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Martial Arts Life, Business & Tournament News Quarterly

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SPRING 2007

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MELODY SHUMAN ON SPARRING DRILLSTHE GRANDMASTERS COME TO TIGER CLAW

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Available April 2007The 2006 Tiger Claw Elite Grand Champions

On Saturday, October 21, 2006, Maryland Governor Bob Erlich recognized Grandmaster Dennis Brown and the Dennis Brown Shaolin Wu-Shu Training Center After School Program for their ‘outstanding service” to the community at an open house for the Governor’s new headquarters in Price George’s County, Maryland.

During the event, Governor Ehrlich introduced Grandmaster Brown, students, and instructors of the Training Center to a room full of guests. When recognizing the Training Center, Governor Ehrlich expressed his “deepest appreciation” for Dennis Brown’s many years of service to Maryland youth. He cited the quality of the Training Center’s Kung Fu program and Grandmaster Brown’s “ongoing dedication to providing an exceptional opportunity for our children to develop discipline, character, leadership skills, and enhance their academic achievement and fitness through the martial arts” as reasons for his decision to honor the school and its teacher.

Immediately following the recognition, more than 50 Training Center students, ages 5 to 16, participated in a 15-minute Kung Fu demonstration led by Sifu Sibasiben for the Governor and his guests. Governor Ehrlich responded with a pledge to continue his efforts to make more after school programs available to Maryland youth. Governor Ehrlich was not re-elected in the November elections.

The Dennis Brown Shaolin Wu-Shu Training Center was founded in 1978 by Grandmaster Dennis Brown, an expert in Wu-Shu fighting skills, weapons, forms, and Tai Chi. Grandmaster Brown has been involved in martial arts for more than 40 years. He was one of the first Americans to travel to Mainland China to train and be certified at the Jiangsu Sports Center in Nanjing, China. The Chinese Embassy in Washinton, D.C. recognized Grandmaster Brown as the Official Consultant of Wu-Shu for the People’s Republic of China.

In 2000, Black Belt Magazine listed Grandmaster Brown as one of the “25 Most Influential Martial Artists of the 20th Century.” Grandmaster Brown serves as president of the Training Center, sits on several boards, and is a regular guest speaker at national events, local schools, and organizations. He is a native of the Greater Washington, D.C. area. Grandmaster Brown also hosts the prestigious U.S. Capitol Classics, which is a NASKA 5A rated tournament and a Tiger Claw Elite Championship Qualifier.

For more information on the Dennis Brown Shaolin Wu-Shu Training Center and its after school program, please visit DennisBrownShaolin.com. The Training Center presently has location in Largo, Silver Springs, and Rockville, Maryland.

GM Dennis Brown Receives Special Recognition From State Of Maryland

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NINJA KENJUTSU DVDsby Grand Master Harunaka HoshinoPart I: History of Ninja: Warrior’s fighting skills, step-by-step instructions on sword grips, stances, basic positions (kamae) & foot work. (35 min.) DVD-HH001Part II: Special Ninja training exercises & body conditioning: Advanced offensive & defensive striking & blocking skills. Special skills performed when confronting enemies. (35min.) DVD-HH002 Both disks: DVD-HH010Ninja Shuriken: Shuriken throwing stars, history, definitions, battlefield techniques, and shuriken shapes. Includes throwing multiple shuriken; partner Ninja throws, moving targets, live targets, combinations with blow-gun dart. (25 min) DVD-HH003Tanto-Jutsu: Brief history of Tanto (Japanese dagger) making, warrior uses, and different types. Instruction on Junan-taiso (flexibility exercises), Ashi-hakobi (footwork), Kamae (fighting positions), Mato-ate (target practice), Ko-bo (offensive vs. defensive skills), Randori (free sparring) & Katana Teire and Kantei (blade preservation and appraisal.) (37 min.) DVD-HH004

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Collaborating with Hearth, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides shelter and services for the community’s elderly homeless, karate students from Boston’s Emerald Necklace Budo Martial Arts (http://www.karateinboston.com/) are volunteering to renovate a housing unit in the city’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Working side-by-side with other volunteers from across the city, the karate students hope to see the project—which involves light demolition, painting, and cleaning—complete by mid-December.

“Truly, we could not have made this a reality without the help of these volunteers,” said Jennifer Bonardi, Associate Director of Grants and Volunteer Manager at Hearth, Inc. (http://www.hearth-home.org/). “Thanks to them, 14 elders will be coming off of the streets of Boston and into a home for good this winter.”

The students at Emerald Necklace Budo Martial Arts regularly participate in community service activities as part of their Black Belt training. In order to earn their Brown Belts, students at the school are required to conceive, plan, and lead their own community service project.

Coordinating the Hearth service project for the dojo was the idea of Brown Belt candidate Joe Polcari. “I have a special

place in my heart for the elderly,” Polcari says. “In America, they are often overlooked. Like most of us, I sometimes take my situation for granted, and I can’t imagine what it’s like to feel the pain of old age without a roof over my head.”

“In addition to teaching the physical aspects of karate at our school, we heavily emphasize developing character and fostering a sense of community,” says Jason Gould, Dojo Director and Chief Instructor. “During this project, we’re helping to build community in a very literal sense, and it’s a fantastic feeling knowing that our efforts here will have a direct and significant impact on people’s lives.”

Other community service projects recently launched by Brown Belt candidates at Emerald Necklace Budo Martial Arts include developing a free self-defense program for women, organizing a day of service at an urban food pantry, and collecting toys for needy children during the holiday season.

For information on which community organizations could most benefit from your school’s involvement, contact your local chapter of United Way (www.unitedway.org) or visit the Corporation for National and Community Service (www.nationalservice.org/about/role_impact/state_profiles.asp).

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FEBRUARY 2007 EVENTSAMAPA Delta Smackdown, February 3, Brentwood, CA

CKA Season Opener, February 10, Denver, CO

G.S.K.A. Sacramento Challenge, February 10, Sacramento, CA

American Open, February 24, Livermore, CA

MARCH 2007 EVENTSBASKA Rising Sun National, March 3, San Francisco, CA

Salt City Internationals, March 9-10, Salt Lake City, UT

G.S.K.A. March Open, March 10, Manteca, CA

Lone Wolf 2007 Karate Open, March 17, Albany, CA

The Manteca Meltdown, March 24, Manteca, CA

Santa Cruz Open, March 24, Watsonville, CA

APRIL 2007 EVENTSBASKA Ultimate Slam, April 7, El Sobrante, CA

G.S.K.A. Capitol Challenge, April 14, Sacramento, CA

Golden Gate Internationals, April 21-23, San Francisco, CA

MAY 2007 EVENTSG.S.K.A. Valley Earthquake Challenge, May 12, Modesto, CA

R.A.G.E., May 19, Denver, CO Bay Area Challenge, May 25 - 26, Solaro, CA

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TIGERCLAW’S

Dynamic Sparring Drills by Melody Shuman

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The following drills are some of my favorite Tae Kwon Do based sparring drills. If your school is not primarily a Tae Kwon Do school, you can offer a special Tae Kwon Do class or seminar over the summer as a special event, or adjust it to fit your style.

Drill 1: Bag Tag

Skill(s) enhanced: Speed

Recommended equipment: sparring gear

Recommended ages and levels: seven and eight-year olds advanced, nine to twelve-year olds intermediate and above, and adults intermediate and above

General description: Two students at a time will compete against each other to see who can execute the following combinations first.

Combinations:1. From right sparring stance (right leg in front); front hand back fist (right hand), back hand punch (left hand), and back leg round kick (left leg)

2. From right sparring stance (right leg in front); turn hook kick (left leg), front hand back fist (left hand), back hand punch (right hand), and back leg round kick (right leg)

3. From right sparring stance (right leg in front); front leg hook-round kick (right leg), back leg round kick (left leg) land forward, back leg spin hook kick (right leg)

Procedures:1. Split the class into pairs. Have them each practice all three of the above combinations ten times. (Use left sparring stances with the opposite hand and leg techniques if time permits)

2. Line up two wave bags next to each other—close enough so that you can watch both students but far enough that the students don’t hit each other while they are executing their combinations.

3. When you say, “Go!” both students will execute combination one. The student that hits the bag with all of the techniques first receives a point.

4. The first student to three points is the winner.

5. Continue until each pair has a turn.

6. Repeat the drill with combinations two and then three.

7. You can make it a tournament with winner and non-winner brackets to end up with the class “combination-speed champion”.

Drill 2: Underdog Skill(s) enhanced: Perseverance

Recommended equipment: sparring gear, face masks, and chest guards

Recommended ages and levels: seven and eight-year olds advanced, nine to twelve-year olds intermediate and above, and adults intermediate and above

General description: While point sparring (in five-point match), one student will start three points behind with only 30 seconds left.

Procedures:1. Set up a ring equivalent to the size of a standard sparring ring. Split the class into pairs. If you have more than six pairs, you may want to make additional rings if size permits and you have enough instructors to operate each ring.

2. Let each pair warm-up with a 30-second round of free-sparring.

3. After each pair has a turn to free-spar, have one pair volunteer to go first. Assign one of the students to be the “underdog” that has zero points while their opponent has three.

4. Have them point spar for 30 seconds. The student with zero points will try to catch up and outscore their opponent. The opponent can score as well. The goal is to teach the underdog how to have perseverance and step up their sparring with only 30 seconds left.

5. Continue until each pair has gone.

6. You can make it a tournament by having the winner stay in the ring and be the underdog in the next round against another student.

Drill 3: Goalie Skill(s) enhanced: Courage and concentration

Recommended equipment: sparring gear, face masks, and chest guard

Recommended ages and levels: seven and eight-year olds advanced, nine to twelve-year olds intermediate and above, and adults intermediate and above

General descriptions: The goalie will have to defend one- to five-move combinations for 30 seconds.

Procedures:1. (Like the game of Underdog) Set up a ring equivalent to the size of a standard sparring ring. Split the class into pairs. If you have more than six pairs, you may want to make additional

rings if size permits and you have enough instructors to operate each ring.2. Let each pair warm-up with a 30-second round of free-sparring.3. After each pair has a turn to free-spar, have two students volunteer to go first. Assign one of the students to be the “goalie” that will attempt to defend one- to five-move combinations from their opponent for 30 seconds. The 30-second round will be conducted just like point sparring, except the goalie cannot score, just defend.4. If the goalie is scored on, then the goalie is out and the winner is the new goalie and a new opponent comes in.5. If the goalie is not scored on, then the goalie stays in.6. Continue until every student has a turn.

Drill 4: Slap shot Skill(s) enhanced: Speed and courage

Recommended equipment: sparring gear, face masks, and chest guards

Recommended ages and levels: seven and eight-year olds intermediate and above, nine twelve to twelve-year olds intermediate and above, and adults intermediate and above

General description: Set up like a hockey goal, one student will be the goalie and try to block the targets that his or her opponent attempts to kick in the goal.

Procedures:1. Against the mirror or wall, set up a goalie box that is no longer than six feet wide and five feet tall. (You can use cones to mark the width and tape to mark the height.)2. Split the class into pairs.3. Have one pair volunteer to go first. One student will be the goalie, and the other will be the striker. 4. An instructor or assistant will hold a small square target vertically, slightly above waist level of the striker.5. The striker will kick the target in an attempt to score by hitting the mirror, or wall, within the goalie box. The striker will have five attempts.6. Continue until each student has a turn to be both the goalie and striker.7. You can make the drill more challenging by having the goalie do 20 to 50 push-ups or squat-thrusts for every point that the striker scores.8. You can also make it a tournament by letting the goalie stay in the goalie box if the striker doesn’t score a point.

Drill 5: King of the Box Skill(s) enhanced: Agility and balance

Recommended equipment: sparring gear, face masks and chest guards

Recommended ages and levels: seven and eight-year olds advanced, nine to twelve-year olds intermediate and above, and adults intermediate and above

General descriptions: Both students will stand in a small box and try to knock each other out of the box.

Procedures:1. Make a small box that in no larger the 6'×6'.2. Split the class into pairs.3. Have on pair volunteer to go first.4. Each student will hold two striking mitts in their hand and try to use the mitts to push their opponent out of the box. The goal is for the students to use their agility and balance to manipulate their opponent. The students cannot touch their opponents above the shoulders or below the waist.5. You can make this drill a tournament by letting the student who knocked their opponent stay in the box to see which student is the “king of the box”.These drills can be used in one full class, and even extended to make an entire sparring seminar. Make sure when you are running these drills that you always reinforce safety. Also, make sure that you are teaching the students how to use these drills to improve their overall sparring skills.

For more information, visit Melody at: ShumanConcepts.com.

It’s no surprise that martial arts are capitalizing on the “reality” game show trend. In the wake of boxing shows like NBC’s The Contender, Fox’s The Next Champ, and WWE’s Tough Enough, American networks televised two pilots last August, MTV2’s Final Fu and Oxygen’s Fight Girls. What is surprising is that China has been leading the world with martial arts reality shows. Sandawang (literally ‘free sparring king’) is a fight-based reality show that has been on the air for years. For several seasons, it was the most watched program in the most populous nation in the world. In 2006, Shenzhen Media Group unveiled a new martial arts reality show, K-Star, and this program was supported by the Tiger Claw Foundation and Shaolin Temple.

The premise of K-Star is an international quest for fresh action stars. Unlike Sandawang, where the object was to find the best fighter, K-Star was looking for screen presence. The winners earned roles in an upcoming Shenzhen TV series, Legends of Shaolin Temple Monk Soldiers. Accordingly, contestants were not only examined on form and sparring, they had to show talents like singing, dancing, painting or other non-martial skills. The show began last April with thousands of competitors from all across China vying for 18 semifinalist spots. Then K-Star went international, combing the globe with auditions in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and North America. The Friends of Shaolin, a special committee

of the Tiger Claw Foundation, helped K-Star find talent for the North American qualifier, which was held in Los Angeles on July 14–15. Gigi and Jonathan Oh of Tiger Claw worked with coordinator Norma Futini and Shaolin warrior monks Shi Yanhao, Shi Yanliang and Shi Yanxue, to select the four North American representatives: Ryan Lloyd, Philip Sahagun, D. Y. Sao and Jack Tu. Nineteen international semifinalists in all were selected. They went to China to face the eighteen Chinese semifinalists at the original Shaolin Temple where they all underwent a special closed-door session of meditation, training and vegetarianism to prepare for the elimination rounds.

The four-hour finale was televised in China on October 1st, 2006. Seated on the judges panel were action star Jacky Wu Jing (Sha Po Lang, Tai Chi Master, Legend of Zu) Director Stanley Tong (The Myth, Martial Law, Mr. Magoo) and Director Wang Xiaoshuai (Frozen). China’s Gu Shangwei won, with American Philip Sahagun taking second and China’s Xue Jiangtao capturing third. American D. Y. Sao received a special award for “most potential.”

The first season of K-Star was seen by an estimated 300 million viewers. It reported over half a million in net earnings and made a large donation to the Buddhism Research Fund on behalf of Shaolin. Since K-Star was only shown in China, there’s been some discussion about creating a special, akin to the the international versions of Tyra Banks’ Top Model shows. The entire season of Britain’s Next Top Model was compressed into one special extended episode of America’s Next Top Model. K-Star doesn’t have the benefit of a running American program, so at this point, they are looking towards something for an Asian American network, but nothing is firm yet. Some highlights can be found on the web on sites like YouTube. Meanwhile, in China, K-Star is looking forward to a second season in 2007.

For the complete story on K-Star, see Rising K-Star: Reality TV Brings Global Competition to Shaolin Temple by Gene Ching and Gigi Oh in the January/February 2007 issue of Kung Fu Tai Chi magazine.

K-STAR: Martial Arts Reality TVby Gene Ching & Gigi Oh

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TCMC Representative. It’s the best call you’ll make!

Claw Marks welcomes any reader contributions of articles, photos and letters that may be of interest to the martial arts community. Mail them to: Tiger Claw, 5613 N. Broadway, Knoxville, TN, 37918 or email to tiger@tigerclaw.com

Next Issue: Summer 2007The deadline for ads and submissions is March 20, 2007. CALL 1-800-821-5090 TO RESERVE AD SPACE.

Claw Marks Spring 2007 Copyright © 2007 Tiger Claw. All rights reserved. The Tiger Claw logo is a registered trademark. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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THE GRANDMASTERS COME TO TIGER CLAWGrandmasters Ralph Castro, Ming Lum, Al Novak and Wally Jay visit our California StudioOn October 17th, 2006, Tiger Claw was graced by the presence of four leading pioneers of martial arts in America: Grandmasters Ralph Castro, Ming Lum, Al Novak and Wally Jay. The gathering was at the behest of Ed Parker Jr., who is helping filmmaker Patrick Million with a documentary about his father Edmund Parker Sr., the father of American Kenpo. Fresh off his work on Bella (recipient of the audience award at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival), Million is returning to this ongoing project, tentatively titled American Grandmaster. Million shot several hours of interview footage with these Grandmasters inside the TC Media studio at the Tiger Claw headquarters in Fremont, California. After the filming, Tiger Claw’s founder and president, Thomas Oh, treated the Grandmasters to lunch; and, Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine’s Associate Publisher, Gene Ching, held a round table interview with the four grandmasters. That interview, “Tea with Grandmasters,” is available online at KungFuMagazine.com. It can be accessed for free through the author’s index in the e-zine section, along with nearly 800 other free access articles. TC Media, Intl. houses a permanent video and photography studio. It is completely outfitted with professional lighting and can be rented on a space-available basis. Interested parties may contact Gigi Oh at (510) 656-5100 x141 for rates and availability. L—R: Front: Ming Lum, Ralph Castro, Wally Jay, Al Novak. Back: Gene Ching, Thomas Oh, Gigi Oh, Bernice Jay, Patrick Million, Ed Parker Jr., Bob Maschmeier, Andy Ching.

MYLES PORTER, VISUALLY IMPAIRED JUDO ATHLETE, NOW A RESIDENT AT U.S. OLYMPIC TRAINING CENTERMyles Porter of Toledo, Ohio, a visually impaired judo athlete, has become a resident athlete at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado in preparation for the 2007 International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) World Championships and the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China.“This is a incredible opportunity because I train at a first class facility with first class coaches with some of the best Judo athletes in the country,” said Porter. “This training accelerates my progress for the upcoming Worlds and the 2008 Paralympic Games.”Porter’s residency at the U.S. Olympic Training Center follows in the footsteps of the U.S. Women’s National Goalball team, who became the first disabled athletes ever in residency at an Olympic Training Center, prior to the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens.“We are excited to have Myles here at the OTC. Myles had proven to be athletic and hardworking,” said Eddie Liddie, United States Judo National Coach. “Myles is sure to benefit from the training he will receive here as part of an elite group of athletes and the quality of the coaching available to him.”In November 2006, Porter became just the third visually impaired judo athlete to be nationally ranked by U.S. Judo among his sighted peers after finishing second at the 2006 Dallas Open, a U.S. Judo Senior E Level Elite Tournament. Porter also finished 5th at the 2006 International Blind Sports Federation World Judo Championships in France.About USABA: A member organization of the U.S. Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that provides training for blind and visually impaired athletes for competition in nine sports. USABA members range from blind children developing sports skills to elite athletes who train for competitions such as the Paralympic Games, the world’s second largest athletic competition that draws more than 4,000 disabled athletes. For more information visit www.usaba.org. Tiger Claw is a proud sponsor of the USABA Judo Team.