bydand
Senior Master
Well, Discovery 2007 is a thing of the past now. I can't wait until I get to see the DVD made during the seminar because there is just no way I can remember everything from memory. This was my first one I had the pleasure of going to, but it will not be my last! I am already looking forward to next year. For those of you who didn't get the chance to go, you missed some great training and some good laughs. The energy level was through the roof Saturday morning and was still going strong when it broke up Sunday afternoon.
John Poliquin started things off and was up to his usual flawless standard. I was a bit shocked when he didn't deal in ground fighting for his teaching block. Shocked, but not disappointed, because he has such a depth of knowledge everything he does is a treat to try.
After lunch Ms. Tori Eldridge from California, and Marc Jobin from Quebec each did an 1 1/2 hour block, and to tell the truth I can't remember who was first and who followed, but it really doesn't matter because both did a great job. Ms. Eldridge showed everybody something she has been working on for the past year and how to loosen up your body to flow much more fluid and less stiff. I know it will be a loooooong time before I can move anywhere near as smooth as that lady can. She is like watching a silk sheet hung in a light breeze, just so smooth and flowing that changes in direction happen one place without disrupting the movement everywhere else. I can't even begin to discribe it really, it is something you have to see.
Marc Jobin covered some locks and was up to the last pain threshold I experenced at one of his other seminars.
He also did a couple of things from a headlock position and really opened some eyes to how vastly important timing can be. He is a soft spoken guy that is just so gracious and knowlegable he can hold your attention for a very long time. His 1 1/2 hour block was over before it seemed possible. I never had so much fun grimacing with my head scrubbing across carpet while trying to tap out, then jumping up and asking for it to happen again just so I could see how it was done. That is the type of energy and enthusiasim he brings with him, and imparts to you, anywhere he goes. I see many trips to Quebec in my future!
Day 2 brought Hardee Merritt first covering some ground fighting and several different methods for obtaining the desired outcome. He has a unique teaching style that works very well. Picture being taught 4 techiniques: A, B, C, then D. Then tying it together by starting with "C" which sets up for "A" then you can finish with either "B" or "D". Or any number of different combinations of those techniques. It limits the "but we did it A,B,C,D; and now that I try it I get stuck at C" type of mentality that can trip up somebody; because they are all stand alone pieces of a giant puzzle which every other piece can fit whever it is needed in no particular order or number. He did a great job and has given everybody there a ton of material to work on.
After Hardee, was Brett Varnum. What can I say about Brett? I know - "Thanks, my wrists still hurt!" Mr. Varnum covered some rather painful wrist locks, and went through a number of different methods of applying them; from punches at you, to hand grabs, and everything in between. Then how to flow into take-downs from them as needed. Brett is a BIG guy who moves like smoke, but lands like a ton of bricks. (Ask my brother who got to be uke for that part.)
After lunch day two, John called up some Instructors from other schools and had them each give a quick 20 minute lesson on whatever technique they chose. It was refreshing to see what is happening in other parts of the Country and the World. One of the Instructors was a guy from South Africa who I had the pleasure of training with a bit during the week-end and he had some insights of how to get out of the lock Brett had us do just a couple of hours before if they were not applied perfectly. Kind of viewing both sides of the same coin. Rick was amazing in his talant and willingness to share whatever he could with everybody from white belt up.
Another Instructor just pissed me off (at myself). One minute there he was in a grapple, or arm bar, then the next you are laying on your back looking at ceiling tile wondering how in the hell you got there. Dennis could put his hands in his Gi top and just make you wreck yourself. It was simply the most amazing demonstration of taijitsu I have ever witnessed or felt. I don't know if I can ever achive that level, but it is my new goal in training! Thank you Dennis for giving me a fleeting glance at how taijitsu should be done! :asian:
Loren (my brother and regular instructor) showed a method of drawing a punch while moving to the outside of the attacker and knocking the breath out of them in one smooth flowing movement, then clamping off any chance they have of refilling their lungs of the breath you just knocked out of them, thus inducing what he refers to as "nighty, night time" in a very, very short time frame. It is a particularly nasty thing to have done to you (he perfected the grab on me one afternoon much to my dismay.) Then showed how to have an agressor give you whatever limb you may want during a scuffle. Kind if neat actually.
The other three I forgot their names right now, but did some really neat variations to things covered elsewhere during the seminar.
Next year be there if you can, it is worth every penny! And as Hardee kept saying "buy the DVD!" that way you will not forget what you see there.
John Poliquin started things off and was up to his usual flawless standard. I was a bit shocked when he didn't deal in ground fighting for his teaching block. Shocked, but not disappointed, because he has such a depth of knowledge everything he does is a treat to try.
After lunch Ms. Tori Eldridge from California, and Marc Jobin from Quebec each did an 1 1/2 hour block, and to tell the truth I can't remember who was first and who followed, but it really doesn't matter because both did a great job. Ms. Eldridge showed everybody something she has been working on for the past year and how to loosen up your body to flow much more fluid and less stiff. I know it will be a loooooong time before I can move anywhere near as smooth as that lady can. She is like watching a silk sheet hung in a light breeze, just so smooth and flowing that changes in direction happen one place without disrupting the movement everywhere else. I can't even begin to discribe it really, it is something you have to see.
Marc Jobin covered some locks and was up to the last pain threshold I experenced at one of his other seminars.
He also did a couple of things from a headlock position and really opened some eyes to how vastly important timing can be. He is a soft spoken guy that is just so gracious and knowlegable he can hold your attention for a very long time. His 1 1/2 hour block was over before it seemed possible. I never had so much fun grimacing with my head scrubbing across carpet while trying to tap out, then jumping up and asking for it to happen again just so I could see how it was done. That is the type of energy and enthusiasim he brings with him, and imparts to you, anywhere he goes. I see many trips to Quebec in my future!Day 2 brought Hardee Merritt first covering some ground fighting and several different methods for obtaining the desired outcome. He has a unique teaching style that works very well. Picture being taught 4 techiniques: A, B, C, then D. Then tying it together by starting with "C" which sets up for "A" then you can finish with either "B" or "D". Or any number of different combinations of those techniques. It limits the "but we did it A,B,C,D; and now that I try it I get stuck at C" type of mentality that can trip up somebody; because they are all stand alone pieces of a giant puzzle which every other piece can fit whever it is needed in no particular order or number. He did a great job and has given everybody there a ton of material to work on.
After Hardee, was Brett Varnum. What can I say about Brett? I know - "Thanks, my wrists still hurt!"
Mr. Varnum covered some rather painful wrist locks, and went through a number of different methods of applying them; from punches at you, to hand grabs, and everything in between. Then how to flow into take-downs from them as needed. Brett is a BIG guy who moves like smoke, but lands like a ton of bricks. (Ask my brother who got to be uke for that part.) After lunch day two, John called up some Instructors from other schools and had them each give a quick 20 minute lesson on whatever technique they chose. It was refreshing to see what is happening in other parts of the Country and the World. One of the Instructors was a guy from South Africa who I had the pleasure of training with a bit during the week-end and he had some insights of how to get out of the lock Brett had us do just a couple of hours before if they were not applied perfectly. Kind of viewing both sides of the same coin. Rick was amazing in his talant and willingness to share whatever he could with everybody from white belt up.
Another Instructor just pissed me off (at myself). One minute there he was in a grapple, or arm bar, then the next you are laying on your back looking at ceiling tile wondering how in the hell you got there. Dennis could put his hands in his Gi top and just make you wreck yourself. It was simply the most amazing demonstration of taijitsu I have ever witnessed or felt. I don't know if I can ever achive that level, but it is my new goal in training! Thank you Dennis for giving me a fleeting glance at how taijitsu should be done! :asian:
Loren (my brother and regular instructor) showed a method of drawing a punch while moving to the outside of the attacker and knocking the breath out of them in one smooth flowing movement, then clamping off any chance they have of refilling their lungs of the breath you just knocked out of them, thus inducing what he refers to as "nighty, night time" in a very, very short time frame. It is a particularly nasty thing to have done to you (he perfected the grab on me one afternoon much to my dismay.) Then showed how to have an agressor give you whatever limb you may want during a scuffle. Kind if neat actually.
The other three I forgot their names right now, but did some really neat variations to things covered elsewhere during the seminar.
Next year be there if you can, it is worth every penny! And as Hardee kept saying "buy the DVD!" that way you will not forget what you see there.
