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Helio Gracie has passed on to the big tatami mat in the sky. The man who has been the driving force behind BJJ / Gracie Jiujitsu for as long as I can remember passed away today. His family spawned a revolution in the martial arts, and I offer my condolences to his family, students, friends and fans. Thank you for reintroducing us to the importance of the ground game, and rest in peace.
Every so often, there is the incredibly sad story regarding a martial arts instructor accused of molesting a student. Here’s another. Innocent or guilty, it’s a black eye for the industry. It affects us (kempo folk) directly as it is a USSD school. How do you handle the risks involved?
This story is probably the tip of an iceberg. What do you do to protect yourself and the kids you work with from situations like this?
Note: this is under discussion at Bullshido and Martialtalk.
I was contacted by a reader from Ireland, Jonny Figgis from Hard Target Self Defence Systems (yes, they mean to spell it that way) about some sources for Shaolin Kempo information. We had a great discussion regarding what to do with his material and what if anything he should add. From the sounds of his training, I encouraged him to keep on doing what he was already doing, and here’s why:
They train a limited syllabus (basically the shodan level give or take) and focus on applying it in realistic situations. I pointed to a few folks who he could look up, but really I don’t want to mess up what they are doing – I think they are on the right track. Do what you do well. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for these guys.
