Posted by: Ed_Morris
A fish out of water - 01/29/06 05:04 PM
Thought I'd mention this to make some of the members here more real and not just some ominous voice in cyberspace giving unsubstantiated advice to strangers....
Met up with Victor Smith yesterday, hope he doesn't mind me mentioning. We had interesting discussions of various things over coffee and dessert in his neck of the woods in New Hampshire. Even had a kind of session outside in the lot where he demonstrated some of the things I had questions on reguarding concepts mentioned in his past posts. In the less than two-hour meeting, Victor relayed enough material and info (also gave me a 600-page pdf file CD containing pictures, clips and unpublished translated text on Uechi Ryu and Bando/Silat weapons forms) that will last me quite a while to digest. The things he physically showed left me with no doubt.
Victor doesn't sell anything...he gives it away...but how much is he really giving away in a 2-hour meeting when it ultimately comes down to the person first retaining, then spending years training it. how many really are willing to pay that price? Victor's Art has the price of time and effort put into it....it's worth more than money in my opinion. His knowledge and demonstrated skill left me feeling like a fish out of water.
Victor, for the most part, seems to have followed his own path...adding and substituting based on his needs/interests. This, I believe is the true spirit of the old way...taking and building upon your base, from whichever source is available and you can make work. In one fluid movement, I saw no less than three influences of Chinese, Okinawan and Indonesian Art principals working together. (keyword: working)
On top of all that, he's a nice guy and pleseant to have coffee and train with in a parking lot....despite the waitress asking us if we were all set every 3 minutes, he never once made her feel like a troll distrupting conversation - he was a true gentleman. Outside, at one point we were concerned someone might mistake us for really fighting and call authorities, so we broke things up when we started getting looks from soccer-moms in mini-vans passing by. lol
Victor is very cool, for what it's worth me saying so. I'm grateful for the time well spent, and look forward to visiting his class in the future.
p.s. Victor...it just dawned on me to ask, in the last combo you showed, what is the function of the wrist roll before the strike to eyes?
-Ed
Met up with Victor Smith yesterday, hope he doesn't mind me mentioning. We had interesting discussions of various things over coffee and dessert in his neck of the woods in New Hampshire. Even had a kind of session outside in the lot where he demonstrated some of the things I had questions on reguarding concepts mentioned in his past posts. In the less than two-hour meeting, Victor relayed enough material and info (also gave me a 600-page pdf file CD containing pictures, clips and unpublished translated text on Uechi Ryu and Bando/Silat weapons forms) that will last me quite a while to digest. The things he physically showed left me with no doubt.
Victor doesn't sell anything...he gives it away...but how much is he really giving away in a 2-hour meeting when it ultimately comes down to the person first retaining, then spending years training it. how many really are willing to pay that price? Victor's Art has the price of time and effort put into it....it's worth more than money in my opinion. His knowledge and demonstrated skill left me feeling like a fish out of water.
Victor, for the most part, seems to have followed his own path...adding and substituting based on his needs/interests. This, I believe is the true spirit of the old way...taking and building upon your base, from whichever source is available and you can make work. In one fluid movement, I saw no less than three influences of Chinese, Okinawan and Indonesian Art principals working together. (keyword: working)
On top of all that, he's a nice guy and pleseant to have coffee and train with in a parking lot....despite the waitress asking us if we were all set every 3 minutes, he never once made her feel like a troll distrupting conversation - he was a true gentleman. Outside, at one point we were concerned someone might mistake us for really fighting and call authorities, so we broke things up when we started getting looks from soccer-moms in mini-vans passing by. lol
Victor is very cool, for what it's worth me saying so. I'm grateful for the time well spent, and look forward to visiting his class in the future.
p.s. Victor...it just dawned on me to ask, in the last combo you showed, what is the function of the wrist roll before the strike to eyes?
-Ed