My interest in martial arts started at about age 6 when I saw Bruce Lee kick out a light in the Green Hornet pilot. My fascination grew and grew over the years with his movies and his death. I finally made it into an martial art school shortly after the birth of my first child.I studied with the same instructor for 16 years. I left his teaching approximately 1 year after testing for my 4th Dan Master level. Now, this man was a great teacher, that is why I was there for so very long. However a lot of the techniques he did and taught just seemed to be 'way out there'. I was looking for something that would work for me and anyone I shared it with.
At this point I opened my own school with my two sons. I was still very driven to learn (I still am) and contacted as many martial arts Master and Grand Masters as would talk to me. Several were kind enough to take me under their wing and teach me much of what they knew, but as great as they were, there was still something missing.
At this point I was becoming very frustrated. I decided it was time to look within for my answers. Oddly enough at this point I received an email from a man I did not know personally, but was familiar with, Steve Stewart of London Ontario.
The email talked about a pressure point seminar with George Dillman he was hosting and I was being invited to attend. The seminar was very reasonably priced, and I was curious. I had heard a lot about George Dillman over the years. I was expecting a good show, but that was about all.
I took about 8 students with me and we attending this seminar. Dillman presented a great seminar, and I found that a lot of what he said made sense. Then a lot of what he said did not make sense. I left happy that I attended, but still searching.
Over the next few days I thought about what Dillman talked about. The more I pondered, the more sense what he had said made. I called Steve Stewart to ask more information.
Steve Stewart at that time was a 6th Degree Black Belt in American Kenpo, part of the Ed Parker system. He was also running the most successful martial arts school in Canada. As we talked he told me about his Kyusho journey and beginnings and how he wanted to organize things to make it easier for people to learn the art. He also told me that he was about to start a new Novice Kyusho Certification Course if I was interested in obtaining a Black Belt in Kyusho. I was in!
I started my novice training with Steve Stewart (now 7th Dan American Kenpo and 8th Dan Kyusho Jitsu) and have never looked back. Because we are both school owners and had a lot in common Steve and I became fast friends. I have attended many of his school events and functions and have studied him closely. He has fully integrated Kyusho into his Kenpo. It is so seemly, that if you did not understand Kyusho, you would never see it.
Now I have also done the same. Kyusho is part of my art of Hapkido. They now cannot be separated. Things I did well and now better. Things I did very well are better also. Now all the techniques from the past make sense! Integrating Kyusho made the art of Hapkido timeless for me.
Now I am currently working on introducing more martial artists to the pressure point art of Kyusho. I am also preparing for my test to 6th Degree Black Belt in Kyusho and 8th Dan in Hapkido. As I think about how to explain this to martial artists I think about being a back yard mechanic.
I had a good knowledge of cars and how to fix them. I rebuilt engines, painted and body worked cars etc. I did a great job. But imagine if I had a better education in these fields?
As great a martial artist as the reader may be, imagine just how much greater you could be with a little Kyusho education.
