# Frank Masiello



## UrBaN (Feb 12, 2007)

Anyone heard of him? The only think I know is that he is/was (?) teaching some kind of kuntao.

Any info at all will be much appreciated.

Thnx!


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## Carol (Feb 12, 2007)

I don't know much about him but I may be able to find out.

My instructor, Guro Mike Williams, is friends with (and was taught by) Tom Sotis, the founder of AMOK.   I know Guro Sotis trained under Guro Masiello for awhile.  I don't know how long he trained under him or anything other than that.

However, I'd be happy to ask Guro Mike if you wanted to know more.


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## UrBaN (Feb 12, 2007)

Hello Carol,
I've heard about Tom Sotis, not much though. If you could find more I would very much appreciate it.


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## Carol (Feb 12, 2007)

You bet!  

I'm heading back in to school on Tuesday.  I hope to know more then.


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## UrBaN (Feb 15, 2007)

any update?


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## Carol (Feb 15, 2007)

I wasn't able to speak much with Guro Mike on Tuesday, but I heard from someone outside the school that he's a good instructor to go with if you are interested in the fighting/self defense aspects of Silat.  If he is in your area I'd definitely check him out if it were me.


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## jdp29 (Feb 19, 2007)

I train with Fran Masiello.  What kind of Info can I help you with? 

Doug


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## jdp29 (Feb 19, 2007)

Sorry I missed the K in Frank.


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## Carol (Feb 19, 2007)

Hey Doug, welcome to Martial Talk!  Great to see another Silat stylist on board here.

How would you describe Mr. Masiello to someone that would perhaps be interested in starting up Silat with him?  

How is the fighting?  Any concern about the spirituality or mindset?  Anything else you'd like to share?


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## jdp29 (Feb 20, 2007)

Hi Carol, Frank does not teach a form of Silat.  His system Chinese Kuntau which is a very combative form of Chinese Boxing.  He has been a very sought out instructor by those wishing for TRUE street self defense.  I am lucky to be able to train under him. He is perhaps one of the biggest hidden gems in the martial arts.  He has never owned or operated his own school, and has taught by invitation only.  You ask about mindset.  He is totally about mindset.  Not in the spiritual way, but in the mindset of a fighter.  He has brought me to a new level in my self defense training.  I am proud to represent him and teach his system.  As far as people training with Frank, you will need a referral most of the time.  If anyone is interested, contact me or another instructor under him.


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## SilatFan (Feb 25, 2007)

jdp29 said:


> Hi Carol, Frank does not teach a form of Silat. His system Chinese Kuntau which is a very combative form of Chinese Boxing. He has been a very sought out instructor by those wishing for TRUE street self defense. I am lucky to be able to train under him. He is perhaps one of the biggest hidden gems in the martial arts. He has never owned or operated his own school, and has taught by invitation only. You ask about mindset. He is totally about mindset. Not in the spiritual way, but in the mindset of a fighter. He has brought me to a new level in my self defense training. I am proud to represent him and teach his system. As far as people training with Frank, you will need a referral most of the time. If anyone is interested, contact me or another instructor under him.


 
Hey Doug,

Could you go into some more detail about Guru Masiello's Kuntau?  Who taught him and when did he learn the art?  What is it similar to?  Would you say its close to anything from William DeThouras, or the Reeders lineage, or Wetzels, or something else?  Anything else that you think would help with understanding the art better would be great also.


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## jdp29 (Feb 26, 2007)

Hi Silat Fan:

Frank teaches a very combative form of Chinese Boxing called Ou-Der Chinese Kuntau.  His Kuntau was taught to him in Taiwan by a local during Vietnam.  His system is not like any of the Silat guys you mentioned.  Franks system is very unique in that it combines many different arts.  It has been developed and geared toward street self defense, almost to the point of Combatives.  It is very straight forward with brutal strikes.  Frank also has about 40 years in Judo so you get a good dose of that as well.  Basically
Frank took his Judo experience combined it with his Kuntau techniques and Kata and has come up with the most effective self defense system I have ever studied.  Many people hear the word Kuntau, Kuntao, Guntow, Guntau and they get they get all of different impressions.  Saying the word Kuntau in China is like saying Karate in the USA.  I know this probably hasn't answered your question, but his system is very difficult to explain.  I hope to have a website up at some point which will feature somwe of our stuff.  If you are ever in the Rhode Island area, contact me I would be happy to meet with you.

Doug


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## Carol (Feb 26, 2007)

jdp29 said:


> Hi Carol, Frank does not teach a form of Silat. His system Chinese Kuntau which is a very combative form of Chinese Boxing. He has been a very sought out instructor by those wishing for TRUE street self defense. I am lucky to be able to train under him. He is perhaps one of the biggest hidden gems in the martial arts. He has never owned or operated his own school, and has taught by invitation only. You ask about mindset. He is totally about mindset. Not in the spiritual way, but in the mindset of a fighter. He has brought me to a new level in my self defense training. I am proud to represent him and teach his system. As far as people training with Frank, you will need a referral most of the time. If anyone is interested, contact me or another instructor under him.


 
Good stuff Doug, that's awesome!


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## mingjaiyo (Jul 30, 2008)

I was fortunate to be able to study under Shifu Masiello for many years. I began my training with him in the very early '80s. Training was conducted at the backyard of his house or at the school of another Grandmaster with whom he was friends. These "closed door" sessions would sometimes last for 5 hours. Shifu Masiello also instructed at a local YMCA for a number of years. My instruction was in pure Ou-Der Kuntao. I learned all of the forms in the original system as it had been taught to Shifu Masiello by Master Hung in Taiwan. We spent most of the time breaking down the movements in the forms to the individual techniques and the concepts expressed in those movements and the application of those concepts to fighting. Shifu had fought all over Taiwan and mainland China. He was at one time a 6 Province Champion of the mainland back in the day when the fights were genuine full contact,no-holds-barred affairs. He taught us this same approach and mindset.The training was often brutal and bloody noses,mouths and body bruises were typical. I belonged to the school of Shifu Masiello's friend, and we trained typically 5 days a week ( the 5 hour sessions were on Saturdays). I am presently a Master of this system and I teach a class in the tradition of my Shifu's,that is outside,year round weather regardless,with no mats and no protective gear ( a cup is optional ). After over half a lifetime of training with the Shifu's I have had and the method they used to teach me and a few fortunate others,utilizing mats and head to toe protective gear in a pleasant temperature controlled environment I believe takes the realism out of the training. It is not always going to be 68 degrees and the student will not always be dressed as in a school setting.Therefore,techniqes that can be used on a nice summer day when one is wearing shorts and a t-shirt may not be practicle on a day in January when it is 10 below zero,the ground is icy,and the student is wearing heavy clothes and boots. This is the mentality I was instructed in by Shifu Masiello and my other Shifu's and it is how I also teach. It was a great privilege to be a student of Shifu Masiello (and my other Shifu's) and my respect for him and them is beyond depth. Shifu Masiello's knowledge of the true fighting arts is truly phenominal and covers all ground. I was extremely fortunate to know both as an instructor and a friend the man that first taught him judo (the Akano system) that enabled him to become a student of Shifu Hung's when he was in Taiwan ( he was there during the earliest days of VietNam). The pure style of Ou-Der Kuntao is among a very small number of ancient Chinese arts that survive to this day,coming from a period of Chinese history when one could be engaged in a fight for ones life daily. The techniques had to work under those conditions-failure meant death.Shifu Masiello (and my other Shifu's) are characters one would only imagine reading about in a "wu xiai" novel of ancient China or see in one of those old 1970's KungFu movies where the master with the incredible skill takes the protege "up to the mountain" to train him well enough to beat the bad guy.These instructors do exist to this day...they are among the least known to the world outside of the trueist traditional martial artists...the rarest of the rare and Shifu Masiello can be counted among the best. I consider myself to be one of the most fortunate men on the planet for having known and studied under Shifu Masiello and for being part of the lineage of this incredible fighting system of Ou-Der Kuntao.


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## Doc_Jude (Aug 5, 2008)

Wow. If that's not a positive endorsement, I don't know what is! Where are you located?


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## jdp29 (Aug 24, 2008)

Mingjaiyo, shoot me an email.

ddpp11@yahoo.com


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## Shifu Steve (Mar 26, 2010)

This is way late but here is a website for Ou-Der Kuntao.  It's legit.

http://www.taiwaneseboxing.com/Main.htm


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## MOB (Aug 21, 2010)

I've been training with Master Frank since "93". Kun Tau is a Chinese generic term for a " fighting system". And their are thousands of these fighting systems. Same goes for Kung Fu, translated simply means exersice. Has Silat and Kun tau been interwoven throughout the centuries? Yes! What Master Frank teaches has nothing to do with silat! Master Frank teatches Or Der KunTau. You will not find this training ANYWHERE but through Master Frank himself, or through one of his ranked students, and the students who have received rank through Master Frank are small in number. I've herd of many claims of tutelage with Master Frank and so it may be, but stepping on the mat for a couple of months does not even get you close to Or Der Kun Tau... I myself have seen many students start the training and never come back. Don't expect to show up with hand and foot pads. There is NO POINT SYSTEM for strikes blocks and counters. The training will "test your metal". You think your tough? Step on the mat with Master Frank. You become humbled very quick.


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## jdp29 (Oct 3, 2010)

Hello MOB, 

Just realized who you were.  Frank filled me in!!   

Military Virtue!


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## job (Dec 13, 2010)

Please look at new post from JOB (New member) on meet and greet


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