the piece, and then heat treating again.

I also learned that the reflex to catch something falling is NOT your friend when it comes to working in a knife shop. Let it fall, especially if it’s hot steel, or something falling close to work piece that’s clamped in a vise. Do not, under any circumstance, reach past the vise to catch that damn screwdriver that rolled off the edge! Ummmm, yeah, where was I?

I did end up with a few trips to the med center for stitches. (Any of my friends who are reading this…feel free to keep quiet. Yes, I hear you laughing.) My incredibly tolerant wife, Jeanne, now just rolls her eyes when she sees me exit the shop holding a towel or cloth to an extremity. There is usually a deep, resigned, sigh followed with “I’ll get the keys…”

George was great as my first mentor. We went back out to more forging parties, where I continued to ask questions and learn. We also had a roommate who had some experience with blacksmithing. He was very helpful with my growth as a knife maker. I had many mentors. Basically, everyone who would show up to these blacksmith gatherings taught me something; they were all willing and ready to share their experience.

*Husk - A field blade I made for Sterling*

I learned a lot that year and survived cancer. I had also found a new hobby and skill that has become very dear to me.

A couple of years ago I reacquainted myself with a former student and friend I hadn’t seen in several years. Ian had gotten into knife making about the same time I had, but from a hammering standpoint. After catching up over coffee, we decided to try collaborating on some blades. It has proved to be a very good thing.

*my forging buddy, Ian, and myself*

Ian and I slowly built up a better workshop over the last couple years. I have learned much more about the forging/hammering side of knife making, and I like to think that I’ve shared some of my knowledge and experiences with him. Together, we have turned out some beautiful and practical blades.

*Escrimadora - for Mariah Moore*

Through Ian, I met Tim Carr, another Master Blacksmith, who has his shop in Muskegon; a very easy drive for me. Tim has also helped me continue my education in the blacksmithing arts. I also joined the Michigan Artistic Blacksmiths Association (MABA) and have met many other people who love this art as much as I have grown to. They have all been so giving of their knowledge and skill; it has been an amazing experience.

*Hybrid - a work in process*

I look back at the first blades I made in the beginning, and see how far I’ve come; each knife a little better than the last, each a piece of functional art. I think about some of the knives I’ve seen since meeting some of my mentors and realize that I am still just beginning to tap my potential.

*Hybrid - the work in process, completed*

…The blade I am working on has now completed its third normalizing cycle and I have heated it back up to a non-magnetic state. I let it soak for about a minute longer. It’s a beautiful orange color throughout the entire blade. I keep it moving to keep even heating.

*another commissioned blade- 09/09*

I withdraw the blade from the forge and plunge it into the preheated quench oil, edge first, trapping the carbon molecules and cooling the steel. As I wipe the oil off, I heat the oven to 400F for the tempering. Three cycles of heat soak/cold soak usually does the trick.

*TUF-a design collaboration with the Weasel, T2*

It’s late now. The blade is ready for the finish stonework. The forge is cooling and the shop temperature is dropping. It has been a good productive evening in the shop. I give it a quick sweeping, wipe down the workbench, turn out the lights, and go inside to my wife.

Life is good, and I am still here to enjoy the rest of my journey.

*Bowrung- a design for MBG*

*The Weasel - for my good friend, Terry.*

Biography Time!

2009-11-16T21:45:00.006-06:00

I decided from time to time I would put up something about one of the members of the group so you (the 20 or so readers) could see who is in KSMA and what makes us tick.
This time it is KSMA noob, Craig Gray.

Craig combines over 30 years of martial arts experience as instructor, competitor, and student with many real life situations to bring you a program that has a strong foundation, benefiting the beginning and advanced student alike. He treats people with respect and as individuals and is able to help each student bring out the best in themselves and their training.

Craig is a certified Krav Maga instructor with Israli Krav International (IKI) and one of only three instructors in the U.S. who can award rank in the system. Craig has the distinction of being the Official Personal Defense Subject Matter Expert for Frontlines of Freedom Military - Veteran Talk Radio Show and is an adjunct instructor teaching defensive tactics and warrior ethics at the Homeland Security and Protective Services academy within the Gerald R. Ford Job Corps in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Craig is also the head instructor for Her Survival Guide, which is an organization that teaches empowerment skills, risk management and conflict resolution skills to women across the United States.

Craig holds black belt status in various other styles and has been certified to instruct in numerous systems. He has practiced many different traditional and contemporary styles including Praying Mantis Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Tae-kwon-do, Karate, Jeet Kune Do, Kickboxing, Boxing, Submission Wrestling, Silat, Budo Tai Jitsu, Kali, numerious military and law enforcement tactical systems, Krav Maga and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

Over the years, Craig has trained all over the world with many different instructors including: his father Tom Gray, Master Yen Hoa Lee, Caique, Royce Gracie, Rorion Gracie, Rickson Gracie, Carlson Gracie Jr., Rob Masko, Bob Barss, Mark Good, Tae Park, Hae Man Park, Mushtaq Ali, Jack Hoban, Moshe Katz, Buzz Smith, Dan Inosanto, Larry Hartsell and Evan Pantazi to name a few. Some of these people he has studied with for years others only a few times but all have made an impact on him.

Some organizations that Craig has worked with: The Amway Corp., Hope Network, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Comstock Park Public Schools, Crestion Christian Schools, Spart Community Education, Walker Seniors Association, Alligan County Sheriffs Dept., YMCA, YWCA, Riverfront Fitness Center, Cascade Engineering, Girl Scouts of America and WestSide Fitness where Craig is now holding civilian classes. Craig is also currently teaching defensive tactics and warrior ethics at the Homeland Security and Protective Services academy within the Gerald R. Ford Job Corps in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Craig recently learned received the word that the 8 hour Krav Maga Self Defense for Law Enforcement program that he developed has been officially accepted, approved and certified by MCOLES (Michigan Commission of Law Enforcement Standards) for the State of Michigan Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers. Courses with this certification count toward the officers mandatory yearly MCOLES training in the State of Michigan.

Contact Craig via his webpage if you are interested in what he has to offer. Ronin Martial Arts

2009-11-02T16:16:00.000-06:00

How's this Steve?

2009-09-12T20:26:00.005-06:00

Since I have been studying the martial arts (which is not long really), I have discovered a way of learning that suits me.
I am sure there is some psychologist that could explain why I like it, but that would seem much like Whitman getting disgusted at astronomers.
For me, I learn and retain best when I let go and let it be. I try not to let previous experience influence what I am being shown, but we all run things through the filters of experience. I do respect the person sharing that knowledge and do not blurt out, “Oh, that’s from X-Brand.”
I would have to say this comes from my initial way of learning in an art that was a bit of this and a bit of that. I have a strong foundation and am able to adjust on the fly to the variety and I believe I can do this because I am not trying to fit the square peg in the round hole, so to speak.
I am also influenced heavily by those I have trained with and still do. We are an eclectic bunch. The annual Gathering of the Tribes in Grand Rapids, MI, is a tossed salad of arts and yet there is an underlying theme through them all. We recognize the commonalities and explore the differences to better ourselves and those we train with when back at home.
Lately, a few people have posted a lot more of what they are doing back home and I am enjoying seeing the common threads in approach and mentality behind the moves.
Amo Guro Michael D. Blackgrave has posted a few videos and I really appreciate his intent and hope he can make it to the next gathering.
The Emperor of Mars has posted a lot of information over the years and I defy you not to learn something from them.
Guru Sean Stark has recently started to post a lot more online as well. If you study PSP, then you should gain some insights into the way the system comes together.
Even Steve Perry has opened a few eyes regarding proper ways to hold edged weapons.
I also feel that one’s personality helps to determine the best way for them to learn. This goes back to the way I learn insomuch as I prefer an organic, open, and fluid approach with a dash of humor thrown in for taste. I am sure there are those who would say this approach may lack the minutiae of an art and that certainly may be true. However, if someone showing me their art says my hand is a centimeter off from their ideal, they are seeking something other than my understanding of their knowledge and I tend to get turned off. Call it an authority complex or rampant individualism if you wish.
In the end, I want to feel good about myself. As my friend Terry says, “I don’t give a FUCK what I have to do, I am going home tonight.”

What. The....

2009-07-06T14:23:00.000-06:00

words fail me

write your legislator

2009-06-12T18:00:00.002-06:00

They are trying to take away Terry's job

Terry Trahan Interview

2009-06-08T05:52:00.002-06:00

Hey Gang -

Go here Terry wax philosphic in an interview he gave to Sterling at the last Gathering.

2009-06-04T08:38:00.002-06:00

Rest In Peace

Gathering of the Tribes, May, 2009

2009-06-01T19:15:00.016-06:00

by Chuck Pippin, Innovative Martial Arts

Well, it’s happened again. The annual Gathering of the Tribes has come and gone…leaving many smiles and fond memories in its wake.

I would like to take a moment to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended and made this remarkable event a success…the behind the scenes as well as on the mats.

Thank you!

The Gathering was started in 2001 with the intention of bringing like minded people together for the purpose of building community and sharing knowledge in an atmosphere free from ego and politics. It’s just completed its ninth year and I’m already looking forward to the big “One-Oh”.

For myself, I love the opportunity to get together with friends and family I only see a couple times throughout the year and catch up on events, forge new friendships, and build existing ones even stronger.

This year was no different…in fact; it was the best one yet. Many new faces were seen at this Gathering and welcomed to the family. I am in constant amazement at the high quality of persons that we interact with. Great training, good food, and excellent conversation were in abundance over the holiday weekend.

We had excellent weather, and in spite of the Michigan State Bird’s (the mosquito) attempts, we managed not to have anyone carried away this year. (There were a few close calls…but that’s for another day…)

One of our core members was missing this year due to a back injury. Bobbe, we missed you, but trust you realize that though you weren’t here…you were most definitely NOT forgotten. Indeed it felt like you were lurking around every corner…

Since some of our Core Peers at the Gathering always do such excellent reviews of the weekend, I wanted to share some of the thoughts, insights, and observations from some people we don’t normally hear from. Most of them are from the Michigan or Innovative Martial Arts arm of the Tribe Family…a few newcomers from other tribal families…

Amberly “Pixy” Fletcher (I.M.A.) :
Five things I learned at the Gathering:
1. Don has a great angry face.
2. Chuck can scream like a girl, given the proper motivation.
3. Most, if not all, instructors that attended/taught are more than slightly crazy.
4. Mosquitoes suck, and Chuck is farming them in his back yard.
5. I had a great time.

In addition to my list, it was a great experience. Everyone who attended was warm and welcoming, even when the beatings commenced. As I have a limited exposure to martial arts and this was my first time, the Gathering gave me the opportunity to meet, work with, and learn from a dynamic group of people with a wide variety of experience. The atmosphere was relaxed and fun, but also supportive and focused on giving each attendee the skills they needed to learn. The willingness of each person to help those with less experience was a significant point for me, as I am a beginner. Each of my training partners took the time needed to help me learn a new skill or move before we progressed into sparring, with no condescension, but positive and supportive critiques. Overall, I would recommend this, and any other seminar hosted at IMA, to any martial arts student from beginner to instructor, as each individual will learn and grow, and go home sore. :)

Tina “Keet” Gray (DM, Iowa, KSMA Branch)
When you walk into a gathering of people and feel only warmth, acceptance, passion, energy and love, you know you have discovered an amazing event. I met so many super cool people at The Gathering. I learned some very cool techniques. The openness and willingness of the instructors to share life experiences and knowledge with the group was endearing and greatly appreciated. I’m honored to have been accepted into this very special family.

The atmosphere was probably the biggest thing I took away... I haven't felt that carefree, light, happy, loved, cared for, worry-free all at the same time. The energy and positive atmosphere just floored me.

Mike “Swan Dive” Parrent (Northern Michigan Martial Arts, Alpena MI)
Memorial Day weekend is usually composed of working and more working for me, but this year was quite different. I was able to enjoy something that few people get a chance to; The Gathering of The Tribes.

This being my second time attending I had high expectations for the custom blend of martial arts seminars that I would be attending through out the weekend, and I must say that all of the high hopes I had for the weekend were blown far out of the water. The vast wealth of knowledge that was passed around in those 72 hours was unsurpassable by anything that I have ever experienced. Each seminar built off of the last, further grinding each lesson in to my mind and leaving me with a sense of really understanding everything I learned. I was even able to gather a small insight into the world of blade-smithing as I worked on my own hand made knife.

Many people who I hold in high regard attended this year, and many more that I have never met, and now consider family, made the whole experience unforgettable. If you are ever given the chance to attend the Gathering, do it. Whether you practice martial arts or not, it’s an opportunity to train side by side with masters of various martial arts presented there, learning new techniques and blending them in with your own abilities and ideas, being able to bounce ideas off of your peers in ways that you normally don’t at the dojo each week.

Most of all I walked away with some great memories and pictures (as in a leap of faith that ended in a face plant onto the crash pads in chucks dojo, or the balloon animal discussion), as well as some amazing friends.

Will “Buddha” Weatherby (all around)
The 2009 Gathering of the Tribes was the smoothest of The Gatherings
to date (at least of the 7 I've attended now). I was pleasantly
surprised at how well most of the new people were able to blend in
with the usual suspects. I really enjoyed getting together and playing
with many old friends and had a good time working out with some new
folks as well. I became aware of just much our little tribe has become
a knife culture when half of the instructors had to adjust on the fly
to offer something that wasn't another knife workshop...

At lunch with Craig Gray yesterday we were discussing the Gathering
and other events and came to the conclusion that most of the crowd is
already pretty solid in their ability to fight and that what keeps
most of us coming back is the enjoyment of the continued pursuit and
more importantly the community and personal development. Chuck and I
decided that a martial arts seminar is a great excuse for an adult
sleep-over.

The community around The Gathering continues to amaze me.
As far as I'm aware this is a very unique event and collective. We are
all to blame for this, but I want to especially thank Chuck and Jeanne
for continuing to host this circus. I also want to thank all of the
instructors and my training partners for sharing what they have and
for giving credit to the appropriate sources as we went along. Much
respect due to the long-range travelers (California, Oklahoma, Iowa,
Kentucky) without whom this would lose a lot.

See ya next year, much love.

Geoffrey “Lost Turtle” Bossman (Lexington, Kentucky)
This was my Gatheringwith this group. Indeed, I knew these folks only through their collective web presence. Any apprehension that would normally occur when heading into the home turf of a bunch of strangers was assuaged by my correspondence with the primary host, Chuck Pippin. I was confident that I was going to be training with like-minded brothers and sisters. The experience exceeded my wildest expectations.

I had signed up for the combat sessions as well as the blade-making class. All instruction was very well thought out and executed without feeling regimented. The atmosphere was so relaxed, in fact, that I never felt uncomfortable, pressed for time or out of place. This, believe it or not, is no small feat. The balance of top notch instruction with a welcoming, accepting and ego-free dynamic is one seldom realized. The Gathering of the Tribes accomplished this effortlessly and with a competence rarely seen.

The combat instruction included San Yun Do answers to bladed attacks from Chuck Pippin and Don Young, the Sword and Shield applications of Maharlika Kuntaw from the incomparable Brian "Buzz" Smith, Pencak Silat Pertempuran Ales material brought to us by Sterling Heibeck, Nick Gutschow Silat Sherif groundwork movement reminiscent of Harimau, Krav Maga from Craig Gray and Kapatiran Suntukan Martial Arts (KSMA) material (Nick Stick) from the man himself, Jay Carstensen, Terry Trahan brought WeaselCraft to the group with an impressive display of skill and no B.S. self defense. Mel Hebert brought some of his personal flavor of Rossi Kuntao to the group, energizing everyone and facilitating some light entertainment in the form of flying bodies. The instruction was of world class caliber and I was blown away by the dynamic fostered by all who participated.

The bladesmithing class was amazing! Although Mel and I started with forged blanks, there was plenty of work to do to turn them into blades. The instruction was thorough and incredibly enjoyable, taking some of the drudgery out of the process. I'm hooked! Chuck's instruction and guidance was impeccable and detailed. Ian Robbin's depth of knowledge and understanding with regards to the smithing process was a wonder to observe and a pleasure to learn from. The experience has crystallized my intent to start making knives.

The bladesmithing experience segues nicely into the most extraordinary aspect of the Gathering: The generosity and hospitality. Handle woods, tools, machine time, steel and even Chuck and Ian's time can be claimed to have been paid for by the nominal fee. But, the bladesmithing class and the time put in by the teachers was invaluable and more than exceeded what we paid.

The most amazing example of generosity was the lodging, food and acceptance that was offered to all. Chuck and his wife, Jeanne, took in a complete stranger and treated him as though he were royalty. I pulled into Chuck's driveway and was greeted like an old friend. Perhaps I've gone soft in my stable, comfortable old age, but I've never felt so welcome and accepted in my entire life. Jeanne was amazing! She was the rock upon which this whole shindig was built. She kept us well fed and happy and opened up her home to the rabble that are the warriors that descended upon it.

Overall, the Gathering of the Tribes 2009 was an experience of a lifetime. I feel like I left there with an entirely new set of brothers and sisters for life. Thank you to all who made that weekend one that I will always recall with fondness.
Geoff's Blog

Mel “Disneyland” Hebert (Rossi Kuntao, California)
Upon arriving on Thursday Chuck Pippin picked me up at the airport. He had a warm greeting of welcome. I immediately felt a sense of acceptance.

Being the newby at The Gathering I didn't know what to expect. Chuck had me jump in on his Thursday night class and show my view on techniques that he was showing to his students. I was already impressed what he and Don were showing, as he said - add your flavor to it. So I did. This started what The Gathering was all about.

Just having the opportunity to meet most everyone on Friday kept a grin on my face that I couldn't wipe off. If everyone was ever wondering why I said that this was "Disneyland" - It's a simple explanation. There are so many rides at The "Disneyland" Gathering. No 2 rides are alike. But with combat being the main focus, all the rides ended the same way. YOU WALKED AWAY! I was hooked.

I was incredibly impressed with the quality of instruction at "The Gathering". Even after over 40 years of martial arts the approach to what each instructor was showing made me a kid in a candy store all over again.

There was King Buzz Treachery and Terry (the realist) Trahan. Just to name 2. As I get to know the rest of you, there will be other nicknames I will come up with. Nicknames that command my utmost respect.

Any egos were checked at the door. Everyone had confidence without attitude. Superior training and effectiveness rained supreme.

As long as you will have me - I will attend. Thank you for this opportunity.
Mel HeBert

Nick “Gumby” Gutschow (Innovative Martial Arts, Silat Sharif)
It was a great experience to participate in the Gathering as both a student and an instructor. The opportunity to train with so many creative, insightful, and dedicated warriors and martial artists in an environment free of egoism and focused on the mutual exchange of ideas was truly valuable and memorable. In the coming years I will do my best to make as many future Gatherings as possible.

Of particular note to me, the similarity in outlook and mindset of everyone teaching and in attendance proved to be a rare treat. So often in the martial arts, particularly in North America and other parts of the western world, it is difficult to find practitioners who are highly focused on real world defense scenarios where lives can be on the line. In this case however, much to the contrary, nearly everyone was either already in that mindset or seemed very pleased and willing to consider things from that angle. The result was 14 hours of training over 2 days full of practical approaches to common problems. If someone attended only this one Gathering and trained in only the principles here discussed, their chances of surviving a real world conflict would increase ten fold over an average Joe on the street. There are not too many seminars of which that can truly be said.

Craig Gray (Ronin Martial Arts, Grand Rapids, MI)
Another great year at the Gathering! I enjoyed reconnecting with friends and meeting new faces. The training was superb as usual! I love experiencing all of the different perspectives and styles of the people who came out. It is cool that the various instructors are so open to share what they know not only during their respective sessions, but also in impromptu' training where someone pulls them aside to ask questions. Everyone's willingness to teach and learn is second only to the openness and friendliness found here. I really appreciate Chuck taking the time and effort to put this all together for everyone to learn and enjoy! It is great training, food and friends minus the usual ego that seminars like this often have... and it is so economical!! A weekend like this would usually easily cost four times this anywhere else!

I have to mention that I did miss seeing Bobbe and Cody this year. Although the two dimensional Bobbe was very active and kept everyone laughing the whole weekend! It was almost like Bobbe was really there... and in a way he was! I hope the three dimensional versions of both of you two can make it out next year.

On another note, I would like to extend my gratitude for the honor of being asked to instruct one of the sessions this year. I have never experienced a group of people (many of whom were instructors) who have been so open to new material, enthusiastic and caught on so well. All of the questions and feed back were inspirational! Thank you!

Finally, I would like to thank Chuck and Jay for inducting me as a member of KSMA. I was getting ready to leave when they cornered me. As they first approached me they had that strange look in their eye, a look even stranger than their usual one, if you can believe that! A little on edge after reading The Gift of Fear I was ready to make a run for it figuring they were going to assault me and steal my wallet and gear or do other unmentionable things you only hear about in Turkish prisons, but instead they presented me with a KSMA membership certificate!

All joking aside it is an honor to be a part of such an organization.

All the best to all of you!

Keep going,
Craig Gray
Ronin Martial Arts

Jake “Rebo Poots” (DM, Iowa, KSMA Branch)
The weekend of the gathering was an AMAZING experience. Chalked full of great people with great attitudes sharing great knowledge with great responsibility! I didn't know what to expect going into this, but was overwhelmingly and pleasantly surprised at the amount of sheer awesomeness exuding from everyone.

No words or sign-language could express how I felt about the weekend, but I feel very lucky to have been able to share in the experiences with everyone. A vacation I won’t soon, if ever, forget. I really can’t wait for next year’s gathering. I want to thank everyone involved! ESPECIALLY Chuck & Jeanne for allowing us in their home and dojo!

THANKS and MAN HUGS for everyone!

2009 Gathering of the Tribes

2009-05-27T19:14:00.069-06:00

Consistency. If there is one word that can describe the annual Gathering of the Tribes in Grand Rapids, Michigan, it is consistency. For a few years now, the coming together of old friends and new has consistently buoyed spirits, expanded and created new friendships, and broadened the base of knowledge of all the participants.
Throughout the weekend, everyone I talked with consistently stated their awe at the caliber of people that come to the 10-acre mosquito farm every year. It’s a bumper crop this year.

The anticipation was very high this year and started months prior to any one showing. It was a great mix of new and old.

Friday was the meet and greet and a terrific meal at Roisin Dubh. It is always a good time hanging with friends, eating and drinking and sharing stories from the last time we saw each other. This is truly a community.

Noobs Table

The Main Event

Part of any recurring event is an of expectation of regularity. One aspect of the Gathering is Jeanne’s pancakes on Saturday mornings. It is a good energy boost as well as another opportunity to share food with friends. Deb helped with the eggs and I hear they were tasty! Then we try and make breakfast retrace its route.

Our hosts Chuck and Don started things rolling with some San Yun Do tactics. First we were instructed to get our junk out of the way of an incoming attack. This progressed to evading and then entering to a takedown. It was a good warm up for the weekend's activities and there was plenty of sweat with a good amount of pushing and shoving.

I showed a drill and application I had been working on which is a modified sumbrada drill from kali which led into empty hand application.

Brian 'Buzz' Smith went over Bugtongan of Maharlika Kuntaw and applied that with a little treachery with empty hand application. Good fun! Buzz has such a great teaching style - it is always a pleasure.

As with many of the Gatherings past, there was some extracurricular activity happening.

After lunch, Terry Trahan showed us how to remove a contact lens from the opponent with a wallet. By bulldogging the opponent, one helps to prevent further strikes through overwhelming them. This is an essential aspect to Weasel Craft which Terry has honed over the years.

Sterling Heibeck went over the Ales of PSP with a various masukan beginning with power ales. These are yoga-esque and focus on the stretch while still maintaining the basics of the evasion. He was assisted by Dan Williams to go over the application of the movements. For a beginner to the movements, it can be a little odd but with practice, they do become more fluid.

Precious Declarations

Before we called it a day, we had some orders of business to take care of. The brotherhood expanded by three this year with the inclusion of Don Young, Carl Ross and Terry Trahan. All three represent the group's ideals in their unique ways. We decided to bring them up a little. Congratulations fellers!

The 2009 Crew

Those participating in the knife making were doing their thing on and off throughout the day. I really recommend that experience. Chuck and Ian enjoy sharing it and you walk away with a top-notch blade. Sign up now for a slot for next year.

Saturday Potluck

Hanging out is one of the things we really look forward to. This event is so similar to a family reunion without all the strife associated with relatives! We had a lot of good laughs and discussions. Many of us saw the wee hours. The traditional Chicken Satay with peanut sauce was whipped up (props to Steve Tobias for manning the grill and Jeanne for the sauce!) Other fare included beans, fruit salad and brownies that I recall. It was a long night of floating in and out of conversations around the house.

Chez Screened Porch

This is one shot, right?

Chatting with Bobbe

The Day After the Night Before

Sunday was dedicated to new instructors and started off with Craig Gray from Ronin Martial Arts going over some Krav Maga emphasizing Clear, Control and Conquer which was received very well because of the simple effective movements. I enjoyed this a lot.

The Canadian Prime Minister stops by

Nick Gutschow shared some of the silat formally known as Mubai and now as Pencak Silat Sharaf. This was a good harimau exercise for those whose knees could take it. Nick emphasized the ability to get up with out using one's hands and I have to concur that is a good thing to practice.

And all the way from the Golden State, Mel Hebert showed us some of his stuff. There was some cool blocks and takedowns and it was a good way to wrap up a full weekend. Mel's enthusiasm was great for going last on Sunday and I think we all picked up a little of that and took it home with us.

Ian takes the motto seriously

Carl reacts to Ian

Sunday evening was a supplemental feast of Ribs and burgers. It was another night filled with laughter and great company.

Grillmaster Tina

Standard Shenanigans

For those who stuck around on Monday we laid very low with the occasional burst of energy. It was great to just hang out with the stragglers and laze the day away. I was talked into making a few pizzas however and treated everyone to my style of pizza as well as a Turkish recipe I am working on. It's getting there. The old fashion pepperoni was tasty too. We also ate the sack yogurt on some sourdough and that is so darn good!

I had missed out in the past...

Attitude

2009-05-14T08:20:00.003-06:00

One of the things we in KSMA have always strived to convey is a fighting spirit. It is the attitude and the flexibility to use whatever is at hand to get home safely. Steve Perry had this link on his blog and it is well worth the read.
Please comment as I would be interested in what you get from it.
Jay

KSMA Expansion

2009-03-25T13:13:00.001-06:00

Cologino Milani:
12:14 PM
8lb 4 oz
19 ¾”
Very healthy!

Congratulations Tony and Jen!

O Bobbe, Where art thou?

2009-03-15T17:09:00.041-06:00

Those of you who read this space on the net know that Bobbe has been down for the count for a few months now. We were supposed to have him visit this past weekend, but alas.
So we muddled through and went to McDonald's...

Actually, the Michiganders rolled into town about 3 on Friday afternoon and we all started to gather at my place for the meet-n-beat. It was good to hang with everyone and shoot the breeze. Chuck unrolled his towel filled with knives. Why a towel? You have to ask?

The locals started to filter in around six and I started making pizzas with Tina's assistance about that time as well and we patted and peeled 7 pies for the crew. Tina did most of the patting as I was attacked by the Green Pepper Brigands and suffered a nick to my left index finger which required immediate assistance and hobbled me in the kitchen. Those green peppers were tasty!

yeah - that sucked

Friends don't let friends taste test at the liquor store

Product

Then we let the libations lead the way and just chilled the rest of the evening. It was good.

Saturday morning we enjoyed french (freedom) toast and the energy was very good for the group.
I led the first aspect of the day with something I am going to show at the Gathering in Grand Rapids this year so Chuck and his minions can get familiar with it. It has a lot of potential for everyone from beginner to those well beyond me.

I'll take "The Pen Is Mightier for $500, Alex"

Too much fun!

'Fore we knew it, it was lunch time. If you like Mexican food, then it's El Aguila Real you want.

After lunch, Sterling showed us some Center Axis Relock material. WE used airsoft guns and a box with garbage bag over it to represent center mass. This was a good experience and everyone enjoyed it very much.

Good Times

Next up was Dan and at my request we did some Wing Chun. I have missed that aspect of my past and it was very fun to explore those pathways again. We focused on sensitivity with bridging and the options available depending on the situation presented.

Somewhere in there we touched on some aspects of that thing Bobbe does and worked switches with hubud. That was a lot of fun and everyone really dug that. We all want Bobbe to be better so he can show us the errors of our ways!

We wanted to keep going and my old friend Amy showed up, so Sterling jumped back in and we did some PSP. We focused primarily on the Ales (evasions) of the system. That was good to review.

The afternoon wrapped up by reviewing some of the highlights of the day. This was really good. If someone had something they wanted to go over again, then we did. That most certainly helps in taking it home.

Har-Har

Big Monkey Plucks...

The evening was rounded out with a trip to what is becoming the de facto KSMA haunt, The Royal Mile. This is a great pub in the Des Moines area and the food is pretty darn tasty too! If you come to town, I will take you here.

Oi! Tossers!

BANGER

We used to just call 'im, Cap'n

Thinking of Bobbe

You can't look evil, we know you

In these hard times, Tony is starting a mining operation

After the Mile, we headed back to the pad to hang and have some fun.

We did a little more CAR stuff for a few people that were not around for the daytime activities.

Vocals, Keys and Firearms

Sunday was pretty much breakfast for the Michiganders and then some conversation and review of some of the stuff from the day before. We did an After Action Report for about an hour and then had to say our goodbyes until May.
Someone mentioned the Karate Kid and I turned everyone on to

Bust out the smear

This was a great primer for The Gathering of the Tribes over Memorial Day Weekend.

Spring Gathering - 2009

2009-03-05T17:30:00.005-06:00

The Annual Spring Gathering of the Tribes is just around the corner. This has become one of the highlights of my year, and I always look forward to the chance to renew friendships as well forge new ones. This is an excellent opportunity for us to share our training experiences in an open forum free from politics and pressure…trade ideas, support each other…and build a stronger tribe.

Here are the particulars for anyone interested:

Dates: Friday – Monday, May 22 -25th

Friday: arrivals/meet/greet informal clinics
Saturday: workshops 9am -5pm (feast/bonfire to follow…potluck style)
Sunday: Workshops 10am – 4/5pm
Monday: Wrap up.
(There are always side clinics ongoing throughout the weekend.)

Cost: $75/person for the entire weekend. That includes staying with us if you want to…most people end up sleeping at our place. Either in the house proper or in the padded Training hall right on the property. Breakfast and coffee are usually served around 8am. (not necessarily in that order…) There are shower facilities as well as laundry facilities on premises. We just need to know ahead of time how many to expect.

Contact Info:
Chuck Pippin or 616-364-0019
Jay Carstensen
More Information is available at Innovative Martial Arts

This year we’re adding a new workshop as a trial…a blade-making class. You’ll get to make your own custom knife. It’ll be done in stages and will cost $75. We have 1 spot left open. Last year we did an impromptu class with Guru Jay Carstensen and Maha Guru Buzz Smith. Their blades turned out great! J

This year, as always, we’ll have world class instructors sharing their arts and combative concepts with the whole group. I will update everyone on the workshops as I get more information.

If this is something that interests you, please contact myself or Jay Carstensen as soon as possible. Our space is limited…and tends to fill up quickly! I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again soon!

limited capacity

2009-02-12T20:40:00.001-06:00

Bobbe is posting again while able so plop on over:
http://currythief.blogspot.com/

Endurance shouldn't mean this

2009-02-11T07:55:00.000-06:00

hey all

I wanted to ask you all to send some positive mojo Bobbe's way today. He had a really rough day yesterday. He went in for the pre-op and ended up getting the surgery cancelled. Someone had decided that they should do a "steroid and PT" treatment instead. He was completely heart broken. He called me immediately after he got home, extremely upset.
He's going back today to try to speak with someone about getting it rescheduled again ASAP. We spoke about things to do and NOT to do. I think he has a really good argument for getting it done. (not being able to work, feed his family, live, etc…and not having another 3 months to TRY something else that hasn't worked so far…) I told him he should be sincere with out being combative…and that he needed them to be able to see it from his perspective…"so, help them to do that…verbally."
So, please keep him in your thoughts today...he's completely frazzled and worn out from the pain, and is trying not to loose hope.
I'll keep you all updated as I find out more.
He told me last night that he didn't know if he'd have made it this far without everyone's support. It means the world to him.

Chuck

PS: please forward this onto whoever I missed...I know the circle goes beyond people I know...

If you didn't read it elsewhere

2009-02-06T20:51:00.003-06:00

Bobbe has surgery scheduled for next Friday.
Bust out your favorite beverage and raise a toast to excellent outcomes and send lots of positive thoughts to the Seattle area on the 13th.

2009-01-24T07:48:00.003-06:00

Mushtaq clued me onto this one by Scott Sonnon .

20 Quick Lessons to No-BS Self-Protection

As one who lived within violence and terror from childhood due to a special array of circumstances including physical and mental childhood disabilities, I dedicated my life to becoming “invisible.” Fighting back never worked for me as it only exacerbated the problem, leading to a worse ambush later. I didn’t want to fight. I wanted to be left alone, unmolested and unharmed.

When it comes to preparing yourself to deal with a violent attack, I advocate a doctrine of “unconditional survival.” Due to the inherent educational flaws in the American “martial art” approach, I assembled this desideratum to fill the gap between the technique-oriented training most Americans undergo in the dojo and the reality of the violent personal attacks.

If you intend to take a self-defense or martial arts course, none of what you read should be interpreted as an admonition to abandon that supplementary education. In the contrary, my list will help you make what you already know more accessible and effective should you ever find yourself in a suddenly violent situation.

In any physical conflict, your goal is unconditional survival. It is not to kill an assailant, nor to maim, injure or hurt him, for those are merely byproducts of pursuing your objective, which is freedom from harm - physical, mental and emotional. You must always hold true to your goal: to survive unconditionally, without question, at any cost. That does not include fighting; it does include appropriate application of fighting skill at the decisive moment.
If you do not need to employ your physical skills or defense tools (like mace, a knife or a gun) or if you need to refrain from using them, they should remain invisible. Since the goal of an assailant is to remove opportunities for you to defend yourself, only if you are attacked should you allow others to be aware of your ability or options.
By themselves, prearranged martial arts techniques are insufficient for self-protection. Unconditional survival demands extensive skill and preparation ranging from non-verbal communication to lethal force. Basically, if your only tool is a hammer, everything you see will be a nail (which means you’ll stimulate more conflict, not less.) If you understand only fighting skill, then when conflict arises you will fight, even if the situation could have been solved by other means. To become truly invisible to violence, you must have a spectrum of tools to defuse aggression.
Symmetrical training, like sparring, cannot be relied upon. Too many martial arts instructors teach you how to use your skills only against practitioners of the same style. More importantly, when you’re attacked it’s never with mutual consent; no bowing, squaring off, mental preparation for the bell, and gentlemanly rules. An ambush (being asymmetrical) has little to no resemblance to a sparring match. You should find “role model” scenario-based training to supplement any martial art training you choose to do.
Training should not involve any preconceived ideas about saving face or fighting fair. Survival is not about style, but about the reality of evasion and escape. Lie, cheat, wreak whatever chicanery necessary. Do everything possible to protect yourself and extract yourself from harm’s way. Even the courts indemnify you from this in your right to self-preservation. Withdraw when you can. It may be your most successful tactic and can save your life. In a fight, you will be lucky to leave unscathed, so if you can avoid the fight, do so at all costs. Violence avoided is a fight won.
The key to survival does not lie in memorizing a couple quotes from Eastern philosophy, slapping a few flashy kicks and submission holds together, and starting a new style. The key to survival involves uncovering your own self-worth and truly believing that you have a valuable contribution to the world which deserves protecting.
You must be prepared, both psychologically and physiologically, for the attack. Your awareness must be such that you have the ability to function under the intense strain of personal violence even though it will enable you to defuse or avoid 90 percent of all volatile situations. Your would-be assailant interviews you as a potential “safe” victim for him to attack; and you want your awareness to be sufficiently prepared so that you FAIL this interview!
If you fail to recognize the attack developing and are startled by it, you will not have access to your skills. If you allow your awareness to lapse and fade, you will become a victim of your own overconfidence. Violence starts much earlier than the physical manifestation of the attack. You must have complete training for detecting the pre-attack indicators so that you can avoid, prevent or distract violence before it unfolds. That can mean feigning submission and acquiescing to the demands of the assailant. Give up your wallet or purse; its contents do not equal your life or the life of a loved one.
Don’t spend all your training time in the dojo. Miyamoto Musashi, one of the greatest warrior-philosophers, stated in his Book of Five Rings: … “If you learn indoor techniques, you will think narrowly and forget the true way. Thus you will have difficulty in actual encounters.” True martial art begins when you leave your class, not when you enter it.
Martial sports are about technical skill, steadfastness, endurance, doggedness, durability and resilience. They have nothing to do with personal violence because they do not take place outdoors, in the dirt, in the rain, in the snow, on the concrete or in ambush simulations. Competing in combat sports can supplement your ability to defend yourself, but cannot replace it.
Most people have never fallen on anything harder than a mat. They have never kicked with their shoes on or punched a real person. They have probably not tried to battle from inside a vehicle, from within a crowd of civilians or in the company of untrained loved ones. Don’t fall victim to those pitfalls.
To prepare for an event, you must simulate it as closely as possible. Performance is in direct proportion to preparation. Moreover, the worst performance you have in training is the best you can hope for in combat. To increase your chance of survival, you must engage in overload practice. Your training simulations must be more difficult than the potential assault.
Merely because something is old does not mean it is valuable today. Ancient training methods are an excellent way of learning how people fought and trained in ancient times. Back then, people trained in unarmed fighting because oppressive rulers restricted weapons possession. Some ancient fighting methods are no longer effective because the 21st century has brought a new kind of threat. The assailant which confronts you is a new breed of felon more terrorist than criminal who feeds on the emotional trauma he inflicts.
Because of the weapons and methods used by modern criminals, you can no longer permit yourself the luxury of training only with your empty hands. You ought to adopt an integrated system that spans the continuum of defensive preparation, from non-verbal communication to interpersonal skill to less-than-lethal measures (like mace) to lethal force (included edged weapons and firearms.)
Its time to fight when the situation is no longer acceptable to you. Rarely do you have to fight. Rarely do you encounter a situation that is truly unacceptable. The obstacle is not that you fail to choose to fight, for it is not a choice but a fact that when something is unacceptable to you, you will act upon it in some form. The failure comes in realizing too late, and then you are playing “catch-up” with your very life, when you are surprised or not properly prepared with a flexible and comprehensive self-protection doctrine, you are not given the opportunity to enter the fight. If so, your actions may be inappropriate or insufficient. Anyone can successfully negotiate personal violence as long as he is given the ability to act appropriately.
What gives you the ability to survive is training within a doctrine that permits you to identify and assess a threat prior to the fight, one that derails psychological and physiological factors that inhibit your entrance into the fight, one that affords you access to your fighting skill should physical violence break out, and one that provides post-combat knowledge to address legal, medical and social concerns.
Your capacity for calmly recognizing an assailants probing process will determine your ability to survive. There are certain characteristics that are common to all attacks and certain brands of behavior common to particular types of belligerents. The attacker’s interview phase is one of these characteristics, where he is determining if you’re “safe” to attack. If you do not possess the calm repose and wherewithal to recognize that violence begins long before the fight, you will not have access to your fighting skill. If you fail to recognize the development of the attack, you may be able to muster the ability to do something about fighting, when prevention may have been the most effective solution.
Self-protection is not about fighting; it is about awareness and commitment. Awareness of your options and the composition of confrontation increases your survivability. Non-verbal training, eye and facial calibration, body carriage, postural and spatial constitution, gesticulation and verbal skill should be critical parts of your training.
During a physical confrontation that has obvious legal implications, the fight is over when the assailant is no longer a threat, even though the turmoil continues until the situation is resolved legally, socially, physically and emotionally. The law never supercedes your right to self-preservation. The legal system was created to perpetuate your survival, not inhibit or endanger it.
You should endeavor to end physical confrontation as quickly as possible. Keep your response simple and expedient. You do not have the luxury of being complex, especially in multiple-assailant engagements. Most of the time, you can end the problem by simply unbalancing your adversary and withdrawing tactically.
Fighting is something you do with someone; violence is something done to someone. Nothing you’ve ever done in your life, intentionally or accidentally, merits a suddenly violent attack to your person. Do not try to fight. You only have the impulse to fight, because you’re a good person, because psychologically, you believe in fairness and righteousness. Sudden violence is neither.
Believe in yourself, in your intrinsic goodness, and protect that essence as you would your own child, unconditionally.

Bobbe

2009-01-07T17:41:00.002-06:00

For anyone who stops by this place, send good vibes to the Seattle area for Bobbe as he is going under the knife in short order.

And HEY, Cthulhu! Piss off, thing!

10 Years On

2008-12-14T14:51:00.006-06:00

Ok Ah, what the heck?! Here we are somewhere in the 10th official year for Kapatiran Suntukan Martial Arts. Over time and with occasional stumbles with the foreign tongue, most of us just say KSMA. Kapatiran is Tagalog for solidarity or brotherhood. Suntukan means fistfight or boxing, and thus together we called it the Boxing Brotherhood. The group is dedicated to the study of Physical and Spiritual Culture.

When we began KSMA, our focus included styles such as gung fu, jujutsu, kickboxing, western fencing and an amalgam of Filipino and Indonesian styles that we were calling Kapatiran Suntukan Kali-Eskrima-Silat (that eventually became Aneh Palu Kali). Kapatiran Suntukan broadened to become the name for the overall group.

The impetus was to provide a research and development tool to those interested in sharing and exploring their chosen system. In a sense, it kept people honest about what they were training by running it through a filter. The filter would be outside one's system to expose them to other approaches and applications. Another reason the group was formed was to provide administrative and mental support to those who wanted it. The support group went well beyond the martial aspects. It drew near to the true sense of brotherhood implied in the name of the group. To this day, I know if I call upon a KSMA member for something, I will get it.

KSMA started hosting seminars and brought in some very cool people to share their knowledge. These were great opportunities to explore and develop our craft. As each of us has our own points-of-view, it is good to cross hands with those outside of our local circle.

Looking through the Wayback Machine to 1999 in a small Oklahoma community called Lawton, we see the first get-together of note that we dubbed The Gathering of the Sacred and Profane. This seminar was a great time. The main players were Marc "Animal" MacYoung, who loves field stripping arts (in a good way that makes one think), and Mushtaq Ali Shah, who taught the basics of Gerakan Suci (which evolved into Silat Zulfikari). It was also a first chance for many early KSMA members to feel each other out.

There were a few notable gatherings in Oklahoma City with Darrell Sarjeant and the Kamau Ryu folks as well as instructors of various styles invited to those events. At one such event, yours truly was playing around and popped his ACL. To say the least, that sucked.

The good thing that happened at this event was that Chuck Pippin joined KSMA.

The idea of the Gathering true to the heart and soul of KSMA really took hold in Grand Rapids, Michigan at Charles Pippin's place. Chuck and his lovely bride, Jeanne, have been hosting a biannual shindig since 2001. The feeling of family and community is very strong there, and I feel a sense of returning home on each visit. The caliber of martial artists at this event is unprecedented and the ability for everyone to openly share and learn is remarkable. Consider this list of instructors that participated and shared at previous gatherings:

Chuck Pippin, San Yun Do
Bobbe Edmonds, that thing he does
Bobby Taboada, Balintawak Escrima
Brian 'Buzz' Smith, Maharlika Kuntaw
Cody Fielding, RMAX coach
Sean Stark, Pencak Silat Pertempuran
Terry Trahan, Weaselcraft
Brandt Smith, Aneh Palu Kali
Jerry Jacobs, Pukulan Cimande Pusaka

Like any good gig (a'la -A-palooza), there are side stages where you can catch some stuff away from the main attraction. We have covered various things from archery to philosophy as well as an odd combination with the question, "If I run up and stab the guy with an arrow, is that still archery?" Ultimately, what these gatherings have become is a family reunion. If you are new to the group, you are welcomed as a long lost relative coming home after journeys abroad.

I have long held the idea that this is a group for martial artists and not any particular art. That being said, for some reason the majority of the members, and the people they train with, are a proponent of either Filipino or Indonesian arts. However, there are some other styles represented, and we have dabbled in a good variety to stay fresh and open to change.

Aside from the physical aspect of KSMA, there is that “essence” that we all tap into in times of need or thanks. Any stroll through the racks of books about martial arts or discussion with someone who has been practicing a while, may lead to some sort of spiritual study.

This spiritual aspect of the group is as open as our willingness to share what we know about the martial arts. There is no competition about this but more of a cohesion. Heated debate is not unheard of but it does not degenerate into petty bickering. Every conversation I have been a part of or overheard was light hearted, understanding and productive. I have had some pretty cool experiences with this group.

One may have a hard time with the physical if still coming to grasp with the spiritual. Whatever one may call it, one does call on it from time to time. The variety of personalities in KSMA lends itself to have someone to talk to if needed. If that person is unavailable, they usually can suggest someone else. None of this is compulsory, if one chooses not to discuss this aspect, that's cool by us.

This is also an area of self-exploration and discovery – looking inside and out can reveal great insights. Personally, I have had some vivid experiences behind a stick or kick ranging from moments of clarity to delving into that mystery to find the strength to keep going. When I am working out, I sense a quality of being completely in the moment that I do not get anywhere else. It energizes who I am and galvanizes my spirit.

This segues into an aspect of the group that I find most important: The line of communication of the members. In times of need we can call upon each other for guidance and support regardless of the subject matter. It can be anything from an idea about the arts to deeply personal dealings. I believe this is one way to keep us honest as well and I believe the majority of us have a pretty good filter for detecting BS. I am always available to discuss ideas and ask questions when needed and I enjoy it.

The rules for inclusion have stayed the same since inception:
1) Drop the ego at the door
2) Share what you understand
3) Learn when you should
4) Train – "You don't have to train what I train, but you must train."
5) Have face-to-face contact with a member who will be your sponsor and vouch for you.

It's that easy. I value that KSMA members recognize the benefits of being open to the possibilities in other's arts. I recall a great quote told to me by John Wells. When he was asked what we train in, his reply was, "Whatcha got?" I think that sums up what KSMA is so very well with the various interpretations in tone of that question.

I was handed the KSMA reins in 2005 and gave a lot of thought about the future of the group. In the end, I decided that it is a good thing and that I would keep it going. I am glad I did as I have met a lot more interesting and cool people in the last couple of years. I feel that the core of the group has grown not only in number, but also in strength.

Members in Good Standing*
Jay M. Carstensen, Director
Chris Redmond, Nebraska Representative
Bao Ha
Jason Bousquet
Tony Milani
Carl Ross, Brotherhood
Bobbe Edmonds
Terry Trahan
Chuck Pippin, Brotherhood
Ian Robbins
Don Young
Dan Williams
Sterling Heibeck
Sean Stark, Brotherhood
Will "Buddha" Weatherby
Nate Bynum
Brian "Buzz" Smith

*If your name is not on this list, please send me a copy or a scan of your unexpired certificate of membership and let me know where you have been hiding. Advisors and those with Declarations of Brotherhood are permanent members. I have included this list to put it out for public record.

Okay, so it has been 10 years, where can we go from here? That is up to the members as I am merely a guide. I can be a sounding board for some or a teacher to others. I personally find gratification in the accomplishments of the friends I train with. I hope to keep this role for a while and do see KSMA growing. However, it will not be for growing's sake. All living things breathe in some way, and we are no different. That is the way it is.

The group will continue to seek out those who want to share and are available to those who wish to learn from us as well as encourage growth within ourselves.

It is more than just me out here:

Chuck Pippin
I would just like to say that my tenure with KSMA has been one with no regrets…and I say this after much thought, reflection, and no reservation. Every organization is going to have its ups and downs…and KSMA has faced some challenges…but I believe the KSMA of today is much stronger than the KSMA of yesterday. Jay, I am very proud and honored to be a member of it. I’m very excited to see where this goes…and happy to be on this Journey with you.

Terry Trahan
What does KSMA mean to me...
Family, exploration, a sense of community, sharing, and belonging.
It also is a piece of living history to me.
It leads me to grow, mature, and always reminds me that there is more to know.
In the end, it also is an entity that crosses the boundaries of political intrigue, and brings back the joy of training, developing, and the goodness of having fellowship.

Chris Redmond
I would say that KSMA means a brotherhood that allows members to study at their own pace and at their own interest but yet not at a level that is unexpecting. We expect people to put in their best effort and ideas without hesitation along with respecting other’s ideas and effort.

Carl Ross
KSMA exposed me to an approach to the martial arts that is creative and noncommercial.

Dan Williams
I feel like the KSMA keeps me in touch with a more diverse group of Martial Artists then I usually have contact with. It helps me maintain perspective on my style/training/school. It's also nice to be able to get advice from peers that are not from your school.

Sean Stark
KSMA is an organization that seeks to cut through the garbage that is found in the martial arts and to help those wanting to just advance in their skills and to pursue excellence. It’s a refreshing thing in the martial arts.

Don Young
KSMA: Source of the finest Drunken Boxing system in the world :-)

I have received a few distinct impressions of KSMA practitioners in the years I have known them. They:

1. Have solid martial arts skills.
2. Have wide range of knowledge and experience in martial arts.
3. Have open minds to experiencing new techniques and martial principles.
4. Have a desire to build community.
5. Are friendly, concerned people who don't let their egos lead the way.

I'm happy to have met them and to have been associated with KSMA for years.

Will Buddha Weatherby
So.... As I sit at my laptop at the dining room table of Michigan's
Martial Madhouse I am contemplating both my navel and KSMA. What does
it mean to me? Well, I see it as a vehicle for self-improvement within
community. My interactions with everyone associated with KSMA have
been very positive and typically a lot of fun (Q. Who ya gonna call?
A. See attached photo.). It is a group of what I like to think of as
'loving thugs'. I am comfortable having my kids around the training
and even most of the after hours events, and that is quite a
statement.

The actual ability of the folks who make up what I know of the
association (are there secret members I don't know about?) is solid,
these are actually capable fighters. This is something missing in many
"martial arts clubs" that I have had contact with. I know from
real-world use that the majority of what is being taught is sound and
will be useful during interesting "conversations".

One of my favorite aspects of the associated groups that make up the
core of Gathering of the Tribes crowd is the humility of some very
skilled people coupled with a genuine interest in graciously and
openly sharing what they have to offer. I was quite impressed with the
open-armed (and thankfully empty-handed) hospitality I was greeted
with on my visit to Des Moines.

Sterling Heibeck
KSMA is a place to hang your hat. It's full of incredible people who love to share and learn.

Joe Hyams

2008-11-18T13:18:00.006-06:00

We all have those books that direct our lives in a new direction. One of those for me was Zen and the Martial Arts, by Joe Hyams. It still resonates with me and I recommend it often (in fact I am pretty sure my copy is loaned out at the moment).
Joe's cycle has ended with us.
'Obit'
Thanks Joe.

2008-11-08T07:54:00.000-06:00

Inaugural Maharlika Kuntaw Seminar

2008-10-28T19:57:00.010-06:00

Brian 'Buzz' Smith has been doing his thing for a while now. Buzz has a lot of information rattling around that head of his and I appreciate his approach in sharing it.
We started the day with some of his basic foundational principles which deal with using the opponent’s energy to your advantage.
We used the concepts Buzz refers to as “Can I have my allowance?” and “What time is it?” as well as the “coin pick up.”
Those transitioned into Buno or Kuntaw Grappling. Buzz would approach us to suggest a scenario to try out. We would say something like, “bear hug,” or “cross body position,” and he would show us a way out.

We also looked at multiple attacker ideas that many found insightful.

I have praised Buzz’s knowledge on many occasions and this was all about him. Buzz has a way of helping people understand and apply the knowledge he is sharing in an easy way.

Throughout the day we would find ourselves in the same positions we were shown in the morning; that “coin pick up” kept coming around. It did in a recent class or two since then here at home as well.
Aside from the main stuff, it was good to hang with old friends as is par for the course at Chuck’s joint in Michigan.

We had a private class for a few select people on Sunday morning prior to Buzz and Deb hightailing it outta there and we did some speed drills to help with not telegraphing our intent.

There are more shots and some videos at this location.
Do yourself a favor and train with Buzz if you have the opportunity.

Mystic Eye

2008-10-28T11:19:00.001-06:00

(from Jeanne)
Hello all you wonderful folks,

It is nigh time (and perhaps a bit past that point) that I gave you all an update regarding the Mystic Eye Fund’s incredible success. You made it happen guys. Mushtaq has now had surgery on both of his eyes and the surgeries were a spectacular success. His first eye surgery resulted in his right eye now being 20/15. That’s certainly better than anyone else in our household! The second eye was a little less spectacular, but a huge improvement nonetheless. One reason I held off on the update was because it needed a little more time to heal before we knew how much it really helped. His vision is not quite as good as the other eye, and he still seems to have minimal cloudiness, or blurriness which has not been fully resolved. He still has some astigmatism (sp?) in this eye as well. This has apparently always been his more difficult eye, and has the worst history of high pressure from the glaucoma.

Regardless of the minor issues with his left eye, he CAN SEE!!!!! This is HUGE!!! I cannot help but mention that it has truly been an “eye opening experience” (go ahead and groan) for him to realize just how much his eyesight had degraded. This was an enormous change for him. He is so very excited about the fact that he can see how bright the colors are again (and we have had a very lovely autumn this year just to illustrate this for him). I’m sure he is equally excited about being able to drive again soon. It has been over 2 years since he has been behind the wheel of his truck.

I am immensely moved and humbled by the responses we received regarding the Mystic Eye Fund. You guys are nothing less than awesome. This COULD NOT have happened without your support. A simple thank you seems so inadequate, but…..thank you all so very much for making this happen.

Love and wellness to you all!

Jeanne Pippin

loser take all

2008-10-22T16:56:00.001-06:00

Update from Jeanne

2008-09-23T11:03:00.000-06:00

Hi all!

I thought it was about time I sent out an update to everyone. Things are moving along quite fast and we have all you generous folks who have donated to this worthy cause to thank for helping make this vision a reality. (I'm sorry but the pun just had to happen!) The "mystic eye" fund has almost reached it's goal already, and it's been only a little over a week. We have the enormous generosity of you caring folks to thank for that, and I'm not sure just how to adequately express our gratitude. We are as of today almost at our baseline goal for the fund to pay for his surgery. We have raised just under $2400 and we had set $2500 for the minimum to pay for the surgery, and extras like new glasses, medications, and unavoidable incidentals such as gas for those volunteers who have been driving him all over tarnation as every visit seems to be at a different location across town. (thanks, by the way to all our drivers..you know who you are and I LOVE YOU MAN!!!!) We haven't seen any of the bills yet, so we're hoping the estimates given to us by the nice lady at the surgeon's office are within range.

Mushtaq had his worst eye operated on this morning and he is already back home and in great spirits (which admittedly may be due to chemically induced giddiness) and all seems to be going as planned. He still has a cover taped over his eye for a few hours, so he doesn't know yet how much improvement in his vision has been accomplished. This was the eye that was entirely comped due to hardship criteria. His vision will be interesting for the next 2 weeks while his eyes are so out of balance with eachother. The next surgery is October 7th and this is the one which will incur the fees the fund was set up for. We are almost there folks! For those of you who have not yet been able to donate, rest assured that we still have time and that the funds will still be needed to assist with his convalescense as he recovers and the inevitable incidentals which tend to crop up for these things.

Once again thanks to all for their hard work and generosity. This will be a life changing gift you are giving a dear friend.

Jeanne Bijkerk-Pippin
jeanneb63@comcast.net

Help Out An Old Friend

2008-09-11T07:37:00.001-06:00

(From Jeanne)
Greetings all,
As you may or may not be aware, Mushtaq is in dire need of lens replacement surgery on both eyes due to cataracts and glaucoma. He has been losing his sight for some years and is now legally blind in his right eye with vision greatly diminished in the left. Not being able to see has severely impacted his ability to work and gain income, and of course has affected his life in general.

A number of us have come together to try to raise money to get Mushtaq the lens replacement surgery he needs. Without insurance, each eye would cost about $11,000. Mushtaq does qualify for coverage on the right eye under hardship criteria, but because the left eye is not as severe, it is not covered.

In a fortunate turn of events, we have found a surgeon who has generously offered to perform the surgery on both eyes, forgoing his fees entirely. There are still some costs: the operating room, medical personnel, and medications, which all come to about $2,000. We would like to raise $2,500 or more to allow for Mushtaq's convalescence during his recovery time as well.

If we are able raise even more, we want to apply it to his other outstanding and long-neglected medical issues, which include kidney disease and dental work. We will of course account for all use of donated monies to our contributors.

With the help of his many good friends and students across the world, we believe we can do this! We invite you to be part of this effort.

The fund is called "Mushtaq's Mystic Eye Fund", and we hope you will consider a donation. We are asking for $50 or more, but any amount is welcome. Surgery dates are September 23 and October 7, so we'd appreciate receiving your check by October 1st.

Thank you for helping us raise money to restore the eyesight of our friend, teacher and mentor!

How to contribute:
Checks made out to:

Jeanne Bijkerk-Pippin
with "Mushtaq's Mystic Eye Fund Share #11" on the memo line.

Post to: Lake Michigan Credit Union
PO box 2848
Grand Rapids MI 49502-0591
Att: Mushtaq's Mystic Eye Fun
C/O Jeanne Bijkerk-Pippin Share acct. # 11

By popular request I have completed the set up for a PayPal account to accept donations for Mushtaq's eye surgery which will dump right into the Mystic Eye Fund. If this is a donation method which is more convenient for you please direct payments through PayPal to jeanneb63@comcast.net I appreciate everyone's input and inquiries. I will be sending weekly updates in regards to fund status and Mushtaq's progress.

Thanks to all for their interest, and assistance! It is so exciting to finally have this happen for him.

Jeanne Bijkerk-Pippin
616-364-0019

Keluarga 2008

2008-08-02T06:41:00.012-06:00

The weekend of July 25-27 was Pencak Silat Pertempuran’s Keluarga. Guru Sean Stark arrived on Thursday evening via motorcycle from Florida.
Sterling had the good sense to fly in from Michigan and the hanging out began. One of my local students, Teri joined us after dinner.
Hugo and Christina arrived from Wisconsin and we hung out at my pad and spent the evening reacquainting or acquainting ourselves, which is always a good time.
On Friday morning, we hooked up at the park and started delving into the art.
Initially, to get things moving, we did a yoga-like version of the evasions that Guru introduced to us a few years ago that usually only pops up at this gathering. They are good for stretching out one’s limbs and core. One other thing we did was to build a wave-like energy to get the blood pumping with a lot of level changing and arm movement.
To augment the evasions, explosive elements were applied to the base movements. Those were a very nice addition to the knowledge and application of them.
We then added hand entries to the evasions and eventually moved into leg entries.

Overall, the day was spent on the first few levels of PSP and fixing minor things here and there with all of us.

One of the major reasons for having Keluarga is that hands on time with people you normally do not work out with. This is a good thing in my opinion so one can break out of the local mold for a little bit to play with those who are unfamiliar to your frames of reference.
On day two we continued with the lower levels of the system and worked some catches, traps and takedowns.

All very well and good and we only supplemented the bruising (or heat rash for me) from the prior day. We worked on some elements of movement that I needed to cover and I was happy to get into that and have some things pointed out to me. We also came to the conclusion that if one has some Tai Chi experience, that helps in how you can feel your body move. Unfortunately for me, I have none; therefore I have more work to get to where I want to be.

Day three continued the takedowns. While fun, after two days the body is moving a little slower. In some ways this is good as it lends to one not using strength and focusing on structure and positioning. We also worked on Jurus-jurus a little more as well.

Aside from the working out, we eat. Instead of the usual Asian food at every meal (which we did eat a lot of – mainly Thai), I thought it would be fun to go to one of my favorite haunts, The Royal Mile: Irish Isle theme and Guinness Draught and now non-smoking (sorry Hugo). If you visit me, we can go; it has become somewhat of a KSMA hangout.
It is at these moments when we find out how nuts and open to bold conversation we can be. For example, Hugo’s big toe is the length of an average man’s flaccid penis.

We also learned that our server for the evening had no problem being referred as “bar wench.” COOL!

Overall this was a small but very productive Keluarga and I am looking forward to the next one. I truly enjoy the people I have come to know over the last several years.

Oh, and if you missed this year's in the Midwest, I hear there will be a Keluarga in Florida tentatively scheduled for January. Watch the PSP website for updates. Otherwise, pencil in every weekend from July through August until we nail down a date.

A Champion in Our Midst

2008-07-16T19:41:00.005-06:00

Carl asked that I include the following poem by Shaykh Taner Ansari.

Boxing Match

I thought hitting the other guy is winning the match.

I learned that winning the match is how much hitting I can take before the other guy gives up.

Holy Cow! The Thai Boxing Association recently had their Championship rounds nearby in Clive. KSMA brother, Carl Ross, drove up from his stomping grounds in Oklahoma. He fights at Super Middle Weight and there were only a few fighters in that weight class.
Elimination rounds were on Saturday and he fought Michael Jackson (I swear) and defeated him soundly. This put him in the ring with Sacha Leonard-Hijazi the Canadian Champion. Carl went the distance, but lost by decision. He was proud of his efforts and we talked about the lessons learned from the bout.
Sunday, Carl had planned to kick back and watch the fights. Early that morning, however, he received a call that the Canadian had withdrawn because of an injury to his knee. We decided that is was from all the hits he applied to Carl’s stomach. So, Carl found himself fighting for The Belt.
Carl fought Missourian Elmir Kulosman and once again went the distance. It was in the hands of the judges and they reached a split decision 29-28,29-28,28-29 in Carl’s favor and he won his division.

Congratulations Carl!

George Carlin 1937-2008

2008-06-23T06:12:00.002-06:00

Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cocksucker, Motherfucker and Tits.

Put Hammer to Steel

2008-06-03T20:35:00.013-06:00

At the last Gathering at Chuck’s, we (the Tribal Edge guys with Buzz and myself) did a trial run for what may become a regular occurrence: Knife Making 101. It was a spontaneous thing for me to do, and I am so glad I did it.
Keep an eye out for the announcement if this becomes an official class.
For the last few years, Chuck, along with Mushtaq Ali Shah, Buddha Weatherby and now, Ian Robbins, have been producing pointy things at Tribal Edge Knifeworks

Along the back half of Chuck’s garage (anyone else think of Joe’s Garage?)are the tools and equipment of Tribal Edge. The forge is propane driven and has a wall of firebrick on the backside to prevent the flames from igniting the building. The ignition process sounds like an F-4 Phantom at full afterburner.

Fire in the hole!

The group works with a variety of steels and in the case of the knives that Buzz and I decided to make, it was a former coil spring from a vehicle. It is 5160 high carbon steel, which, according to Chuck, makes great blades.

The first step was to pound it into a billet to work with and then we began the shaping process. Buzz was going for a custom fit kerambit. I like the retention ring from the kerambit I carry and decided to see how that would function as a straight blade with edge on the “inside.”

Ian did a lot of the initial work and some shaping. He let us hammer enough to make us feel like we were doing something, however. Just as I was getting the rhythm of the swing down, it was done. I hadn’t noticed that I had blistered until near the end of the hammering. There is definitely something therapeutic in the swinging. We then let the metal cool in the forge overnight.

Following the forging, we did what Chuck referred to as “stock removal.” We smoothed out a lot of the hammer marks, trued the lines of the overall profile a little as well as dressed up the geometry of the blade that would save us time on draw filing. All of which I think was a result of my novice hammer strokes. We did this fixing up using a belt sander. Chuck was apt to point out to be very aware of the grip as the sander could snatch the blade-in-waiting and pull in a finger to smooth.

The next step was to bust out the lube. We used Oil Stones to smooth out the appearance of the blade’s texture and move toward a good shape and look. The first run was with 120 grit stone to get the groove going. That was followed up with 320 grit to get a little deeper. We also located and drilled the holes for the pins using the drill press.

Then we moved the blade slowly in and out of the forge repeatedly to normalize the metal. In other words, we just heated and manipulated the heck out of it and this process to will help the metal align its chakras. It’s Tantric.

The blade was then heated to a non-magnetic state and I found this rather interesting. Using a magnetic bullet, I pressed it against red hot metal to see if it would still pull. When it was no longer attractive, we quenched it in oil. This hardened the metal to a state of brittleness such that it would have shattered if dropped. Needless to say, after all the work that went into the knife so far, that would have sucked. Chuck was rather nonchalant about it, so I didn’t let it worry me.

In order to get the metal back to a state that if would not become a pile of shards, we applied what Chuck referred to as the “drawing process.”
This involved a high tech piece of equipment: the toaster oven, which happened to be the only piece of equipment not in the garage. We heated the metal for an hour at 375 degrees and then let it cool to room temperature. Chuck had buffed an area of the tang so we could watch for a color change. The process was repeated until we saw a distinct golden straw color. This indicated the brittleness of the metal had lessened enough to allow it to hold and edge and not shatter when dropped.

We again used the Oil Stones to polish the blade further. This process was actually a little challenging due to the taper from the original thickness of the metal down to the eventual edge of the knife. It took a skilled hand and I definitely let Chuck smooth out my rough edges on that.

At this step, we also cut out and rough shaped the wood that will become the handle. Tribal Edge offers a number of cool woods to fit the mood. I chose Gabon Ebony for this knife, as the lighter grain really looks great on the overall black. We aligned and drilled the holes for the pins in the wood. Using a band saw we rough shaped the handle and fit it with homemade pins. The pins are varying sizes of metal tubing with epoxy holding them together. They are surprisingly simple things that add a tremendous amount to the aesthetics of the finished product.

Now is the moment when it all comes together. The wood is affixed to the tang with a binary epoxy and the pins get a layer of super glue and are slid into place. The piece is clamped and allowed to set overnight.

The main thing left to do is sand down the pins and shape the wood using a combination of belt sander and hand sanding. Once the correct and ergonomic feel of the handle has been found, it is slathered in Danish Oil. The oil soaks into the pores and crystallizes. This helps protect the wood from moisture. Chuck applies oil to the wood multiple times to assure it is deeply penetrated.

Chuck kept the blade to make a leather sheath similar to the one he fabricated for my kerambit. I also asked him to make a trainer version for me and am sure that will be nice. That is one of the coolest benefits about working with the guys; they made the live blade and can easily replicate a trainer with the feel and weight of the original. This is highly advisable investment, particularly so if the blade you have made can be your everyday carry.

Chuck is fairly demanding about all the custom blades made at Tribal Edge having a name. The first thing that came to mind was, “Call it Terry Trahan,” because it was his fondness for the pikal grip that led me to the design I chose. The next thing just rolled off the tongue and everyone liked it, so it stuck:

Reversal of Fortune

2008 Spring Gathering of the Tribes

2008-06-01T14:00:00.032-06:00

The biannual event at Chuck Pippin's was held over the Memorial Day Weekend. New experiences at this gathering were sobering and not so sobering. The non-sobering aspect was me: margaritas and Chimay. Needless to say, I was falling down by the end of the evening on Friday and dinner (which was take-n-bake and should have been a warning to me to eat the curry) reemerged around 2 AM. The morning brought no relief and neither did the afternoon. So here is what I recall for the most part with interpretation based upon photos given to me.

Buzz started Saturday off discussing the finer points of elbows and moved on to cover some of the locks of his system.

I slept, oh, and dry heaved.

Looks like Bobbe covered aspects of Hubud-lubud and other things with a stick.

Poor, poor Sterling

I slept.

Cody went over the government conspiracy to control every American by forcing them to not only watch but also participate in gladiator-esque reality programs.

Cody recently had an article posted here: Organic MMA
I think I may have been near consciousness at this point, but movement caused waves of dizziness as well as nausea, but the retching did not return.

Sterling and Dan presented a solo-training device suspiciously looking like some sort of "hookah…"

I slept some more.

After the day’s session (and me feeling well enough to venture out and take my verbal medicine), we took time to recognize the dedication of some of our fellow martial artists.
First we called out Norm Basile and his wife, Marcia, and congratulated them on their respective rankings that are well earned.

Next, we wanted to show respect to someone that is generous with his knowledge and gracious with his friends. This guy has been doing his art since just after I was born (sorry dude) and has dedicated his life to it. Those in The League of Non-Aligned Martial Artists decided that it would be a good idea to give some props where they were due. Therefore, we recognized Brian “Buzz” Smith as Maha Guru in Maharlika Kuntaw. It was well deserved and I think well received.

The evening commenced with the traditional Potluck and was a good variety as usual. It was a good time and people orbited the house discussing everything from the food to martial arts or just hanging out by the fire. Buddha brought some fireworks and the kids all enjoyed that treat. Another late night as usual and it is all good.

Sunday was started off by Mushtaq Ali Shah and we did knife worked based upon the basics derived from the Kujang.

I applied them with my kerambit trainer as that is closer to what I carry and was trying to modify the movements to its vastly different form compared to the kujang. The principles were there regardless of weapon. I was working out with Anton, a student of Buzz’s, and he can bowl you over in a blink. Very good! My shoulder took a hit while I was with him and James Kohlenberg came and stole me to try and work out some kinks.

Conveniently, James was next up. He did some myofascial release and that was a good thing and I will be doing that to help with some of the things that ail me. James’ session consisted of the active release using a tennis ball or harder and we hit various points on our bodies starting with our feet and moving up to our head with a couple of detours to the arms along the way. Good stuff!

The rest of the post lunch afternoon was made up of various breakout sessions.

Later in the day, Buzz and I had a little private session in the yard and we discussed and practiced two of his principles, “can I have my allowance?” and “what time is it?” I have mentioned this on many times but I need to reiterate that you should go where Buzz is and train with him or bring him to you! Hmmmm…

On Monday, Sterling and I were able to get together and shoot our level 4 tests for Pencak Silat Pertempuran and are looking forward to Keluarga at the end of July. There were more breakout sessions this day as well, albeit fewer people, but that’s cool.

I also had some fun getting tossed by Mariah the Eskrimadiva shooting some spots of a promo video for her.

All in all, I go to hang with a lot of people I admire and genuinely love to be around, so it was a good time. I believe Mushtaq said it best at one point, “this is the most fun I have had at one of these.”

Next time, no booze for me though…

You! You stick with Guinness!

The Thing on the Doorstep

2008-03-22T07:38:00.010-06:00

This most recent seminar had a distinct sucking sound: me. Somewhere (I blame an office lunch buffet); I was infected with bad food that was not sitting well from Thursday on. I couldn’t finish my Guinness…that’s bad. Suffice to say, for me it was a slow weekend, especially after my orifices opened up during the small hours Saturday to release the contents of an Old One into plastic and porcelain.
That being said (for Bobbē’s benefit), the rest of the time was a chance for him to share his knowledge of arts Silat and for us to hang.

Rikessssan

On Friday evening, we covered some aspects of Rikesan. I was really digging the joint manipulation, especially the fingers. I think a whole weekend of this system may be in order.
Visitors included several KSMA members from near and far. I was happy to pull Chuck Pippin away from his normal environs in Michigan and he brought a student of his named Ian who gave me a new kerambit (from Tribal Edge Knifeworks) as payment for staying at the house. Too many people know the way to my heart is with sharp objects…. Chuck was digging the leg deflections which were covered on Saturday morning. I was still feeling really crappy at this point so I did a lot of watching and videotaping. I know there was some other entry type things covered, but in my stupor, I just can’t recall them. I will have to review some videos. Somewhere in there we did some stuff from hubud…

Jinking

Another Michigander to make the trek was Buzz, aka Brian Smith and his girlfriend (Michigoose?) Deb (she's TSA and likes to rumage through passenger's undies). I know I have said this before: you need to train with this guy! He has a way of showing you how to do this stuff that makes it effortless as it should be. He snuck a little of that in, as we all do, but Buzz walked away with a few answers to questions he had for himself and that is a good thing indeed!
Chris, Bao and Jason made it from Omaha and all had a good time, especially Chris I think as he has a “thing” for kerambits and we touched a little of that on Sunday morning before they had to bolt.
It was just Tony and I after that, so we touched on some pangamot which I wanted to cover more, but the aftereffects were lingering and my body just wasn’t in for it.
Overall, I think that we all had a good time. Really this was an opportunity for Bobbē to get to know KSMA a little better and I think that was accomplished.

lots of laughs and a little blurry

Disclaimer – As I was a little drained and out of it, my memory of the weekend is a little fuzzy.

take back the mic

2008-02-20T20:37:00.001-06:00

then

the band

http://www.soulfege.com/

time off

2008-01-26T22:01:00.001-06:00

scary

2007-12-01T10:26:00.000-06:00

http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/30/sarcos-to-produce-us-armys-exoskeltons-in-2008/
&

be ready

2007-12-01T07:04:00.000-06:00

I tend to be rather low-key about things, but have slowly started to be more vocal about issues that concern me and my friends and family. Everyone needs to take a hard look at the society that we have developed and assess where it is headed.
Listen to Naomi and research things for yourself. Nothing should be taken as gospel until you understand it to be true. However, once you establish it as such, actions may need to be taken that others may see as intense but they will be needed.
Good luck.

Thanks to Mushtaq for sharing this one.

Guess who's coming to dinner

2007-11-18T14:20:00.000-06:00

If you would like a printable PDF version of the flier, please contact me.
This will be a very good weekend.
Jay

Rest In Peace Sifu

2007-08-24T07:24:00.000-06:00

I will carry the knowledge you shared with me and give it to others.
Thank you so very much Sifu.

Larry Benjamin Hartsell
August 15, 1942 - August 20, 2007

Masukan Dagu?

2007-08-22T19:21:00.001-06:00

The weekend of August 3-5 I hosted Guru Sean Stark for the Pencak Silat Pertempuran Keluarga. This was the fourth year for the gathering and the first here in Des Moines.
The first day was spent looking closely at levels one through seven in the system.
To warm up on the dewy grass, Guru Stark introduced us to Power Ales-ales. By applying an exaggerated slowed version of the evasions and continuously flowing through the movements, one gets a great stretch and focused breathing, not unlike some of the more fluid versions of yoga. This is in line with something Guru Stark has been incorporating and I experienced at the first Keluarga I attended in Kansas City two years ago.
We then worked a drill starting with sliwa and going through a set of positions leading to the ground and back. We then looked the applications of those movements.
We then started to run through the PSP curriculum from the top. This was great because no matter where you are in the curriculum you can really look at the movements and refine them.

I am learning the level three material at the moment so it was good for me to look at that as well as review what I have under my belt and to look forward to the next few levels as a subliminal planting.

I will not rehash the entire day, but it was by far the longest day of nearly continuous working out that I have ever experienced. It was awesome.
A few of us met up for dinner and the staff fed us and brought us beverages past closing.
Rain met us in the morning so we worked on garak with Pelatih Bill Dwyer who it was a pleasure to finally meet. He is a great guy and presented the material very well.
Then we started going through the juru-jurus for each of the levels with Monyet aspects added for the benefit of Bill and those who wanted to try them out. We looked at the juru-jurus as a complete form and then looked at buah and pechuhan. I am an echo here when I say that this was good for anyone (myself included) to really look at the movements, how they flow together and what you can do with them. Even though I am focusing on jurus-jurus tiga and empat, it was great to get a feel for other jurus-jurus coming up in the near future as well as fix a couple of minor issues from satu and dua. Another long day from roughly 8:30 to 7:30 and we were all pretty sore and upset that the local junkies had broken into one of the cars and made off with cash and various items. sorry christine!
Dinner was a good time with lots of great stories (which is how the title of this entry came to be).

Day three began by looking at a couple of jurus-jurus with weapons such as golok or stick and how the jurus-jurus alter to fit the tool without deviating too far from the base movements. Surprisingly the energy level was still pretty high considering everything we had done thus far, but the humidity was pretty high and that slowed us done a bit. There was definitely some seminar fatigue happening.

After lunch we worked on some breathing aspects and explosive entries as well as using the ikat (bandana). That essentially round out the day and we broke sometime around 6:30 or so.
All in all I think we were training for about 30 hours or more. I am looking forward to the next time we can all get together and am hopeful that more people will join us. This event has proven to better each year and I am excited to see how it evolves.