warrior quest?
- Thread starter Enson
- Start date
Heh heh. I saw one of their videos not too long ago. Um, well, uhhhh, hmmmmm.
It was pretty poor, IMO. They were obviously into the flash for looking good. The head guy says he does film fighting also. This has obviously bled into whatever he is teaching. They take the whole ninja clan thing a wee bit too far.
My reccomendation is don't waste your time or money.
It was pretty poor, IMO. They were obviously into the flash for looking good. The head guy says he does film fighting also. This has obviously bled into whatever he is teaching. They take the whole ninja clan thing a wee bit too far.
My reccomendation is don't waste your time or money.
Clan, huh? Sounds like a cult. No thanks.
E
Elizium
Guest
Now take a look at the bottom of the page at the ninja armoury. Now is that drool or seriously ga-ga?
Dale Seago
Black Belt
shesulsa said:
Hey now, ain't nothin' wrong with clans!
Here's me, in a different sort of mode:
Cruentus
Grandmaster
heh.. pretty cool Dale!
I have been thinking about changing the name of my group to "Tulisan Eskrima Clann." My write ups aren't done yet, so I have a few weeks to decide.
Definition of Clan:
Main Entry: clan
Pronunciation: 'klan
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Scottish Gaelic clann offspring, clan, from Old Irish cland plant, offspring, from Latin planta plant
1 a : a Celtic group especially in the Scottish Highlands comprising a number of households whose heads claim descent from a common ancestor b : a group of people tracing descent from a common ancestor
2 : a group united by a common interest or common characteristics
"Cult":
Main Entry: cult
Pronunciation: 'k<
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate -- more at WHEEL
1 : formal religious veneration : WORSHIP
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
:asian:
I have been thinking about changing the name of my group to "Tulisan Eskrima Clann." My write ups aren't done yet, so I have a few weeks to decide.
Definition of Clan:
Main Entry: clan
Pronunciation: 'klan
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Scottish Gaelic clann offspring, clan, from Old Irish cland plant, offspring, from Latin planta plant
1 a : a Celtic group especially in the Scottish Highlands comprising a number of households whose heads claim descent from a common ancestor b : a group of people tracing descent from a common ancestor
2 : a group united by a common interest or common characteristics
"Cult":
Main Entry: cult
Pronunciation: 'k<
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate -- more at WHEEL
1 : formal religious veneration : WORSHIP
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
:asian:
Bujingodai
Black Belt
I know Mark Grove personally, and have trained with him.
I am not a part of warriorquest though. But I will stand by it.
You will find few schools with as much to offer as his. Mark would admit to being a bit cultish, thats just the image and the way they do it.
Excellent artists, machines actually.
Mark has a very developed system. Everyone is very capable and he has more resources than any school I have ever witnessed.
It's worth it just for the experience. I am going back in March for a summit of independent schools. Going to have a great time.
He is definatly flashy up front, but it catches the eye and by a marketing standpoint thats smart. I have met few people in this business with the same accumen for that.
As I had offered above the UNV board is there and Mark is a part of it.
I am not a part of warriorquest though. But I will stand by it.
You will find few schools with as much to offer as his. Mark would admit to being a bit cultish, thats just the image and the way they do it.
Excellent artists, machines actually.
Mark has a very developed system. Everyone is very capable and he has more resources than any school I have ever witnessed.
It's worth it just for the experience. I am going back in March for a summit of independent schools. Going to have a great time.
He is definatly flashy up front, but it catches the eye and by a marketing standpoint thats smart. I have met few people in this business with the same accumen for that.
As I had offered above the UNV board is there and Mark is a part of it.
Cruentus
Grandmaster
What's Groves background?
I couldn't find it on the site...
Yours,
Jubei
I couldn't find it on the site...
Yours,
Jubei
Cruentus
Grandmaster
Never mind...I did a search and that answered my question:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13527&highlight=Mark+Grove
Ummm...sweet...
Yours,
Haru
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13527&highlight=Mark+Grove
Ummm...sweet...
Yours,
Haru
E
Elizium
Guest
Hey Dale Wheres yer Dirk? Yae cannae be going aboot withoot yer Dirk in ter feet warmers? (A dirk is a knife BTW)Dale Seago said:Hey now, ain't nothin' wrong with clans!
Here's me, in a different sort of mode:
E
Elizium
Guest
Nice pic Dale. What tartan is the colors for?
antihero.zero
White Belt
Jesus Mary n' Joseph, that was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Watch the videos. Everyone should watch those videos. And is the instructor going for a X-Men/Wolverine look in those photos?
WQI Yama Kuma
White Belt
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I trained with Mr. Grove (hence the unfortunate "WQI" in my user name) for nearly eight years and then with one of his top students for a ninth. It was about that time that I decided I was tired of playing "ninja" and I wanted something a little more grown up than the fantasy that they offer.
On a base level many of the techniques they teach are sound, but they are also missing subtle points and insights that I observed later at some of the other dojos in the Denver area. The one skills that I am glad I learned there were his falling techniques--they are more of a stunt variety than a martial arts variety, but they have actually save me a couple of times.
If anyone has any questions about Grove or his systems, feel free to send me a private message. I will answer any questions I can about his styles lineage, techniques, and the very cult like atmosphere that surrounds the school.
On a base level many of the techniques they teach are sound, but they are also missing subtle points and insights that I observed later at some of the other dojos in the Denver area. The one skills that I am glad I learned there were his falling techniques--they are more of a stunt variety than a martial arts variety, but they have actually save me a couple of times.
If anyone has any questions about Grove or his systems, feel free to send me a private message. I will answer any questions I can about his styles lineage, techniques, and the very cult like atmosphere that surrounds the school.
Would you mind expanding on some of that openly? For example, what sort of history does he give for his material? What sort of things does he teach? And, especially, what's this about a cult-like atmosphere?
WQI Yama Kuma
White Belt
- Joined
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As for his lineage, it's never discussed at the school and questions about are deflected and not answered. I have been to Grove's house and he openly displays photos of him with Anshu Hayes and Soke, but now I realize that those could have been from nearly any event. I also have three of the training manuals he gave to students, as well as a two others that were before I started training with the group. Each manual has a slightly different history of how the art was founded. Since I am currently at my office, I do not have access to them, but if can summarize it later tonight or tomorrow.
Another comment that should be pointed out is that when I first started the school had divisions to the students. The guys in white gis were "samurai" and the black gis were "ninja." The "samurai" guys learned mainly swordwork, while the "ninjas" learned primarily unarmed. Later a third division, "kunoichi", was added and they dressed in blue gis. About two years before I left everyone was sort of stuffed back into the "ninja" group and the multi-colored gis went away.
The style is best described as eclectic. There are the standard joint locks (Omote Gyaku, etc) that I learned again at the Budo Taijutsu school I was at for a while, as well as throws and strikes. The strikes, especially the kicks, are more similar to what I have seen in a karate or Tae Kwo Do school. Everything in the unarmed section of the syllabus is aligned along elemental paths--Earth was strength/stability, Water was mobility, Fire was aggression, Wind was evasion, and Void represented adaptability. From a movement point, Earth stood still, Water moved to the 45 degree angles, Fire moved forward, and Wind spun around in a circle.
The school is also heavy into acrobatics and weapons, most likely because of Grove's movie background. He teaches what he calls four basic weapons, which are hanbo, kusarifundo, throwing spikes, and tanto. Everyone also learns a sword "style" which are based on the type of sword you are using. The three swords he really teaches are katana (and also twin katana), shinobigatana (a straight sword with a longer handle, I have a bokken of one if pictures are needed), and something called a "koshigatana", which always reminded me of twin wakizashis. In addition to those weapons he also throws in a mix of staff, chain, kusari-gama, and just about anything else that looks cool.
There is also a heavy focus on acrobatics. I never liked acrobatics, but when I was training heavily with Grove I could do handsprings off of obstacles and developed about an eight foot long jump.
Here are just some of the cult like aspects of the school:
Grove is very gifted at what he does--it's not ninpo, but he's good at what he has created. He is also very charismatic, so he is able to attract a semi-solid student base. It's just unless someone really enjoys thinking of themselves as a "ninja" (a friend who also trained there referred to Grove's school as LARPing) the school, and it's culture, grows stale after a while.
Another comment that should be pointed out is that when I first started the school had divisions to the students. The guys in white gis were "samurai" and the black gis were "ninja." The "samurai" guys learned mainly swordwork, while the "ninjas" learned primarily unarmed. Later a third division, "kunoichi", was added and they dressed in blue gis. About two years before I left everyone was sort of stuffed back into the "ninja" group and the multi-colored gis went away.
The style is best described as eclectic. There are the standard joint locks (Omote Gyaku, etc) that I learned again at the Budo Taijutsu school I was at for a while, as well as throws and strikes. The strikes, especially the kicks, are more similar to what I have seen in a karate or Tae Kwo Do school. Everything in the unarmed section of the syllabus is aligned along elemental paths--Earth was strength/stability, Water was mobility, Fire was aggression, Wind was evasion, and Void represented adaptability. From a movement point, Earth stood still, Water moved to the 45 degree angles, Fire moved forward, and Wind spun around in a circle.
The school is also heavy into acrobatics and weapons, most likely because of Grove's movie background. He teaches what he calls four basic weapons, which are hanbo, kusarifundo, throwing spikes, and tanto. Everyone also learns a sword "style" which are based on the type of sword you are using. The three swords he really teaches are katana (and also twin katana), shinobigatana (a straight sword with a longer handle, I have a bokken of one if pictures are needed), and something called a "koshigatana", which always reminded me of twin wakizashis. In addition to those weapons he also throws in a mix of staff, chain, kusari-gama, and just about anything else that looks cool.
There is also a heavy focus on acrobatics. I never liked acrobatics, but when I was training heavily with Grove I could do handsprings off of obstacles and developed about an eight foot long jump.
Here are just some of the cult like aspects of the school:
- Around brown belt (I think it's a blue belt now) everyone in the school is given a bugo (warrrior name). It is supposed to represent your fighting spirit or something. Along with receiving the name it is expected of you that you are going to get a tattoo of your bugo on your right forearm. I didn't ever get the tattoo because I never bought in, but I know dozens of people in the Denver and Portland, OR areas who have giant animal/dragon tattoos on their forearms with the crest Grove made up.
- Most of the student's don't refer to the school as a school They call it the "Clan" and are interested in doing things for the "Clan."
- The school is really heavy into titles. Grove refers to himself as "the Jonin" and the student who has been with him the longest has been given the title "Kenshi." Other titles he has handed out include multiple "Chunins" and one student was given the title of "Taisho." No one refers to Grove by name, everyone at the school calls him "Jonin." People who have left the school still do it as well.
Grove is very gifted at what he does--it's not ninpo, but he's good at what he has created. He is also very charismatic, so he is able to attract a semi-solid student base. It's just unless someone really enjoys thinking of themselves as a "ninja" (a friend who also trained there referred to Grove's school as LARPing) the school, and it's culture, grows stale after a while.
SageGhost83
Brown Belt
Wow! I guess it is possible to train and become Hollywood's version of the shinobi. Now, I am not the type who bashes what someone else is doing just because it isn't connected with the Booj. I respect the man's establishment and what he has managed to do with it. Plus, it fills a niche - the hollywood ninja segment of society. I still wouldn't call it official ninjutsu, though. Perhaps Ninjutsu-inspired would fit it much better. More power to him, I guess.
Obi Wan Shinobi
Green Belt
If I wanted training in Hollywood's version of the Shinobi then I'd want Sho Kosugi as my teacher....
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