KORU GYM - Saipan

2008-04-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

Great Old School Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Film (got judo?)

What Drives You To Do What You Do?

2008-03-20T17:54:00.001-07:00

I made a big change a little while ago.
I left the Koru Gym Facility and the training program is now handled by the owner of the gym, Albert Ichihara.
But I never told anybody who was affected as to why I left.
My Answer: It was my time to move on.

I wish everyone all the best in their quest to find meaning in life...

Great Judo Tips

2008-01-06T15:49:00.000-08:00

Karo is great. The lessons from my old judo coach Ceasar Whitt still inspire me to research and continue to get better at the throws. We now try to do randori tachi waza at least once a week with a gi.

3 perspectives on takedown defense

2008-01-06T15:27:00.000-08:00

I like the way Chuck shows his hand positioning at first, when the guy sprawling can't get any underhooks. And if you hear carefully, he mentions the "over under" throw.

Great detail is to sag the hips down. I would suggest adding circling away while attempting to get space.

Nice details on striking options when sprawling, if you listen carefully.

The Blood Drop

2008-01-06T14:59:00.001-08:00

There was a conversation I had a while ago with a friend who couldn't address the physical phenomenon I called the blood drop. The blood drop is when someone feels a quick flush of the blood pump away from their heart and rush to their feet and hands. I remember reading about it from a psychological journal and how the author related it to the body's fight or flight reaction when the mind is confronted with a sudden threat. I also recall elements of an article from some martial arts magazine I read back in the 80's about how fear can be your friend with positive thinking, relaxation exercises, blah, blah, etc. etc.

Here's my take on it. Many bullies, wife beaters, people drunk out of their minds, and criminals will shout and make a lot of physical gestures prior to initiating a physical altercation in order to create the "blood drop" in their potential victim. It's like the criminal/abnormal mind pumps itself up for the attack by acting up like an ape. Apes perform pre-attack rituals such as the beating of the chest and shouting out loud.

So now that we know that the behavior of an abnormal mind is to instill the blood drop on people before they assault somebody, then the next question is how to deal with it if you're in the victim situation.

I have the answer. I got it from watching a show years ago on how fighter pilots have to deal with blood rushing away from their upper body and into their feet when experiencing high levels of g-force. Now this may sound funny, but it works.

Tighten your glut muscles [your butt] and take a few, quick forced exhalation breaths until you feel the blood come back to stasis. Be careful not to breath too much or you'll hyper-ventilate. They don't have to be shouts, just breathe.

You can never properly simulate a stress environment, but trying scenarios at your gym may help. An MMA trainer from another gym recently told me that he thinks that street fighting will get more and more "technical" as MMA grows in popularity. He believes that street fighters will be assaulting others with chokes, armbars, and a double leg takedowns. But I know that there are no referees on the street, so who's going to break up the fight after a choke has been placed? No one and suddenly the MMA fighter/streetfighter has now become a murderer. I don't know about that trainer or his gym, but I didn't get into the martial arts to train criminals to hurt or murder the innocent. Remember, street fights are illegal - even if both combatants give mutual consent.

In conclusion, you don't have to act like a gorilla to defend yourself against one. The criminal/abnormal mind behaves in ways that are sometimes easy to see and hear. When some jerk does something to threaten you, whether it's a verbal threat or physical one - either walk away from it or have them arrested. Don't take the law into your own hands. And don't forget to breathe!

Amazing Marcelo Garcia Highlight

2007-12-20T21:18:00.000-08:00

I really like the way he picks the foot and uses his shins 2 on 1 to bust a pass/sweep combo - Think of the break point guard.

I'm out! Keep training! In the meantime,

2007-12-04T21:23:00.000-08:00

Original Version

Enhanced Version...

Follow your own path.

What a crazy Saturday Night!

2007-11-13T15:32:00.000-08:00

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy , not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.

In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common.

This is to be my symphony.

- William Henry Channing

"Victory is not about first place, We are victorious when we learn from the experience and improve ourselves for the next challenge."
- Rickson Gracie

Thank you for all your support. There was a mental lapse and any form of a gameplan ended as soon as Luka had side control in the opening seconds of the first round. The plan was to go into a modified north-south and wait for the bump off attempt to attack one of the arms posting on Luka or else take the back if Kelvin turned to quarters position.

And later, the fight was lost when Luka was getting hit from side control. Luka knows that one option is to tuck in his near elbow and roll on the bottom shoulder into a (knees and elbows) quarters position. And if his opponent managed to maintain a top control position like the harness position, Luka had options. One of those options from there is what I call the "Caesar Roll" named after my old jiu-jitsu/judo coach. After that excellent move, you wind up in a reverse kesa gatame.

Unfortunately, nobody got to see all that great stuff because of a loss of focus. Regardless, a win is a win and a loss is a loss. No big deal. Back to work.

Congrats goes out to Kelvin Fitial for never losing focus and fighting his heart out!

AND don't do stuff like putting both your hands around someones throat, or getting your hands near anyone's eyes, and trying stuff like can openers while you're in someone's guard. We do not train like that. Never had. Never will. I don't know why Luka did those things.

Mindset, Purpose, Motive

2007-10-30T23:48:00.000-07:00

Cool Quotes Site

“Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.”

~ Benjamin Franklin
18th century US statesman, writer and scientist

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear--not absence of fear.”

~ Mark Twain
19th century US author and humorist

“A man goes to knowledge as he goes to war: wide-awake, with fear, with respect, and with absolute assurance. Going to knowledge or going to war in any other manner is a mistake, and whoever makes it might never live to regret it.”

~ Carlos Castaneda
20th century mystic and Toltec warrior
from The Teachings of Don Juan

“Anything is possible. You can be told that you have a 90-percent chance or a 50-percent chance or a 1-percent chance, but you have to believe, and you have to fight.”

~ Lance Armstrong
21st century cyclist and 7 time Tour de France winner

“Courage is the human virtue that counts most--courage to act on limited knowledge and insufficient evidence. That's all any of us have.”

~ Robert Frost
20th century American poet and three time Pulitzer prize winner (1924, 1931, 1937)

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
19th century Transcendental philosopher

“A nice definition of an awakened person: a person who no longer marches to the drums of society, a person who dances to the tune of the music that springs up from within.”

~ Anthony de Mello
20th century Jesuit priest
from Awareness

Since the gym opened in March, we always make it a point to emphasize that winning the fight isn't the point… it's being in the moment and giving the performance of a lifetime. And not for the crowd, and not for victory, and not for fame -

Think of us all as tiny little lights that turn on when we're born and glow for only a brief moment in time.

For those of us who are brave enough to live life doing the things we love, I think the reason for doing anything is clear...

We are put on this world to shine.

So shine on!

New Promotions at the Koru Gym

2007-08-28T17:31:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to be promoted? Well, in traditional martial arts, achieving a promotion usually means getting a new colored belt and some paperwork. In combat sports, promotions usually mean moving up within an amateur status structure - moving up from junior varsity or second string to varsity or class A team.

Why have promotions?

Simply put, promotions are a form of measurement. It's like getting a letter grade in school. Some teachers give out the grades based on a high standard of moral objectivity - therefore making the grade credible. Other teachers hand out promotions like candy - as a sign of favoritism and manipulation - not based on real achievement.

For many people, the idea of getting a promotion creates an incentive to strive for improvement. One creates goals and maps out a plan on how to achieve those goals. That's all good, but in this day and age people want things sooner than later.

Many times desiring that black belt or whatever promotion becomes a trap. The goal becomes the only thing that matters and "the love of the game" that garnered that achievement is ignored. I know from first hand experience. I fell into that trap myself many times over the past 25 years.

One loses the fun of just "doing it." And if you don't enjoy what you are doing, then I suggest you stop wasting your time and find something you do enjoy - life is too short to waste on a "power trips" and "ego trips."

Promotions are not the "be all, end all" of your path. Randy Couture, Quinton Jackson, and Dan Henderson don't have black belts in any martial art - but that doesn't prevent them from being World Champions in MMA.

Now, we do want to recognize people whose games have "ramped up." So we thought about passing a toy WWE belt around and post the person's picture on the internet. We always work stand-up, clinch, and ground so the criteria for someone being recognized as “ramping up” means improvement in all 3 areas. It may seem like a funny put-down on traditional martial arts or belt rankings, but it's not. The promotions are an honest recognition of one's hard work and achievement.

Only difference is, we all agree on each other's promotions (explaining why), we share one belt, pass it around, and then forget about it.

Now on to the promotions!

Tim is a great young man who has ramped up 1 time (especially in his clinch and ground work). He used to come to me for privates in boxing, but when Al opened the gym, I told Tim he should try all three (stand-up, clinch, and ground). He ramped up last Friday, so I apologize for not getting this recognition to him sooner.

Al is co-founder of the gym. This guy has ramped up 2 times. Like me, he's had great coaches in the past, but this promotion recognizes improvement based solely on his performance since we opened the Gym. Al is a great coach with valuable lessons to share. He is also a true friend who gives from his heart and not his ego.

Luka is another great young man that I am truly blessed to work with. Luka has ramped up 3 times since the gym has opened and he is our most improved person. That's no surprise to anyone at the gym - day in and day out, he is always there training - like a true professional. Luka is presently our only professional fighter and it works out great since he gets our utmost attention preparing for his fights.

Stanley has ramped up 1 time due to his training experience in the mainland. Stanley recently stuck his neck out to see what it was like to train in a US gym affiliated with a popular MMA Champion. Day one, they had Stan go against the top guy in their gym. The next day they stuck Stan with the Assistant Instructor. Long story short, Stan dominated both of them. Stan validated our unique training method and proved that just because your gym is part of a big organization, it doesn't mean that you're getting the best attention needed to get good at MMA.

Yours truly. I have ramped up 1 time since the gym opened. Being close to 39 years old, it's hard to see improvement since I'm not what I used to be. I think my clinch has improved as well as my ground technically. My striking is alright, but not like it was when I was in my mid twenties.

So There! Sim Sala Bim! Voila!

We do promotions this way so that we never lose sight that the main goal of the gym is to HAVE FUN! Enjoy your journey in the martial arts and don't worry about where you'll end up. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not here... All we have is NOW!

Get your game to ramp-up, let go of the attachment, and move on. It's okay to want that recognition and validation if you've spent years working hard on your game. It's just that being unrecognized and unvalidated should be the least of your worries if you're just starting out. Our gym has only been around for 5 months, so getting a new belt promotion is the last thing on our minds.

The incentive to strive to become a better fighter should never overshadow the enjoyment of playing the game. Enjoy yourself. Thank God you have the health and ability to enjoy your training. Forget about who wins or loses or the color of canvas around your waist.

Just think, the time wasted collecting clothing, plastering cars with logos, getting tattoos, and generally acting like a tough guy could have been better spent working on a crisp right cross/left hook combo.

So train hard, be dedicated, and work on your game. If you’re too lazy to do that, then quit and find something REAL to do. Go spear fishing or something... Life is too valuable to waste on juvenile fantasies of being a powerful badass... You'll probably end up in jail for it!

If you are concerned about defending your family, go buy a gun.

Past, Future, and Highly Edited Memories

2007-08-26T17:12:00.001-07:00

I recently read that when you look back at your past, you're actually looking back at a collection of highly edited memories. For instance, do you remember being a freshman at high school?

I bet you do...

Then let me ask you...

Do you remember what you were doing at exactly 11:19 a.m. October 15th of that year? How many memories do you have of that month? How about that year?

Our recollection of the past isn't exact. We tend to willfully categorize, edit, and dispose of every experience that has happened to us.

"Everything we call the "past" is nothing but present memory, and highly edited memory at that. Everything we call the "future" is nothing but fantasy and commentary, that is, present memory recycled and rearranged.

NOW is the only "time" we can ever be awake, free, honest, wise, intimate, and compassionate.

NOW is the only time we can be happy and at peace." - Matt Thornton

Remember what Apollo Creed says, "There is no tomorrow!"
Ha! So there! Now have a nice day!

Thanks for all your support

2007-07-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

Luka and Elvis last Friday night at PXC 12 in Guam

It's been a rough 3 weeks getting ready for the 4-man heavyweight tournament last weekend.

But we are grateful. Grateful for getting through all the hard work. Grateful to be in a classic big man war with Elvis Ignacio from Guam. Luka and Elvis fought like giant warriors and the crowd loved the bravery they displayed while trading K.O. blows in the ring. It reminded me of the Cabbage vs. Sylvia fight. We prepared Luka to bare his soul and heart to the audience - he showed his toughness and in return the fans love him.

We like to thank all the people of Saipan, Guam, and the U.S. who showed their support for Luka on Saturday at the banks, malls, restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and the many fine stores we went to that day. Your show of appreciation makes us even more grateful to God for this gift called life.

The fight plan was not to be technical, but to show heart behind timed counters, slick angles, and an undying commitment to staying inside the pocket - potentially being in harm's way - for one purpose - to answer the question within the hearts of fans out there...

What kind of fighter is Luka?

Luka is young, tough, and likes to scrap! It's not about win or lose - the goal is to love and learn the fight game. If Luka stays committed to being an exciting fighter then the fans will always ask him to come back and fight.

Luka made it to the finals where he had a mental lapse in the cage and paid for it. Luka's disappointing performance was evaluated, the problem identified, and now Luka will be the better for it. He will be back to get the crowd going when he battles his next opponent in the next couple of months.

Keep an eye out for Luka. You may see him fight on Saipan, Guam, Hawaii, South Korea, or Japan. The skies the limit for this fighter with his exciting style.

We'd also give our sincere apologies to Eric Tedtaotao and his wonderful wife for not winning the whole thing as we had promised them after the first round. A couple of small mistakes were made and it snowballed into confusion. We really respect Eric's wife who was backstage fighting for justice and recognition of that flagrant foul that was incurred at the end of his fight.

Once again, thanks to Elvis for his heart and bravery! There was no loser in that fight. Luka won the prize, Elvis won respect, and the fans won by watching two guys with big hearts battle it out with all they had! Thank you all for sharing that great night on Guam.

And thanks and congrats goes out to Charles Aiken for teaching us a valuable lesson and apologies to Roque Martinez for Luka not earning a shot at the title at this time. Sorry Roque, maybe we can do this some other time. We are big fans of your toughness and your KO power.

Just Be A Student Of The Game

2007-04-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

I was just watching an interview with legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach on aspects of training. He says that he finds it horrible when he goes to other boxing gyms just to see people throwing K.O. punches at each other. He makes it a point to say that the gym is a place to work on things you're NOT good at since the things you are good at, you've already learned [absorbed].

I like to use the word "absorb" rather than "learn" as "absorb" is mostly synonymous with immersing something dry into a liquid and brings up connotations to temporary fluidity. Something typically dry doesn't stay soaked - those things will lose fluids and revert back to it's dry state the longer that object is out of contact with liquids.

Proper training is a precision process whereby a person immerses them self completely in the moment and that activity rewards them with an absorbing effect- the moves will stay long after the training is done. I’m hoping it will stay at least 3 weeks. If you're not in the proper state, you can go through months of training and really never be the better for it. That's because there was no soaking effect going on - no real immersion in the moment took place.

Elements that prevent that absorption process from occurring usually stem from the ego.

Ignorance - I don't know what I'm doing as I have never done it before in my life. I’ll look like a fool.

True. So now is the time to get acquainted with new skills. Absorb the moves – the mechanics and the time to use them.

Frustration - I can't do this the way other people do it. I'm not getting this right.

True. Ignorance usually precedes frustration. But now is not the time to allow ignorance to fuel frustration. Now is the time to buckle up and get through it. It’s only 5 minutes of your life. Remain Calm. Think about it later when you're in bed or taking a shower - not when someone is throwing punches at your face.

Measurement - I don't think I'm doing as well as I should be doing.

True. So you're not meeting your expectations. What could possibly be worse? I think the two worst things you could do is either quit before you ramp up a level or change your training regimen.

Let go of trying to understand "it" – allow yourself the freedom to soak “it” in.

Soaking in “it” as opposed to understanding “it” is like the difference between Person A and Person B who both live in Saipan and Person C who is on island for vacation. Let’s say Person A, Person B and Person C are all shopping in Joeten Garapan. Person C is looking as lost and bewildered as expected since Person C is just a visitor. Now Person A and Person B are also shopping at the same store, but Person A appears casually going about a normal routine while Person B is looking as lost and as awkward as Person C. Truth is, you can go through your whole life repeating routines like shopping and still appear completely clueless every single time you do them. Sure Person B and Person C could have reasonable excuses – it’s my first time shopping for that particular item, my spouse gave me a list of things to get, I don’t know where to find things around the store as they move things around a lot, etc. But Person B and Person C should feel as about as casual and as calm Person A. Why? Because shopping is shopping. If you’re lost, look for signs above the aisles to guide you or look at the whole store in general to get a quick read of how the store is separated (perishable groceries to the far left, canned goods next to that, tourist stuff in the center, etc.).

If after you’ve exhausted all your powers of induction searching for things, then ask for help from someone who works there.

Your mind has to be the integral part in breaking down elements of training into simpler things. Your mind is your primary resource, your first “goto” line of programming.

If ThereIsNull;
Goto MindSet();

You don’t have to feel like a tourist. Stay calm and trust your mind to get you through it.

Absorb "it" by doing "it". Yes you will do it poorly, but if you do "it" unfettered by self-conscious awareness of ignorance, frustration, and measurement you will at least be doing it as honestly as you possibly can – and that’s what is means to do your best.

So remember, in order to stay in the moment, you have to put everything into it... Only Always!

Why and what does Koru mean?

2007-03-31T16:19:00.000-07:00

The koru

"The koru, which is often used in Māori art as a symbol of creation, is based on the shape of an unfurling fern frond. Its circular shape conveys the idea of perpetual movement, and its inward coil suggests a return to the point of origin. The koru therefore symbolises the way in which life both changes and stays the same."

Symbol of creation, perpetual movement, returning to the beginning, change while maintaining sameness.

You may be wondering why a combat sports guy from Los Angeles would choose the name Koru Gym.

In September 2003, Bob Bass told me that my primary MMA coach, John Solin, had recently died four weeks prior - he was just 36 years old.

I came to Saipan in October 2003. Four days after my arrival, I met the late Ben Govendo who had just returned home to Saipan after spending some years in Thailand. He studied Muay Thai there, and I fought under Muay Thai rules before - I'm primarily a boxer who learned some of the Thai stuff. Ben was the first of many people I had the fortunate blessing to train with since I've been on Saipan, but Ben was my primary training partner - meaning we beat each other up good.

In 2004, I went to Palau for the 9th Annual Pacific Arts Festival and I was very fortunate and blessed to receive a moko (tattoo) from Derek Lardelli from New Zealand. It was a peculiar tattoo and it was based on the Maori creation myth. Further study of Maori art and culture led me to the Koru.

Ben died Oct. 1, 2005. Caesar Whitt, our jiu-jitsu coach, came to my house early that Saturday morning to pick me up for morning practice - a ritual seldom missed by Steve Arthur, Doug De Witt, Ben Govendo, and I. Caesar Whitt told me Ben died just hours after the police arrived at the accident scene.

John and Ben dying, Doug DeWitt and Steve Arthur leaving island created a void in my training that stayed with me until I started working with Albert Ichihara about a year ago.

When I started my training with Albert, I wanted to roll with someone that would improve my game, but not injury me in the process. It started with critical questions like, "Why don't we roll and punch each other a little to see how our jiu-jitsu changes? We're both getting older, so how can we do combat sports without getting injured? What's a good fight gameplan and training program for people who are getting older like us?".

The answers to those questions are continually being re-evaluated so as to ensure our safety and enjoyment.

Albert and I are blessed to be able to train with each other and he's one of the most technical guys out there. Albert will tell you that he is the only guy who gets my "game" and what I'm trying to accomplish. I will tell you that Albert is a great guy to work with who helped me figure out "the game" and not just my game - It's a never ending process.

I don't believe the road to the martial arts is a teacher/student relationship as it is viewed in the East. I think improving in fighting is more importantly an athlete/athlete relationship.

For those of you who train at the Koru Gym, please get yourself a good training partner to bring to the gym that will push you, but not hurt you! Injuries happen from time to time, but I suspect will be less likely when you find someone you can trust. Albert and I need to get back to training more together so that we can continue to make each other better.

Danny was telling me that people have been asking about the gym [location, class times, content, price, etc.]. That means I will have to turn more people away. It's something I hate doing, but I have to do nonetheless.

Classes will remain Private and admission not open to the general public.

If you want to join, please send us an email briefly describing why and we'll let you know. Class sizes are getting full so we need to be really selective. Age, weight, or gender is not an issue. Having a training partner is important so try and find someone you know who might be interested in training - make sure its someone you can trust not to injure you in the process.

If you are already affiliated with a gym - we're sorry, but we don't take business from others.

If you desire to compete in MMA, you need not apply as fighter positions are already full.

If you are a "master" or "instructor" etc. - you need not apply as coaching positions are already filled.

Congrats to the Stanley and Luka Iakopo

2007-03-31T00:39:00.000-07:00

"Victory is not about first place, We are victorious when we learn from the experience and improve ourselves for the next challenge."
- Rickson Gracie

Congratulations to the new Saipan PXC Preba Hao Champion Luka “Bad News” Iakopo. [The actual fight was much better than reported, but oh well!]

Stan and Luka Iakopo are both great athletes, competitors, and true sportsmen.

What probably won't show up in any news reports is that Stanley Iakopo went on to fight a younger, much more experienced, and much heavier opponent. Stan's opponent came in and weighed in at a whopping 15 pounds over the weight limit while Stan came in 4 pounds under the weight limit.

If Stan's fight were in Guam, the fighter over the weight limit would have to pay a penalty to the event promoters for breech of contract and Stan's fight would have never taken place since MMA matches in Guam must abide by rules set forth by their island's athletic commission for the safety of the fighters.

Stan is the man!

And Luka is a phenom! His athletic abilities have yet to be fully discovered.

Now I wonder if it's going to be easier or harder to get these guys to roll without using their strength!

Thank you both and thanks to everyone who trains at the Koru Gym. The place is what it is because your presence makes it so.

Growth, Strength, Peace.

Combat Training Modalities/Approaches

2007-03-23T04:45:00.000-07:00

(Mainly taken from SBG spring 2004 ISR Matrix Lecture...)
Defensive Tactics Training, Classical/Traditional Martial Arts Training, and Combat Sports Training all fall into 3 categories of training modalities and/or training approaches.

1. Reflexive or Unconditioned - Response as/by Reaction.
“Flex-Response” concept.

Largely focused on counter attack reaction training against a single attack.

Example: I walk around and somebody unexpectedly swings a punch at me then I react in a pre-determined way by avoiding, attacking, throwing, etc.

Ideology: Based on the notion that people are constrained by their spontaneous reactions to an oncoming assault. Common human response to a physical assault is that a person either hits back, freezes/flinch, or runs away. Many Military and Law Enforcement Defensive Tactics Training programs base their entire training methodology behind the reflex methodology.

2. Conditioned or Trained - Response as/by Acclimation (Traditional martial arts)
Technique Accumulation and Causational Repetition concept.

Largely focuses on non-contact repetition of various far east Asian combat responses.

Example: A guy gets in a wide sideways stance and throws a reverse punch near me and I step out and block and counter or do something else and then if the attacker executes another attack I step out another way and do a parry then kick and/or further respond with some sort of other combination.

Ideology: Based on the concept of repeating Asian combat set patterns for years in order to perfect form, which in theory would grant one the ability to defend oneself in actual combat. The techniques in sparring are singular techniques strung together in combination and counter techniques are used to respond to each particular attack. Each attack would have an appropriate block or counter and one would try to train each and every attack scenario within the system for years in order to gain the theoretical ability to fight spontaneously and in a fluid manner. The techniques are based on what the person coming at me is doing. Training with the purpose to “If Then” relate a particular response to particular attack in repetition.

3. Tempered or Forged - Response as/by Familiarization
Spatial Relationship and Target Acquisition through Resistance, Motion, Energy concept.

Largely focuses on acquiring timing to attack and counter using the concept of Aliveness.

Example: I transition between ground fighting, clinch fighting, and unattached striking in a spontaneous manner and in a broken pattern as well as a broken rhythm.

Ideology: Simple defensive structures and footwork are used to transition into dominant/safety positions in order to attack. Progressive resistance (contact) is always used in training meaning if I don’t move at the right time or use a solid structure to defend myself I will get hit yet not be seriously injured. Through tempered training, I become familiar with the spontaneous and dynamic patterns found in real combat. I may see an attack I’ve never seen before, but I can respond fairly successfully because I am familiar with distance and I have simple structures that I can perform quickly and safely. I always use simple structures that are high percentage meaning they have a high probability to function properly, efficiently, and appropriately. The focus is not on singular techniques or response scenarios, but on developing overall timing and familiarization with the dynamic fluctuations in timing distance and rhythm found in actual combat. Development of balance during resistance movement and acquiring transitional game plans that force the fight into familiar restrictions that 1) help me survive 2) buy me time to respond.

All systems have a little bit of each training modality, but the Koru Gym trains towards the 3^rd (Tempered or Forged) method as opposed to rely heavily on:

1) The Flex-Response school where you may have reacted appropriately to an initial attack the first time, but if the attacker knows what he's doing, I'm in a mess now - meaning that I dealt with the first blow but now I'm in a fight and if I don't know how to fight I'm going to get beat up.

2) The Conditioned or Trained school where I train to do “this to this” and “this to that”, but when something new comes along, I won't be familiar with that area. I'm just familiar with the techniques my system has in response to a given situation. In other words, if I’m only familiar with a jab and I can deal with that, but if I’m not familiar with boxing I'm going to get killed when I deal with a boxer.

Unnatural Selection

2007-03-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

It would seem only natural for a former competitor/coach to seek out the strongest and most athletically gifted young men on the island to hold the banner of the gym in competition. Success in the cage/ring could lead to more students and that would result in more revenue. We could film our fighters competing in events and burn DVD's and sell them. The gym can invest in products (i.e. t-shirts, bumper stickers, hats, fancy uniforms - Gi's, etc.) and sell them to bring in even more money. We could hold MMA events and rake in the profits from ticket and alcohol sales. And everybody knows that the one with the most cash is the most successful.

Only the strongest survive! It's how evolution works! History is written by the conquerors! It's natural selection!

I'll let you in on a secret... I don't believe in natural selection.

Many have assumed that the simple formula of "success = champions + cash(consumers + products)" applies to any gym that seeks longevity - but it's a false assumption as many gyms on this island have had or are having trouble collecting monthly fees from students.

So why open a gym if not for commercial success?

The Koru Gym exists solely in principle to provide a healthy environment in which to generate what Maslow would call peak experiences through training in physical management, subject control, and conflict resolution.

It's not about success or fame or money. It's not about garnering the approval of old sensei, sifu, kru, guru, coaches, organizations, academies, peers, etc.

Al and I would be training just like this, even if nobody else shows up. We've been training like this for over a year now and we are happy with the results. Our performance has improved a lot in that period of time. And performance is the only standard by which we measure success.

The Koru Gym is not for everybody. It will remain private and never open to the general public. We are a group of like-mided people that come together to train. We all pitch in to pay for the facility and the electricity. That's it.

If you are an aspiring competitor looking for me to train you - even if I have trained you before - please look for somebody else - I don't train fighters anymore. As for right now, I am focused on helping people who would otherwise be turned off to MMA. Those of you who train at Gracie Barra - catch up on your monthly fees. Nothing valuable in life is free. It is impossible to repay Caesar Whitt for what he's done for me as a martial artist.

The Legal Ramifications Of A Street Fight.

2007-03-06T20:20:00.000-08:00

(Mainly taken from SBG spring 2004 ISR Matrix Lecture...)
You can research interesting topics such as Conflict Resolution, Game Theory, or Verbal Judo to help with verbal altercations.

But when someone is uncomprimisingly angry or drunk or both, your volume level can never be loud enough to instill reason. People operating at a high level of rage have an extremely loud internal noise going on in their head. Sometimes the only way to get people to turn down their high level of internal noise is to physically get their attention. And sometimes stopping perilous situations from happening requires subject control that's justifiable in a court of law.

My feelings, state of mind, or physical condition can severely alter my ability to work out of a harmful situation. Most of the time we can't only rely on our physical attributes. I can have a day where I have the flu, or I can have a really bad day in traffic and be really pissed off.

Those types of factors can actually hurt more than help, so we suggest 2 main concepts:

1. Strategic Point of View - If I'm minding my own business going through daily life and I get into a potentially harmful situation - I legally should have a consistent Strategic Point of View.

No one should rely on deploying psychological games (i.e. I have to be tougher than this guy or stick my chest out and I have to eyeball the guy, talk louder, etc.). Those examples of psychological games are used in a lot of Defensive Tactics (DT) training. Some DT instructors advise their clients that when an upset person says something threatening, they are to look at their chest. I don't think any of that works - if you're scared you're going to be scared that's part of it. If you’re angry, you’re angry.

So if I'm angry or sad or scared or sick...

my Strategic Point Of View stays the same.

"My strategy overrides me - I'm not that important"

Once I get in a predicament... I don't matter. I am basically my vehicle for my strategy to get done for what I have to do.

Our strategies allow us to act accordingly with the proper level of force to support our strategic cycle of 1) Engagement/Disengagement 2) Subject Control 3) Conflict Resolution.

3 Phase Force Continuum -

1. Presence (a probe) A verbal and command oriented level. Offer to buy an angry drunk guy a drink - he says yes - you have immediately resolved the problem and you're done. If words escalate, it would be best to safely remove yourself from the environment rather than make matters worse.

2. Predicament (a challenge) Tactical and Objective oriented. Physical altercation. Strategic point of view and a trained course of action enage to resolve the situation using non-lethal force. If a beligerant person restrains you from leaving, it is justifiable to engage the person, control the subject, and resolve the situation by holding them down until help arrives (controlling) or fighting them until they they give up attacking you (engaging).

3. Peril (a threat) Self-defense or Survival Oriented. If in a scuffle, the guy breaks a bottle and tries to stab you with it - You're not an officer or a soldier, but even if you were - subject control is no longer your job. Your life is in danger - lethal force is allowable.

Now the strategic point of view ties in with the 2nd concept...

2. Trained Course Of Action - If I work the cycle of 1) Engagement/Disengagement 2) Subject Control 3) Resolution - I put my hours into it and I have "hands-on" experience - I know what to do when things happen spontaneously. If I am in shape and “have game” in stand-up, clinch, and ground then I will have familiarity in fighting. When I'm in a predicament or non-lethal fight, my strategic point of view and trained course of action will always be to Engage or Disengage, Control, and Resolve the situation in a non-lethal manner.

If I don't have a strategy to go along with a trained course of action - meaning a legal, defensible strategy – and I immediately go with a potentially lethal level of force (like trying to spike a guy on his head with a judo throw) and it may not be what was necessary - civilian or otherwise – I may be found legally at fault for damages. Therefore, you should always have a strategy based on sound ethics. In civilian life, the law will determine if your course of action and your strategic choices were reasonable when considering the level of force you used in that situation.

So train ethically, humanely, and responsibly considering levels of force that can cause permanent irreversible damage to someone.