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Interview 2
This is part 2 of 5
COMBAT Russell, you make a big thing about PP’s being the
last 5% of what you do, yet they are what you are known for. How
do you correlate these two seemingly opposing views
RS You mean being well known for the last 5% of what should be
taught?
COMBAT Yes, indeed
RS Well Paul, this answer is going to upset an awful lot of
people. Yes, I am known for teaching the last 5% or more
accurately I am well known for teaching Pressure Points. The
thing is though Paul, PP’s are EXTREMELY important in our MA
knowledge. The main problem being that people simply do not
understand “how” to make them work.
To make them work to their fullest potential requires correct MA
skill. So, if you can’t make them work, you do not have correct
MA Skill.
COMBAT But, some well known MA’s say they do not work
RS I told you this would upset a lot of people Paul. To be
blunt, they do not possess correct MA skill. They may well be
superb fighters. They may well be champions. They may well have
bags of natural athleticism, talent, speed, co-ordination and
power. But for some reason, they can’t make points work. The
answer, is that they have achieved what they have achieved, in
spite of what they are doing, not because of it.
Lat me use the analogy of a Boxer who has K.O power in every
punch. He blasts through his opponents with ease. Then one day,
someone decides to take the fight to him, someone decides that
although he appears unbeatable, he is not. When this awesome
puncher has to learn how to defend, he can’t, because he has
spent all his time K.O’ing everyone. When this Fighter has to
learn how to fight off the ropes or out of a corner or on his
back foot, he can’t, because he has never had to.
In other words, he does not possess the correct skills. He may
never get found out. Or, like Mike Tyson, once he does get found
out, it is too late to fix the problem.
Speed, power and determination will overcome many obstacles.
But, one day, you may well need your skills.
COMBAT So, you are saying these people can’t learn PP’s
RS Not at all. Of course they can learn them. They will need to
make some very subtle yet distinct changes to their delivery
system. It will have the added bonus of improving what they are
doing as well.
COMBAT Are you saying you can improve people as a MA and teach
them PP’s
RS No. I am saying I HAVE to improve them as a MA, BEFORE they
can learn PP’s properly. Let me qualify this, by saying, that
this does not necessarily apply to all Martial Artists. Several
that I met and trained with on my UK Tour, people like John
Andrews, his asst Jay, student Ken, Tony Bailey etc, picked up
how to use PP’s in minutes. This was due to their own MA ability
being so good in the first place. Once they had been shown some
more Players, they were able to utilise those principles
immediately into everything that they do. Thereby increasing
their own ability and at the same time learning how to make PP’s
work! I do not like to separate them from MA. They are a part
and parcel of what we do.
COMBAT So, what is wrong with this delivery system that you
mention
RS This is a broad general statement. If it does not apply then
you should not take offence. If it does apply, then take
offence. But do something about it, other than write in telling
me how annoying I am. Change what you are doing.
Most MA’s utilise completely unnatural movement in everything
they do. This movement is trained through 1000’s of reps to
become your normal method of movement. It never becomes natural,
only normal. This is why, in Karate for example, you never see
any of the so called “blocks” in Kumite. Because, when you have
a punch coming at you, you instinctively do the natural thing,
which is move away and lift your hand/s up to protect yourself.
You can’t do the “normal” thing which is to use one of your 1000
repetition “blocks”.
What I teach, is to make that natural movement, your normal
movement also. In other words, what you train in the basics, is
what you would actually use in the ring / street.
COMBAT But some people can use these movements and have become
champions
RS Yes. I agree. Amazing examples of success through adversity.
Think how good they would have been if they had been able to use
a more natural movement? I would venture to guess they would
have been at least 50% better than they were.
Most MA’s who come to train with me, improve tremendously. They
also improve tremendously within a very short time frame. Don’t
take my word for it, get onto my website, look at the list of
coaches and ask any of them. Ask them if they keep improving.
Ask them if they keep learning.
COMBAT I have heard you mention Balance Points. Are these
special PP’s?
RS No. They are points or rather areas of the body, that control
the bodys balance. It was only a few years ago, that again I
realised nobody knew what I meant, when I mentioned balance
points of the Body. I assumed everyone knew them. In fact I had
many a heated discussion with my Rep for the USA, Michael Davis,
former DSI Instructor, about this same subject. Michael, then
came to Cyprus earlier this year to train at our Feb Convention.
This is what he had to say:
“The next topic that I have to deal with is balance points. My
God! So utterly simple it is totally profound! Really, I was
just dumbstruck (or should I say gobsmacked) at the entire
concept. In a matter of just a few minutes, my entire thought
process with regards to my Taijiquan push hands was completely
changed...if you think I am embellishing this at all, just ask
Russell or Pete. I just could not believe how something that
simple was put to work and felt totally stupid as I had never
picked up on it. And, as what you might be noticing by now is a
bit of a trend in this message, no one over here is using that
information and I know that they have been exposed to it. Don't
ask me to explain it, I just know that it is so.”
It was the same with Body Alarm Reaction or BAR.
COMBAT Please explain further
RS Again, I assumed that most everyone understood this concept.
Again, this was a subject that could be made very simple and
effective in minutes.
A quote from Michael Davis again:
Next comes the topic of BAR or Body Alarm Reaction. As was the
case with the wave, I have had several folks trying to tell me
about "putting BAR into someone" via email. And again, that
forum did not lend itself to describing it very well. I can
assure you that after donning some headgear and letting Russell
having a go with it, I know exactly what he means and what it
feels like to have BAR put into you. Of that, there is no longer
any doubt! Nowadays, you hear about lots of groups and
individuals talking about BAR and putting out products on BAR.
Man, are they only getting parts of it right.
So far, as far as I am concerned, they are only scratching the
surface on the topic as they are only dealing with effect that
it has on you in a fight and NOT how to turn the tables on the
attacker concerning BAR. The idea of "putting BAR into the
attacker" as Russell and the OCI lot have developed is light
years beyond that and is a total fight stopper when applied
correctly. I have first hand experience on that and would dare
anyone to argue the point. And I again have to point out that
this has been shown to folks over here on this side of the pond.
While I have no idea as to why Russell and group were told not
to teach it, I can assure you that no one here is doing it that
way. Why, I cannot say, maybe it might be seen as "too violent"
for the seminar circuit. I don't know. But I do know first hand
that it is d**ned effective and should be taught as the OCI is
doing.
COMBAT Why does he mention not allowed to teach it
RS Well, when I showed BAR to my Instructors at the time, I was
told to never show it to anyone or to teach it to anyone. This
was a subject close to my Heart and to Eddie Stokes. I must say
here and now, that Eddie did ALL the real World pressure testing
at the time. Along with his Door crew. I only pressure tested in
the Dojo. Apart from one or two instances.
Since I have been over here, I have had the chance to pressure
test BAR quite a few times.
One of my coaches, Haydn Mann, was attacked in a Car Park last
Xmas. His only prior training in BAR was via my tape. He BAR’d
the attacker and then put his jaw in wire for 6 months. It was
all caught on CCTV and Haydn used reasonable force and acted
purely in self defence.
COMBAT I must press you on this not allowed to teach
RS I will not go into detail on this Paul. Suffice to say, it
has always been my intention to give out as much information as
possible. Never to hide anything, and to create students who are
much better than I am. If I am told to hold back information,
then I can’t fulfil my obligation to those that I teach. I do
not want to say anymore on this subject.
COMBAT OK. I will leave that alone for now. Michael mentioned
the wave. I know what this is, can you expand further please.
RS Sure thing Paul. Firstly, this is nothing like this Sine Wave
thing that appears to be spreading through the TKD World and
filtering through all over the place. This is back to natural
movement. This is NOT doing the same reverse punch as you have
always done, but sinking your weight a la sine wave.
The waveform is a method of natural movement, by which you will
generate at least double the power you have now, with half the
effort. The waveform is not just for striking, it a method of
movement and therefore should be utilised in EVERY single
movement you make.
Another quote from Michael Davis – Former DSI Instructor
"For those that don't know, I first met Russell about 10 or so
years ago when he was attending one of the DSI national
conventions in Phoenix, AZ. At that time, Russell was thinking
about joining up with the DSI for training and Rick Moneymaker
put the two of us together to make sure we worked on everything
together.
Since that time, we have kept in touch with one another via
phone and email. I say this because Russell knows who I have
trained with over the years and knows that I am not easily
impressed. With that being said, I can honestly say that I was
totally blown away with what was shown to me and demonstrated on
me in both the UK and Cyprus. As a result, I have really had to
re-evaluate where I was in the martial arts and what I thought I
could do. It was, truly, an eye opening experience for me.
For quite some time now, folks have been trying to explain to me
how it is that they do the wave form punch via email. Obviously,
that forum does not lend itself to that type of explanation very
well. However, being there first hand and having Pete deliver
several to me through about 4" of etherfoam was enlightening
beyond words! I have to say, honestly, that Pete has one of the
hardest punches I have ever been on the receiving end of. That
includes everyone that I am training with and everyone that I
have trained with. And when I say everyone, that does mean
EVERYONE! And the sad part is that Pete never got to about 100%
power. Once he got to about 60% or 70%, that was about all that
I could take.
And while on the topic of waves, I would be remiss if I did not
mention Russell's elbow. My God! Talk about being able to
generate power and pain through the wave! I don't think Russell
got close to 100% power through the etherfoam, but at any
rate...it was the most powerful that I have ever felt...from
anyone in any organization...no matter what they have to say
about the wave.
Last comment on the wave is this...I have never seen it done the
way that it was shown to me in the UK/Cyprus. By anyone. I know
that there are those on this side of the pond that have seen it
broken down this way, but rest assured that no one here is doing
it that way or are they capable of generating the kind of power
that I have seen. Again, when I say "no one", I mean exactly
that. Read between the lines all you like...I mean NO ONE. And I
should also include that after I saw what I did and felt what I
did, I completely dropped any idea I had on teaching on the wave
right them and there. On this topic, I am the beginner and it is
back to these newly learned basics for me! No ego involved there
at all. I could not touch what was being shown to me on this
topic at all and I thank all of those who were willing to get me
on the road to "doing it right".
The Pete that Michael refers to is Peter Holmes. Peter is
devastating. On my waveforms video, Peter punched straight
through one of those ethafoam pads. This year alone he has
punched through another 6! If any of the readers have ever used
ethafoam, they will know just how much punishment those pads can
take. They don’t last 5 minutes with Peter!
COMBAT So, it’s just hitting hard then?
RS Stop grinning Paul. You know that ain’t the whole story. We utilise the strikes as a way of easily demonstrating the power
difference between the wave type motion and the more usual
motion that is employed. You apply this wave motion to
everything that you do, in order to make that move more
effective, with less effort. This has been demonstrated many
times on video and at seminars. Unfortunately it has also been
utilised many times on the door.
COMBAT That’s all we have time for at the moment Russell. Can we
chat more later.
RS Look forward to it Paul and thanks again for your time.
.
Russell
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