Greetings to all,
I want to thank John for arranging this seminar weekend for us all to get together and train
Here is a brief understanding of who I am and what I teach:
I began training in 1972, at the age of 13, in an Okinawan system called Isshinryu Karate under the instruction of Sensei Bill Pouge in Royal Oak, Michigan. Isshinryu karate is a unique system, as its Founder and Soke, Tatsuo Shimabuku, chose to use only black belt level kata in his system, unlike Tang Soo Do and other like-systems that incorporate basic level kata and build up to more advanced techniques. In the Isshinryu Karate system, you are taught Bunkai right from the beginning, with every technique and in every kata.
In 1974 I began training in Shotokan under Sensei James V. Morrone, and was given an even deeper understanding of Bunkai. Sensei Morrone proved over the years you be among the greatest teachers in the martial arts. His level of understanding back in the 1970s, as a Nidan (2nd Dan) was greater then any 7th or 8th Dans that I have met in present years. Unfortunately, Sensei Morrone passed away last March. We reconnected in 1996 and shared a great friendship and continued to cross-train with one another, sharing principles and concept of our kata. He was a great man
I began training in Tang Soo Do in 1975 as a result of becoming friends with Bruce Silver (my training partner for the last 31 years). Bruce was training in Tang Soo Do under Master Harvey Schwartz at the Jewish Community Center in Detroit, Michigan. We all became close friends and established a serious training schedule. Master Schwartz had come up the ranks under the KI (Karate Institute), headed by Maser David J. Praim and Master David Prue. These gentlemen were responsible for establishing the largest Tang Soo Do School in Michigan, and produced the #1 full contact team in the USA.
The one thing missing in our Tang Soo Do training was Bunkai. Since I was raised on Bunkai in both Isshinryu and Shotokan, I was amazed to find that the Tang Soo Do that I was learning was devoid of any understanding of Bunkai. I began teaching Bunkai to my instructors.
As I continued to move up the ranks in Tang Soo Do I continued to cross-train in other systems, and maintained contact with my other instructors.
I became a member of the U.S. Tang Soo Do Federation, and a student to Grandmaster C.I. Kim in 1983. Under Grandmaster Kim my technique became stronger, as he proved to be the very best of the best in Tang Soo Do, period. With a reputation for being the best practitioner that the Moo Duk Kwan ever turned out, I learned first hand how he earned that reputation. I am still, and will always be his loyal student
In 1998 I was introduced to Kaiden-Shihan Garner Train, from Clio, Michigan. Kaiden-Shihan Train is a senior ranking master in three different systems of martial arts:
1) Hakko-Ryu Ju Jutsu.................. Kaiden-Shihan (Highest rank attainable. Only 10 in the world)
2) Motobu-Ha S h i t o Ryu........... 5th Degree Black Belt
3) Wing Chun Gung Fu.................. Senior Sifu (Under Ip Ching/Ip Mans second son)
I have studied all of these systems under Kaiden-Shihan Train. I have attained Shodan in Hakko-Ryu Ju Jutsu, but no official ranking in Motobu-Ha S h i t o Ryu or Wing Chun.
Training with Kaiden-Shihan Train has been a truly awesome experience, as his training has been directly from the source in each system. When looking at the Hyung/Kata that we perform in Tang Soo Do, it is crucial to understand there origin and the thought process that was present in their inception. Since he trained directly under Shogo Kuniba, whos father was Kokuba, who was the senior student to Choki Motobu, the lineage was so tight, that we received the techniques in the same fashion that they had been passed down from Itosu to Motobu. It doesnt get better then this
In training with the different systems that are comprised of the same Hyung/Kata, it is important to understand the vision each Grandmaster brought to the table as he devised HIS system. What I teach is a culmination of these systems and the principles that have been passed down as a result.
One weekend of seminars is enough time to get started in understanding what I have to teach. If you like what you receive at this seminar we will set up future seminars to take it further. The Friday evening session will be focused on the basics, as I teach them. Some people may think that going over Basics will be a waste of their time, but I assure you that if we dont take that time to establish an understanding of how I execute the basics, the rest will be useless
I am looking forward to this, and many other seminar weekends to follow!!!
Yours in Tang Soo Do,
Master Jay S. Penfil
TANG SOO!!!
