Arts and Areas of Training

Jeet Kune Do Kickboxing
The stand up, empty hand portion of our studies involves a wide number of arts including, but not limited to Boxing, Muay Thai, Wing Chun, Savate, Shooto, Lee Jun Fan Gung Fu and Kali. All of these are bound together by Bruce Lee’s philosophy from Jeet Kune Do (Way of the Intercepting Fist), which dictates that techniques need to be simple, economic and effective to be incorporated into a fighting style. This philosophy makes this art particularly effective for self defense. Training focuses on developing fighting skills, techniques and most importantly attributes such as endurance, strength, speed and reaction time. Training involves a large amount of partner drills using focus mitts, Thai pads, and other targets so that the practitioner gains experience and develops power through making actual contact. Training tends to start with offensive techniques first and then progresses to defense. Also heavily emphasized here is the concept and practice of trapping, which is the clearing away of obstacles (blocks and grabs). Trapping is done both offensively and defensively in order to create opportunities to go back to striking.
Jeet Kune Do is considered a non-classical martial art in that it places the needs and abilities of each practitioner as more important than any set of proscribed techniques and responses. This is the art of the individual and offers benefits to the student far beyond the physical.

Kali/Filipino Weapons
The weaponry classes are a blend of Lameco Eskrima, Inosanto Kali and our own Integrated Kali Systems. These weapons systems all have their roots in the Philippines. The native people there have had thousands of years of conflict and invasion to hone their fighting systems into the most effective and practical weapons arts in the world. Training is done primarily in knife, stick and machete, but is also done in staff, and long sword. Triangular striking patterns and footwork are used heavily in these arts in both offensive and defensive techniques. Integrated Kali Systems, our own blend and the center of our weapons training is focused on offensive techniques and practical defense with the knife and stick. It borrows training methods and philosophy from Muay Thai and Jeet Kune Do to build the most effective skills for both armed and unarmed self defense on the street.
Also incorporated into these areas are some western knife work and Krabi Krabong, the Thai royal staff and sword fighting art. This battlefield art is particularly aggressive and aerobic.
This area of study is absolutely vital for street self defense and helps enormously in building skills and attributes that aid the student in empty hand fighting. These arts are fundamental in teaching the practitioner balance, grace and the ability to flow from one attack to another.

Mixed Grappling/Combat Submission Wrestling
The throwing and submission side of the club pulls from arts such as freestyle wrestling, Shooto, Sambo, Judo, Jujitsu, Brazilian Jujitsu, Catch-as-catch-can wrestling, with a particular emphasis on the techniques taught by Sensei Erik Paulson in his Combat Submission Wrestling system. The classes focus primarily on techniques and strategies for use in Mixed Martial Arts competition, but have a very strong applicability to street self defense and self defense for women. In addition to these submission techniques are often added certain dirtier tricks that while illegal in the ring, are especially effective on the street.
Also included in this stage is another emphasis on trapping, which becomes particularly effective in the close range and compromised situations of grappling.
The training in this stage also focuses heavily on endurance and general fitness. Students are taught to maximize their energy by relaxing and using technique instead of brute force. Training includes work on the various positions, locking, choking, defense, reversals, escapes and mobility.
While often intimidating for those who have never grappled, this area often becomes both women and men’s favorite subject.

For information, contact Bruce Heppner-Elgin by phone at 319-321-3447 or email Bruce Heppner-Elgin

Bruce
8/9/05