Kuntow/Kuntaw instructor

[donald]

Any one familar with a gent by the name of Guy Savelli? He teaches a system called "Chinese Kuntaw". I recall seeing his name mentioned in Blackbelt awhile back. The guy who quoted his name was I believe Mr.Casamasa. From Red Dragon Karate, the dad not the son. I have heard conflicting reports as to this instructors martial skill. Anyone able to shed some light on the subject? As always, no offence intended. Just curious. :asian:

 

[Cthulhu]

Originally posted by donald
Any one familar with a gent by the name of Guy Savelli? He teaches a system called "Chinese Kuntaw". I recall seeing his name mentioned in Blackbelt awhile back. The guy who quoted his name was I believe Mr.Casamasa. From Red Dragon Karate, the dad not the son. I have heard conflicting reports as to this instructors martial skill. Anyone able to shed some light on the subject? As always, no offence intended. Just curious. :asian:

This is just my personal opinion, but this:

http://www.worldkungfu.com/personal3.html

on Savelli's site doesn't sit well with me.

Cthulhu

 

[donald]

I took a look at the videos on this site demonstrating "the whip", and I am not sure what else. It did'nt look like much of a demonstration. Looks like he walked up on a subject, and wacked him in the chest? If there are any practioners of this style/system on the forum. I would like to hear more about the principles etc., behind it. Also is there anyone who can shed some light on Mr.Savelli? His training background etc.. I have no real agenda. I have heard of the gentleman for years, but never really anything concrete.
Salute in Christ

 

[Cthulhu]

Sorry it took a while. This is copied from a post made to RMA in 1997:

As I understand, and I do, Guy Savelli studied maybe 8 months under Willem Reeders and makes exaggerated claims, that he challenged to fight Reeders with the mind, he is a lunatic according to my sources.
Reeder's Kun Tao is Fukchin Kuntao with dragon and snake styles. He also did Silat. That is not to say that Savelli is legitimate, he makes a lot of false claims. He was probably a karate man at one time so he does have a martial arts foundation.

In Wichita you could look up Shelley Misllspaugh 316-267-0590, he studies Kuntao with Steve Todd who is under Guru Tua Chuck Stahmann, my senior student and now a senior instructor under Willem de Thouars. Steve Todd is in Arkansas at 501-636-6678, and 501-855-6769. They also both practice Kali and Steve Todd does Jun Fan.

Huc Chung is an internal technique which has to do with the mind, and is an internal Fukchin Kun Tao technique, which only a few people know, if you want real info on that check out Carl Spitelli or Lenny Howe in Florida (941-489-3139), or Kun Tao Master Art Sykes (in Arizona). Of course the Willem de Thouars group all does real KunTao
(Honan and Hokkien).

Guru (Sifu) Randall Goodwin
Kuntao Silat Thouars

Cthulhu

 

[Ante]

Any one familar with a gent by the name of Guy Savelli? He teaches a system called "Chinese Kuntaw". I recall seeing his name mentioned in Blackbelt awhile back. The guy who quoted his name was I believe Mr.Casamasa. From Red Dragon Karate, the dad not the son. I have heard conflicting reports as to this instructors martial skill. Anyone able to shed some light on the subject? As always, no offence intended. Just curious. :asian:

Hello Donald,
As far as Master Savelli's martial skill goes I am very impressed by it. That said I am not any kind of a expert. He has been contracted by the U.S. special forces for over 20 years and that must say something about his skills.

I see that you are in the Willoughby area. If you get a chance I would recommend going to Master Savelli's school for a free class/demo. His school is about 5 min. from Willoughby. Check the local phone book for the address/number. That would probably be the best way to decide if it is right for you.

Hope that helps,
Ante

 

[7starmantis]

Wow, having looked around on his website I would say I'm not to impressed. Check out this thread as well about it. http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12716

7sm

 

[OUMoose]

This is second hand info, but the I trust the sources very much. The guy is a loon. Supposedly touts the ability to make himself invisible and shapeshift into a wolf, all of which he can teach YOU for xxx bucks a month. My opinion: Keep yourself far away.

 

[OULobo]

ahhh. . . . Mr. Savelli. I used to live in Mentor and Mr. Savelli has schools scattered about the Lake County area. I have never met Mr. Savelli, but I have had experiences with many other Indo-FMA groups that tell quite a few stories, and being originally from the area I run into a student or story every so often. So all you get from me is second hand and should be taken as such. Secondly, it involves all the whole machismo and hush-hush stuff that seems to be ingrained in some Indo arts. Also I would like to mention that I did get the chance to meet one of his beautiful twin daughters when I was much younger, and she was among the nicest and most fun people I've met (I think she used to help teach dance at one of his schools).

In the interests of keeping out of a flame war, if anyone wants to hear my tales please PM me.

I will say that the people I know who have seen them train say they can really do with stuff on the videos. They are pretty fast and well conditioned. If you are interested then go check it out and see for yourself, but be aware and don't get too caught up in it.

 

[MJS]

LOL! Funny this should be posted here. There is the same discussion about this guy taking place on another forum that I belong to. IMO, the guy seems like a fake. I looked at his site and I wasnt impressed at all! Anyone how says that they can knock people out that are in a different room that they are....well, that to me sounds like someone who is living in a fantasy land, not in 2004!! As I said on the other forum. You can look at anyones web site and see testimonials from students. Also, getting a BB today is very easy. I mean, you can order the things right out of a catalog!!! So, whos to say that this guy is as legit as he says?

Mike

 

[OULobo]

LOL! Funny this should be posted here. There is the same discussion about this guy taking place on another forum that I belong to. IMO, the guy seems like a fake. I looked at his site and I wasnt impressed at all! Anyone how says that they can knock people out that are in a different room that they are....well, that to me sounds like someone who is living in a fantasy land, not in 2004!! As I said on the other forum. You can look at anyones web site and see testimonials from students. Also, getting a BB today is very easy. I mean, you can order the things right out of a catalog!!! So, whos to say that this guy is as legit as he says?

Mike

Would you mind posting a link to the other forum. It may be helpful.

 

[MJS]

Would you mind posting a link to the other forum. It may be helpful.

Absolutely!! Here it is. www.psdtc.com

The Inst. Ron Kosakowski is an awesome Inst. I train with him when I can, and every time, I walk away with so much! He has spent many years training under Joe Rossi, in Kun Tao. There is alot on his site, including descriptions of what his school offers, a bio on him, a forum, and an explaination of each art that he teaches.

Let me know what you think after you check it out.

Mike

 

[OULobo]

Absolutely!! Here it is. www.psdtc.com

The Inst. Ron Kosakowski is an awesome Inst. I train with him when I can, and every time, I walk away with so much! He has spent many years training under Joe Rossi, in Kun Tao. There is alot on his site, including descriptions of what his school offers, a bio on him, a forum, and an explaination of each art that he teaches.

Let me know what you think after you check it out.

Mike

Thanks MJS. I ahecked out the site and read all the postings about Savelli on the Kun Taw forum. Looks like most of the people on it have the same general opinion. The big problem is that I don't know anyone that can confirm any of his claims. I think he claims lineage under Reeders and Wetzel. I don't know students of either that will claim him or to have seen him with the masters. I can vouch for the students of Sykes (Reeder's highest), as I have trained with a few of them here in Cleveland. I can't say much about Wetzel's people. They pop up around here every so often, but I have only trained with one guy who was supposed to be a master and he was pretty lacking in skill and ability. I hear many of the others are pretty good. I'm not much for Kun Tao. It seems a little polluted with people that have attitudes I'm not fond of. I'm not speaking of the Rossi group you train with because I know next to nothing about that style. I believe I read it was filipino in origin so it is probly pretty different from the other Kun Tao styles. I only have any knowledge of Kun Tao because of my location and because I train Silat and many Kun Tao people fancy themselves as silat practitioners.

BTW looks like a pretty cool school to train at. The instructor Ron looks very able as a teacher and willing as a student. Those are the best instructors. He has a great line-up for a curriculum. It helps when you get in with the Inosanto group, but the Kun Tao gives him something a little more unique to offer his students. Very nice.

 

[MJS]

Thanks MJS. I ahecked out the site and read all the postings about Savelli on the Kun Taw forum. Looks like most of the people on it have the same general opinion. The big problem is that I don't know anyone that can confirm any of his claims. I think he claims lineage under Reeders and Wetzel. I don't know students of either that will claim him or to have seen him with the masters. I can vouch for the students of Sykes (Reeder's highest), as I have trained with a few of them here in Cleveland. I can't say much about Wetzel's people. They pop up around here every so often, but I have only trained with one guy who was supposed to be a master and he was pretty lacking in skill and ability. I hear many of the others are pretty good. I'm not much for Kun Tao. It seems a little polluted with people that have attitudes I'm not fond of. I'm not speaking of the Rossi group you train with because I know next to nothing about that style. I believe I read it was filipino in origin so it is probly pretty different from the other Kun Tao styles. I only have any knowledge of Kun Tao because of my location and because I train Silat and many Kun Tao people fancy themselves as silat practitioners.

BTW looks like a pretty cool school to train at. The instructor Ron looks very able as a teacher and willing as a student. Those are the best instructors. He has a great line-up for a curriculum. It helps when you get in with the Inosanto group, but the Kun Tao gives him something a little more unique to offer his students. Very nice.

I'm glad that I could help! As for the different styles of KT..well, the only one that I know the most about it the one that Ron teaches, and also because I really never knew much about it until I met him. My Arnis Inst. is also a student of Rons, so at times, he throws in a little KT into the Arnis. Unfortunately, due to my schedule, I'm not able to make it to Rons as much as I'd like. The majority of my training from him comes through the workshops that he offers.

Mike

 

[markulous]

The sliding kicks that he teaches still make me and my Sifu laugh.

 

[monkey]

Ok as far as i was told from the reeders family Savali-Sikes-Solomoney-Donzela never trained with reeders.Sikes did meet him briefly & Wetzel but was told not toclaim the art.The reeders line acording to his wife & Jerry Bradigan is not kuntao based nor has any in it.It is Tibetan TaiChi.Wetzel Had the Kuntao & any one not of wetzel & claimed it had short comeings.

 

[monkey]

I almost forgot you were talking of Kuntao-Hey look in 1970 the Presas line we did kuntao under Jose Bonco y Presas.Remy & Ernesto tought as Brothers for awhile & I have the video & class photos,We kick in kuntao.So If you do 70s-80s arnis presas line there is a good shoot you had a bit of kuntao.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Lert me first say I have never met Mr. Savelli and wouldn't know him if he walked past me. However I have seen the results of his teaching and it turned my stomach. 2 guys I came up through the kyu ranks with one went to black belt and one decided to go train with Savelli. Well the one who went with Savelli came back after about 3 years or so to visit and the other one who had gone to black belt and he were friends and used to love to spar each other. Well the black belt asked the other one to spar and the response was no I can't because he only did full contact now and he had learned how to kill. Well they ended up fighting full tilt and the black belt almost put Savelli's student in the hospital. It took the poor guy 45 minutes to get up off the floor and then it was only enough to literally crawl out of the room. Keep in mind they had the same about of training time and were only 1 rank apart.

Another one is the whole deal of him hitting his students with broom sticks and saying they have to devolop themselves to be able to take that kind of punishment. I have seen those demonstrations where there were tears coming out of the persons eyes. The person who got hit did it volunteerly and was an ex-navy seal so he was no slouch.

Mr. Savelli does not have a good reputation in this area and I would be hessitant at best to go train with him just going by what I have heard and seen.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I almost forgot you were talking of Kuntao-Hey look in 1970 the Presas line we did kuntao under Jose Bonco y Presas.Remy & Ernesto tought as Brothers for awhile & I have the video & class photos,We kick in kuntao.So If you do 70s-80s arnis presas line there is a good shoot you had a bit of kuntao.

Very curious still about this connection. I have no doubt that Remy and Ernesto Taught together. I am curious as to why this matters to this thread? Are you saying that some of techniques are Kuntao in Modern Arnis? Or are you saying the techniques are good techniques and appear in multiple arts?

 

[monkey]

Jose the father tough kuntau to the military as were as arnis.Stoke the grandfather had corto or close range much like serada but diferant.Now mix close cutting abinco & kuntao & you have Jose Bonco y Presas line of arnis.The 1975 patchwe had has a gold type of book & over top or laying on it was a kriss & stick to show the merge of the 2 arts.I do have the kuntao class on film.Plus if youwatch the 1-3 I bleave the Pratical defence of Remy He did kuntao take downs & the balintawak student Erwin Carmicheals is in it.So Is there balintawak & kuntao in both line Remy & ernie YES> and I have the certifacate of such.In the forum look up ok whos tom carnes & scroll down youll see 4 threds to click use the last & it tells I am authentic as my ranks.

 

[liuseongsystem]

Guy Savelli does not represent Master Reeders Liu Seong sytem of martial arts.

he makes outlandish claims of ridiculous psychic abilities, and has the gall to claim to have defeated GGM Reeders in combat.

feh,

he is a stain on the name of the art in America.

I have seen some of his video. It a an obscene parody of the Liu Seong system.

These are some of the men who actually trained under Master Reeders, with time, effort and achievement.

Art Sikes
Carl Spitale
Bob Servidio
Jerry Bradigan
Gary Galvin

there are others, but these men are already proclaimed students, known on the internet. i wont violate the privacy of others.