Black Belt magazine and Jim Wagner - all a croc?

[TheWarrior]

Hello there,

With my first post on these forums, I'd like to bring up this issue for discussion. Please see link and either post there in the comments or here with your thoughts.

Books, Bones, Bricks, and Bullets: Jim Wagner and Black Belt Magazine

Thank you!

P.S. I love ALL martial arts and martial artists--please do not take offense to a single word I said in the post, okay?

 

[Archangel M]

I think Wagner has done a bit of overstating regarding his Mil/LE experience. "Resume Padding" in other words.

If he didn't use his Mil/LE experience as blatantly as he does I wouldn't think it was a big deal, but he is CONSTANTLY photographed in BDU's/Tactical Gear and a "uniform" of some sort. And he try's to use his resume to "sell" his stuff therefore I tend to smell a whiff of BS regarding his stuff.

 

[sgtmac_46]

I think Wagner has done a bit of overstating regarding his Mil/LE experience. "Resume Padding" in other words.

If he didn't use his Mil/LE experience as blatantly as he does I wouldn't think it was a big deal, but he is CONSTANTLY photographed in BDU's/Tactical Gear and a "uniform" of some sort. And he try's to use his resume to "sell" his stuff therefore I tend to smell a whiff of BS regarding his stuff.

I don't dislike Jim Wagner, but I don't particularly like him either......maybe his style, or something else about him makes me skip his column when I pick up BB Magazine......if I give it thought, it may be exactly as you say, he's a bit overselling himself..........I know what it is.........he's the guy you send your sister to learn some basic self-defense from. He sells it just like it's meant for mass-consumption, and says all the right things in a neatly packaged format..........he's teaching school teachers and company VP's safe........that may not be entirely fair, but it's the impression I get.

At the same time, he does seem to know what he's talking about most of the time.......but you don't have to always wear full SWAT gear and helmet.

I prefer my instructors of the little more down and dirty variety........Kelly McCann is more to my liking.

 

[Draven]

Jim Wagner is a bit of ecentic; in that only he uses allot of military-stage items when doing his stuff for BB, but he is also dead on with a lot of his material. Think of it as this don't judge anything by what people tell you, use your own eyes to see and ears to listen and mind to judge.

I agree with Jim Wagner in a lot of principles and concepts and on many details but not all of them. Thats neither here nor there, Wagner trains a lot of security, LEO & Military types and is known for his "combat simulations" as a way to teach self-defense. I think its a good suppliment for any martial artists but I disagree with his training format for modules. Otherwise, I use allot of the same methodologies & of course their are plenty of internet trolls who have over-played his experiences and claied he started the rumors, etc.

Like I said always judge for yourself...

 

[jks9199]

Wagner teaches some solid material, and has had a lot of training. My personal opinion is that he's done more than a little resume enhancement, and made more of some of the things he's done than they perhaps were... Kind of like the martial arts teacher who brags about how he "taught the military and law enforcement" because he did a demo or one day seminar for them. And, personally, his choice to go to work as a federal air marshal following 9/11 -- and then, after barely a year, quitting, offended me. He did that solely to get the status, and hardly worked as one. He wasted the time and the training slot that could have gone to someone who intended to actually do the job. And, I should say, should he read this, and feel like responding, I'm open to hear it.

 

[punisher73]

Most of his stuff is things I have read through other people. He just seems to be the latest to package it all up and sell it.

My main complaint with him is that in one of his BB articles, he said that you only should spend 6 months studying a style and then move on to the next. He says that you will get all of the core techniques and no bad habits doing it this way.

I think the old phrase sums him up best. "Jack of All Trades, Ace of Nothing"

 

[jks9199]

Six months, even daily study full time, and you'll barely scratch the surface of quite a few styles. You will, however, almost certainly acquire more than a few bad habits from the point of view of that particular style.

 

[Omar B]

Reminds me of all MA movies where a dude finds a master and trains for like a month ... then seeks revenge.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I think the old phrase sums him up best. "Jack of All Trades, Ace of Nothing"

Not for nothing, but the term is "Jack of all trades, master of none."

 

[unladylikedefnse]

Speaking of Black Belt Magazine, did anyone see the annual retreat ad coming up in August with Paul Vunak? I am interested to see what it's going to be like.

 

[Zero]

Not for nothing, but the term is "Jack of all trades, master of none."

Altough, I must say that Punisher's expression has a nice ring to it and the "...Ace of Nothing" is quite funny; I might use this one instead going forward.

 

[punisher73]

Not for nothing, but the term is "Jack of all trades, master of none."

I just did one of my own pet peeves...using an expression and then saying it wrong.

That is how I have heard it though. Ace trumps Jack, sticking with the card theme.

hmm, maybe I'll have to go Disney and trademark the phrase. LOL

 

[yorkshirelad]

I like some of Wagner's work. I've seen a few DVDs, and from what I saw, he's put alot of time and effort into much of his material.
His resume is the killer though. If he had concentrated on using his martial arts experience as a resume, I'd have no problem with it. After all, he's been a student of Dan Inosanto and Richard Bustillo, if only for a short time.
Anyone in the know would realize that Wagner's military experience has some serious holes in it. After all, who does 8 weeks of active duty before ending their service? After eight weeks you haven't even been through the shortest AIT. In fact, you've just made it through basic.
He's now a staff sergeant in the California State Military Reserve in Los Alamitos. I believe the unit is not deployable, but it contains some extremely quality people. The CSM is and aquaintance of mine. The guy is a modest, understated guy, but an SF veteran and a former Federal LEO. With leadership like this, the unit has to be quality.

 

[bushidomartialarts]

Not for nothing, but the term is "Jack of all trades, master of none."

Not for nothing, but the Ace variant is also valid. A bit archaic, but still "a thing"

Sorry, Punisher, this means you can't copyright it.

 

[punisher73]

Not for nothing, but the Ace variant is also valid. A bit archaic, but still "a thing"

Sorry, Punisher, this means you can't copyright it.

Dang it, but at least I know that it was a variation and not me just hacking the phrase.

 

[Kemposhot]

Ordered one of his dvds from BB. From what I saw of it, he knows a lot of what he's talking about. Although I have to agree, theres no reason to be dressed up in all his videos.

 

[unladylikedefnse]

Check out Sifu Harinder Singh's 6 page article "Roots of Combat" covering the evolution of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do in the July 2011 issue of Black Belt magazine. It provides a very complete story of Jeet Kune Do's birth and subsequent growth into the ultimate fighting system. I can't wait for Part two in August !

"How Jeet Kune Do Became The Ultimate Fighting Art ! " -- Black Belt Magazine, July 2011.