Hi fighting arts members,

I am currently looking into doing a course with Jon Alexander (9th Dan budo) probably the Goju Karate course.

Have any of you good people in the UK done a course with him before?- do you have any experiences about the courses you would like to share?

www.orientalmartialarts.org

many thanks for your in put.
Charlie.

Hello Charlie,

I just read your post regarding the Jon Alexander karate and martial arts. Well it's interesting to look at don't you think?

I've never met or heard of any of his students before but I trained with a man (now deceased) who was a direct student of Kenshiro Abbe. At that time the martial arts and karate in UK were taking off. Abbe Sensei established a governing body of sorts for the study of budo, I get the feeling that Jon may have once been linked to this. He seems to cut through the crap that exists in the martial art community but then every so many lines I read something that makes me wonder how 'for real' he is. Put it this way, I know for a fact how SIMPLE it would be to get yourself registered 'officially' (legally ligit) as a master grade and then train people to blackbelt standard on intensive courses. A governing body is really just an insurance broker.

Regarding the Goju aspect of his system...
Quote
We also believe that if an aggressor cannot walk he cannot fight, if he cannot see he cannot fight, if he cannot breathe he cannot fight.

To me that instantly reminded me of Karate Kid III and the bad guys 'motto' or 'Quicksilver Method' when poor Daniel San is told to kick and punch the wooden dummy until he breaks it.

1. If a man can't walk he can't fight!
2. If a man can't breathe he can't fight!
3. If a man can't see he can't fight!

As it happens I also think the bold motto at the bottom of the page is too similar to the Cobra Kai motto in karate kid. HIT HARD, HIT FAST, HIT FIRST sounds an awful lot like

Strike Hard, Strike First, Show no mercy.

Just a thought. I don't think its a mcDojo more likely a few old school boys trying to get on in the world and pass on what they've learnt.

I believe the Bossman used to train with Mr Alexander in the 1800's

You may wish to contact him!

Jon Alexander used to run ZZK / ZSR Karate in the 1970's. He is still as far as I can see highly respected. Although I've never had anything to do with sword work I know one of his sword sens, and he's a decent enough guy.

One odd thing though, ZZK / ZSR was the forerunner of the dreaded Bushido (BAMA) school, on which there was a massive thread earlier this year and last year. So your guess is as good as or better than mine.