BRUCE CALKINS & THE EAGLE FEDERATION

[47MartialMan]

A.)The only evidence we have of a David Frost teaching ninjitsu is from you

1. The style also happened (or "happened", that remains to be seen) to appear in a ninja movie
2. The certificates of study that you have from this instructor are drawn up and signed using an image editing program on a home computer

As such, the evidence doesn't look all that great so far! Even if the guy is real, there are still questions about whether you were there, how long for, how much training was accomplished in that time and why he couldn't sign a certificate for you.

B.) I've mentioned before that the way to get respect here would be to post verifiable facts about yourself, to describe your system in a little more depth and to drop the high ranks and associated titles.

C.) As for the judgement of the Eagle Federation that you were worthy.... Come on! The founder was/is a 2nd dan in TKD who made up his own system and promoted himself. Personally I wouldn't want someone that unquallified in martial arts to be examining my system to decide whether it's worthy of a 10th dan grandmaster title, as he has probably never even seen a legitimate 10th dan, nor does he have the necessary skill to judge someone for a grade above about 1st dan TKD...

After all, if he has that ability, maybe I do too? Maybe I should start up my own association here in Britain and fleece money out of people by promoting them based on my own knowledge of martial arts!

Or I could keep training.... hmmm

A.) It is hard for one to admit that they were "taken" into a con. Unless they themselves desire to use the same con on others. This latter will never allow such admission.

B.) How true. But as Bruce is on one side of the extreme, making claims, and getting barraged by it, I am on the other side, making no claims and getting barraged as well. Which brings it to my signature-

C.) Eagle Federation-
Shodai Soke(First Generation Soke)
Minimum of age requirement of 21, Style must also be recognized
by at least one other organization. Must hold 5th Degree in two styles
and show a breakdown of the style and rank requirements.

If this is what is needed for Sokeship, then its very FOUNDER cannot be a Soke. Thus, his very organization is there for other purposes.

I would not want to post affiliation with such questionable and controversial people, sites, and organizations.

If one is trained or is in league, associated, part of, any such teachers, persons, organizations, that have questionable and controversial issues, said one, also, will have the same.

Again, I must emphasize;
The Eagle Federation would not give me Sokeship or certification, because I would not have such desire to seek this. Being a member or receiving a title/rank from this organization, or any like it, will not grant me better ability. Seeing that such title/rank is questionable and controversial, I will not want this type of recognition.

Ranks/titles, are very controversal. Most people will agree that the obtaining of such is from many years of study recognized by a living mentor and presented from such. Not from someone who doesn't know you or have not met you giving many years or duration of time. Rank, is not short-changed, meaning-purchased so quickly. Also, one need not have to use title/higher rank, to set presidence on who they are or their ability.

 

[arnisador]

Here's a blast from the past...Chiduce:
http://chiduce.tripod.com/id31.html

05/10/02; Sanctioned & Conferred The Rank Of 10th Degree Black Belt (Judan) & Titles Of, Grandmaster; Shodai Soke; Dr. Of Budo Of Butokutsuru Ryu Kenpojutsu / Eagle Tiger Federation Sokeship Council

Does the Eagle Federation give out doctorates too, then? I can't remember if I had heard this already or not.

I just came across the Eagle Federation's Ninjitsu page where it does indeed say "Ashida Kim's consultation was used for this ranking system." Well, there you go. An Eagle Scout would be a better choice for a consultant. At least they're honest.

The Founder of the EF looks like a high school kid, right down to the picture in his prom tuxedo. The pictures of him in his gi are...unimpressive.

As Soke Jeff Foxworthy might say: If your sokeship is from someone whose father still pays his rent and whose mother still washes his clothes...you just might be a Soke-Doke.

 

[BruceCalkins]

WOW... My Name Changed..... I Guess this makes me all better.... I must have been in a delusion....... What is Martial Arts...... I have never heard of it........

Sorry... Just Bustin them on everyone.... I'm not trying to be an A**...

:asian: :boing2: :moon: :rofl: :erg:

I'll most likely bet burned by everyone for this but I was just goofing.:rpo:

 

[bignick]

Thanks I didn't know that.. Is that the Shorter Staff Like A Jo??

I just know all of the IFMA judges were having a hard time... They have Sofe Style Stydents in Gis and Obis and Hard Style Students in Sashes... In the IFMA rules... If you call your style or from Mixed... Than thats OK.. But if you calim to be from Isshin-Ryu you better not have a sash on.. and If it is a Traditional Weapon from it has to be with a traditional weapon.. So the TKD prople were not to use Sai, Kama, Japanese Style Bos.... As stuff like that.

I never realized that the Japanese had a trademark on long straight pieces of wood....

 

[terryl965]

I never realized that the Japanese had a trademark on long straight pieces of wood....

Big Nick of course they do did I not send you that memo from th 16th century declaring they hold all right to straight pieces of wood. Sorry
Terry lee Stoker

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I never realized that the Japanese had a trademark on long straight pieces of wood....

You didn't get the memo? There was a famous court case a few years back...."Myamoto vs Tuck" which is why if you do the "frame-by-frame" thingy on the Daffy Duck Robin Hood cartoon, you'll see the staff has a little kanji trademark on it now. :lol:

 

[BruceCalkins]

Not Long straight sticks.... But if you look at the design.. Basicly you will see that Japanese bos and Chinese Style staff have differences. I'm not sure but usually I find the tapered staffs with the Japanese artist and the Extra Long softer staffs with the chinese styleist.. I have even heard them referd to as Monkey Poles.

 

[47MartialMan]

Nice to see the name change,,,nice to see a post other than title/rank....

Do you, think or realize-now, that the Eagle Federation may not be in your best interest?

 

[Don Roley]

I just came across the Eagle Federation's Ninjitsu page where it does indeed say "Ashida Kim's consultation was used for this ranking system." Well, there you go. An Eagle Scout would be a better choice for a consultant. At least they're honest.

That is the problem with all the orginizations set up like this. They are pretty much set up so that people can get reputation by association. "See, I hang out with these guys so I must be at the same level of respect as them!"

But it goes both ways. The chain is only as strong as it's weakest link and there is such a thing as guilt by association. So when you see that the Eagle Federation welcomes a cowardly fraud such as Ashida Kim with open arms, you can't blame people for looking at all the members in the same light.

 

[arnisador]

I don't even know what to say about having Ashida Kim there, Mr. Roley. It almost makes me wonder if the whole site's a hoax--a parody. It's over-the-top.

I agree with your analysis of these orgs., in general. Is there a notable exception?

 

[Tripitaka of AA]

I'd really like to hear more about Mr Calkins' style of Fusho Satori Ryu.

What were the students doing at this recent tournament? Forms? Sparring? Philosophy Quiz?

I realise that there were a number of influences in your own training, and that Fusho Satori Ryu is meant to be a "mixed bag"... could you tell us what it most closely resembles to an onlooker; Karate, Kung Fu or wrestling? Do you teach weapons? At what stage, right from the start, or must you learn the basic moves empty-hand first?

Are you the same Bruce Calkins that replied to a thread on "knives" at World Combat Martial Artists Open Forum with the following comment:-

I feel that the knife or any other weapon is interchangable to the situation. With all of the techniques out there both will do. But my favorite way to use a knife it to give it to my opponet. It limits his movement and gives me a clear line and target to defend against. Most street fighters with a knife don't throw punches and kicks so I limit them to their attacke and just keep my eye on the knife. {smiley}

See thread here.

or the one on "weapons at home" with:-

A Gun in the right trained hands is fine but I wouldn't have one in my home. If someone comes in I would reaither have then go for my other weapons that I can defend agains not get Shot my my own gun as I sleep.

I suppose that the first quoted passage begs the question "what experience do you have in violent altercations with a subject carrying a knife?".

 

[The Kai]

Obviously, Dude has never been in a Knife fight, and given that statement I hope he or his students never do get into one!!


The eagle federation is it a joke, is it in Bruce's best interest to be affliated?? Who the hell else would grant him a Sokeship:idunno:

Bruce the Mokey pole is one of many CMA Staff "sets", so it might be indeed longer, however there are numerous methods to chinese staff sets so the lenght will vary. The taped ends on the Bo was orginally referred to as a Okinwa Bo (that is indeed close to Japan),

For a weapons master, you are a little spotty on the history, usage, even the right way to hold the weapon. Your strategy for a knife fight will get you cut, period! Please do not teach knife tactics, never, not at a resonable charge, not for free

 

[Aegis]

Good god, that is the WORST knife fighting tip I have EVER heard, and to state it without claiming it as a joke is just plain wrong. Why would you even contemplate giving a weapon to an assailant, unless you "give it" to them point first...

 

[terryl965]

Please you would hand over your weapon to the assalunt, Good God Batman whats next cold pourage oh heavens NO!!!!!!

 

[clfsean]

Bruce the Mokey pole is one of many CMA Staff "sets", so it might be indeed longer, however there are numerous methods to chinese staff sets so the lenght will vary. The taped ends on the Bo was orginally referred to as a Okinwa Bo (that is indeed close to Japan).

True enough. The Monkey Pole is a general set name. The pole itself is about head high on the player (so its size varies from player to player). That staff in itself is a cerng tao gwun, or double headed stick... i.e. no tapering. Many CMA use a single headed stick which has a taper to it. It's known as a rat tail stick due to the tapering.

As far as CMA sticks being "soft"... again the voice of inexperience shines on the Soke'd one. The wood used by most CMA players today is waxwood. It's a soft, flexible wood. Indeed that's true enough & it does bend like a straw with swung & flipped about. However that wood is also strong as nails, has a high degree of tensile strength for the diameter of many of the sticks & is just as reliable as a Japanese Oak Rokushakubo. In pre-Kuomintang revolutionary China (probably for a while after too...), waxwood was soaked in oil for a couple of weeks after harvesting to infuse the wood with the oil. That helped make it a loose as a piece of spagetti when struck out, but as hard as steel when clashed with or hit by.

That said, he's probably never seen Hung Ga's 5th Brother Staff done with a pole to match (roughly 6.5 to 7 feet of oak) & seen it shake like a twig in a breeze. Or 6.5 Point Pole from Wing Chun. Or CLF's Bien Guai Gwun... or a billion other sets that aren't flashy, full of pole bending moves, hopping around, etc... but are straight to the point remove body parts while striking sets. Players with power & expeirence make a solid piece of oak look like rattan at times.

For a weapons master, you are a little spotty on the history, usage, even the right way to hold the weapon. Your strategy for a knife fight will get you cut, period! Please do not teach knife tactics, never, not at a resonable charge, not for free

Probably not a bad call...

 

[BruceCalkins]

I'd really like to hear more about Mr Calkins' style of Fusho Satori Ryu.

What were the students doing at this recent tournament? Forms? Sparring? Philosophy Quiz?

Mostly Sparring. At Battle of Buffalo one of my boys tried his hand at a Weapons form... I think he did great he didn't place but he got lots of compliments from the judges and we were all proud of him.

I realise that there were a number of influences in your own training, and that Fusho Satori Ryu is meant to be a "mixed bag"... could you tell us what it most closely resembles to an onlooker; Karate, Kung Fu or wrestling? Do you teach weapons? At what stage, right from the start, or must you learn the basic moves empty-hand first?

I would have to say Karate But made softer with the Kung-Fu blend. We use a lot of circles and use the other persons force againt them like Aikido/Kung-Fu Plus we train many thing sin group application like in Kenpo
Yes we do train and I do Teach Weapons. We don't get fancy I like to teach the basics (No Forms) and let the student experience the weapon for theirselves. They do some bacis Stick fighting drills and timing drill right away but I make them wait until at least green belt to start weapons. They need time to learn how to use their hands before they use an extention of their hands

Are you the same Bruce Calkins that replied to a thread on "knives" at World Combat Martial Artists Open Forum with the following comment:-

Yes to the Knife one.. No the the gun One... I said that because on the street where MOST people are not trained with weapons and stuff. They seem to try to use the strongest thing. If you put a Knife in an untrained persons hand the tend to consintrate on the knife for their fighting. Not a Kick or Punch with the free hand. This way it kind of limits them to how they attack. Obvously this is not the case in a trained Martial Artist hand.

See thread here.

or the one on "weapons at home" with:-



I suppose that the first quoted passage begs the question "what experience do you have in violent altercations with a subject carrying a knife?".

Doing Bodyguard and Security Work I have been confronted several time by both Gun and Knife... I have 1 Stab wound and 2 Gun Shot wounds... But I'm still here so Something I did was right.

 

[Phil Elmore]

Doing Bodyguard and Security Work I have been confronted several time by both Gun and Knife... I have 1 Stab wound and 2 Gun Shot wounds... But I'm still here so Something I did was right.

These would be a matter of public record; can you produce the police reports of the incidents?

 

[The Kai]

Or the Shooter was wrong, either way it's good you're still here. Hopefully it was'nt your weapon that you handed over!


CFsean - the rat tail taper on just one end (I've seen one sided staff sets, so I ask). CMA ai'nt my strong suit

 

[47MartialMan]

A lot of this type of thing went on in the 80s with the ninjutsu craze. I studied with a karate instructor who suddenly started teaching ninjutsu too. He was a great karate instructor, but I found this a bit embarrassing. Those students wore black suits but still basically did karate. I was studying karate and iaido with him. He was great at karate and I knew he was legitimate there, and the ninjutsu was clearly not legitimate so I avoided it. I came to be suspicious of his iaido background too--he won many local tournaments with his sword forms and did teach standard iaido, but with the ninjutsu, I wondered. I left not long after the ninjutsu started.

My point is, it's easy for me to believe that someone was told "You're being taught the secret art of ninjutsu!" as a sales pitch, and that they might have believed it. I saw it happening everywhere. Heck, a popular kids program is still the Little Ninjas, right?

Of course, a 10th dan has no excuse for not having figured out the truth by now.

This is what I have been saying about misconception leading to beliefs and mind-set.

 

[47MartialMan]

That is the problem with all the orginizations set up like this. They are pretty much set up so that people can get reputation by association. "See, I hang out with these guys so I must be at the same level of respect as them!"

But it goes both ways. The chain is only as strong as it's weakest link and there is such a thing as guilt by association. So when you see that the Eagle Federation welcomes a cowardly fraud such as Ashida Kim with open arms, you can't blame people for looking at all the members in the same light.

Well said.

A.) They are after namesake and recognition and they band together in fetal attempts to do so.

B.) True, which is why I will NEVER join such an organization. And if I had and came to my senses, I would difinitely change.