»

[WoodyRATM]

Hello,
Me and the girlfriend are looking for some advice.

We're wanting to start doing a martial art but have no idea what would be best.
Looking for something that will keep us fit, get us stronger, be handy in a self defence case and have classes for beginners.

Any one got any ideas on what would be suitable? And if so if theres any classes in Aberdeen. I was thinking Kickboxing but im not sure.

Cheers in advance.

[Frosty Jack]

Speak to John the doorman at The Moorings, or Flash.

MySpace.com - SCS Street Combat System - 24 - Male - Aberdeen, UK - www.myspace.com/kafdokarateaikidojitsu

[Tubthumper]

I think there's some form of martial arts training at Transition.

[Flash@TMB]

Originally Posted by WoodyRATM

Hello,
Me and the girlfriend are looking for some advice.

We're wanting to start doing a martial art but have no idea what would be best.
Looking for something that will keep us fit, get us stronger, be handy in a self defence case and have classes for beginners.

Any one got any ideas on what would be suitable? And if so if theres any classes in Aberdeen. I was thinking Kickboxing but im not sure.

Cheers in advance.

Hi there,

I hold a 1st dan in Kafdo Karate and also a first dan in Aiki Jitsu. Also took lessons in a form of dirty boxing for 2 years. John is a 4th dan master in both of those and has studied numerous other forms of martial art. He's also got a dan grade in several weapons.

From around March 2008 we began testing everything we had learned on each other full contact/force as fully resisting opponents, wearing street clothes including shoes and with no protective equipment other than gum shields. Along the way I had a few visits to the dentist The results were interesting and in some cases unexpected... and from this experience we developed Street Combat System, and started teaching classes at the beginning of the year.

The beginners class utilises teaching methods not commonly employed by traditional martial arts, and follows a reiterative 8 week syllabus. We anticipate the average student becoming proficient within 6 months to a year, depending on how frequently they train. Having no previous experience is a distinct advantage.

Thus far it has become apparent that girls are more likely to stick with the course than boys, and although women only make up perhaps 10% of new students the class now consists ~50% of women!

The first 6 weeks of training are free, after that it's £5 per lesson. Adult classes are at St Margaret's Church Hall in the Gallowgate on Thursday's at 1930-2200. We don't operate a belt system, and you just wear trackies and trainers. You can start at any time, but week one of the syllabus rolls around again on Thursday 25th of June.

In terms of your goals... well in the 3 years I've been training (albeit frequently and obsessively) I've lost over 50lbs in weight and gained the ability to perform 15 handstand pushups so it has the potential to make a person fit and strong. I used the training in a few minor incidents, and witnessed John use it on several occasions too... but we won't mention that time with the dude with the wooden leg

***

If you're looking for something more traditional then I'd recommend Kafdo Karate Aikido Jitsu, which runs in the same location on Tuesday evenings, although John and myself are no longer connected with that.


Flash

[Dan G]

Originally Posted by Flash@TMB

Also took lessons in a form of dirty boxing for 2 years.

Please tell me that is the art of surprising someone with a pair of soiled underwear?

e.g. What shall I do with these dirty boxers? I know I'll dirty box flash because he enjoys dirty boxing.

[Jim Stax]

Kafdo Karate Aikido Jitsu? How exactly does one become proficient in all of these in a martial arts career that started in his late 40's/50's. Karl Felber (sp) gained his Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do (Tukido) 6 months or a yr behind me then promptly left to start a new brand 'Martial Art' not based at all on his previous teachings. Bit of a laughing stock around the Aberdeen martial arts scene at the time. Not sure where or what he is up to now. I, having gained said belt and also studied Ailkido (a few years ago now) for a couple of years, still wouldn't have consider myself anywhere near proficient enough to teach. The bokken would come in handy for clobbering like but then so would a big stick. I could teach that.

All that said the stuff I'm seeing on the videos of your Street Combat System looks very good indeed. Mightly impressed so I am. I wouldn't mind getting involved myself if it weren't for the fact that I am unable to pick up a pencil without straining something these days.

[Shaki]

Originally Posted by Flash@TMB

Hi there,

I hold a 1st dan in Kafdo Karate and also a first dan in Aiki Jitsu. Also took lessons in a form of dirty boxing for 2 years. John is a 4th dan master in both of those and has studied numerous other forms of martial art. He's also got a dan grade in several weapons.

(Mental note: don't fuck with the staff at the Moorings)

[Jim Stax]

Originally Posted by Shaki

(Mental note: don't fuck with the staff at the Moorings)

Yeah, decided that getting stroppy, just for the hell of it, about the sound at our next gig might not be a good idea after all.

[Le Stu]

I think there's a Hung Gar Kung Fu school near Berryden, or there used to be anyway. That's more of a traditional Chinese style, from what I understand.

My interests are purely armchair.

[Flash@TMB]

Originally Posted by Jim Stax

Kafdo Karate Aikido Jitsu? How exactly does one become proficient in all of these in a martial arts career that started in his late 40's/50's. Karl Felber (sp) gained his Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do (Tukido) 6 months or a yr behind me then promptly left to start a new brand 'Martial Art' not based at all on his previous teachings. Bit of a laughing stock around the Aberdeen martial arts scene at the time. Not sure where or what he is up to now. I, having gained said belt and also studied Ailkido (a few years ago now) for a couple of years, still wouldn't have consider myself anywhere near proficient enough to teach. The bokken would come in handy for clobbering like but then so would a big stick. I could teach that.

All that said the stuff I'm seeing on the videos of your Street Combat System looks very good indeed. Mightly impressed so I am. I wouldn't mind getting involved myself if it weren't for the fact that I am unable to pick up a pencil without straining something these days.

Hah - there's been a lot of rumours spread about Master Felber and he won a case of defamation over this a few years back. Here's the full story:

Master Felber's experience started in the late 50s when his father sent him to boxing lessons. He boxed throughout the 60s and fought bare knuckle for money on a few occasions. He started training in karate when it first came to Aberdeen (I think in 1962), and gained his 1st dan in 1967 aged 20, about a year after Ronnie gained his black belt.

From the late 60s to present he's devoted pretty much his entire life to studying martial arts, traveling to train intensively with the best instructors that he could find. I know that he trained in aikido and jujitsu during the 1970s and then aikijitsu and weapons during the 1980s.

He developed Kafdo between 1980 (around the time he left tae kwon do) and 1984 when he registered it with the Okinawan Martial Arts Union (this is easily verifiable). It's a mixture of techniques from everything he's studied including boxing - hence the name (which I agree is misleading). Bear in mind that this was before MMA emerged, and at the time it was considered by many in the MA community to be heresy, hence much of the bad feeling. He's qualified to award dan grades in karate, aikijitsu, and trad weapons. I have a video of him cutting through a fence post with my L7 katana in one fell swoop. his sword work is amazing. There's also videos of him slicing a watermelon in half while it's balanced on someone's stomach, and I witnessed this live back in December.

He was one of the founders of the World and British Martial Arts Federation but resigned in support of James Monclair.

He has always graded outside of his own art, and he gifted me a full duplicate (not a copy) of his DAI-SHIHAN (Great Master) certificate of appointment. This was in Juko-Kai Kokuasi Renmai. It's signed (clearly in hand) by both Dr Rod Sacharnoski, soke and also Shian Toma, soke and President of the All Okinawan Seidokan Motobu-ryu Association. His registration number is 1195. The certificate is clearly genuine.

I've spent a lot of time with Karl, and so I know about a lot of the history and politics. Personally, my take on it is that there's a lot of jealousy involved. I previously trained in Shotokan Karate at Scottish Shotokan centers (Ronnie) and before that when I was a youngster in Wado Ru. The instruction I received from Karl was superior in every way.

Karl keeps a folder with all his grading certificates, plus letters, press clippings, and photos. I've seen both of his commendations from the police, in each instance there are photos of him receiving a medal, one of those was 2 years ago, and I've subsequently met and trained with the police officer that he rescued from 5 attackers! I've also seen letter of thanks from The Royal Marines for unarmed combat training courses that Karl ran for them, and I believe he is actually running a course for them at present, even though he's 62 years old. If you'd like to see his scrap book then I can probably arrange that... if you've got a couple of hours to spare MTA can also vouch for all this.

Sorry for the lengthy reply, but although I no longer train in Kafdo I do feel that Karl's reputation is worth defending!

Thanks for the kind words about SCS