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Messages - C-Kumu Dog

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301
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Knife vs. Baseball Bat
« on: October 21, 2006, 05:30:15 PM »
Not to detract from the "Bat vs Knife" discussion but since fencing was mentioned.. through browsing another forum someone posted the following link of a Sabre Match.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1478623914238877457&q=fencing

I think it is really cool to watch footwork, moving forward and backwards. 

302
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Movies of interest
« on: October 20, 2006, 07:37:15 PM »
****SPOILER****

Only click on the link if you want to see the fight, who knows maybe it will make yo want to see the movie....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqGxP5bvJUk

303
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Movies of interest
« on: October 20, 2006, 04:54:15 PM »
Yeah at the end is a great fight sequence.  I checked this site and there is going to be a Ong-Bak 2

http://www.tonyjaa.org/film_ongbak2.shtml

Accoding to his site there are 2 more movies he is planning on making that look really good as well.


304
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: October 20, 2006, 04:48:44 PM »
Excellent!

305
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Knife vs. Baseball Bat
« on: October 20, 2006, 04:46:06 PM »
Im going with the knife which can be easily redirected and come in at any angle & with the right timing the gap can be closed.

With the bat Im thinking that you would have to work it like the staff and go with the momentum because of the weight at the opposite end to have any kind of flow.

It would be interesting to test out.. Dogzilla? ThaiTom?  Peregrine?




306
Martial Arts Topics / WTH?? The banning of playing tag..
« on: October 19, 2006, 07:33:52 AM »

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/Oddities/061018/K101802U.html

Massachusetts school bans playing tag at recess over fears of injuries, lawsuits
10:32:25 EDT Oct 18, 2006
Canadian Press
ATTLEBORO, Mass. (AP) - Tag, you're out!

Officials at an elementary school south of Boston have banned kids from playing tag, touch football and any other unsupervised chase game during recess for fear they'll get hurt and hold the school liable.

Recess is "a time when accidents can happen," said Willett Elementary School principal Gaylene Heppe, who approved the ban.

While there is no districtwide ban on contact sports during recess, local rules have been cropping up. Several school administrators around Attleboro, a city of about 45,000 residents, took aim at dodgeball a few years ago, saying it was exclusionary and dangerous.

Elementary schools in Cheyenne, Wyo., and Spokane, Wash., also recently banned tag during recess. A suburban Charleston, S.C., school outlawed all unsupervised contact sports.

"I think that it's unfortunate that kids' lives are micromanaged and there are social skills they'll never develop on their own," said Debbie Laferriere, who has two children at Willett, about 65 kilometres south of Boston. "Playing tag is just part of being a kid."

Another Willett parent, Celeste D'Elia, said her son feels safer because of the rule. "I've witnessed enough near collisions," she said.

-----------------------------------------

Might as well start putting your kids in bubble suits or send them to school with a helmet and protective gear.. geez.


307
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Pacific Island Showdown
« on: October 17, 2006, 10:56:53 AM »
Quote
Gonna need help on the Kali- Tudo and Knife = Hawaiian clan Gang. We are gonna need to bring Crafty out. Gonna need help on the Kali- Tudo and Knife = Hawaiian clan Gang. We are gonna need to bring Crafty out.


Sounds good, I look forward to the day ...

308
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Pacific Island Showdown
« on: October 16, 2006, 09:05:04 AM »
Dogzilla and the other fighter had the crowd going pretty cheering pretty well, although in my humble opinion I dont think he (the other fighter) wanted to mix it up, Dogzilla got several kicks and power shots in.? Overall I think the tournemant was a great success, during the live stick fights, all the fighters worked their game, moving around engaging and disengaging rather than standing toe to toe the whole round, they worked footwork and technique.


In regards to the earthquale everything is going well, most of the state was out of power not necessarily because of damage but that rather due to emergency procedure that were tripped because of the vibrations, at least that is what was reported by the Hawaiian Electric Company. I believe no casualties resulted from the earthquake but the big island was at the center of the quake.? I think this is a gentle wake up call for all those / us that were not prepared for such emergency.? I live by Aloha Stadium and the grocery stores were open but they were limiting and escorting people that went in.? My co-worker told me of one store in Kaneohe that was gouging people on batteries. I came into work at Midnight and not all of Oahu was fully restored although all or most of the outer islands and a small portion of Oahu were back up in a matter of hours. Hopefully Oahu will be up at 100% by the time I get out of here. Other than that all is well, there was still a good size turnout for tournament at the FILCOM center in Waipahu as well.

309
Martial Arts Topics / Pacific Island Showdown
« on: October 15, 2006, 11:07:06 PM »
Hey guys, the tournament had a great turnout.  Most of the tribe did really well.  Unfortunately Dogzilla was disqualified, I think the call is kinda questionable but that is what GM decided.  Dogzilla landed a nice front kick to the abdomen of his opponent and completely took him out of the game.  The disqualification came because they called a 10 sec timeout, which I dont think Mike heard and in my opinion the ref should have brought down the "staff" which was used to seperate fighters. Hopefully Mike will post but he also asked that I post the results as well.  As for the rest of the tribe, 2 took first place in their weight division.

310
Martial Arts Topics / Re: La Canne
« on: October 05, 2006, 05:00:38 PM »
Wow that is really interesting!!!  Unfortuantely I am at work with no speakers so I will ahve to watch it when I get home and hope they are speaking in English.

311
Martial Arts Topics / Re: The Dog Brothers Tribe
« on: October 04, 2006, 11:52:02 AM »
Looks like he is having a good ol time!!

312
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Unarmed Knife Defense
« on: September 12, 2006, 02:26:11 PM »
I wasnt sure if this should go into the "Die Less Often: Interface of Gun, Knife and Emtpy Hand" thread or not.

I was browsing? James A. Keating's site when I found the following link.

http://www.policeone.com/columnists_internal.asp?view=94340&vid=102828


Edged Weapon Defense: Is or was the 21-foot rule valid? (Part 1)
Part 1 of a 2-Part Series

For more than 20 years now, a concept called the 21-Foot Rule has been a core component in training officers to defend themselves against edged weapons.

Originating from research by Salt Lake City trainer Dennis Tueller and popularized by the Street Survival Seminar and the seminal instructional video "Surviving Edged Weapons," the "rule" states that in the time it takes the average officer to recognize a threat, draw his sidearm and fire 2 rounds at center mass, an average subject charging at the officer with a knife or other cutting or stabbing weapon can cover a distance of 21 feet.

?
The implication, therefore, is that when dealing with an edged-weapon wielder at anything less than 21 feet an officer had better have his gun out and ready to shoot before the offender starts rushing him or else he risks being set upon and injured or killed before he can draw his sidearm and effectively defeat the attack.

Recently a Force Science News member, a deputy sheriff from Texas, suggested that "it's time for a fresh look" at the underlying principles of edged-weapon defense, to see if they are "upheld by fresh research." He observed that "the knife culture is growing, not shrinking," with many people, including the homeless, "carrying significant blades on the street." He noted that compared to scientific findings, "anecdotal evidence is not good enough when an officer is in court defending against a wrongful death claim because he felt he had to shoot some[body] with a knife at 0-dark:30 a.m."

As a prelude to more extensive studies of edged-weapon-related issues, the Force Science Research Center at Minnesota State University-Mankato has responded by reexamining the 21-Foot Rule, arguably the most widely taught and commonly remembered element of edged-weapon defense.

After testing the Rule against FSRC's landmark findings on action-reaction times and conferring with selected members of its National and Technical Advisory Boards, the Center has reached these conclusions, according to Executive Director Dr. Bill Lewinski:


1. Because of a prevalent misinterpretation, the 21-Foot Rule has been dangerously corrupted.

2. When properly understood, the 21-Foot Rule is still valid in certain limited circumstances.

3. For many officers and situations, a 21-foot reactionary gap is not sufficient.

4. The weapon that officers often think they can depend on to defeat knife attacks can't be relied upon to protect them in many cases.

5. Training in edged-weapon defense should by no means be abandoned.


In this installment of our 2-part series, we'll examine the first two points. The others will be explained in Part 2.


1. MISINTERPRETATION

"Unfortunately, some officers and apparently some trainers as well have 'streamlined' the 21-Foot Rule in a way that gravely distorts its meaning and exposes them to highly undesirable legal consequences," Lewinski says. Namely, they have come to believe that the Rule means that a subject brandishing an edged weapon when positioned at any distance less than 21 feet from an officer can justifiably be shot.

For example, an article on the 21-Foot Rule in a highly respected LE magazine states in its opening sentence that "a suspect armed with an edged weapon and within twenty-one feet of a police officer presents a deadly threat." The "common knowledge" that "deadly force against him is justified" has long been "accepted in police and court circles," the article continues.

Statements like that, Lewinski says, "have led officers to believe that no matter what position they're in, even with their gun on target and their finger on the trigger, they are in extreme danger at 21 feet. They believe they don't have a chance of surviving unless they preempt the suspect by shooting.

"However widespread that contaminated interpretation may be, it is NOT accurate. A suspect with a knife within 21 feet of an officer is POTENTIALLY a deadly threat. He does warrant getting your gun out and ready. But he cannot be considered an actual threat justifying deadly force until he takes the first overt action in furtherance of intention--like starting to rush or lunge toward the officer with intent to do harm. Even then there may be factors besides distance that influence a force decision.

"So long as a subject is stationary or moving around but not advancing or giving any indication he's about to charge, it clearly is not legally justified to use lethal force against him. Officers who do shoot in those circumstances may find themselves subject to disciplinary action, civil suits or even criminal charges."

Lewinski believes the misconception of the 21-Foot Rule has become so common that some academies and in-service training programs now are reluctant to include the Rule as part of their edged-weapon defense instruction for fear of non-righteous shootings resulting.

"When you talk about the 21-Foot Rule, you have to understand what it really means when fully articulated correctly in order to judge its value as a law enforcement concept," Lewinski says. "And it does not mean 'less than 21 feet automatically equals shoot.'"

2. VALIDITY

 In real-world encounters, many variables affect time, which is the key component of the 21-Foot Rule. What is the training skill and stress level of the officer? How fast and agile is he? How alert is he to preliminary cues to aggressive movement? How agile and fast is the suspect? Is he drunk and stumbling, or a young guy in a ninja outfit ready to rock and roll? How adept is the officer at drawing his holstered weapon? What kind of holster does he have? What's the terrain? If it's outdoors, is the ground bumpy or pocked with holes? Is the suspect running on concrete, or on grass, or through snow and across ice? Is the officer uphill and the suspect downhill, or vice versa? If it's indoors, is the officer at the foot of stairs and the suspect above him, or vice versa? Are there obstacles between them? And so on.

These factors and others can impact the validity of the 21-Foot Rule because they affect an attacking suspect's speed in reaching the officer, and the officer's speed in reacting to the threatening charge.

The 21-Foot Rule was formulated by timing subjects beginning their headlong run from a dead stop on a flat surface offering good traction and officers standing stationary on the same plane, sidearm holstered and snapped in. The FSRC has extensively measured action and reaction times under these same conditions. Among other things, the Center has documented the time it takes officers to make 20 different actions that are common in deadly force encounters. Here are some of the relevant findings that the FSRC applied in reevaluating the 21-Foot Rule:

? Once he perceives a signal to do so, the AVERAGE officer requires 1.5 seconds to draw from a snapped Level II holster and fire one unsighted round at center mass. Add 1/4 of a second for firing a second round, and another 1/10 of a second for obtaining a flash sight picture for the average officer.?


? The fastest officer tested required 1.31 seconds to draw from a Level II holster and get off his first unsighted round.The slowest officer tested required 2.25 seconds.?


? ?For the average officer to draw and fire an unsighted round from a snapped Level III holster, which is becoming increasingly popular in LE because of its extra security features, takes 1.7 seconds.?


?
 Meanwhile, the AVERAGE suspect with an edged weapon raised in the traditional "ice-pick" position can go from a dead stop to level, unobstructed surface offering good traction in 1.5-1.7 seconds.?



The "fastest, most skillful, most powerful" subject FSRC tested "easily" covered that distance in 1.27 seconds. Intense rage, high agitation and/or the influence of stimulants may even shorten that time, Lewinski observes.

Even the slowest subject "lumbered" through this distance in just 2.5 seconds.

Bottom line: Within a 21-foot perimeter, most officers dealing with most edged-weapon suspects are at a decided - perhaps fatal - disadvantage if the suspect launches a sudden charge intent on harming them. "Certainly it is not safe to have your gun in your holster at this distance," Lewinski says, and firing in hopes of stopping an activated attack within this range may well be justified.

But many unpredictable variables that are inevitable in the field prevent a precise, all-encompassing truism from being fashioned from controlled "laboratory" research.

"If you shoot an edged-weapon offender before he is actually on you or at least within reaching distance, you need to anticipate being challenged on your decision by people both in and out of law enforcement who do not understand the sobering facts of action and reaction times," says FSRC National Advisory Board member Bill Everett, an attorney, use-of-force trainer and former cop. "Someone is bound to say, 'Hey, this guy was 10 feet away when he dropped and died. Why'd you have to shoot him when he was so far away from you?'"

Be able to articulate why you felt yourself or other innocent party to be in "imminent or immediate life-threatening jeopardy and why the threat would have been substantially accentuated if you had delayed," Everett advises. You need specifically to mention the first articulable motion that indicated the subject was about to attack and was beyond your ability to influence verbally."

And remember: No single 'rule' can arbitrarily be used to determine when a particular level of force is lawful. The 21-Foot Rule has value as a rough guideline, illustrating the reactionary curve, but it is by no means an absolute.

"The Supreme Court's landmark use-of-force decision, in Graham v. Connor, established a 'reasonableness' standard," Everett reminds. "You'll be judged ultimately according to what a 'reasonable' officer would have done. All of the facts and circumstances that make up the dynamics between you and the subject will be evaluated."

Of course, some important facts may be subtle and now widely known or understood. That's where FSRC's unique findings on lethal-force dynamics fit in. Explains Lewinski: "The FSRC's research will add to your ability to articulate and explain the facts and circumstances and how they influenced your decision to use force."

Follow the link to the Part 2

http://www.policeone.com/news_internal.asp?view=113907

313
Martial Arts Topics / Abstaining before the big fight?
« on: September 11, 2006, 03:38:12 PM »
This saturday we discussed some thoughts about adverse affects sex, drinking and other activities before an upcoming fight / tournament / gathering and whatnot and so it spurred me to do a search.  Im sure there is more material out there to read but I think the gist of it all is that it is up to the individual.

The Night Before Your Fight: Should There Be Sex?
http://ballardboxing.tripod.com/id92.html
 
Sex and Sports: Should Athletes Abstain Before Big Events?
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/02/0222_060222_sex_2.html
 
Athletics: Everything you ever wanted to know about sex and peak
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060218/ai_n16151898
 
Debunking the no-sex rule
http://www.sean-davidson.com/articles/debunking.html
 
Abstinence While Training?
http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/printthread.php/Cat/0/Board/5/main/15875043/type/thread

314
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Head Gear
« on: September 08, 2006, 07:16:49 PM »
You can find the product at SwordMasters.com as well http://sword-masters.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=45&osCsid=18e76df4ed4b0826750ac508b7cde3f9

The pic is the same so obviously they must be selling the product through different front ends.

315
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Head Gear
« on: September 08, 2006, 07:11:46 PM »
Check this out guys

http://www.amazon.com/Mask-Back/dp/B00068UE9S/sr=1-6/qid=1157504955/ref=sr_1_6/103-3747391-7017454?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods



Have any of you guys tried a product like this?? There is an upcoming tournament hosted by the Pedoy School of Escrima http://pedoysescrima.com/Pac_Island_Tourney.php , they wont allow fencing masks unless we have some kind of protection for the back of the head.

We are trying to come up with some kind of solution by fabricating something out of foam padding but I came upon this and thought I ask for input.

316
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: September 08, 2006, 04:16:59 PM »
 :mrgreen: Cooolness!  :mrgreen:

On a serious note thanks to both of you guys for the effort in producing \ capturing another volume of history.

317
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Surfboard Wax for stick grip?
« on: September 06, 2006, 04:50:26 PM »
Wow, I never heard of that.. plenty of surf wax here in Hawaii.? I'll have to try that out!!?

318
Martial Arts Topics / Re: MMA
« on: September 05, 2006, 03:55:55 PM »
Yes a Triangle Choke, but it was initially reported as a armbar at www.mmahawaii.com moments after the win.

319
Martial Arts Topics / Jason Miller wins.. damn i was hoping Lawler would....
« on: September 03, 2006, 01:59:23 AM »
Per www.mmahawaii.com

Quote
Lawler is landing some hard knees to the head of Mayhem and it looks like Mayhem might loose this fight.

Jason "Mayhem" Miller wins with an arm bar! 


320
As Mr. Burns would say "Excellent!"   :-D

321
Martial Arts Topics / Re: MMA
« on: August 31, 2006, 03:07:46 AM »
Quote
Woof All:

It seems that longtime King of the Cage judge (and coach to many KOTC fighters-- obviously not in fights that he judges!) Lester "Surf Dog" Griffin is going to be a judge at the UFC on August 26th Cool

A howl of congrats to Surf Dog!

The Adventure continues,
Crafty Dog

Wow, I just re-read the thread I bet being a judge was a lot of fun!

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Code: [Select]
I only skimmed over this so I hope it hasn't already been posted, but Arlovski broke his knee in the second round of the fight, which is why he stopped throwing leg kicks. To whoever was saying they'll never know why he stopped; now you actually do.
I think he needs better people in his corner too.


322
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 29, 2006, 10:57:31 PM »
Excellent! I cant wait.

323
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 29, 2006, 07:51:24 PM »
Any chance we catch a glimpse of Maestro Sonny's self-made weapons in the upcoming DVD?

324
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Condtioning for the stick
« on: August 29, 2006, 05:44:36 PM »
Hey Tom, maybe you can bring a set out one of these Saturdays to share with the group? :-)

I think it would be awesome and beneficial for all of us.

325
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 25, 2006, 05:56:48 PM »
Got this from Jeff Finders Blog:

http://escrima.blogspot.com/


Arrangements for Sonny
Thanks to all who have expressed condolences at the passing of master Sonny Umpad.

As of yesterday afternoon arrangements for Sonny were not finalized. I will update this post as such information comes available.
posted by Stickman at 11:54 AM Comments | Trackback? ?

An Homage to Sonny Umpad
Here are some thoughts about Sonny now, while they?re still fresh, kind of like a signpost to mark where we are at his passing. In ten years, I hope we can look back and see how his influence has spread in the FMA community.

Yesterday I called Sonny a giant, though few actually met him. He was a very private man, and for years rarely took his art outside of his home, preferring to let those whom he trusted come to him. Thus his legacy will someday be better known through those who propagate his teachings rather than directly by his hand.

Some of those are folks who trained with Bruce and James Yimm Lee, such as Jesse Glover in Seattle and Gary Cagaanan in Oakland. Others are younger notables in the martial arts such as Kelly Worden in Tacoma and Alfred Plath in Germany. Most, however, are a new generation of martial artists just coming of age now, entering their prime years blessed with the deep knowledge of a master teacher.

Sonny was a bridge across generations in the arts. Growing up in the Philippines, he experienced first-hand the art in its native setting. He was a witness to history, crossing paths with some of the greats most of us only know from reading about them, but perhaps the greatest aspect of his legacy was his knowledge gained from the streets. Sonny knew more about what he called ?the dark side? of the arts than just about anyone I?ve known, but to his credit he lived a life in the light, focusing on laughter and the beauty in the art. Before he emerged in the martial community, he was, like Bruce Lee, a champion cha-cha dancer, and he brought those skills into the Corto Cadena style he created.

Sonny?s genius was that he took disparate elements of the Filipino arts and re-integrated them into a comprehensive whole. More than just that, however, he synthesized those elements to create something uniquely his. His earliest influences seemed to be Balintawok, which was prominent where he grew up in Cebu. Some of his early formal training was, if I recall correctly, with Bobby Taboada, and here in California he rubbed shoulders with legends like Angel Cabales and Cacoy Canete, whom he had watched from the sidelines as a young boy. He took something from each but wasn?t limited to merely imitating. He examined each element of his art critically, ensuring it had value towards his goal.

When I first met him back in 1986, through a seminar at Joe Olivarez? U.S. Karate in Hayward, Sonny was unveiling perhaps the first of his unique innovations, the centerline roll for double sticks, based on Wing Chun?s circular punching. Unlike most double stick, which is taught by learning numerous patterns and pairing them up, this was genius in its simplicity. By merely mastering this single technique, one could match up against any strike using either hand in a continuous barrage. Still, as easy as it looks and sounds, few could do it with the speed and precision Sonny applied to his art.

I spent perhaps the most time with Sonny in the early 1990?s, after Angel Cabales passed away. He and Angel met only infrequently but had a warm relationship, sharing roots in the same locales and slipping back into the old dialects of their youths. As the younger man, Sonny affectionately called Angel ?Doh,? uncle. Angel used to say many people stole his ideas, though many wouldn?t acknowledge it. Sonny was upfront, giving me his famous line that ?if you?re going to steal, do it from the best.? His affinity for Angel?s material is not surprising, given the Cebuano roots of both their arts.

Around this time Sonny was working on his sikaran, the low kicking art developed to work in conjunction with weapons, as opposed to the high flashy kicks common to many popular modern arts. Sonny would test his ideas out on me and I?d share my variations on these themes from my years in Kenpo. Even then, however, it was apparent that Sonny was working from a very different source; his inspiration came, again if memory serves, from the Moro style of master Telesporo Subing-Subing. With great natural flexibility and his dance-like fluidity, Sonny had an ability to come from unusual angles. It was in the sikaran that I began to see the functionality of his pendulum movement, which allowed him to strike while seemingly out of range.

It was this confluence of the Moro and Cebuano arts that marked the emergence of the next phase of Sonny?s body of work, and that was his knowledge of the blade. As with all other aspects of his work, this was something nurtured from careful analysis. The blade is enmeshed with Filipino culture, and so having been raised there, Sonny had insights that lent themselves to appreciation of edged weapons without the romanticism with which less experienced folk often hold them.

Sonny?s creative genius went beyond just movement, extending also to the artifacts he created in conjunction with his art. Anyone who ever visited him had to be impressed by the array of weaponry adorning the walls of his home, all crafted by his hand. From elaborately carved rattan sticks to beautifully designed traditional weapons in wood and metal, Sonny was a master artisan. He was also prolific, and eventually every bit of his home was filled with his work, making it a veritable museum of Filipino martial culture. In every corner one could find unusual devices, like his impenetrable armor vest for ?breaking in? students on the knife, the racks of fiberglass training fencing foils, or his swinging pendulum and various sparring targets.

This was a man who lived life fully. I?ve always had a hard time imagining how he fit so much into the moments of each day. I marvel at how it seemed that every visit to his home revealed a new facet of his personality, such as his passion for playing and writing music on the keyboard and recording it on his four-track. I was amazed by his rebuilt acoustic guitar with the tuning head moved into the body, which I?d never seen in 35 years as a player.

It is my everlasting regret that I didn?t spend more time with Sonny. Part of it was reluctance to take advantage of his generosity. There wasn?t a time I visited that he didn?t want to show me what he was working on. I realized that he shared much more with me than I could offer back, but when I suggested I start taking lessons as his student, he smiled and said we were contemporaries. In that he was overly generous, and in my embarassment I stopped coming by so often. Still, I found other ways to try to repay him, such as helping market his innovative padded training sticks or helping hook up prospective students.

Some of those are my betters in Serrada, such as masters Wade Williams and Carlito Bonjoc, and many others are faces and names I am only now starting to put together. It is through the imprint of Sonny?s movement and knowledge that I see his art living on, and hopefully through them I will finally take the time for more of those lessons I missed along the way. I?m sure I?m not alone in this, for there were so many facets and phases along the arc of Sonny?s career that many of us only got what was currently his passion, and so it is important that we share.

Those who came later were fortunate to reap the benefit of all that had gone on before. Sonny wasn?t merely a caretaker but a builder, and those who absorbed even a part of his spirit have come away with something uniquely different. His is not a cookie cutter style of stick fighting, but something that transformed people to the core of their being, and just as Sonny was a generous soul, so I see this shining from the faces of those who were attracted to him.

We are fortunate that Sonny left such a huge legacy in the form of his recordings. There was always videotape rolling, whether recording students? lessons or playing them back on the tv. Sonny was someone with great affinity for modern technology and he used it more than anyone else I know. Perhaps someday some of his vast library of recordings can be made available for study. It is an invaluable resource, and one that should be both preserved and shared for posterity.

In the meantime, the art is a living thing, passed from hand to hand, and so it is up to this next generation to move forward in their own personal development and as teachers. What I see in them is kindred to Sonny, a humbleness of spirit combined with skill, intelligence and determination.

I recall the words of Gilbert Tenio following the funeral for his old contemporary Angel Cabales, that the art was not meant to compete with each other, but to ensure mutual survival. It is a bond of brotherhood, and the words of this manong were meant to guide us to appreciate what we share in common. The love we have for our teachers, and above that our passion for what we do, is something greater than differences of opinion or ego. This is something Sonny understood, and he always saw the best in people. As long as this principle is at the forefront, the art will flourish and be strong, keeping the chain alive.

326
Martial Arts Topics / Re: MMA
« on: August 25, 2006, 03:48:43 PM »
Im suprised noone added this yet...


BJ Penn and the Ultimate Fighting Championship have come to a contractual agreement that will enable him to fight Matt Hughes for the UFC Welterweight title on September 23rd at UFC 63. BettorMMA.com broke the story early last week and received confirmation from the UFC today.

After a groin pull forced top 170 pound contender Georges St. Pierre to withdraw from his September 23rd rematch with UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California today, the UFC was faced with a dilemma. Who could possibly challenge the champ on short notice and still be compelling enough to get fight fans excited?

The answer was a no-brainer ? the last man to beat Hughes, BJ Penn.

And as one of the top fighters in the world, pound for pound, Penn eagerly accepted the opportunity to make it 2-0 against the premier welterweight of this era, who, for his part, would like nothing better than to settle an old score with Hawaii?s ?Prodigy?.

In 2004, Penn, a highly regarded lightweight contender at the time, scored one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history when he rose 15 pounds in weight to tackle and beat Hughes in his first-ever welterweight bout. The end came at 4:39 of the first round when Penn forced Hughes to tap out due to a rear-naked choke.

On September 23rd, the rivalry is renewed.

*****************************************************************

As soon as the rumors started to circulate that Georges St. Pierre was dealing with an injury sustained during training for his upcoming title fight with champion Matt Hughes, just about everyone in the sport started talking about possible replacements. None were higher on the list than the last fighter to defeat Hughes, ?The Prodigy? BJ Penn. Now with St. Pierre officially being out, the rematch that everyone was already hoping for is going to happen. At UFC 63, BJ Penn will get his shot to take back the title he never lost when he faces Matt Hughes for the welterweight championship.


For BJ Penn this is the culmination of a very long journey after leaving the UFC under a cloud of controversy and then returning recently to the company where he started his mixed martial arts career. Stepping in on just 4 weeks notice for a title fight is hard for any fighter, but Penn is just happy to get the shot and says it was his plan all along.


?I get to do what I came back to do in the UFC,? said Penn in an exclusive interview with MMAWeekly. ?I got an amazing opportunity to come back. I was going to come back to kick St. Pierre?s ass and then kick Hughes? ass and it got derailed. Now I get to correct that and kick Hughes? ass and then go and kick St. Pierre?s ass.?


The fight with St. Pierre still sticks with Penn who lost a close decision. It was only the third of his professional career and his only loss at 170 pounds. Penn takes nothing away from St. Pierre, but still feels a rematch in the future is necessary.


?He spent the night in the hospital, I spent the night at the bar,? said Penn about the fight with St. Pierre. ?I mean, he?s one of the best guys and I want to fight the top guys and he?s in line for a title shot. There?s no doubt about that. I mean, he?s a good guy and I don?t have anything bad to say about him.?


While the rematch with St. Pierre is sure to happen at some point, the only thing on BJ Penn?s mind right now is Matt Hughes and the chance to win back the UFC welterweight title. Penn was originally slated for a possible move down to 155 pounds with the re-launch of the UFC?s lightweight division, but the opportunity to fight Hughes again and prove that the first win was no fluke is something Penn is looking forward to.


?I?m just happy I?m going to be the champ again,? said a confident BJ Penn. ?I don?t even care about any of that other stuff. I mean, if people say that was a fluke or whatever, it doesn?t really mean anything to me. I was just so happy I got that phone call.?


BJ Penn will now get his shot to take back the 170-pound crown when he faces Matt Hughes in the main event of UFC 63 in Los Angeles on September 23rd.


Source: MMA Weekly


327
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 25, 2006, 01:34:08 PM »


When we were done shooting, I kneeled at the edge of Maestro Sonny's bed and reassured him that we had gotten good footage-- which was the truth.? One of his students commented to me afterwords that when the shooting was over that he seemed quietly at ease.? I deeply would have loved for him to see the finished DVD, but at least he got to see a fairly polished rough edit which he relayed to us that he liked a lot.


I think this is going to be a rare gem, just like the 1st volume.  Other than books, I dont think Sonny released any instructional videos and I believe Sonny maintained a low profile so the only way for some to even be aware of Sonny was mainly through word of mouth. I know I will definitely be ordering this as well as the 1st Volume.

328
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 24, 2006, 06:17:53 PM »
OMG, man that really sucks.  My condolances to all the knew Sonny.  It seems that your DVD is being done just in time.

329
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 21, 2006, 07:58:20 PM »
Hopefully these clips feed the "craving" and encourage people to investigate and buy the DVD.

I was just searching around www.youtube.com and found some clips from a huge event called the "Day of Play" some of the people looked familiar and then I realized where I seen them before..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjQIRgZHIjk

330
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Humor
« on: August 21, 2006, 01:10:40 PM »
Wow.. I had no idea. I'll have to do some more research and see how well she did.

331
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Humor
« on: August 21, 2006, 12:48:35 PM »
This is kinda humorous:

Found it at http://tracelesswarrior.blogspot.com/

Thursday, August 10, 2006
Only in California
Or perhaps Italy.

I just found out (from Raw Story) that Mary Carey, the porn actress that attended a Bush fund raiser not so long ago is planning to run against Arnold Schwarzenegger for governor.

She has her own political website (different than the one where she sells her videos, only go there if you are not offended by naked people and commercial sexuality).

Having given it some serious thought, I hope she wins. Our country has been run for quite along time by people who fear their sexuality and embrace violence as a compensation. (You don't think so? This is a country that is so repressed that it will freak out over a bare breast on TV but not bat an eye over people being blow up, chopped up, beaten, maimed, murdered and mangled on the same channel).

If more Right Wingers had happy sex lives the world would be a much better place.

332
Martial Arts Topics / Re: The Tradition and Culture Thread
« on: August 17, 2006, 04:52:39 PM »
Again I was reading Jeff Finders Blog and I think this has some relevancy to the topic

by all means check out Jeff's Blogs, I believe it is full of some insightfull information...

http://escrima.blogspot.com/

Sunday, August 13, 2006
Spirituality in FMA
Someone posted the following quote on a martial art digest. Below is my response:

Quote
?People confuse filipino fighting arts with chinese and japanese arts. we are not founded by priests. we do not try to "make students better character", or "good people", that is what churches and mosques are for. FMA has one goal, to make good and effective fighters, to hurt people. you cannot do this in your mind or even at the drawing board. FMA has too many people with too many theories, not enough hands on.?

Yes and no. I certainly don't dispute the pragmatic goal of strong fighting skills as the raison d'etre for FMA training. As Master Han says in "Return of the Dragon", who knows how many treasures have been lost to the world because of the lack of the will to defend them. That statement, however, defines fighting skill as an outer level, whose purpose is as a shield to protect the inner. However, inner and outer are not separate but rather are part of each other by definition. A person empowered by their thoughts and beliefs will be stronger than one who is unsure or conflicted.

The power of the spirit was certainly known to Filipinos, the basis for practices like oracion and anting-anting. Before angles were known by numbers, they were taught by name association. Angle #1 was often called San Miguel because Saint Michael is depicted with an upraised sword of truth and justice, depicting that strike. Similarly, the Moros were feared not just for their fighting techniques, because Cebuanos and others proved equal in battle, but because it was the strength of their convictions that made them such formidable adversaries.

We may not think of murder and mayhem as spiritual, but even societies engaged in such practices have empowering belief systems. Viking beserkers were a terror across Europe, but they believed in Valhalla and an afterlife, which helped them conquer their fear of death.

It is said that one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter. Is taking up arms spiritual? Depends which side of that equation you are on. Does it make you a better person? Anything that engages us completely is a transformative experience, which is why the samurai took so readily to Zen, understanding the power of having "one mind." Most modern FMA is taught in a niche of "practicality" but anyone who undertakes a process of change experiences it inwardly as well. The old manongs would sometimes hold their hand over the head of a prospective student to see if they were too "hot-headed" to be trusted with deadly knowledge. They were concerned with the character of their students just as many of us are today.

Esoteric knowledge of the inner self has always been secretive, not just as a way to control power but because the masses were not deemed awakened enough to understand. It takes time to develop someone to a level of understanding, and the repression of Filipino culture under the Spanish diminished this part as well. Martial arts typically in times of war are less concerned with niceties of personal development, and so the FMA became noted for straightforward practicality. Now we live in an era in which knowledge is much more open through literacy and mass communication.

I see no reason not to include deeper awareness through self-examination as part of a curriculum. It may not suit every student, and it isn't the first thing taught, but in my experience such self-understanding enables people to progress further than if they are dependent on others to give them knowledge. Mind-body integration happens regardless of intentionality, but awareness is more powerful than ignorance. The discipline to train the body comes from the mind, and this process develops the spirit and will to succeed. These are not separate things.

Now not every instructor will delve into this. Many may not have the ability to communicate what they themselves feel internally, and so it is only through the training that they lead others towards mastery. Make no mistake, though. Mastery is not just of the techniques, but of the self; polish the spirit and the results will be evident.

This connection is more prominent in many styles of Silat than FMA these days, but the similarity of the arts and cultural connections are a clue such awareness can be found in both. In the end, spirituality is the essence of each of us, not just something to be controlled by religious organizations. When we dedicate ourselves through effort, we elevate ourselves regardless of what it is we choose to do.

333
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 17, 2006, 04:45:18 PM »
I was reading Jeff Finder's Blog and found the following:

If you follow the link you will also find group pictures, as well as other interesting reading.

http://escrima.blogspot.com/

The Benefit For Sonny
2006 has been a year of historic proportions for gatherings of the clans here in Northern California. This weekend marked another milestone as students and friends of ailing escrima master Sonny Umpad came together for the first time in a group for a benefit seminar on his behalf.

There were over 70 participants filling Nash?s Northern Tiger Kempo in San Francisco, a tribute to the esteem in which Sonny is held within the martial arts community. People came from all corners of the Bay Area and from a wide range of different arts (FMA, Wing Chun, Kempo, Hwarang-do) in order to show their support for one of the most innovative martial art teachers of our generation.

Attendees were rewarded with a strong showing by more than half a dozen of Sonny?s senior instructors. Their demonstrations of his Visayan Corto Cadena system covered a range from empty hands to sikaran (kicking), sticks, knives, bolos and swords. It was as thorough an exposition of Filipino martial arts as one might ever see, reflecting Sonny?s versatility in integrating so many facets within FMA.

Detailed attention was paid to Sonny?s ?pendulum,? which uses dynamic Moro-based footwork to counter and evade. This is the basis for the sophisticated movement required for close quarter combat with the blade, representing a very high level of understanding timing and range.

Participants got a taste of some of these concepts in their workouts, and there were plenty of Sonny?s senior and advanced students to assist those who were more novice.

This was a warm and friendly crowd, all there to show support. Egos were checked at the door. I was particularly impressed with how the instructors got along, working together as a team and supporting each other. This too is a reflection of their maestro, for Sonny is a genuine and humble man who shares great talent freely with those around him.

If there was an off-note to the day, it was that Sonny himself was not feeling well enough to attend, spending the day at home with family and old friends, and his absence was the elephant in the room. In truth, this has been one of the hardest blogs for me to write. Most of the people there know and love Sonny, and all our prayers go towards his health.

Here are some of Sonny?s students who were there, listed simply by alphabetical order, not by seniority. My apologies to any whom I might have missed:
Chris Suboreau, Cisco Spano, Craig Merchant, Eric Momburg, George Yore, Gregory Manalo, Jason Santucci, Jay Pugao, Ken Ingram, Kevin and Felicia Baptiste, Maija Soderholm, Manny Piojo, Mike Braten, Phillip (Professor Pitt) Colas, Renato Alphonso, Steve Seto, Steve Van Manen.


334
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 17, 2006, 12:59:20 PM »
Wow... so I can only imagine it is hitting and trapping?  I have also heard Sonny is quite skilled with the blade, I hope to see some footage of him with the blade as well.

335
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 17, 2006, 02:20:26 AM »
Quote
Just don't get caught by his thai kick on the way in...it will ruin your day.

Ha, Ill probably have to watch out for more than that...

Quote
Robert, i've seen the straight blast, type move work with sinawali and smaksticks. not sure if you were referring to switching?

Peregrine, Im not quite sure I understand. The center line fulcrum is using two sticks, imagine using a wing chun / JKD straight blast but with sticks, it is kinda hard to describe, lol.
It's like you have your arms folded and your sticks tucked under your arm pits, as you pull out you aim the punyo towards the recipient, the stick should slide out and up against the arm pit and the tip  is using the  arm pit as a fulcrum and they should hit what your punyo is pointed at.  I think there are better descriptions out there but that is the best I can do for now.

336
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 16, 2006, 12:23:30 PM »
You guys still have your copies? Sweeet!  I think I only have 4 or more left, I let a co-worker in Seattle borrow \ check out some issues, fool got fired and never returned my mags, tried getting a hold of the dude but he never answered the phone, grrrrrrr!

337
Martial Arts Topics / Re: Grandfathers Speak Vol. 2: Sonny Umpad
« on: August 16, 2006, 03:18:05 AM »
Sweeeeeet!!  Wow Crafty Dog you get around, lol.  When I first started with Kelly Worden, Dieter Knuttel passed through Washington and did a seminar at the school, neat guy.
About 6 months later Kelly Worden hosted a seminar with Sonny Umpad, really cool stuff. I cant wait to see this!  I still practice some of the fulcrum stuff that I learned that day.
Actually I want to see if I can pull off some of the centerline straight \ stick blast against Dogzilla someday, lol.

338
Martial Arts Topics / Real Fights
« on: August 08, 2006, 03:43:55 PM »
Thanks SB_Mig, Im curious to know what the perps said during the trial.  Random acts of senseless violence is always disturbing.

339
Martial Arts Topics / Real Fights
« on: August 08, 2006, 02:35:16 PM »
Quote
Absolutely. Body language, even from a distance, should be a dead giveaway


By watching the video you see the perp winding up as he approaches and the victim doesn't even turn his head to look, I would like to think he would have survived if he had turned his head to see and possibly his arms up in a defensive posture.

 To me it is a reminder to aware of what is going on around me. I think some awareness would have really helped this poor guy, I mean it appears to be after-hours in a mall like area. Three people are approaching, possibly having a loud conversation, the perp had no logical reason to come near the victim there is plenty of space for him to walk around without having to come near.  Usually if Im sitting in a place like that or at the beach late at night in Waikiki and people are approaching from the side I usually look at the person and nod. Some people believe that just by making eye contact it acts as deterrent.

Anyone know the outcome of this video, were the cowards caught and convicted?

340
Martial Arts Topics / Bilateralism
« on: August 04, 2006, 12:28:29 PM »
Prof. Remy Presas was left handed by nature, he started training with the right handed to make it easier to teach right handed people which reminds me of that scene from The Prince Bride:

[Fencing]
Inigo Montoya: You are wonderful.
Man in Black: Thank you; I've worked hard to become so.
Inigo Montoya: I admit it, you are better than I am.
Man in Black: Then why are you smiling?
Inigo Montoya: Because I know something you don't know.
Man in Black: And what is that?
Inigo Montoya: I... am not left-handed.
[Moves his sword to his right hand and gains an advantage]
Man in Black: You are amazing.
Inigo Montoya: I ought to be, after 20 years.
Man in Black: Oh, there's something I ought to tell you.
Inigo Montoya: Tell me.
Man in Black: I'm not left-handed either.
[Moves his sword to his right hand and regains his advantage]


And although I do not have concrete proof of how it helps in other ways,
due to the quick recovery of his motor skills after brain surgery, the doctors believed that it was due to the fact the he was able to use both left and right equally.

341
Martial Arts Topics / Your carry folder
« on: August 02, 2006, 11:20:12 AM »
I was checking out the link  http://www.szaboinc.com very nice blades!  Actually to say they are nice is an understatement, they are definitely works of art.   I'm particularily fond of this


342
Martial Arts Topics / Your carry folder
« on: August 01, 2006, 12:13:44 PM »
The Emerson Karambit looks sweet.

Greg: Just curious, do you have pics of your self designed blade?

I like knives to some degree, meaning I understand the importance of training with knives, I enjoy it but just not as fascinated as some of my friends and peers  :o

343
Martial Arts Topics / Your carry folder
« on: July 31, 2006, 01:21:17 PM »
SB_Mig: I really dig it, I'm not really a big knife enthusiast, I like the feel of the knife and how it fits nicely into my hand, there is little bit of punyo on the knife as well as a nice weapon as well as a nifty little "serration" on the bolster for the thumb so you could even use it as an impact weapon before having to open it up. I have had one for several years and it has held up pretty good. I used it on the car or for the car as in cutting hoses, opening boxes but nothing really heavy duty.  The fix blade versions are really nice too, the weight of the knife feels really good (sorry that is kind of a lame explanation but it feels just right) and it really "flows" well at least in my opinion.  Im slightly biased because I trained with Kelly Worden for about 8 -9 years while living in WA.  Overall, I really do like it and not just because Kelly designed it.

344
Martial Arts Topics / Your carry folder
« on: July 28, 2006, 03:17:51 AM »
Im kinda biased, used to carry a spyderco (long time ago) now I just carry a Timberline Wortac.

345
Martial Arts Topics / MMA
« on: July 19, 2006, 06:46:39 PM »
I'm really looking forward to the Wanderlei Silva vs Chuck Liddell fight, if it happens.  They both fight before the proposed date and anything can happen. I like Liddell but after watching some clips of Silva there is no doubt that he will have his hands full.  Is there any word through the grapevine or otherwise that Sylvia & Fedor will fight or is it just wishful thinking right now?

346
Martial Arts Topics / New to the forums..
« on: July 19, 2006, 01:35:58 PM »
Me too peregrine, it feels good to be back in the swing again  :twisted:

347
Martial Arts Topics / New to the forums..
« on: July 18, 2006, 06:47:15 PM »
I might as well jump and say hi as well, I was fortunate enough to meet up with Dogzilla and Tom to train this past weekend. Looking forward to more training and meeting the rest of the tribe.

My background in the FMA is through Kelly Worden, through him I have been able to meet and "train" via seminars & camps with Leonard Trigg, Ted Lucay Lucay, Sonny Umpad, Jesse Glover, Brett Jacques and many more. I am really looking forward to training with Dogzilla and the crew I sense nothing but positive energy from them.

Aloha,
Robert

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