Datu Kelly Worden Seminar at Modern Arnis of Ohio

[Bob Hubbard]

I unfortunately won't be able to make it as I have to meet with several clients this weekend. Wish I could sneak down for a little bit, at least for the staff session.
Need one of those flying cars.

Have fun, and please, someone post lots of notes and some pics afterwards.

 

[Datu Kelly S. Worden]

Hello Bob,,,
Hopefully one of the attendees will be doing some video taping,, I would be happy to have sections of the footage submitted to you video section for everyone who is interested to view.
I have been meaning to send in footage for your video viewing area of the forum, yet I run faster from project to seminar than I can handle. It seems there is never enough time to get everything accomplished. I will let Dan McConnell or Brian Johns take a lead position and submit the footage they wish to share.

I have had some good reports on attendance with a solid showing of LEO and tactical practitioners rolling in from around the area,,, I am excited to open the doors and let the system fly,,,
Also those attending should look forward to meeting 20 year NSI student and teacher Greg Kelly, serious boxer, grappler, and concepts practitioner. Greg recently finished the Iron Man Mountain Challenge Run,,, this was through the Mountains of California,,, hundreds started the event but not that many completed the entire course,,, Greg Kelly is a serious machine and a humble guy who just likes the challenge, any chanllenge...

Cool Breeze, see everyone soon, Datu Kelly

 

[James Miller]

How was the seminar?

 

[Mao]

Well, here it is, a bit of a review of the Datu Kelly Worden seminar that took place over the weekend.
There were people from all over with many different types of training and experience. There were people from Praying Mantis, Silat, Boxing, TKD, Aikido, Jujitsu, Hagana, Kempo, FMA an others. Friday night began with an intensive knife class in which the concepts of cut, slash, trap and grapple were clear. Zoning, positioning, palasut and several other areas were on the plate. In terms of zoning, it wasn't just moving to the zero pressure zone, but using your partner/opponent as a shield from anyone else wanting to jump into the fray who may be a hostile.
Saturday was a plethora, that's right, plethora of material including single stick, leveraged strikes (very interesting), locking, trapping, the ever present foot or hand trapping (very effective), grappling, more zoning/sectoring, and positioning, and even some tapi tapi. Datu Kelly also covered anyo applications, sibat long pole, and MT hand work. The sibat was well recieved and Kelly even demonstrated a way cool staff set at the end. His physical and technical ability is impressive as is his natural way of connecting the systems and showing how "eet eez all dee same" whether it comes from classical or non classical wing chun, JKD or Renegade JKD, Karate, Aikido, weapons or MT hand tactics or Biker Ryu. Much of it is the attitude or mind set of the practitioner.
The only hard part will be trying to edit the vid. so it would be viewable for everyone as Kelly used explicatives in combinations only matched by his physical combinations. Perhaps a warning on the label like Caution- crude language, or better yet.........."Datu Gone Wild".........I should copyright that one.
Perhaps others who attended can add a few comments??..........
Respectfully,
Dan McConnell

 

[Brian Jones]

Although I was only able to make it down for the Saturday Seminar, it was well worth it. I am still trying to filter through all the information Kelly Worden gave us. form single to double stick to empty hand the transitions were great. I am also still trying to dislodge Datu Kelly's travel wrench from under my rib cage, but that's another story.
The staff form was something else. Th eform in and of itslef is impressive, but what got me was Datu Kelly's interpretation. Its rare to see a big man move that fluid in a form.
Good luck in editing that video Dan. By my estimation that's going to end up being about a fifteen minute video :ultracool See you soon.

Brian Jones

 

[Datu Kelly S. Worden]

Hey, Hey, Hey,,,

15 minute video? Forget the editing, wake up the rest of the world to reality,,, it's all raw and should be presented as such,,, raw footage is really the best way to express what took place,,, I wouldn't want it any other way!
Yes I would say we "Shook the Pillars of hell!" Not being a warm climate kinda guy, for me, Friday night was as hot and Humid as Hell!

Lately during seminars I have been a little more explicit during my lecturing and explanations as to how we should address someone who has forced a physical engagement or conflict.

That might just be a polite way of saying "I been Cuss'in like Hell" Maybe much like the old Paladin Press Knife Videos. Seems only right to use foul language to channel aggression, anger, deal with personal fear, instill fear in an assailant, and dump adrenaline in an effort to throw down aggressively...

it really does work in real life, yet because we train in a controlled environment such as a dojo or gym it shocks people initially. Similar language will be used to intimidate us if we are confronted, accosted, or assaulted.

I refer to language exactly as I do pain, and we must learn to acclimate ourselves to the initial shock or surprise of impact, physical or audio. Some people who witness violence even in sports or accidents turn their heads/hide their eyes when a serious strike or incident occurs.

Possibly we also need to acclimate ourselves to visual shock or surprise, it is that split second of being startled that we are the most susceptible to being controlled or dominated! Something to ponder anyway, of course as martial artists we are taught to seek a controlled state of being.

Without equally cultivating controlled rage we are just dancing through our martial arts movements, there is no fighting back without intent!

On another note, Friday night was a smooth progression of how to establish a knife system from the ground up. Carry options, deployment strategies, evasive maneuvers, de-fanging the snake with interceptions to match variable speed issues such as perceptual speed, reactionary speed, initiation speed, based off the premise "action is quicker than re-action."

Recognizing the threat, proper distancing according to the perceived threat, mobility, physical engagements leading to body shielding other assailants or potential threats. Additionally empty hand support strikes to offer deployment acquisition time, detour attack, seek distraction, or escape.

The concepts were tied to JKD 5 methods of attack, Single Direct, Attack By Draw, Attack By Combination, Immobilization Attack, and Progressive Indirect Attack.

Let’s touch on the anyo and how they relate to movement in general,,, Oh of course I went into a rant about the famous Bruce Lee saying “Form has no value,” which in reality is a convenient way of saying “I can’t figure anything out unless I am hitting it!” Bottom line everything we do is form oriented from a boxer’s jab-cross combination to walking down the street.

The truth of the matter in Bruce’s statement was “Form has no value to the individuals Bruce Lee was addressing, people bound by form with no clue to self expression”, simple as that. If you can break free from a structured format and flow, then the form allows analysis of movement and points of reference.

Form can surely be dead and lifeless, or alive and ever-changing in the energy integrated from structure to personal expression. For the critical anyo expert, “No I am not changing the foundation of the form, merely expressing variable intent while extracting or extending the connection to the techniques contained within Modern Arnis, as a complete art.

As Dan McConnell mentioned, we covered single stick, double stick with fulcrums, loads, and releases to accelerate the timing, speed, power generation impact, and rhythm or the techniques. Although this element was an expression of Sonny Umpad’s Visayan Corto Cadena Escrima the relationship was connected back to Modern Arnis.

That being said, keep in mind, Sonny Umpad also trained directly under G.M. Anciong Bacon. Years ago Professor Presas intrigued by my training with Sonny correlated the connection of what I had absorbed from Sonny’s art to show the relativity to Modern Arnis. “Berry Good, and Berry Valid!” This link is also evident when applied to Tapi Tapi solo baston traps, locks, and multiple striking combinations.

Hummm,,, the Presas joint lock flow session was extremely well received and everyone seemed to adapt and enjoy the pain compliance variables shared.

All in all I was very impressed with the skill and desire of all who attended the seminar! Dan McConnell is a great host with a very solid foundation to expand his interpretation of Modern Arnis in multiple directions. What a extremely nice martial arts school and well maintained facility.

It was nice sharing energy with Brian Johns, the Kuntao players from Michigan Matt Lamphere and Bill Bednarick. Meeting Rich Parsons and his training partner Chris, so many good people working hard for the betterment of the art, different systems all interacting with Modern Arnis as the connecting link, just as Professor Presas intended for the “Art Within Your Art!”

Respectfully, Kelly S. Worden

 

[Brian Johns]

For those of you who could not make the seminar or decided not to come, there was a lot of material covered, as indicated by Dan, by Datu Kelly over the two days he taught. There was definitely quite a bit of energy in the place as we rocked and rolled. The hot weather was par for the course....and that amped up the atmosphere even more !!!

Take care,
Brian Johns :supcool:

 

[Rich Parsons]

Meeting Rich Parsons and his training partner Chris, so many good people working hard for the betterment of the art, different systems all interacting with Modern Arnis as the connecting link, just as Professor Presas intended for the “Art Within Your Art!”

Respectfully, Kelly S. Worden

Datu Kelly,

Thank you, I enjoyed meeting you as well as the training.

Lots of fun with lots of people.

Peace
:asian:

 

[OULobo]

I enjoyed it immensely and learned alot too.

 

[mantisfgtr]

Great Seminar! As a Northern Mantis Boxing practitioner, I found Datu Worden's ability to specifically connect trapping skills to both the blade work and the travel wrench to be very helpful. Having spent a fair amount of time in the law enforcement profession prior to my current career, I will have to agree that sometime you just have to let the words fly in a conflict. I think Datu referred to it as 'verbal reinforcement'. I would recommend one of Datu's seminars to anyone who desires to learn to protect themselves, and martial artists alike.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

It sounds like everyone had a great time! Sorry I missed this one. I'd love to see the video...and don't worry about the language being a bit "salty".

Datu, I know what you mean about never having enough time. Never enough hours in the day to get to it all.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Hey, Hey, Hey,,,

15 minute video? Forget the editing, wake up the rest of the world to reality,,, it's all raw and should be presented as such,,, raw footage is really the best way to express what took place,,, I wouldn't want it any other way!
Yes I would say we "Shook the Pillars of hell!" Not being a warm climate kinda guy, for me, Friday night was as hot and Humid as Hell!

Lately during seminars I have been a little more explicit during my lecturing and explanations as to how we should address someone who has forced a physical engagement or conflict.

That might just be a polite way of saying "I been Cuss'in like Hell" Maybe much like the old Paladin Press Knife Videos. Seems only right to use foul language to channel aggression, anger, deal with personal fear, instill fear in an assailant, and dump adrenaline in an effort to throw down aggressively...

Language is Language, some use different words to mean the same thing.

it really does work in real life, yet because we train in a controlled environment such as a dojo or gym it shocks people initially. Similar language will be used to intimidate us if we are confronted, accosted, or assaulted.

I agree, and Ihave used it myself, for control and to explain in detail to those what will happen to them, including when the police show, and ..., .

I refer to language exactly as I do pain, and we must learn to acclimate ourselves to the initial shock or surprise of impact, physical or audio. Some people who witness violence even in sports or accidents turn their heads/hide their eyes when a serious strike or incident occurs.

It is way of training. It adds a littel feel of the no school training.

Possibly we also need to acclimate ourselves to visual shock or surprise, it is that split second of being startled that we are the most susceptible to being controlled or dominated! Something to ponder anyway, of course as martial artists we are taught to seek a controlled state of being.

Being aware of your surroundings and also being able to react and also absorb teh adrenaline dump and project it into useful actions.

Without equally cultivating controlled rage we are just dancing through our martial arts movements, there is no fighting back without intent!

Hmmm, what is wrong with the Dance , except when the execution is a real bad guy.

On another note, Friday night was a smooth progression of how to establish a knife system from the ground up. Carry options, deployment strategies, evasive maneuvers, de-fanging the snake with interceptions to match variable speed issues such as perceptual speed, reactionary speed, initiation speed, based off the premise "action is quicker than re-action."

I enjoyed this session, it was fun workign with Chris during this session

Recognizing the threat, proper distancing according to the perceived threat, mobility, physical engagements leading to body shielding other assailants or potential threats. Additionally empty hand support strikes to offer deployment acquisition time, detour attack, seek distraction, or escape.

Good tactics to be able to address multiple opponents. I prefer the last two, myself, those pesky DA's and court cases.

The concepts were tied to JKD 5 methods of attack, Single Direct, Attack By Draw, Attack By Combination, Immobilization Attack, and Progressive Indirect Attack.

Not having trained in JKD, this presentation was new to me. Although I have seen similiar taught elsewhere.

Let’s touch on the anyo and how they relate to movement in general,,, Oh of course I went into a rant about the famous Bruce Lee saying “Form has no value,” which in reality is a convenient way of saying “I can’t figure anything out unless I am hitting it!” Bottom line everything we do is form oriented from a boxer’s jab-cross combination to walking down the street.

The truth of the matter in Bruce’s statement was “Form has no value to the individuals Bruce Lee was addressing, people bound by form with no clue to self expression”, simple as that. If you can break free from a structured format and flow, then the form allows analysis of movement and points of reference.

Form can surely be dead and lifeless, or alive and ever-changing in the energy integrated from structure to personal expression. For the critical anyo expert, “No I am not changing the foundation of the form, merely expressing variable intent while extracting or extending the connection to the techniques contained within Modern Arnis, as a complete art.

I like this approach and as I said to Datu Kelly at the seminar, the original tape series of GM Remy Presas, has Professor doing different techniques in the same locations of the form. Nice idea of not being static. I teach the forms in one manner that is consistent, and then the people are required to smooth it out, and then make it free flowing. Just different words, for the same out come. Language.

As Dan McConnell mentioned, we covered single stick, double stick with fulcrums, loads, and releases to accelerate the timing, speed, power generation impact, and rhythm or the techniques. Although this element was an expression of Sonny Umpad’s Visayan Corto Cadena Escrima the relationship was connected back to Modern Arnis.

This was an interesting look at strikes.

That being said, keep in mind, Sonny Umpad also trained directly under G.M. Anciong Bacon. Years ago Professor Presas intrigued by my training with Sonny correlated the connection of what I had absorbed from Sonny’s art to show the relativity to Modern Arnis. “Berry Good, and Berry Valid!” This link is also evident when applied to Tapi Tapi solo baston traps, locks, and multiple striking combinations.

The Strikes describe above I have not seen in the Balintawak from Manong Ted Buot via GM Anciong Bacon, so I believe them to be either his own from the other instructors he learned from to form his system.

Hummm,,, the Presas joint lock flow session was extremely well received and everyone seemed to adapt and enjoy the pain compliance variables shared.

Pain is good.

All in all I was very impressed with the skill and desire of all who attended the seminar! Dan McConnell is a great host with a very solid foundation to expand his interpretation of Modern Arnis in multiple directions. What a extremely nice martial arts school and well maintained facility.

I agree Dan was a great host, the fruit and water was very much appreciated, and the training hall was IMHO very nice.

It was nice sharing energy with Brian Johns, the Kuntao players from Michigan Matt Lamphere and Bill Bednarick. Meeting Rich Parsons and his training partner Chris, so many good people working hard for the betterment of the art, different systems all interacting with Modern Arnis as the connecting link, just as Professor Presas intended for the “Art Within Your Art!”

Respectfully, Kelly S. Worden

As to tying it all together, I do not think Datu Kelly is as ignorant as he claims sometimes nor puts on. I think this is part of his character, to get people down to training and to learn, not to worry about non beneficial actions.

 

[Rich Parsons]

All in all it was a good event, Datu Kelly Wow'ed the crowd with lots of information, and lots of concepts.

I have a few follow-up questions as well Datu Kelly, do you wish for them to be in this thread or a new thread(s)?

 

[Datu Kelly S. Worden]

Hey Guys thanks for the comments,

Looking forward to checking out the video footage as well. It's kinda nice watching the beginning and then breeze into the final session to see how the progression balanced out the material.

Referencing Rich's comment about Sonny's Corto Cadena Escrima fulcrum's, releases, and loads, I can see and understand as to why some of it was not evident or possibly traceable to Balintawak.

My exposure to Traditional Balintawak is limited at best, from what Professor shared from time to time and specifically clarified as such. Possibly the link or connection is not as specific as I credit as such.

Sonny Umpad, like Professor Presas evolved via many arts and truly does not consider his art pure to any one system, nor is mine. Referencing stick training, Sonny's Grandfather was his first teacher at an early age, he spoke of Kuntao from Cebu, his dancing, the largo art of Moro Moro, Serrada, Tabosa Kali and other influences.

I should pull out a audio interview I did with Sonny and Jesse Glover years ago in 1994 for the Full Contact Magazine and see what all was mentioned.

Also when Sonny moved to California he hooked up with the James Yimm Lee Gung Fu group in Oakland, all related students to Bruce Lee. Thus as I understand it he modified his stick art to embrace the foundational art of what Bruce Lee and James Yimm Lee was instructing referencing a non Classical approach to Wing Chun.

He also lived very close to Wally Jay and exchanged a great deal of information as well as receiving some insight into what Professor Presas was developing.

Getting back to the connection of whether the Fulcrum, release, and loads are contained in Balintawak I can't say, I hope Rich shows some of it to GM Ted Buot and get's his opinion.

From what Professor demonstrated to me after presenting the material to him was where it was contained in Modern Arnis, much from his left hand translations, or from single stick maneuvers that were there but not really emphasized.

I demonstrated some double tick variables like the center line blast and Professor dialed into a left single stick butting and then a right single stick butting. He then just put them together and said "See, it is right there!" I could not argue, but when I learned it , it was new to me as well. I can explain the fulcrum, release, and loads in the same manner,,, after his demonstration I could see the subtle variables and how he made the connections.

Now I would have to really say, I believe the accelerated releases and impact loads to be contained in Balintawak, and Rich has motivated me to seek out specifically where.

Hopefully others will provide their insight into this question and I will also do my best to contact Sonny for a little more depth in his explainations.... If 'dat don't work then my reply will be,,,,

Duhhhhh, I'm just a shak'er and a mov'er and I go 'witt 'da flow...

If Rich or others have some questions regarding the seminar, I'll do my best to respond with some form of information...

Datu Kelly

 

[Dan Anderson]

Dan Mc & Kelly,

I talked to Rich yesterday about the seminar and it sounds like you put on a heck of seminar. Congratulations.

Yours,
Dan Anderson

 

[Mao]

Dan A.,
Thanks.

As for the fulcrum influence and where it comes from, I find the value and effectiveness a bit more improtant than where it comes from. Don't mis understand, the history is very important, but I would still use fulcrums in the right circumstance even if I didn't know the history. It's kind of like firearms; one may not know who developed the first one, or where they came from but the tool is extremely effective none the less. Being able to cross reference or make the connection between the different systems and tie them into something cohesive is invaluable. People have been doing that effectively for years and it is worthwhile, just look at the material from Bruce Lee, Remy Presas, Sonny Umpad as mentioned by Kelly, Dan Inosanto and many others. One can easily see the value and effectiveness.
A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. Fulcrums by any other name are still effective.
Respectfully,
Dan McConnell

 

[Rich Parsons]

As for the fulcrum influence and where it comes from, I find the value and effectiveness a bit more improtant than where it comes from. Don't mis understand, the history is very important, but I would still use fulcrums in the right circumstance even if I didn't know the history. It's kind of like firearms; one may not know who developed the first one, or where they came from but the tool is extremely effective none the less. Being able to cross reference or make the connection between the different systems and tie them into something cohesive is invaluable. People have been doing that effectively for years and it is worthwhile, just look at the material from Bruce Lee, Remy Presas, Sonny Umpad as mentioned by Kelly, Dan Inosanto and many others. One can easily see the value and effectiveness.
A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. Fulcrums by any other name are still effective.
Respectfully,
Dan McConnell

Dan M,

I agree the techniques can be used and are worth while to learn. I was just adding in what little bit I knew from training in Balintawak. That information does nothing about the value of the technique, and gives Sunny the respect of showing where it came from. That is all I meant.

 

[Mao]

Rich,
No worries. My post was not pointed at anyone. Just adding 2 cents to the conversation.
xo,
Dan Mc

 

[Datu Kelly S. Worden]

Just wanted to touch on something Rich had mentioned referencing the JKD 5 methods of attack.

Having studied quite a few systems over the years I would agree that each one of the concepts are addressed across the board depending on what art you train in.

Yet credit should be acknowledged to Bruce Lee for bringing them into a format that embraces a universal availability of usage. I also believe that was the real intention of why Bruce Lee included the breakdown in his curriculum format, as multi-functional strategies most martial artists could relate to.

The same could be said about how technical speed was labeled to provide specific options of variable executions. We did address those elements as well and it is easy to see the wheels turning as practitioners draw relative connections during the training. Sometimes things that are naturally integrated into our training are rarely broken down into minute areas of development and these are the subtle concepts that offer refined development in each individuals distinction during actual fighting.

Perceptual speed, reactionary speed, initiation speed, physical speed, and other variables do make the difference and most of us take it for granted or don't isolate the singular concept to shave away hesitation, telegraphing, or other quirks in our movement.

Of course Filipino martial arts are so close to the original premises of what JKD was intended to offer, yet distinctions do exist without question.

I would hope the blending of all functional variable would become a natural progression for Modern Arnis practitioners no matter where the concepts were derived from, Professor Presas provided that connection to all he trained and rarely detracted from adding to each individuals technical balance.

I believe it was this element that opened his eyes to my system from the time we met and as the years went by, Professor became intrigued with the Non Classical Gung Fu of Jesse Glover, Sonny's Corto Cadena, Lucay Lucay's blend, Bustillo's material, Professor Trigg's evolution, the different Silat concepts I integrated to anyo and much more.

He always was looking for different arts to which Modern Arnis could be linked to or balanced by, the practitioner's balance...

Datu Kelly

 

[Andrew Evans]

Sheryl and I were at her high school reunion and if I mentioned which year, she'd probably kick my ... If it wasn't for that, we would have been there. I also would have liked my family to meet Brian Johns (great guy).

Anyway, I'm glad that those who never trained with Datu Kelly Worden before had a chance to experience his amazing skills. I am glad that his seminar was well-received. (I have trained with many excellent instructors and feel that Datu is one of the best martial arts instructors of our time.)

Thanks to Dan McConnell for bringing out an excellent instructor to the Midwest.

Take care,

Andrew from the Land of Oz