Bruce Baker

HI guys,

First of all, I gave up testing, because of never being able to remember anything when any kind of stress happens, the meniere's thing, and testing my theory in order to make all techniques blend would require letting them become naturally ingrain as part of your instinct, not crammed in as we do for testing week and forgotten the next month. (My personal distaste for belt rankings, no offense to those of you who place more upon them, please excuse me for following my own path.) Along with meeting belt ranking who couldn't explain or link the many techniques and forms they had learned to actual physical combat, i.e. there are no blocks in kata, and all kata moves are designed to activate pressure points and kill, although in Aikido O'Sensei found a way to leave them in with hitting, pushing, or rubbing the appropriate points .... enough of this line.

Anyway, my experience with combat and pain is the mechanical breakdown and study of what works, over what is superfluous and does not. The actual application of injurys caused over the years, to myself and, sadly, to others.

You want to see some beautiful jiujitsu, watch Wally Jay some time ... never let him grab your fingers, or you will believe in two fingers making you dance like a rag doll? Even Wally's kids, now in their late forties, know not to let their dad get their fingers, and they have black belts in multiple disciplines?

Maybe I have had the violent childhood? Fight like knights with wooden swords and garbage can tops, or playing G.I. Joe with cap guns until we grappled hand to hand, or maybe it is the fighting from my pre-marital drinking years of accidently breaking bones, or maybe it is from seeing how far controled violence from attacks by weapons and combat can go from MA studies and practices? Go figure? Observation, notes, and actual experience is my only black belt, it may be the only one I ever need? So long as I speak of things that are true, and allow others to find these truths by studying these things for themselves?

I am afraid that Chuck Gordon and many other people who begin to know me will observe, I say things that might not be mainstream, but I have learned them either firsthand or proved them firsthand with two or three sources and actual accounts by people who know events or information firsthand? Either that, or practiced these things on the mat, at one time or another?

Maybe the violence of learning self protection by causing injury before innitiating a technique, jab to ribs/eyes/throat/ or any open area that activates pain, before starting to understand the nerve and muscle reaction of pressure points that actually causes the brain to scream ... PAIN! It is said that the "Little Pine Tree Temple Boxers" of the style of Kempo Karate I studied were bad ass dudes in their day, kicking ass in all tournaments.

After learning nearly everything my teacher had learned, in the arena of sparring and self defense/offense of Kempo Karate/ Wally Jay Jujitsu, I went toe to toe with the best black belts, although they were ten years younger than myself, and earned their respect in a draw during sparring? Why? Because I saw the opportunity to really hurt them or myself, but just letting their best moves undermine them attacks or bounce off my redirections by kicks or strikes? My soft point was allowing them to get a strike in, which was left open to make practice more interesting, and getting a full fledge strike that put me to my knees? Of course when they were knocked to their knees, I was much to violent, go sit out the rest of practice ...

Violence? Nothing like getting someone's dander up by neutralizing their best moves, it really ticks them off! Yeah, being attacked by a maniac who doesn't return to clear mind for two or three minutes would qualify, wouldn't it? Not including bar brawls, general streetfights, attempted muggings in teenage to early adult years before entering the 220 pound range?

I learned a long time ago, black belts don't protect you, knowledge and knowing how to use it does. Ronin? Maybe. But this is my journey, my way.

Funny, nobody wants to play attack Bruce anymore? I guess I will just have to play nice until sensei Chet says, "Get HIM!"

(He hasn't said it yet, but I can wait. Non-violent, right?)