Looking for old Chuck Norris black belts...

[FrontKick-Jab-Punch]

I took TSD as a kid in the 1980s, and am wondering how many of you come from the same era/style. For all I know, we were in classes together! Does anyone remember Rick Prieto, Bob Baumann, or Darryl Coombs? Mr. Coombs has passed away, sadly, and I haven't heard anything about Mr. Baumann for 20 odd years now, but I know Mr. Prieto teaches in Texas for Mr. Norris. Hm... other instructors included Dean Minnerly, Jerry Trimble, and... er... Gershon or some such? Maybe I'm remembering it wrong. I was a little kid, you know. Any memories from that time period? For me, it was a golden age in martial arts - not enough studios around to be so customer-oriented, not mainstream enough to be cliched... our instructors used to knock on our shins with a bamboo stick if our stances weren't strong enough - can you imagine an instructor getting away with that today? I'm not saying it was good necessarily! Just that times sure have changed. ; )

FKJP

 

[nipc44]

Hey FKJP,

I was also a kid during that time frame and was taught by Rick Prieto and Jerry Trimble in Studio City. I don't recall someone named Gershon but I do remember a Mr. Johnson (don't recall his first name). I never got bamboo to the shins but I did get swept a few times when my stance was not perfect and my toes cranked if they weren't pointing the right way when holding out a kick. No mats back then so the sweeps and knuckle pushups were interesting.

 

[Hapa]

I took TSD as a kid in the 1980s, and am wondering how many of you come from the same era/style. For all I know, we were in classes together! Does anyone remember Rick Prieto, Bob Baumann, or Darryl Coombs? Mr. Coombs has passed away, sadly, and I haven't heard anything about Mr. Baumann for 20 odd years now, but I know Mr. Prieto teaches in Texas for Mr. Norris. Hm... other instructors included Dean Minnerly, Jerry Trimble, and... er... Gershon or some such? Maybe I'm remembering it wrong. I was a little kid, you know. Any memories from that time period? For me, it was a golden age in martial arts - not enough studios around to be so customer-oriented, not mainstream enough to be cliched... our instructors used to knock on our shins with a bamboo stick if our stances weren't strong enough - can you imagine an instructor getting away with that today? I'm not saying it was good necessarily! Just that times sure have changed. ; )

FKJP

Sensei Minnerly was my instructor based in Studio City. We participated in a tournament at Encino and Sensei Prieto was there. I have some photos of it.