Doc:
I don't know that the buffet was all that great. The company was awesome, but the MSG hand-swelling and tummy ache were profound.
As for GAB, Keltner (sp?) etc...My limited experience with Mr. Juchnik is that he has a vested interest in painting himself in the best possible ongoing light at any given point in time. My experience with Doc has been quite the opposite: what you see is what you get, and if you don't like it, go ahead and slink back to the comfortable ignorance in which you find your bliss, and train there till the sun burns out. Unopen minds are incapable of assimilating new information, and are useless to instructors of Docs caliber.
Doc, if you're unfortunate enough to not know (as he is unlikely to toot his own horn except in cryptic inferences) is one of the maybe half-dozen kenpo seniors with any degree of internally consistent integrity, and -- to date -- the only one I know of to maintain his commitment to Mr. Parker by remaining active with the Family, and supporting them in thier own struggles. Having seen Mr. Juchnik in person and on tape, I would be glad to venture that Mr. Chapel has a much deeper, more profound understanding of the intricacies of kenpo/kempo done well then folks such as Juchnik will ever grasp until they meet with him. Mr. Chapel does not seek recognition, wealth, or fame throgh his teachings. In fact, one would be hard put to locate him on the web with videos, and the like. Mr. Juchnik, on the other hand, is everywhere (vested interest?)
I used to think Mr. Bruce had a corner on something quite valuable. Years pass, and now I believe him to be an opportunist attempting to translate his prison interviews into a claim of possession of the holy grail of kenpo. Trouble is, many of his yudansha look lost in motion, missing something in the translation. Likely because there wasn't much of substance to learn.
Considering that apples don't fall far from trees, Mr. Mitose's skills left many of EKP's students underwhelmed when he showed to train with them in Pasadena in the early days. Robert Perry recounted Mitose coming like a train, and very hard to stop or match on a straight frontal clash. Catch? Kenpo didn't fight toe to toe in straight lines...angle changes with counter-attacks to open targets, and these young american black belts were peppering him as he motored on by.
There were a few around in the day when Mitose was active, and few of them had anything constructive to say about him; very few compliments on his martial prowess. I think there is a need to mystify the memories and skills of those who have gone before, in order to feel better about the path we are on. Recently, people were scampering to pay respects to GM kuoha, because he deigned to address the froum on issues pertaining to Chow. I remained, still, underwhelmed for several reasons. First, every bit of footage or picture sequence I've seen of GM Kuoha of his daughter has demonstrated disconnected basics, seemingly delivered haphazardly and without prior planning for cumulative effect. Clean and hard, but unrelated. No "playing the accordion" I've come to appreciate from kenpo & kajukenbo. Second, I've heard from many sources who were there, that Chow was progresslively plagued by alzheimers type episodes with remaining residuals, progressivly worsening. At about the time Idi Amin was in the news, there were several people relating incidents of Chow wandering the beaches, stapling bottle caps to his gi and showing off his medals.
Are a convicted felon and mental health patient worthy of our undying mythical respect?
Juchnik perfoms Kempo with the addition of super-secret info he managed to glean from Mr. Mitose via a handful of conversations. If, in fact, GM Mitose had a sceptor of data to pass, it would have properly taken the better part of 15 years intense training, one on one, hours a day, several days a week. All to learn information that could not possibly be transferred without the feedback mechanism of human touch. Luxuries Mr. Juchnik did not have access to.
Parker was an inventor and innovator, as well. But at east that's how he comported himself...not as the rightful heir to the mighty chain belt in one-hung-low kung fu. I've said before, I'd rather own a Pitbull/Mastiff mix without AKC papers, then a toy poodle with proper pedigree. All kenpo pedigree is suspect, and likely crap. Some kenpo practitioners simply have abetter understanding of the mechanics of motion then others. Having seen and met both Doc and Bruce, I will choose Doc's unique and highly sophisticated (yet decietfully simple) approach to kenpo. And no, GAB, I am not a student of his. Yet. But if lucky, I will be. He is one of the few disciples of the old man I've ever seen who actually moves with the speed, authority and ownership the old man had. Note: It is not Juchnik I'm interested in training with.
I heard a story recently about a day Mitose's "son" (not necessarily his blood son) demoed at a tourney. All lined up to see, becaue this was supposed to be the purest remaining expression of the kenpo taught by the founder of our clans as the exist today. By more then one account, the room was silent not in awe, but in disbelief and dissapointment. How could a prime heir do so poorly? Of course, many rated his performance highly, since he was an heir-apparent. Few had the resolve to call what they saw, and were criticized for it. It appears not everyone is ready to admit the emporer has no clothes.
I, for one, can avoid Mr. Juchnik's teachings until in the fullness fo years and the due passage of time, it becomes my turn to slip from this mortal plate to the next. Only my opinion, but then again, isn't that all we ever have? Salvation rests in some of them being better informed than others.
Regards,
Dave
