This has got to be the best seminar Master Bram Frank ever gave in Israel.
Bram came with Frank Olsen (AKA the man behind Skunk-works some of the best sheathes in the business) Steve (Tiny) and Greg all of which are certified Gunting freaks.
The seminar was sponsored by Scorpio (Guy Rafaeli) and his partner Yuval both of which are Gunting and Arnis instructors.
I think it was a huge success and with 46 participants - 11 of whom came from the USA, Canada, England and Ireland I doubt anyone would argue otherwise.
I believe this was the largest group ever to assemble outside the US for Gunting and general blade-craft practice under the tuition and supervision Of Bram - and just like last year we had the great fortune to receive the hospitality of Master Dennis Hanover (Prof.) - the head of the Dennis Hisardut system.
We used his Dojo for two days and walked together to the close by mall to have lunch - all 46 of us
Imagine a group of sweaty knife carrying guys enter the peaceful mall and you start to get the picture...
Needless to say most of the Israelis in the group also carry guns with them suffice to say it was a very secure mall once we sat down for lunch
The seminar was a two-day affair and during the first day we practiced general knife work including empty hand techniques, hand - to knife and knife to knife. As usual - It was a lot of fun, and Bram's demonstrations were clear, insightful and funny.
It was somewhat less funny the next day (especially from my POV) cause I had volunteered to be the one demonstrated upon AKA to be Gunted
I will admit to suffering a mild amount of pain but this is probably the best way to learn
It wasnt as bad as last year but it was plenty painful just the same some of the guys have taken images of me in the hit of the demo and although I look like I am laughing - I am not - I am yelling
Bram was effected by the situation in Israel and was far less PC on this seminar than he had in previous years - he also mentioned the late Master (Professor) Remi Preas asking him to teach The old way so we got a lot of gutting, throat cutting and other educational and less-then-PC techniques demonstrated and taught
This was a big change from the usual - bio-mechanical cutting Bram advocates and it did feel different - and new. But at the same time those old techniques were so much closer to the origins of Arnis anyone with any experience in Arnis or other forms of Chinese MA could find his system in them
We had an interesting discussion on one of the breaks and I recall Bram saying all the Philippine MA are basically derivatives of Chinese King Fu and even I could see the routs and similarities the old Arnis had with the Chinese MA I am familiar with.
On Friday evening the foreign guests along with Guy, Yuval and their lovely wives were my guests for BBQ at my house and I can tell you feeding these hungry-tired-knife-fighters was a true challenge and my wife Cecile was well up to it sending everybody to their hotel well fed and duly drunk
I cant wait till nest year
Bram came with Frank Olsen (AKA the man behind Skunk-works some of the best sheathes in the business) Steve (Tiny) and Greg all of which are certified Gunting freaks.
The seminar was sponsored by Scorpio (Guy Rafaeli) and his partner Yuval both of which are Gunting and Arnis instructors.
I think it was a huge success and with 46 participants - 11 of whom came from the USA, Canada, England and Ireland I doubt anyone would argue otherwise.
I believe this was the largest group ever to assemble outside the US for Gunting and general blade-craft practice under the tuition and supervision Of Bram - and just like last year we had the great fortune to receive the hospitality of Master Dennis Hanover (Prof.) - the head of the Dennis Hisardut system.
We used his Dojo for two days and walked together to the close by mall to have lunch - all 46 of us
Imagine a group of sweaty knife carrying guys enter the peaceful mall and you start to get the picture...
Needless to say most of the Israelis in the group also carry guns with them suffice to say it was a very secure mall once we sat down for lunch
The seminar was a two-day affair and during the first day we practiced general knife work including empty hand techniques, hand - to knife and knife to knife. As usual - It was a lot of fun, and Bram's demonstrations were clear, insightful and funny.
It was somewhat less funny the next day (especially from my POV) cause I had volunteered to be the one demonstrated upon AKA to be Gunted
I will admit to suffering a mild amount of pain but this is probably the best way to learn
It wasnt as bad as last year but it was plenty painful just the same some of the guys have taken images of me in the hit of the demo and although I look like I am laughing - I am not - I am yelling
Bram was effected by the situation in Israel and was far less PC on this seminar than he had in previous years - he also mentioned the late Master (Professor) Remi Preas asking him to teach The old way so we got a lot of gutting, throat cutting and other educational and less-then-PC techniques demonstrated and taught
This was a big change from the usual - bio-mechanical cutting Bram advocates and it did feel different - and new. But at the same time those old techniques were so much closer to the origins of Arnis anyone with any experience in Arnis or other forms of Chinese MA could find his system in them
We had an interesting discussion on one of the breaks and I recall Bram saying all the Philippine MA are basically derivatives of Chinese King Fu and even I could see the routs and similarities the old Arnis had with the Chinese MA I am familiar with.
On Friday evening the foreign guests along with Guy, Yuval and their lovely wives were my guests for BBQ at my house and I can tell you feeding these hungry-tired-knife-fighters was a true challenge and my wife Cecile was well up to it sending everybody to their hotel well fed and duly drunk
I cant wait till nest year
So Bram demod on you!!