Dog Brothers Public Forum

If you weren't in Hawaii, I would say that looks just like Linda Matsumi, known to have run over many an opponent like Cooper Mini.

Greg,

Great account of your action.  I really enjoyed reading a modern account by someone I know of how these preparatory gestures help with self-defense in real situations.  Awesome.

Gints

Oddly enough, two years ago, Matt tried to promote his own stickfighting method, "SMAC" or Stickfighting Methods and Counters. I guess he is innovative enough to outdo thousands of years of sparring, fighting, blood, death, and honor, for many, many, cultures.

... snip ...
I just guess a Matt/SMAC vs TopDog/Kali Gathering match might allow theory to hit the concrete. One view of the Tom Kier Stickgrappling DVD is sobering enough for anyone of average IQ.  Oh well, Rant over.

I don't think that martial arts systems passed on by those that have never used the techniques in real (combat, self-defense) or even semi-real (hard sparring)  represent the combat knowledge of all of time.   We can study and practice some of the techniques, but the further it is removed from personal experience, the more it resembles an enjoyable dance of repetition.

As you say, it would be a fine test of the Thornton's material against one of the most proficient stick fighters (Top Dog) we have known.  A more reliable task is to send a few students to a several of the Dog Brother Gatherings to gain some experience with people outside of their class.  An average response is a better gauge than a contest between two of the top players.  What good is a system if it is only suitable to the founder ?

My Kenpo club holds a four hour belt ceremony workout on the beaches of Bodega Bay , north of San Francisco.   While the location is scenic, from a performance aspect, moving on slippery sand is difficult, and everyone moves slower, in part due to caution and in part due to fatigue.   There are often a few pulled groin muscles for those unaccostumed to working out on sand (probably all of us!), and that would cull away the older fighters.   This wouldn't make for a good showing.

I liked Phil's suggestion of working out in the river overflows.  That would make for a different gathering as folks would be less willing to go to the hard ground.   My group tried fighting in a river runoff pump station, and the cement wasn't too bad.

Excellent treatise, Mr. Brown.

In agreement, I also  believe that much of a post-fight reaction has to do with the intensity of the fight as well as the intensity of the preparation (training as well as fight day).  I have watched many fights that appear complacent, and to no surprise, the post-fight reaction is neutral.  An intense fight takes you to a mind/body place that you are generally to experience on your own, short of life-threatening situations.  When you're feeling the chills or holding back the puke, tears aren't far behind.  If the outcome of the fight doesn't concern you, the experience isn't a fight.

Also, the spectacle of exposing the fighter during his post-fight tension release is enough to start the flow tears.  It's almost as if the struggle to hold them back opens the floodgates.

Yeah, this is the Systema guys again.  While the founder is a martial arts genius, all of the demos in this video give me that "aikido demo" feel in which the demo would never look as beautiful unless your opponents are from your own school.

Woof Marc,

How do you search by username for this video ?  I tried to search by username and video name in the search box.  The only video that came up is some sort of kids in a pool video.

Thanks,

Gints

I am sorry to read about the passing of Master Sonny Umpad.   He was a soft-spoken expert in his field.  Although I have only met him once and watched his teaching methods, I've had more exposure to his material living through his students. 

With deep respect,

Gints

This is a national broadcast.  I saw the show, and the emphasis we placed on brotherhood through self-defense training came through.  I think there
is another show on Saturday June 03.

Check this link and click on your state :

http://www.geraldoatlarge.com/where-to-watch.php

Otherwise, check for the video in their archives:
http://www.geraldoatlarge.com/video-archive.php

Enjoy,

Gints

The cans are of diet soda, of course,
inspired by the scene in the Sean Penn movie "Bad Boys" (1983) .
The flexible weapon is a towel tipped with a bar of Safeguard soap,
inspired by the scene in "Full Metal Jacket."
(Irish Spring leaves you smelling clean as a whistle while Dove leaves
your hands silky soft)

I was quite shocked to read that article.  The media spin
was faster than anything I would have guessed from the hour-long
phone interview and the observation of two sessions.

Here's the video for the story by the same news organization, AP, the Associated Press :
http://video.ap.org/v/en-ap/v.htm?g=2bada3c7-7672-4a55-95a6-1d6d0b74fe52&f=ap&fg=copy

Woof Crafty,

Are you holding the DB Gathering on June 6th (Tuesday) as you mentioned in a post on DBMAA ?  The link on the DB home page lists the date as June 25.

I'm psyched to participate in another awesome event.

Thanks !

Gints

Show: http://cbs5.com/local/local_story_059005903.html

Awesome Preview :
http://www.cbs5.com/video/?id=11364@kpix.dayport.com

CBS San Francisco Chronicle ad:
http://web.newsguy.com/sting333/photos/GFC/MeetTheFace_GFC_Feb27_2006v2.jpg

The crazy preview :

http://www.cbs5.com/video/?id=11364@kpix.dayport.com

I study Kajukenbo under two teachers:  my long time teacher Master Richard Lewis (Go Shin Jutsu Kenpo) and my new teacher (one year) John Bono (Bono JKD/Kajukenbo).   The value of the self-defense training depends on the practice as well as the techniques.  If you train with little body contact, it's hard to learn how both take and deliver.  Since I actually used techniques from this style in the Gathering, I credit my teachers for helping me survive those fights.

Gints

Dog Chuck is in the Martinez/Oakland area.

That's a lot of fighters.  I hope they wear distinctive clothing so that they are distinguishable from one another.  

Black Shirt vs. Black Shirt
Grey Shirt vs. Grey Shirt

(P.S.  This is a test post as I've beenhaving login troubles)

Thanks for posting my message, Marc.

Gruhn,  that SuperKnife blade model is quite handsome.  It's a fine training blade, but in my experience with such a tip on a short knife in sparring matches, the tip is too pointed.  An wielder experienced with that training weapon would control the power, but imagine a full force arc from a #3 angle (more like 4:00pm) to your ribs from someone that doesn't understand the damage this baby can do.  I have a few long (faded!)scars on my left ribs from such a blade and consider myself lucky that my ribs didn't break.  Short training knives offer much more puncture power than longer blades as the wrist is more able to stabilize the torque acting upon it.  The same can be said of thrusting with a stick and comparing the impact from the butt and tip of the stick, using the same angle of attack.

I'll post a picture of my rounded blades (custom crafted by Bob Burgee of Edges2) very soon.  Also, I'll dig up a video clip of an excited knife-newbie stabbing me full force with a Spyderco Endura trainer in a bout of Unarmed vs. Short knife.  Yeee - owww !  I no longer use that blade for sparring, but it is a nice training blade. Even with the round-tipped blades,
the impact is considerable.

Dog Gints

Hi,

Would anyone please help me match some names to fighters, using the pictures from the gallery ?

Thanks,

Gints

1. Single Knife:   Dunno? vs. Chris Schulz
DBJune2005_5357.jpg
also DBJune2005_6279.jpg

2. Single Knife :  Dunno vs. Shannon Mackensie
DBJune2005_5379.jpg

3. Single knife: Derek Walker vs. Dunno?
DBJune2005_5407.jpg

4. Single knife: Dale Frank vs. Dunno?
DBJune2005_5416.jpg

5. Single knife:  Dunno? vs Dunno?
DBJune2005_5464.jpg

6. Single Stick:  Dunno? vs. Rob Gage
DBJune2005_5724.jpg

7. Single Stick: Glenn Loria vs, Dunno?
DBJune2005_5767.jpg

8. Single Stick :  Dunno?  vs. Dunno?
DBJune2005_5981.jpg

Thank you !

>I have actually been involved in a real life situation or two and I can say >that things happen really fast and you might not even see the blade until >you realize you have been cut...pretty frightening actually.

TBone,

If you're willing to share your stories, I would love to hear them.  I collect accounts of knife encounters,  though I do not have any of my own.
Your words are valuable, especially the part about not seeing the knife.  I find this to match up with my opinion on knife fighting in that fast hand motions and a small weapon area inhibit the recognition of actual danger.  

When the motions are restricted, such as in constrained sport fencing, the problem is more manageable.  In 2003, I did some knife sparring with some members of a fencing team.  They were definitely
better at thrusting to the face, and I lost many eyes, though it took them a bit to adapt to
circular footwork, slashes, low-line kicks, and attacks to the hand.  One fellow was disturbed that his fencing mask was bashed in by my palm butt,
which ended the match abruptly.  Shucks.

Dog Gints

Tom,

Are you checking out photo 137 (of 174)  in the enlarged version ?
On the unenlarged version, I can't see the spatter, either.  Though,
the spatter is definitely there.  I have the original photos, so it's
easier for me to identify the spatter, which is definitely not marks on the
rolling door wall behind the competitors.  

Cool !

Dog Gints

Thanks to Ally Yang for the photos.  She never thought she'd end up taking photos of a bunch of guys that think hitting each other with sticks is fun.  Now, she knows that she's supposed to collect "wound" photos.

Anyway, I'd like to comment on downloading the photos.  The first photo that appears is a 640x480 downsized version of Ally's submitted photos.If you want a clearer version, click on the photo again for a roughly 821x547 photo that is much sharper.  Right click on the photo and save.
If the name contains the word "sized", then you have the lower resolution photo.

Gints

I also have Vincent Giordano's DVD.   He is doing an excellent job of documenting martial arts from far away places.  The video quality, story and material are excellent.   This video presents the training methods used to produce generations of Indian wrestlers, all without a large budget for equipment.    Fantastic.  This is DVD is unique and a real value.

Thanks for the sensible list.  #1 is missing.  Any chance you could repost that section ?

I watched "Alexander" last weekend.  My take is that this movie is good in the theater but not worth a rental on DVD.  The massive battle scenes were visually stunning, but given the altitude of the fly-overs, the features will probably be reduced to a mass of crawly, zig-zaggy dots on a regular TV.  Most of the battle scenes were a wash of shaky, blurry action interrupted by the occasional, overly graphic spurt of blood.  "Hero" easily exceeds "Alexander" in battle.  Even "House of Flying Daggers" does a better job in small skirmishes.

As a movie about the expansion of an empire, this film was too touchy feely.  It seems as if this movie was designed for the average contemporary audience, offering a taste but not a meal for anyone:  indistinct action for the guys with an equal dose of relationship-wallowing for the gals.   The bisexual theme was repeated excessively throughout the entire movie.  The primary royal fairy displayed breasts rather than pecs, making him nearly indistinguishable from a woman.  If homosexuality is about male-male attraction, why do are all of the "guys"  in "Troy" and "Alexander" look like women ?  At least in "Fight Club", a pretty boy, also Jared Leto, was directly destroyed .

As for the female characters, the initially prominent sexual dimorphism of his East Indian bride was also effectively neutralized.  Each mammary gland (excuse me, breast) was the size of Alexander's head, yet she capably resisted Alexander and eventually held a knife to his throat.  Well, we know who wears the pants.  "Alexander" is just another instantiation of the prime-time wimp husband/boyfriend shows such "Everybody loves Raymond", "Friends", "Married with Children", that Paul Rodriguez show, etc. In yet another gender-equalization scene, the harem was again overpowered by the Alexanders's draw to the royal fairies.

As for other characters,  Angelina Jolie performed wickedly , so, I'd assign her the star role of the movie as she seemed to run the show.  Anthony Hopkins was a detached bumbler with yet another staff of pretty boy scribes.  

"Alexander" is an action movie for the metrosexual.  "There's nothing like spending a day with a good glass of Cab on my marble island in my kitchen."  I'm waiting for "Blade Trinity " .  In the meantime, I suppose I'll have to hold my breath for a car chase or some sort of demolition in a Julia Roberts movie.

>iv had my former teacher look at a pic in a magizine and right away say >thats fake, his arm would be broken

Most magazine pictures are posed pictures because magazines sell on visual appeal and need a high quality photo to demonstrate a concept.
I don't know which photo you were referring to, but any photo is a moment in time.  

As for real injuries, there are athletic weapons practitioners that fight
at the Gatherings.   I'll keep this short.  Most people think they can do more damage than they can actually deliver.  Drawing on more common experiences, there are tons of guys that can twirl sticks beautifully, hit heavy bags monstrously yet are unable to deliver a knockout blow in one or more rounds of fighting.  Why?  Because it's difficult to land a great shot on an opponent that is trying to do the same to you while effectively defending himself.  One is a greater warrior in fantasy.

I can post several video clips of what happens when someone receives an elbow shot with a rattan stick.  Usually, nothing. Sometimes, it's numbing.  Rarely, a bone chips.  I have original video footage of all of these cases.  Though, it is considerable work to edit video footage.  Someday ...

As Marc Denny has written many times, the Gathering is a test of your abilities.  There are a lot of talkers and few fighters.  If you believe that you are that effective, show up at a Gathering and fight.  At the Summer 2002 Gathering, I saw Master Max Pallen fight at age 61.   What's your excuse ?