R
Ronin
Guest
Anyone ever workout with Judo gene? What a cool guy. I plan to work out with him in the near future. Any thoughts?
Please report back to us! I know him best through his stuntman appearances.
jeffbeish
Blue Belt
Gene mus be 75 by now. The last time I saw him was in 1965!
OP
Kyle
Guest
- Thread Starter
- #4
I would love to. He's got a ton of knowledge and skill. I've heard nothing but great things about him.
- Kyle
- Kyle
OP
The Prof
Guest
- Thread Starter
- #5
I have never met Gene LaBell. But I do know that he has been around for a very long time and is very well respected, especially as a grappler. Have a great time working out with him and consider it an honor.
OP
tmanifold
Guest
- Thread Starter
- #6
When Bruce Lee wanted to learn how to grapple he went to see Gene. That says something. I have read a couple of his books and I have learn a ton from them.
Kembudo-Kai Kempoka
Senior Master
When Bruce Lee got his butt dumped all over the set of the Green Hornet, it was by Gene LeBelle. When a well-recognized aikidon't guy was making movies, and being too hard on the stuntmen, he was punitively placed into an unconscious state by the Sensei, and had his head surrounded by broken pieces of his directors chair, courtesy of Gene Lebelle. One of the most hornery cusses alive.tmanifold said:
kelly keltner
Black Belt
I heard that story about the Aikidon't guy too. Sounds like Mr. Labelle is definately a man totrain with.Kembudo-Kai Kempoka said:
kk
hardheadjarhead
Senior Master
Erik Paulson told a group of us that:
1. Working out with Gene hurt.
2. Gene makes noises come out of your body...out of different openings.
3. He's really good.
4. He kicked Steven Seagal's butt.
I'd love to meet him.
Regards,
Steve
1. Working out with Gene hurt.
2. Gene makes noises come out of your body...out of different openings.
3. He's really good.
4. He kicked Steven Seagal's butt.
I'd love to meet him.
Regards,
Steve
OP
captnigh
Guest
- Thread Starter
- #10
The Judo Gene/Seagal story is awesome. I have heard several versions.
Anyone want to comment on which one is accurate?
Anyone want to comment on which one is accurate?
hardheadjarhead
Senior Master
captnigh said:
I heard it from two totally different sources, both people being members of the Hollywood stuntman community. Both stories are basically the same.
Seagal was allegedly trashing (physically) his stuntmen, hitting them hard, throwing them hard, and hurting them. LeBell, who was a past president of the guild, went to Seagal and called him on it. Words were exchanged, and Seagal opened the festivities by kicking Gene in the groin.
LeBell ignored the kick, shot in and took Seagal's back. He then choked him out. Seagal lost control of his bladder, wetting his pants. He woke up, squared off, and asked LeBell if he'd like to try it again--which he did, successfully.
Regards,
Steve
OP
captnigh
Guest
- Thread Starter
- #12
I read the same story, except that it started with Seagal standing around on-set claiming chokes didn't work on him because of his fantastically strong Ki. Judo Gene begged to differ, at which point the stories are the same. Gene got the choke, Seagal stopped him-said he wasn't ready- they did it again Seagal goes out and wets himself. Gene was quoted as saying "a man has got to know his limitations". I also heard Gene didn't care for Seagal because Seagal had a rep for being rough on stuntmen.hardheadjarhead said:
The version I heard on the Bruce Lee story was that basically, Bruce was again, being rough on stuntmen and so finally Gene basically picks him up in a fireman's carry and hauls him around the set for awhile. At one point Bruce says something like, "...put me down or I'll kill you." Gene ignores him and again, Bruce says put me down. Gene just tells him that, "I can't, you'd kill me" and proceeded to carry him around for awhile longer...
I just saw his new autobiography "The Godfather of Grappling" in the bookstore today:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0967654351/
I don't know how it differs from last year's autobiography "The Toughest Man Alive":
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0953176673/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0967654351/
I don't know how it differs from last year's autobiography "The Toughest Man Alive":
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0953176673/
Mark Barlow
Yellow Belt
I've had the pleasure to train with Gene several times in the past 16 years. He's a walking encyclopedia of grappling and can stretch you more ways than you ever thought possible. Without a doubt, the Saturday night workouts at his cabin are my favorite martial arts memories.
Sounds like fun! Who does he train against to stay at a high level--who is in his league?
Mark Barlow
Yellow Belt
Besides the Saturday night invitation only workouts at his cabin, I know he's usually at Gokor's dojo on Monday nights. Truthfully, I don't know of anyone who is in his league but he makes a point to train with the best he can find, Oleg Taktarov, Gokor, John Donahue and the Machados to name a few.
My teacher (high ranking judoka) has great respect for Gene Lebell. He once had a student who said she HATED the color pink, but knew Mr. Lebell to wear pink. So he had her wear a pink belt for month.
heh heh heh heh heh
heh heh heh heh heh
Miles
Senior Master
arnisador said:
A friend loaned me his copy of this book and I am about half-way through. Gene LeBell is also one of the funniest guys I've read. His self-deprecating sense of humor is refreshing, especially since he is so famous. I've woken up my wife several times laughing out loud while I've read this book.
Miles
My buddy brought in his book that used to be called Pro Wrestling Finish Moves, or something like that...
Looked interesting...
Looked interesting...
