Tag Archives: systema

WHAT THEN IS A WESTERN MARTIAL ART?

Since I organize the ‘Merica series seminars every March in the Royal Range in Nashville, which only covers “western” martial arts and systems, the topic comes up – “Okay Hock, how do you define that.” Which is what? And this question, answer and inspection has nothing to do with good or bad, better or best. Nothing. It’s just organizing.

I am not an outsider in this endeavor. Since 1972, I have spent years obsessing in karates-aiki jujitsu, Arnis, Jeet Kune Do, the multiple, Inosanto family systems, all to perhaps a distracting, unhealthy burden to normal life. I have more than poured over the words of Bruce Lee and Ed Parker. I know martial fads, addictions and histories. I have run my own Inosanto-like school in north Texas for years, battling the martial business world. I have traveled and taught seminars all over the world now for 30 years now, and I work with schools all over the world. Least of which I should add, all the non-stop, military and police training along the way (always geared for clean, generics and success, which I prefer.)

The simple, best fighting systems around the world are somewhat shared and then not shared at all – as methods can be obtained-evolved organically without the knowledge of each other. So, you’ll have someone in Japan doing the same thing as someone in Ireland because that something is just smart and good. Evolved in isolation. Devoid of shared culture. Distance counts.

You have to dig deeper to think western-eastern, to think of things geographically. One big filter I use for the ‘Merica seminars is hemispheres. In other words, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Jujitsu, Muay Thai, Judo, Kung Fu, Silat, Israeli Krav Maga, Russian Systema, Filipino Arnis, and so forth did not, are not, do not originate in the western hemisphere. And in fact, they proudly market that very geography, flying the flags of foreign countries to help attract the “grass is always greener,” exotic advertising customers.

And just the perpetuation of eastern hemisphere martial arts migrating to the west, taught via eastern dogma-doctrine, replicating via eastern ways, does not make for a western martial art. If John Smith teaches Okinawan Karate in Omaha, Nebraska, that is not a western hemisphere martial art or system.

So the word – ‘Originate” comes into play. What originated where? In the western hemisphere? Shared or not shared? If shared, then how much of what? Some original, western hemisphere systems are combatives, or like Irish stick fighting, catch wrestling, Apache, Savate, HEMA sword and axe fighting, a way of boxing, a way of kick boxing. If you think about it, Bruce Lee even developed a healthy mix of Jeet Kune Do (JKD) on the west coast of the United States. He preached against isolated systems. Bruce mixed…

Speaking of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) arts-systems purposely mixed by leaders, it has many decades of old history in the USA. Take for example Dan Inosantos’ approach. Been around “forever” and born in California and usually called mixed martial arts. But if you think about it, his approach is always singular, split, unblended, separate studies of each system. It was never really mixed-mixed and evolved (except for the JKD part). Each of the arts are taught separately as in their respected, doctrines-dogmas, even at times with their uniforms. His definition of MMA is diverse in systems, but not blended-mixed. It is much like John Smith teaching Okinawan Karate in Omaha, Nebraska. But in Dan’s case it is like several, separate systems from elsewhere, respected and keep alive. Despite the influence of Bruce Lee, the systems are not blended.

As an example of a blend-mix, Hawaii is actually located in the Western Hemisphere, as it lies to the west of the Prime Meridian, and Kajukenbo is a 4-art, very-blended-very mixed together, martial art. Way more blended than Hawaii’s Parker Kenpo.

A tricky one to categorize is Brazilian Jujitsu. “Originated” in the western hemisphere? Yes. It’s Brazil for heaven’s sake! But is it like John Smith in Omaha teaching classic karate? Many people joke that BJJ, really stands for “Basically Just Judo.” Now we all know BJJ is off the charts in their chess-like development over “basically just Judo,” with endless inventions and counters to the inventions. Chess, not checkers. But they dress, talk, eat, sleep and franchise like a martial art and we know their oriental roots. And so, I cannot invite BJJ into an ‘Merica seminar presentation. I am quite sure they don’t care one bit, and in most cities you can throw a rock and within that toss hit some sort of BJJ school. The fad-growth-addiction, not unlike Krav, has been incredible.

So far, I have used the ideas and words of “culture,” “origination,” blend,” “unblended,” “clothing,” “geographic,” “doctrine,” “dogma,” “hemispheres.” These are what I examine when I organize these ‘Merica seminars. It’s got nothing to do with good, bad, better, best. It’s just a theme, folks. I don’t care what you study as long as you know the big picture. If you’re happy? I’m happy for you.

Oh and hey! Godspeed for 2025. 

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Hock’s email is Hock@hockscqc.com

Check out tens of full hour, free training films on Hock’s Combatives TV channel… https://www.youtube.com/@hockscombativeschannel407/videos

HANDS-LANDS Touching the “Hands” of the Master in the “Lands.”

HANDS-LANDS – Touching the “hands” of the master. Touching the “lands” of the master. Hands-Lands.

(This was a spirited discussion on FMA Discussions. Many say you MUST go to Philippines to “get it.” Many say no. Not needed. I said…)

I started attending Remy Presas seminars in 1986 and I was just another person in the crowd. One attendee was also an Ernesto Presas guy who asked me if I knew Ernesto. I did not and he pulled me aside into a curtained-off meeting room from the big seminar. Two others were there too and we started doing Ernesto stuff. This guy trained me in Ernesto’s material for years, which is different than Remy’s. Four or five years later we wound up in the Philippines. Once back in the USA, at the next Remy seminar, attendees told Remy I was over there for three weeks and even stayed at his old Negros house, etc. He liked this, called me over and wanted family gossip and so forth and only then did we made the solid connection, because he knew I was THAT committed to go over there. I started hosting Remy for years, etc.

Later at a Remy-Dallas seminar at Steve Selby’s school, Remy made a speech about training and with whom and “Touch hands with the master,” or as he would say it, “Touch hans’ TO de’ master.” He pointed to me and said, “Hock has gone twice to de’ Philippines already. I don’t know why? Because…I am here!” Everyone laughed as did I, shaking my head. You could tell by his smile that he making a joke. But why go?

The pro-go Filipinos in the FMA Discussion seem to want you to see the lands, walk barefoot on grounds, breathe the air, eat the food, dive deep in the history otherwise you won’t really “get it.” Like live there? “Going native” – is  “to adopt the lifestyle or outlook of local inhabitants. Furthermore, must we also “go native” with all these martial arts we take?  While Bruce Lee said all these things were just “Kicks and punches,” must we go down a national rabbit hole and become Colonel Kurtz?  I went a little native in South Korea. Lived in the village, etc, but didn’t become a Kurtz. The military grants you time and grade in obscure locations, otherwise you are in-and-out tourists.

 

Tourists. I often look at folks traveling to the homelands of their martial arts. So many go to Okinawa, Tokyo. South Korea. A friend of mine even went to NORTH Korea for a Tae Kwon Do pilgrimage! (He said it was scary.) All serious Thai Boxers go to Thailand (although in my “heyday-times” of Thai -1990s- many also went to Scandinavian countries for Thai). I think it’s a pilgrimage some want to take. I think it is situational and circumstantial. After my P.I. trips, we got Ernesto coming over the states with gigs and the P.I. trips were long and expensive for me (and my job). The circumstances, the situation, the need was over. But I will confess, me having “gone over” several times was a big marketing help for me.

People like to travel and touch for really unique reasons, lest of all over martial arts. I have a good friend in England who worships the Spaghetti Westerns of Clint Eastwood. He and his wife visited the small town village in Tabernas Desert and the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in Spain where they were filmed. He has small glass jars of the sand from there as souvenirs. The human drive to visit. 

Look at all the people running to Israeli for religion and Krav! The Japanese see Americans going over and dressing like they are ninjas and they laugh. One Japanese-American told me it would be like Japanese coming to America and dressing up in Civil War clothes and taking part is a Civil War recreation. WHY!? 

I like for people to be happy and if they want to go, and afford their journeys if they can and should go. I would like to go to Frank Sinatra’s house in Palm Springs. I might not get a glass jar full of booze, but I would like to sing a song there in the backyard.

What of the name-game and FMA? This is actually a whole other FMA discussion subject, somewhat related though, but the real success stories in FMA, those with sought-after instruction and with bigger groups are really all Filipino people. Or they have a name-game-stretch-connection, with Spanish or exotic sounding names yet have never gone to motherlands. Dan Inosanto, a real important FMA pioneer, has never been to the Philippines that I recall. How many land-locked, Americans just have exotic foreign names and have large groups? (They could be good or bad but still get the immediate attention.)

Even though I have been over there – this is why I do not flash myself around as some kind of special super-duper, FMA Person. I will never be an FMA real deal. I am happy to help others get an understanding, etc, if they are interested, but I am just a white boy in Texas. I can only think of a very few white boys with consistent, international FMA success, oh like Bill McGrath and Deiter Knuttel from Germany. Otherwise you gotta’ be Filipino or have a Spanish sounding name and,or seem to be Filipino or could be Filipino. Or else, you better be seriously attached to one. The truth (skill) bears out later.

Origins and names…this is a universal, martial idea-draw. As a parallel, looking at ads and videos would you want to take Brazilian Jujitsu from a Tim Smith? Or a Jose Gonzalez? Who has the immediate advantage? Most would instinctively go with the Jose. (Makes me think, speaking of other parallels – how many Yankees are going down to Brazil to learn BJJ, to go “native” in that native homeland, or have all the experts moved up North?).

On “Going native,”  furthermore, must we also “go native” with all these martial arts we take?  I do think back through the years of Systema people getting so wrapped up in it that they started becoming communist. Posting pictures of Putin and remarking in pro Russia statements. How some Silat people became Muslim? And then even radical Muslim. I’ve seen it. Krav people becoming Jewish. Like Bruce Lee said – all these things were just, “Kicks and punches,” must we go down a native rabbit hole and become Colonel Kurtz?  Studying how to kick and punch should not ordinarily alter your politics and religion. 

Touching the “hands” of the master. Touching the “lands” of the master. Hands-Lands.

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Hocks email is HockHochheim@ForceNecessary.com

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