Bac Fu Do Kung Fu. Since 1969. Back in the day it was written Pai Hu Tao. Both ways it means White Tiger Kung Fu. And it means David Crook. David Crook introduced me to martial arts and, in particular, Kung Fu, in 1977. I did not spend more than eighteen months with him, but…
Category: Personal
Video – a Basic Armbar from Guard
I commented (favourably!) on a video by James O’Connor who runs the “Free Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Skills And Drills” Facebook Group. His video was about the Armbar from Guard (I can only use the link, WordPress seemingly won’t allow the embed). https://www.facebook.com/james.oconnor.9081/videos/3362927973732799/?fref=nf James asked about the sequence I use to teach the armbar. I made this…
Short Jiu Jitsu Demonstration
Each black belt at Lange’s MMA was asked to perform a short technique demonstration. Mine was low ankle shoot, to leg drag, to cross ashi garami, to Texas Cloverleaf. Uke is Joel Glassman. Video by Will Spillane of Jack Rabbit Studios. Andrew Nerlich presents; The Lange’s MMA Black Belt Series. Thanks Jedi, and Joel Glassman…
My Interview on the Higher Jiu Jitsu Stories Podcast
Brad Hampson of Higher Jiu Jitsu kindly invited me to sit down with him for a podcast interview. I have spent over forty years in martial arts, and had a few stories to tell. We talked for more than three hours. The first podcast discusses my introduction to martial arts and Kung Fu, with Sifu…
Into an Alternate Universe with Rex King^
I first met the man I will call Rex King^ in, probably, 1979. He had a high profile in Kung Fu circles in Sydney back then. He had definite skills – plus a stocky, muscular physique with very powerful kicks. Great hair. I saw him break untreated weathered house bricks, taken from a nearby building…
True Story #15 – the Dragon Pole
I practice Wing Chun Kung Fu under the tutelage of Sifu Rick Spain. Wing Chun is a pretty minimalist Kung Fu system. Its standard curriculum consists of three empty hand forms, then a set of techniques to be practised on a specialised wooden dummy, though they can also be done without it – “Air Dummy”,…
Wing Chun Forms
These videos are of myself performing Wing Chun forms – which are solo movement patterns, analogous to kata in Japanese systems. These forms are from the Traditional Wing Chun system of William Cheung. My instructor, Rick Spain, teaches them with modified stances and extra footwork from those normally taught in a Traditional Wing Chun school,…
It Seems to be Working Part 3 – Media Adventures
Media Interest. Really? I was involved in a serious road rage incident on May 11, 2018. Described in It Seems to be Working – Part 2. Senior Constable F had asked me for my thoughts about possible media attention. I told her that I wasn’t opposed to the idea, if some good were to come…
It Seems to be Working – Part 2 – Road Rage
What follows is long, detailed, and no doubt boring. I wrote it this way intentionally to give the reader a feel of how tedious and disruptive the aftermath of a fifteen second violent confrontation can be. The Event On Friday, May 11, 2018 a bit after 1 PM, I was driving north along Forest Way…
It seems to be working – Part I – Health
I went to my GP a few weeks back for my annual checkup. I’ve gone once a year since I turned fifty. I am now sixty-three. He asked me if I had any problems eating, sleeping, going to the toilet, etc. No. I take no prescribed medication. I am in good shape for my age,…