Gyaku

Gyaku means reversal or counter. It can refer to the position of a hand, a reversal of fortune, or reversing positions. What I am thinking about today is the reversing of positions which is so critical in successful newaza. As you know – being able to move from...

An Interview with Shihan Jerry Kunzman – Part 2

How did you meet Duke Moore? After I had been training at the Taraval St. dojo for several months with Sensei Rich Leviton, one night in 1960 or 1961 an “older” gentleman (40 something) came in to the dojo.  Until then I had never met Hanshi Moore but it was apparent...

An Interview with Shihan Jerry Kunzman

Here is an interview with Prof. Jerry Kunzman – 9th Dan in Zenbudo-Ryu Jujitsu concerning how he started in Jujitsu. 1. What year did you begin training in Jujitsu? It must have been in 1960 because I started a new job in 1959 and remember discussing it with my...

Martial Arts Master

What does it mean to be a true Martial Arts Master?  We often have visions of a small Japanese master who lives high on a misty mountain. Only he has the real secrets of self defense.  He is a magical man, impervious to pain, and unbeatable in combat.  Though frail he...

Cult of Personality

Many dojos and systems come and go over the years.  A few stay a couple generations.  Only a handful stand the test of time.  One of the main reasons dojos or systems fail to stay intact over generations, is the same reason new companies, born from the brilliant...

Tenacity

If there is one thing I find guarantees a higher level of success at anything – it’s tenacity. Tenacity – that “stick with it”, “suck it up”, “make it happen”, “keep going” attitude that leads to...