excerp from forthcoming

[lkfmdc]

I've been doing a lot of writing over the years but I've finally decided on what I want to put out.... this is an excerp from a book I will be self publishing, release date August 07

enjoy (or flame, up to you!)

A case study: David A Ross and New York San Da

As I have already mentioned, I have an extensive background in Traditional Martial Arts (TMA). In many respects, both of my primary teachers were the epitome of these traditions. I didn’t just wake up one day; create the training program outlined in this book and open New York San Da. It was a long process, an evolution, and I think sharing it with the reader will help them put their own experiences in perspective.

My first formal martial arts instructor was the late Grand Master Pong Ki Kim. I began training with him around the age of ten and continued to study with him through high school. Grand Master Kim left a lasting impression on me and still influences me almost 30 years later. Grand Master Kim was an exceptional martial artist. He held the rank of 9th degree black belt in Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo and was a direct student of Moo Duk Kwan founder Hwang Kee. Grandmaster Kim was responsible in Korea for supervising the training in many of the Moo Duk Kwan schools and many instructors still active today in the United States began their training in Korea under Grand Master Kim.

Today, Taekwondo might be seen as the epitome of traditional martial arts and certainly many of the modern business concepts used in managed commercial schools were developed by Korean instructors. However, there was more to Grand Master Kim then you might first imagine. Grand Master Kim was also a 6th degree black belt in Hapkido (the Korean equivalent of traditional Jiu Jitsu) and a sifu in Praying Mantis kung fu. This diversified background was evident in his school, where students learned not only the kicks Taekwondo is famous for but also strikes, joint locks, throws, ground fighting and weapons.

This was of course years before the current modern mixed martial arts era. The school was also known its "old school" Korean style sparring with no pads and for producing many full contact Taekwondo champions. In one sense you might be tempted to say that I’ve studied with some unique instructors and that is why I evolved the way I did. The reality is that most people who grew up in the traditional martial arts have had similar experiences. We’ve always had elements of mixed martial arts in our training.

After studying with Grand Master Kim, for a variety of reasons I moved on to study with other instructors. I eventually became a student of the late Master Chan Tai San. I spent sixteen years with him and was formally adopted by him in a traditional Chinese martial arts ceremony known as “Baai Si”. Master Chan’s life read like a kung fu movie script. Orphaned as a child and adopted by a Buddhist monk, Chan Tai-San inherited lineages in both Tibetan Lama Pai and Choy Lay Fut as well as having studied with some of China's most famous masters including the "White Haired Devil" Baahk Mo Jyu (Hung Faht Pai), Cheung Lai-Chung (White Eyebrow), Mok Jing-Kui (Mok Ga), and Chan Sai-Mo (Choi Lei Faht). An encyclopedia of knowledge about traditional Chinese martial arts, the Chinese government designated Master Chan a "living national treasure" in the 1970's.

In other ways, Chan Tai San was not what the general public perceives as “traditional”. The fact that he did in fact study with many different teachers and learned many different methods defied the conventional loyalty to one master and one tradition. Chan Tai san was also not the conventional model of traditional martial art respect. Almost all of the teachers he studied with he first challenged to fights to see if they could defeat him. In his own words he told me that if a teacher couldn’t defeat him he didn’t feel there was much use in studying with him! Finally, Chan Tai San’s cross training was not limited to only Chinese martial arts; he studied Japanese Judo and western boxing.

During the period when I trained with Chan Tai San, I found him in many ways a paradox. He had traditional lineages, he taught many empty hand and weapon forms, and we engaged in many traditional practices like the “Baai Si” (formal adoption), Lion Dancing, Altar opening, etc. At the same time, he was well known for his many fights, in the street, in the military (serving during World War II, the Chinese civil war and the Cultural Revolution) and in inter-military sparring matches (San Da). He taught both traditional Chinese martial art, kung fu, and the contemporary San Da he had picked up in the Chinese military. We did a lot of training to fight and he always stressed cross training and having an open mind; concepts which are fundamental to San Da training.

Clearly, both of my primary instructors contributed in part to my ultimate evolution towards Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). However, as I’ve already stated, these elements are probably common to anyone who studied a serious Traditional Martial Art (TMA) for any significant period of time. I think, for me at least, one last element finally changed my path and sent me in the direction of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

In 1991, I relocated to Washington DC to pursue a masters’ degree. In New York, I had of course been training, helping Chan Tai San teach his classes and also had my own small group which I taught in dance studio space I rented on a part time basis. At the very least, I wanted to continue practicing but I was faced with only two choices. The first was a traditional kung fu school which unfortunately dedicated 95% of their time to practicing forms. The second was a Jeet Kune Do instructor who also studied with kickboxer Joe Lewis and Thai Boxing instructor Surachai "Chai" Sirisute. I chose the later, more interested in doing drills and sparring than learning more forms.

At this point, I had been training martial arts for fourteen years including western boxing, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Shuai Jiao (Mongolian wrestling), Hung Ga, Lama Pai and Choy Lay Fut. I knew some of the techniques they were doing. I also had “traditional” answers (i.e. defenses) for many of the techniques they were doing. I picked up the new material rather quickly. However, I became fixated on a single question that kept echoing in my brain; how many of the people I had trained back in New York or the people Chan Tai San was training had progressed far enough along in their traditional training that they could defeat this group of relatively beginner students doing what we had always believed were the relatively “primitive” techniques of Thai boxing? I decided not to delude myself and instead address the reality, the answer was; very few.

Upon my return to New York, I felt like a prophet bringing the gospel. I wanted to share with my class mates my observations and the techniques I had learned. Initially, I wanted to simply introduce a sort of side program, a collection of simple attacks and defenses that we’d introduce to the beginners as a sort of “back up” until they developed proficiency in the more complicated traditional techniques. I taught in the schools my classmates had opened while I had been in Washington DC.

In the years that followed my experiences training students contributed to my developing my ideas and my program more completely. Then, somewhat ironically because I had never been aware of them, a student brought me the first three UFC events on video tape. Unlike some people, in one sitting I sat down and watched Royce Gracie win all three events. My desire to learn more about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and other ground fighting arts ultimately introduced me to literature on randori. In particular, a Judo coach in Michigan named Mark Tripp shared with me his understanding of what randori meant and explained to me why it wasn’t about “sport”. By the time I opened New York San Da in 2002, I had a developed idea of what I was all about, why I wanted to run a school and what I was going to teach.

[Becca]

Nice! You'll let us know when its available to buy, right? I always enjoy reading your insites, but hate wading through the cr@p posts that ends up on your threads.

[bodhitree]

Not to be too intrusive but could you let us know your age in some of these experiences? I've been thinking a lot recently about age, learning, peaking, adaptability, and how it all relates. Good write.

[lkfmdc]

At the time I didn't see it that way, but the first "martial art" i did was western boxing around 8.... then I did some karate and ended up at Pong Ki Kim around the age of 10. In high school I was training with him still but doing other things, ended up doing Hung Ga for example. I met Chan Tai San after I graduated high school. Dedicated myself to just training with Chan tai san by my third semester in college, dropped all other stuff I was doing. Went to Washington to do a graduate deegree, was 23 by then.... came back to NY at 25

[bodhitree]

Thanks, I like seeing things in perspective. What's your graduate degree in? c'mon man, this is a biography isn't it?

[BruceSteveRoy]

Just some thoughts:

Originally Posted by lkfmdc

My first formal martial arts instructor was the late Grand Master Pong Ki Kim. I began training with him around the age of ten and continued to study with him through high school. Grand Master Kim left a lasting impression on me and still influences me almost 30 years later. Grand Master Kim was an exceptional martial artist. He held the rank of 9th degree black belt in Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo and was a direct student of Moo Duk Kwan founder Hwang Kee. Grandmaster Kim was responsible in Korea for supervising the training in many of the Moo Duk Kwan schools and many instructors still active today in the United States began their training in Korea under Grand Master Kim.

Try using a pronoun in here somewhere. you state GM Kim's name so many times that it becomes slightly awkward to read.

Originally Posted by lkfmdc

This was of course years before the current modern mixed martial arts era.

redundant

Originally Posted by lkfmdc

The school was also known its "old school" Korean style sparring...

I think you are missing a 'for'

Originally Posted by lkfmdc

I think, for me at least, one last element finally changed my path and sent me in the direction of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

i think putting in 'for me at least" is unnecessary in this sentence since the focus of it is already you.

again jsut my opinions. i find this very interesting to read and am excited to see the full book. have you ever thought of writng a biography of CTS? or is there one already written?

[BruceSteveRoy]

Originally Posted by lkfmdc

I chose the later, more interested in doing drills and sparring than learning more forms.

sorry one other thing. this should be latter not later.

[lkfmdc]

it's hard to write something without an editor, so thanks

[MasterKiller]

Have you seen this article?

http://johngraden.com/John%20Graden%...CC7F0758A.html

[sanjuro_ronin]

Originally Posted by MasterKiller

Have you seen this article?

http://johngraden.com/John%20Graden%...CC7F0758A.html

I do agree with him, 100%.
But that also went for Boxing in its early days too.

[lkfmdc]

He sent out a similar email a month ago (advertising his MMA program!)


I responded on www.sanda-mma.com


Some good, some bad

[lkfmdc]

This is likely the intro to the new book

Introduction:

This book was written for two different kinds of people. First, perhaps the majority who will read it, come from Traditional Martial Arts (TMA) but are interested in what Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) are really about and what potential benefits and new insights they offer. The second group is those who have already discovered Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) but have not yet been able to translate their love for this new approach to martial arts training into a viable program for their school. They may not realize it yet, but these two groups can benefit from each other and should be working together towards the future of all martial arts.

Traditional Martial Arts (TMA)
Vs.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
Do you have to take sides?

In recent years, there has been growing tension between what people call Traditional Martial Arts (TMA) and the new Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The new MMA movement has its share of aggressive advocates, often aggressively promoting what they do in ways that offends TMA practitioners. There is also a lot of truth in the claim that some TMA people are just too resistant to change. The new MMA movement is foreign to them and some feel threatened, increasingly so as MMA goes “mainstream.”

As a person with an extensive TMA background who now runs a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) program as his school’s main curriculum I really want you to understand that in reality these are artificial distinctions. It isn’t about making a choice. There are no sides to take. If you are a martial artist, you should be thrilled to see the fighting arts finally getting the attention they deserve. You should also take this opportunity to re-invigorate your practice and your school.

If you haven’t already done so, sit down and watch a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event. Straight punches, hook punches, front kicks, round kicks, side kicks, foot sweeps, throws, takedowns, joint locks and chokes. These are techniques we’ve all practiced, which we have in our self defense programs, which we have in our forms, sets, Hyungs or Kata. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) didn’t invent the techniques, but they do practice them differently. The difference between Traditional Martial Arts (TMA) and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is not “what” they train; it is “how” they train.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is often dismissed as nothing more than a “sport”. Self appointed defenders of Traditional Martial Arts (TMA) insist that since “sports” have rules, have restrictions, have protective equipment, judges, referees and officials they are not really “martial arts”. By this they mean that so called “self defense” is about fighting in the street, where there are no rules. This is, in my opinion, a rather limited and uninformed view on the subject.
The vast majority of my students, approximately 90%, will NEVER engage in any sort of sport or competition. That isn’t what my school is about, but my school’s program is certainly a Mixed Martial Art (MMA) program! My school’s entire curriculum, like all MMA programs, is built upon the importance of functional training. Today there are a lot of ways to describe this concept, but I actually prefer the term Dr. Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, coined. Dr. Kano was the grandfather of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and without him we would not have Judo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Sambo or San Da. The term Dr. Kano used was “randori”.

Randori is different from sport and/or competition (which Dr. Kano called “shiai”). Everyone who does Judo practices randori while many never engage in competition. Randori means practicing the techniques in a realistic manner with resistance. It is commonly thought of as “sparring” but the concept is actually much broader. Only through such training can a student develop functional skills and learn to confront the stress and adrenaline a real fight will present them with.

Those who argue that a sport or competition is more limited than a life-or-death conflict on the street are missing the point. It is IMPOSSIBLE to recreate those situations, so how can we best prepare our students for a situation they have never faced before? Regardless of what you want to call it (randori, “live” training, sparring, sport or competition) the process is what is important. It is not about winning or losing. They are simply relatively safe methods of engaging in situations which, while certainly not identical to an assault, approach these conditions as much as reasonably possible. The process is what is important.

Consider what you would need to survive a life-or-death conflict? First, you would need the tools, offensive and defensive, to get the job done. Second, you must be proficient enough in the techniques to use them upon an opponent who is knowledgeable, resisting them and also attempting to launch their own attack. This ability requires not only perfecting the technique but developing your sense of space and range, the ability to see openings, reaction time and personal strategy. Include into this equation the possibility that the opponent may be using techniques and strategies different than your own.

Finally, do you have both the physical and mental condition to engage in a struggle such as this? Do you have the strength, endurance, flexibility? Do you have the determination? Will you fall apart under the stress and adrenaline rush, freeze and forget everything you have learned? It has certainly happened in the past to many practitioners. Remember, if you have not been hit or thrown full power (slamming into the ground) you don’t know how you will react to conditions such as these. This is a reality very few students studying Traditional Martial Arts (TMA) are forced to deal with in current programs.

Despite criticisms of the limitation of combat sports, they do in fact provide experiences that are hard to replace with more traditional methods of training like forms or pre-arranged attack and defense. A boxer has been punched so many times that he no longer freezes when a blow connects. A wrestler or Judo fighter has been thrown many times and is accustomed to it. These three individuals are also used to exchange, working with an opponent who is both defending and attacking. They are also used to performing under high stress conditions and for extended periods of time. They benefit from experience gained by competition, i.e. sporting adaptations of what were once strictly combat/self-defense methods. Thus, combat sports allow the student to develop the “attributes” of a warrior, including the appropriate mental attitude.

In conclusion, it is a mistake to think that Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) programs are based upon sport or competition. Sport and/or competition are for some a natural extension of randori (live practice) but it is not the central concept of the program. The central concept of a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) program is randori (live practice); heavy bag, focus mitt, Thai pad and partner drills that are realistic and challenge the student with progressively increasingly levels of resistance.

For these reasons, I do not see any contradiction between being an instructor of a Traditional Martial Art (TMA) and yet still incorporating the Mixed Martial Art (MMA) approach to training. In fact, if you are an instructor who really cares about his students then you should be excited to discover new ways to help them be the very best martial artists they can be. This book will serve as your guide in this process.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Nice post, very nice.

I have never been a MMA fan, to me I see too much of the "jack of all trades and master of none" in it.
I am however a HUGE fan of cross training.
Then, after the basics from cross training are nice and solid, apply them withing a MMA training and sparring context.
Yes, most TMA reading this will see that this is how it was done in the "old days".
TMA and MMA complement themselves.
You can't have MMA without TMA and th ebest way to test your TMA is MMA training.

Competition is great, it gives you an added flavour to your training, not needed per say, BUT it makes the "learning curve" much less pronounced.

[lkfmdc]

the book is part of my "network" and I'm hoping to have it ready by the August camp.... it has theory, philosophy, technique, a little personality... but I think more importantly, it has things like lesson plans, how to set up a program, how to teach a class, how to be a better teacher.... things I think are really missing in MA literature these days

of course, no fluff, straight to the point

[street_fighter]

awesome! looking forward to it. sounds like it should be required reading for all TMA.