Thursday, 12 April 2012
sorry, I am very behind on my blog, I have been crazy busy. So on Mon I headed out to the Inosanto Academy. Like any good student I wanted to be early for class, I took the bus and I got there real early, class was starting at 10am but I got there at 9am. But lucky for me Guro Dan was there with about five people doing a yoga class. I was invited to take part, so it was a great way to start my day. Guro taught a yoga/Jujitsu and it was great for the body. Around 10am our main instructor and other students came by. Salem Assli is a full instructor under Guro Dan and a very high ranking Savate instructor. I took two of his seminars back in the 90's and they where great. we covered a lot of stuff for all most three hours and it was great training. After I left and got on the bus for my long trip to train with three people I always wanted to train with.. next post...thanks,
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
training tour day 2 & 3
ok so time to catch up..Sun everything was closed, I was to be taking a Savate seminar but it got called off, that kind of sucked but it let me get to Santa Monica faster and got to spend the day going around town, the boardwalk is insane...miles and miles of vendors, people, bikes, rollerblades, people..people..people..there is a amusment park right on the board walk and crazy amoutn of stuff to do, so I wanted to go explore the city more so I rented a bicycle and headed out to Hollywood.. I went to Beverly Hills and all ove that area, as a matter of fact I rode that bike for 9 hours..yes 9 hours, thee are almost no hills around Santa Monica area so its not that hard, but ther are some around Beverly hills and that area. It was a lot of fun and I got to see so much of the area...but when I got home my legs where dead..so at 8:30 I hit the bed..I will post about Mon later today, got to go train with Eddie Bravo..lol
Sunday, 8 April 2012
In L.A
Ok, first I do not have spell check on here so sorry for any bad spelling..lol
I made it to L.A, my flight to T.O was great, no problems at all, going from T.O to L.A I had a window seat but my seat would not go back at all, so 5 hours of sitting up sucked, I did have a lot of movies on the plane topick from so thats good. Now of course I had this kid in front of me (3 years old) who was always yelling and looking back at me and the other person sitting next to me, then he makes this spitting move with his mouth..next thing you know he spitting all over us.. I yelled atim and the father..everyone heard me...Got to L.A and off the plane and to my shuttle with no issues at all, it was very easy. Took a shuttle to Erik Paulsons school in Fullerton (about 40min outside L.A) as I was going to a Kickboxing seminar there. Well I got ther and people wher the but no seminar, it got called off, that sucked but I got to look around and meet some people, Erick Paulson was not ther but would be ther on Mon.
So now I was stuck on wher to go as I did not have a hotel booked for that night in L.A as I was going to stay in Fillerton.. so I got a train to L.A it was very cheep and made it to the hostle I was staying at. It is a very nice place and people respect your space. I went out for a walk (by now it was 9pm L.A time so thats was 6pm Halifax time) but I was up since 5:30am.. so I went for a walk and 5pein from me is the Santa Monice pier..a huge park with rides and gzmes..very cool. lots eople fiI shing and stuff...walked around for a bit then went into a smal pub for a beer. Went back to my room, hung out for a bit and went to sleep, Sun have the day to go due some stuf, then training..check back, will try to update ofter...thanks
Thursday, 5 April 2012
Training tour part 1
So the first part of my training tour started on Fri March 30. Myself one of my Students Scott Roper and my Jeet Kune Do instructor Rob Doley headed to Toronto for a two day seminar with the "God" himself Guro Dan Inosanto who is the world's top authority for Bruce Lee's Martial Art (also was one of his best friends).
All was going well until we got to the Halifax airport, I had borrowed a training bag of a friend of mine who teaches at my club, Vince is a Filipino Martial Arts instructor and has lots of weapons so I made sure the kit bag was empty before I went. Well you can imagine my shock when it went through the scanner at the airport and I saw this huge long machete on the screen. "sir do you know you have an illegal weapon in your bag" at this point I was going to say "that's what she said" but I passed on that and just explained my story of who I was and where I was going, all went ok but of course they took the knife.
We got to T.O after what could have only be "planes, trains, buses, automobile's" we made it to our hotel ready for the "brain melting" seminar that would take place the next day.
"Brain melting" That is the only way I can describe a Dan Inosanto seminar, picture say 35 people and most of them have a lot of experience, some have 20 or more years of training, I started in 1975 training everyday but when Guro Dan teaches you are a complete beginner who might as well sit and suck there thumb and cry when compared to what he knows. I am talking any area of Martial Arts, grappling, striking, weapons, throwing, pressure points..anything. You could show him something like "Hey Guro look at this arm bar" then he could show you 50 more and 100 counters to everyone.
The first day he covered Jun Fan Kickboxing then into trapping, of course he shows you 4 things and you got about 3 or 4 min to work on it before the next 4 to 5 techniques are given to you. Everyone who attends his seminar knows the way he teaches, the idea is you pick up what you can and then go and try to find the stuff you missed at some point in your training. You have to seek out the info, people just can't hand it to you. The second day was covering Filipino arts including training with the stick. Again so much info your brain melts and about 40min before the seminar was over I just stopped and watched the rest of it, my cup was full.
We got to have lunch with Guro Dan and had had some great conversations. Also my instructor got to be the training "dummy" for a few techniques and I was very happy to see that, he has been dedicated to Guro Dan since the 80's. We got to meet a lot of great people and after we got our flight home.
This Sat I am off to the second part of my training and going to have may stories, I am going to even train with the guy that made Steven Segal crap his pants, (for real..not joking) form choking him.
All the best and be sure to check back.
Ray
All was going well until we got to the Halifax airport, I had borrowed a training bag of a friend of mine who teaches at my club, Vince is a Filipino Martial Arts instructor and has lots of weapons so I made sure the kit bag was empty before I went. Well you can imagine my shock when it went through the scanner at the airport and I saw this huge long machete on the screen. "sir do you know you have an illegal weapon in your bag" at this point I was going to say "that's what she said" but I passed on that and just explained my story of who I was and where I was going, all went ok but of course they took the knife.
We got to T.O after what could have only be "planes, trains, buses, automobile's" we made it to our hotel ready for the "brain melting" seminar that would take place the next day.
"Brain melting" That is the only way I can describe a Dan Inosanto seminar, picture say 35 people and most of them have a lot of experience, some have 20 or more years of training, I started in 1975 training everyday but when Guro Dan teaches you are a complete beginner who might as well sit and suck there thumb and cry when compared to what he knows. I am talking any area of Martial Arts, grappling, striking, weapons, throwing, pressure points..anything. You could show him something like "Hey Guro look at this arm bar" then he could show you 50 more and 100 counters to everyone.
The first day he covered Jun Fan Kickboxing then into trapping, of course he shows you 4 things and you got about 3 or 4 min to work on it before the next 4 to 5 techniques are given to you. Everyone who attends his seminar knows the way he teaches, the idea is you pick up what you can and then go and try to find the stuff you missed at some point in your training. You have to seek out the info, people just can't hand it to you. The second day was covering Filipino arts including training with the stick. Again so much info your brain melts and about 40min before the seminar was over I just stopped and watched the rest of it, my cup was full.
We got to have lunch with Guro Dan and had had some great conversations. Also my instructor got to be the training "dummy" for a few techniques and I was very happy to see that, he has been dedicated to Guro Dan since the 80's. We got to meet a lot of great people and after we got our flight home.
This Sat I am off to the second part of my training and going to have may stories, I am going to even train with the guy that made Steven Segal crap his pants, (for real..not joking) form choking him.
All the best and be sure to check back.
Ray
Monday, 27 February 2012
"mid life crisis training tour"
Yes, I am now 43 and thoughts of buying a motorcycle or moving away to become a hermit in the woods (the kind who dresses in combat gear, grows his hair, lives of the land and carries a gun around) and my daughter can tell here friends, "lets go visit my crazy dad in the woods" are still things I want to do someday, although my wife is ok with the motorcycle living in the woods is something she is not fond of. However after training in the Martial Arts for about 36 years years I feel it's time to go on an adventure...so my "Mid life crisis training tour" will be in April.
Having grown up in the 70's and 80's during the Kung-Fu and Ninja craze I have read about so many Martial Artist, most who live in the U.S. Magazines like Black Belt (I have almost every issue right back to the 70's) I have dreamed of training with all the people I have read about and admired for so many years. Most of the people I will train with when I go away, the students of today (the ones younger then me) may have no idea who they are, but they have been a huge part in my Martial Arts training over the years, maybe not so much learning from them directly but reading there books and watching there videos.
So I decided I am going to just pack my gym bag and hit the road for California, to go to the "mecca" of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do. The Inosanto Academy is home to the highest authority for Bruce Lee's martial art, Jun Fan Gung-Fu/Jeet Kune Do, athought this is not where I will start my journey.
It really started in February, I got to meet a fellow J.K.D instructor from Newfoundland Sifu Dennis White who was here in Halifax He taught a great class at my club and after we had great talks over supper about J.K.D, with another great friend Roger Stone.
Also in Feb we had the privilege of hosting Kyoshi Alain Sailly and 8th Dan from France. We had a great seminar and a few of my senior students where promoted to Black Belt and I was surprised to receive my 5th Dan, something that has taking me about 35 years to get. Also in Feb I got to train with a great Muay Thai instructor named Tony Doolin who is from the U.K.
At the end of March I will be going to T.O with my J.K.D instructor Rob Doley and my student Scott Roper to train with the legendary Guro Dan Inosanto and one week after that I will be heading to his academy for almost two weeks of training.
"Leaving on a jet plane" to L.A California. going to arrive and head to Fullerton Cal. to the home of one of the top submission grappling instructors and M.M.A coaches in the World. Erik Paulson and his Combat Submission Academy. There I plan of taking part in not only training, but going to train with Richard Sylla who is France's top Savate instructor and also training with fighters from Belgium, that will be a huge day of training.
Then heading back to L.A for a week of semi-private training at the Inosanto Academy with Professor Salem Assli who is another top Savate instructor and a full instructor under Dan Inosanto. Also through the week I will be attending Guro Dan Inosanto's classes on Tue and Thur nights.
During the weeknights I am going to head out to train with B.J.J pioneer Eddie Bravo, U.F.C great Titio Ortiz
the founder of modern Kickboxing Benny "The jet" Urquidez, and of course the famous Bas Rutten.
The weekend of April 14 will be another exciting experience, as I will be spending three days with the father of American Ninjutsu, Steven K Hayes. He started the 80's Ninja "boom" and is someone I have wanted to train with since 1983.
After that it's back to the Inosanto Academy for more training both day and night, I will also get to train with 5 time World Kickboxing champion Kathy Long who also has fought M.M.A.
So I am going to sleep maybe 4 or 5 hours a night and spend the rest of the time meeting people and training, of course when I get back I got to work three days of 12 hours shifts so that will suck but it will be worth it for sure.
So be sure to check out my blog for stories from when I am away and also check out my U tube page for great videos of training. The next adventure if I can get my wife to go along with it will be finding a spot in the woods to build a camp.. :)
Thanks and see you on the mats ..
Having grown up in the 70's and 80's during the Kung-Fu and Ninja craze I have read about so many Martial Artist, most who live in the U.S. Magazines like Black Belt (I have almost every issue right back to the 70's) I have dreamed of training with all the people I have read about and admired for so many years. Most of the people I will train with when I go away, the students of today (the ones younger then me) may have no idea who they are, but they have been a huge part in my Martial Arts training over the years, maybe not so much learning from them directly but reading there books and watching there videos.
So I decided I am going to just pack my gym bag and hit the road for California, to go to the "mecca" of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do. The Inosanto Academy is home to the highest authority for Bruce Lee's martial art, Jun Fan Gung-Fu/Jeet Kune Do, athought this is not where I will start my journey.
It really started in February, I got to meet a fellow J.K.D instructor from Newfoundland Sifu Dennis White who was here in Halifax He taught a great class at my club and after we had great talks over supper about J.K.D, with another great friend Roger Stone.
Also in Feb we had the privilege of hosting Kyoshi Alain Sailly and 8th Dan from France. We had a great seminar and a few of my senior students where promoted to Black Belt and I was surprised to receive my 5th Dan, something that has taking me about 35 years to get. Also in Feb I got to train with a great Muay Thai instructor named Tony Doolin who is from the U.K.
At the end of March I will be going to T.O with my J.K.D instructor Rob Doley and my student Scott Roper to train with the legendary Guro Dan Inosanto and one week after that I will be heading to his academy for almost two weeks of training.
"Leaving on a jet plane" to L.A California. going to arrive and head to Fullerton Cal. to the home of one of the top submission grappling instructors and M.M.A coaches in the World. Erik Paulson and his Combat Submission Academy. There I plan of taking part in not only training, but going to train with Richard Sylla who is France's top Savate instructor and also training with fighters from Belgium, that will be a huge day of training.
Then heading back to L.A for a week of semi-private training at the Inosanto Academy with Professor Salem Assli who is another top Savate instructor and a full instructor under Dan Inosanto. Also through the week I will be attending Guro Dan Inosanto's classes on Tue and Thur nights.
During the weeknights I am going to head out to train with B.J.J pioneer Eddie Bravo, U.F.C great Titio Ortiz
the founder of modern Kickboxing Benny "The jet" Urquidez, and of course the famous Bas Rutten.
The weekend of April 14 will be another exciting experience, as I will be spending three days with the father of American Ninjutsu, Steven K Hayes. He started the 80's Ninja "boom" and is someone I have wanted to train with since 1983.
After that it's back to the Inosanto Academy for more training both day and night, I will also get to train with 5 time World Kickboxing champion Kathy Long who also has fought M.M.A.
So I am going to sleep maybe 4 or 5 hours a night and spend the rest of the time meeting people and training, of course when I get back I got to work three days of 12 hours shifts so that will suck but it will be worth it for sure.
So be sure to check out my blog for stories from when I am away and also check out my U tube page for great videos of training. The next adventure if I can get my wife to go along with it will be finding a spot in the woods to build a camp.. :)
Thanks and see you on the mats ..
Monday, 13 February 2012
"Grappling" in Nova Scotia
Well in the last few years grappling and of course B.J.J have become very popular. From only a few styles training in it, to the big boom when the U.F.C first came out and other styles tried to jump on the bandwagon (Black Belt magazine ran an article Taekwondo's hidden grappling techniques). At one time in the late 90's you could also become a Gracie affiliate simply by sending in your money and doing there "at home course" you even got a sticker for your club window (one club did this..but keep reading and you will find out). So I will not talk about the history of Submission grappling/B.J.J, I just want to tell you some stories about the Submission grappling arts here in N.S and more so Halifax.
Having been running a club almost ten years before the U.F.C came out, and still running my club now,I think I have a good idea of the development of grappling in the area.
Lets go back....way back to 1949 when Mr. Ord Inouye of Vancouver was stationed in Halifax and serving on the H.M.C.S Stadacona. A student of Judo he taught a few people around who wanted to learn this "new" art. I am sure it had a lot of grappling, as back then it was taught a lot more then now, as far as learning Judo.
John Bluming of Holland come in 1958 and taught both Judo and Jujitsu at the Halifax Y.M.C A, He would leave a year later to go train at the Kodokan in Japan. Around this time Perry Teale who is called the father of Nova Scotia Judo started teaching as well. There where many local tournaments and of course followed the rules of Judo back then. Readers should note that the rules for Judo have changed over the years, back then there where not as much, as it was called the "ruff and tumble" days of Judo. It would be nothing for a local Karate club to test themselves against Judo back then in Halifax.
Anyway skip forward to 1993 and the U.F.C comes out. I think the next day my students and I where working on striking and sparring. We had some local wrestlers teaching us some moves and some friends from Judo at the time stopping in and working with us as well. In the early 90's a local Kempo Karate club run by Dave Harrison brought the Shootfighting champion Bart Vale to Halifax, he taught basic submission grappling techniques (there was no B.J.J in Halifax at this time). Around the mid 90's I brought in an instructor named Ron Beer who after training both Judo and wrestling for years and Chinese Wrestling in China, he put together a program called Canadian Shootwresting. We had him at our club for a two day course that covered the coaching level one material and from there we added it to our Japanese Jujitsu.
Also around the late 90's and guy opened a club up (I will not use his name) in Lower Sackville in the old Downview mall and started teaching B.J.J (this was the first B.J.J club in the Halifax area). I went to visit him a few times and one day we had a match that lasted an hour long with him getting me at the end. He was a Karate Black Belt and really nice guy who did the "at home B.J.J course" and was very good at it. He formed his own B.J.J style and tried to teach it but it only lasted a year maybe. He did have a student that started with him that would go on the become a legitimate B.J.J Black Belt under Rickson Gracie.
A funny story: The guy teaching in Sackville one day called me "Ray you are like the godfather of Martial Arts around here, I want you to set up a fight between me and the guy that teaches Shootfighting/Kempo, he said he beat me once in a match but I beat him" I of course called the guy that taught Shootfighting and he said "ya I beat that guy easy, set up the fight I will do it" well I never did set up that fight, I just stayed out of it. Also the guy who taught Shootfighting set up early M.M.A fight at the Halifax form around 1995, sold 2000 tickets and got shut down by the boxing commission. I even went with him to a lawyer and the commission to help get it going but know luck it was shut down..
It was around 1994 that our club put on the first Submission grappling event at our club, it was a fun time with local wrestling and one or two Judo guys plus my students taking part. Around the late 90's Dave Mckenna in Dartmouth put on a grappling event and some video of that can be seen on my u-tube page. It shows a grappling match between to (now) very well know and great B.J.J guys. Also from my understanding two other guys who would later go on to start there own club called Titans if Halifax, where practicing the grappling arts and al;so stopping into local Judo club to train. One of them who I knew from T.K.D came out to our club a few times and did some grappling with us, he was very good back then, and amazing now.
After being certified to teach the Shootwresting program I taught a few seminars down the South Shore, in Sydney C.B and in the Truro area. I helped a number of guys in the the Truro area get certified in Shootwrestling and also helped put on a small grappling event down there as well.
In the late 90's we got very involved in Judo and had at the time, the Senior Provincial coach teaching at our club. Our Jujitsu students entered Judo events and Rhonda McKinnon became the first female Jujitsu student to enter Judo events and win fighting in a number of tournaments, myself and many of my students went into Judo events. We also held the largest and first Kids Judo/ Jujitsu grappling event in Nova Scotia with over 100 kids in it. We also held a few more submission events at my club in Halifax but eventually by 2000 got out of it.
Also in the late 90's where two guys (Titans) who where doing very well with there club teaching B.J.J, they eventually had students leave them and do there own thing as well. (this happens to every club).
Since around 1993 our club always had grappling in it, two good friends or ours who also taught wrestling did a lot of teaching, and also one of my Students (Mark) ran the program for awhile. We had a good friend (Nathan) teach B.J.J at our club for a year or more and of course now it is run by the great Steve Greencorn who started as a student at a few other clubs then started with us, work his way up to be know as the "ambassador for grappling" in Nova Scotia..I think that anyway. Courtney Pratt became the first Renzo Gracie Blue Belt and of course now a Cia Paulista Purple belt be the first lady to start a all ladies grappling class. We have some great students enter and win at many events, and now Nova Scotia has I think 5 B.J.J Black Belts teaching somewhere around the area. So huge steps for the development of the grappling arts and looking forward to seeing what comes next...
Having been running a club almost ten years before the U.F.C came out, and still running my club now,I think I have a good idea of the development of grappling in the area.
Lets go back....way back to 1949 when Mr. Ord Inouye of Vancouver was stationed in Halifax and serving on the H.M.C.S Stadacona. A student of Judo he taught a few people around who wanted to learn this "new" art. I am sure it had a lot of grappling, as back then it was taught a lot more then now, as far as learning Judo.
John Bluming of Holland come in 1958 and taught both Judo and Jujitsu at the Halifax Y.M.C A, He would leave a year later to go train at the Kodokan in Japan. Around this time Perry Teale who is called the father of Nova Scotia Judo started teaching as well. There where many local tournaments and of course followed the rules of Judo back then. Readers should note that the rules for Judo have changed over the years, back then there where not as much, as it was called the "ruff and tumble" days of Judo. It would be nothing for a local Karate club to test themselves against Judo back then in Halifax.
Anyway skip forward to 1993 and the U.F.C comes out. I think the next day my students and I where working on striking and sparring. We had some local wrestlers teaching us some moves and some friends from Judo at the time stopping in and working with us as well. In the early 90's a local Kempo Karate club run by Dave Harrison brought the Shootfighting champion Bart Vale to Halifax, he taught basic submission grappling techniques (there was no B.J.J in Halifax at this time). Around the mid 90's I brought in an instructor named Ron Beer who after training both Judo and wrestling for years and Chinese Wrestling in China, he put together a program called Canadian Shootwresting. We had him at our club for a two day course that covered the coaching level one material and from there we added it to our Japanese Jujitsu.
Also around the late 90's and guy opened a club up (I will not use his name) in Lower Sackville in the old Downview mall and started teaching B.J.J (this was the first B.J.J club in the Halifax area). I went to visit him a few times and one day we had a match that lasted an hour long with him getting me at the end. He was a Karate Black Belt and really nice guy who did the "at home B.J.J course" and was very good at it. He formed his own B.J.J style and tried to teach it but it only lasted a year maybe. He did have a student that started with him that would go on the become a legitimate B.J.J Black Belt under Rickson Gracie.
A funny story: The guy teaching in Sackville one day called me "Ray you are like the godfather of Martial Arts around here, I want you to set up a fight between me and the guy that teaches Shootfighting/Kempo, he said he beat me once in a match but I beat him" I of course called the guy that taught Shootfighting and he said "ya I beat that guy easy, set up the fight I will do it" well I never did set up that fight, I just stayed out of it. Also the guy who taught Shootfighting set up early M.M.A fight at the Halifax form around 1995, sold 2000 tickets and got shut down by the boxing commission. I even went with him to a lawyer and the commission to help get it going but know luck it was shut down..
It was around 1994 that our club put on the first Submission grappling event at our club, it was a fun time with local wrestling and one or two Judo guys plus my students taking part. Around the late 90's Dave Mckenna in Dartmouth put on a grappling event and some video of that can be seen on my u-tube page. It shows a grappling match between to (now) very well know and great B.J.J guys. Also from my understanding two other guys who would later go on to start there own club called Titans if Halifax, where practicing the grappling arts and al;so stopping into local Judo club to train. One of them who I knew from T.K.D came out to our club a few times and did some grappling with us, he was very good back then, and amazing now.
After being certified to teach the Shootwresting program I taught a few seminars down the South Shore, in Sydney C.B and in the Truro area. I helped a number of guys in the the Truro area get certified in Shootwrestling and also helped put on a small grappling event down there as well.
In the late 90's we got very involved in Judo and had at the time, the Senior Provincial coach teaching at our club. Our Jujitsu students entered Judo events and Rhonda McKinnon became the first female Jujitsu student to enter Judo events and win fighting in a number of tournaments, myself and many of my students went into Judo events. We also held the largest and first Kids Judo/ Jujitsu grappling event in Nova Scotia with over 100 kids in it. We also held a few more submission events at my club in Halifax but eventually by 2000 got out of it.
Also in the late 90's where two guys (Titans) who where doing very well with there club teaching B.J.J, they eventually had students leave them and do there own thing as well. (this happens to every club).
Since around 1993 our club always had grappling in it, two good friends or ours who also taught wrestling did a lot of teaching, and also one of my Students (Mark) ran the program for awhile. We had a good friend (Nathan) teach B.J.J at our club for a year or more and of course now it is run by the great Steve Greencorn who started as a student at a few other clubs then started with us, work his way up to be know as the "ambassador for grappling" in Nova Scotia..I think that anyway. Courtney Pratt became the first Renzo Gracie Blue Belt and of course now a Cia Paulista Purple belt be the first lady to start a all ladies grappling class. We have some great students enter and win at many events, and now Nova Scotia has I think 5 B.J.J Black Belts teaching somewhere around the area. So huge steps for the development of the grappling arts and looking forward to seeing what comes next...
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Seminars
"If you think you are too good to attend a seminar...then just quit Martial Arts right now, you don't deserve to be training."
Bold statement but very true, this was said at a seminar that I attended a long time ago by World Shootfighting champion and very early M.M.A fighter Bart Vale, and he is right.
After just hosting one of the best seminars ever with Kyoshi Alain Sailly an 8th Dan from France, I thought what a great topic for my first blog. Seminars!!!
Over the years I have attend a lot of seminars, with some of the top instructors in the world and also many local instructors from our province. Why a seminar?. Well you get to learn new techniques from instructors who usually have more experience then you in the art they are teaching. You get to meet new people who love Martial Arts, it may be a way to help promote your school or hosting a seminar can help bring in a little more money in for your club...but that usually does not happen and some times you lose money to...I know that for a fact. So having attended and also hosted so many seminars over the years, and also taught quite a few myself for many clubs. I thought I would post most of the ones I have been to and a little about them, keep in mind the list only includes instructors that came here from out of province...
Dan Inosanto: My first seminar was in 1993 in New Brunswick, If you are going to take a seminar for the first time, why not with one of the greatest Martial Artist in the world. I drove from Halifax with three of my students at the time and took part in a two day seminar. Amazing the impact the seminar had on me. At the time I was only certified in and teaching traditional Japanese Jujitsu, although I had did amateur kickboxing for ten years as well. It opened my mind to cross training, learning different styles and using what works for you. I also got to be the throwing dummy for one technique, something that would happen at every seminar I attended. I also got to meet (for about 5 seconds) my current instructor at the time Rob Doley as well as many other great people. That seminar has had a lasting impact on my teaching and progression as a Martial Artist.
I would go on to attend another seminar with him many years later and also this March I will again train with him. In April I will be going to his Academy in California for two weeks of training with him and many of the people I have read about for years.
Tom Sharky, in 1994: A 5th Dan Black Belt in World Jujitsu, a Toronto S.W.AT team instructor and a very tough guy. First seminar where I was used as the "training dummy" for the whole thing. He kneed me full contact in the chest and knocked the wind right out of me, after that I felt that every time he demonstrated a technique I was defending my life.
Bart Vale in 1995: World Shootfighting Champion, early M.M.A fighter and was happy to tell everyone he knocked out Ken Shamrock. Good seminar, introduced me to Submission fighting and Muay Thai, both I would go on to study at length.
Salem Assli in 1995 and again in 1996: A top French Savate instructor and also a top instructor in Jeet Kune Do under Dan Inosanto. A great seminar held in Dartmouth and open my eyes to the many aspects of Kickboxing, also I would become an apprentice instructor in Jeet Kune Do under the Inosanto family tree.
In April I will be training with him again for two weeks as well as France's Top Savate instructor and members of the Belgium Savate team.
Ron Beer in 1997: Founder of Shootwrestling Canada and a pioneer for submission grappling in Canada. Ron came to my club and did a coaching clinic. We even had Judo instructors take part in it. At that time, his program was the best submission course as far as teaching and learning on the market. I would take his course and introduce Submission grappling to different parts of the province and help other clubs establish grappling programs. It did fade out after few years but his program and way of teaching is still a huge part of what we do.
Jean-Yves Theriault 1997: The first time I meet 23 Time World Kickboxing champion he taught a seminar in Lower Sackville, it was a great workout and the first time I meet an amazing person who would come to teach at our club many, many times over the years (I will not post every time he was here) and become friends with all of us. He taught the largest Kickboxing seminar ever in Nova Scotia along with Rob Doley and has been a great help to our Kickboxing program.
John Pellegrini: The founder of Combat Hapkido has been to Halifax four times over the years. All four times I have attended his seminars and was used as the throwing dummy many times. I guess we made a connection as after the second seminar he used to take my wife and I out for dinner when he was here. Also one time he made a bold statement at a Hapkido seminar, "if you are going to train anywhere..train with Ray" much to the shock of the Hapkido students..."but first train in Hapkido" not the best cover up :)
Wayne Thibeault: A high ranking Jujitsu instructor from New Brunswick. For a small guy he could easily take you out. Great energy and has lots of knowledge that he shares freely. He has been to my club a few times over the years.
Rob Doley: What can I say..my instructor for Jeet Kune Do, Jun Fan Gung-Fu, Filipino Martial Arts and Muay Thai Kickboxing. Rob has been a great friend to our club for many, many years. He is one of the best instructors I have ever trained with and being a student of his and having him oversee some of our programs at the club makes it all that much more exciting. Going to train with him and Guro Dan Inosanto again in March...
John Therien: Now a 9th Dan in Jujitsu he is an amazing instructor. One of the nicest Martial Artist I meet and very inspiring. Of course his two good friends are Jean-Yves and Alain Sailly so how could you not be as great as those guys.
Robert Kranstz: A 7th Dan in Jujitsu Robert is a mix between John Wayne and a grandfather that can beat the crap out of you no matter how big you are (helps that he worked in a maximum security prison). He has been to our club many times over the years and has been a huge help to myself and our Jujitsu program. Very respected by me..
Dan Severn: U.F.C hall of fame and the "beast", his seminar was excellent, he was very good at teaching and had so many amazing stories.
Tatsuo Suzuki: The highest ranking Wado-Ryu Karate instructor in the world (I think), doesn't matter when you are still teaching in your 80's and have been training all your life...you are the best. Had the honer of having supper with him and taking Martial Arts and also I had a copy of Black Belt magazine from Jan 1969 (my birthday). He was on the cover so he signed it for me. I brought some of my students to the seminar and he had me do the warm up, first time I was ever scared teaching as he watched every move I made. It was am amazing seminar. R.I.P Suzuki Sensei
Jeramey Horn: A former U.F.C fighter and has had more fights then anyone I think.. he taught a great seminar and was easy to talk to. Spent a lot of time with myself and Steve Greencorn one of our club instructors.
Phil Porter: 10th Dan in Judo and the pioneer for Judo in the U.S. At 80 something, he taught at our club and did a lot of talking...lol, but his knowledge for sport Judo was so great he tried to share it all. I must say three of the techniques he taught where used in a U.F.C event that night on T.V and I never saw hem before until he showed them that day. R.I.P Porter Sensei
Royce Gracie: He taught a seminar here once and then my club hosted him here twice. A legend in the world of Martial Arts and a good teacher as far as putting techniques together and teaching new people.
Edgard Lucke: A B.J.J instructor from Brazil who now lives in New Brunswick. A excellent teacher and has a ton of knowledge, we enjoyed his training so much our B.J.J program is now under his direction. He visits the club as much as he can to teach.
Rowen Cunningham: a B.J.J Black Belt who's seminar I took just this year. A great teacher who is very patient with people when learning, I highly recommended his seminars.
Alain Sailly: 8th Dan in Jujitsu and an inspiration for this blog. One of the nicest people I have ever meet, amazing when preforming techniques and can't wait to have him back again. Some people you meet are you are instantly friends with..he is one of them.
So that's my list, I have had a lot of local people as well teach at my club and all are still my friends and I look up to them. I hope if anything, you take a seminar from one of the above amazing people or take a seminar in another style other then your own, maybe you will be inspired to train in that system, it has helped me grow as a Martial Artist in more way then I could have imagined.........
Bold statement but very true, this was said at a seminar that I attended a long time ago by World Shootfighting champion and very early M.M.A fighter Bart Vale, and he is right.
After just hosting one of the best seminars ever with Kyoshi Alain Sailly an 8th Dan from France, I thought what a great topic for my first blog. Seminars!!!
Over the years I have attend a lot of seminars, with some of the top instructors in the world and also many local instructors from our province. Why a seminar?. Well you get to learn new techniques from instructors who usually have more experience then you in the art they are teaching. You get to meet new people who love Martial Arts, it may be a way to help promote your school or hosting a seminar can help bring in a little more money in for your club...but that usually does not happen and some times you lose money to...I know that for a fact. So having attended and also hosted so many seminars over the years, and also taught quite a few myself for many clubs. I thought I would post most of the ones I have been to and a little about them, keep in mind the list only includes instructors that came here from out of province...
Dan Inosanto: My first seminar was in 1993 in New Brunswick, If you are going to take a seminar for the first time, why not with one of the greatest Martial Artist in the world. I drove from Halifax with three of my students at the time and took part in a two day seminar. Amazing the impact the seminar had on me. At the time I was only certified in and teaching traditional Japanese Jujitsu, although I had did amateur kickboxing for ten years as well. It opened my mind to cross training, learning different styles and using what works for you. I also got to be the throwing dummy for one technique, something that would happen at every seminar I attended. I also got to meet (for about 5 seconds) my current instructor at the time Rob Doley as well as many other great people. That seminar has had a lasting impact on my teaching and progression as a Martial Artist.
I would go on to attend another seminar with him many years later and also this March I will again train with him. In April I will be going to his Academy in California for two weeks of training with him and many of the people I have read about for years.
Tom Sharky, in 1994: A 5th Dan Black Belt in World Jujitsu, a Toronto S.W.AT team instructor and a very tough guy. First seminar where I was used as the "training dummy" for the whole thing. He kneed me full contact in the chest and knocked the wind right out of me, after that I felt that every time he demonstrated a technique I was defending my life.
Bart Vale in 1995: World Shootfighting Champion, early M.M.A fighter and was happy to tell everyone he knocked out Ken Shamrock. Good seminar, introduced me to Submission fighting and Muay Thai, both I would go on to study at length.
Salem Assli in 1995 and again in 1996: A top French Savate instructor and also a top instructor in Jeet Kune Do under Dan Inosanto. A great seminar held in Dartmouth and open my eyes to the many aspects of Kickboxing, also I would become an apprentice instructor in Jeet Kune Do under the Inosanto family tree.
In April I will be training with him again for two weeks as well as France's Top Savate instructor and members of the Belgium Savate team.
Ron Beer in 1997: Founder of Shootwrestling Canada and a pioneer for submission grappling in Canada. Ron came to my club and did a coaching clinic. We even had Judo instructors take part in it. At that time, his program was the best submission course as far as teaching and learning on the market. I would take his course and introduce Submission grappling to different parts of the province and help other clubs establish grappling programs. It did fade out after few years but his program and way of teaching is still a huge part of what we do.
Jean-Yves Theriault 1997: The first time I meet 23 Time World Kickboxing champion he taught a seminar in Lower Sackville, it was a great workout and the first time I meet an amazing person who would come to teach at our club many, many times over the years (I will not post every time he was here) and become friends with all of us. He taught the largest Kickboxing seminar ever in Nova Scotia along with Rob Doley and has been a great help to our Kickboxing program.
John Pellegrini: The founder of Combat Hapkido has been to Halifax four times over the years. All four times I have attended his seminars and was used as the throwing dummy many times. I guess we made a connection as after the second seminar he used to take my wife and I out for dinner when he was here. Also one time he made a bold statement at a Hapkido seminar, "if you are going to train anywhere..train with Ray" much to the shock of the Hapkido students..."but first train in Hapkido" not the best cover up :)
Wayne Thibeault: A high ranking Jujitsu instructor from New Brunswick. For a small guy he could easily take you out. Great energy and has lots of knowledge that he shares freely. He has been to my club a few times over the years.
Rob Doley: What can I say..my instructor for Jeet Kune Do, Jun Fan Gung-Fu, Filipino Martial Arts and Muay Thai Kickboxing. Rob has been a great friend to our club for many, many years. He is one of the best instructors I have ever trained with and being a student of his and having him oversee some of our programs at the club makes it all that much more exciting. Going to train with him and Guro Dan Inosanto again in March...
John Therien: Now a 9th Dan in Jujitsu he is an amazing instructor. One of the nicest Martial Artist I meet and very inspiring. Of course his two good friends are Jean-Yves and Alain Sailly so how could you not be as great as those guys.
Robert Kranstz: A 7th Dan in Jujitsu Robert is a mix between John Wayne and a grandfather that can beat the crap out of you no matter how big you are (helps that he worked in a maximum security prison). He has been to our club many times over the years and has been a huge help to myself and our Jujitsu program. Very respected by me..
Dan Severn: U.F.C hall of fame and the "beast", his seminar was excellent, he was very good at teaching and had so many amazing stories.
Tatsuo Suzuki: The highest ranking Wado-Ryu Karate instructor in the world (I think), doesn't matter when you are still teaching in your 80's and have been training all your life...you are the best. Had the honer of having supper with him and taking Martial Arts and also I had a copy of Black Belt magazine from Jan 1969 (my birthday). He was on the cover so he signed it for me. I brought some of my students to the seminar and he had me do the warm up, first time I was ever scared teaching as he watched every move I made. It was am amazing seminar. R.I.P Suzuki Sensei
Jeramey Horn: A former U.F.C fighter and has had more fights then anyone I think.. he taught a great seminar and was easy to talk to. Spent a lot of time with myself and Steve Greencorn one of our club instructors.
Phil Porter: 10th Dan in Judo and the pioneer for Judo in the U.S. At 80 something, he taught at our club and did a lot of talking...lol, but his knowledge for sport Judo was so great he tried to share it all. I must say three of the techniques he taught where used in a U.F.C event that night on T.V and I never saw hem before until he showed them that day. R.I.P Porter Sensei
Royce Gracie: He taught a seminar here once and then my club hosted him here twice. A legend in the world of Martial Arts and a good teacher as far as putting techniques together and teaching new people.
Edgard Lucke: A B.J.J instructor from Brazil who now lives in New Brunswick. A excellent teacher and has a ton of knowledge, we enjoyed his training so much our B.J.J program is now under his direction. He visits the club as much as he can to teach.
Rowen Cunningham: a B.J.J Black Belt who's seminar I took just this year. A great teacher who is very patient with people when learning, I highly recommended his seminars.
Alain Sailly: 8th Dan in Jujitsu and an inspiration for this blog. One of the nicest people I have ever meet, amazing when preforming techniques and can't wait to have him back again. Some people you meet are you are instantly friends with..he is one of them.
So that's my list, I have had a lot of local people as well teach at my club and all are still my friends and I look up to them. I hope if anything, you take a seminar from one of the above amazing people or take a seminar in another style other then your own, maybe you will be inspired to train in that system, it has helped me grow as a Martial Artist in more way then I could have imagined.........
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