The Latest in YOUR Training?

[Power]

Hi Burton,

I was interested as to what influences your training currently?

What is your strongest motivator for being an innovator and costantly searching for newer and/or more refined approaches to combat?

How do you see martial arts evolving during the coming years?

Thank you for your time.

Chad Power
Timmins, Ontario

[Fighter]

Hello

Hey,

OK I'll start now:

Q.

I was interested as to what influences your training currently?

A. First Bruce Lee, he is my mentor I hope some day to be better than him. Second my weaknesses, if I feel I'm weak in one area I'll train there.


Q.

What is your strongest motivator for being an innovator and costantly searching for newer and/or more refined approaches to combat?

A. I just keep making things simpler and incorperate things that will give me more power without telegraphing my movements.


Q.

How do you see martial arts evolving during the coming years?

A. I hope to see more people get involved, more people getting better and more people becoming fanaticised with it like my self.

[Burton]

Bruce Lee's writings and Dan Inosanto's example have been great influences for me. Also my father. I was playing on two baseball teams with a total of 5 coaches when I was 12 years old. Each coach gave me different advice. My father said "Try all of the ideas, see which ones work for you, and use those." Very important for my life.
In the late 80's I started stick fighting with Eric Knauss. This was a huge influence on me. I had done lots of stick tournaments, but it is different when you aren't all padded up. It began my search for truth in combat.
Training with various NHB and BJJ champions has been a great influence. Only one thing matters to combative athletes: "Does it work in a fight against a good opponent?" This view and the training helped me see what was reality and what was fantasy. Instead of wondering and theorizing about it, we experience it. These go right back to Bruce Lee's writings.
Tony Blauer has influenced my psychological approach. It is true that if the mind isn't prepared, the body won't respond.
My growing up in a somewhat rough environment (Carson, California) and spending lots of time in a very rough area (Compton and South Central L.A.) gave me a feel for what reality is. It isn't in a gym on a matted floor. Gyms are for training, so we do our best to use techniques and training methods that will translate to success in the street.
I think the near future will see more and more people using progressive resistance in all the ranges. We have proven that anyone can spend most of the class sparring without being hurt, and while enjoying it immensely. Those who are willing to do this will progress rapidly.
The far future will see us with such great protective equipment that we will not need to use progressive resistance. We will be able to have people spar full out the first day without injury. Far future competitions will be made more real due to greatly enhanced surgical procedures. We could have the UKFC- the Ultimate Knife Fighting Championship. The combatants will be healed after the match, so they can go all-out, real blades, no armor.
Aloha!

[Fighter]

UKFC! That would be cool (ruesome, but cool.

But when that technology becomes accessible the should have a real NHB tournament. Absolutley no rules. Eye gouging, groin kicking all would all be aload.

It could be called NHBFR (No Holds Barred For Real) ha ha.

NHB tournaments have so many rules to day they should't even be classed as NHB and should be called MMA tournaments.

[Power]

Thanks for the Open Reply Burton

I think the near future will see more and more people using progressive resistance in all the ranges. We have proven that anyone can spend most of the class sparring without being hurt, and while enjoying it immensely. Those who are willing to do this will progress rapidly.

Great comment Burton,

I believe many people [that first engage in progressive training] are immediately suprised by the necessary changes in timing, positioning and tactics that they must make to their previous toolbox. Incidentally, I don't know of too many that return to their previous static and 'less' alive training after having trained with realistic pressure and opponents.

Pride and ego often become obstacles for many however.

Thank you for your open reply, it in itself tells quite a bit about where JKD Unlimited is heading.

Take Care

Chad Power

[Burton]

Thanks for asking Chad,
I have had many students, as you mentioned, that were scared of the idea of having the feeder actually fight back. They wanted that static training, but I would not let them do that with me. Once they tried a few times, and started to have some success (which means they developed timing and proper distancing) they can't go back. They are actually the most disgusted with their previous methods of "self-defense". Aloha!

[Fighter]

Cool

Thats good, as long as your students are getting better thats all that matters. You need to have someone fight back in order to learn anything.

[wong sheung]

Who do you benefit from the most when training, Egan, Baret, or Charuto. All are excellent fighters, but teaching can sometimes not be second nature. (Which is why I like yours and Matt's stuff). I trained with Sifu James Tanaka, but he was a great fighter/competitor who couln't translate (or I couldn't kinesthetically understand) what he was doing. Barets stuff stems from his double jointed legs, super flexible hips etc. Can you pick up stuff from someone like him who is a genetic freak. Egan is prolly the most conditioned person I know, the guy is a thoroughbred. Is a lot of his teaching technique viable for a 36 year old half in shape guy? Your opinion is greatly appreciated. Does Neal Wong and Kukui Keliilipi still train with you?