Combat Magazine - April 2012

BRINGING MARTIAL ARTS TO LIFE

MARTIALARTSSHOW the

THE NEC BIRMINGHAM 12th & 13th MAY 2012

April 2012 Vol. 37 No. 03 £3.95

PLUS...

Weight Training For Martial Arts - How to Release Tension, Tightness & Trauma! If You Can’t do, Then Teach! Should Children be Awarded Black Belts?

Don’t be One Dimensional, Think Outside The Box! Bill Wallace - Self Defence For Wheelchair Users and Much, Much More!

Choi

Silvio Simac - Believe in Yourself & You’ll Succeed!

Kwang Do

From Nowhere to Everywhere...

visit us at www.combatmag.co.uk

COMMENT

VOL 37 NO. 03 APRIL 2012 PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF

Welcome to this month’s edition and whilst I want to detail all that is set to take place at the Martial Arts Show Live (May 12th & 13th @the NEC in Birmingham) I will detail it all in next month’s issue before the event takes place! So for now, check out some of these posters that we have been using to promote the show, see the adverts in this issue and visit the site www. themartialartsshowlive.com to see all the latest news. . .

Paul Clifton paul@martialartsinprint.com

SENIOR DESIGNER Kevin Thompson

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hadley Austin

WEBMASTER

“LOVE MARTIAL ARTS?

Nick Harley

WE’D LOVE YOU TO JOIN US!”

ADVERTISING/SALES EXECUTIVE Jan Harley 0121 351 6930

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12th - 13th MAY 2012 ! /&$ #*3.*/()".

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DISCLAIMER

COMBAT is published by M.A. Publications ltd, Unit 20, Maybrook Business Park, Maybrook Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B76 1BE. The publishers reserve the right to reject editorial and/or advertising material as they see fit.

The Publishers accept no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material. However, the Publishers will endeavour to return such matter providing that it is accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. Any material accepted by the Publishers shall be revised or altered should the Publisher deem it necessary to do so. The act of submitting manuscripts and/or materials shall be considered an express warranty that such material is original and in no way infringes upon the rights of others. It is expressly forbidden for any part of the magazine to be reported whatsoever without the permission of Editor / Publishers. The views or comments expressed in these pages are not necessarily those of the editor or Publisher. Distribution by COMAG, Tavistock Works, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE.

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COLUMNISTS

PHOTOGRAPHY

Aran Dharmeratnam Carrie Austin Joe Hallett 07716266854 Kerry-Louise Norbury Phil Hobden Mike Finn

KUNG FU

CONTRIBUTORS Derek Frearson Brian Dossett Guy Holland Mick Clarke Peter Browne Rich Hinchcliffe Richard Thomas Stuart Rider Tom Hibbert

Iain Armstrong Michael Tse Simon Lau Vince Hinde Yap Leong

You must get annoyed by all the questions you get asked when you tell ‘non martial artist’s’ that you train in the martial arts. Well our very own Rob Devane runs us through some of the more annoying ones that I’m sure we’ve all been faced with at some time before, he also gives us a few idea’s of some of the more creative ways we can answer them.

This month we welcome a new regular columnist to the Combat family, Stuart Rider. Stuart has 20 years experience of training in various forms of martial arts and now teaches his own system called ‘Rider Martial Arts’. Over the coming month’s he will be telling us more about the various training method’s and principles he teaches along with the odd interview and occasional article on other interesting topics such as complimentary therapies.

We have a great competition courtesy of our friends over at Momentum Pictures. We have teamed up with them on their forthcoming release of ‘House of The Rising Sun’ (starring former WWE superstar Dave Bautista) to bring you the chance to win a Phillips Blu-Ray player and one of ten copies of the film on Blu-Ray. So what are you waiting for, go to page 27 and get your entries in.

In 1987 (some of you will not have even been born then) Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi introduced us to his new, revolutionary system, Choi Kwang Do. Now, at the age of 70, he and his martial art system are still going strong and from strength to strength & Grandmaster Choi shows no signs of slowing down!

This year marks the 25th anniversary of CKD and we have joined in the celebrations in our own way by bringing you 3 informative articles covering the last 25 years of Choi Kwang Do, the impact it has had here in the UK since its introduction 24 years ago and an article looking at the system itself.

Bill ‘Superfoot’ Wallace is a name, now synonymous with martial arts and in particular kickboxing. If you are not familiar with Bill (where have you been the last 40 years?) he is a PKA world full-contact karate champion and Middleweight Champion kick boxer. He has starred in a number of movies with names such as Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan and taught non other than Elvis Presley. Bill along with Joe Lewis, Tim Larkin, Don Wilson, Casanova Wong, Alex Reid, Master Sken, Bob Breen and another 200 well known martial arts masters and leading lights will once again be attending the Martial Arts Show Live in May at the NEC in Birmingham (12th & 13th of May) and we caught up with him to see what he has been up to recently.

There is so much more content in this month’s magazine we could go on forever, but unfortunately we just haven’t got the space to mention it all so we will let you carry on and see for yourselves, enjoy.

See you next month – Oss.

KOREAN ARTS Dave Oliver David Allerton Hee Il Cho Keith Evans Tony Vohra

KARATE

Chris Denwood Mike Finn Neil Horton Peter Allen Ronnie Colwell Steve Arneill

THAI BOXING Dan Green Richard Smith Shaun Boland Tony Myers

BOXING

Luke Calvert Mark Wilson-Smith

FULL CONTACT

Bill Wallace Cris Janson-Piers Joe Lewis Kerry-Louise Norbury Steve Humphries

HEALTH/ STRENGTH/ FITNESS Drew Price Gavin Sibson Neil Rosiak Philip Malin Silvio Simac Jon Watson

SELF PROTECTION/ DEFENCE

Aran Dharmeratnam Kevin O’Hagan Morne Swaenopal Peter Browne

PHOTOGRAPHY Carrie Austin Martyn Skipper

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS (MMA) Rob Nutley Liam Fisher Ben Cartlidge Bryan Levick Carl Fisher Dave O’Donnell Gavin Mulholland

We are on the look out for enthusiastic martial arts fans that would like to become area/regional reporters.

Fancy yourself as a team player? genuine and ‘real’ martial arts fans call now on: 0121-351-6930

CONTENTS REGULARS

28

6 -

MARTIAL ARTS NEWSLINE

12 -

ON THE RECORD - With Steve Butler

14 -

THE NEGOTIATOR - With Aran Dharmeratnam

18 -

THE DRUID SPEAKETH - By Rob Devane

20 -

THE BUNBUN SERIES - By Mike Finn

22 -

HERE TO HELP - With Stuart Rider

24 -

HONG KONG FILM - With Lee Laverne

FEATURES

42

102

27 -

HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN COMPETITION

28 -

CHOI KWANG DO - 25 Years Strong!

32 -

FIRST FILIPINO & INDIAN MARTIAL ARTS SEMINAR A Meeting of Arts & Mind's - Part Two

40 -

THE GEM STUDIO - Striving For Perfection

42 -

TIM LARKIN - The Survivor's Choice

48 -

DANA HEE - Part One - By Gulrukh Khan

54 -

24 YEARS OF CHOI KWANG DO IN THE UK S.I.M.P.L.E. - Special Integrated Movements Promotes Learning Efficiency

58 -

BILL 'SUPERFOOT' WALLACE On Jabs, Kicks, Elvis & Other Thoughts

60 -

KUNAI - By Dave Giddings

64 -

THE CHEON JI MUYE DO CHRONICLES The Philosophy of The Action Star

68 -

THOUGHTS BECOME REALITY Grandmaster Mark Shuey's Canemasters - Part Two

72 -

SILVIO SAYS SMILE - Report by Lucy Stimpson

76 -

THE MAIN EVENT Couls Stand Up Finally go Mainstream?

80 -

CHOI KWANG DO A Unique System For The 21st Century

84 -

SELF DEFENCE FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS

By Colm Whooley

88 -

SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER TO NOT GET THE POINT Enter Teuk Gong Moo Sool - Part Seven

92 -

EBBMA TOURNAMENT An Introduction to European Blade-Based Martial Arts TRADITIONAL

98 -

MIDLAND SHOTOKAN KARATE FEDERATION British Championships

102 - JAPANESE MARTIAL ARTS OF THE 16TH CENTURY

By Neil Horton - Part One

106 - TANG SOO DO - By Master David Allerton

108

108 - BABIES & BLACK BELTS

By Niall P. Grange

THE NEC BIRMINGHAM 12TH & 13TH May 2012

18

newsline

BRINGING YOU THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WORLD OF MARTIAL ARTS. IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING WE DON’T THEN WRITE OR FAX IT TO US AT Unit 20 Maybrook Business Park, Maybrook Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B76 1BE TEL: 0121 351 6930 E-MAIL: newsline@martialartsinprint.com

IT’S THE TAKING PART THAT COUNTS

A survey undertaken by chocolate milk drink, Mars Refuel, has confirmed that, while it is well documented that participating in sports can be good for your physical health, it can also be great for your mental wellbeing too.

In addition to the social benefits, playing sport as part of a team or as an individual can also stimulate endorphins, which are one of the body’s natural feel good chemicals.

This is why people often say they feel a “buzz” after doing exercise or taking part in sport.

The research, which was carried out amongst people who are currently active sports participants and those

Taekwondo star Aaron Cook

that aren’t, revealed 4 in 10 sports participants always feel more positive after taking part in sport, with an additional third saying they almost always feel more positive after doing so.

Interestingly, more than a third (38%) of people who don’t currently participate in sport but once did said they could remember feeling positive after playing sport when they were younger, with almost a third (32%) saying they believed they would benefit from taking part in sport now for that reason.

The research also revealed that the biggest perceived barriers preventing people from taking part in sport are a lack of motivation (32%), finding time (28%) and the cost (18%).

While Mars Refuel can’t add more hours to the day, it is encouraging people to get back into sport, whether inspired by the incredible summer of sport that lies ahead of us, or simply to enjoy the positive impact it has on physical and mental wellbeing.

The Mars Refuel Drink Fund, which was set up to encourage people to try new sports and play their favourite sport for longer, will open for entries from April 2 2012. The Mars Refuel Drink Fund has one gold (£1000), four silver (£500) and eight bronze (£250) awards to donate to the most deserving applicants every month for the next six months.

Applications can be made online at www.marsrefuel.com offering support with anything from equipment and travel costs, to improving training grounds and club houses. The fund will be accepting applications from April 2 2012.

The fund is open to residents of, and clubs and organisations based in the UK and Republic of Ireland only. Applicants must be 12 years or over and only one application will be accepted per person, club or organisation.

Mars Refuel is a great source of protein, carbohydrate, calcium and vitamin B. It’s the milk goodness in Mars Refuel that provides the optimum 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein that helps people to go 50% longer**.

NAKMAS DEMANDS ACTION TO STOP SCHOOL BULLYING

The National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools (NAKMAS) is becoming increasingly concerned

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newsline about the number of reported bullying incidents within UK schools, and the longevity of individual cases which are not being resolved causing distressed children and anxious parents.

As a Governing Body for martial arts clubs and associations around the UK, NAKMAS is often approached by parents or affiliates who have tried repeatedly to resolve bullying problems affecting their children at school. Instructors teach students how to defend themselves when they are being attacked, and students are taught that these techniques should only be used in extreme circumstances. Ironically in some cases, children have used their knowledge to defend themselves from bullying and have then been penalised by Head Teachers for doing so.

So surely the schools have in place policies and procedures for dealing with bullying? Officially all schools should have an anti-bullying policy in place, but it seems that these may need to be tightened up in many cases and further procedures for implementation put in place.

One particular case involves a ten year old girl in Wiltshire, who according to her father, also an experienced karate black belt, has been bullied consistently by two particular boys for the past three and a half years at her primary school in Salisbury.

Ian Reason said ‘as parents it is our responsibility to protect our children but we cannot do this if the school is unwilling to do their part in protecting them from bullies. My daughter has recurrent nightmares, knots in her stomach in the mornings before school, and after a bad day she comes home and hides under her duvet until I get home from work’.

‘There is something very wrong with our Education System’!

Joe Ellis, Chair and Acting Lead Welfare Officer for NAKMAS agrees ‘We have had many parents approach us at an alarming rate recently either directly or via our affiliates, who have had issues with the way the schools have treated or dealt with their children’s bullying complaints. Children are distressed and not being taken seriously’. ‘I was the victim of bullying myself when I was at school, and I am sickened to find it still so rampant in today’s socalled protective society’.

Ellis is calling for schools to tighten their implementation procedures, to join the Anti-Bullying Alliance, of which NAKMAS is a member, and to realise that unless they begin to address these issues seriously, today’s bullying victims may become tomorrow’s suicide victims! Indeed the media details hundreds of cases of the aptly named ‘bullycide’ across the world and CEO of UK based charity BeatBullying, Emma-Jane Cross, has appeared on television discussing this appalling and heartbreaking ‘trend’. The recent ‘bullycide’ case of autistic 12 year old Michael Raven, who was bullied at school by a gang of girls, highlights the need for action, and is particularly pertinent to Ellis, as he too is clinically diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a high functioning form of autism.

He is so appalled by the current situation; he is currently taking legal advice about creating an online national register, ‘naming and shaming’ schools and head teachers who do not take these victimised children seriously.

At the beginning of this month, over one million people from all around the globe took part in BeatBullying’s Big March 2012 where there was a call for the United Nations to protect young people from all forms of bullying. Partners in this campaign include Disney and Facebook; and well known figures including Stephen Fry and Sir Michael Parkinson.

NAKMAS already have in place the Safe Kids Campaign, a scheme taken on by its affiliates to educate their young students in what to do if they are being bullied, and a special video on the Safe Kids section of their website, detailing facts about bullying. You can find this at http:// www.nakmas-safe-kids.org.uk NAKMAS also positively promotes martial arts to young people on the autism spectrum and works with the National Autistic Society.

It seems more needs to be done, and NAKMAS will not rest until the current situation changes and young people are heard and protected.

C-REMEDY SILICONE SCAR THERAPY Specifically designed to reduce wound and operation scars.

C-Remedy Silicone Scar Therapy is a wrap that moulds to the natural curves of the body helping to reduce redness and relieve itching and discomfort associated with wounds, whether they are post operative, accidental or a sports injury.

Silicone scar therapy is clinically proven in the prevention, improvement and reduction of scarring. The silicone provides a protective barrier which occludes and hydrates skin helping to encourage its natural healing properties.

C-Remedy, designed originally for C Sections but can be used on all scars, is a skin like layer of silicone measuring 5cms x 22cms and has an adhesive free lining allowing it to gently adhere to the skin without the use of irritating adhesives or additional taping. C-Remedy comes with LilyWash™ designed to gently cleanse C-Remedy and renew the tacky lining allowing it to be used over and over again.

Proper use of the C-Remedy will soften, flatten and dramatically improve the appearance of your scar.

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American professional wrestling legend Dave Bautista (The Scorpion King 3) heads an all-star cast in the gritty action-thriller House Of The Rising Sun, based on the novel by author, journalist, screenwriter and formal federal agent Chuck Hustmyre and directed by Brian A. Miller (Caught In The Crossfire). Co-written by Miller and Hustmyre, the film co-stars Amy Smart (Crank: High Voltage), Danny Trejo (Sons Of Anarchy; Machete), Craig Fairbrass (The Bank Job) & Dominic Purcell (Straw Dogs; Prison Break).

HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN

COMPETITION

After serving five years in federal prison for corruption, ex-cop Ray Shane (Bautista) is planning on going straight and takes a low-key security job at The House Of The Rising Sun, a strip club in Grand Rapids, Michigan. One evening when Ray is manning the door, the club is raided and robbed by an armed gang who unexpectedly open fire while trying to make their getaway. During the ensuing melee, the son of the club’s owner, a well-connected Mob boss, is shot a killed.

Considered responsible for the security breach that led to the robbery and the murder, Ray is ordered to track down the gang members and deliver them to his boss. But as he digs deeper into the investigation his own criminal past comes back to haunt him, eventually making him a prime suspect in the case. As Ray struggles to solve the crime and to clear his own name, he finds himself the target of both his former colleagues on the police force and the Mob members for whom he is now working.

A brutal, no-holds-barred action-thriller with a killer cast, blasts of explosive gunplay and enough twists and doublecrosses in the plot to keep the viewer guessing right up until the finale, House Of The Rising Sun is a lean, mean and dirty ride into a violent criminal underworld.

House Of The Rising Sun (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£12.99) by Momentum Pictures on 2nd April 2012.

Special Features include “Making of” featurette, cast and crew interviews and optional English subtitles for the hard of hearing.

Here at Combat we have a Phillips Blu-ray player + 10 copies of the film on DVD to give away! To be in with a chance of winning one of these great prizes simply answer the following question...

What is Dave Bautista most famous for? a) Wrestling (b) MMA (c) American Football All you have to do is send your answer to:

hotrs@martialartsinprint.co.uk

newsline “PEOPLE ARE GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT FIGHTING BACK”!

Says US ‘kill or be killed’ professional People in trial areas will soon be able to exercise the right to find out if their partners have a history of domestic violence, under a new scheme dubbed Clare’s Law. Tim Larkin, the founder of tough self-defence training, Target Focus Training is available to comment on his self defence course that can be learnt from both men and women to defend themselves from potentially lethal attacks. “there are a staggering number of deaths from domestic violence in both the US and UK, this law will offer some security to people who have suspicions but will not help those already suffering domestic violence from an abusive partner” Mr Larkin will be appearing at The Martial Arts Show Live in May (12th and 13th), held at the NEC in Birmingham and will be demonstrating his self defence techniques to thousand of spectators expecting to attend.

THE ULTIMATE MMA FAN EXPO IS COMING TO BIRMINGHAM Worlds collide as the first ever MMA Show Live joins The Martial Arts Show Live at The NEC in Birmingham on May 12th and 13th CONFIRMED GUESTS SO FAR Kenny Florian (UFC) Che Mills (UFC) Simeon Thoresen (UFC) Tom ‘Kong’ Watson (BAMMA) Ian ‘The Machine’ Freeman (UFC, Cage Rage) Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (UFC, PRIDE and DREAM)

The MMA Show Live will be an interactive fan experience dedicated to mixed martial arts from around the World. Populating a second hall at the NEC in Birmingham alongside The Martial Arts Show Live, The MMA Show Live will consist of five training areas where some of the biggest names in the business will host special group training sessions, a huge stage & screen for Q&A sessions, an autograph zone where fans can meet their favourite fighters and exhibition stands where some of the biggest brands in MMA will be selling merchandise and much, much more.

Platinum ticket holders can book their preferred session on a first come first serve basis by registering each day at the registration desk open from 8am each morning although by buying your Platinum ticket now, you will secure your place as one of the limited 500 places available.

Training sessions with fighters are available for Platinum ticket holders only and are limited to 500 people across the whole weekend. For a limited period only the Platinum tickets are priced at £90 instead of £100

All standard tickets will give you standard access to both The MMA Show Live and The Martial Arts Show More fighters and personalities confirmed to attend will be released in the coming weeks.

Strictly limited reduced price “Early Bird Tickets” are available now and are priced as follows...

Standard Day Ticket £15 Standard Weekend Ticket £25 Vip Day Ticket £40 Vip Weekend Ticket £60 Platinum Weekend Ticket £90

Follow The MMA Show Live on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ themmashowlive and Facebook at www.facebook.com/themmashowlive

For more information go to www.themmashowlive.com Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ liamfisheruk Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ liamfisheruk LinkedIn http://uk.linkedin.com/in/ liamfisheruk

PLATINUM TICKETS • Fast Track queue at The Autograph Zone • Premium VIP seating at The Main Stage • One Training Session with an MMA superstar per day • Exclusive access to The Platinum Room to meet fighters & celebs • Entrance to the VIP party held at a secret location in Birmingham on May 12 • A souvenir event programme • Access to both The MMA Show Live and The Martial Arts Show Live all weekend

Every Platinum ticket holder is guaranteed a place at 1 training session per day and there will be 20 different training sessions hosted by 20 different fighters each day.

VIP TICKETS • Fast Track queue at The Autograph Zone • Premium VIP seating at The Main Stage • Access to both The MMA Show Live and The Martial Arts Show Live

More to be announced soon. Follow The MMA Show Live on Twitter @ themmashowlive for all the up to date announcements

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THE NEGOTIATOR

By Aran Dharmeratnam

Words such as tension, trauma and tightness clearly have a negative association and for this reason some might find it hard to even acknowledge that such words may represent something present within their own body. Indeed there are many who do not want to recognise the tensions in the body for fear that it symbolises or conveys weakness. This is a great pity because the tension left stuck in the body can affect one’s sense of vitality and well being. For the martial arts practitioner tension in the body can restrict movement, disrupt breathing and even reduce the body’s ability to adapt. In the Russian martial art Systema, practitioners are taught how to relax the body and free it of tension.

And for those ready to go deeper into the training, who are able to see the art in its richer, broader context, the journey will inevitably involve the removal of deeper tensions, fears and embedded negativity. In this feature we are going to look at some of the ways tension manifests and some of the ways it can be released.

Balance & awareness

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Changing perceptions Should a person feel that the acknowledgement or discovery of tension either by themselves or by others reflects some kind of weakness or vulnerability, they should consider the fact everyone has tension within the body or

psyche. It is impossible to go through life without encountering tests, tribulations and tension. Also worth considering, is the fact tension doesn’t always relate to some especially negative past experience or extreme situation. Some types of tension simply manifest because a person has worked hard perhaps through their job or through everyday tasks such as carrying a bag or case or moving some heavy object.

It can also come out through more mundane endeavours such as sitting down for an extended period.

Consider the person working in front of a computer or a person who does a lot of driving. There are different types of tension and trauma that the body can sustain from the cumulative to the type sustained through a specific act, such a fall or through a sports injury. Of course there are times when tension does come from more harrowing circumstances or incidents such as personal loss, exposure to hostility or challenges to health. Whilst there are these more intense types of tension that a person may encounter, the reality is still that

everyone has some kind of tension or will have encountered it in their journey through life.

Relaxed body We have briefly looked at some of the ways tension occurs such as: hard physical work, everyday actions such as sitting and lifting, as well as through sports or more intense circumstances. Now on the road to releasing tension and tightness, those studying Systema are introduced to a valuable toolrelaxation. The relaxation of the mind and body comes through various exercises, as well through developing a positive outlook of life.

The type of relaxation developed through this particular training means that the person is calm yet functional. This unique calm state of being ties in with the notion that the identification and removal of tension should not cause unnecessary stress. And the art of relaxation can in itself help to reduce stress and tension levels.

Developed through experience The methodology for removing tension found within Mikhail Ryabko’s approach to Systema is especially unique as this Russian master has a great deal of experience working with military and law enforcement personnel who have faced stress in very extreme situations.

Mikhail with his vast empathic quality made sure that his system of training could be highly effective from a tactical perspective but also a powerful tool for helping people return to a calm, harmonious state.

This was a strong influence on my own work as an instructor and my approach to training. I should however point out that there are now many different schools of Systema and an array of colourful versions or styles; yet not all Russian martial arts have this deeper health inducing aspect or some this unique, deeper knowledge found in Ryabko’s method. Some remain more in the category of self defence.

Now in the Ryabko approach the removal of tension is a large part of the training and in keeping with this theme, practitioners are also made aware of exercises that are conducive to health and made aware of training methods that can induce tension, so that the latter can be avoided. This education is very valuable as many people simply view exercises from the perspective of how they can improve performance rather than the more long term effects.

Relaxing through movement There are also exercises that we can use to help the body to relax and become free of muscular tension. Please note at this point, that often muscular tension is

related not just to physical exertion but also to different types of stress. So the movement based exercises are designed to release the muscular tension but they also have a profound calming effect on the mind. Such exercises tend to be carried out in steady fashion with effective breathing. The harmonious movements allow the joints to work through their natural ranges of motion and they often have an energising effect. Sometimes stress and a lack of physical exercise lead to stiffness in the body and poor circulation which in turn can lead to injury or ill health. So it is easy to see how calm natural movements could be beneficial to the practitioner’s well being.

Confidence in body movement In previous features I have talked about the connection between fear and tension in the body. Sometimes a person can pick up some fear when they feel they have less control over their body and less control over their balance or ability to move under pressure. This is one of the reasons why Systema includes such a variety of mobility exercises and agility based movements. From falling to rolling to ways of covering rough terrain on foot- there are many ways the Systema practitioner can develop excellent movement skills.

Such exercises give the practitioner a tremendous sense of confidence in their body movement. This confidence can itself help prevent the body from excessively tensing up in certain situations...

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HERE TO HELP!

By Stuart Rider

thinking outside the box

Back in April 2009 I was fortunate enough to have a short interview with myself published in Combat magazine and since that time life for me has seen a few lows and a number of highs too. At the time of the interview being published I was in contact with Paul (Clifton) about getting articles published in Combat and we started by getting a couple of interviews, but life sort of got in the way and other priorities took over as can happen. Anyway to bring us up to date, in early January this year I contacted Paul again letting him know of my intention to submit a few articles this year and he kindly asked me if I would like a regular spot in Combat, naturally I jumped at the chance especially as in my mind Combat magazine is such an iconic part of martial arts history within the UK. Really with this article my intention is to kind of bring you up to date with what I am doing and for those of you that did not read my interview in April 2009 (shame on you) just sort of give you some background info on me.

I have been training for 20+ years and in that time I have been fortunate to train with some absolute superb instructors in a number of arts. Since I first started training my focus has really been on the more practical side of the martial arts, I have never been into the competitive aspect, I respect those that train in this, it is just not for me.

These days the system I teach is called the “Rider Martial Arts System” and yes those sharp eyed readers will see that is my surname. The system is my personal interpretation of the various martial arts and selfdefence methods I have trained in and studied over the last 20 years.

Now I know that many of you will think that it is really egotistical of me to name what I teach after myself but the reason I 10 COMBAT WWW.COMBATMAG.CO.UK

have decided to use the name Rider Martial Arts is simple really. It is just because it is very difficult to come up with a name that describes the system that someone else is not already using in some form or another. There is No egotistical reason for using my own name, at all. If you look at other arts though you will see it is not that unusual either.

Just a few examples are, Sayoc Kali, Illustrisimo Kalis, Floro Fighting System, and probably one of the most recognisable in this day and age, Gracie Ju Jitsu.

Also look at many of the Chinese Arts and you will see the family name used frequently. In no way am I comparing myself or my skill level to these superb martial artists I am just pointing out that it is not uncommon.

The focus of the system is selfdefence, however with some adaption of the training methods, it can be and has been used successfully in competition.

Students of the system will find that it is a comprehensive art that includes but is not limited to, dynamic and effective striking,

kicking, trapping, grappling, various take down methods, ground fighting, weapons training and practical combative principles.

A common question I get from people enquiring about the class is “is the system MMA”? My answer to that is no, I do not class the system as a Mixed Martial Art (MMA). With the popularity of MMA and number of people training, fighting and instructing in MMA these days, I personally class MMA as a Combat Sport with its own identity. But there is a paradox when we are talking about the methods I teach and MMA, as both methods of combat draw from a mix of different martial arts. This however is nothing new and if you investigate various martial arts styles over history you will find this has always been done.

As I mentioned earlier in the article I have been fortunate to train with some top class instructors and owe much to these men. So before I go any further with this article I would like to say thank you specifically to Jack Watson, Dave Turton, Ralph

Jones and Richard Dimitri. These four men out of everyone I have trained with have had the biggest influence on me and what I teach and I for one definitely “stand on the shoulders of giants”. In future articles I intend to talk about these (my) instructors further but for now I make no apology in thanking them again.

As I have already mentioned I feel very fortunate to be in the position of having a regular spot in Combat magazine and hope to take full advantage of it. Over the coming issues I want to introduce you to a whole range of topics including but not limited to the various training methods and principles I teach, the occasional interview with instructors not usually given any coverage and also the odd article on other topics that interest me including complementary therapies.

The first of which is . . . .

Thinking outside the box I have a question for you all.

How many ranges of fighting are there? Some people may say three, Long range, medium range and close range. Or there are others who break the ranges down even further, kicking, punching, trapping, vertical grappling and ground fighting. Ask someone who trains or teaches a self-protection orientated system and they may include the verbal range into the equation.

If we want to think right out of the box but in keeping within a combative perspective, we could include long range weapons in to the argument, but let’s bring it back to some perspective. So, have you come up with your answer, Three, four or five? In theory, as long as your being realistic, you will not be giving a wrong answer but do you want to know how many I teach? The answer may surprise you, but I teach one range of fighting! Yep, just one. How’s that you may be asking?

You’re supposed to be teaching a comprehensive martial art / self-protection / self-defence system and you only teach one range of fighting, surely not. But yes, if we are thinking outside the box, there is only one range and why is that? Because at the end of the day you’re either fighting or you’re not! All of the other ranges kick, punching and so on are just ranges of training to develop yourself and your skills as a martial artist, combat athlete, whichever term you use to describe yourself.

So you can get a clearer understand-ing of where I am coming from let me give you a couple of examples. The first one may be a little extreme but it gets the point across...

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HONG KONG FILM With Lee Laverne

To read more articles like this make sure you get the next issue of combat available from WH Smith & all good newsagents

Hi guys and girls am back again with some great announcements for your dairy, lookout for MA FILMS big screenings of The Ways of Kung Fu & Shaolin Temple 4 on April the 6th, you can check our website for details of other up and coming monthly screenings www.kungfumoviecinema.co.uk TMAS this year is a giant if you don’t already know, the celebrities are big, miss it at your peril. Get over to the site and snap up them tickets http://www.themartialartsshow.com Hong Kong News

New releases

Saving general yang an epic war drama from Fearless director Ronny yu.

21st of February “Well Go Usa” jump in and release on to Blu-ray the very very exciting Korean movie War of the arrows. Set during the second Manchu invasion of Korea, a lethal archer goes up against the Qing Dynasty to save his younger sister who was dragged away by Mongolian invaders. A fantastic slice of Korean entertainment.

The new film adaptation of a famous Chinese story, A tale of how 4 generations of the same family sacrificed their life’s to save their country from foreign invaders. Most Chinese productions the subject has a patriotic vibe and here’s hoping it supplies some solid action. It’s produced by Raymond Wong, the man behind Donnie Yen’s Ip man films. Comes Fall 2012 (China)

Supporting cast Dick wei was born in the town of Pingdong in southern Taiwan where he began studying martial arts in Junior High School and winning competitions.

Later, he served in the Taiwanese army as a Captain, and was an instructor in combat more so tae kwon do.

His first films were made while he was still in the army (mostly low budget Taiwanese productions). He made his way through Shaw brothers roles and ended up in modern 90’s movies including Jackie chan’s Dragons forever. A reliable deadly fighter who never held back on punches and kicks ask “Cynthia rothrock”.

7th February Bounty films release Yakuza weapon to blu-ray. Updated info for this release states another confirmed date of march 26th. The team who brought you VERSUS have returned with another hardedged battle royale featuring tough gangsters, deadly women and cybernetic penis implants! What can you say erm go and pick up a piece of Japanese madness.

14th of February “Well Go Usa” enter the forum again and release on to blu-ray Jet li’s “Ocean heaven” A very heart warming story about autism which jet li states is very close to his heart and touched his emotions. If you have a heart pick up this title and enjoy and discover another side of jet li.

Coming soon 26th of march Cine Asia release a cash-in on Bruce lee’s superb fist of fury, with new fist of fury starring Jackie chan.

26th of march Cine Asia release Protector starring Jackie chan, if it’s the fully uncut version with more fights then this is a must purchase.

26th of march it’s Jackie chan month and Cine Asia release the great Twinkle twinkle lucky stars a dvd you must add to your collection.

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23th of January 4 digital media release the underrated Broken fist a brutal and tough movie, put this on your shopping list soon.

21st of march Madman entertainment release 1 of the best of the year”Cinema asia” from china to korea full review coming soon.

Cliff lok Studied Peking Opera under Sifu Yu Jim Yuen from the age of 12. Studied Hap Kar Kung Fu under Sifu Ng Yi Ming/Wong Kam Ming (student of Wong Man Lam) for 7 years. Studied Northern Shaolin from Master Law Mai Chung. Also learnt Lok Ha Bat Fat, Choi Lee Fat, Wing Chun and Karate.

Regular assistant action director for Chan Siu Ping. First starring role was ‘Roaring Lion’ produced by Wong Ming and directed by Ng Dan. It’s rumoured that he could break a man’s finger with his stomach as stated on an interview on Rarescope’s “Choi Lee Fat Kung Fu” dvd.

He made a total of 63 films as an actor and of those the noted released ones which really gave cliff that much needed major western audience exposure would have to be Kung fu genius, Duel of the 7 tigers and Mad Mad Kung fu.

Chrissie Chau

News Ageless superstar heart throb Andy lau announces the arrival of his first child in June.

Andy revealed he is expecting a baby girl with his wife Carol Chu and the family are said to be joyous about impending arrival of the baby.

We at MA FILM wish Andy & Carol a healthy and beautiful baby girl.

One for the guys, Hong Kong beauty Chrissie Chau releases her own lingerie collection called The “ShowNa Collection” and apparently Chrissie invested $10 HKD in a bid to conquer the giant china market and by the looks of it the investment seems to have worked with over one million sales in a few days “Phew” Oh my rapper turned actor Mc Jin “Jin Au Yeung” seems to be in hot water again with the allegations of an involvement with a scantily clad female. 2 month pregnant wife Carol is said to be furious seeing him in a few photo’s with the same girl. Jin’s going to have rap his way out of this one.

The Monkey king 3D looks set to be one to watch out for in the coming year with a release date due for the 7th of July. The cast has very big names, Chow yun fat, Donnie yen, Aaron kwok and Gigi leung to name but a few with big Hollywood names also been brought in to handle the 3D element.

Real life couple Mama Salvador and Matteo Guidicelli star in this Philippino Romantic comedy my cactus Heart directed by Enrico Santos. According to reports it’s going to be a series of movies released through the Skylight label through Star Cinema. Philippino movies are little heard about in the west so we will be highlighting more in the future they deserve it.

Competition Every month MA FILM will be holding an exclusive competition, and for the lucky winner there is the chance to win a host of fantastic prizes, so to be in with a chance to win all you have to do is answer this simple question...

Which world famous kung fu master tortured and trained Jackie chan in the classic Drunken master.

Send your name and answer to:

hongkongfilm@martialartsinprint.co.uk

Gossip Here is a real great treat for all you Tony Jaa fans out there, Thai developer hive and film Studio Sahamongkol film international are turning the ever popular Ong Bak movie series into Martial arts action game to appear on the Playstation.

Tony Jaa is involved with the game ”phew” along with Master Panna Rittikrai ( Thai martial arts choreographer, Tony Jaa’s mentor, Ong Bak screen writer and director is heavily involved aswell as his stunt team. This sounds like it could be one hell of a bone breaking game with a true Thai spirit.

Released in late 2012.

Choi Kwang 25 Years Strong!

“A 21 st century martial artist, The man with the answers, An incredible force of nature, Revolution or evolution, The way forward, The biomechanical master: Just some of the terms featured in martial art magazines throughout the world to describe Choi Kwang Do’s founder Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi and the revolutionary martial art of Choi Kwang Do. Serenity, one senses immediately, the serenity that comes from a balanced blend of self confidence, power, respect, awareness, and control and when Kwang Jo Choi enters the room, his serene spirit touches all in his presence.

Grandmaster Choi burst on the martial art scene in 1987, introducing a new concept, what is now known all over the world as Choi Kwang Do as a wildfire. Twenty five years later, the fire is still raging and Grandmaster Choi is still in the forefront of the martial arts at the age of 70. He shows no sign of slowing down and he still continues to astonish all who meet him and see him perform.

Grandmaster Choi traveled all over the world to change the belief system of instructors and students who have been indoctrinated by a bygone era.

He has achieved his lifelong goals by using Choi Kwang Do as a vehicle to promote his health and fitness. The year 2010 for Choi Kwang Do was no different from previous years where GM Choi traveled to introduce and meet with many seasoned martial artists and instructors. In April he traveled to Puerto Rico where Choi Kwang Do was introduced for the first time to that tropical island. He also received the ambassador for health and fitness award from the government of Puerto Rico.

Later in May, he traveled to Moldova at the invitation of Master Sergiu Balan and his team of instructors.

After the introductory seminar GM Choi was invited by the special forces to demonstrate and introduce CKD to their members.

10/10/10 was a very important date in CKD’s history as GM Choi’s life-long ambition of introducing CKD to his native homeland was accomplished.

Twenty three years later and after it was first introduced to Atlanta, GA USA, CKD finally arrived in his native country, South Korea.

Today CKD is practiced in 9 Dojangs in and around Seoul (known as the home of martial arts) where CKD has been embraced by the Korean people. Grandmaster Choi will conduct another seminar in South Korea, later this year, at the request of the current local CKD instructors.

Professor Mary Galinski (an internationally recognized malaria research expert) organized a special seminar in 2011 with GM Choi for faculty and staff members at Emory University in Atlanta. The audience was amazed by GM Choi’s explanation of the fundamentals and health benefits of Choi Kwang Do. They were also astonished at the high-powered performance of the then 69 year old Grandmaster.

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Do

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Professor Galinski trains every day to keep her health in check, and she has recently become a proud owner and instructor of multiple Choi Kwang Do schools. Her involvement has grown side by side with Choi Kwang Do’s support to help fight malaria worldwide.

In November 2011, Grandmaster Choi was inducted into the Combat Hall of Fame in Birmingham, England where he was awarded the Guardian of Martial Arts, International Martial Art Development Award, and a “Lifetime” Achievement Award. Over 600 well known martial artists consisting of founders, grandmasters, and world champions, from various styles gathered at the Aston Villa football stadium, Holte site banqueting rooms to honor and induct distinguished martial artists into the Hall of Fame.

Eighteen Choi Kwang Do instructors from the UK were responsible to organize and execute Grandmaster Choi’s attendance in Birmingham, England. Not a stranger to awards and accolades, Grandmaster Choi accepted these awards on behalf of all the Choi Kwang Do instructors and students worldwide with humility and pride. Grandmaster Choi has been in the forefront of martial arts since the 1960s and he remains in the forefront in the year 2011. He also realised his dream of introducing Choi Kwang Do to his native country, South Korea...

17th of July heralded the first ever Filipino Martial Arts and Indian Marital Arts joint seminar. Tuhon Pat O´Malley of Rapid Arnis International hosted Gurudev Nidar Singh Nihang at the Torbay Gymnastics Centre in Torquay. This seminal meeting of Arts and Minds came about in the spirit of friendship, the common search for knowledge and exploration of martial tradition within their respective cultures.

GURUDEV NIDAR SINGH NIHANG: In our system as the art is nearly extinct, my dada Gurdev (grand master) went to 72 Akhara’s (martial art schools)all over India, south, east, west, among Hindus and Muslims to see if there were any other remnants of the ancient Indian battlefields art left anywhere. Around the 1920’s he’d experienced a variety of Indian fighting styles the experience of which he imparted onto my teacher who himself also went down to central and south India for a while researching the Indian combat arts in the 1950’s. In other words, it’s like any true army, you’ve got to do reconnaissance and know what them next door are doing. If you shut yourself off, then the real world will come along and bite you on the back side. You’ve always got to be attuned to what’s going on around you. ShastarVidiya, although a technically rich traditional combat art, it is always adapting to its particular circumstances around it, it is this which keeps it up on its toes.

PAT O´MALLEY: You see people now who say I do this style you do that, and don’t intermingle. But they don’t realise the old guys that taught them they went and trained with different people and different styles.

That’s how they got as good as they were, they didn’t keep themselves in a little box. They went out and saw other people, fought other people.

By fighting someone you’re learning.

The tradition in the Filipino arts is that if you fight somebody and lost, then you train with him.

GURUDEV NIDAR SINGH NIHANG: In our tradition it is the same. The challenges are called had tor, meaning bone breaking. So minimum they go to is the point of breaking bone, but not necessarily having to break bones. If the other person puts their weapons down and accepts your authority. Then out of courtesy he can come to you and learn. Nowadays people are scared I’ve got this secret technique; I don’t want to train with

him etc. There’s no such thing as a secret technique! It’s all hard work.

What I’ve taught you now today in terms of footwork timing etc., that’s not a secret. The secret is the fact at how long I’ve worked at it. It’s the hard work that is the only secret. There’s no magic, no magic mantra that will make you better. Just dedication and how hard you work at it.

PAT O´MALLEY: It’s the same for me. If I had a secret technique, who told me if it’s a secret? Why am I telling you if it’s a secret? It’s hard work and training, training and then train again.

KAM DHIMAN: Tell us about your art and where it comes from.

GURUDEV NIDAR SINGH NIHANG: ShastarVidiya’s full name is Sanatan ShastarVidiya meaning timeless science of weapons. It is from the very beginning, old as Indian civilization itself, going back to prehistoric times hence the arts advanced forms look very caveman like. But the art proper gets formalised into a system with ten styles between 6th century BC and 5th century AD in northern India in a place called Taxila, an ancient university. The influences there were phenomenal; we had Greeks coming in i.e. Alexander the great, Persians, the Kushan Chinese and all the Indian empires. That’s why if you look at the weapons of the art

there’s a large variation. Some look like Roman type swords, some look Persian and so on. That is where the art evolved, it’s very ancient.

The oldest image we have depicting a ShastarVidiya technique is from Harappa Mohejendero site which is about 5000 years old. It is the earliest record we have of a martial technique in India perhaps even in the world. Earliest written source we have, we’re talking about 1500 BC, is the Rig Veda which talks about Marma (vital point) strikes and wondering martial ascetics the Vratyas the earliest martial artists in India if not the world.

PAT O´MALLEY: A lot of this comes from the Philippines; again they’ve been influenced by the Spanish, Indonesians, Malay, Thai, Chinese.

The earliest record of this was in 1521 when the Spanish invaded.

The written records are quite sparse.

They only really started to be formalised in the early 20th century.

That’s when they started forming together forming teaching clubs, making teaching systems. Up to then the old guys just said you hit me I’ll do like this, then you hit me and I do like that. They’ve only just recently formalised it...

To read the rest of this article why not order a back issue, visit www.combatmag. co.uk/backissue

WWW.COMBATMAG.CO.UK COMBAT 17

‘‘

‘‘

www.thegemstudio.co.uk enquiries@ thegemstudio.co.uk

The moment I drew my first sword I felt at peace. There is something very elegant, beautiful and calming about the blade

To read more articles like this make sure you get the next issue of combat available from WH Smith & all good newsagents Artist: FeodorTamarsky

See us at The Martial Arts Show Live Hall 11 Stand 1A.

2012 marked the start of a fantastic year of opportunity for both Athletes and Martial Artists alike.. With the Olympic Games about to commence this summer, the energy is building and the International Ambassadors are actively promoting a drive for excellence, of self betterment and the persistent strive for perfection. A host of top UK athletes lead the way, inspiring millions of people to ‘Go for Gold’.

We at The Gem Studio also believe in the spirit of excellence and the constant strive for perfection.. Our new range of jewellery has been designed with this inspiration and passion in mind. Having a number of strong links with the Martial Arts world in particular, we understand that to many people this is not merely a sport or hobby, but a way of life...

The Love of the Art, the Devotion of time, a life long commitment for some, and the enjoyment of the peace and sense of fulfilment it brings to us all..

Paying deepest respect to the Master Craftsmen who dedicated their lives to the Art of Swordsmithing & Weaponry, we would like to think we give the same level of commitment, love and attention to detail when creating our pieces, the only differences being we use precious metals to forge our work, such as Silver, Gold, Palladium & Platinum and we have the technology and manpower to produce pieces at a much quicker pace, so as well as our core collections we are also able to design and manufacture Custom Made metal works within a much shorter time scale..

I use the term ‘metal works’ loosely as we not only create fine jewellery but also venture out into other areas which include custom sword fittings & ceremonial giftware. With over 40 years combined experience in the trade we aim to be able to meet the needs of any request... and if we can’t, we’ll be sure to know someone who can...

We will be launching our new range at this year’s Martial Arts Show live at the NEC in Birmingham and we will be joined by our special guest and star in the Martial Arts World, Fay Goodman! Fay has been a close friend of ours for many years and on our recent expansion and opening of our swanky new studio, in the Heart of the Jewellery Quarter, she teamed up with our head designer to produce her own Limited Edition Collection, aptly named ‘Lady Samurai’ which will make its debut appearance along side our own creations at the show in May.. We don’t want to give too much away but the collection is to feature a mini replica of Fay’s own Sword along with a number of other elegant pieces..

“The moment I drew my first sword I felt at peace. There is something very elegant, beautiful and calming about the blade”.. - Fay Goodman The Lady Samurai Collection presents superior quality and captures the beauty, spirit & strength of the Female Martial Artist...

But guys need not feel left out! We have an awesome selection of Gents Jewellery too including Cufflinks, Military style tags, cuffs and Silver chains with large charms that can be personalised or made to order.. We’ve tried to cover all the basics but if you can’t find what you are looking for just ask, we will be happy to help and can supply a free no obligation quote for your own Unique masterpiece...

See you at the Show!!!

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Ti

The

By Guy E. Larke

MARTIAL ARTS SHOW the

Live

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m Larkin Survivors Choice! & The Three Letters, Predators Fear the Most… TFT! Violence has been an aspect of the human condition since Homo sapiens first set foot on the Earth. It is cruel, harsh and unforgiving. With the passage of time humankind developed tools, techniques, and strategies with which to terrorize others to gain whatever they thought they deserved or were entitled to. In the 20th and even more so in the 21st century you would think we would have risen above such barbaric tendencies. Sadly that is not the case.

While the “normal” parts of society have chosen to try to live with their neighbors and contribute to society, there are still those who prey on them like starving jackals approaching baby animals.

Whether the motivation be greed, lust, or just the “rush”, sociopaths are a threat that we generally do not take seriously enough. I am not talking about the obnoxious neighbor who can’t keep his voice down and gets into drunken brawls. Who I’m talking about are the ones that have nothing to lose. They don’t care if they live or die. They are the real danger. You can’t talk them down, make them submit, rationalise or even see reason.

Many people are now making great strides in combating violent attacks.

Among them is a military combat arts specialist by the name of Tim Larkin.

Looking more like a Hollywood action hero than a self-defense instructor he packs his seminars every time.

They are as short, direct, and aggressive as any attack. Here are some insights into Tim’s approach to self defence and one of the masters coming to the The Martial Arts Show Live at the NEC in Birmingham, May 12th and 13th.

You are obviously very formidable in appearance.

Were you always very athletic?

Yes, I think I bounced between what was important and not important.

From a young age my grandfather taught us boxing, but more importantly the difference between competition and destruction. He used to say things like, “Okay kids, this is what you do in the ring and this is what you do on the streets...”

There are a plethora of self-defense products, dojos, tasers, etc. that give a partial solution to the problem. To make it worse mass media shows action heroes who can KO ruffians with a single punch or flamboyant kicks and more recently the MMA world has convinced people that the sport is suitable for street confrontations.

What is needed is education, strategies, and real street smarts to survive. No one should walk around ready to jump at their own shadow, but it never hurts to be cautious and maybe not leave oneself open to potential “situations”.

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dana hee Part One - By Gulrukh Khan

All photos copyright of Dana Hee. Reproduction is not permissable without permission

Dana Lynn Hee is an Olympic Gold Medalist and is currently a film and television actress, as well as one of the top stuntwomen in the entertainment industry. Ms. Hee is also a noted writer, lecturer and television color commentator, and has an extensive background as a motivational speaker. Dana Hee has been inspiring audiences ever since she won the gold medal in Taekwondo, at the 24th Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. Her story proves that the will to succeed and the conviction to never give up is what creates success.

Tell me about your background in MA and your Olympics win?

I began taking Shotokan Karate at a local Jr. College in the fall of 1980. I had just turned 20. I was intrigued by the simple beauty, grace and power of the movements of the students all in precision, and I was very impressed with the small but very effective Master, Irv Ploke.

He was from the Philippines and had studied under the legendary Steve Johnson. After obtaining my advanced brown belt, (maybe about 1984), I met my ex-husband Brian Hee during a sparring clinic.

I was a yellow belt, he was a black

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belt. It was love at first kick. (an accidental kick by me to his groin while he had his arm in a sling!).

So I switched to his style of martial arts…Taekwondo. So I could be near him. I loved the power and simplicity of Shotokan, and I loved the interactive, circular footwork patterns and kicks of Taekwondo. I also became introduced to the ‘sport’ of Taekwondo when an experienced black belt joined our school and convinced me to try a tournament.

My third tournament ever, was the National competition and I placed 2nd. It was at this time I discovered TKD would be included in the Olympics and I swore to myself, that this time…no matter what, I would take this dream and MAKE it come true. And if I failed, I would know for once in my life, “I” was NOT a failure!

(I had been abandoned and abused from the age of 3 and at the age of 14 ended up on the streets, in HalfWay houses, a Government Shelter, and then a Foster Home before ending up on my own alone right out of High School in 1980).

HUGE fear of failure! It was like that old saying about a ladder. The higher up you climb, the further you have to fall. And I had experienced the pain of falling so many times before, I did not want to feel that again. Yet…after a history of always running away from every chance, challenge, and dream…two things happened in my life to begin to change my thinking and I began to change my perspective on this… little by little. One of my dreams in High School had been to go to the Olympics in the track and field event of the High Jump. I even had a top Stanford University coach, Dan Stanley helping me with this dream. Only…I became afraid of failure and one day just walked away. I never forgave myself. Then at the age of 22 (1983)when my life seemed to fall apart completely with a failed engagement, etc.., I nearly committed suicide…stopping at the last possible moment as I heard God’s voice in my head…something I had learned in church as a little girl.

“Be not afraid!”

The road to the Olympics were paved with very rough obstacles to overcome. My biggest problem was myself. I had grown up thinking I was not good enough and never would be. I had VERY low self esteem and self confidence and a

So when given the chance to go for gold a second time, I felt like it was a gift from God and I refused to throw that away. So taking one tiny step at a time…I figured out where I was versus where I needed to be, then figured out how. Little by little my

tiny steps forward and my wonderful coaches and trainers began to give me confidence and self esteem. By the time I arrived in Seoul, Korea, I felt sure I would win a medal.

Yet‌as fate would have it. I had sustained a back injury at the Olympic Trials some months before‌ that had only gotten much worse with all the constant training. By the time I arrived in Seoul, the pain was excruciating! Yet I had made the Olympic Team! I could NOT just give up now! Yet at the third day of practice in Korea, the pain dropped me to my knees in tears and agony after attempting my famous high kick. I was devastated! That night, I tossed and turned trying to figure out what to do. All the doctors said the only remedy was REST! Yet how could I do THAT and still be ready for the competition day!

I finally figured out I could train without training physically. So from then on, while my teammates practiced, I would find a quiet place to sit, meditate and then visualize everything I needed to work on. I saw myself performing everything perfectly. I saw myself winning match after match...

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I remember it like it was yesterday, waiting for the seminar to start in Brunel University. Four hundred enthusiastic students, instructors, and parents, all waiting to witness and train with one of the world’s most famous and prominent pioneers of Tae Kwon Do,- Kwang Jo Choi.

On the previous day he had conducted a seminar in Perth, Scotland, where over 200 students also witnessed Choi Kwang Do for the first time. From the moment he was introduced and started to perform, we all thought, “Wow! What is this? This is not Tae Kwon Do.” Little did we know this seminar would change the lives of the people present forever! The movements at that time were revolutionary, and they are still revolutionary after 25 years.

Many like me converted to Choi Kwang Do, there and then!

As we celebrate 25 years of Choi Kwang Do martial art training worldwide, since CKD’s official launch in the USA in 1987, I cannot help but feel proud of the growing number of Choi Kwang Do schools in the UK. It will be their turn to celebrate 25 years in April 2013.

Between the UK and the U.S., I have been privileged to associate with many instructors and help to share CKD worldwide, educating people about its benefits, and engaging them in training. I’m very proud of my instructors who have realized personal milestones in their martial art career as master instructors: Masters Keith Banfield, Colin Ellis, Hugh Harper, Dario Arnese, Jason Wright, Susan Whitfield, Jonathan Cruzado, Charles Spence, Charles Gettig, and Elvira Gamble. I’m also proud of my long time friend and Kung Fu expert, Master Eddy Baron, who also decided years ago to convert to CKD and continues to enjoy training with his students.

My appreciation also goes out to instructors like Catherine Pinder and her son Michael who have been loyal to Choi Kwang Do since1988.

Loyalty is something that is missing in today’s society.

It is therefore mainly in movement theory and concepts that we are totally different than other Martial Arts. However, we have eliminated the harsh, abusive teaching style characteristic of many traditional styles. Instead, we base all teaching on positive reinforcement. JuniorSenior relationships are based on love and respect instead of fear, anger or other negative attitudes.

So the question is “What makes Choi Kwang Do so different to the many other styles that are available today?” The answer is S.I.M.P.L.E(c) - it’s Special Integrated Movements Promotes Learning Efficiency. This is not something that ANY of the other marital art styles are talking about.

However in time, they may soon follow. Simply put, the techniques found in Choi Kwang Do are designed to ‘switch on’ both hemispheres of the brain at the SAME TIME. These movements are known as integrated movements which facilitates Whole Brain Learning. Whole brain learning occurs when the brain is functioning at its best and this promotes learning efficiency which is good news for the Choi Kwang Do practitioner.

In contrast the majority of Martial Art styles tend to perform basic techniques that only work one hemisphere of the brain at a time

these practices over stress the brain, the individual and diminishes learning efficiency.

But S.I.M.P.L.E(c) is only one part of the equation. Choi Kwang Do training not only challenges the brain but simultaneously it works the cardiovascular system too.

This method of training releases a series of neurochemicals known as neurotransmitters and neurotrophins which bolsters existing connections whilst creating new connections in the brain; all of which can be directly related to enhancing an individual’s holistic well being, academic performance and character. In the United Kingdom Master Keith Banfield of Wembley Choi Kwang Do has conducted a six month study entitled ‘How Exercise (Choi Kwang Do) Can Boost Academic Performance and Develop Character.’

Overseeing and guiding this research is Professor John Ratey. Professor Ratey is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the world renowned Harvard Medical School in Boston Massachusetts, USA...

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In teaching the philosophy of Choi Kwang Do, we adhere to the customary aspects of character development based on traditional tenets and principles for practical self-defense rather than sports play.

WWW.COMBATMAG.CO.UK COMBAT 25

Bill Wallace

“Superfoot” On Jabs, Kicks, Elvis and Other Thoughts

My first solid memory of Bill Wallace is from the movie “A Force of One” with my family’s favourite action star, Chuck Norris. He seemed to not even fight with his feet.

It seemed more like poking or playing with him until he finished his opponent decisively.

It was like watching a mischievous lion playing with his food. It seemed to be the most appropriate opponent for Chuck up to that point.

My father told me about his amazing undefeated record using simply 3 kicks with one leg and a few punches. It was actually quite amazing growing up in the 70’s and being exposed to who are now some of the most prolific martial artists of the 20th Century (Bill Wallace being among them). In junior high school I began using my pocket money to buy martial arts magazines and was lucky to have so many amazing articles at my disposal to increase my martial art lore and add some unique aspects to my training. Bill Wallace’s columns were actually the simplest, easy to digest and easy to implement into my existing training.

Fate, and my friend Paul Clifton, allowed me to make contact with this living legend.

What exciting things have happened for you since your appearance last May? BILL WALLACE: Let me tell you, I have been traveling all over. I was to the UK, Croatia, Papua, New Guinea, Portugal and Germany. My flexibility and kicking seminars keep taking me everywhere.

You have been all over the globe. Is there any country you haven’t been to that you’re aiming for?

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BILL WALLACE: As I said I’ve been all over. I’ve been just about everywhere I can think of. There just isn’t enough time in one life. I’ve had a wonderful time wherever I’ve been though. One place I really want to go is South Korea.

After all is said and done though, the greatest thing about traveling is coming home.

Between your stretching, kicking, sparring and selfdefense seminars, what are the most in demand?

BILL WALLACE: Not surprisingly, flexibility and kicking. It’s high in demand. My kicking is so unusual and unique whereas I kick off the lead leg like I box. Given the length and versatility of the leg it makes it near impossible to defend against.

I actually studied kinesiology and exercise physiology to understand better how to make it all work efficiently. I wanted to know and be able to teach WHY it works practically and scientifically.

When did you actually start doing seminars?

Also how has the seminar environment and its participants changed over the years?

BILL WALLACE: My first seminar was in 1972. An old competitor I fought a few times invited me to his school in North Carolina to teach his students to kick.

As far as times changing are concerned, when I first starting teaching almost all of the fighters (and want-to-be fighters) were Okinawan and Japanese stylists. In the 80’s there started to be a lot more Korean stylists although many still couldn’t kick to the head properly. Nowadays there is a lot more versatility in the backgrounds of the fighters.

What do you think has been your greatest achievement?

BILL WALLACE: Honestly two things. One, of course, is retiring undefeated. The seconded is being well liked and respected by my opponents. In some ways that’s an even greater achievement.

Switching gears for a moment. Your name has also been connected to a very famous icon of the 20th Century, Elvis Presley. How did you meet The King?

BILL WALLACE: I was teaching for a guy named Kang Rhee in Memphis, Tennessee. One day out of nowhere, Elvis came in. He saw me

fight a few times and knew I was a champion by then.

How close were you to him?

BILL WALLACE: I don’t know.

We weren’t that close but we were definitely friends. We used to hang out at his house.

What was he really like?

BILL WALLACE: It was hard to tell.

He wasn’t that close to anybody.

He thought everybody was after his money.

How deeply was he into the martial arts?

BILL WALLACE: He started when he was in the army in Germany.

When he got back to the States he got hooked up with Ed Parker in LA. He was in it for a long time.

Did you ever teach him?

What kind of student was he?

BILL WALLACE: Well, we worked out together. I tried to show him a bit of

my kicking method. He was a pretty decent puncher and kicker, but as he was a performer everything he did was a bit too fancy, almost like Kung Fu.

If he didn’t leave us do you think he would have gone deeper into the arts?

BILL WALLACE: I honestly don’t know. I know he was getting bitter at the arts because Mike Stone had an affair with his wife. But then again he had put a lot of years into it.

Going back to the here and now, what will you be doing at the TMAS Show this year?

BILL WALLACE: Well I will be focusing on kicking and flexibility as that’s what the crowd wants. I treat it a bit like a science. Concepts such as working with the front leg like a jab. You don’t always have to do a lot of damage with each and every kick. A kick can create an opening.

When you move like that you don’t need worry as much about your balance, being countered, or getting

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By Guy E. Larke

jammed quite so often. I want create an idea of the lead foot becoming a third hand.

Do you have any advice for kickers who are feeling the cruel hands of Father Time?

BILL WALLACE: Certainly! The first and most important thing to do, even for younger kickers, is to RELAX! That thing alone will also make you much quicker and less prone to injury. Another thing is to snap your kicks out, once again like a jab, so as to not hyperextend. I will show a lot more in May! This article is for you Bill! I look forward to seeing you in May at The Martial Arts Show Live at the NEC (May the 12th and 13th)!

MARTIAL ARTS SHOW the

Live

the cheon ji

muye do chronicles the philosophy of the action star

Master Wong-Ho’s art of Cheon Ji Muye Do is a very multi-faceted one. However in the end it is the product of a martial artist who grew and flourished in the early days of Hong Kong and Korean cinema. Although there are artistic, numerous self-defense components, health benefits and cultural skills entailed I have chosen to focus on the moon-hwa muye or movie martial arts aspect of his teachings. This is a general outline of an extensive thesis he wrote entitled “The Evolution of the Action Actor.” With the TMAS show fast approaching and him teaching a seminar then I thought it only appropriate to introduce you to his way of thinking. Hope to see you there!

The Evolution of an Action Actor Let’s start by asking a few simple questions. Why do you want to be an action actor? Next, where do

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you think the passion comes from to become an action actor? If you play a romantic role you could enjoy a lot of romance and fame. So why on Earth would you choose to be a stuntman or action actor when you get beaten black and blue and still receive poor treatment? Because you have a martial arts background or have a good sense for action? You prefer to be a man of action as opposed to being a pretty boy? Because you like to fight for what’s right even though it’s just on the screen? Or maybe you just wanted to be an action star since you were a little boy. You have your own reasons. But really the main reason is only one; because you like action. You want to lead the life that allows you to live the life of an action performer. Action stars have to have the ability of acting emotionally and physically through action. They need to be all-round entertainers because they have to be able to act in various situations. In the old days they used

wires or special effects to cover up lack of proficiency but those things are frowned upon in these days.

Elongated fight scenes with multiple strikes, parries and dodges are a thing of the past.

Even public sentiment changes with the times. The point where the audience feels any emotion is very fickle to say the least. Today’s audience is a bit jaded. Because of the internet the public makes their own cliques and find their own voices. They express their feelings very strongly and show no hesitation to harshly criticize.

In our recent past stunt people, action choreographers and those who can express themselves well in a physical manner became action stars. Not so today. Nowadays the public’s demands are too varied making it hard to please them. Add the 3-D trend and you have a lot of pressure.

You have to practice your techniques to appear as real as possible so as to emulate reality as much as possible.

This is integral as well as the ability to act well in general.

I focused on the spiritual world in my textbook for practical theory and systematic training as opposed to mumbo-jumbo or artsy expressions.

This means you should find your real self from the spiritual world and hard practice (in all things).

This is a constantly competitive era. But you don’t need to feel intimidated. Even a swallowtail butterfly that flies so elegantly was once a very humble caterpillar. This is to give some guidance to become a successful action actor and in the hopes of bring about the return of the golden age of action.

1. The Proper Attitude for an Action Actor Only a fool would try to let success go to his head. If you keep your head on straight people could say you are a man of character. It’s obvious to ask an action actor about morality and righteousness. That not only affects the individual but gives the movie a life of its own.

A. The Power of Promise First you need to keep your promises about time. You can’t be late! Ever!

Secondly is the promise between performers. An action performance is not something that can be performed by one person.

It’s another kind of promise. In a martial arts competition you can go solo but in a movie you cannot. You need to make a kind of promise with the other actors, camera people, and lighting people and even prop designers on the scene.

B. The Power Of Passion Once we get a new script we study the character we have to become...

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Silvio says Silvio Simac talks with Combat reporter, Lucy Stimpson about resourceful training: every little bit counts and if you believe in yourself, you will succeed.

“Financial restraints should not stop you training. Also, training outdoors is a lot more beneficial as it is spiritual, you feed off the energy and nature around you. You may not have an instructor to correct you but a martial arts journey is about personal improvement, just keep pushing yourself. Forget dumbbells, lack of resources is actually lack of resourcefulness. It is like being a kid again; you just have to use your imagination….

Silvio’s training has varied from running up hills and cliffs to find the biggest rocks and using them as weights, to vitamins and supplements. In pictures Silvio is a beautiful mountain of a man and he appears untouchable. In the flesh he is the opposite and actually very approachable. His favourite superhero is Clark Kent/Superman and he has a childlike imagination, it is nice to meet someone so excited about life.

“In the last 20-30 years, martial arts have become very commercial and competitive. Use your creative mind.

I am sure I had more fun that kids these days as I made my own toys.

My nephews and nieces, I love them to bits, they have a lot of toys, but I think I had a lot more than they have.

I would play with the same toy for two years and I cherished it. Being inspired by Bruce Lee I even made my own nunchucks, I loved it!”

At The Martial Arts Show Live, Silvio stood proudly next to the likes of Joe Lewis and took on his grip challenge and won. He asked for a photo with Cynthia Rothrock like all other fans do at the show. He was humble and polite, your average martial arts fanatic. When it was his turn in front of the camera with his fans, he took care of the younger followers with gentle motions with his strong arms and he looked everyone in the eye, smiling.

Silvio showing his muscles to Joe Lewis at TMAS ‘12

Silvio used to do a lot of charity work, believing it is one of the best things you can do, it is good for martial arts ethics, your own school and of course the cause itself. Everyone is a winner.

“I used to do charity events a lot. It was easy when I taught at the university as they would help organise events. For example we locked ourselves in the Student Union and train for 24 hours solid – karate, taekwondo, fencing, football, we gave the money we raised to the local hospital. They built a garden or a ward for kids. We also did breaking boards for a Romanian orphanage it was exhausting. Three of us broke something like 1,970 boards in an hour and a half. Cystic Fybrosis last year too… I did it myself for a while but now people ask me and help organise events with me. It is good to help the charity and fun, it reflects nicely on martial arts ethics – helping others.”

Silvio is full of facts and has read hundreds of books, never fiction. It is the same for training if it works he will try it, if it works he wants to know why and how.

Perhaps this is not mirrored in his recent filming in Bollywood, with no insurance or a stunt double (despite an offer to paint the only other man mountain in India that could be his double, the same colour as him for the stunts). Silvio was flung off buildings and fighting in scenes with meat cleavers, against the will of his agent. He is inspired by Jackie Chan in his movies as he will use anything to fight with in a very clever way...

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Choi Kwang A unique system for the 21 century st

As we celebrate the 25 th anniversary of Choi Kwang Do, it is timely to reflect on what makes Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi’s martial art so unique.

1. Choi Kwang Do Techniques The techniques in Choi Kwang Do use knowledge derived from the sciences of anatomy (the study of the structure of the body), physiology (the study of how these structures function and work together) and psychology (the study of the mind and behaviour).

In addition, application of the principles of biomechanics (the study of movement in living beings) has led to the development of techniques that work with the body.

The appreciation that joints are designed to move in a particular way has resulted in movements which feel natural to perform. This leads to increased fluidity, speed and power and thus faster blocks, faster stance transitions and faster combinations of techniques. The correct use of joints also minimises the risk of injury and long term damage which can be caused as a result of repetitive “locking out” of joints such as elbows and knees.

Dr Roberts with Grandmaster Choi 32 COMBAT WWW.COMBATMAG.CO.UK

The power of Choi Kwang Do techniques comes from a combination of factors including the use of sequential movements, shifting the body weight forwards and following through the target.

In sequential movements the joints and muscles are used one after the other like a chain. The speed of the movement increases along the chain with very high speeds at the end. This is seen commonly in a tennis player serving or a golf player swinging. In Choi Kwang Do an example would be sequential movements of the shoulder, elbow, wrist and fist resulting in the delivery of a punch or strike at great speed.

The relationship between speed and power is explained by the physics equation...

KE = 1/2 mv2. This equation shows that kinetic energy (KE, the energy of motion) is related directly to mass (m) and v (velocity or speed). Kinetic energy is the power of the object, eg

Scott and Craig Greca started Tae Kwon Do under Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi in November 1985. Both of us have 27 years of continuous affiliation with Grandmaster Choi

the fist, which we are interested in.

Using this equation it can be shown that whilst doubling the mass of an object can double the kinetic energy (power), doubling the speed of the fist can actually quadruple the power of the punch or strike. This theory has been confirmed by scientific means.

A study at Colorado State University 1992 found that the average Choi Kwang Do punch was more than three times more powerful than an average Tae Kwon Do punch. This greater power was due to the use of sequential movements and so increased speed of the punch.

2. The Choi Kwang Do Syllabus All aspects of the Choi Kwang Do syllabus complement each other, a concept known as “positive transfer”.

In some martial arts the low stances practised during individual training conflict with the higher stances needed in sparring (“negative transfer”).

In contrast, in Choi Kwang Do techniques and stances learned and practised when working individually are directly applicable when working with partners or in groups. In some martial arts techniques are pulled back before the point of contact to avoid injuries in sparring. This could lead to difficulties in self defence situations as the practitioner has learned habitually to pull techniques. In Choi Kwang Do the emphasis is on “follow through” of a technique, again similar to hitting a tennis ball or a golf ball. This ensures that power is maximal at the point of impact and so very effective in self defence.

Do

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By Dr Paula-J. Roberts

In Choi Kwang Do all techniques and sequences of movements are practised on both the left and right hand sides of the body. Defensive techniques can therefore be performed using either side of the body, depending on where an attack is coming from. Another important effect of training both sides of the body is stimulation of both sides of the brain as research has shown that repetitive skilled movements can alter the structure of the parts of the brain controlling movement. In addition, it has been suggested that stimulation of both sides of the brain can enhance learning.

The syllabus is structured so that both aerobic and anaerobic fitness increase with time. Aerobic fitness is the ability to exercise for prolonged periods for example brisk walking, running and swimming. It is termed “aerobic” because oxygen is needed during the exercise to deal with waste products such as carbon dioxide released by the body as it breaks down nutrients to release energy. The importance of aerobic exercise is its effect on general health, helping to reduce or even prevent many health problems.

Anaerobic fitness is the ability of the body to undertake activities which require large amounts of energy over a very short space of time, an example of which would be sprinting.

“Anaerobic” means that this can be done in the absence of oxygen in the very short term, although the energy stores used up in this activity need to be replenished during recovery which requires oxygen from the air.

Anaerobic fitness is important during the “fight or flight” reaction which occurs in self defence situations.

The fitness, flexibility and skill of the martial artist constantly improves as they progress through the system of belts, the syllabus for each belt building upon what has been learnt previously. Of great importance is that goals, rate of progression and achievements are tailored to the individual so that each person is able to develop at their own pace.

3. Health Benefits of Choi Kwang Do The exercise undertaken as a result of regular training can help regulate blood pressure and cholesterol thereby reducing the risks of heart disease and stroke. Control of weight can reduce the risk of developing diabetes and weight bearing exercise can reduce the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis (thinning of the bones).

Previously I discussed how as a wheelchair user, how the dynamics of striking effectively are different than they are for an able bodied individual. Because of this some strikes are more effective for wheelchair users than others.

I am not going to discuss the general merits and delivery of the strikes listed here. I am assuming as instructors you are all very aware of the merits and are very familiar at how best to teach how to deliver these strikes at their most effective Just to remind you, when you are standing, yours strikes are helped by how you pivot your hips and upper torso. As a wheelchair user, in most cases this is not an option. Also as a wheelchair user you are striking from a non anchored point. i.e. your wheelchair moves.

First I want to cover some of the strikes that may have limited application for wheelchair users

Elbow Strikes Elbow strikes have very limited value.

This is because of the mechanics of delivering an effective Elbow strike from a sitting position. Of course this will to some extend be dictated by the level of the wheelchair users disability. So I am not saying rule it out, just be aware it may not allow individual to strike with any real force.

Straight punches Any good boxer will tell you a huge part of delivering a strong powerful straight punch is as much about the mechanics of your hips and legs as it is about the punching arm. A wheelchair user may find it difficult to deliver a straight punch with real power without compromising their balance.

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This is to some extent may be because their balance is facilitated by resting against the back of their wheelchair, and when they deliver a straight punch there is a probability of them following the punch with their body. This would also lead to the possibility of the attacker grabbing the straight punch and easily off balancing the wheelchair user.

Note: see variation on straight punch

Repetitive Striking When I say Repetitive Striking I am referring to the straight blast which is a series of vertical punches thrown in a rapid fire succession along the centreline of the body. {A popular strategy in Jeet Kune Do and Wing Chun} Again the laws of physics and mechanics makes this ineffective for wheelchair users.

Effective Strikes: Finger Jab (Bil Jee) The finger jab is one of the most effective strikes for a wheelchair user for a number of reasons. One it does not rely on strength. Two it gives the wheelchair user greater reach.

Target The eyes are the target for the finger jab. Striking the eyes is recognised as a real show stopper regardless of the size of the attacker.

Hammer-fist The Hammer-fist is another excellent strike for wheelchair user. The way a Hammerfist is delivered either arching

it towards the attacker’s body in an inward direction or downwards when in close make this a very powerful strike.

Targets Inward strike to the kidney area Inward strike to the side of jaw or neck if attacker is pulled down and close Inside of the thigh in a downward motion. Ideal if wheelchair user is being beatdown. This is an opening shot followed by a chin Jab upwards.

Palm Strike The Palm Strike is another very effective strike for a wheelchair user as it is delivered in an upward direction. Allowing the user to generate a lot of power.

Target The jaw

Face Mash The face mash is a variation of the palm strike except it allows the wheelchair user to deliver a huge amount of force directly into the jaw while striking the eyes with the fingers. Kelly McCann writer of Combatives for Street Survival lists this as one of his favourite strikes.

Target: Face and Head

Axe Hand The axe hand works very well in close, practically if the attackers arm is trapped as he reacts down to grab the wheelchair user.

Target Throat Side of neck Secondary Target Can work very well on attackers arm to disengage grab

By Colm Whooley Level 3 Trainee Instructor in Jeet Kune Do

Cross punch variation on straight punch The cross punch allows a wheelchair user to deliver a strong punch without compromising power. The cross punch is delivered similar to the straight punch except it is delivered across the body rather than straight out.

Target Side of jaw To close I want to remind you again of the three significant points that facilitate effective strikes for a wheelchair user. * Striking within their zone {the zone refers to an area close to the wheelchair user that does not involve overextending} * Anchor Hand, Hold and Trap By getting an anchor hand on their attacker a wheelchair user increases their balance and striking power. * Diagonal and Crosswise Strikes Striking diagonally, downwards (Hammerfist) or upwards (A

palm strike to the chin) improves the force of strikes. Punching diagonally increases the power and reduces the issue of balance.

In the next article I show some different self defence techniques that work really well for a wheelchair user.

If you have any questions I can be contacted at: colmjkd@yahoo.ie

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EBBMA Tournament 2012

An introduction to European blade-based martial arts.

At The Martial Arts Show Live this year you will have the chance to see the traditional combative arts of Europe in action. Although many of you attending will be familiar with martial arts such as Escrima, Silat, Kendo and even modern sportive fencing, you may not be as aware of the European blade arts.

These arts, although not so well known, are just as practical and applicable as any other blade-based art, in that they were designed and codified at a point in history when the carrying of a sword or blade was normal - and even expected.

Now, in case you are imagining knights clutching cruciform hilted swords in gauntleted hands, or of dandies flicking epee-style blades whilst bounding around on tables, allow me provide you with a bit of background...

The Dussack If you are not familiar with the dussack, imagine a Bowie knife as long as your arm. Dussack is the basis of everything single-handed from the machete to the sabre, yet it is perfectly capable of delivering a thrust. This is the original mess-youup-big blade art.

Historically, the training dussack was typically made of either wood or a combination of wood and leather - and so are the modern versions.

It makes a great tool with which to train high-impact blade work, without being exposed to a high risk of injury.

Unlike sticks and shinai it has a clear edge alignment, encouraging good cutting mechanics in a fight.

You will notice when watching the dussack fight that, unlike some modern forms of stick fighting, there is a strong emphasis on not getting hit. This reflects the reality of the fight, in which safety and survival supersede ego.

The Rapier The rapier was the EDC (every day carry) of many civilians for over two hundred years. Its longevity alone speaks volumes, as does its efficiency.

Every part of the rapier is functional, even the often ornate-seeming guard is nothing more than a cage to protect the hand and a bar to briefly catch your opponent’s blade, in order to stop them from disengaging when they need to the most (sentence long and clumsy - make into 2 shorter ones if possible). The blade of a rapier is not a light one, and just like the dussack the rapier is a mess-you-up tool too.

Again, when you observe a rapier fight you will see the same attitude: not being hit (not dying, in real terms) is more important than hitting at the same time as being hit.

The open rules.

The rules being used for the EBBMA tournament are called the open rules. These are continually being revised within the western martial arts community; they are an ongoing and evolving set of competition rules designed to promote the most historically accurate fighting techniques.

I have discussed one of the key points already: hitting while not being hit in turn is rewarded, while being struck in any form is penalized.

A very simple version of the rules would be as follows: • If you hit without being hit yourself, you are awarded a point.

• If you hit and are in turn hit, you are awarded no points.

• If you hit, and then hit again, you are awarded two points.

• If you hit twice yet are also hit, you are awarded no points.

Grappling is, to a degree, allowed.

However, if you are struck upon entering to grapple, the blow or thrust are recognized while the grappling manoeuvre is not.

photographs

by Julia Mariani

Punches and kicks are allowed, but if you are struck as you do so the blow or thrust delivered with the weapon counts; the strike delivered with the foot, the hand or the head does not.

The After-Blow Another feature of the open rules is the after-blow. This is a manoeuvre the fighting masters of Europe historically held in high regard. Not only did it teach the striker to defend or avoid the natural follow-on blow (the fight isn’t necessarily over upon the first instance of impact); it also encouraged them to strike even when they thought they had been struck themselves.

In the open rules we allow for an extra step to be taken by the person who is initially struck so that they may attempt to “counter” the original strike.

Historically, the after-blow could be executed after many steps.

I hope that if you watch the tournament, this will help you to understand how the fights are judged, and that if this is your first time witnessing EBBMA you will enjoy it. I also hope you will be tempted to take up the sword yourself!

Two Days of the Blade Sat 14th-Sun 15th April The London Longsword Academy are running a two day event teaching messer machete and dagger combat.

Messer/machete: we will be working with Talhoffer’s messer and Meyer’s dussack; going through extensive cutting drills followed by partnered drills and in depth deconstruction of each technique.

Dagger: Working with Huntfeltz’s unarmed against dagger techniques (& a few from Talhoffer) all of these are fast instinctive control and break dagger counters.

Prices: £60 for the weekend. £40 for LLA students. To book contact londonlongsword@gmail.com or call 0770 9639881 Important note. *Due to the dangerous nature of the techniques taught (particularly joint locks and breaks); you must be sure of your ability and intent to train safely and calmly, putting your partners safety paramount. If you cannot do this do not apply for the course.

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