Fist Law - Martial Arts and Life

Martial Arts Curriculum Vitae

This post is just a summary of my training and experience in the martial arts. I don't put it here to brag (though I am proud of my accomplishments). This is here so that you, if you choose to read any of my blog posts, will have an idea of my perspective, an idea of what I do and don't know, what I have and have not done.

Dale Lee Craig image capture from a video. My first martial arts teacher in 1977.

My first interest in the martial arts was as a child in grade school. Unfortunately my parents were afraid that the schools around in the 1960s and 1970s were too dangerous. I don't know if they were. But the upshot was that I didn't start training until I turned 18 and didn't have to have my parent's permission.

Dale Miller. When I knew him he was in his late teens or early 20s. It's been a while.

I started in 1977 in Tae Kwon Do. At that time it was the most widespread style of martial art in the United States, so that's what was available.

I studied Tae Kwon Do for four years from 1977 to 1981 at what I'm told is one of the first ATA schools in the country. My instructor was Dale Lee Craig. I understand he is no longer with the ATA and that the ATA has changed it's forms from what they taught back then. His assistant at the time, another of my instructors was Dale Miller.

Suk Ki Shin. I studied Hapkido, Judo and Kumdo with him. Sadly, he has passed away some years back.

During this time I was going to college and also took college classes in Judo, Hapkido and Kumdo. The instructor who taught most of those classes, Suk Ki Shin also had a private school in the area so I went there and studied Judo and Hapkido for about two years at the same time I was studying Tae Kwon Do. Sadly, Mr. Shin passed away some time ago, but I believe his son still teaches in Omaha.

Lee Sprague. My first Kenpo teacher. He was recently out of the Marine Corps when this was taken.

In 1981 I moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico to go to NMSU. Intending to continue in Tae Kwon Do, I looked for an ATA school. There wasn't one in the area. So I looked for any Tae Kwon Do school. I found one and went to visit a class. I don't remember the name of the school and I don't care. The class was underwhelming. The dojo and the instructor were dirty. The students were slovenly. The attitude and atmosphere was poor. So I decided to keep looking and try other martial arts. I found an AKKA Kenpo school, (one of a chain run by Bill Packer, though I didn't have the opportunity to train with Mr. Packer personally). The students and teachers were dynamic, positive and had a “can do” attitude. So I decided to try that. I'm glad that I did! That school got me into more than 30 years of Kenpo, which I consider to be my “main” martial art.

Peter Hill. One of my Kenpo teachers at Traco, and a long time friend.

My instructor was Lee Sprague. While I no longer live in that area, I still sometimes exchange e-mail Mr. Sprague.

TC1 and me, shortly before his death from ALS

Tomas Conner I, shortly before his death from ALS. Though I met him many times, I never trained directly with him.

After a about 5 years in Las Cruces, I moved to Phoenix, Arizona. There were no AKKA schools in Phoenix, but Mr. Sprague suggested I look up a Traco International school. I did. I spent many years training in Traco schools. My instructors included Andrew “Smitty” Smith, Tom “Mr. Benito” Connor II, Mark “The Book” Lawrence and Peter "No nickname that I know of" Hill.

For about three years I worked as an assistant manager and manager of one branch of Traco. I learned a lot about running a martial arts school. And a lot about how NOT to run a martial arts school. Still, know what not to do can be valuable knowledge as well.

Ray Fisher, my current Kenpo Jujitsu teacher and a long time friend.

After the deaths of both Tom Connor Senior and Tom Connor II, the Traco chain mostly broke up. At that time (no longer working at Traco) I began training with one of my fellow, former Traco managers, Ray Fisher, who had bought and continued running his own school.

I've been training with Ray Fisher since that time. More than 20 years. If I were to add it up, probably closer to 25 years.

During that time I have also made forays into Tai Chi Ch'uan (Chen and Yang style), Jujitsu (I'm just a beginner), Goju Shorie Weapons System (brown belt), Judo (brown belt), Aikido (beginner), Wu Shu (beginner), Wing Tsun (beginner), Escrima/Arnis (beginner), Hung Gar (beginner), Boxing (a bit past beginner), Kickboxing (a bit past beginner) and Greco-Roman wrestling (beginner) and probably more that I don't recall off the top of my head. Mostly when I say “beginner” it means I took a college class or just a few months with a private instructor. Martial arts have always been my hobby, even when they weren't my profession. I like to sample what's out there.

Wei Ping (family name first, in the Chinese tradition. I've studied both Yang style and Chen style Tai Chi with him. A very friendly and informal man who asks to just be called Ping.)

Li Jinheng (family name first, in the Chinese style). I briefly studied WuShu and Tai Chi from him. A good man and a good teacher.

So there you have it. That's my training. A ton of Kenpo under various instructors, quite a bit of Judo and Tai Chi and a whole lot of a little bit of other things.

Sifu Figueroa. I studied Hung Gar from him, though only briefly. Even in that short time he impressed me with both his skill as a martial artist and teacher as well with his character.

It's amazing how many things are similar between many martial arts and how many very basic things are different. Kenpo, Wing Tsun, Hung Gar, Tai Chi and Goju Shorie all do something as basic as making a fist differently.

Japanese martial arts, Chinese martial arts, Korean martial arts, Okinawan martial arts and European martial arts.

I've learned a lot and done a lot. I've had broken bones, I've bled, I've had bruises, scuffs, scraps, dislocated joints...all usually due to my own ignorance.

There are things that I know and things that I don't know.

So, when reading blog posts of mine, that's where I'm coming from. That's my perspective, my context. I may be wrong about a lot of things, but at least I have some foundation for the opinions I express.