2008 International Martial Arts Symposium

[Bart Scovill]

Several of our members attended this wonderful event this weekend. I thought this would be a great place to relate your experiences, newfound knowledge or anything else you enjoyed about the event.

For myself, it was great to meet many of you that I have not met before. Several of our members also were given awards this weekend:

Nancy Chase was awarded Female Athlete of the Year and promoted in Kobudo;
Sensei John Wong was awarded the Superior Leadership Award;
Sasha Evdakov (aka Alexander)was awarded Sensei of Merit;
Tom Harty (aka Thomas) was acknowledged for his hard work in designing the artwork for this years' Symposium;
And I received a Superior Leadership Award for the Warrior Pages.

I was very much honored to receive this award, but I find it ironic because it belongs in large part to others. There have been so many people that have inspired, contributed, and participated in this site, that no one person should be awarded for it. (I did accept the award on behalf of all of you, and it will be in my office if you want to see it. ; )

[Jonathan Forrester]

Jonathan Forrestergot a Sensei of Merit Award as well.

I was glad that Bart got the Superior Leadership Award for his work on the Warrior Pages. He has done an outstanding job in promoting this site to others. It was fun to meet some of the people here and I have added some new photos (in the hopes of beating Tashi Price for having the most pictures) from the Symposium.

Had a great time and will be commenting further later today.

[Bart Scovill]

How could I have missed that? Well earned and deserved.

[Rathryn]

I don't see why Bart couldn't accept the award as a 'personal' one. He did an great job in actually STARTING a website, with ways to interact for like-minded people. Sure, they all contributed to it, but in the end he kind of set the whole thing up.

[Bart Scovill]

I appreciate that Rathryn, but if it wasn't for people like you, Jonathan, Berserk, and Larry keeping the old forum going, I probably never would have cared enough to set this site up. And what a piece of crap the original website was before people started pointing me in the right direction. I may have started it, but it is what it is because of all of us.

[Berserk]

Bart, we only played a small role. You did a great job in promoting The Warrior Pages.

I came to WP via Google, searching for kicking articles. I PERFECTED my roundhouse kick when I was starting out, thanks to WP.com!

Sorry for chiming in late. I have this strange habit of reading threads backwards, lol.

[Bart Scovill]

A few quick reflections before I have time to add my deeper impressions of the Symposium.

The first session with Hanshi Abele was great. That many martial artists in one room performing the same task is incredibly energetic. Also, for the first time in years, I didn't hurt myself during the first session. I was a little sore from the ab exercises.

Second session was with Tashi Price. I'm running out of superlatives for Tashi, but I really like going to his class with people that have never seen him before. It's like seeing him again for the first time.

Third session was knife training with Garimot. What an incredible combination of energy and skill. And thus ended Friday night.

Fourth session, Saturday morning, was with Dr. Steven Roensch. Hanshi Roensch should have a cover charge. In addition to practical well explained techniques, it's like having a professional comedian. Hanshi Roensch could have you in stitches both literally and figuratively.

Followed up with Gopei Sho with Sensei Tommy Hood. Always good to get a different perspective on such a well worn kata.

Then back to Garimot for stick fighting. My partner was left handed (and I am not) which led to some challenging training. Got some sun and great drills.

Here's where I snuck off to get a massage on my aching back and run some errands before the banquet. I know I missed some great sessions, but quiete frankly, I was full.

Banquet was great, as always.

Finished Sunday morning learning Yakaa No Sai with Kyoshi Wagner. Spent the second session trying to remember it.

Lunch with Hanshi Abele and the Danish folks, and back to Sarasota, tired and happy.

[Jonathan Forrester]

Glad I brought my camera - told everyone that my goal was to have the most photos on the site to beat Tashi Price (LOL). Here's my quick overview of my schedule (just a little different from Bart's):

Friday

• Hanshi Abele had the senior Black Belts running Ten Sho, Kan Ku Sho, and Nan Dan Sho. Learned some new tweaks that I needed to do to my kata
• Warmup Exercises - Went over 4 techniques: Shiho-nage (four corner throw), a wrist takedown, an attack from behind countered with a haishu-barai with a chest armbar then a bent elbow shoulder takedown, and finally a push down block with a shotei into a mawashi-uke
• Worked with Tashi Price on some Chin Na - got some excellent finger techniques. It is true that if you have never seen Tashi Price, you leave his class in total amazement that anyone can move like that
• Finally worked with Shihan Donna Judge on practical self-defense

Saturday - After waking up with a few muscles acting as if they had never exercised in a few months, and some coffee - -

• Worked Wing Chun Trapping Hands with Sifu Benny Ming. I have his book, need to re-read it again (I'll add that to my list of things to do...)
• Was with Bart in the Go Pei Sho (Advanced Tearing Peacock Form) kata review with Tashi Tommy Hood - got a few more tweaks that I needed on my form.
• Followed up with a class with Hanshi Abele on Go Pei Sho advanced bunkai. Excellent as usual and you always learn something new.
• Lunch break and some awards - - -
• Worked Kanku Sho with Hanshi Bowles - again got some more tweaking and worked with Tony Bisanz on bunkai of the form. Learned that you'd better do your pressure points right with him or he will show you how to do them.
• Learned a new Jo kata with Shihan Roger Jarrett - excellent form which is listed in the book, "Aikido - The Dynamic Sphere" (an excellent book too)
• Took a well deserved break and got cleaned up for the Banquet

Sunday - Felt a little better, but still moving slowly. I can tell that old age is creeping up on me.

• Took a class on Tessen (War Fan) with Sensei Jack Farve. He did a demonstration with them performing Go Pei Sho - it was probably the most impressive weapons kata that I have ever seen. I'm no expert, but this was a dynamic weapon that I had never considered to be one to study. Wow! After learning the maniupulation of the weapon, I found it to be very similar to the nunchaku.
• Last class was with Vitus Bilking on O'Naihanchi. This was the class that I learned a lot in. We went over Naihanchi 1, 2, and 3 - but spend most of the time in Naihanchi Sho learning how to generate power from the kiba-dachi. Very great class and Mr. Bilking is quite a comedian too - and makes you think.

All in all - another great symposium which is well worth the time, effort, and money. If you have never been to one of these - and you can make it next year - you should start saving now so you can attend. I just about guarantee you that you won't miss another one.

[Nancy Chase]

I wanted to share my experience at The Symposium.
As Always, the training and organization was Excellent!!
Friday started out with the kobudo test at 1 pm.
Friday 3 – 5 pm – Kata class with Shihan Vitus Belking. He covered a lot of basics on Danen Sho, Gopeisho, Anaku, Basai Dai, and Nahanshi Sho. Excellent class on kihon and hip motion.
Friday 6 pm – Hanshi Abele’s class – Application of kihon waza. I Always enjoy training with Hanshi Abele and learn something new or improve on something every day. He is an outstanding instructor.
Session 3 – Tachi Price’s class on Chin Na – Excellent finger techniques and wrist locks. It always fun to come to his classes and tie people up in knots.
Session 4 – Michael Hernandez class on Goshindo Principles from kata
Excellent application of techniques commonly found in kata
I really enjoyed the class

On Saturday, I did kobudo all day. I took Shihan Darren Myers’ tonfa against shinai class and iaido kata class. He is a superb iaido practitioner. It was nice to go through the tonfa against shinai drills again. I have always enjoyed kobudo and iaido.

I took Shiahn Gurganus’ tonfa class and worked on Dometrich’s version of Hama Higa No Tonfa. It was a really good learning experience.

I also took both of Mr. Martinez’s bo classes. We worked on Shihonouke and generating more power from the body into the bo through body mechanics. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to train regularly with him and Hanshi Abele at The Columbia School of Karate Do.

Sunday
Tachi Troy Price and Alex Ormaza’s class on gun defenses – Very good class on self defense against someone coming at you with a gun
Carl Wilcox’s class on Tactical rope fighting. I really enjoyed working with Mr Wilcox and Jeff Rhodes.
I feel that we need more of these classes offered to the general public as well as the martial artists. These classes taught applications that are very practical in real world situations. I would like to learn more from Mr Wilcox on the rope fighting and become more proficient at it.

[Lawrence Jessup]

rip me off a corner of the award so I can frame it.

[Jonathan Forrester]

Since Jason McDermott joined - I should mention that he received a Sensei of Merit Award as well.

[Berserk]

Congrats Nancy, Sensei John, Sasha and Thomas!

[Nancy Chase]

Thank you. It is Always great when hard work pays off. I really enjoy training with Hanshi Abele.