kung fu

[la Huerta]

at last...how long did you train for Iain, will you ever start up again.

[Iain]

About 5 years with a bloke called John Gay who I think was about a 4th dan.
He spent a long time studying in Japan, I got to brown belt but that was back in the days before Bob Jones started dishing out black belts to kids after a few weeks.
The funniest part was I was stabbed in the neck by a crim once and all I did was kick him in the cods and smash his face in a wall and never even thought about the finer parts of 5 years training.
John Gay also used to teach Vic Police self defense during their initial training in the mid 70's.

[Rusty]

Jeezus! You studied with John Gay? Me too! I was a terrible student (only graded once), but I still count him as an big influence on my life. For a bloke who knew a thousand ways to kill you before you you could blink, he was incredibly kind and patient. Although there was this time when he felt we were being a bit slack, so we had to put away the rubber tantos while he fetched the bayonet...

Whenever I find myself daydreaming instead of working or whatever I can hear his voice reminding me to "practice awareness...".

Regards,
Rusty.

[Iain]

Remember his wife, Leonie maiden name was Heap or Heep, she gave me a kicking a couple of times.
And I remember doing some stretch exercises one evening after a big lunch and let out a rather noisy fart in the busy dojo, that was really embarassing.
I remember the big rubber knife he had and would slap you around with it to get you to lose your temper then have some fun with you in front of the group as you tried to hit him, I don't think I ever hit him, too bloody quick.

[Rusty]

John took a hell of a lot of knowledge with him when he passed on, that's for sure.

The answer from me anyway LH, is enough Aikido Kyogi (sport aikido) to keep me out of trouble, and maybe just enough to get me out of a tight spot if I'm on the ball and sober. So that's a big if.

Regards,
Rusty.

P.S. just on a historical note, John Gay found upon returning to Japan for a tournament (in about 1992 or so) that he had been promoted in his absence to 6th Dan- highest ranked westerner in that style at the time. he also used to train the Japanese police in the art of tying people up (apparently they don't, or didn't carry cuffs over there).

[Termite]

Had a dabble with Phillipine Arnis when I lived over there, it is a form of stick fighting using a short cane rod & can be combined with a Balisong (butterfly knife). Never got much good with the stick but became pretty good with the knife.
A few months ago SWMBO asked me to show a couple of her friends a few tricks with the balisong and I found out how a few years without practise and bad carpel tunnels combine with a double edged razor sharp blade.

[namtrak]

SWMBO has a black belt in Zen Do Kai - I tend to let her get her way

[ozwinner]

SWMBO has a black belt in Zen Do Kai -

And shoes and handbag to match, those Japanese designers are soooooo good arent they??

Al

[Termite]

Al, are you going to pay for my beer soaked keyboard.

[namtrak]

Ditto - almost spat the Coopers everywhere!!! Which reminds, my next landscaping job is a pond and waterfall. The old fella has a shed half full of brewed Coopers (this job could take a while!!)

[la Huerta]

hey , i'm impressed, shame though you guys don't keep it up...it's never to late to start training again...


la H

[Clinton1]

Thats the beauty of my style, no training involved in hiding in the dark.

[la Huerta]

well if i was to write a comedy, i'll know where to get ideas...

[ozwinner]

well if i was to write a comedy, i'll know where to get ideas...

An American wood forum??

Al :confused:

[dai sensei]

As a kid I studied many styles of Karate, Taekwondo and Kung Fu. Got both legs crushed in an industrial accident and had to give it up . As a young adult I took it up again studying Aikido, Wing Chun, but mainly Zen Do Kai.

Got to 2nd degree and ran a number of ZDK clubs in Canberra back in the 80's. My knees gave up and I am now retired (from training), although until a few years back, still attended various classes and gradings as a visiting instructor.

Now my ankles have gone the way of my knees, not to mention too fat, too old, too lazy:eek: .