Martial Arts Magazine Budo International 296 September 2 fortnight 2015

The work with this film is a primer in the difference between Kyusho and Dim Mak, as they are not based on the same targets. It is a continuation of the 6-Ji Hands and Iron Shirt study and films available through Budo International.

The 6 Ji Hands that are prevalent throughout an art called PangaiNoon or Uechi Ryu. It is one of the very few styles that contain and focus on these specific hand positions to get to the Deeper Tissue of the body.

This film shows the use of hands not as bludgeons, but rather daggers with the transitional torqueing type power utilized in the 6 Ji Hands* to properly use Kyusho‌ this is a missing facet in most Kyusho practitioners skill sets. 8 KO's (including compression and blood KO's).

In this DVD set, works the seemingly simple Sanchin Kata through 8 stages of fighting skill (a complete Martial System in one Kata with Iron Shirt methods as well).

DVD Vol.1: Basics, Arm Targets, Head Targets, Body Targets, DVD Vol.2: Leg Targets, Kyusho Grappling, Tuite, Kyusho Knife Defense

REF.: • KYUSHO 23

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

ORDERS: Budo international.com

“The life of a man without religion is meaningless; and that not only makes him miserable, but a being no longer capable of living. To admit that there is SOMETHING in which we cannot penetrate; to think that the deepest reasons, the most radiant beauty which our minds can reach, are only ITS most basic forms of expression… this knowledge, this feeling ... that is the core of the true religious attitude. In this sense, I rank myself among profoundly religious men.”

Albert Einstein

I

frequently hear today's masters complain about their pupils. These complaints often refer to the lack of fidelity, constancy and seriousness as well as absence of character. Most are resigned to become instructors rather than masters, and to have students or clients rather than disciples. In reality, most people reach Martial Arts with their minds fascinated and looking for something more, but they end up signing a service contract. The figure of the Master is fading away, because there are no disciples but people who hire your services just to learn some techniques. Their frustration is analogous to their lack of commitment, their shallowness, or the misfortune of having encountered a bad teacher.

There is a huge shock, an unbridgeable gulf between the original idea of a Master "old style", and that of the "Tuesdays and Thursdays 8 to10" teacher type. But particular needs change in a new context, where individuals and societies are constantly transformed ... and yet, the disciplinary Arts remain. This is mainly due to the universality of the topic that, being part of man's essential nature, has managed to accompany him throughout history.

War is the territory and the power of transformation of man, because it forces ruthlessly to adopt a position in front of it. But it stands to reason that many contradictions come into view here and there, because however much some wish to renew the context, we are speaking of eternal archetypes that don't heed reasons. War and its working territory will always be a driving force and everything they touch - Arts of Mars ... the god of war ...

Budo (from Japanese "bu", warrior, and “do”, way, art), etc. - will be immersed in the bubble of its own nature with its rules, trends, inclinations, customs...

Undoubtedly, the world is undergoing a process of accelerated and rapid transformation, where many of the best things of old fall by the wayside. Times have changed and many things that years ago were assumed as safe are now just dust in the wind. In this change, once crossed the border, humanity is undergoing transformations of such a deep nature that most of us watch astonished how things are going adrift; while a bleak future appears on the horizon, some cling to external transient values ??that actually have long ago expired.

Anachronisms go far beyond the forms and sink into the contents. It is unrealistic to expect that the new

“A human being is a part of the whole, called by us Universe, a part limited in time and space.

He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us.

Our task must be to free from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty.”

Albert Einstein generations have the same attitudes as those that preceded them. But contrary to what you might believe, this is nothing new. Already in ancient times, Socrates regretted: "Youngsters today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, devour their food and disrespect their masters". Things are repeated over and over, because we are repeating ourselves over and over. It's fair to recognize the wordplays of destiny which are involved in witty phrase of Les Luthiers: "Any time in the past... was previous."

The world doesn't stand still, it travels millions of kilometers throughout the space, reaching parameters of unusual energy, receiving influences and traversing sectors with completely different loads, energy bands that favor, as landscapes to the traveller, other thoughts, other attitudes, other ways of being. Each generation comes out with new ideas, new visions… if much is lost along the path, much is gained by the change… and evolution keeps inexorably on. On this trip around the center, however, some cycles touch again phases of transformation that create parallels with the former ones, and then a new awakening of old stuff occurs. The spiral that moves us constrains everyone on the planet to pass through a similar stage in respect of its relative position to major references, like the cycles around the central axis of the galaxy, but our relative position is different with regard to the one we previously had. Heraclitus was right ... in this case, we don't bathe twice... in the same Universal phase in which we were.

This truth is also fulfilled in the martial and the old, and it must coexist with the absolutely new. But ... is there anything truly new under the sun? Especially, talking about things with ancient roots like the war? In Martial Arts, like in any other thing, the status of "Classic" is not easily acquired. Only the test of time can award such title, because resisting requires strength and depth, or, what is the same, efficiency and universality.

These are times of storm, of violent earthquakes and hurricane-force winds, where the only thing that can hold us is firm and strong roots that, deeply buried in the earth, possess enough vigor as to generate a strong character and an extraordinary determination, forged in centuries of authenticity and commitment. In this context, ancient spiritual cultures are now re-emerging to the call of this need and opening the eyes of a whole army hungry of

tangible knowledge about the invisible world. The smarter and seasoned current thinkers are surveying this re-encounter, and their endeavors are not in vain, because they, like arrowheads of the human tribe consciousness, are ahead of us exploring new paths and seeking solutions to old questions and tracing new maps. Science has opened many doors and expelled forgers and swindlers, dogmatists and fanatics, but the old questions about the spiritual still remain. From the shamanism of American Indians, Indian spirituality, Tibetan Buddhism, Zen, to Castaneda's Toltec traditions, or the strong spirituality of Shizen, to name a few, the old knowledge is hovering under rocks of history because it has never been as necessary as it is now and, paradoxically, as affordable to be understood.

Einstein predicted: "The religion of the future will be cosmic. A religion based on experience that shuns dogmatism." This new reincarnation of the ancient knowledge, as every birth, will not be easy; the distance between the two moments is so large that, to become a true bridge, it will need to have the strength of steel combined with the flexibility of the thread of a spider. But at the same time, there’s a great power in all this, because it’s unavoidable.

Everything comes back, nothing stays the same, but everything returns. The eternal renewal of things must not be done from arrogance or from ignorance, hence the tremendous responsibility of those who lead this new phase of transformation. Each step is based on the previous one and at the same time it exceeds it; in this point, we cannot fail to recognize with infinite gratitude to those who walked along the roads before us for the maps they left to us, but the hike and new maps will be our responsibility. May God help us!

One day we were the youngsters of which our elders complained and to whom they scolded… let's have the greatness and especially the detachment of looking how the young people that we preceded get confused with their own feet. Our job is to show the way, walking through it is their responsibility ... and let the tow go with the bucket!

Alfredo Tucci is Managing Director to BUDO INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING CO. e-mail: budo@budointernational.com

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

3

Hapkido We met him some years ago with the extraordinary opportunity to record a DVD with his already disappeared Master, the late Grandmaster Kwang Sik Myung, 10th Dan. Years have passed, Master Reyes has matured and deepened his art, and today he occupies a relevant position in the World Hapkido Federation, in charge of Western Europe. He is also the president of the Federaci贸n Espa帽ola de Hapkido (Spanish Hapkido Federation), the World Federation branch in his country, Spain, in which he has been conducting a long pedagogical labor. Today we bring him to our front page presenting his first DVD, where he teaches the Martial Art that is his passion and to which he's devoted his life giving himself body and soul. The DVD is a complete treatise on the techniques that make great this Korean style, with the many nuances that the lineage of Grand Master Kwang Sik Myung printed on them.

Alfredo Tucci

Hapkido

Interview with Master REYES, José Manuel Reyes Pérez: Budo International: Could you explain to us what is Hapkido?

José Manuel Reyes Pérez: Hapkido is a true Martial Art of Korean origin, is the Art of the dynamic Self Defense par excellence, with its own principles, rules and bases. It's Art and Science at the same time. Therefore it is NOT a sport, although certain organizations want to make it so. If we analyze the etymological meaning of words Art and Martial,

we would say that Art is the expression, work or activity with which the human being symbolically shows an aspect of the reality or a feeling, in beautiful forms, availing himself of matter, image or sound. Martial, meanwhile, referring to the army and inherent to war and discipline, comes from the Latin word "martialis" (of or belonging to Mars). Mars was the main Roman god after Jupiter (his father); he appears in Rome as the God of War. Therefore, if Hapkido is a Martial Art, we are saying that it's a way of expressing and feeling, with regard to the military, that is, a lifestyle at the end. In fact our school, Yon Moo Kwan, means precisely that: School of the Mastery and the Military. The meaning of Hapkido; Hap: union, Ki: internal energy and Do: the way or the path; we could simplify it as a way to harmonize the energy.

B.I.: Why should you recommend practicing Hapkido?

J.M.R.P.: First because it's a dynamic and complete selfdefense system, which includes a variety of techniques with and without weapons. It combines defenses and attacks, including kicks, punches, knee and elbow strikes, along with throws, chokes and, especially, dislocation techniques, as well as a variety of weapon handling systems, such as the sword and the stick, to cite the most significant. It is worth stressing that in Hapkido, speed and fluidity are combined along with the physical preparation, technique, breathing, meditation and the cultivation of internal energy. Through constant practice, all this together helps greatly improve our health, both physically and mentally, giving the practitioner vitality, energy, self-confidence, character and personality.

For all these reasons, I recommend practicing Martial Hapkido and I'd like to take this opportunity to encourage all those who are interested to come to one of our Doyang (Gyms) affiliated to the FEH-WHF and perform a test class.

B.I.: How many years have you been practicing Martial Arts?

J.M.R.P.: I started practicing Tae Kwon-Do when I was twelve years old, from the hand of Grand Master Lee Sun Ho. I also started soon with Hapkido. At that time, in the 70's, Hapkido wasn't known in Spain. It was on the late 70's and the beginning of the 80's, that just a few, and I mean just a few, knew about Hapkido, and some of us practiced it. Back in that time, practicing Taekwondo was hard enough, but practicing Hapkido was even harder. It was only in 1992 that Hapkido was made known in Spain, thanks to the President and Founder of the World Hapkido Federation Grand Master Kwang Sik Myung 10th Dan, my Master, God rest his soul, with whom I

Hapkido learned everything I know. He gave the first Hapkido seminar in Spain, in the city of Valencia. From there, many masters had their first contact with Hapkido, although only a few were initiated. As for me, and now at 52 years of age, I continue to practice with the same enthusiasm, studying, spreading and promoting this beautiful Martial Art that is HAPKIDO. And just this year I celebrate my fortieth anniversary in the art, 40 continued years dedicated to the practice with great effort and sacrifice.

B.I.: A lifetime virtually dedicated to Martial Arts and Hapkido...

J.M.R.P.: Yes ... Looking back, it seems incredible to me how swiftly these 40 years have elapsed, who could have said that, after getting my 1st Dan in TKD and my 1st Dan in Hapkido, time would go by so fast! On balance, I can distinguish two noteworthy aspects. On the one hand, a personal level, I feel great pride that Grand Master Myung Kwang Sik had trusted me so that I could continue his legacy, which, assuredly, is the largest and that he has left us in an extensive bibliographical documentation

“If Hapkido is a Martial Art, we are saying that it's a way of expressing and feeling, with regard to the military, that is, a lifestyle at the end.�

as well as visually in his DVD's. On the other hand, professionally, and despite having lived various experiences over the years, I continue with the same enthusiasm and excitement to keep learning, studying and transmitting what he taught me.

B.I.: What role do you play as a member of the WHF Board of Directors?

J.M.R.P.: The Board gathers some of the top international and national representatives of the World Hapkido Federation, together with the Managing Director, Master Myung Roe Jae; our role is like that of any other Board, but mostly it's here where the guidelines to be followed around the world are established so that the quality of teaching of our partner schools is of the highest level and remains true to our official grade program . Here we place great emphasis.

B.I.: How does it feel holding the position of Regional Director for Western Europe?

J.M.R.P.: Well, I feel satisfied although, being a perfectionist, I always want to go further. It’s a good way to carry on transmitting the WHF Hapkido in Europe, and provide continuity to the legacy of Grand Master Myung. I have my projects clear and my objectives with respect to promoting WHF Hapkido in Western Europe; to this effect, and among other activities, we conduct

Hapkido

courses and seminars of initiation, updating and recycling; thus we continue with the WHF Hapkido at European level, besides the different scheduled events.

B.I.: Which are those projects and objectives?

J.M.R.P.: We have several projects in mind. We are constantly planning new events, courses and seminars to continue to publicize the WHF official program. Fortunately, every day we have a greater number of members and people interested in this beautiful Martial Art, which is Hapkido. When many of them see the WHF official grade program, they realize that ours is the most complete system and are aware that we continue conveying, in the most traditional and reliable way, the official agenda of its founder (Kwang Sik Myung), regardless of the countries which already belong to the WHF and that show great enthusiasm in the dissemination of the art.

B.I.: What is the difference between the Hapkido of the years in which you were a student and the one that is now practiced?

J.M.R.P.: Hapkido has its own principles, rules and foundations, which are timeless and unchanging. These are respect, courtesy, humility, justice, honesty, courage, loyalty, compassion and honor. From here, the ways of defending oneself have been evolving throughout time depending on the social circumstances of the moment, that is, the forms of aggression are changing all the time, so Hapkido is continually evolving while maintaining its principles and foundations. Personally, and because of my works in private and military security, I've always liked to investigate how to adapt

Hapkido the, let's say, "traditional" techniques, to the new forms of aggression. Therefore the difference is not in its background, but in the forms of aggression.

B.I.: As a Master, have you ever been forced to take action on seeing that some of these rules or principles have been violated?

J.M.R.P.: Yes, to my great regret; but of course, when you see that a student or disciple doesn't follow those rules, despite repeated warnings, there comes a time when it is necessary to make a decision which, in some cases, can be the most drastic step: expulsion from the school.

B.I.: We live in the information age. In what way can the new forms of communication influence the transmission of Martial Arts, and more specifically Hapkido?

J.M.R.P.: On the Internet there's a lot of useful and interesting information about Hapkido and other Martial Arts.

However, we mustn't forget that although these new tools may help to expand knowledge, the vital way to learn is by practicing. My advice to this practice is based on a correct choice of the Master who is going to teach us, by observing the origin of his lineage, the way he has achieved his black belt and, most important, what is the global or international organization to which his federation or association belongs. In this way, the transmission will be authentic.

This is very important, because there are countries with associations / federations that do not belong to any international Hapkido organization, and here raise two important questions. First: who is granting them the Dan grades, if there's no one above them?... And, second: are they perhaps granting themselves their own grades?

B.I.: What are the aptitudes required to take up a management position like the one you are performing?

J.M.R.P.: I don't think there is a particular aptitude; what is necessary is to Feel and Live Hapkido like something of your own and, of course, be true to your own principles and those taught by our Master, and then spread them in the same way. Logically, you also need to have spirit of sacrifice, because to get there demands long hours of dedication and effort, which sometimes could turn into a drag on reconciling personal life and work.

Fortunately is not my case, as both my wife and my children practice the You Moo Kwan Hapkido with me, we are all very attached to Hapkido and so, the sacrifice is less.

B.I.: Now about the co-operation between the World Hapkido Federation (WHF) and the Spanish Hapkido Federation (FEH), how well does it function?

“…it's a dynamic and complete self-defense system, which includes a variety of techniques with and without weapons.

It combines defenses and attacks, including kicks, punches, knee and elbow strikes, along with throws, chokes and, especially, dislocation techniques, as well as a variety of weapon handling, such as sword and stick.”

Hapkido J.M.R.P.: In unison! That is, in UNION, in HAP, as could not be otherwise. Master Myung Roe Jae, Manager Director of the WHF, is responsible for leading the rest of international directors and national presidents of the various WHF member countries; he is supported in turn by the members of the Board of Directors, including me, in charge of Western Europe, and in Spain with the Spanish Hapkido Federation. One of our main goals is to keep on forming within our official program, all the countries that are interested. In Spain in particular, we continue to grow in number of schools (doyang) and federal licenses, that is, in the number of martial artists. I wish to pay tribute here to the enthusiasm, desire and effort displayed by our schools, masters and affiliated members in the Spanish Exhibition Championships of 2015, an event that is increasingly growing in the number of participants, always demonstrating that Martial spirit that characterizes us; congratulations to all those that participated and to the champions of the different categories, all the very best to everyone and see you next year in the coming Spanish Championship.

B.I.: Changing the subject, is there any special anecdote or curiosity that you recall of all these years?

J.M.R.P.: There are many but I will tell you one of the experiences that thrilled me most.

“Hapkido has its own principles, rules and foundations, which are timeless and unchanging.

These are respect, courtesy, humility, justice, honesty, courage, loyalty, compassion and honor.�

“On the Internet there's a lot of useful and interesting information about Hapkido and other Martial Arts. However, we mustn't forget that although these new tools may help to expand knowledge, the vital way to learn is by practicing.�

Hapkido

“In fact our school, Yon Moo Kwan, means precisely that: School of the Mastery and the Military.�

I remember vividly the first time I stepped in GM Myung's Doyang, in 1987.

After the long plane trip and still with the fatigue of the flight, I was looking forward to practice with him. My Master Lee, who gave me my first letter recommendation, had told me about him as the highest exponent of Hapkido in the world, and for me that was the greatest feeling I had experienced so far. But the situation changed when, after the usual introductions, GM Myung told me to put on the Dobok, the Hapkido training uniform, and enter the class. I was like crazy; I thought my heart was going to explode, willing to perform dislocation techniques, throws and locks in general, while practicing in front of GM Myung, the maximum Hapkido world exponent, nothing more and nothing less... Then, after a grueling warming up session in which "I almost threw up my first porridge" (even though I was used to train hard), GM Myung told me to stand in front of the mirror and start performing Donjon exercises (breathing). For a moment I felt the world

Hapkido crumbling down over me, but I knew the Korean way of teaching and I thought: Well... it will be for a few days. He is testing me!!! And so it was, but not for a couple of days as I had thought, but for the whole week, and I was returning to Spain in three days. I thought: Oh, no, it can't be, after all the effort, the trip, etc., he is going to teach me only Danjon!!! I was down in the dumps, because I had expected that 10 days in Korea would have been very fruitful... Anyway, I gathered all my courage and the next day there I was again, ready to learn, that day GM Myung did the same, but this time, after having me practicing Danjon for two hours, he called me by my middle name for the first time: "Manuel, come here", and he put me in front of one of his students, we fulfilled the rigorous protocol, bowing to the Master, bowing to the training partner, etc., and he finally started to teach me the first technique of our official program; that was the pinnacle for me because at that moment I realized that I had won his trust. Over the years, that trust got to the point of creating a good friendship and a family relationship, since we both met our respective families.

B.I.: Finally, what message would you like to send to all those who are reading us?

J.M.R.P.: Well, in the first place, I'd like to encourage everyone to practice FEH-WHF Hapkido; to those who love Martial Arts, let them try Hapkido; to the ones who are already practicing another Hapkido style, I invite them to try our system, our Yoo Moo Kwan school of the Mastery, of the Military. And secondly I tell everyone to be patient, since Hapkido is a complete art with kicking techniques, punches, knee and elbow strikes, pressure points, throws, chokes, ground fighting, joint dislocations, weapons, etc. In other words, it's an art that can be lethal and, consequently, learning must be always thorough and meticulous; here the Master plays a very important role because he must get to know well his students and disciples. In this way, we will know to whom we are teaching, how and when.

B.I.: Thank you very much for the interview Master Reyes.

J.M.R.P.: Thank you!

GRADES of Master REYES, José Manuel Reyes Pérez: - Hapkido 7th DAN by the World Hapkido Federation (WHF) - Member of the Board of Directors of the WHF - WHF International Director for Western Europe - President of the Spanish Hapkido Federation (FEH) Contact Email: presidente@fehapkido.es

“The meaning of Hapkido; Hap: union, Ki: internal energy and Do: the way or the path; we could simplify it as a way to harmonize the energy.”

Hapkido

Karate

Tameshiwari - The Art of Breaking Today the art of breaking objects made out of various materials is still in practice in different kinds of Martial Arts, like Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu etc. but exactly what is important and what is possible? We observed two Austrian Senseis, Daniel Carich Sensei and Christian Grübl Sensei, from a Dojo nearby V ienna who practice for decades different kinds of Japanese Martial Arts and spoke with them about their way of breaking called “Tameshiwari”.

T

he so called “Tameshiwari” is the art of breaking objects like stones, iceblocks, wood, baseballbats by only using parts of the body such as elbows, feet, hands or sometimes even the head. A Tameshiwari allows the martial artist to expend total effort and energy on an inanimate object and successful results are indicative of one who had mastered his art. The Tameshiwari requires exceptional balance, technique, concentration of spirit and calmness. It is a challenge to the abilities of the performer and will test the limits of his strength. He must use all the power he possesses in order to succeed at each such attempt.

These days you can witness breaking performances in many movies and shows because the audience is captured and enjoys the action. Today many martial arts systems use the Tameshiwari to qualify students for advancement to certain ranks but the origin was quite different; the advancement of strength and speed in your mental focus was the goal.

Before you start hitting different materials you need basic experience in kicking, punching and chopping techniques. The technique must be executed dynamically, relaxed and the last third of the blow with full power. Also the correct targeting for a kick (Seiken) must be practiced for a long time to guarantee maximum impact and limit the risk of injury. Once these skills are obtained you need to concentrate on working the Makiwara. Traditionally the Makiwara pad is made from a flexible but sturdy piece of wood which is wrapped on the upper end with traditional materials like rice straw to provide a cushion for blows. The board is then mounted to the floor to stay in place during practice of various techniques. Also a very hard

“The secret is to achieve the outmost greatest acceleration with which the technique is executed which will result generating the necessary power and vice versa.”

Karate

Karate

punching bag can be used to condition the bones and joints.

This kind of training is accompanied with quite some pain which was the way it was done in feudal Japan. Today it's hard to find in martial arts since most of martial arts became a sport and the tradition is on the decline.

After you have practiced for an extended time you can start breaking “easy materials” like fir boards or roofing bricks to gradually advance your skill but remember to choose the right material is an important part.

The basic physics must be understood as well. The secret is to

achieve the outmost greatest acceleration with which the technique is executed which will result generating the necessary power and vice versa.

Furthermore you differentiate between an active and a passive Tameshiwari.

Active means that the martial artist breaks the material by hitting it but on the passive one the object gets broken by using the body of the practitioner.

As mentioned before the focus must be on the preparation and the same training and conditioning should be used for both types. Also it is recommended to use spacers between multible boards, bricks etc.

The mental focus is a quite important one as well. You cannnot leave any doubt in your mind that you will succseed before every attempt. Even the slightest variance in technique or focus will most likely result in failure and injury. This is also the mindset for any fight so you won't end up in defeat.

Many factors like hard trainig and consitant practice will decide between failue or sucess in a Tameshiwari.

Some might say that a brick won't hit back but aren't they missing the point and a very valuable lesson for succeeding in the challenges of daily life by “Mastering the Tameshiwari”?

Technique

“The mental focus is a quite important one as well. You cannnot leave any doubt in your mind that you will succseed before every attempt.”

Great Masters

Sensor System Control

How to attack the sensory systems to create a better "Reality Based Training"

How many senses do human beings have?

Definition of "Sense" There is no firm agreement among neurologists regarding how many senses there are exactly, due to the different definitions of what a sense is. In general, one can say that a "sense" is a faculty that perceives external stimuli. School-age children are routinely taught that there are five senses, sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. In general terms, these are the senses. (Common sense and sense of humor are no less important!).

Great Masters With respect to "senses", there's much more than we might think!

Thermoception is the sense of heat and the absence of heat (cold) through the skin and including internal skin passages. There is some disagreement about how many senses it really represents. Skin thermoceptors are very different from homeostatic thermoceptors,

which provide information about the internal body temperature.

Nociception (pain physiological) is the non-conscious perception of nearby injury or tissue damage. It can be classified from one to three senses, depending on the classification method. The three types of pain receptors are: cutaneous (skin), somatic (joints and bones) and visceral (internal organs).

For a long time it was believed that pain was overloading in the pressure receptors, but in the first half of the twentieth century, research indicated that pain was a different phenomenon that is intertwined with

all the other senses, including touch.

Currently, pain is scientifically defined as an entirely subjective experience.

Equilibrioception, the vestibular sense, is the perception of balance or acceleration and is related to cavities containing fluid in the inner ear. There is some disagreement as to whether this includes also the sense of "direction" or orientation.

However, as it previously happened with depth perception, "direction"

generally refers to post-sensory cognitive knowledge.

Proprioception, the kinesthetic sense, is the perception of body awareness and a sense of which people are not usually aware, but on which everybody relies heavily. More easily demonstrated than explained, proprioception is the "unconscious" knowledge of where are located the various areas of the body at any given time. (This can be

demonstrated by anyone closing his eyes and shaking his hand in different directions. Assuming the person has proper proprioceptive function, at no time will she or he lose the perception of where actually the hand is, although not being noticed by any other sense). It can be used as reaction time.

Senses and intelligence Research regarding how creativity is manifest in different individuals, described many kinds of intelligence: visual, musical, logical / mathematical, language, kinesthetic, naturalistic, synesthetic, intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences. Most correspond to particular senses - in fact, they are all called advanced senses of the

language... thought and ego included. Other senses, such as taste and smell, may also have their own special intelligence. Therefore, the relationship between intelligence and sensory perception seems to be very narrow.

It has been proposed the existence of more than 30 senses, including the sense of time and a sense of fear.

Great Masters The Ames Room An Ames room (photos 1 and 2) is a distorted room that is used to cause an optical illusion. It was invented in 1946 by the American ophthalmologist Adelbert Ames Jr., based on a concept of Helmholtz Hermann.

An Ames room is built so that from the front it appears to be an ordinary cubic-shaped room, with a bottom wall and two side walls perpendicular to each other and in turn perpendicular to the horizontal floor and ceiling.

However, there is a trick of perspective and the true shape of the room is trapezoidal: the walls are slanted and the ceiling and floor are also inclined; the right corner is much closer to a front observer, than the left corner (or vice versa).

Because of the optical illusion, a person standing in a corner, looks like a giant in the eyes of the observer, while a person who is in the other corner looks like a dwarf. The illusion is convincing enough to make a person walking from side to side, from the left corner to the right corner, seem to grow or shrink.

Panic attack A panic attack is an incredibly intense and often debilitating period, of the sense of extreme fear or psychological distress, with a typical sudden onset.

Feeling fear in the body can be so intense at times that it can even reach the limits of pain. If you have ever suffered a panic attack, it is very difficult to describe by words. A panic attack is different from a normal "fear", because panic attack often paralyzes, leaving the person in a state of complete paranoia and concern.

Having the first panic attack is usually one of the worst experiences in a person's life. Generally, the person who suffers a panic attack for the first time, actually gets to believe he or she is dying.

Claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder involving the fear of cloistered or enclosed spaces. Claustrophobic people may suffer panic attacks, or fear of suffering panic attacks in situations such as being in elevators,

trains, boxes or aircrafts... and in what we understand as CQB problems - or problems in short distance fights.

People prone to having panic attacks are likely to feel claustrophobia very frequently. If a panic attack occurs while in a limited space, then they experience the claustrophobic fear, fear of not being able to escape the situation. Those who suffer from claustrophobia may feel difficulties breathing in closed auditoriums, cinemas and lifts.

Claustrophobia comes from the Latin word "claustrum", "closed place", and the Greek "phobos", which means "fear".

Having said so, how can we use this knowledge to teach and prepare ourselves better for an actual combat?

Using tilted rooms or Ames rooms - illusory room to activate the sensors when teaching CQB - creates stress on the student to accelerate the effects of fear on them.

Labyrinth rooms are effective and are modified illusions.

By using cold and heat inside the room, we can create stress on the students, causing several different types of fear that help him to analyze fear and panic attack.

A small labyrinth The principle of the Kappa Academy, "attack sensors first", is the reason that in its recently released DVD, a demonstration of the first three basic movements to

Great Masters attack such sensors is made. By adopting our approach of attacking sensors to nullify them in the objective's body, we have better opportunities to win in the conflict.

Here is an example of a sensory attack system used in the Kapap Academy.

Avi is being strangled. He first hits the attacker's ears to affect his hearing and his balance system (4 and 4.1). Then, following the principle of "economy of movement" he drags his hands to cause him burning eyes (5). Then he takes the attack to the end hitting with his wrist. To perform the attack in a "telegraphic" sense, the attacker has attacked from above, so Avi can use his knee to hit him in the groin (6).

We use these principles for self-defense. We initially train with simple ideas, such as BJJ instructor John Machado teaches his students to put their Gi on their face after a demanding workout of cardio, just to feel how the "fear" sensors get in motion (try it someday!) . This is the simplest and most economical way to train in each dojo, using the students' Gi, which could be another good reason to train with a Gi...

Another example is to use a room with an inclination, which can make us feel "drunk" because the sense of gravity provides specific information to the brain, while the other senses, as with vision and balance, are sending different information. The higher the crossover of information among senses, the more confusion for the brain.

This kind of illusion will make the students want to exit the room of stress and leave the training of fear. The Kapap Academy uses these and other situations and methods to train its students and instructors, using basic combat movements to be effective in real combat situations.

Farang Combat

Survival Let us inquire today about the word "survival" and its relationship with our martial universe. Survival is the preservation of life, especially in a difficult situation or after an event or a very significant moment. In analyzing facts that give life to our subject, we must begin with the birth of "Karate".

In the Middle Age, in the island of Okinawa, there was a large trade among various kingdoms of that time.

According to historical records, by the year 1409, Okinawa’s then King, Sho Shin, imposed various bans on weapon carrying, in order to unify the small fiefdoms in which the island was divided, thus avoiding future conflicts between locals and visitors.

In 1609 the invader samurai warriors of the Satsuma clan confiscated the remaining weapons...

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ecause of this historical fact, both the Okinawan noble class and the common people had no choice but to turn to our most primitive sense: survival. Our martial ancestors developed further their fighting methods with agricultural implements and, in the same way, the empty hand combat systems, thus initiating the birth of Karate and Kobudo.

We could fill a hundred pages with stories like this, where the human being, faced with a difficult situation, emerges triumphant creating highly effective defensive systems. The ability to survive in today's society is similar to that of our ancestors, in terms of our human position, facing a situation of danger. To achieve this we must have the mentality of a warrior. Sun Tzu in his book "The Art of War" gives us this phrase, "The supreme art of war is subduing the enemy without fighting."

Being alert and attentive to everything that happens around us is the foundation to effectively defend ourselves. The vast majority of people walk down the street completely alienated by their surroundings, by the daily events that happen right around the corner. They are the type people who believe that nothing will ever happen to them. Unfortunately, in most cases dangerous situations reach them. Obviously, a person whose aim is to survive doesn't walk that way. Equally, it is unwise for the average citizen. Therefore if we are to survive in our environment, we must walk otherwise.

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Farang Combat

It is essential to live being aware of everything that happens around us. It is merely to recognize that the society in which we live is not friendly. At all times we must stay one step ahead of situations. We walk an extra mile, we check our surroundings, we keep our eyes wide open to any circumstance that might require being careful and attentive. We are ready for any situation that may harm us and we prepare for it. When we feel that something around us is not right, we must take action.

Either we leave the place, or we move to correct the situation.

We have to be decisive and make our move very quickly.

When our sense of survival dictates maximum danger is when we must do what is necessary and take the action immediately for our own security and that of our friends and loved ones.

Get ready to fight, you must throw the first blow, don't wait; your life depends on it. In our martial environment we are rarely taught to be offensive, to attack first. If you let the bad guys take control of the situation, you'll be in trouble. Statistics tell us that if you allow the attacker to take control and kidnap you, you'll just have a three percent chance of surviving. Our chances are better if we get into action in the first moment, not after. Therefore, we must attack without hesitation.

Attentive, incisive, and combative: these are the keys to an effective defense.

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

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

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

ORDERS: Budo international. net

Kenpo "What good would it serve having success, fortune and glory if we didn't have someone with whom we could share those moments of joy?"

Great Masters The Raúl Gutiérrez Column Teachings of the Fu-Shih Kenpo in the World LONELINESS As human beings, at some point in our existence ("actually there are several throughout life"), we all feel in our own being the weight of what is called "loneliness".

Loneliness is the feeling of being alone even if you are surrounded by tens of persons. Like, right now... I'm alone in my corner, and my friend Alfredo has just sent me in a message saying: "I need the text for your column". And that, for many of you, could theoretically be, "Don't be silly! Come on Raúl, that's not an effort!"

But for me it means: "And now what? What do I say, what can I talk about?" Creating is not the same as feeling "compelled to create." Many "innocent" plead "GUILTY" simply because of the "pressure". It's seeing yourself with your own features, different from other humans, independent, isolated, immersed in your own world. It's the sensation of separation within the tumultuous world. That's the way we come into this world, the way we live within it and the way we leave it. It's seeing masses of people hanging around the streets like an army of strangers moving mechanically. Back in the 80s, I used to sit on a terrace of the great Madrid (around the Gran Vía's Callao area, or down in the "Cervecería Cruz Blanca" beer bar at the corner of Goya Street with Alcalá, or in "Santa Barbara" in Alonso Martínez Street...) to observe and photograph the various scenes of people walking by and roaming around.

Go out into the streets and see so many people for the first time, watch how they move away without a word... floods of human masses mixed with each other as green leaves swaying in the breeze... the crowds moving in an orderly chaos and us, one more leaf of the green tree, remain confused in its foliage and at the same time isolated in our consciousness of intimacy: social mimicry. Each with his or her triumphs and defeats, sorrows and joys, concer ns or celebrations, contentment or discontentment, courage or discouragement!

Great Masters For many people, just the thought of loneliness depresses them and causes them fear, anxiety, and restlessness. The greatest fear of dying is precisely loneliness: "I will not be with my loved ones any more". This is so true for the deceased as for those who remain alive. The fear of death is to think that we are going to stay in a dark and lonely space, where we don't see or hear anything; it is the fear of loneliness. "It is easy to accept living, difficult is to accept dying."

What good would it serve having success, fortune and glory if we didn't have someone with whom we could share those moments of joy?

Sometimes we complain when we calculate the cost of our obligations; we even get to feel anger at seeing that the must be immediately spent to meet the needs of our home, our parents, our children, and when we try to cover our personal expenses, we find that there's no money left. We don't realize that everything must flow, and therefore we can't understand that everything is in constant motion and all depends on the synergy that each one of us is able to create in his or her own environment.

It would seem that someone was calculating how much is the exact cost of the family and that is precisely the amount of money that we achieve to earn, and he had forgotten to insert us in the list. But in reality, what would it be the point of making money if there wasn't anybody we could share with? What a great happiness is to have someone to who we can give and see how he or she enjoys our present!

And sometimes, we received the pleasant surprise of being feted and rewarded unexpectedly, as it just happened to me last weekend. Two weeks ago I met a "new being" for me who, in the few days we shared, showered me with care and presents. What explanation

“Everything must flow, everything is in constant motion and all depends on the synergy that each one of us is able to create in his or her own environment.�

Great Masters can that have? I think it's just that: WE ARE NOT ALONE... although it can appear to be we are. If we do evil, NEGATIVE entities will come to recruit us as new members of the Club. But if we do well, it will be the opposite.

"Action and Reaction"...

Definitely, the only way to be happy is to make others happy. Nothing pleases more in life than seeing our loved ones happy. We should thank God for having them near and being able to give them that happiness and the means to be happy!

How many nearest and dearest do you have? Have you ever counted them? Do it, maybe they can be counted on less than the fingers of one hand. Why not increasing the amount of dear people that are capable to give you happiness? The more you have, the more opportunities you have to be happy. Begin to select them among your co-workers, among your neighbors, or perhaps randomly among that crowd of strangers who wander the streets. I realized one day that the dignity of a man is, for example, to be admired, loved and respected by their children, wife, father, mother, friends, etc.

Don't choose only children; that's the easiest thing to do... Oh yeah, they are easily loved! Adults need your love too. Do not choose just friends, those you consider "enemies" are the best. How nice if you could start seeing your "enemies" as friends and feel for them a true and sincere affection, being more tolerant of their flaws and trying to understand, once and for all, what we have to lear n from that relationship. Assimilate it at once, and finish smoothing out those asperities that cause irritation

in that relationship and, above all, allow yourselves to love them all. If you succeed, you will have won many happy moments.

When you run into these people, instead of feeling disgusted, you will feel more love in your life, which ultimately is the most beautiful thing that can ever happen in life. Never forget that love exists only in two moments: when it is given and when it is received. Why choose hate if love is so pleasant? Why hide selfishly your wealth if sharing it brings you so much happiness? If you feel joy and pleasure when you receive them, why not make the opposite effect?

Another reason for which loneliness is felt is because of our little faith. We believe that we are alone in life, at the mercy of the difficulties, shortcomings and afflictions. We don't realize that behind every one of us there is at all times a Wonderful Being who cares every step we take, putting its hands so that our foot doesn’t stumble. We believe that we live alone and it's not true. If we can't see that Wonderful Being is because that Being is always behind and we are quite busy looking at the fantasy of life, that shows itself glamorous to our eyes.

Enthralled with so much entertainment, we never have time for ourselves; we never look inward and even less backward. If we could pause for a moment to stop seeing the colorful spectacle of life, filled with so many falsehoods, and look behind, we would see for the first time that Wonderful Being who has always taken care of our steps, and would wake up to the only and true reality.

WE ARE NOT ALONE... there is no permanent loneliness; it’s only a transient state. And the faster you get rid of it or turn it away from you, the better!

“WE ARE NOT ALONE... there is no permanent loneliness; it’s only a transient state.”

Great Masters "He has been accused of 'tough', but gentlemen, these are Martial Arts!

Do not dance! Nobody ever said that war was a comfortable affair!

Or... like a famous matador once said: 'Hunger sure gores more than bulls!"

Text: Bryan Cheek Interview: Alfredo Tucci Photos: Š www.budointernational.com

Many of the regular readers of this magazine already know Bryan Cheek as a great expert in Jiu-Jitsu. His blunt technique, his haughty and friendly ways, show the warrior "race" that made England a world power in the past that launched its ships around the world.

With his sarcastic air of a tough sailor, Bryan Cheek is a sentimental, who loves his work and cares deeply for his teachings leave a deep imprint on his students. He just can't stand frills, half measures, flattery and useless ornaments. He teaches

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direct and effective techniques, which exploit the weaknesses of his opponents without getting lost in unnecessary niceties, but adjusting to a flawless technical action.

This time he will share with you his experience in Kobudo. He has been accused of being too "tough"; but gentlemen, these are Martial Arts! Do not dance! Nobody ever said that war was a comfortable affair! Or... as a famous bullfighter once said: "Hunger sure gores more than bulls!"

Great Masters The Weapons Training DVD The WEBBS (World Elite Black Belt Society) presents this new DVD about training with weapons produced by Budo International. A job usually reserved for the best students that aims to assist the martial artist in his development and progression in the most advanced techniques.

In the absence of available equipment for learning defense with weapons, we hope this DVD can help other

martial artists in the practice of their different styles and systems.

We have resorted to martial artists from a variety of styles, and the techniques we present have been properly tested and have proved effective against armed assailants.

Our team of teachers has compiled a total of 99 techniques, structured in groups of three, to offer different options, regardless of the style that you practice and the physical shape you're in.

“Our team of teachers 99 techniques, structured different options, regardless and the physical

has compiled a total of in groups of three, to offer of the style that you practice shape you're in.�

Great Masters A work that proposes various situations to try to incorporate all the factors involved in an attack, so for example, in the case of a person who faces empty handed an armed assailant with a knife, we propose at least three ways to solve it.

Obviously, on the basis that the risk of an attack with weapons is much higher than a confrontation with empty hands, it's evident that it requires an extra training and an increased amount in the number of repetitions of each technique before the student can be prepared to deal with a real situation.

Great Masters We will see attacks in motion, in a static position, from the back ... and we will propose all the techniques that are designed to reduce an aggressor.

We will also study a group of Hanbo techniques against knife, a section specially directed to certain security companies that apply these techniques and usually make use of batons to defend themselves against an aggression.

Jo is another widely used weapon to fend off a knife. It's a handy and practical weapon of a length similar to that of a domestic broom and learning to use it can be very helpful to anyone if attacked.

“On the basis that the risk of an attack with weapons is much higher than a confrontation with empty hands, it's evident that it requires an extra training.�

The Tonfa, more restricted to security professionals, is one of the most effective weapons for self-defense against stick or knife attacks. Each of its component parts allows multiple uses. It is a very practical weapon, although its effectiveness is multiplied if a pair of Tonfas is used.

We have left for the end the group of knife against knife techniques, for the degree of difficulty involved. In fact, they require more complex movements reserved to higher grades, with a deep instruction in the system and an advanced level of coordination and balance.

Knife techniques against armed aggressors are specially designed to be

Self-defense executed by members of the Security Forces, because of the risk involved and the precision that these movements require. Obviously, these movements are not designed for "faint hearted", so we caution practitioners to be supervised in their training with knife or stabbing weapons until they learn to control and execute them with moderation.

Besides, this DVD includes other techniques such as empty hand defenses against stick attacks.

All Masters involved in this work have a great experience and many years of training before they achieved the highest level. We deeply appreciate their dedication, effort and hard work that have made it possible for WEBBS to record this DVD and make it available to all martial artists. I also want to state that we believe in a serious martial training, which requires a lot of training for many years.

Soke Bryan Cheek founded the WEBBS in 2000 and currently has about 48 affiliated countries worldwide. The WEBBS is not a political organization and it’s open to all styles and systems that want to share knowledge, from every country and with every possible way of understanding life. His positive and friendly attitude has made it possible to bring together a great cast of Masters in this work on DVD, providing all students who wish to acquire it a unique opportunity to learn so many different techniques, to which would be impossible access otherwise.

The WEBBS recognizes and respects the diversity of concepts and training methods among students of Martial Arts, as well as their different personal preferences when it comes to choosing a style or another.

With this DVD we propose techniques fully compatible with any system and its way to train.

“Jo is another widely used weapon to fend off a knife.�

Great Masters “Knife techniques against armed aggressors are specially designed to be executed by members of the Security Forces, because of the risk involved and the precision that these movements require.�

Self-defense

Great Masters The WEBBS has always maintained that the knowledge of a few is to be shared with the majority, we do not believe in the right to withhold knowledge for oneself.

The WEBBS claims that there are no bad techniques, but bad practitioners.

We are confident that you will enjoy every minute of this work and we recommend it as a very valuable work in your video library of Martial Arts.

We present 99 self-defense techniques including: Empty hands against knife. Empty hands against baton. Baton against knife. Baton against baton. Tonfa against baton.

Tonfa against knife. Jo against baton. Jo against knife. Knife against knife.

They are numerous and varied techniques that will awaken your attention, again and again.

The main emphasis of this DVD is edged weapon. Knowing and understanding all the dangers associated with any edge weapon.

The main theme in this DVD is establishing the priority.

The main emphasis of training with an edged weapon is knowing and understanding all the dangers associated with this type of weapon. All the “What if’s”, and “Yeah buts”, are all great for trial and error, and assuming predictability. The serious danger of edge weapons is real, and should be treated as such. This means where you should establish your training priority to be a survival tool, in the event this situation happens to you. Let’s face it, you are the one having to survive, not your trainer, helps you train your goals, not your objective. The training priorities I use in LatosaEscrima are as follows: reality, technique and drills. Reality: This is the understanding of exactly what could happen and the dangers when using or going against an edged weapon.

Techniques: These movements are trying to give you a generalization of possibilities, and probabilities of what may happen.

Drills: Most drills are used to develop and enhance body movement skills used in the technique application.

REF.: • LAT-3

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

ORDERS: Budo international.com

“Best Karate Kumite”. George Bierman Generally speaking, if you ask someone, “why are you in Martial Arts”, they will tell you it's because they want to learn how to fight. You usually never hear them say that they wanted to learn kata, weapons or wazas. I guess all of us have a little of that “I want to be a tough guy” or you could be motivated by a real need to protect yourself.

Whatever the reason, in this DVD I discuss Basic and Advanced kumite techniques and concepts that all of us should know, whether you are an advanced student or just beginning, and some things that have worked for me over and over.

Some can be used on the street but I'm mainly focusing on tournament techniques. I can tell you over and over to keep your hands up to protect your face. Some of you may do it and some may not. Once you get hit in the face several times by not doing it, you will. I began my Martial Arts training in 1973 and this is a collection of proven techniques and strategies that have worked well for me in competition to present day.

I have combined strategies, footwork, techniques and combinations that lead me to well over 2000 tournament wins and a World Champion fighter in St. Petersburg, Russia. They work!

LANGUAGES: ENGLISH, ESPAÑOL, ITALIANO, FRANÇAIS

REF.: • BIERMAN3

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

ORDERS: Budo international.com

FAREWELL GRAND MASTER A series of articles and interviews done on Kalis Ilustrísimo, Bakbakan International and Lameco S.O.G.

After having practiced Filipino Martial Arts for 26 years, I was given the opportunity to travel to Manila to train and interview some of the most renowned and prestigious Filipino Martial Arts masters of our time. This trip was made possible thanks to my Lameco Eskrima and Kalis Ilustrisimo teacher, Guro Dino Flores, whom I have the honor of representing in Spain.

Sadly, I also had the honor of conducting one of the greatest Filipino Martial Arts legends’ last interview. This illustrious and prominent person was known as Grand Master Antonio Diego.

Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo was the founder of a Filipino Martial Art specialized in the use of edged weapons and r emained undefeated in death matches.

A final interview entails great responsibility. At no such moment did I think it would be his last, the Grand Master had already done a dozen interviews. Shortly after my return to Madrid, they informed me that “Mang Tony”, as he liked to be known, was hospitalized and was not going to be released.

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espite his health problems, he never stopped teaching and training with his beloved group in Manila’s Luneta Park.

Mang Tony had the strength and the charisma that was only achieved with years of training. His presence alone permeated knowledge to those close by. His elegant and patient demeanor made you feel relaxed despite practicing, the Art of Kalis Ilustrisimo, the most dangerous Filipino Martial Arts with edged weapons. It is a pure, scientific and refined art that survived the era of firearms and continues until present day maintaining its Spanish and Asian essence, thanks to passionate and dedicated people like him. Every moment next to this great legend meant you needed all your senses to be alert and to be highly perceptive because his teachings had sub levels of understanding.

Similarly to many other geniuses, Grand Master Tony Diego was an unusual Master. He lived all his life in his beloved neighborhood of Tondo, possibly the most dangerous neighborhood in Manila. It is situated a short

Great Masters

distance away for the picturesque piers of the port where in his lifetime and perhaps even now, all types of workers converged: honorable sailors, soldiers, pirates and gogetters from all over the world and from all walks of life.

Although we speak of the great and honorable Five Pillars of Ilustrisimo. Grand Master Diego was the chosen successor of Great Grand Master Antonio Ilustrisimo, founder and creator of this style of combat art with the Sword and Dagger, specializing exclusively in edged weapons. He was the most feared man in the Philippines during his time; no one was able to defeat him in a fight to death; and no master of his time dared to challenge him. Not even in his old age. Shortly, we will dedicate a historic and biographical article based on the testimonies given by those people who trained and were close to him like Grandmaster Yuli Romo who is now the most senior living student of Tatang Ilustirisimo and whom I had the privilege of interviewing and training with during my stay in Manila.

Having just arrived to Manila we travelled to Tondo neighborhood in Guro Peachie’s 4X4 in search of GM Tony.

Guro Peachie is one of the Kalis Ilustrisimo Senior Instructors; she was his eternal and loyal student and a great friend. She welcomed me into her home during my visit to Manila. She admitted that it had been some weeks that the GM had not been able to attend the regular Sunday training sessions due to health problems. Guro Peachie also said that GM was going to make an effort to accompany us

that day in light of my visit. She told me, that as of late, he was very ill but that he wanted me to learn the bases well, the essence and the details of this art. Therefore, he also invited other well-known instructors of the art, such as Mang Romeo Macapagal, in order to provide explanations and to carry out demonstrations. Mang Macapagal is a wellknown expert and historian of the science and art of the Sword and Dagger from all eras and cultures, not only of Filipino Martial Arts.

They warned me that I should not leave the vehicle because Tondo was still a “complicated” neighborhood in spite of the passing of time. They also shared with me that Grand Master Tony was well loved by the people of this neighborhood because “everything that he won, he would share.”

I am certain that after many years of teaching one of the most valued types of Filipino Martial Arts in the world, GM Tony could have benefitted financially, as many other Martial Arts instructors have and rightfully so. However, instead of thinking of his own interest, he shared his income from practicing this art with about a dozen of his adopted children that he took in from the street and with his neighbors. Not only was he generous with his knowledge and his wisdom with his students, but also he was a man committed to his neighborhood and his neighbors. It was clear to me why he has so loved. He arrived smiling and was assisted by Guro Arnold Narzo, current Kalis Ilustrisimo

Chief Instructor in Manila, and other Kalis Ilustrisimo Senior Instructors. There he was in one of those interesting and narrow alleyways of the city’s neighborhoods, he was very content in spite of his ill health that day. I left the car to introduce myself and after having admitted that that moment was a dream come true; and for what Filipino Martial Artist wouldn’t it be? He smiled and said to me in the most courteous and kind way, which characterizes Filipinos, “we are also delighted that you are here.” If there are a friendly and hospitable people it is the people from the Philippines.

During our trip towards the park where the group met every Sunday, rain or shine, because you never know in Manila, and because Mang Tony loved training “under the rain”, he mentioned that during his youth he was Great Grandmaster Ilustrisimo’s neighbor before his death and that he had the opportunity to train with him daily. Grand Master Tony Diego has always been fascinated by Martial Arts and when he met the Old Man his perspective on fighting changed forever. He told me that he would meet

“Evening to train after having worked at the pier.

Despite his old age, Tatang Ilustrisimo transformed into a youth and a powerful warrior when he had a sword in his hand.”

with the Great Grandmaster Ilustrisimo every evening to train after having worked at the pier. Despite his old age, Tatang Ilustrisimo transformed into a youth and a powerful warrior when he had a sword in his hand.

Many are unaware that Mang Tony had worked all his life in the dangerous piers of the Port of Manila, where many sailors, martial artists would coincide along with fugitives and aggressive men emanating from the 7000 islands that comprise the archipelago of the Philippines, and people from all over the world. Every person was a son of a distinct system of fighting and if they weren’t, they have experimented in fighting with knives, razors, and machetes from their own tavern culture. In the taverns they sold cheap bad alcohol to the sailors who would come to the Tondo neighborhood. Mang Tony was used to dealing with all types of people, as he was responsible for establishing order in the piers and boats that would dock or set sail. He didn’t have any other option other than learning to defend himself, in spite of his elegant way of talking and moving around. His interest in Martial Arts went much further than simple personal defense. The lasting impression that Mang Tony left in me was that he was a wise gentleman, extremely intelligent, very observant, and practical man. He had to be to survive at his job and as such he was able to distinguish what was a useful and skilled movement from other less effective techniques.

During one of the training sessions and interview days, he told me how him and a neighbor, also a pier worker, had learned and practiced Balintawak and Modern Arnis together. “I was going from one style to another in 1973 and 1974, but I was looking for something more, I was constantly looking, jumping from one style to another. I tried all the styles that I could with my friend. We even went to distant

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provinces to visit masters but I would always get the same impression, everything was the same to me. One night in Luneta park, when I was training with an elderly man, who was also a contemporary of the Old Man (referring to Tatang Ilustrisimo), he told me not to worry, that “when the student is prepared, the Master appears.” Then he introduced me to a very special person. It was at the end of 1975 when I met Tatang Ilustrisimo. I went from training with a stick to training with a real sword.” The funny thing is that Grandmaster Tony Diego and Great Grand Master Ilustrisimo had been neighbors all along, and Grandmaster Tony Diego had travelled to many distant places in search of a Teacher.

TIM: Mang Tony, how long did you train with Tatang Ilustrisimo?

GM DIEGO: More than twenty years.

TIM: So how was the progression then? How did you learn?

GM DIEGO: In fact, the progression was fast. When we started to train, we started practicing with the sword.

TIM: Only with a sword?

GM DIEGO: Yes, I stopped training with the stick and directly started training with the sword. That was when we

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started to learn the exact stances, defenses, and the counter attacks. In those days we used real swords and they were extremely sharp. It was fun practicing with Tatang when he had a real sword in hand, instead of a stick. Sometimes he would have sticks, but when he had the sword in his hand, you could see how he handled it. The control he had was incredible, because he would touch you with the blade just enough not to hurt you. When he attacked you with the sword, your whole body trembled. However, he left the sharp blade on the edge of the skin. That is why our progression was so fast, because we trained with real swords. He was the person that taught us how to use a real sword.”

TIM: Did Tatang Ilustrisimo mention to you how he trained before you knew him, when he was still young?

GM DIEGO: It was basically the same system that he taught me at the beginning. First, he taught the stances, the attacks, the defenses and the counter attacks. Our art is not based on the typical techniques

of first one person moves, then the other, etc. No, no.

Sometimes our art is based on a continuous and simultaneous attack, not defend first and then attack.

He told us that depending on the distance, you could defend yourself by attacking fast and simultaneously.

That you could rapidly counterattack. For example, with “recta” (direct attack). Other times you have to go on the offensive and swiftly attack.

TIM: Can you speak a bit about the first training sessions you had with him in Luneta?

MANG TONY: The truth is at the beginning, when we started there were lots of people in the park looking at us, copying us, and then they would disappear. He was not aware that later those same people that were watching him and copying parts of his system, opened their own Eskrima schools!. You realized much later that people that came to copy him in the park and that would disappear after a short while would open their gym somewhere. Therefore, we focused on a simple practice, but later at home…Tatang’s art was very different, everything changed, it was very different. At

the beginning he would give the others a stick, but with Romy and me, Tatang made us train with a real sword from the beginning. Yes, real swords and very sharp. That is why the training he showed at the beginning in Luneta was very distinct from the private training that we did at his house. In Luneta, he did not teach everything, he knew other masters came to Luneta to copy him. That is why he taught what he wanted. But when we went to his house, there you could practice the true art with a real bolo.

TIM: Can you please speak a bit about those private training sessions at Tatang’s house?

MANG TONY: (LAUGHTER). Well they were very dangerous because the training sessions were with real bolos. He was very fast with the bolo, but his control with this weapon was incredible. With the stick it was different, he would hit you with the stick, or you would hit him, but with the bolo it was distinct. When we would train with sticks we could hit each other and we didn’t have protection for our hands.

TIM: Did Tatang Ilustrisimo have to modify his movements somehow when he began training with younger men like you?

Great Masters “He had killed many people.

He did not have a good life in the end. He died without his own home.

He was poor in his old age.�

MANG: Tatang told me that close to the river there was place called Cambá, there the Eskrimadors of his era would gather. Many were from Bisaya, previously that place was a port, the men of Bisaya were very strong and they worked at the port, and most of them were Eskrimadors. Hence when they would arrive to Manila they would ask where the “other” eskrimadors were. According to Tatang, the oldest Eskrimador of that time was Dizon, the strongest one was named Antonio Mercado. And Tatang was the fastest. At that time he danced the Charleston and was excellent at dancing the Charleston. In that era, it was those three, Dizon, Tatang…And Dizon was the champion of Manila at the time. Antonio Mercado was the strongest of them all. But the fastest was Tatang. The three of them trained together. Even Villabrille studied with Tatang, he was Tatang’s relative. I think he was his nephew. They met there to train, in Cambá.

TIM: So they exchanged techniques and knowledge?

GM DIEGO: Yes, they exchanged their knowledge.

One day it seems that there was a misunderstanding between Dizon and Tatang. And it seems that Tatang challenged Dizon to a real fight. Tatang said to Dizón that if he fought against him, that he would mark a cross on his chest; from there comes the movement in the form of a cross, because he would do this movement to you and he would do...and in the end Dizon did not want to fight with him because Tatang was great, robust, and tall. As time went on, they became friends again and they continued practicing together.

DINO FLORES: Could you please tell us a story about Tatang during the Second World War when he served in the guerrilla resistance?

GM DIEGO: The truth that his job in the guerrilla was that of an executor. When they imprisoned a Japanese person…on one occasion they took two Japanese people and he forced them to dig their own graves. Later Tatang used a shovel to…kill them, due to the lack of bullets.

DINO FLORES: Could you please tell us something about his Anting Anting, his charms?

GM DIEGO: I used to practice it, but later I forgot about it.

DINO FLORES: Did he use a prayer?

MANG: Yes, but it came at a price. You always had to pay a price for a prayer. Usually in the form of

Great Masters

MANG: Before, yes, but it was difficult to maintain. The money would come, but just as it comes, it goes…

TIM: Is there a price to pay?

MANG: Even up until now. I have been suffering for two years. Last year my house burned down. Everything that I had vanished.

My wife became ill, everything… Perhaps I need to forget about that. That is why I don’t practice Anting Anting prayer anymore.

DINO: What was the Prayer for?

MANG: For protection during fights. You tattoo yourself or write it on your chest, and on your arms.

DINO: What are some of the things you do with prayer?

MANG: On Good Friday we would write the Prayer on a piece of paper and a police officer would closely shoot at the paper and he would dodge the bullet… This dodge was reflected in absolutely everything, even in your business, you dodged everything…even money. You practiced it for protection. There are prayers for everything. To attract money, to attract girls, for protection. But the same way you attracted it, it would leave. some problem. Tatang had a time where he earned lots of money, he was a gold smuggler, he worked in gold smuggling and in the 50s and 60s he earned a lot of money.

He was at the head of a ship that worked in gold smuggling in the Indian Ocean and the East Sea. DINO: So he had lots of money but because of Anting Anting and Prayer, he became poor?

MANG: Yes, he died very poor. He didn’t have anything.

DINO: So due to Anting Anting he had to pay a price…

MANG: Yes because of that and he had killed many people. He did not have a good life in the end. He died without his own home. He was poor in his old age.

DINO: Do you know how many people he killed…?

In that moment the Grand Master changes his expression and by his gesture he must have killed many people…

DINO: He killed many people, right?

MANG TONY: (REMAINS SILENT) TIM: Do you practice Anting Anting?

DINO FLORES: So it was very useful during war?

MANG: Yes, it was great to have it during war.

TIM: And now in times of peace? Do you practice some type of spirituality?

MANG: Yes, I sometimes meditate.

TIM: What type of meditation do you practice?

MANG: I follow Heart meditation.

DINO: Is it a Buddhist practice?

MANG: It’s great.

TIM: Or Christian?

MANG: It is Buddhist as well as Christian. The name of the booked is titled OLEN. It is the key principle of Energy. I enjoy Heart meditation. You extend yourself as far as being part of the Cosmos. Fire in the Heart. Think about your blessings and you extend from your heart to infinity.

That same afternoon after the training and after having shared past stories with Grand Master Antonio Diego and

Great Masters

Guro Narzo, we ate dinner at the hotel. During the dinner, I asked him about a video that I had seen of him and Guro Peachie dancing to rock and roll on the balcony of his house. He mentioned that rhythm is extremely important in the practice of Kalis Ilustrisimo because the timing is a crucial attribute for fighting. Guro Arnold took the opportunity to tell us that in addition to dancing well, the Grand Master sang. At that moment I asked him who was his favorite singer. The Grand Master said Frank Sinatra and he started to sing “The way you look tonight� with a magnificent voice without any accent at all. It gave us all goose bumps. The other customers in the restaurant smiled and enjoyed the song with us. He stopped singing, we clapped, and he finished by saying that he loved Frank Sinatra and that he knew all his songs by heart. That was the last night I saw him. We bid farewell in front of the hotel. I thanked him for being very generous with me, without a doubt he had been with all the people he came in contact with during his life. On the way back, already in Spain, when they wrote to me to inform me that he had passed away, I understood why he practiced Heart Meditation, because he liked to extend himself from the heart and melt and fill the entire Cosmos. He was all heart, generosity, patience, character and passion.

Without a doubt the Universe becomes infinite to welcome people with hearts like his. I do not doubt that he is now with his best friends, Tatang Ilustrisimo, Grand Master Christopher Ricketts and Punong Guro Edgar Sulite, even for a short time, training and exchanging knowledge and having fun together one more time. To my practicing colleagues of Kalis Ilustrisimo, Bakbakan International and Lameco International, from the newest to the most advanced, I can only ask you one thing, that we honor the memory of that Dream Team that now without a doubt are the All Stars of another place.

Italian tradition in defense against knife Self Defense

Graziano Galvani, a tireless investigator of the past, is back with his group of "Grand Gentlemen� of the "Tavola", offering us his martial knowledge and that of its past, which is actually ours. The Italian tradition of combat is full of unexplored corners that tell us about the greatness of a time, when their soldiers use the Arts of combat in the battlefields worldwide. The effective and surprising strategies, (wrapped in the flavor of the purest European classic tradition), are a lesson of our martial history, and at the same time the true self-defense, in a time when knives were waved in any good fight, in any corner, at any time, a time when it was necessary to know...or to die. A luxury for the glorious past of our tradition.

Text: Graziano Galvani Photos: Š www.budointernational.com

Nova Scrimia “The hand armed with a dagger of the enemy” Master Achille Marozzo OPERA NOVA 1536

DEFENSE AGAINST A KNIFE SURVIVING THE BLADE The chronicles speak more and more about criminal episodes carried out with blade weapons. We know how dangerous a knife aggression can be for whoever trained or not. It is a verified fact the wide variety of invented ways in these years to carry small hidden knives. Knives that open up with a hand, sharpened cutters as shaving razors, prickers that come out of key‌ they all show how fertile could be the creativity of our species. In fact, criminals and this is not a recent discovery- know that they do and the knife is more and more their reliable friend in the many criminals actions In the "Nova Scrimia Fraternity", we have among the many experts and specialists, with several private and public security agents. As Traditional Martial Arts practitioners and operating practitioners of self defense methodologies, we have always focused ourselves in the use and the efficiency of what we study. Hence, from the beginning, a long time ago, we have asked ourselves this

Nova Scrimia

crucial question: "How much of the old inherited knowledge on Martial Scrimia, is really applicable and useful nowadays? The answers we have received from practice they all go in the same direction: the mankind has not changed at all, those things that worked centuries ago, in really bloody historical periods, they also work perfectly nowadays.

Speaking of cutting blade weapons, for instance, it is easy to understand how those weapons coming out even in different forms and dimensions have always been created to have a lethal power to cut and to chop. Centuries ago daggers and daggers were pulled out to fight or to attack. Today they appear in the hands of the "bad people": cutters, folders and sharpened blades. Blade weapons are tools so essential and so perfect that there will always be criminals ready to use them. Therefore, there will be people that will have to dramatically try to survive their effects. In those moments, when the life is at stake, the art of protecting is a formidable ally, ready to offer essential psychic and physical answers.

Our first videotape of knife defense is born from there and of from the desire of sharing with martial artists of every style, method, or latitude, some of the rules of Scrimia Art: an old and current school, which is specific, because it expresses really applicable contents. A school forged in the historical forgery of a land devastated by the power of the sheets.

“The Martial art we practice, in fact doesn't teach us "healthy" or "politically correct" methods to counterattack an aggressor who is armed with a knife.

Self Defense

Nova Scrimia PREMISE: TO GO FAR BEYOND THE ILLUSIONS The fundamental premise is: To a "fool" an ordinary sheet also offers more than one advantage.

The neck of a bottle or an average kitchen knife will be enough to cause real disasters, it isn’t necessary to open up and use a last generation “folder. On one side: a phone directory with razor blades located on the borders, belts with sharpened buckles, pointed keys as stilettos, pens with prickers, tiny knifes hanging on the neck. What else?

On the other side: gym training, exercises, technical skills, static and moving applications with feigned wooden knives, rubber, aluminum, true unsharpened knives, inventions of all types to try to simulate reality.

We know that the hand grabbing a knife is driven by at least three types of different heads, by three personalities: First: a person who has lost control and he acts without inhibition. Classic situation: kitchen knife seized by hands without any type of technical training, but driven by a wild fury. In "the control room” there is a raving reptile that hits with instinctive and confused movements . It attacks going toward the target and stepping back several times. It does it, cutting and sinking the tip. Where, how, how much? It doesn’t matter, it is enough, to hit, hit hit.

Second: a criminal that uses a blade to increase his coercive and threatening power. In "the control" room there is a moderate "exhibitionist": he shows

“The fundamental premise is: To a "fool" an ordinary sheet also offers more than one advantage.”

Nova Scrimia it, he brags about, he presents it due to a choreographic need.

If he has to use it, he optimizes actions and he hits to hurt and to terrify. If needed he hits to kill. He uses the weapon for what it can give him of nervous determination: he cuts arms, face, throat, abdomen with a cutter, attacks the torso with a stiletto.

Third: the premeditating murderer who acts with only one objective, taking someone’s life. The blade enters from behind or from a side. If it is used frontally, it only appears at the last moment. The blade is his credo, it is not seen, and he thrusts it immediately.

Very little information is so certain: they are all dangerous hands and the limits among these profiles are permeable. With the first couple of profiles, there are more defense probabilities, whereas the third the probabilities drop clamorously. Perhaps

“Gym training, exercises, technical skills, static and moving applications with feigned wooden knives, rubber, aluminum, true unsharpened knives, inventions of all types to try to simulate reality.�

Self Defense one may survive the first couple, whereas the third a miracle is needed.

As we say, a knife doesn't need expert hands to produce lethal damages, but if it is used by expert hands, is better, even better to be far from that situation.

Have you ever seen the wounded forearms of a stabbed victim? Suffering from a wound, even if it is not on vital parts, to see your own blood gushing out, it is a shock for anybody. It is not a coincidence that cutters and the short blades are the criminal’s favorite “working tools". They know these things due to experiences.

KNOCK, KNOCK… ¿IS ANYBODY THERE? Against the knife, despite what is seen around, it is not actually possible to do all that is wanted. Above all, we have to be completely aware that people move in very different way with respect to what we are accustomed to see in the gym. An aggressor acts with determination. If he attacks, the last thing he does is to easily let us access his armed arm and by that allowing our maneuvers. An armed arm is very strong. It is the arm of a super hero, it moves nervously, hardly, inconsistently, quickly, it changes trajectory and behind it, there is a moving body. The criminal may attack from far away, running toward us, he can jump on us, to push us, to hit us with slaps or fists and to pull the weapon out, once we are already fighting. The aggressor can pick up a knife from the bar counter; to get off the car holding a screwdriver, to grab a bottle by the neck and break it; to break a chair or to throw it toward us. We could fall, to impact against a wall, to be jerked by the jacket. The lights dazzle us, the surprise paralyzes us. It does not matter if we are bigger, stronger and more agile, he is the one who has the weapon, if we want to survive we have to accept the “quarrel”.

He has the power: a few centimeters of cold steel

and the most trained muscles in the world transform into butter. Under the muscles is developed the intricate highway of the veins, arteries, tendons, nerves, vital organs. It is just a matter of a few centimeters: a tear or a hole and the game finishes. "Game over!"…

To react; To repeat; To resist. Under these conditions it is truly difficult. What can we make? To keep our senses exclusively focused in surviving: to be able to divert attacks with the best available strategies; To perceive time in order to hit strongly with the most appropriate technique at the right time; to cause the biggest harm possible, to adapt the happening with mind and body, to use each possible "ally" to make a difference. For a civilian, as soon as a useful hole opens up, to escape in the quickest possible way.

And to finally come back home to lick one’s wounds In fact, it is our mental attitude what is truly "in question" and that makes everything difficult.

Unfortunately, what is usually done in the gym is to train the skills, perhaps in a static way. But, will that save us?

The hand armed with a dagger of the enemy” Master Achille Marozzo OPERA NOVA 1536 The Martial art we practice, in fact doesn't teach us "healthy" or "politically correct" methods to counterattack an aggressor who is armed with a knife. Forged in tough social realities, Scrimia is tough. In this videotape we feature some strategies of life preservation against frontally applied knife attacks, both at a distance as well as in hand to hand. It is about a practical knowledge of seven

Nova Scrimia “As we say, a knife doesn't need expert hands to produce lethal damages, but if it is used by expert hands, is better, even better to be far from that situation.�

centuries that we inherit from the Italian Masters School of weapons. We have decided that the moment has arrived of showing this knowledge. All techniques presented in the videotape, although they are coded patrimony, they have gone by a ferocious experimentation in practice. Due to their utility, some of the strategies are part of the security agencies operating programs and operative personnel at the airports and they have made a difference in many situations. Therefore, what you will find in this videotape is perfectly clear: practical applications and many options: strategic tactics of vital self protection for civilians, with percussions, exit actions, breaks and endings. You will also find

intervention strategies for operating actions, relative to lock control, blockage, disarming and neutralizing people with knife.

It is a unique videotape of its genre, recorded by thirteen Teachers and Instructors of Nova Scrimia. The group alter nates didactic and explanatory moments with actions of extreme dynamism filmed in indoors and outdoors.

If you really are ready, if you seriously want to test the tradition of weapons, the Art of Scrimia is at your reach. Later your attitude towards defense against knife attack won't ever be the same one.

As Master Fiore dei Liberi suggests "If we are on guard, we will be able to survive.

“As Master Fiore dei Liberi suggests ‘If we are on guard, we will be able to survive’.”

Self Defense

Nova Scrimia

Always with the Ochikara, "The Great Strength" (called e-bunto in the Shizen vernacular tongue) or secret wisdom of the ancient Miryoku Japanese shamans, as a backdrop, the author takes us into a world of genuine reflections that are capable to move at once both the reader's heart and head, thus placing him continuously in front of the abyss of the invisible, as the true final frontier of personal and collective consciousness.

The spiritual taken not as religion, but as the study of the invisible, was the way of the ancient Miryoku sages to approach the mystery in the framework of a culture as rich as unknown, to which the author has wholeheartedly devoted.

Alfredo Tucci, Manager Director to Budo International Publishing Co. and author in the past 30 years of a large number of titles about the Warrior's Way, offers us a set of extraordinary and profound reflections, which can be read individually in no particular order. Each one of them opens up a window to us through which we can take a look at the most varied subjects from an unexpected angle, now dotted with humor now with forcefulness and grandiosity, placing us in front of eternal matters with the view of the one who has just arrived and doesn't agree with the common places in which everyone coincides.

We can affirm with conviction that no reader will be indifferent to this book; such is the strength and intensity of its contents. Saying this is saying a lot in a world crowded with collective mangers, interested and behavioral ideologies, manipulators and, in short, spurious interests and mediocrity. It is therefore a text for big souls and intelligent people who are ready to look at life and mystery with the freedom of the most restless and scrutinizing minds, without dogmas, without transient morals, without subterfuges...

"Vital spot in Taekwon-Do is defined as any sensitive or breakable area on the body vulnerable to an attack. It is essential that the student of Taekwon-Do has a knowledge of the different spots so that he can use the proper attacking or blocking tool.

Indiscriminate attack is to be condemned as it is inefficient and wasteful of energy". - General Choi Hong Hi, ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TAEKWONDO, Volume II, page 88. Taekwon-Do is one of the largest and most professional martial arts in the world today, (founded on April 11, 1955, by General Choi Hong Hi, and continues to flourish even after the passing of its founder in June of 2002. Over time the sporting factors took precedence and much was either ignored or discarded in the area of the original self-protection methods. In the original writings of General Choi much of the focus, structure and even the use of the vital points "Kupso", as well as the weapon development to access them, was outlined but never fully taught. Kyusho International has developed a program to enlighten, educate, integrate and develop this incredible Martial Art back to it's founders concepts. This new program has the full support of the founders surviving son Choi Jung Hwa. The focus of this series is to investigate the Patterns (teul), which are performed in accordance with the founders precepts in "The Encyclopedia of TaekwonDo" (an astounding 15 volumes written by General Choi Hong Hi, including his "Vital Spots"). It is through this structure that Kyusho will be initially integrated back into Taekwon-Do. Kyusho International is proud to assist in this monumental and historic collaborative undertaking.

REF.: • KYUSHO20

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

ORDERS: Budo international.com

Combat Hapkido

RE-VISITING THE GENDER GAP

by Master Trina Pellegrini

In a recent issue of BUDO INTERNATIONAL magazine, there was an article written by my husband, Grandmaster John Pellegrini, titled “Addressing the Gender Gap”.

While I felt that it was well written and I agreed with most of what it said, I believe that a discussion of this important martial arts topic can benefit from a woman's point of view. Indeed it demands it. But let me make this perfectly clear, by that I do not mean that “only” a woman understands or has the right to discuss the subject of women-in-the-martial-arts or women-self-defense. It is simply a logical and intelligent approach to an often emotional issue, loaded with misunderstandings, pre-conceived notions, mistrust and absurd political correctness.

Combat Hapkido

H

owever, before I begin sharing my views on the subject, I believe that the readers deserve to know a little more about me and my qualifications in this area and remove any lingering doubt that I may feel entitled to speak on this issue simply because I am married to an international martial arts celebrity. I have been involved in the martial arts for 25 years, training in TaeKwonDo, Tai Chi and, of course, Combat Hapkido.

Over the years, I have traveled extensively with my husband to many of his seminars and I have also attended many seminars conducted by leading self-defense experts and famous martial arts Masters. And, coincidentally, I have also experienced two real-life situations where I was attacked and had to use my martial arts skills to defend myself (successfully!). In other words, I have paid my dues and earned my right to discuss this topic with some authority.

Two years ago, I felt that it was time to structure and introduce a new program to deal with specific challenges faced by women. So, I developed and launched a new “women-only” self-defense concept called “TRU”. The name is an acronym that stands for Trained-Ready-Unafraid. I envisioned this project to be more than just a great syllabus of practical, effective, realistic and easy-to-learn techniques for women. After all, there are many wellqualified, experienced Instructors (men AND women) around the World teaching “women” self-defense courses. I wanted to go beyond that and create a safe, smart network of resources that women could access to find answers to specific

problems, locate products & services of interest, and connect with other women sharing the same concerns about personal protection and safety. I decided that TRU had to be informative, useful, valuable and even fun, therefore the program had to include several different components: 1. An exciting BLOG, www.unafraidwomen.com where women would find information and resources about products and services related to women's safety, personal protection and wellness. Also relevant article, books and seminars on topics such as domestic violence, crime statistics, medical and legal issues and travel security. The blog is also a forum for members to share experiences, connect with others with common interest, pose questions and request advice on specific situations.

2. WOMEN SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING. Obviously, this is at the core of who we are and what we do. The “TRU�

System is promoted around the World and women of all ages, abilities and social position, are invited and

encouraged to attend seminars, courses, retreats and other events featuring physical, hands-on self-defense training.

3. WOMEN INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION. This will be an major part of our mission. We want to create a vast, international cadre of qualified, experienced, competent female Instructors to teach the TRU System around the World. In addition to the personal reward of knowing that what they teach will reduce violence against women

and potentially save lives, it will also present interesting professional and business opportunities.

By integrating these 3 components, I believe that TRU will be a positive force committed and dedicated to the empowerment of women, preventing their victimization and teaching them how to fight back, realistically and effectively.

However, this discussion would not be complete if I did not address the most common objection raised by many martial artists and self-defense “experts” against women-only programs such as TRU. The objection actually consists of two separate, valid and legitimate points: 1) Women do not “need” to learn from a female Instructor. As long as the teacher is qualified and competent, gender should not matter.

2) Women's training is more realistic in a mixed environment, with male training partners. After all, statistically, they will be much more likely to be attacked or assaulted by a man. As I stated, both points are valid and generally true. But that's where the unique understanding and very personal perspective of a woman can present other, more subtle (or even “hidden” or unspoken) aspects of this issue.

Certainly, not every woman “needs” or wants a female Instructor. But, I have also discovered, over many years of experience, that MANY women feel intimidated by a male instructor They may also feel that his (usually) bigger size and strong, muscular body is an advantage that makes it easy for him to execute techniques and defeat the bed guys. By observing a smaller female easily performing the techniques, a woman will be able to more readily identify with the instructor and BELIEVE that she too can learn to fight back. In some cases, women will be turned-off by the instructor's overly “macho” attitude or feel uncomfortable with his aggressive or “militaristic' demeanor. So, for all these reasons, MORE female Instructors will attract MORE women to the Martial Arts and keep them involved in self-defense training. And let's not forget, that another positive result of attracting more women is that some of them will become future Instructors and… attract more women!

Concerning the obvious and undeniable benefits of women training with male partners, it is all well and good for most of the women who have NOT experienced the serious emotional and psychological trauma of past (or ever current) abuse, physical violence and other extremely negative situations involving men. Most

women who have been victimized, sometime brutally, by men remain in a very fragile and delicate emotional state for a long time (often forever) and, while they may appear to be OK and be able to function normally in everyday society, they carry psychological scars and traumas that can best be understood and properly handled by another woman. Pain and fear can suddenly resurface and horrible flashbacks can easily be triggered by physical contact with a male training partner. This is a particularly real and dangerous possibility during training involving ground grappling, choking, bear-hugs and other very close contact techniques.

That is why I believe that we should offer “women-only� classes, seminars and courses to those women who need, must have or simply prefer a non-threatening, safe, understanding all-women training environment.

I am sure that many martial arts instructors will disagree with the views I have expressed in this article, but, being a woman and having researched this subject for many years, I can assure you that the facts are on my side: there are millions of women in the World who will NEVER set foot in a martial arts academy or a self-defense seminar because the Instructor is a man.

And I ask: what is wrong with certifying a whole new generation of women Instructors and reaching out to every woman who wants to lear n how to protect herself in the environment of her choice?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The "Kyusho Tactical Control Program" (KTCP), was designed for Subject control escalation with Legal, Medical and Tactical Deployment research, field-testing and coordination. The scope of this program is for use by but not limited to, Law Enforcement, Security, Emergency Medical or Response, Coast Guard, Military, Governmental Agencies, Body Guards and Personal Security. This Basic Module is comprised of one set of 12 primary targets and integrated into 4 modules of escalating force restraint continuums. There are several weak structures in the human body that can be utilized by an Agent to simply gain control of a perpetrator more efficiently than conventional use of force methods. This would be in the protocol should a situation escalate past the verbal command stage. These Kyusho (Vital) points are where the Agent can make use of internal systems of physical control such as, Nerves, Tendon Structure and natural Nerve Reflexes of the body. Not requiring heavy force Fine or complex motor control or even sight… all of which is subject to failure and loss in high adrenaline states. This information is dedicated to the Brave and Resilient Members of these Agencies around the world… Thank you for what you do!

REF.: • KYUSHO 22

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

ORDERS: Budo international.com

REF.: • LEVI LEVI8

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

ORDERS: Budo international.com