Kajukenbo "The original MMA"

Discussion in 'Kenpo' started by BGile, Apr 16, 2007.

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  1. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned

    You found a few as I remember. I have sent a few around via e-mail and I am sure they have been shared...

    The one that is up is fine, shows all I need to see.

    Thanks Guf.

    You and Guf, I can see are a true team LOL...Now that it has shifted again away from the topic, I'll just say I think it has been covered pretty well, at least for tonight.

    Gary
     
  2. 1bad65

    1bad65 Valued Member

    There is a Kajukenbo school here in Austin owned by a guy named Tony Morel.
     
  3. DAnjo

    DAnjo Valued Member

    Look in John Bishop's book. Page 64 is me punching the guy in the KI drill. And pgs 129-131 is me (the bald but handsome one) to the right in the three person drills. Don't believe me? look in the back under contributions.
     
  4. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned

    Thanks I've seen them.

    Gary
     
  5. Nuck Chorris

    Nuck Chorris I prefer North South

  6. KempoFist

    KempoFist Attention Whore

  7. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned

    Some good information, John Wong and more.

    Nuck thanks for the heads up...I'll find more later.

    Below is some good stuff, I have studied with several mentioned about Cabales, Anthony Davis is still very fit he was a professional boxer good record, fought Evander in the crusier weight lost a decision, tough man. Good Cabales guy also. I have his book, it is empty hands, good stuff he and his son are in it, Carlito trains at Pats I have not trained with him in a while he is sparodic and schedules don't quite make it work...

    He is into more activity but he gets there once a month or less, he is working with Ron Saturno who is very good, I have trained with him a little also. I like them, good people but you only have so much time. I have both of Carlitos dvd's also, he is supposed to put one out on the knife but he teach's it pretty much at the sessions, but I would like a dvd.

    Gary





    U.S. Kali Association

    Hall of Fame photo, 1998



    About “Stickman”


    Jeff “Stickman” Finder was first introduced to martial arts as a child in the late 1950’s by his father and grandfather, who learned boxing skills in Chicago. In the early ‘60’s his older brother introduced him to combative self defense skills that were taught at a military academy. In 1964, someone anonymously left him a copy of Jay Gluck’s now classic book “Zen Combat”, which opened his interest to many forms of martial arts, including Aikido and ninjutsu. In 1966, at the age of 11, Jeff had the opportunity to travel for several months in the Far East. There he was exposed to the culture and martial arts of Japan, China, the Philippines and Thailand. Though he didn’t begin formal training in the arts until graduating from UC Berkeley (’77) with a BA in History (Asian focus), through his teen years he worked out with friends who did Taekwondo, Judo, and Chinese kung-fu. In college he took Aikido classes at Cal under Shiohira-sensei (Ki Society) and Kajukenbo with Don Roelle, who was at that time a black belt candidate under master Al Reyes Sr.

    In 1977 Jeff began his formal martial arts career, enrolling in Bok-Fu Kenpo in Berkeley, California. He did most of his training under Sifu Al Thomas, earning a black belt in this system through the School of the White Tiger. This was a good foundation in physical training. Forms, sparring and bag work were practiced daily. This was an “old style” school, with blood-stained mats, holes in the walls and duct tape on the heavy bags. At one time there were 135 students; in one day, Sifu Thomas cut 100 and put the rest on probation. A month later there were 6 left; two eventually received black belts (Marc Sabin being the other one). During the next 12 years this would be his primary art, but he would also cross train to varying degrees in Aikido, Gracie Jujitsu (with Cesar and Halph Gracie), May Thai, Silat, Tai Chi Chuan, and later on Wing Chun through advanced instructors under GM Chris Chan.

    In 1979 Jeff met Bob Flores in Santa Cruz, a native Filipino who had trained alongside Leo Gaje in Pekiti Tirsia in their youth. This was Jeff’s introduction to the Filipino martial arts (FMA). For several years the little bit he learned from Bob, plus Dan Inosanto’s book “Filipino Martial Arts” were all he had to go on. Then, in 1985 while attending a Max Pallens karate tournament in San Leandro, Jeff watched a demo of several different FMA systems, including one by the Serrada Escrima Association of Stockton, under the late grandmaster Angel Cabales, who was a living legend in the art. Jeff attended a 2 day seminar the following weekend and became a student of the system. Angel originally sent him to train under Anthony Davis, who lived 35 miles away. After a year of study there, Jeff was finally accepted as a private student with GM Cabales. For the next 1-1/2 years he commuted to Stockton weekly, a 150 mile round trip from Berkeley, to practice in Angel’s living room, often with other more advanced students such as master Sultan Uddin and soon-to-be master Wade Williams. Often after a day of training, Jeff would accompany Angel to the Stockton academy in the evening to work out with the students there. Jeff received his Advanced Certificate (#33) on December 30, 1987, the same day Wade received his Master’s Certificate. Although he was not previously certified, Jeff began teaching Serrada Escrima at the White Tiger in Oakland with permission of GM Cabales. In February of 1987, Angel did a seminar at White Tiger with several of his top students at that time, including Sultan Uddin, Wade Williams, Carlito Bonjoc, David Mah, Anthony Davis and others, to promote the school as the official Bay Area Cabales Serrada academy under instructorship of Jeff Finder.

    Another facet of Jeff’s training began in early 1987 when he began studying Tai Chi Chuan under the late master John K. Wong, founder of the Wu Shing Academy in Suisun, California. Jeff was originally attracted by John’s ability to translate the relationship between hard and soft styles of martial arts, but soon discovered much more. “Uncle John”, as he was known to his students, started out under Kempo grandmaster William “Thunderbolt” Chow in Hawaii. There he befriended Adriano Emperado, who would become a co-founder and head of the Kajukenbo system. John Wong was the first mainland administrator for Kajukenbo, overseeing at one time 3,000 schools! Eventually he left the politics behind to teach his grandfather’s system of Tai Chi. Besides the martial arts, John came from a Kahuna family and was into healing and spirituality. Jeff had long been a student of the writings of Max Freedom Long about the Hawaiian religion of Huna. John became a mentor in this area, and much of this phase of study was devoted to Applied Kinesiology for the body, and spiritual discussions to develop appreciation for higher levels of consciousness. A practicing meditator since the age of 18 (transcendental meditation, Aikido meditations, guided visualization, etc), these years with John not only tied together different aspects of martial arts but tied together the link between the physical and psychic arts. Jeff eventually earned a black belt in Chuan-fa through his studies here.

    In 1988 Jeff participated in the 1st U.S. National Escrima Championships in San Jose, run by Alfredo Bandolan. There he fought Arlan Sanford, who would be one of the original Dog Brothers. From this experience he was invited in 1989 to become a member of the 1st U.S. National Escrima Team, under coaches Fred Degerberg, Alfredo Bandolan and Richard Bustillo, which went to Cebu in the Philippines in August of 1989 for the founding of WEKAF (World Escrima/Kali/Arnis Federation) and the 1st World Championships for full-contact stick fighting. Jeff went to the finals in light-heavyweight, losing a split decision (tournament officials gave him a 1st place trophy anyway, after reviewing a referee’s scoring error). The following week Jeff again took second place in a tournament in Manila, again involving controversy that included death threats by RP military personnel against the referee and members of foreign teams. In spite of the controversy, this was an exciting and memorable trip.

    It was after his return from the Philippines that Jeff decided his future in the martial arts would be in Escrima, and from that point forward this became his primary art. He began writing about his experiences in the Philippines and his training under GM Cabales, first for the short-lived but influential Escrima Review newsletter and then online for the Escrima Digest and later the Escrima_Arnis digest. It was also after this trip that he began experimenting with different materials for sticks, seeking a stronger, longer lasting stick. He became the first to market synthetic sticks to the public, and in 1998 he was inducted by GM Gaudiosa Ruby into the U.S. Kali Association Hall of Fame for his contributions to the art.

    At this time (late 2001) Jeff Finder has been teaching students for 18 yearsand is now teaching just a few students privately or in small groups. In 2000 he returned to graduate school and is currently studying in a counseling program for somatic psychology. He is also pursuing interests in neurolinguistic programming (NLP) and hypnotherapy, both of which are modern reinterpretations of subjects he first learned through martial arts. NLP is a powerful tool for trauma release, and is based on our modalities of accessing consciousness (visual, auditory, tactile). These were understood by the ninjas (according to writings by Ashida Kim) who traced the lineage through the Chinese back to ancient yogic mudras. Hypnotherapy closely related to guided visualization and is often combined with NLP as a powerful tool for reprogramming the subconscious. Jeff’s goal is to bring together these different elements in a program he has entitled SEPAT – Self Empowerment Practice and Theory, which embodies physical techniques for health, self-defense and psychological growth and well-being.



    10/30/01
     
  8. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned

  9. SifuJason

    SifuJason Valued Member

    I think this would support the general statement of the thread, that Kajukenbo is the original MMA. How Dan trains is fairly typical of Kaju schools (at least to my understanding). All of us spar, most of us spar continuously (not point) and usually throw in grappling into the sparring as well.
     
  10. Nuck Chorris

    Nuck Chorris I prefer North South

    Yes there is. Tony Morel is a good representation of what most Kajukenbo schools do. However, he is running a commercial school. Many Kaju schools are in garages, rec centers, and churches.
     
  11. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned

    Thanks for a on the topic statement and keeping it clean. I noticed a few have strayed but in general it is good information I believe. This answer me exactly or I said this so don't reply out side of the box. Is sort of goofy IMHO... Control people you got to be able to not let them get to you... :p

    That is where it all goes wrong for the uninitiated or school trained only, in this world that few of us are very aware of, and others really have no clue.

    John Bishop mentions in a new thread he started that the training is similar to what I found it to be in the 60's. I think that is good as long as it is in a controlled enviroment and not done in a mean and cruel setting. I remember a school I visited (actually joined in addition to another I was at, [he trained in a FMA I wanted to learn Estalilla system, good style] for a year) the school has a few mean spirited youth as instructors. Good at the game they played, but toast if messing with me.

    I told him to warn them if they pulled any cheap stuff I would reciprocate and hurt them... He thought I was joking or just an old guy who had to much time on his hands. I explained he needed to talk to my son, before I showed up any more. He did and things were just fine with all involved. But the cheap shots and kids stuff still occured with others. Sparring is one thing and mutual adjustments are done.

    I have been watching Dan T and his videos. It is very obvious he is doing it the way it should be done. If you want to go into accelerated antics with others of the same ilk. Cool, but you pull cheap shots and stuff like Dan W. mentions about being disqualified for unusual roughness in a match that is not supposed to be that way, that is a cheap shot in my opinion.

    My son came back from the service right after the first encounter with Iraq (he was being mustered out when it went off and he spent the war in Fort Sill). He joined up with SKSKI and was at a tourney where it was supposed to be a little rough, but not cheap shots. He got hit after a little time in the ring, (I think we are talking exactly what Dan W mentions about rough and getting DQed) he was dominating the other guy at the time so the cheapshot came and it was stopped to access (bad move on mr cheater cheap shot dude) :eek:

    They called it a penalty on the other and my son said he was fine. It went on and he decided the guy was just a cheater, so he just kicked him in the head broke bones in the guys face, and it was over.
    My son went to the hospital afterward and he had a concussion and cracked upper facial bone that allowed air into the eye, sinus passage is close to eye. It took time to heal, but can you imagine the type of injury it was? still has the scar and reminder. No gloves or padding I believe?

    The opponent went to the hospital, had a broken jaw or nose? Jaw I believe. One shot and it was over. The guy opened the gate and could not play right...(Dan W. you opened the gate with your statements and now I truly understand your mentality. I see why you do what you do on certain forums). You like to be DQ'd I believe.

    My son stayed with the tourney, the other was assisted out and left, never to be seen again, ever.

    The opponent was heavier but not as tall as my son. He learned that day what reciprical was all about I think :cool:

    If you will notice in some of the tourneis Bruce had in the 80's and early 90's, no pads no gloves. Still like that for those who like to play rough. Not at Pats school though.

    The rough training is fine and dandy, I just don't care for the cheapshot injuries that occur and I don't participate, If I go to a seminar now I find a good partner, who is mutally respectful and we train.

    Gary
     
  12. BGile

    BGile Banned Banned


    I just posted about cheap shots and explained my thoughts on them. You have taken it to a different level Guf. So you are now fair game OK... Young women who train children are not in the league I have played in all my life so either retract or apologize. It is that simple really... I am giving you the chance, if you are going to play with us don't throw cheap shots you are not going to be able to handle what will be brought forth, honest...

    Gary
     
  13. Pacificshore

    Pacificshore Hit n RUN!

    And hence you all getting your undies in a bunch again :bang:

    I haven't had to do this in a while, but what the heck :rolleyes:

    Time to move on..............
     
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