Ian Schaffa Interview. Ellite MMA fighter from Australia

Ian Schaffa Suplex

Ian Schaffa has earned a formidable reputation in Japan and Australia. His achievements include:

XFC World Champion, Austral-Asian Vale Tudo Champion, Bronze Medalist at the 1999 Australian National Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships, 2 x Kickboxing Champion, 2 x Full Contact Karate Champion, Ranked top 10 Australian Boxing, Ranked top 10 Australian Kickboxing. He holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a black belt in Kyokushin

BKO Kung Fu: As a profession fighter for 10 years, what tips would you give yourself when you first stated if you could go back in time?

Ian:  Don't listen to negative people.
         Believe in your ability. Practice.
         Dream big.

BKO: What's your best training technique to get better at blocking?

Ian: Have people come at you with different attacks and get used to it. Practice defending. 

BKO: Do you feel fighting against as many different styles as possible has given you unique insight? How so?

Ian: Having to train for different styles in a short period of time taught me to adapt very quickly and perform.

BKO: Where there anything that caught you off-guard when you started to fight in Japan? How did you adjust?

Ian: The Japanese culture caught me of guard. I wasn't used to alot of things. Japanese food, language, etiquette etc but i quickly learned.

BKO: We read about your drinking and fighting in the past? What would you tell someone who does this also?

Ian: If it's caused by personal issues, maybe see a professional to get those issues dealt with. Aim to change your focus. If you can successfully drink and have street fights, then you can use the same amount of energy succeeding in something a little more positive.

BKO: Did you run away from home when you were younger? What was that about?

Ian: Yes, I was a troubled teenager. I had personal issues that had to be dealt with. I held alot of anger and did not know how to deal with it. 

BKO: How did you overcome your anger issues?

Ian: I found something new to focus on and channel my anger through.

BKO: We understand you have a huge interest in helping others less fortunate. Are you currently working on any projects in this field? How can others help?

Ian: Yes I have been visiting a group of homeless people for the last couple of years. I make food and share it with them. They are very grateful. They make me happy. I am not asking for any help directly although if you do know of someone that is less fortunate that requires help please give.

BKO: What are you goals for the next 10 years?

Ian: My main goal for the next 10 years is to continue to grow my business. I want us to be the leading program in the Australian fitness industry.

BKO Kung Fu: We look forward to seeing this happen and wish you all the luck. 

Be sure to visit http://mmaxfit.com.au/ to find out more about Ian's fitness business. 

Interview with Alan La from Invincible Worldwide

Alan La is the Founder & Executive Director at Invincible Worldwide. His organization helps people see their true strength within themselves through a combination of Martial Arts and showing individuals the greatness that is inside them.


BKO Kung Fu: Alan, Why did you start Invincible Worldwide and what makes it unique from other schools?

Invincible is an idea that began on the back of my lecture notes while studying at University. It’s an idea of possibility. It’s the idea that no matter who you are, what you look like, or where you come from, you can achieve extraordinary things in life. It is about empowering people to feel a true sense of inner power that enables them to achieve 3 things: 1. Perform at a higher level in life 2. Be loved and respected by those around them 3. Be able to influence and inspire others to become extraordinary. 

It took a few years to refine, and now Invincible Worldwide has 2 ways we achieve this: The Invincible Athletes Academy builds martial arts athletes with peak performance speed, power, strength, skills and the strongest mentality. And The Achieve Anything Academy empowers ordinary people to become extraordinary by showing them their inner greatness and potential to achieve success in life. 

BKO: Tell us about Alan La, before Invincible Worldwide.

For the past 13 years, I studied and trained in various Martial Arts, including Wu Chu Chuan, Shaolin Kung Fu, Wing Chun, Tae Kwon Do, Jeet Kune Do and Tricking. I’d also spent countless hours on seminars, books and audio tapes, studying and writing on the area of human potential and achievement. After years of martial arts training 3 hours every day and applying everything I’d learnt about the psychology of achievement, I began to notice the harmonizing effects of aligning our physical and mental potentials. I began to feel an empowering sense of inner power and physical power. During that period, the word ‘Invincible’ stood out to me, and it’d perfectly fitted this extraordinary feeling. I wanted to share this feeling with the world. 

BKO: Who had the greatest influence on your attitude in life? please explain.

The first person that comes to mind for any martial artist would be Bruce Lee. However, I’d like to mention someone else as well in my life. My dad. He’s not a martial artist himself, but he taught me the values of being a man, of being righteous, virtuous and striving for greatness – all of which are virtues of being a true martial artist. 

BKO: How has leading Invincible Worldwide changed your life?

Since founding Invincible Worldwide, I’ve been able to live out my goal of empowering other young people to also feel this new sense of self-worth. This alone is WHY I do what I do. My vision is to empower everyone in the world to become extraordinary. 

It began when I inspired the guys in my team to rise above mediocrity in their lives. They are now my brothers, my family. At the beginning of each year we list out together the craziest things we want to achieve for that year. And it is always so amazing to see each goal get ticked off one by one. This year alone, we’ve done a national tour, been on TV, featured in newspaper articles, reached millions on Youtube, been honored to partner with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Hyper Martial Arts, performed on big stages, did motivational seminars for 200+ students, nominated for the Young Citizen of the Year Award, received the Australia Day Medallion – the list goes on. And there’s never a day that I don’t appreciate it all. I appreciate every student that walks into our class. I appreciate all the efforts and hard work that my team has put into the vision. I appreciate every worldwide fan that sends us daily encouraging messages. I guess leading Invincible Worldwide has changed my life in that it allows me to appreciate the possibilities of life and what we can achieve if we put in hard work, vision and heart. 

BKO: What do you believe holds the majority of people back from achieving their dreams? What do you recommend to overcome this?

You know when you’re running to the point of exhaustion, where your heart and lungs are trying hard to catch up, where your muscles are numb, and your body feels past its limits? Research has shown that at this point, you’ve only reached 70% of your body’s full potential. It is just like in life. Too many of us have never even tried pushing ourselves to that point of exhaustion in chasing our dreams. The reason why we don’t do this is because the vision is not great enough, and so the pain of trying and the possibility of failing or getting rejected are far greater than the pleasure and excitement of feeling worthy and competent. 

Try pushing yourself a little bit more in everything you do. It’s called releasing more latent ability. Just give it a little more than 110% in what you do, whether it in training, job or school. And when you begin to see big results, you start to develop self-confidence and the inner belief to take on the bigger goals. 

BKO: Can you tell us of your favorite success stories with one of your students?

There’s a success story with every student. Some of them will tell you in person with tears in their eyes, or through long heartwarming messages. Others will keep it to themselves. Whichever the case, you can always see it in their eyes and their presence. It is the moment they realize their true potential, the moment they realize they are truly Invincible. Every success story is unique and different. I appreciate every single one. 

BKO: You company goal states you want to have a worldwide impact? How do you plan on doing this? (World tours, Internet, Franchises?)

Yes we are planning to tour around the world. We’re also developing an online program for people in remote areas to access. The goal is to create a movement where people are living out the Invincible idea, becoming more of themselves every day, living with peak physicality and mentality, and inspiring others to do so. The world will be a better place. 

BKO: Let's say someone wanted to open one of your schools in another country? Is that an option? What would you require of them? 

We haven’t planned for that. But you never know. 

BKO: Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

Awaken the Dream. If anyone is interested in joining the movement and helping us create a better world, connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InvincibleWorldwide 

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions and give us such awesome photo's. 

Watch this amazing video with Invincible Worldwide.

Interview with Sifu Armando Sainz, Wing Chun Expert

Sifu Armando Sainz

Sifu Armando Sainz was nominated by the Florida Black Belt Hall of Fame as "2005 Sifu of the Year", "2006 Master Instructor of the Year" and "2011 Hall of Fame Silver Life Award" for 30 plus years in martial arts presented by the International Independent Martial Artists Association. He is certified as a full instructor in Wing Chun and has earned a black belt in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan karate and Hapkido self-defense. (Expanded bio)

BKO Kung Fu:  What do you feel is the biggest myth about wing chun? How do you respond to people who respectfully ask you about it?

Sifu Sainz: There are a few myths surrounding Wing Chun. There is a generally accepted legend about a shaolin nun named Ng Mui, a master of Kung Fu that developed a system effective against men and her friendship with Yim Wing Chun whom she named her kung fu system after. However, there is a more believable account with some historic documentation of a man named Leung Jan, his Tai Chi roots and his development of Wing Chun by his encounters with western men with Pugilistic abilities. I'm not sure why Wing Chun became shrouded in legend but the fact remains that the Wing Chun system has been developed by some very intelligent individuals who took great care in making Wing Chun a highly efficient kung fu. One of the main differences between Wing Chun and other martial arts is Wing Chun is a concept based system and that changes everything!

BKO: In some of your articles you mention your style is a step beyond traditional wing chun and leaves no gaps in it's technique. What makes your style different than Jeet Kune Do?

Sifu Sainz: Without getting into too much controversy and at the risk of sounding like an arrogant 'know-it-all', I'll explain. Both Innovative Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do come from Wing Chun - Jeet Kune Do to a lesser degree. What is not as well known is Bruce Lee only had about two and a half years of Wing Chun training, and not only that, but also the form of Wing Chun he learned was inferior to what Ip Man taught to his inner circle students. The fact is Ip Man never actually taught Bruce Lee himself but had two of his lesser favored, and therefore lesser skilled students, teach him. However, to Bruce Lee's credit he noted the deficiencies and embarked on a journey to create what he called a "formless" martial art. He really wanted to develop the ultimate fighting system. Unfortunately, Bruce Lee died young and was unable to fully realize his vision. As a result, Jeet Kune Do is a technique based, sport-oriented system with a few Wing Chun moves.

On the other hand, Innovative Wing Chun comes from the inner circle. It comes from the less famous, but more skilled, line of students hand picked by Ip Man. After Wing Chun got into western hands, it was further optimized making it far better than Ip Man himself imagined. First of all, Innovative Wing Chun is free of any sport-oriented thinking, limiting tradition or ceremony. Although Bruce Lee curbed tradition and ceremony, he failed to free himself from the snag of sport-oriented techniques. Nothing has been more destructive to the idea of real world martial (war) arts than the influence of sport. Also, Jeet Kune Do is not concept based like Wing Chun, therefore requiring preconceived maneuvers like the other martial arts from which it strived to break free.

Technique based systems work like this: someone throws a punch at you, you block it, and then you do a combination of punches or kicks at them. This is too shallow if we think of self defense as sophisticated as a language, for example. Language is fully concept based. When we speak we have no need of a preconceived script. We are free to speak in real time to each other. By the same token, Innovative Wing Chun is concept based freeing the practitioner from combinations or preconceived maneuvers. It enables them to fight in the now or in real-time. Innovative Wing Chun uses structure (skeletal alignment) rather than muscles to deliver devastating blows eliminating the need to be physically strong. It incorporates important ideas concerning preemptive positioning making one seem faster without actually being physically fast. It's the idea of already being there. In addition, concerning empty hand fighting, and although there are hundreds of martial arts styles, the practitioner is taught that in actuality there are only three kinds of fighters out there. They are the puncher, the kicker and the grappler / wrestler. Once he realizes that, because we all have two arms and two legs, all martial arts fall within these three categories, he can know the simplicity of a universal method to beat them all. In addition, Innovative Wing Chun brings the practitioner into the modern world by merging weapons instead of adding them via the concepts already present in the system. Once again a world view facilitates this by categorizing weapons as blunt instruments, edged weapons and firearms. On top of that, the student learns the different scenarios and situations and the laws that govern self-defense. Innovative Wing Chun is designed to recapture the ancient knowledge of those who fully understood life and death conflict, coupled with modern self-defense scenario awareness. It is the best of east meets west.

BKO: Why are all your lessons private? Why don't you do class training like everyone else?

Sifu Sainz: Private lessons are just better! One on one with a student is by far the best way to transfer knowledge and skills. Knowledge is transferred much quicker than in any group setting. You can completely customize each lesson to the individual and his or her particular needs. Each person learns differently. So once I know how they learn, I can hone in on making the most of each lesson. I've gotten some very good results this way. I will from time to time bring in a master level student of mine to help a particular student experience different energies and to help them hone their fighting skills. One of these experts is Robert Nunes who is a young master of Wing Chun and a high level Ju Jitsu practitioner. He is a sparring partner for a professional MMA fighter. On top of that he weighs 300 pounds and has vice grips for hands. If you can do well against him, you can do well against anyone.

BKO: If you don't have a belt system to promote people, what type of goals do you set to keep your students on track?

Sifu Sainz: Because I teach only private lessons, I am able to treat each student as an individual. Therefore, the use of uniforms and belts become irrelevant. However, I do have a complete syllabus with extensive notes that each student receives when they join. A student can easily see what level they are any time and make short and long-term goals within their training. I do not do any formal testing along the way because lessons are so hands-on. They are getting real time feed back every class. However, I do test them formally for black sash and beyond. Once my student is ready, I test them for black sash because of what it means. Black sash in my school means you can handle yourself against any attacker quickly, with ease in an almost effortless manner.

BKO: Can you tell us about your history of taking on all challengers to your system? Do you still accept all challengers? Why did you win?

Sifu Sainz: I ran a group class school for eleven years between 1998 and 2009. During this time, people would come in and challenge us to fights. For the most part, they were respectful with their challenges but some where not so respectful. In every case, since martial arts is war arts, either I or one of my higher level students would handle them quickly. The way I did it at my school was no protective gear, just bare knuckles. These challengers were full grown men who had ten, twenty, twenty five years experience in the martial arts. We had Jeet Kune Do instructors, Krav Maga experts, Karate masters, Navy Seals, Special Forces and even other Wing Chun people. To determine the victor we used two methods. One was the challenger could not continue due to being knocked out, or it was so obvious that they were beaten that the challenger asked to stop before it went to the next level. This is the old way. The way it was done back in Hong Kong in Ip Man's heyday. Different people and schools would challenge Ip's students so they would just go up on a roof and duke it out. There's even some old video footage of these events.

As an instructor, running a business I found one draw back to accepting challenges however. Once beaten, the challenger without fail did not join my school. Was it pride? Embarrassment maybe? I don't know. Over time I learned that the kind of person who would ask to challenge was not really interested in learning anyway. They were only interested in testing their fighting ability. Once beaten, I never heard from them again. Personally, I feel those challenges did serve a good purpose at the time for us. My students knew what I was teaching was good. But the challengers, since they went away and never learned why they were beaten so easily, did not benefit from the experience. So today, I view challenges as a good learning experience and somewhat of a stepping stone in my past. But now, accepting challenges doesn't seem prudent or productive anymore. I would venture to say today, for me, it's a waste of time. In addition, I teach private lessons now in a nonpublic setting. So, challenges cannot happen anyway. On one occasion not long ago I received a challenge via email. So I just ignored it.

BKO: Where did you learn your gun defenses from? How long would you suggest someone practice a gun defense move before they tried it in real life?

Sifu Sainz: During my time in traditional martial arts I learned gun defenses from various instructors. Curiously, the occasions were usually student initiated. A student would ask about a particular gun defense and the instructor would give his answer and then go back to empty hands. Guns were never really considered part of martial arts back then. The attitude was that the empty hand was somehow better, even more noble than using a gun. Guns and gun defenses were low on the totem pole. However, in sharp contrast I view guns as a natural part of martial arts in the modern world. Firearms are good in the hands of law abiding citizens. But as we all know the bad guys have them too. So in the early 2000's, I began my quest to incorporate firearms into my system. I received basic and advanced instruction in concealed carry. From there, I began to develop concept based gun defenses that went along with the sum and substance of my system. I then did extensive R & D to make sure what I was doing was as safe, efficient and effective as possible. I did the same thing with edged weapons and blunt instruments and merged them all into Innovative Wing Chun. One hopes to never have to be in a situation where they have to defend against a life threatening attacker. However, the world doesn't seem to be getting any friendlier. I believe it is best to be fully trained and ready to defend yourself and your loved ones. I believe it's better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war.

BKO: What's the best way to prevent a fight if the other person is insisting on it?

Sifu Sainz: I teach my students the reality of self defense. I try to rid them of the gladiator mentality that pervades martial arts today. Sport oriented thinking is actually dangerous. The gladiator mentality says the following: Two men, evenly matched, fight to the death while we watch. There is even a Bruce Lee movie that depicts him and Chuck Norris in a fight to the death in the Colosseum in Rome. This is not how real self defense goes and should never be thought of this way. The whole idea of two evenly matched men fighting at a specific time and place, mano a mano is counter productive for the real world self defense practitioner. A real self defense situation is never planned, never evenly matched, completely without rules and will come quickly and decisively. The reality martial artist will respond immediately with overwhelming destruction and will not stop until the attacker stops moving. What I teach is not an equalizer but the maximizer for the safety of my students and their families.

So to answer your question, one would asses the level of the threat. If the other guy is using menacing language, then I would respond in like manner with a verbal warning and perhaps try to defuse the situation with words. However, if this person goes from verbal to physical that changes everything. Then I would respond with physical communication finishing the fight in seconds. The idea is do the right thing; not for the attacker, but for your loved ones who need you and love you and want you to come home to them.

BKO: Why is lineage so important in Martial Arts? Doesn't it really come down to your skill and effectiveness?

Sifu Sainz: Lineage is more or less important from martial art to martial art. In Wing Chun, it seems to be important because there are so many forms of Wing Chun out there and not all are good. Some are really bad in fact. Since Ip Man had inner circle students and outer circle students, then it stands to reason the inner circle ones were better instructed. The fact is this is evident and true and may give credence to the idea that lineage is important for explaining why we fight better than the other guy. My Wing Chun lineage stems from Ip Man through Leung Sheung who was Ip's senior student and leader to Ip's other inner circle students. He was the most skilled and respected student until his death. Even Bruce Lee called Leung Sheung 'Si Hing' which means "older brother". That title was reserved for only the best of Ip's students and is where my line stems from. However, for me personally, I recognize all my teacher's contributions to my learning. It all was an indispensable experience, without which, my now world view martial arts system would be skewed. With all this said, on a day to day basis my lineage matters very little to the person standing in front of me receiving instruction. What matters most are my fighting skills and my ability to convey them to my students.

BKO: Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

Sifu Sainz: Well, first of all I would like to thank you for asking me these questions and giving me the opportunity to answer concerning my favorite subject. Also, it is an honor to help a fellow martial artist who really loves his craft and wants to make something of himself through it. I'm happy to help! To our readers I would like to say that in the martial arts world today you can find the full spectrum; from total sport oriented systems like Tae Kwon Do to complete reality self defense systems like mine. In all cases, it is important to decide what you want to accomplish within martial arts and then tailor your studies accordingly. If you want performance based systems, then Wu Shu might be good coupled with some stunt man seminars. If you like the idea of tradition and feel strongly about it, then maybe Karate with its eastern tradition and hierarchy is good for you. However, if you are not interested in sport and are interested in real self defense that works for you in real time, when you need it most, then call me :-)

BKO Kung Fu: Thank you for your time to answer our questions Sifu Sainz. For our readers, be sure to visit, http://www.innovativewingchun.com, to learn more about Innovative Wing Chun and Sifu Sainz.

Interview with Angela "Overkill" Hill

Angela "Overkill" Hill is a raising star in the field of MMA. She has recently made the switch to pro fighter and has signed with XFC MMA. She has an impressive record of  1w-0L (pro) with 14W-0L as an amateur. Four of those wins were ko's. She will be making her XFC MMA debut soon. Angela has attracted a great deal of attention already and we suggest you follow her career early on.

BKO Kung Fu: Angela, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for our website.

Tell us about yourself before you started Muay Thai training?

Angela: Before muay thai, I was an art school undergrad working as a bartender and an animator. All that sitting around was catching up to me and I wanted a work out that wouldn't bore me. I took a trail Muay Thai class with Brandon Levi, the owner of Evolution Muay Thai, and I've been hooked ever since!

BKO: What motivates you?

Angela: A lot of things motivate me. Obviously the people around me, my coaches, my training partners, my family and friends. A kind of new motivation is my fans, I'm hearing more and more stories of people, especially black women, being inspired to be strong, active and live healthy lifestyles after following me and my career. I feel like we don't have nearly enough black women in the fight world to look up to, so being able to be a Layla Ali or a Lisa King to other young people who aren't always encouraged to follow their passion means a lot to me.

BKO: What is different about you between when you first starting fighting vs. now?

Angela: I fight a lot smarter now-a-days. Before, I relied on my aggression and just overwhelming my opponent. Now, I'm able to execute the game plans a little more effectively and adapt on the fly when they do something unexpected. I think I hit way harder than I used to too, haha!

BKO: What was the number one life changing event you ever experienced? What did you learn from it?

Angela: Living in Thailand for a month was definitely life changing. We were out in the boonies outside of Bangkok and really saw the level of poverty that exists out there. It made me appreciate the things I took for granted back home. I trained in a Thai camp and fought twice while I was there, and the training was HARD. The best way to describe it is boarding school for American fighters. I learned to focus more when I trained, making goals for myself on top of the 10 mile runs and hundreds of "knee bag" 's I had to do each day. When I got back home there was way less complaining when Brandon would make me do something, haha.

BKO:  Did anything else about Thailand, the culture or country, catch you by surprise? How so?

Angela: I was surprised how many scam artists there were. Luckily living in NYC prepared me not to trust strangers with great bargains "just for me!" All in all though, Thailand was a great experience. One of my coolest memories was going back to MBK mall after fighting the previous weekend, a couple taxi drivers recognized me and went "Oooh! good muay thai!" and started mimicking knees to the face, haha. Good times.

BKO: What do you think is the greatest moment in fighting history? why?

Angela: The greatest moment of fighting history? That's a tough one, there's so many. I'm gonna go with the one that has most to do with my journey and say Cyborg v.s Carrano. It was the first time women had made the main event in a major organization and they showcased athleticism comparable to the mens'. It proved there is an interest in women's MMA and there are women capable of performing at a level to be expected of athletes. It also proved Cyborg is an unstoppable beast.

BKO: What are your top 5 priorities in life, in order?

Angela: Be happy.

              Live with no regrets.

              Eat, sleep, train.

BKO: You've stated before that you stock your fridge with beer and ice-cream before every fight. What is your favorite beer? ice-cream?

Angela: Beer: Rasputin Imperial Ale

              Icecream: Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heathbar

BKO Kung Fu: Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

I didn't get a chance to fight Dec 13th but 2014 holds a lot of promise between XFC, Invicta, Lion Fight, and UFC's announcement of their 115lb womens' division. Follow me via my Facebook fan page Facebook.com/AngelaHillMMA or via instagram and twitter @angieoverkill to stay updated on whats up next!

Interview with BJJ Blackbelt Jeff Messina

Jeff Messina is a well-known and respected expert in the world of mixed martial arts. His impressive wins in professional MMA fights help to prove it. He has trained with legends like Tito Ortiz, Fransico Albuquerque, and Rodrigo Medeiros to name a few. He has spent time training in the home lands of BJJ and Muay Thai; bringing his knowledge back to share in the United States. He currently owns 3 successful MMA training centers and is consistently involved with the training at all levels. (Expanded Bio)

BKO Kung Fu: Jeff, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions today.

You have traveled to Brazil to train in Jiu-Jitsu and have traveled to Thailand to train in Muay Thai. We have noticed some other martial artist do this also? Do you believe this helps in a martial artist career? Why?

Jeff: Traveling to the homeland of BJJ and Thai boxing is a great experience to learn from the source and get the history and culture of your martial arts. I'm lucky to have spent the last 10 years going back and forth to train and compete in Rio. My coach has a gym in Rio Called Nova Geracao. I'm actually going next week. I feel privileged to be part of my team. The team is a close knit group and full of integrity with skilled fighters.  It helps to put yourself among others that are just as serious about training as you are and to get away from your routine and daily distractions; to just focus on your training.  When I first started, getting quality training was hard here. So, I went to the source.

Jeff Messina Highlight Reel

BKO: What do you wish more people knew about BJJ?

Jeff: I wish more people knew BJJ is a culture and a lifestyle that is for everyone and will help anyone and much more than they could understand. There's no other martial art as effective or life changing as BJJ. It takes the longest to master but is the fastest to become very effective in. I have seen BJJ change people and even save people’s lives.  There is no realistic martial arts without bjj period. Other styles must incorporate bjj to become effective, not the other way around.

BKO: What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment in martial arts? Why does it stand out over everything else?

Jeff: I have many good memories from competing in bjj. I feel the best ones haven't come yet but probably the one that sticks out is when I won the IBJJF nationals at brown belt in the absolute category, submitting all 3 opponents, and then receiving my black belt from my coach Rodrigo Medieros on the Podium.

BKO: Tell us about your school in Katy, Texas? What can people expect if they want to become students?

Jeff: I have 3 schools; one in Katy, one in downtown Houston and we just opened one in Richmond/fulshur. A student can expect the highest quality instruction and training in a family environment. You will be adopted into my family and feel important no matter what your goal is.

BKO: What is the hardest thing about leading a martial arts school? How do you deal with it?

Jeff: I would say the hardest thing about running a martial art school is the business side. Keeping people motivated to not give up. Real martial arts are tough and the reward is slow in regards to belts. Most people give up when the going gets tough, not just in bjj but in life. Those who are successful in bjj are usually successful in their personal lives or will become so because of what bjj can teach you.

BKO: Do you train any professional fighters that are actively fighting? Can you name a few?

I have several tough MMA fighters. I would say my top two pro fighters are Domingo Pilarte and Larry Crowe. I have been training Domingo since he was a teenager. He's very talented and dangerous in all areas. Larry is also very dangerous and has huge potential. In addition, I have several great amateur fighters such as Perry Scott, Quetin Kiper and Colby and Sage Northcutt. I have many more that will be making their debut shortly.

BKO Kung Fu: Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

Jeff: Come give us a try, I will change your life for the better. www.revolutiondojo.com

Interview with Alexis Rufus, 5 Times World Champion,

Alexis Rufus

Alexis Rufus is the current WMC MAD, WPMF, ISKA, IKF & WKA World Champion, WMC & ISKA European Champion, UKMF British & English Champion and ISKA Female Fighter of the Year 2011

BKO Kung Fu: What is your training day schedule like when you are preparing for a fight?

Alexis: I train 6 days a week, Sundays rest day. We normally split my training sessions into two, doing my run and weights or circuit (strength & conditioning) training in the morning and then a pads and clinch session in the afternoon. I will do sprints and weights 2 or 3 times a week, and then longer runs (8-10km) on the other days. In the last week of training before the fight I would just stick to longer runs and no sprints or weights. Pad work I do every day, I will do clinch work 3 or 4 times a week and sparring at least 2 or 3 times a week. I try and fit in my shadow boxing too which I think is essential to any fighter. So overall I would train between 3 and 4 hours a day.

Alexis Rufus: Training Video

BKO: People often overlook the mental toughness for a fight. How does one program themselves with a mindset of a champion?

Alexis: Mental toughness should never be overlooked. It is often more important than physical toughness. If you allow any doubt into your mind, it could cost you the fight. I believe that 80% of the fight is won through mental strength and dominance over an opponent. If the mind is strong, the physical possibilities are endless. The mind controls the body. I think it is hard to just programme yourself with the mindset of a champion. That comes with experience. But there are certain ways which you can help squash those doubts. Set yourself tough goals and targets. Then when you reach them, go beyond them. Constantly test yourself. Always go the extra bit in training. I always think about what my opponent is doing and could I do more? Fitness is key to confidence, so make sure your fitness is not even a word that enters your mind near the fight. Never get involved in forums or people arguing who is the best fighter etc etc. It can play evil games with your mind. At the end of the day it is only you and your opponent in the ring when the bell goes. Nothing else or no one else matters. 

BKO: What is a common miss conception people in other martial arts have about Muay Thai?

Alexis: There is a misconception that Muay Thai is purely aggressive and that fighters engage in fights outside of the ring, that they are aggressive people. But Muay Thai is so heavily based on respect on all levels. Respect for the trainer. For the opponent. For other fighters. Most of the people I meet and have met through this sport have been so passive and down to earth and not aggressive at all. A true fighter knows how to channel the aggression in the correct way and deliver devastating strikes in the right way at the right time. 

BKO: What changes have you seen in Women's Mauy Thai fighting since you have started? What do you see for the future?

Alexis: Since I started fighting, there are so many more females competing in the sport and training in general. Fighters like Julie Kitchen and Germaine de Randamie have helped change the attitude & opinion people had towards female fighters and gave other girls the confidence to take things to championship level. It has been and always will be a male dominated sport, but I think nowadays it is becoming less intimidating to females and people are actually taking notice of females as serious contenders in the sport. There are so many great female fighters now and so many young ones making their way onto the scene. I can only see carrying on in the same manner. 

BKO: Can you confirm the fight scheduled for December 21, 2013? We see conflicting info online. What are your thoughts about the upcoming fight?

Alexis: I am fighting on 21st December on Smash Muay Thai in Liverpool. My original opponent was Christi Brereton but there were issues with her and the promoter so I heard they pulled her from the show. Tanya Merrett from Wales has now stepped up to take the fight. I don't know a great deal about Tanya, but I do know she is less experienced than me in terms of her fight record. But in my eyes anyone who steps up a level and challenges herself against more experienced opponents should never be taken lightly. I firmly believe that Tanya will come to fight and I am preparing myself for every eventuality. I look forward to meeting her next month. It should be an exciting fight. 

BKO: Are you training anyone to follow in your footsteps to be a professional fighter? if so, tell us about them.

Alexis: I am training a handful of fighters at the moment. We have a number of up and coming fighters at my gym. Two names to take note of are Wayne Ward and Ryan Ward. Two brothers with such natural talent and will to win. I truly believe they will go all the way to the top in this sport. I am also training a great female fighter, Linda Coppard. She is tough and has one of the biggest hearts of any fighter I have had the pleasure to train. So, watch this space!

BKO: What is the weirdest experience you ever had with a fan?

Alexis: Now there's a question!! I have had a few strange experiences. Some strange requests for training sessions and men asking to be hit by a 'strong woman'. Obviously I didn't entertain their fantasies...!

BKO: What has been the greatest adversity you have overcome in life? What advice would you give someone going through a similar experience?

Alexis: The biggest adversity I have ever overcome was battling with anorexia when I was younger. It nearly killed me and the only thing that saved me was my will and choice to live. My mind played all sorts of games with me as it does when you starve yourself of nutrients and somehow I managed to overcome that and get better. My mind made me ill but equally it made me strong again. It has helped me now with my training, my work, everything. I hit rock bottom and survived and I know that I can apply that same attitude to anything in life. To anyone going through a similar experience I would say to them that it's a choice. You can choose to live one way or another. It's one day at a time and if you can get through it then you will be stronger than ever. Like I said earlier, if the mind is strong, the physical possibilities are endless. 

BKO: What is your favorite movie, book, and type of music?

Alexis: My favourite film depends on my mood. But Shawshank Redemption, Apocalypse Now and Thelma & Louise all rank fairly high! I listen to a fairly eclectic range of music, again depending on my mood! But the latest music I downloaded was an Arctic Monkeys album and some Dubstep podcasts! As for books, it's the one thing I never do...read! 

BKO Kung Fu: Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

Alexis: The only thing I would like to say is to anyone considering a career similar to mine, don't ever let anyone tell you can't or shouldn't do it. Fighting is an extremely selfish sport, but equally it brings such a diverse group of people together. It is one of the best journey's I have made and I regret none of it. I have learnt a huge amount on both physical and mental levels. I have met some amazing and lifelong friends. 

When someone told me I can't, I just went all out to do it. Those people now admire my tenacity.

BKO: Alexis, thank you for taking the time to share about yourself with us. We look forward to following your career.

Be sure to follow Alexis Rufus on Facebook.

Chloe Bruce Interview - Champion Martial Artist

Chloe Bruce is a world champion Martial Artist from England and has performed stunts in huge movies; such as, World War Z and Pirates of the Caribbean 4. She's even been Motion Captured to provide input to popular video games. How cool is that?   

Brandon: Chloe, thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for BKO Kung Fu. 

Brandon: What's one of your favorite things about being a stunt actor?

Chloe: One of my favourite things about performing in movies and doubling as an actress is that every experience is completely different. Everyday you are facing challenges, over coming fears, and it's an incredible feeling. On top of that, it has to be when you see the movie in cinema, and you see all your hard work pay off. I always dreamed of that since I was young and now what once was my dream has become my reality :) 

Brandon: Which stunt(s) performed in a major movie has given you the most recognition in the stunt world? How does someone spot you? 

Chloe: Well I normally get used in movies for my fight skill, so I would like to think that people recognise the way I fight, or my kicks come out. But I have one film coming out next year whereby I'm sure many people will recognise me! :) 

Chloe Bruce 2010 Showreel

Brandon: Can you tell us what it takes to become a black belt 4th Dan in Tang Soo Do?

Chloe: A black belt 4th Dan... Well it takes a lot of hard work. Years of dedication and passion! 

I have trained for over 20 years now and I received my 4th Dan in 2008 it was an incredible moment in my life.

Brandon: How has your flexibility helped your progress in martial arts?

Chloe: I think flexibility is very important within martial arts. Although without having the strength also, it isn't as beneficial. A combination of the two is deadly. Being flexible can only enhance your kicks, and help you to gain maximum control and precision over your kicks. 

Brandon: What are some of the differences in Tang Soo Do and Xtreme martial arts?

Chloe: Tang Soo Do is a traditional Korean martial art. It has a syllabus that you study, whereby you go through the ranks from white belt to black. This usually takes on average around 3/4 years. 

Extreme Martial arts, (XMA) on the other hand, is a complete freestyle sport. You take the elements of your traditional background, mix it up with some gymnastics, tricking, powerful kick and hand combos and there you have a beautiful art. The benefit of XMA is that you can totally express yourself however you want. When competing in XMA whether it be with weapons or open hand, you usually perform to music. So it gives you complete control over choreography, music choice, etc to make it your own. 

Brandon: What are some difficulties you had to over come while training in martial arts.

Chloe: I haven't had any major set backs within my training. However I am only human, so sometimes things do get hard, or I find it hard to get motivated. But at the end of the day it's not only my career, it's my passion, and hobby also. I'm such a competitive person. So, if I don't train for a few days I feel guilty, and get straight back on it again. Sometimes it's nice to take a break and I come back feeling stronger. 

Brandon: What was it like performing along side your sister at the MF championships?

Chloe: It was good fun performing alongside my sister at the MF championships. We haven't performed as much together this last year or so, as we have been really busy with our individual careers, so it's always a pleasure to perform with Grace. She is the best doubles partner over ever had. We can read each other so well, so it's so easy to perform with Grace. 

Thank you for taking time out to tell us a little about yourself. We wish you well on your future endevors and look forward to following your career at the Chloe Bruce website.

About BKO Kung Fu

Visit to Progressive Scientific Fighting

Thanks to Sifu Ruben Rodriguez at Progressive Scientific Fighting, Brandon was able to get in some Kung Fu sparring with a new partner. He also received some tips in the way Jeet Kune Do is used. Brandon's instructor has shown him some Jeet Kun Do and Wing Chung techniques in the past and he has always liked them. He really likes the explosiveness of the movements and the direct attacks. So, Brandon was extremely happy with adding to his knowledge base.

Friendly sparring at Progressive Scientific Fighting in Weslaco, Texas.

After watching Sifu Rodriguez teach, you can tell he has an in depth knowledge of martial arts and knows how to translate that knowledge to his students. He breaks down every move so not only do you know how to do a technique but the reason behind the technique as well. It's always a pleasure to see someone who has mastered their trade. 

Tonight he covered ways to explode from one's current position to the opponent's position before an average person has the time to react. He also covered countering the jab brilliantly. Brandon plans on incorporating "The Repost" move in his next sparring session.

Sifu Rodriguez was kind enough to allow us to post Brandon's sparring before class started. If your in the Weslaco area, I would recommend stopping by for a visit. You can also visit their website at Progressive Scientific Fighting.

2nd 3 minutes

1st Day Results for the 4th Annual King of the Jungle Tournament

Just dropping in a quick video of Brandon's performance last night. Brandon performed his newly learned Pudao form. We felt Brandon did a phenomenal performance. We were shocked when one of the judges gave him a 6. He did come away with a second place win.

Today will be point sparring and hand forms.

*Pudaos are also called Hose Cutters. Historically they were used by the Chinese army to cut the legs off of advancing calvary troops. 

Starting Jiu Jitsu Training

Just sitting down to write a quick update about Brandon.

Brandon has starting taking Jiu Jitsu as of Tuesday. He's really enjoying the few classes he's attend and everyone in the class has been great.

This is going to be a great addition to his list of martial arts skills. As his skills in stand up sparring and forms progress, there has been a lack of time to devote to his ground work. Although, I did see him pull off a quite impressive arm bar last week.

The addition of Jiu Jitsu classes will help cover any potential weaknesses in his defense. It will also free up Sifu Oscar to concentrate on developing Brandon's Wushu forms.

Last night they brought in a guest instructor from Paragon RGV Brazilian Jiu Jitsu out of Edinburg. He was great. I was told he has 29 years of experience in BJJ. I've never had the opportunity to see a black belt in BJJ train a class. It was a treat just to watch from the sidelines.

I'm hoping with the ground work Sifu Oscar has laid for his grappling, it will allow Brandon to progress with BJJ quickly.

As far as everything else; he's stand up sparring is coming along extremely well. He's also been advancing on his forms nicely. He's currently working on an Eagle Claw form. It's a rather complex form. We are hoping Brandon will earn his Brown Belt by Christmas if not sooner.

Also, next tournament may be August 5th.

Interview with Dr. Brady Chin; Martial Artist and Acupuncturist

Video about KFM used in Batman

Dr. Brady Chin has been involved with sports, fitness and martial arts for over 30 years.

*** Disclaimer*** Dr. Chin would like to clarify that Keysi Fighting Method (KFM) no longer exists as such. It was a copyrighted and trademarked name. The founder, Justo Dieguez and co-founder, Andy Norman, parted company last summer resulting in the formation of Keysi World, headed by Mr. Dieguez, and Defence Lab headed by Andy Norman. He had been teaching the KFM method for two years when the split occurred and has decided not to follow either company.

Brady, thank you for informing us about the disclaimer before we started. We appreciate your willingness to answer questions about what KFM was even though you have taken another path.

Brandon: What are some of the major differences between Keysi Fighting Method and other martial arts?

Brady: One of the core principles, and the one that inspired the “hands-on-head” fighting stance, is the likelihood of multiple attackers. That position, called “the pensador” or “thinking man”, is there to protect the most probable target, the head, from unseen attackers. The pensador is the ubiquitous posture of KFM and all movements start and finish in the pensador.

The training of KFM progresses as most other martial arts in terms of practicing a technique and then increasing the speed. The key training element that is different from all other martial arts I have trained in, is the multiple attacker scenario, called the “predator drill”. In it, the student is attacked by two or three opponents simultaneously. This results in a sparring session that looks and feels like a full-on street fight. KFM fighters become very accustomed to multiple attackers because of the predator drill. As a result, the fear that usually immobilizes most people when surrounded is replaced by confidence.

Brandon: What does it take to become a master at KFM?

Brady: I suppose it depends on what is meant by mastery. I doubt that anyone can truly master KFM any more than any other honest martial art simply because the practitioner needs to continually grow and evolve,. It would be fairer to ask “what does it take to master oneself?”

In terms of ranking, there are (or were) 7 colored grades, similar to the belt system. The ranks are white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and black. The first three American black grades were awarded during the KFM World Conference in Benidorm, Spain in October, 2011. Since then, there have been new black grades awarded by the post-KFM organizations. 

Brandon: We read this system was developed on the streets of Spain? Why is this so significant? How much actual real life experience was encountered?

Brady: The short answer is that Justo Dieguez was born in Spain and it was developed based on his experience with violent encounters while growing up. This would establish it as a unique martial art without any precedent, a highly unlikely premise. My opinion is that there is no way that such a complex and evolved fighting system could have emerged fully complete on its own. Mr. Dieguez had extensive military training and was a certified Jeet Kune Do instructor and probably trained in other martial arts as well. Certainly he had gained methodological experience at some point in his training to create a curriculum based on his experience as a youth and it spawned what we see today. I do believe that he had many violent encounters and learned what worked and what didn’t through trial and error. 

Brandon: KMA has been featured in a few movies like Batman and Jack Reacher. Are there other movies in the works with your fighting style?

Brady: I am not aware of any at this time.

Brandon: We also read you have experience in Southern Praying Mantis. What's the difference between Southern and Northern style?

Brady: Chow Gar Southern Praying Mantis is a close range martial art emphasizing fast hands with pressure point strikes. Its practitioners have very tough bodies so that each body part becomes a weapon. I have no experience in Northern Praying Mantis. My understanding is that Northern Praying Mantis is a long fist style, similar to Shaolin Boxing and Wushu.

Brandon: What is "White Eyebrow?" Why is this martial arts style beneficial? What make it unique?



Brady: White Eyebrow, or Bak Mei Kung Fu is similar to Southern Praying Mantis in that they both originate from the Hakka peoples of southern China. The Hakka, while racially Chinese, are a cultural minority in China and evolved a distinct culture. Like most minorities throughout history, the Hakka kept to themselves and were subject to bigotry by the Han Chinese so they developed their fighting arts to protect themselves from physical violence.

The Hakka systems all share a similar morphology: a high stance, close-drawn elbows and a rounded spine or the “turtle” back. Their postures are very stable and most of the attacks are short-range. These characteristics are especially useful for the shorter people of southern China.

Brandon: In addition, can you tell us a little about being an acupuncturist? From what we see on TV, how much is make-believe and how much is real science? Can you give some examples?

Brady: It’s unfortunate that acupuncture and the practice of Chinese medicine is portrayed as make-believe. Sadly, the media tends to notice only the bizarre or prurient aspects of my profession. Chinese medicine has a clinical history that pre-dates Chinese history. It is one of the oldest forms of medicine still in practice today (along with Ayurvedic) and the only one that is licensed in most of the United States.

In the teaching clinic where I work, we treat roughly 1000 patients per month. Other teaching clinics in Los Angeles see equally large numbers because of the medicine’s reputation for safety and efficacy. Simply put, if it didn’t work, people wouldn’t use it. 

We see patients with a wide range of disorders ranging from infertility to back pain. We often address psycho-emotional disorders such as addiction, depression and trauma. People are drawn to Chinese medicine because we look at the entire person and their lifestyle when giving our evaluation. It gives us a more complete picture of the patient and their problems than any M.D. and the patients feel that they receive a higher level of care because of our holistic perspective.

Brandon: Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

Brady: I like to keep a few aphorisms on hand to keep an even keel. Too many people drift through life without a moral compass and end up making mistakes they later regret. So here goes:

• Keep an open mind in all areas of your life. 
• Question yourself and your beliefs as much as you question the ideas and actions of others. 
• Believe in yourself, but be careful not to let confidence turn into arrogance. 
• Be polite and respectful to others, and, most of the time, it will be returned to you. 

Brandon: Awesome answers Brady. Thank you again. 

Be sure to visit http://kfmla.com/

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Brandon Sparring with Kickboxers

For all our friends that have been following Brandon's progress, you know he has a real challenge trying to find people to spar. So, he does crazy things like spar with adults from the local kickboxing class.

Last Thursday the instructor from the kickboxing class allowed Brandon to spar some of his students. I believe he sparred 5 in all. It was a great learning experience for him. All the students, were more than happy to give Brandon some pointers.

This is only the second time Brandon has sparred where face contact was allowed. At least this time he was prepared for it. You can tell the hands from the adults can land hard against Brandon but they didn't seem to bother him. He reminds me of Rich Franklin. He doesn't get geared up until someone actually hits him. He's still relatively small and hasn't started adding any weight on his frame. We appreciate them taking it down a notch and not trying to punch with all their might.

We believe Brandon did very well. He kicks are spot on; landing may solid hits. He still needs so work with his hands. The good news is Brandon will also be taking boxing lessons this summer from a previous Olympic champion. These lessons should help out tremendously.

Brandon is still looking for people to spar so he can improve his skills. However, as previously mentioned in earlier articles, it appears most martial arts schools are an island to themselves and either don't want to help anyone outside there little group or don't want to be exposed for how bad they are.

Interview with Emil Martirossian

Emil has been studying martial arts since he was 3 years old. He has been requested to demonstrate all over the world. He has even played a part in one of the Batman movies which we think is awesome. 

I understand you have learned both western boxing and Thai boxing. What is the difference between the two?


Well, Western Boxing works only the hands and in my book Boxers have the best hands in the business.  You should know how to Box. I believe it is a very important tool. Thai Boxing uses powerful elbows and Knees. They are very deadly. They are a very good tool to have with you. But all in all for street self defense I think Thai boxing is pretty good.

Out of all the martial arts you do which one do you focus on the most?

I focus on Jeet Kune Do and I also focus on developing my own style of unarmed Combat called "Urban Combat” which has been featured in Martial arts illustrated magazine many times.

What does it take to become a 5th degree black belt in Taekwondo?

Hard work and lot's of dedication. You have to know your forms inside and out, breaking tests and written exams.

What was it like giving a demonstration in Hong Kong?

It was an absolute honor to be invited out by Bruce Lee sister Phoebe and the Chair man of Hong Kong Bruce Lee Fan Club W. Wong to demonstrate for his anniversary I loved every minute. Hong Kong is a magical city full of mystery.

What inspired you to right a book about Jeet Kune Do?

I was inspired after my Uncle Armen who passed away in 2003. He was a 7th Degree Black Belt in WTF Tae Kwon Do. He died of ALS when he was 47. He was also my teacher. So, I felt I needed to write a book to keep his legacy alive and so he can also be remembered for his brilliance.

What are your favorite things about martial arts?

I love everything about the martial arts. How it gives one focus and energy in life and gives you that positive outlook on life. So, you can deal with people and society in a certain way and help the up and coming generation to realize there is more to life than X-Box. I also love the sparring and I really enjoy the close quarter combat tactics. Also, I really love to meditate.

Out of the movies you have played in, which is your favorite and why?

I enjoyed all of them but the most fun we had was when I worked on Batman Begins. I met several great martial artists on set. We became like Brothers and we had a chance to work out on and off the set. I learnt a lot about the film industry. At this time I have just finished working on a TV series and I am due to fly out to Hong Kong to start my career as an Actor - Martial Artist which I'm very excited about.

We wish you luck Emil and can't wait to see you on the big screen again.

Wushu Interview with Mark Moran

Mark Moran has been studying Wushu since 1995. He has previously ranked 2nd in U.S Nationals. As founder of www.wushuzilla.com he has been able to train with some of the top wushu athletes in the world.  

Brandon: We heard rumors that Wushu was going to become an Olympic sport in a few years. Do you know anything about this? If so, what…and what are your feelings on it?

Mark: Currently wushu is in the running to be included in the Olympics in 2020. Wrestling was taken out of the Olympics for the 2020 games and they are seeking a replacement as one of the new core sports.  

Well, sort of. Actually wrestling has to fight for its position in the Olympic Games along with 7 other sports, one of which is wushu.  

The other sports are karate, sport climbing, squash, baseball/softball (they are in a joint bid), wake boarding and roller sports.  Most people feel that wrestling wouldn't be put back in so quickly after being removed from the core sports, so most likely it is a choice between the others.

In May there is supposed to be another reduction of the number of potential sports but I haven't yet heard the results (it is still early May right now).  But in September the IOC (International Olympic Committee) will have a meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina to determine the new Olympic sport, so a lot of people are anxious to find out the verdict.  

My personal feelings are that wushu, as a sport, would do well to be included in the Olympics.  It has a lot of what the Olympics are about, plus a judging and competition format that is (relatively) easy to understand.  It will be tricky to see how the public absorbs and understands the finer points of wushu competition, but looking at it just as a sport I think it would do well.

Of course, wushu has a few minuses against it too.  Some of the National organizing bodies are not very well organized and there is still quite a bit of infighting and bad politics involved. But, to be honest, that is the case with a whole lot of sports, so it isn't something necessarily unique to wushu.  

I hope that it gets included, because I think it deserves a chance to be in the international Olympic spotlight.  What it does with that kind of public recognition depends on a lot of things, but I have my fingers crossed that everything goes well.

Brandon: Out of all the Wushu tournaments you’ve been to which one do you think had the best competitors?  

Mark: Well, naturally the competitions in China have the highest level of competitors.  I've attended a number of national wushu competitions in China and the level of athletes is always far above the level at the international competitions.  

While many countries have excellent athletes who are on par with the Chinese level, on a whole Chinese athletes have a much higher average level than other countries.  So, where you might have a dozen really good athletes in one country, in China you would have hundreds of athletes at that level.  They just have a much larger pool of high level wushu athletes to draw on, so as a result their national competitions have a very high median level of skill, as compared to an international competition.

Brandon: Are there different styles to Wushu? How does a beginner tell them apart?

Mark: Traditionally, there are hundreds (1,500, give or take) of styles in wushu and some of them have very distinctive attributes.  It is one of the great things about Chinese martial arts -- having this large reservoir of styles to draw on.

However, in terms of contemporary or modern sport wushu, you have a more limited number of styles to view.  When the Chinese government standardized martial arts as a competitive sport they grouped certain styles together so that, as a sport, it could be judged fairly.

One of the biggest misunderstandings people have is to view traditional wushu and modern wushu as the same thing.  Yes, they are born from the same roots, but the branches of each are unique in how they express their purpose.  

A sport wushu athlete's aim is not to learn techniques for the purpose of application, although understanding the basis of movements and their purpose is important, but they focus on getting a high score in order to place well in competition.  (Keeping in mind that I'm discussing specifically taolu -- forms -- competition, not sanda -- fighting --)

You can think of it like the difference between Olympic archery and archery for hunting, or as seen in Lord of the Rings where people use it for combat.  If you look at the sport version of archery it is quite different than the real-world application of using a bow and arrow to hunt or fight. However, at the level of techniques or fundamental skills, they still share a lot of attributes.

So, sport wushu and traditional wushu are different in the way they are used by practitioners, but they share a common fundamental root with which both athletes and fighters need to be familiar.  In order to adapt to modern athletic competition the number of styles in modern wushu competitions has been reduced to specific "representative" styles.  

In hand forms there are three main styles used in competition; Changquan (Long Fist), Nanquan (Southern Fist) and Taiji Quan (Tai Chi).  These styles are comprised of elements of various traditional styles from the north, south and within the five Taiji lineages, respectively.  

For example, Changquan is comprised of traditional changquan, chaquan, huaquan, paochui and hongquan.  So, the modern wushu athlete can adapt movements from each of these northern styles in their forms when they compete.

Each of these styles are easy to recognize since they have very distinctive styles and movements associated with them.  Changquan has longer extension whereas Nanquan's techniques are shorter and more grounded, plus you will have yells (fa shang) which make it even more distinctive.  Taiji Quan, of course, is quite distinctive as it has slower movements, but since it includes other types of Taiji such as Chen style, you also get explosive and fast movements.

For weapons there are 4 northern weapons, 2 southern weapons, and 1 Taiji weapon.  The northern are Jianshu (straightsword), Qiangshu (spear), Daoshu (broadsword/saber) and Gunshu (staff) -- so two short weapons and two long weapons.  The southern weapons are Nandao (southern saber) and Nangun (southern staff) and the Taiji weapon is Taiji Jian (Tai Chi straightsword).

These are all easy to identify since the weapons used in each one is different.

Now, I've just been talking about the differences of contemporary wushu competitive styles.  When you get in to traditional styles or you attend a competition that is open to traditional Chinese martial arts, then you have a lot more to contend with.  

At first this can be confusing, but after a while you realize that each style has certain distinctive movements that separate it and contribute to both its unique qualities as well as easy identification.

A good way to approach it is to first look at the hands.  A lot of styles have distinctive ways to use their hands, so paying attention to the way the fingers are shaped or the fist is formed, can help.  

Preying Mantis, for example, has a very distinctive hand position that you would never see in, say, Eagle Claw.  Of course, since there are many variations of Preying Mantis (seven star, 8-step, etc.) then you have a whole different ball of wax to deal with.  But this can at least help you break the styles down into the major schools.

After the hands I might look at the stepping and stances.  Certain styles have distinctive ways to use their legs and feet.  This is especially helpful when distinguishing between northern and southern styles.  A strong, stable mabu (horse stance) is indicative of many southern styles such as Choy Li Fut or Tiger Crane Hung Gar, whereas you might have higher stances or more extension of the legs on northern styles such as Cha Quan or Fanzi Quan.

Of course, each style's application is what really separates it from others, so look at the methods the practitioner uses to attack or defend.  Certain styles have characteristic styles of hitting or blocking.  For example, the way a Baji Quan practitioner uses their elbows to strike are easy to spot, which is much different than someone who is using their elbows in Wing Chun.

For weapons you can also look at certain stylistic elements that separate it from other styles that might use the same weapon.  For example, with a broadsword you might have a southern Choy Li Fut approach to this weapon, which will be quite different than a Shaolin way to use it, which is also different from the Bagua Zhang style of broadsword or the Preying Mantis style of broadsword.  

Like I said, the diversity of Chinese martial arts is one of the great cultural treasures that this art has to offer to the world.  When exploring the modern sport variant of Chinese martial arts, it is also good to learn about the traditional roots of the sport so that you can see both the beautiful waves on top, as well as the deep ocean below the surface.

Brandon: One of your 5 top tips for Wushu is don’t generalize? Can you elaborate on this further?

Mark: In hind sight, using the world "generalize" was probably not accurate.  I should have said to not "judge".  This word fits better in the context of what I was talking about.

The full article is actually about my 5 tips for training wushu in China, which is really about understanding some of the differences that a western wushu student might have between the training environment back home, and the Chinese system of training.

So, in that context, the reason I say it is important not to judge, is that we all come with preconceived ideas about what a culture or a group of people will be like -- even our own.  It isn't done with a negative intention, but it is just part of the process of learning about the diversity of our world, and it can't be helped when exploring a new place on the planet.

But beyond keeping an open mind when viewing a new culture, language or group of people, it is also very important to be open minded with your wushu training.

A lot of people come to China with the belief that they need to be in a very specific situation. They've decided that they have to go to location X and train in Y style in order to accomplish Z goals.

But the reality is that a specific location or a specific style or a specific goal isn't really going to determine your success with wushu in China.  The most important thing about training in China is finding a coach that you can connect with and who will take the time and effort to really help you and work with you.

I often say that I would rather have a great coach training me in a parking lot than have an amazing wushu facility with the best equipment and a coach that doesn't care.  Of course, having both is the ideal, but I find that it is best to look for that relationship first, and then seek out the resources second.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you might have an idea of what your "best coach" will look like, but you should be open minded in who you meet.  You might think you need a grey haired traditional master to teach you, but it turns out the young girl athlete is actually able to help you the most.  Or you might think you want to train with a current professional athlete, but actually the coach who never competed is a better match for you.

In wushu, in China and in life, keeping an open mind means you will be able to spot the opportunities that present themselves to you.  This is what I meant by that statement.

Brandon: How do you personally get over the nervousness of competing?

Mark: Well, I have never completely gotten over being nervous when competing.  Part of what a lot of people like about competing is that rush you get before you step on the carpet or mat.  It is a natural physical reaction to that situation so it isn't something you should try to get rid of.  In fact, I think that being a bit nervous can help your performance and give you more energy.

However, there are ways to calm yourself down a bit and focus your energies more.  One of the best ways for me is to just practice competing.  The more you do something, the less scary and nerve-inducing it becomes.  

If the first time you ever compete is at the big national competition, then you're going to be in a scary state of mind.  But if you practice by going to a series of smaller local or regional competitions first, you will not only feel more comfortable with competing in front of people, but you will also have worked out all the variables that might come up.

Whether it is figuring out your game-day nutritional program, or figuring out how to get your stretching in or your warm ups down at the venue -- these are all things you can figure out through smaller competitions before the "big" one.  Every competition then becomes an opportunity to learn the best way to prepare yourself to bring out your best performance.  It is a chance to learn new distinctions in your approach and fine-tune your competitive machine.

The other thing that helps is just really knowing your stuff.  The more prepared you are for something the better you will do.  Because then it becomes second nature.

It is similar to public speaking.  The better prepared you are with what you need to talk about, the better your presentation.  However, there is also a school of thought that says you should have some sort of fluidity in your presentation. What that means is that you shouldn't just memorize everything you're going to say or do, but go based on a set structure or outline that you really know well, but allow yourself to integrate variations in to your routine.  

Sometimes you forget a movement. Sometimes the space isn't right for your form.  Sometimes you don't have the right weapon or shoes or whatever.  These things happen and part of practice of competing is having experience with these challenges and knowing your contingency plans.  You have to really know your stuff, but also be able to adapt and be flexible.  

For me, approaching a competition in this way helps alleviate a lot of the unnecessary feelings of nervousness, and it allows me to focus on what is most important -- doing my best.

After all, the only real competition isn't with the other athletes.  It is with yourself.  And if you approach each competition as a way to challenge yourself and overcome your own limitations, then you will always learn something new, and you will always succeed.

Brandon: What are hardest obstacles you faced while training in Wushu? How did you overcome them?

Mark: The main obstacles in wushu training, as with almost everything else in life, is one's self.  While it can be challenging to find a good school, or coach, or facility, or the time to train, or being injured, ultimately the biggest obstacle on your path is yourself and your own mind.

Fortunately these obstacles are able to be overcome with another resource you have at your disposal -- your imagination.  By being creative you can find solutions to any problem you might face.  Your attitude and approach to life's challenges is what determines your ability to succeed in the face of adversity.

A while back I had the obstacle of not having a place to train in the city I was living.  But I realized that I had given myself a specific definition of "training facility" that wasn't necessarily accurate.  If you look at those old kung fu films where people are outside doing their forms -- did they have some special training facility with nice wushu carpets?  

Of course not.  So, I just sucked it up and trained myself outside.  Yes it was cold (this was winter in China, so it was freezing outside -- literally freezing) but I was able to bundle up, build up a lot of body heat, and get in some good training.

Or when I injured my knees, I could have easily let it get me down and decide that it was time to quit wushu.  But instead I used my imagination to figure out other methods of training that would allow me to work around this new limitation.  

If you approach an obstacle with an open mind and some creative flexibility, you can overcome it.  The only true barrier to success is in our mind.

Brandon: Which weapon did you find hardest to master and why?

Mark: Well, this is assuming I'm a "master" of anything.  In general I don't use that label when referring to myself because I see the path of mastery as a never-ending road.  If I call myself a "master" of something, then it is like saying that I have completed the path to mastery, which I hope is something that never happens.

There will never be a day when I say "Okay, I've learned wushu. Now what?" because you can never be a complete master of wushu.  Someday I might decide that I would like to do something besides wushu, but it won't be because I have "mastered" or "finished" it.

Okay, so you get the point about the whole "mastery" thing.

But as for a weapon, I would say that all weapons have their particular quirks and idiosyncratic attributes.  With broadsword a lot of people have problems wrapping close to their body. With straightsword people might not use their wrists correctly.  With spear people might not use their waist the right way. Or with staff you might not get the right hip rotation on a certain movement.

But these aren't barriers to proficiency with these weapons.  The key to understanding weapons is in seeing them as an extension of your own body.  Weapons are not separate from you when you do wushu.  When you see a high level wushu athlete using a weapon, they use it the same way they use their arm or leg -- it is just a part of them.  

And in the artistry of wushu, weapons are just another apparatus where you can explore your individual artistry and express your inner character through movement.  In order to reach that type of level, a certain amount of basic training is required.  And that basic training -- years and years of it sometimes -- is what really puts you on that path to mastery.

You don't master something, such as a weapon, but learning a trick or a special maneuver or swing of the sword.  You begin to master something by being on a path of diligent exploration and investigating every mundane movement and basic technique to its fullest expression and deepest level.

As the saying goes (which I'm totally paraphrasing), I don't fear the man who knows a thousand kicks, but I fear the man who knows one kick and practices it a thousand times.  

To be a master, you have to commit yourself to exploring the most basic fundamentals.  In that way, you will develop the highest levels of skill.

Brandon: Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

Mark: Only that, in the path of studying martial arts, there is never a final destination.  You can always learn more and improve.  The only limitation is ourselves and our preconceptions about how the world works.  

Keep an open mind, be aware of the world around you, see things through the eyes of others, and never assume that you are better than others.  

Mastery in martial arts comes from a combination of a willingness to explore the details of an art, and humble open-mindedness towards all possibilities.  

It is the yin of minutia and the yang of the universe.  On the one hand you have the smallest of the small, and on the other hand you have the largest of the large. 

If you can join those two things together you will be filled with limitless potential.



Thank you Mark for taking the time to offer such a detailed insight to wushu. We are excited to pass on to others what you have shared with us today.