# Hi from Massachusetts



## wer (Jan 25, 2006)

I've been conditioned not to start a new thread as a white belt, but you seem to encourage it so here goes:

I discovered martial arts late, watching my then-almost-11-year-old son take karate from Eric Hung.  It was too cool just to sit and watch, so I started taking it a few months later and have been doing it ever since. I lucked out, the school's got really good teachers and although it's sport karate they really know their body mechanics. Started as a Kensho Ryu school, then went independent as "Seishin Martial Arts / Sport Karate Academy."  I've been there for 3.5 years, am Nikkyu, and help coach in the kids' classes.

After I'd been there for a few months, professional fighter (UFC, Pancrase) Jason DeLucia showed up and started teaching Aikido there. That's when I discovered that Aikido is my true love.   I kept taking Jason's Combat Aikido classes even after he stopped teaching at the karate school. Jason's classes include traditional Aikido kata but also a lot of groundwork -- he's a certified Pancrase Hybrid JuJitsu instructor so he can teach all that, and he also knows a lot of old-style Aikido ground moves that don't tend to be taught in Aikido schools these days.  We do a lot of randori (free sparring, just one attacker but realistic attacks).  We have several police officers in class, who say they use their Aikido on the job.

Then I discovered a pretty amazing Tai Chi teacher so I've been his student for over two years and recently started going to his TenChi Kenpo karate classes. This teacher, Elliott Edwards, is a 5th Dan under TenChi Kenpo founder / former street brawler / bar bouncer Norman Armstrong.  Norman, who learned Tai Chi from T. T. Liang himself, was an early student of Nick Cerio and is the person who, becoming a 5th Dan, drew up the Kensho Ryu Family Tree that's on display in Kensho Ryu dojos.  

I've been incredibly lucky at finding exceptional martial arts teachers who don't mind students cross-training. It's been quite a journey, and I'm glad that I've still got a long way to go. What I learn from the different teachers reinforces the same ideas and fundamentally uses the same principles.


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## Lisa (Jan 25, 2006)

Welcome wer to Martial Talk.  Please feel free to start threads.  We always welcome threads that get members talking, sharing and learning from each other.  Every member has something they can teach another. 

:wavey:


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## Jagermeister (Jan 26, 2006)

Yeah, Wer, thanks for joining us.  I was starting to wonder if you'd ever get here then BLAM - there you are.  So now that you're here, sit down and relax for while.  Have some tea and tell me some of your deepest and darkest secrets.  This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.  But I have to warn you - I have to take things real slow, so keep your mind out of the gutter.  And good luck to you here at MT.  If you need me, I'll be chilling in Muay Thai.  Peace, homey, I'm outta here. And one last thing - if anybody starts messing with you in here, just tell me, and I'll sort it all out for you.  I got what's called street cred.


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## TheBattousai (Jan 26, 2006)

Hello and welcome to MT, Wer.


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## wer (Jan 26, 2006)

Jagermeister said:
			
		

> Yeah, Wer, thanks for joining us.  I was starting to wonder if you'd ever get here...


Well, you COULD have told me where you were hanging out and I'd have come sooner! I have to find a site before I can visit it. 

I generally look around for interesting Aikido threads and for discussions concerning Jason since he spends as little time as possible on the computer. 

Friendly forums are a lot more pleasant than Sherdog (and Bullshido, if the wrong person doesn't like what you say), so I was very glad to find you here.


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## Jade Tigress (Jan 26, 2006)

Hi wer  :wavey:  Welcome to MT, glad you found us here. Please feel free to start threads and reply to posts as you choose. We welcome your input. Happy Posting! :asian:


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## MJS (Jan 26, 2006)

Welcome to the forum! Enjoy your stay!

Mike


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## Drac (Jan 26, 2006)

Greetings wer and welcome to MT...Post away...


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## OnlyAnEgg (Jan 26, 2006)

That's a pretty cool start to MA!

Welcome


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## green meanie (Jan 26, 2006)

Welcome!


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## KenpoTess (Jan 26, 2006)

Very nice intro Wer  Good to hear you found your MA passion ~!

Welcome to the Board and Enjoy~!!

~Tess


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## kenpo0324 (Jan 26, 2006)

Welcome to the forum! Enjoy your stay!


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## Gemini (Jan 26, 2006)

Welcome to MT, wer! I'm personally not real big on cross training, but you put it in such a positive light, I can't help but feel glad for you (and not a little jealous)  It seems you've been presented with some great opportunities and have taken full advantage of them. Good for you!

Enoy the board!


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## arnisador (Jan 26, 2006)

Welcome!


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## evenflow1121 (Jan 26, 2006)

Welcome to MT


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## Kacey (Jan 26, 2006)

Welcome - now I feel like I should go back and rewrite my intro!  It's nice to know I'm not the only one who more-or-less fell into MA by circumstance.


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## wer (Jan 26, 2006)

Kacey said:
			
		

> Welcome - now I feel like I should go back and rewrite my intro!  It's nice to know I'm not the only one who more-or-less fell into MA by circumstance.


After seeing this, I had to go read yours -- and it made me realize that in my long post I'd neglected to indicate whether I'm male or female.  

Did you guess right?

Female, 45 years old. That puts me well on my way to "little old ladyhood" -- got the "little" part pegged, and I figure I'm 50-60% of the way to "old"


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## wer (Jan 26, 2006)

Kacey said:
			
		

> Welcome - now I feel like I should go back and rewrite my intro!  It's nice to know I'm not the only one who more-or-less fell into MA by circumstance.



Go for it!  We can start a trend, people adding onto their introductory threads as they realize it's safe or worthwhile or entertaining to give out more info.  Might start sounding like the Jerry Springer show if we're not careful ...


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## tshadowchaser (Jan 26, 2006)

well as usual Im a day late reading this thread so first welcome to the forum.
Glad you have had some good expernces in your martial arts training so fa.
If you ever get lost and end up in my area let me know and we can have a coffee and exchange stories unless your uniform happens to be in your car then we can go to the school an exchange ideas. Pm me if your ever comeing this way


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## wer (Jan 26, 2006)

tshadowchaser said:
			
		

> ...If you ever get lost and end up in my area let me know and we can have a coffee and exchange stories unless your uniform happens to be in your car then we can go to the school an exchange ideas. Pm me if your ever comeing this way


Thanks. If I ever get lost out your way, I'll be sure to have my gi with me. You're just under 1.5 hours from me, so that would be a doozy of a detour (but not unthinkable).


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## Kreth (Jan 26, 2006)

Welcome to MT, wer.


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## bluemtn (Jan 26, 2006)

Welcome wer, and glad to have you here!  We're pretty easy going here, and you shouldn't run into too many problems.  Happy posting!


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## mj-hi-yah (Jan 26, 2006)

wer said:
			
		

> After seeing this, I had to go read yours -- and it made me realize that in my long post I'd neglected to indicate whether I'm male or female.
> 
> Did you guess right?
> 
> Female, 45 years old. That puts me well on my way to "little old ladyhood" -- got the "little" part pegged, and I figure I'm 50-60% of the way to "old"


Hey wer nice to have you here!  Since you qualify, please join us in the Women's Forum when you have time!  You have an interesting ma background and I look forward to your contributions!   

MJ :asian:


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## still learning (Jan 29, 2006)

Hello, Welcome and you are truely bless to have great teachers to keeping you going in your quest of training. .......Aloha


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## Gentle Fist (Jan 31, 2006)

Welcome to the board!  Eric Hung is the Current World Champ in Krane I believe...


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## wer (Jan 31, 2006)

fistlaw720 said:
			
		

> Welcome to the board!  Eric Hung is the Current World Champ in Krane I believe...


Yes, that's him.  Krane 2005 world champ 18-29 traditional forms.  Also NASKA 2005 world champ 18-29 men's hard traditional weapons.  He's got some 2nd and 3rd places, too, and his kid brother Steven also does very well.  They're good teachers, really good with the kids and adults, besides looking really cool when they do their stuff.


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## Gaoguy (Feb 4, 2006)

Welcome from a fellow bay-stater.


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## Carol (Feb 4, 2006)

Welcome from the North Shore!


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## Cujo (Feb 5, 2006)

Welcome to MT.
Pax
Cujo


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## Jonathan Randall (Feb 5, 2006)

Welcome to MT! I think you'll fit right in here.


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## still learning (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello, Welcome and enjoy your training.....Aloha


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 10, 2006)

Welcome


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