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Well, it was worth a try. Even Bob#2 used to jump on pretentious know-it-alls like you who just like to hear themselves talk all day long. Or was it that Bob#2 was one of those guys? Oh well, whatever. I guess you'll always get some sucker to listen to every word you say, Charlie. Just don't listen to the Beatles' White album anymore and stay on your meds.

while you've been busy posting and responding to yourself over the last 3 days, you mentioned Jimmy's "glare was death like".

Do you mean when light reflected off of him? Or that he could look at you in such a way that he appeared to be dead?

Bob#2
(listening to myself type)

Well it has certainly been interesting reading the overall conversations in reference to Kung Fu San Soo. I remember the old days early 70's in Downey Calif, at Frank Woolsey's Kung Fu Studio's and I had a Black Belt In Shotokan Karate, and a background in Judo before being exposed to San Soo and beginning my dicipline.

I remember in those days finding it to my best advantage practicing as much freestyling as I could possible engage into. This made me feel more confident fighting without the suprise element.

Frank and my old instructor as I recall Steve Parker taught me one thing in those days if they taught me anything. Always try to use the element of surprise to my advantage and by all means always use a follow-up ( never leave the bad guys awake ) after attacking them ficiously.
Heck, we use to attack our opponets when they were knocked out just to make sure.

We had bikers in those classes (Animal and all the others) and they were some tough SOB's and always tried to catch you off guard, but that was a good thing. So we learned alot fighing with them. Better take em out and out for good!

There was no fair fighting and to always make sure they were knocked out after destroying them. Frank Woolsey's famous quote in those classes was " if you don't believe it works, go out on the street and try it!"

The truth to the matter is that there is no one dicipline that is better than all others, and you better learn and practice all you can from everywhere, they all have something to offer that can be added to your personal arsenal. Last note: Practice, practice, practice, freestyle all you can, and you better learn to grapple too! I am still instructing San Soo 30 plus years to-date.

Most of all I think Jimmy Woo would be proud to see how enormous his teachings have permiated Our Great Nation. Keep up the good work BROTHERS.

"The truth to the matter is that there is no one dicipline that is better than all others, and you better learn and practice all you can from everywhere, they all have something to offer that can be added to your personal arsenal. Last note: Practice, practice, practice, freestyle all you can, and you better learn to grapple too! I am still instructing San Soo 30 plus years to-date."

Right on.

Hello everybody Great to see you back Mr. V! Hello Tim!

Great video post!

Reading the archive into the current discussion there are some excellent points made.

Mike Guerro makes a strong point. Mr V. brings out the difference in generations and living through much different times than most people my age (35 and below) can relate two.

Ted Coppel's book the Greatest Generation has much merit here!

My father is 68. He grew up in this era. My former San Soo instructors are pushing 60 now and also grew up in this generation of having to fight and stand up for oneself in a much different way. Laws have changed and technology has changed the face of battle into a video game.

I, personally am not tough enough to be a San Soo man. My instructors are the most amazing men I have ever met and probably will ever meet. They are true rough and tumble, combat oriented men. They scare the poop out of me to this day! Not because they are unusually educated and sly with words and writing and presentation but because they are the REAL DEAL.

I love them and miss them. I am just not tough enough for the art and hence not tough enough to be around them. Perhaps it IS indeed a generation gap problem. I never had to grow up with the threat of guns or fist fighting as a reality. Laws protecting people from one another changed street brawling altogether. Hell in school in the eighties I was concerned about the impersonal threat of destruction through nuclear weapons and NOT fighting hand to hand or with even with guns.

There is no doubt my instructors had difficulty in sharing the teachings and teaching me. I am one of those types complies to the "First one who could, last one who would" category. I did not grow up with the frame of references through the experience of turbelent times that they did.

Combat will always be combat and a soft approach will only lead to certain death. This begs the question of how does the old rough and tumble generation produce combat effective people when those people grew up in a softer world?

Hi GGH,
Thanks for your comments. I too agree with your observations on Mr. Vincents views, he is a man of many thought provoking experiences. Jack, I applaud your time to share your insights and for being a proponent of Mr. Woo's teachings of life. Now, to respond to the question of how to pass on the effectiveness of San Soo.I believe first and foremost it must start with the willingness to respond to any act of aggression, verbal or physical.
Then you must be more willing to learn how to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.This can be accomplished through advancing stages of intensity in your training. You must have the burning desire to tax your mental and physical capacities to develop conditioned reflexes for street effective expertise.
Finally, you must be willing to engage.
You must be willing to take a stand when necessary, because that is the proper use of San Soo. The use of your ability to defend yourself, women and children, and the defendless against predators of our society is your responsibility.
Mastery comes from experience!
Respectfully, Mike

please just let this thread die.lol

"Then you must be more willing to learn how to become comfortable with being uncomfortable."

Well said Mr. Guerrero! No learning of consequence can be attained if the student is not taken outside their comfort zone. To instruct martial arts, particularly combat oriented arts, the instructor must challenge the individual constantly. No surprise here- alot of people walk away often with bad feelings. Great teachers are often disliked.

Mr V. I reread your posts on this thread....amazing how I learn something new every single read and reread!

A big thank you to all the San Soo instructors and students who share their stories and wisdom.

Hello Sifu Casarez.
You bring up training at Frank Woolsey's Studio. I have read that Frank Woolsey was an excellent and talented teacher and instructor. If you trained under Mr. Woolsey may I ask what quality(ies) made Mr. Woolsey a great instructor?

are you asking if Mr. Woolsey was disliked?

Not at all Bob #2. What quality(ies) did Mr. Woolsey have as an instructor that made him an excellent instructor. Going from memory here....I think I read an interview with Master Bill Hulsey in which he states that Mr. Woolsey was an excellent instructor. Hope my memory is correct on that one! Just wondering what made Mr. Woolsey a good instructor.

Hi GHH,

I would like to respond to your question regarding Mr. Woolsey.

First, I would to like to state why I feel I'm qualified to offer my observations.My association was from 1970-1975 with the Frank Woolsey Corporation of kung -fu Studios. I became a student at his first studio in Downey. I progressed to assistant instructor at that studio, and then was employed fulltime as assistant manager of his Orange studio. Eventually, I became Head Instructor/Manager of his Huntington Beach location. I received my Black Belt from him personally and have a letter stating these facts.

What made Frank the effective teacher he was is simply he was taught by the Best------Mr. Woo.
He began his training at a young age and was the recipient of Mr. Woo's vast lifetime of fighting experiences and strategy. He brought this wealth of information in combination with his own well known reputation of streetfighting experiences to give a dimension to his teaching unattainable in any other way. I saw him in a number of situations, in action, devastatingly effective, his reputation for his fighting prowess was well deserved.

He always treated me as a close friend. When I managed his Huntinton Beach studio he dropped by frequently on his way to his office off Beach Blvd, from his home in Huntington Harbor. Those visits allowed me the opportunity to constantly asks questions and refine my approach to training.
It was a life changing experience for a 22 year old. I remember that in the early 70's ,
Frank made a 30 sec. commercial at the Huntington
Beach that aired at halftime of the Super Bowl.

On my last opportunity to visit with Mr. Woo, shortly before his passing, he stated to me in regards to "Frankie" being his Best.

I have kept in contact with him over the years, and last met with at his home prior to his moving. He was always fair and generous in my dealings with me.

Yes, bob2, I'm sure there will be people who might speak ill of Mr. Woolsey, but no one can dispute his formidable expertise and success in San Soo and the business world.
Frank once shared this with me...." The Price of Success is bearing the critcism of Envy".

Respectfully, Mike










Mike

Thank you Mike Guerrero for your response.

Awhile back I suffered an injury and consequently took awhile to rehabilitate that injury. Luckily I have regained full use of my faculties again. Many months passed and initially I thought I would never recover fully. In part due to this I handed in my black belt thinking that, at that time, I would never instruct again or even be able to have full use of my body.

I am now confronted with several things I am having trouble reconciling. The prospect of hurt does not bother me. The idea of a possible serious injury occurring again does concern me. And yet as funny as it may sound I miss the physicality, the hurt and accomplishment of it all.

In short, I am having trouble positively deciding whether to return and this alone is a big problem. If your heart isn’t 100 percent into the art bad things can happen.

I really miss my instructors’ friendship and company. They shared a magnificent art with me in a brotherly manner. I miss them.

I have the opportunity to again continue my education with my instructors and am seriously considering doing so.

If anyone has had a similar experience that they can share or an opinion of how to proceed I would really appreciate it.

GGH

You could start off slowly and gently, and gradually work your way back to full strength.

Both physically and mentally, your need for training now is greater than ever. Improvise, adapt, and overcome.