Northwest Connection Edition 2 by Northwest Connection

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NW Connection “Networking For Northwest Martial Artists”

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I N S I D E T HI S IS S UE :

From Training to Stunts! Minors & Liability Headlock Counter MMA Fighter Women’s Self Defense Training Philosophy MA Gathering in La Center Mindful Training In The MA

Hammerfist

INSIDE:

ART ICLES SE MI NARS SCH OOLS P RODUCT S SERVIC ES A ND MUCH MORE !! From Training Martial Arts to becoming a Stuntman, an interview with Keith Cox!! “To Bring Pacific Northwest Martial Artists Together As One Family, Regardless Of Style, Method Or Origin”

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Welcome To Northwest Connection, Edition 2 “To Bring Pacific Northwest Martial Artists Together As One Family, Regardless Of Style, Method Or Origin” The premier, and only, networking avenue of it's kind. Through "Northwest Connection", Martial Artists of all styles and methods can share, learn, and connect with one another. The mission of "Northwest Connection" is to build a strong network of Martial Artists all over the Pacific Northwest. There are many great Martial Artists throughout Oregon and Washington, with so much to share. It is about time that we start connecting with one another. The articles contained within are primarily the work of Northwest Martial Artists, sharing their ideas, experience, theories and methods. You will also find within, a listing of Martial Arts schools and related businesses that Martial Artists will find useful. Also, there is space to advertise upcoming Martial Arts related events, such as seminars, workshops, and gatherings. If you would like to be placed on a distribution list for upcoming editions, would like to list your school/business, would like to place an ad within or just have other questions, please contact us. Northwest Connection has been started as an open outlet for Martial Artists to share their views, express their ideas and grow as individuals and as a whole collective unit. It is the goal that we can all come together and share with an open mind, seeing the value in each person‘s contribution. It is understood that not everyone will agree or have the same views, but that is the whole premise and point of this publication – to have a place that we can express and share regardless of our style, training methods, personal views, etc. It is believed that we all have something to give and the fact is that we all have plenty to learn. In order to foster this positive learning, it is imperative that we maintain an open mind and give each other the opportunity to voice our views. It is also to be understood, however, that there are certain guidelines to this open sharing. There will not be any racist remarks allowed, no vulgar language, no slander of any person (group of persons or organization), no attacks of any kind on anyone, or any such expressions. All articles submitted will be reviewed prior to publication and are subject to editing and/or rejection. It is also to be understood that Northwest Connection does NOT endorse any articles/views contained, but is merely a sounding board for this process of growth. We ask that everyone comes with an open mind and can see the whole picture of this endeavor. The mission of uniting and networking is a very admirable one, and it is hoped that it can be seen for what it is. Please do not judge the endeavor by small pieces that may be contained, but rather by the mission.

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Mindful Training In The Martial Arts If you pay attention to such things, there is a huge body of work currently being researched about the power of the mind both new age and conventional. In the New Age camp you have the book and movie called ―The Secret‖. People like Deepok Chopra, Eckart Tolle, Esther & Jerry Hicks, and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche (all recommended reading) have written a huge amount of material regarding the power of the mind. Buddhist and Taoist teachings deal specifically with mindfulness. Pema Chodron, a Buddhist, has a great set of books about when things fall apart and how uncertainty play in our lives. In the Conventional camp you have methods of study like CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) which began forming in the early 20th century and DBT (Dialectual Behavior Therapy) created by Marsha Linehan which include elements of meditation, relaxation exercises, and breath work. There are papers on distress tolerance and emotional balancing processes. It is truly to all our benefit to have so many resources at our disposal to understand the ―mind‖ piece of the equation we as martial artists refer to as the Mind, Body, and Spirit. How does a martial artist truly train the mind though? What is important about training the mind in relation to martial arts training? It is the intention of this article to highlight some things I have experienced for myself and have applied to my students that have been very successful. There are of course the obvious things like laser beam focus and relaxed concentration. Going a little deeper we can say a calm mind means a calm body. A calm mind is a relaxed mind and not a reactive mind. A relaxed mind is more likely to correlate to an empty mind. Having an empty mind allows one to perceive and respond to an opponent‘s attack with less anticipation. The problem with choreographed movement is that it can lead to preconceived expectations therefore anticipatory responses. You don‘t want to guess wrong when it‘s time to rise up and save your behind. In the words of Deepok Chopra and paraphrasing here - having an empty mind one has the potential for infinite possibilities. I translate these words to simply mean seeing and responding to the ―Truth‖ and having all the answers when I need them. That truth being the alive combative real-time situation your opponent is

presenting you and you finding the best response not based on a guessing game but a heightened sense of perception that is intuitive and correct and allows you to respond correctly and go home as it‘s truly not a time to guess. Don‘t you agree? In my teaching experience training mentally involves placing more emphasis on the positivity life has to offer. Using positive affirmations for instance is a good way to set your intention and attention on the positive aspects you wish to create in your life and in your training. An example of a positive affirmation is ―I am a body of perfect health and well being – I am a mind pure and clear – I am a spirit indomitable and one with source‖. The idea of this type of mental training is to invoke belief about oneself by repeating endlessly the affirmation. We certainly do the same thing negatively right? Why not reverse this process by invoking something positive. I once attended a 24 hour Hindu vigil where you signed up for a 2 hour time slot to repeat the mantra ―Om Namah Shiviya‖ which means to acknowledge the divine within self and whatever you direct your intention towards. In this case we were addressing a war type situation in India. The altercation never took place. My teacher the late Great Grandmaster Charles H. Gaylord always told me I can do anything if I ―Believe‖. His accomplishments and breaking demonstrations are legendary. Research has shown such mindful positive training to lessen the effects of stress, high blood pressure, and depression. Conversely placing too much attention and giving to much control to ANY negative thoughts streams can become patternistic and do not serve one in their training or in their life. Focusing on what is negative can further affect the physical body adding

more stress and allowing simple verbal confrontations to invoke unnatural and what I call out of cycle autonomic nervous system responses to occur. These out of cycle autonomic nervous system responses inject chemicals and hormones preparing the body for fight or flight situations and if you don‘t use up those chemicals and hormones through a fight or flight action, they run around the body like poison. There are papers written about how CBT therapy can change actual brain chemistry by addressing the cause of depression and stopping negative thinking. With all that said however remember that negative thought streams are normal and natural, but it‘s how we deal with them or how much energy and emphasis we give them where it can become problematic. So don‘t judge or kick yourself for having them. It can be used as a tool to highlight those areas in your life that may need some help. Also remember we are ALWAYS at choice. It is truly our choice to feel the way we feel and unfortunately our culture lends itself to become codependent on people, jobs, media, and technology but the bottom line is we can choose for ourselves not to take that job we would hate doing, hang around that person who is rooted in negativity although having compassion and empathy for their state of being, listen to any negative media weighing you down (news fasts are awesome) or train with someone who is rooted in ego and has a misguided sense of self. We are always at choice, trust me on that. We can choose how we feel if we learn how to catch a feeling before it spirals out of control due to how the mind gets flooded with pondering every futuristic possibility negative or otherwise.

Cont….

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Mindful Training In The Martial Arts cont... One of the most important elements to mindful martial art practice I feel is having a disciplined and ongoing meditation practice. It‘s been my experience that just like attaining a particular physical skill through hard and disciplined training mindful meditation is a process in the same way. It takes practice just like anything else. The benefits of meditation is starting to show it‘s worth from a conventional standpoint more and more although it has always shown benefit and written about for thousands of years in the various Asian cultures. There must be something to that right? Meditation serves the purpose of beginning to get a handle on all the various thought types one has day to day. Thoughts are things having different degrees of energy and emphasis. For instance a subtle thought has a different energy and emphasis than a fantasy type thought, subtle thoughts having much less energy or emphasis. In other words a subtle thought doesn‘t grab your attention like a fantasy thought type. A discursive thought is harder to sit with than a rational thought due to all the discourse being experienced with that thought. Try this for an exercise – Sit quietly and imagine a chalk board, then starting at 300 imagine yourself writing 299 then erasing the number. Writing 298 then erasing it and so on and so forth. See how far you get before your mind becomes flooded with various thought types paying close attention to the types of thoughts coming in and whether they are easy or much harder to let go of then getting back to the exercise. By exercising the mind through an ongoing and disciplined meditation practice the martial artist can start to settle and relax the mind before training. This translates on and off the matt. In a real altercation when a pure combative response is needed to survive, taking the guess work out of the equation can be the difference whether you go home. Because you practice mindfulness in the midst of our often times chaotic life an individual can stay relaxed and truthful using both communication and physical action at the highest peak level. Training the mind in this way makes it easier to control and not allow any negative self talk to occur staying in the moment with the highest potential of perception and truth. The benefits of meditation are diverse and many. Explore this avenue, you won‘t be disap-

pointed unless of course you choose that. Additionally on the subject of mental training I would like to mention ―Self Inquiry‖. Self Inquiry is an impor-

tant mental process a martial artist (or any individual) can go through to address the various obstacles that get in the way of training. Sometimes the ego gets involved where it helps you justify a negative thought stream or a patternistic belief structure that takes you away from what you really want to do or what you want to accomplish. An honest look within along with the willingness to improve and find those things that enhance one‘s training is what Self Inquiry is all about. It‘s an internal exploration. Get out of self judgment and learn to accept everything about who you are bringing awareness and consciousness to your being. How can one make changes in their lives or take on a certain practice if for whatever reason your path is clouded and foggy due to negative thoughts streams about oneself. Here is a basic example of a Self Inquiry process one might go through. Start with what is the mental picture you hold for yourself? Do you like what you see? If not then honest questions like ―How do others see me‖ – ―What are the obstacles that are holding me back from training the way I want to?‖ – ―Do I have the self discipline to reach that next goal in my training?‖ – ―What IS that next goal in my training‖ – ―Do I really understand the physical me-

chanics behind the techniques I am learning?‖ – ―Why am I doing this at all, is it truly for me or some image I am trying to project?‖ and so on and so forth. The idea is to break down things into small bite size pieces instead of a huge general thought process that can be overwhelming. Paying attention to any negative thought streams can be a clue for a good starting point in relation to doing the work of Self Inquiry. Then your solid meditation practice comes into play and can help you find the answers by quieting and emptying the mind as remember the statement I made in the first paragraph ―having an empty mind one has the potential for infinite possibilities‖. To me this has always meant the answers are already inside me and I just have to take the time to look diligently and find them. I do this through taking moments in my day, quieting my mind, and asking the right questions then listening with my whole body for the answer. They do come, so trust in this process. It just takes practice like anything. For the marital artist and in summary directing your mind towards and intentional positive outlook, establishing a disciplined & solid meditation practice and through the process of Self Inquiry you have what I consider a recipe that a martial artist can employ and utilize regarding mental training that goes beyond simple focus and concentration thus creating a very powerful & mindful sense of self opening the doors into your psyche, awareness, and consciousness therefore intentionalizing & actualizing what you wish to create in your life. I hold on to the premise that we are here to create ourselves in the greatest vision of the grandest version of ourselves in each moment we can experience. Anything less than that just isn‘t as fulfilling as what we can truly attain in whatever endeavor we undertake, martial art or otherwise. Give it a shot, honestly establish this process as it is my hope you will strengthen the ―mind‖ part of the mind-body-spirit experience that makes up our existence.

Professor Tim Gagnier 8th Degree Black Belt, Kajukenbo Instructor Yamhill, OR

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“Hammerfist”, Part 1 of 3 Powerful Natural Body Weapons You’ve been training for years in a particular style or system of martial arts. Overall, you feel the skills you’re learning will be there for you whenever the time comes, should you have to call upon them to defend yourself or worse, a loved one. How much of what we practice in our martial arts schools really mirrors an actual violent encounter? Now is the time to start exploring your tools to find out which ones will actually work when you are facing the possibility of fighting for your life! First of all, since an attack is most often going to come at a time when we may not expect it. Usually, this is because the individuals who prey on others develop a plan to take advantage of their victim. They will likely try to catch a person off guard and knock them out or take them down so they can take what they want. It’s up to us who train to defend ourselves to be ready for an attack by being as prepared as possible. A large part of doing this effectively is to choose tools that are effective in more than one situation, and that imitate a variety of our natural body movements. Probably one of the most powerful natural body weapons humans possess is the hammer-fist. In many schools, this powerful tool seems horri-

bly underrated. It is not alone, as there are several of these big guns that we’ll be looking at in this three part series of articles. One problem is that some of us get hung up on “looking cool” when we are training for whatever reason. The response that works seldom “looks cool” beyond having the appeal of working effectively to neutralize the attacker. Let’s look at the hammer-fist and think about how often we may make a similar gesture or movement in our day to day activities. With a little examination, we can see many movements that mirror a similar pattern of motion as our hammer-fist. In fact, even an upset baby can be seen hammering away kicking and screaming! We can take these types of movements and focus on them in our training drills in order to maximize our efforts at developing solid real world self-defense skills. Start by looking at how easily a forward hammer-fist can be executed from a “hands-up” position. In almost all violent encounters, your hands will come up either as a sign of no-conflict or to protect yourself (sometimes, it’s both). The hammer-fist is a versatile weapon in your empty-handed arsenal. You can throw a powerful strike using a hammer-fist on all of the eight angles of the octagon. It translates

over to holding a weapon. It uses gross motor movement. It capitalizes on inertia and centrifugal force with gravity when thrown from above. These are all reasons why it is an effective weapon regardless of strength or speed. Obviously, adding power and speed would be an added benefit that comes from training to perfect your use of this tool. However, if we also make it a point to choose to focus on strikes that will work well without having to use much physical strength, it is wise for obvious reasons. You can begin to add the hammer-fist to your current method of striking. From a hands-up position, have a partner throw a punch to your head and while moving offline, use a hammer-fist instead of an inward block to the attacker’s punching arm. It works well against a straight punch to the body as well. On grabs from the front it works like a charm! Examine the eight angles of motion and in your art and find ways to adapt similar movements to find ways to use the hammer-fist in the movements you’ve already been doing for years!

Steve Miller Intrepid Self-Defense Systems Newberg, OR

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Minor Concerns With Liability Waivers In today’s litigious world of law suits, a martial arts instructor would be remiss to operate a school or even teach private lessons without the peace and security of a good liability waiver. However, instructors should be aware that not all liability waivers are created equal, and many – if challenged, will be struck down in court, held in violation of public policy. “Public policy” is a tool used by judges to create rules through case-law which carry the weight of statute. Instructors should be aware of the nuances surrounding liability waivers, how courts approach liability in relation to martial arts instruction, and how to avoid being caught with their negligent pants down. Liability waivers come in many forms, various lengths, and guised under a plethora of names including: waivers, release forms, covenants not to sue, hold harmless agreements, indemnity contracts, and exculpatory clauses. Regardless of the name, each of these instruments attempts to keep the school and its instructors from being held personally liable for injuries caused to students, instructors and even spectators. As each state is free to exercise (and does so frequently) it’s own laws regarding the release of liability for personal injuries and negligence, so must each school’s waiver conform to such variations in law. It is often insufficient to merely copy-and-paste a boilerplate waiver from the internet, substitute your school’s name, and have each of your students sign on the dotted line. While some states will enforce waivers even when the word “negligence” is not mentioned, others require waivers to make specific reference to any claims which may arise, including negligence, injury, and even death. Other factors which may make or break a waiver’s effectiveness include: the proper mention of the specific parties protected by the waiver, the student’s desire to participate and his or her express assumption of the inherent risks involved, and a description of the foreseeable risks and dangers involved. Further, instructors must keep in mind that courts highly disfavor liability waivers of any kind, as they tend to encourage a lack of care. Courts often require that waivers clearly indicate that they are a waiver of legal rights, that they be unambiguous as to the parties and scope of protection, that their location and font size be such to draw a participant’s attention to the seriousness of their consequences, and that the signor make a voluntary, knowing, and intelligent decision to abandon their legal rights to sue for injuries. Aside from special wording in regard to claims, waivers are also under scrutiny regarding the age and identity of those purporting to waive their legal rights

to sue. Though a well drafted and executed waiver may prevent suit by an adult participant, minors are an entirely different matter. A growing number of states (including: Oregon, Washington, Utah, Texas, Maine, North Carolina, Colorado, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Illinois) have decided as a matter of law, that a parent cannot waive their child’s right to sue an instructor for injuries or negligence (meaning, even if a parent signs your waiver on behalf of their child, the child may still sue you for injuries). This likely comes as a disturbing shock to most of you – especially since we have all made great efforts to require mom or dad to sign that release form when his or her child joins our class. The Oregon rule, taken from Ohio Casualty Ins. v. Mallison [354 P.2d 800, 1960] states that “a parent has no authority to compromise or release claims belonging to his child unless authority to do so is judicially granted” (meaning, a parent must first obtain a court order to waive his or her child’s right to sue). The State of Washington’s rule comes from Scott v. Pacific West Mtn. Resort [834 P.2d 6, 1992] stating that “[a] parent does not have legal authority to waive a child’s own future cause of action (law suit) for personal injuries resulting from a third party’s negligence. [A]bsent judicial or statutory authority, parents have no authority to release a cause of action belonging to their child . . . [and] to the extent a parent’s release of a third party’s liability for negligence purports to bar a child’s own cause of action, it violates public policy and is unenforceable” (clarification & emphasis added). Chilling as this news is regarding youth waivers signed by parents, and despite the fact that minors are legally incompetent to waive their own rights, there are still some viable routes to help combat the looming risk of personal liability. One option is for schools to carry liability insurance. However, many schools already operate on a shoestring budget and cannot afford expensive insurance. For those schools foregoing insurance, they may consider requiring parents (or legal guardians) to sign an indemnity agreement. An indemnity agreement does not shield the instructors or school from suits brought by minors, rather, its function is to hold the parents liable for any legal damages which arise from suits brought by their respective children (as specified in the agreement). This may seem somewhat circular and perplexing to some of you thinking “what child would sue their instructor knowing that in the end it still comes out of their parent’s pocket?” If you’re among those still scratching your head, you’re not alone – in fact, some states have already decided that such indemnity agreements also run contrary to public policy. These state courts side simi-

larly with the case of Hawkins Ex Rel. Hawkins v. Peart [37 P.3d 1062, 2001] which held that “we cannot uphold an agreement that shifts the source of compensation from the negligent party (ie: the martial arts school) to the minor’s parent. Such an agreement creates an unacceptable conflict of interest between a parent and a minor . . . [which is likely to result in] disharmony within the family unit” (clarification added). Thus far, at least five states (including: Oregon, Washington, New York, New Jersey, and Utah) have struck down parental indemnity agreements as unenforceable. Another option may be the most practical and widely utilized – it is simply to be careful! As we are all aware, accidents, injuries and negligence are bound to occur from time to time. Being cautious in your instruction will not only help to build strong personal relationships with your students and their parents (which may eliminate the majority of suits) but will also facilitate habitually safe practices – avoiding most injuries and negligence altogether. Finally, an additional tool to avoid legal trouble is to be mindful of the usual hot-spots for martial art legal actions. Following, is a nonexhaustive list of actions commonly brought against instructors and their schools: (a) failure to provide adequate instruction (ie: not teaching blocks or counters before allowing a student to spar), (b) failure to provide adequate supervision and the use of substitute instructors (these are the two most common suits brought – and ‘substitute instructor’ includes having a senior student step off to the side and help other students during class), (c) allowing unfit or mismatched students to spar oneanother, (d) allowing an overly-aggressive student to spar others, (e) failure to properly maintain equipment (including weapons), (f) failure to properly evaluate a students medical condition or physical limitations (though a properly drafted waiver signed by an adult participant can often mitigate this suit), (g) failure to provide or require proper safety equipment (ie: sparring gear), and (h) failure to stop a student’s activity or participation after he or she complains of pain or injury. My goal has been to provide you with additional information, albeit limited, regarding liability waivers and the various approaches courts take regarding their effectiveness. If I have scared you, then it is probably well-placed fear, and you probably ought contact a lawyer about drafting an effective liability waiver which reflects your state’s requirements.

Cont….

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Minor Concerns With Liability Waivers cont... If you have students which are minors, I hope that this information does not discouraged you from teaching them, or dissuade you from requiring their parents to continue signing liability releases on their child’s behalf – in actuality, many waivers signed by parents carry the caveat that the parent (or guardian) cannot (themselves) bring suit against you, and this is still an important piece of protection. Although this article frequently refers to the concept of negligence – negligence is a subject better left for a future article, more capable of explaining the many aspects and defenses

in the legal setting surrounding martial arts. If you have questions regarding the laws of your state, your liability waiver, or any other legal matter regarding this article, I encourage you to seek the advice of a licensed attorney in your state. This information is intended only as a legal-topic article and is not meant to convey nor provide legal advice in any manner and should not be construed as such. To find an attorney in Oregon, you may call the state’s bar referral service at (503) 620-0222, in Washington dial (206) 727-8282, and in California

the number is (415) 538-2250. Specific Cases, Sources and Authorities are available upon request.

Virgil Royer Oregon

You want to know what it’s like to be an MMA Fighter? It’s almost time. I see my opponent warming up with his game face on, his music hits and he enters the cage. My fight coach is going over game plan and making sure I have the Vaseline on my face. My music hits and I walk to the cage. I enter never taking my eyes off the man standing across from me whom I am about to battle. He is 6’3 and 266 pounds. I am 40 pounds less tonight. He makes me look small. As I stare into his eyes, the ref is going over the rules. I am waiting… His eyes look down and away from me for a second. Mike Tyson says “That is when you know you have broken you opponent’s spirit. Then he is yours” My adrenaline calms and I feel at home. He is my cage, and I own him tonight. We touch gloves and the fight starts. 33 seconds later, it is over. My head is spinning and my heart is pounding. This is the greatest adrenaline rush I have ever felt in life. My hand is raised I walk out of the cage an undefeated MMA fighter. It’s a whirlwind of adrenaline and emotion, but I manage to call my mom moments after and tell her I won. She is in tears. She is proud of her baby boy. She is most proud because for months she has listened to my stories of pain, struggle and strife to get to that moment. I didn’t just step into the cage that night without earning the right to. I am not a backyard brawler. I am not a street fighter. I am a trained Mixed Martial Artist.

I started with a dream and a goal. I did not realize however, how much work it would take to achieve such goals. Although I have reached one goal, I know now to be at the top of this game, you have to push and pull and give everything you have for this sport. I train everyday with world class fighters and have world class coaches. Brazilian Top Team Brown belts and Black belts twist me in ways I should not be twisted. Professional boxers beat me until I learn how to move and block. Judo’s best and brightest throw me around with ease. Grappling champions sit on me and rain down punches. The men and woman I train with cause me more pain than anyone has ever in my entire life, But when I enter the cage, they and I both know why it is that I subject myself to this punishment almost 6 hours a day. I will come out of that cage with a victory. I won’t lie. Training for MMA is hard. Maybe the hardest thing some have ever done. You will go home with black eyes. Your nose will bleed daily. You will have bruises from top to bottom. Your limbs will be sore and joints will be stiff. You may have a hard time sleeping during the night due to the pain. However, you will become faster and stronger than you have ever been. More agile and intuitive than ever before.

Confidence will radiate through you. Lesser problems in your life will seem easy to manage. You will make friends and create bonds stronger than ever before. You will be a part of a team and a new family. An Elite family. And when it comes time for you to step into the cage, you will stare into your opponents eyes, and send a message that no pain he will try to inflict on you will be measurable to the pain you endured to get here. Win or lose that night, you are on a stage most men and woman cannot fathom standing on. You are special. You are a fighter. A Mixed Martial Artist.

Eric Herner

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From Training to Fighting to Stunts An interview with Keith Cox, Martial Artist and stuntman, Part 1 of 2 NWC: How long have you been studying M.A.? KC: About 20 years, I was 28 years old. NWC: What got you into M.A.? KC: Um, I took my son to watch a Karate tournament or a Martial Arts tournament, and then I quickly got him in there and I was sitting there watching him fight and I thought, well jeez, ya know, I could do that. That looks like fun. So that‘s what got me started. NWC: When you started M.A., what did you see as your Martial future, what were your goals? KC: I had been in street altercations before and I wanted to see if it was real and so I went to one of Sifu Sid Lopez‘ classes and he used me as a demo person and I got kicked in the face and I thought, uh, well this stuff must really work. I wanna know what these guys know and that‘s what got me started. NWC: You have been pretty successful on your Martial Path. Not many people can say they involved themselves in so many avenues with the Martial Arts. Did you ever think you would have accomplished so much in the M.A.? KC: Um, I had no idea where it was going to take me, none at all. I just kind of let it take me where it wanted. I was very lucky. NWC: So, tell us, what are the main styles you have studied? KC: Kajukenbo was my first Art. Um, Arnis, Kali, a little bit of Jujitsu, American Kickboxing with Joe Fay, and just anything I could pick up along the way. NWC: Can you tell me a little about your instructors? KC: Kajukenbo was with Rick Cropper and Sifu Sid Lopez. I studied with both of them at the same time. Actually, I got my Black Belt from them both at the same time. Um, and that was my first start, and I loved that. I was, I had the fortune of fighting along guys like Terry Keele, Tim Gagnier, Alex Arias, and they were awesome. I feel fortunate to uh, to have been with Kajukenbo. I left Kajukenbo when I was, well when I was a Brown Belt I started training under Joe Fay with Kick-

boxing and while I was kickboxing I got how to box. Got my card, tried to get my my Black Belt. And then I kickboxed first fight, but there was no 40 year old WKA Amateur Division. That was great! men that wanted their first fight in boxing An awesome time. I had the fortune of at the time. So I kind of waited and waited training with Joe Fay who was ranked #1 in the world at one “I would say that I think to be a time. I still use his stuff towell rounded person you should day, it‘s awesome. From there, at the same time, I was a have a good standup game, a reserve Portland Police officer for about a year and a half and good ground game, and learn I learned their techniques, some form of weapon” their cuffing techniques and their takedowns. That was a great experiand waited and the I dropped out. ence. And then I kinda went into a lull, for awhile I didn‘t do anything. Then I NWC: Full Contact can be pretty danhooked up with John Daniels and I‗ve been gerous, any thoughts for anyone looking studying with him ever since. to get into Full Contact? KC: Get a good trainer and go to a good gym, a good training facility. Make sure NWC: For many people M.A. translates that, I mean, you don‘t ever have to do to a total new way of life, how has M.A. anything that you think is dangerous. You changed your life? What do you feel know your limits. So, um, just go in there you have gained through your studies? KC: Definitely made me a better person. and see where you‘re at. Made me more humble, uh, more understanding. Gave me an opportunity to work NWC: Your focus now is primarily on with different people and personalities, and stick fighting, how long have you been uh, I‘ve been blessed. doing the stick Arts and what caused the shift in focus from empty hand to sticks? KC: I‘ve been doing it, Arnis, for about 5 NWC: I understand you have done or 6 years. I would say that I think to be a Sport Fighting and have done some Full well rounded person you should have a Contact-What did you like about each of good standup game, a good ground game, those? KC: Tournaments was a great start. It‘s and learn some form of weapon. Espetaught me my basics, punches and kicks as cially when you get older, because it‘s a far as tournament fighting. I had some great neutralizer or a equalizer I should good success with that. Then I transsay, as you get older. And I just liked it. It gressed into full contact and it was a whole was a natural transgression from empty different thing. The kicks were different, hand to weapon. punches were different, and so I had to adapt and it took me a long time to go NWC: Empty hand can translate very from one style to the next. I mean, I‘m not well to sticks and vice versa, any pointa gifted person to where I could do both. I ers for anyone wanting to cross train have to do one or the other, so I had to set between empty hand and sticks? tournament fighting to the side and do full KC: It just depends on your trainer and time Kickboxing. So, each period I moved your training. What you want to do. I to I enjoyed. mean, there‘s so may different ways you could go. Every Art has good and bad, yah know, useful stuff and non-useful stuff, NWC: Why did you get out of Full Conaccording to the personality that you are. tact fighting? KC: After my last fight I lost my gym and So, you just have to kind of find your path my trainer had some, um, he had a son and follow that. who got Leukemia, and he had some probTo be continued next edition!! lems and I lost my trainer and I just fell away. I went to Knott Street Boxing Gym Keith Cox, interviewed by for awhile and trained with those guys. I Northwest Connection trained with those guys there and I learned

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Keith Cox working stunts on “Animus Cross”

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Keith Cox hanging out with “Leverage” star, Christian Kane

Stuntmen on “Leverage” - John Daniels, Keith Cox and JJ Morse

Keith Cox working in music video “Cold Eyes”, by the band “Noir City”

Keith Cox winning 1998 WKA Amateur Kickboxing match with 2nd round TKO

Keith Cox in Stickfighting pose, 2005

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GCL Modern Karate: Defense vs. Headlock w/Punching

1. Sensei Lewis is grabbed from the behind and forced into a headlock position. His assailant attempts to punch him, but Sensei Lewis inserts his left forearm inside the crook of the assailant’s right arm to stop the blow. 2. While dropping his center gravity, Sensei Lewis quickly inserts the edge of his right hand under the assailant’s chin, while keeping the punching arm under control. 3. Exploding upward, Sensei Lewis violently drives the edge of his right hand into the assailant’s throat. 4. Sensei Lewis releases his left hand and begins a palm strike. Once the assailant has hit the ground, Sensei would then end the altercation with an appropriate todome (finishing technique).

Sensei Gregory C. Lewis 21st Century Martial Arts of Seattle. karatemeansemptyhand.com

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Tum Pai Gathering A Tum Pai gathering was held at the end of May, 2010. I was fortunate enough to attend and visit with so many great people.

Junker of Kajukenbo), other high ranked individuals and MANY practitioners of various levels.

Professor Doug Bailey of Tum Pai hosted the Potluck gathering at his school in La Center, WA.

There was a great feeling in this place with so many people talking, visiting and sharing with one another. Some of these people had not seen each other for a very long time and yet others had never even met. I am sure many friendships were reignited and many others started.

For many, the day started rather early. Grandmaster Gabriel Vargas, of Kajukenbo, arrived from California early in the morning with one of his students—Professor Tony Hemenes. From there, a ―family‖ meeting was held at the Battle Ground Tum Pai school belonging to Sifu John Hopper. There were multiple people in attendance, including Grandmaster Gabe Vargas, Professor Tony Hemenes, Professor Sid Lopez, Sifu Jerry Weldon, Sifu John Hopper, Sigung Alex Arias, Sifu Duane Workman, and Jerry Yoats. This initial meeting was held as a reunion of sorts for those from the Vargas lineage. Professor Sid Lopez is a student of Grandmaster Vargas. As Grandmaster Vargas was present, Professor Sid Lopez had him witness the promotion of two of his students—Duane Workman to 4th degree Black Belt and Jerry Yoats to 3rd Degree Black Belt. I am sure this was quite a treat to these men to have their promotions witnessed by their Sigung, Grandmaster Vargas. Along with the promotions, this gave Grandmaster Vargas and Professor Lopez an opportunity to discuss the future of their lineage of Kajukenbo, talk story, and just have a chance to reminisce. It has been a bit of time since the two of them have had a chance to sit together. I am sure they had a lot of catching up to do and greatly enjoyed each other‘s company. There has been consistent phone contact between them, but that just isn‘t the same. After this smaller meeting, we all drove out to La Center, WA where Professor Doug Bailey was holding a potluck gathering/meeting. Many attended on the premise of unifying Tum Pai and building/maintaining bridges and networks. The goal—to build a stronger foundation of practitioners here in the Pacific Northwest. The food was great (lots of chicken, desserts, ribs, and SO much more!) and the company even greater!! Along with those mentioned, there were MANY others in attendance, including Professor Fred King (Mo Duk Pai), Sifu Steve Larson (Tum Pai), Professor Tim Gagnier (Kajukenbo), myself (Sifu Trent

During this gathering, Grandmaster Gabriel Vargas spoke to everyone, as to bear witness of his thoughts. GrandMaster Vargas wants everyone to know that his intention is to promote Professor Sid Lopez and Professor Tony Hemenes to the rank of 9th Degree Black Belt, Grandmaster. He would like to make these promotions happen in early 2011. As such, Grandmaster Vargas is appointing Professor Tony Hemenes to run the California branch of Vargas Kajukenbo and Professor Sid Lopez to run the Oregon branch of Vargas Kajukenbo. Grandmaster Vargas‘ stated goal is to ensure the future of his lineage of Kajukenbo. Grandmaster Vargas also wants it stated that he is very proud of the NW Kajukenbo practitioners for their growth and maturity in the Arts. Personally, I had a great time seeing old friends and meeting new faces. I hope that the openness and ―Ohana‖ here in the Northwest will continue to grow stronger and stronger, building a great foundation for our Top Picture: Professor Tim Gagnier, Profesfuture as Kajukenboists and as Martial Artists sor Sid Lopez, Sigung Alex Arias, Sifu John in general. Sifu Trent Junker 5th Degree Black Belt-Kajukenbo instructor in Portland, OR

Hopper, Jerry Yoats, Grandmaster Gabe Vargas and Sifu Duane Workman. Bottom Picture: Gathering group photo

Left: Sifu Steve Larson, Professor Fred King, Professor Doug Bailey, unknown, Professor Sid Lopez, Grandmaster Gabe Vargas, Sifu Jerry Weldon, Professor Tony Hemenes, Professor Tim Gagnier, Sifu Mark Moy

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I SSUE #2

“Training Philosophy” My Philosophy is a very simple one; "Train as if your life depends on it." If you truly are interested in taking and learning any martial art, you have to believe that someday you may have to use it. How would you like that day to come and all you do is panic. Do you know for certain that what you are practicing will actually work the exact way that you practice it. Contrary to popular opinion these days, flashy techniques, and kata done to music with back flips and other acrobatic feats, do nothing to create a warrior type spirit, which is necessary to be a true martial artist. How many people truly believe that an 8 year old Black belt, could possibly possess all the necessary tools to defend himself in most any given situation. How could they have the proper maturity and physical strength to actually fight off a would be kidnapper, or even the 14 year old bully down the street who really wants to beat him up.

fundamentals of what the arts are supposed to be about. The old dead masters must be turning in there grave, when they see what we have let the martial arts become. It was suppose to train warriors for battle, not entertain people at a half time show! It was the oriental equivalent of basic training, not the dance recital for an elementary school pageant. We are paying too much attention to "My style is better than your style" The style is nothing without the foundation to hold it up. Most styles will work if you have a strong foundation to build upon. Why do you think the basics from most styles resemble each other so closely. Because that is the basis of what makes the art work. Not the fancy stuff that we use to impress people.

“So always train like your life depends upon it, because someday it might.”

A lot of schools have completely forgotten what the martial arts are for. To train the body and mind for physical combat, hand to hand, not for little Johnny to get better grades in school, or overcome his A.D.D. It is a beneficial side effect, but that was not what it was designed for. They have turned in to belt machines. Guaranteeing rank as long as you sign their long term contracts. No matter what age or physical ability, that person will be wearing a black belt if they pay their fees. Training has to be hard and considered by some to even be brutal. If people aren't willing to do it, they should take up something else. Maybe basket weaving. If they just want the benefit of the cardio work out, they would be better suited for tae-bo. But even that would probably be more of a work out than most people taking martial arts today could handle. Problem is, the hard training won't keep students around long. So it gets watered down so any one can do it. Which means the serious students get less also. In our time, the success of a Martial artist is gauged by how many students are in his school, how many magazines he has been featured in, or how many movies he has had a part in. This is getting away from the

Hard workouts, including the inevitable bruises and black eyes that come with it, cause the average potential student to look elsewhere for there training because they heard it was easier to get a black belt some where else. After all, the number one Question that most people ask before signing up, especially parents is, "So, how long does it take to get a black belt in this school?" If the only goal is to receive a black belt so you can brag to your friends, there are some pretty lame video instruction guys that will mail you a black belt after you watch there video tapes and do a correspondence type course. Don't believe me? Open up any Black Belt magazine and look in the advertisement section. Any one who believes that the techniques they practice on other classmates will work exactly that way on the street is fooling themselves into a false sense of security. Your classmates have learned how to fall and react to your different movements, the guy on the street doesn't. Also the guy on the street, in most cases, has been in more fights than most martial artists have been in tournaments. Due to this fact the odds are already stacked against you .

For this reason, your training can not be limited to just the technique or forms. Your training has to truly be, that of "Mind, Body and Spirit." You must develop the body first, this includes the grueling, sweat popping out of your head, staying in the horse position until you feel like crying, and then even more. When practicing techniques, you have to believe that person is really about to try to hurt you or your family. Your mind follows close behind in the training, and when done properly, you begin to be less dependant on conscious thought, thus you are actually training the subconscious mind. When faced with a confrontation, you have to be able to clear your mind and only react to what is thrown at you, there is no time for thoughts, "If you think, you lose." If you are planning to throw a technique that you just learned last night, you're probably looking to get knocked out. The most commonly misunderstood facet of the art, is the spirit. Too often people equate the spirit to a religious type experience. That would be misleading. The spirit pertains to the will that we have to live and the understanding that no one has the right to change it, in any way. In a life or death situation it is often the will to live that determines the outcome. This is plainly visible in people who were involved in serious accidents, where the outcome should have been death but the victim holds on to life, and recovers, contrary to the odds placed in front of them. This, to me, is the Spirit in which we should train. Believing that you have the right to happiness and life full of it, and never allowing another human being, to improach upon that happiness. The only true method of training the spirit is by developing your chi. There is no way to physically describe this phenomena that gives us our life energy, but there is no doubt in my mind that it does indeed, in fact, exist. Many of us learned this training in our formative years in training, but have failed to recognize it's importance in our day to day training. Or we failed to recognize what it was that we were being taught, or

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I SSUE #2

“Training Philosophy” cont…. perhaps our master's didn't know exactly how to explain what they were teaching. Therefore we dismissed it as unnecessary, or antiquated. Believing that all people need to know is the moves and somehow they would be able to flip on that switch when the opportunity presented itself. We have also dismissed the Idea that chi can exist because it can not be proven in western science. Yet somehow we always know a true Master when we meet them just by the feeling we get when we stand near that person. We call it the sixth sense, and perhaps that is right. But I believe what we are feeling, in that sense, is that master's life energy or chi. Chi can be developed in several ways, and I do not proclaim to be an expert on all of them.

First way is to develop proper breathing. This is very important and can be practiced during any time of the day, including practice time. It is vitally important to practice it when doing forms or techniques, as we have a natural tendency to hold our breath when we first begin to learn them. If this habit is allowed to continue, it carries on through the rest of our training. Second Way is through tension exercises. this is a perfect way to develop proper technique, muscle tone, and breathing all at the same time.

you must truly know yourself first. As far as techniques to use to practice breathing and meditation, they vary widely. Very few schools practice these elements of the martial arts today.

Third way is through meditation. This is the way to develop proper attitude and mind set. If you meditate you will find insight into yourself, and find answers that you thought had to be answered by someone else. In order to know another person,

So always train like your life depends upon it, because someday it might.

I would recommend though that you read the book called "Zen and the Martial Arts" by Taisen Deshimura. It makes a very good cross reference between the two and is easy to understand. If you think my words are harsh, they are no more harsh than the reality that exists on the street.

Sigung Rob Peledeau 7th Degree Black Belt—Kajukenbo California

COASTAL BRAWL: Astoria First Friday Fights, June 4th results: 155 Pound Fight: Josh Seater (Ind) vs Steve Haight (Redneck Militia): Josh Seater, Rd 1:42 Guillotine Heavyweight Fight: Corey Kelly (Mathers) vs Eric Herner (AliveMMA): Corey Kelly, Rd 1, 1:04 Ref Stoppage 170 Pound Fight: Christian Graves vs Joe Whearty: Christian Graves, Rd 2, 1:56 Triangle 205 Pound Fight: Jason Lambert (Redneck Militia) vs Jake Smith (Arsenal Combat): Jake Smith 27-30, 29-28, 29-28 Unanimous Decision 145 Pound Fight: Micah Reid (Desert Dogs) vs Ty Holbrook (Team Quest) : Ty Holbrook, Rd1, :15 Seconds TKO 160 Pound FIGHT OF THE NIGHT!! Esteban Salizar (Lights Out) vs Ismail Bassam Rasslan (AliveMMA): Esteban Salizar, 28-28, 28-29, 28-29 Majority Decision 155 Pound Fight: Phil Gebauer (Desert Dogs) vs Phillip Schwartz (AliveMMA): Phil Gebauer, Rd1, 2:55 Ref Stoppage 180 Pound Catchweight: David Newman (Astoria OR) vs Ryan Truitt (AliveMMA): Ryan Truitt, Rd1, 1:31 KO 155 Pound Fight: Mike Casner (Desert Dogs) vs Tommy Metcalfe (Team Quest): Fight is ruled a Disqualification and a win to Tommy Metcalfe due to the nature of the intentional knee to a downed opponent. 145 Pound Championship: Luke Newberry (Mathers) vs Don Wheeler (Ind): Luke Newberry becomes 145 Pound Champion, Rd2, 1:37 KO 170 Pound Championship: Erik Ramsey (Arsenal Combat) vs Jared Haller (Desert Dogs): Erik Ramsey, Rd1, :23 Seconds KO Heavyweight Championship Fight: Olin Howlett (Arsenal Combat) vs Damion Martindale (AliveMMA): Damion Martindale, Rd2, 2:04 TKO

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Women’s Self Defense

Pictures 1 & 2 With a knife pressed to your throat and an attacker pulling at your clothing, you have a split second to make a decision. This is just one possible outcome. Pictures 3 & 4 Mentally disarming the attacker, She gives the impression that she has given in and submitted to his will. All the while moving into a position to counter attack. Pictures 5 & 6 With an explosion of energy and intent she grabs his wrist with her left hand while twisting away at the same time her other hand grabs for support and strength. Simultaneously dropping her body weight across the elbow of the attacker. Dislocating the joint and dropping attacker to a knee.

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Women’s Self Defense

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cont….

Pictures 7 & 8 At this point she uses her right hand to push-out the knife from the attackers grip. Pushing away from the thumb. Picture 9 With her left hand in a sweeping motion she turns into the attacker and opens him up pushing him back into the wall for the ultimate reversal… Weekly classes are held at Third Eye Jujitsu & Portland Small Circle Jujitsu. For more information please visit www.lakanarnis.com for maps to locations, times of classes and other pertinent information.

Ben Fowler, Lakan Arnis Portland, OR “To Bring Pacific Northwest Martial Artists Together As One Family, Regardless Of Style, Method Or Origin”

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School & Business Listings Realm Of The Tiger Kajukenbo

Lakan Arnis

Sifu Trent Junker (503) 839-6359 Portland, OR Specializing in Kajukenbo and ―street‖ based training

Guro Ben Fowler (503) 730-1793 www.lakanarnis.com

Kajukenbo Self Defense Academy Professor Tim Gagnier (503) 320-0438 Yamhill, OR

American Self Defense Academy Sifu Steve Miller (503) 547-9543 Newberg, OR

Portland Eskabo Da’an Professor Mike Morrell (503) 381-9145 Portland, OR Filipino Arts

FISTS FOR LIFE KENPO SELF DEFENSE IN HARMONY WITH HEALTH AND FITNESS LOCATED IN SE PDX CONTACT 503- 208- 3099 OR EMAIL FISTSFORLIFE@YAHOO.COM

Alive MMA 5607 SE Woodstock Blvd., Portland, OR 97206 (503) 740-3004 Our goal is to provide an environment where all people-of any background, experience & fitness level-can learn and train in the combat sports that comprise Mixed Martial Arts-the core of which can be: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, Judo, Boxing, Karate, and Muay Thai

Sensei Gregory C. Lewis' 21st Century Martial Arts of Seattle http://www. karatemeansemptyhand.com

Academy of Kung Fu Teaching Kajukenbo Tum Pai 1236 14th Ave Longview, WA 98632 360-577-8323 Email – longviewkungfu@comcast.net www.longviewkungfu.com

Sifu John Hopper Kajukenbo Tum Pai/Tai Chi Chuan 604 E. Main St. Suite 101 Battle Ground, WA 98604 360-241-0461 www.hopperskungfu.com

Alan Nibler Vancouver, WA (971) 212-2056 Instructing Kajukenbo, Private and Group Lessons Available.

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Event Listings 4th Annual Mt. St. Helens Open Martial Arts Tournament July 24th, 2010 Mark Morris High School 1602 Mark Morris Ct. Longview, WA Registration starts at 8am, competition starts at 10am longviewkungfu@comcast.net (360) 577-8323

“Northwest Kajukenbo Family” Seminar IV Date TBA Located in Portland/Vancouver area, exact location to be announced at a later date. For information, contact Trent Junker at (503) 839-6359

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For information, contact Trent Junker at (503) 839-6359 or northwest_connection@yahoo.com

www.northwestconnection.net Disclaimer: Do not attempt any techniques discussed or illustrated herein without the assistance of a professional trainer/instructor. Northwest Connection assumes no liability for the safety of any information, techniques or ideas herein. Northwest Connection assumes no liability for the accuracy of content, as articles are submitted by individual sources outside of Northwest Connection and are taken on good faith. Northwest Connection does not endorse any information herein, unless specifically stated otherwise. Northwest Connection operates under the assumption that all articles are submitted by the original author and makes every attempt not to infringe on any copyrighted material, written or photographic. All information herein is property of Northwest Connection and/or the stated author. Reproduction for any purpose is forbidden without the written consent of Northwest Connection and/or stated author. Any questions can be directed to northwest_connection@yahoo.com. TJ2010

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