The Academy of Health and Martial Arts in New Hampshire

**Rambamatic** · Posted On: 12/16/2008 8:32am

Originally Posted by Crazy Mike

I've only been there a few times, mostly for sparring or if they rarely have grappling. They're nice people and fill a family niche, which is me being nicer than calling them a McDojo. They work mostly ITF Tae Kwon Do and have a forms, breaking, point fighting tournament in the spring.

Is that the one where uke attacks with a stepping foreward right punch and tori responds with a right high block that swings clockwise while raking the eyes as you step your right leg back and attach with a roundhouse ball kick as uke falls you jump and land above his face, left right claw the eyes, scoop his head with your right leg and then side kick it as you step away? I love that one practicality be damned.

That is exactly the one, and it drives me friggin nuts every time I watch someone do it.

Fortunately, the place where I train now has modified the techniques to make them much more practical, and they have a very good variation of this technique that actually makes it usable. That is exactly the sort of thing that you'd never see at the Academy....an instructor changing a technique or modifying a combination to make it practical and usable. The thought that a teacher might bring his own ideas and creativity into the teaching and alter the way that something was done from 50-100 years ago would be unthinkable to them.

**Rambamatic** · Posted On: 8/04/2009 10:21am

It is now official: Their business is suffering and they are in the process of trying to sell their manchester school.

I spoke to their lead instructor of the Manchester school and he basically told me that their idiotic management and closed mindedness is keeping them from building a proper base. He is thinking of buying the space himself. He is a very very good martial artist who would do a great job if he can break away from those douche bags.

I also spoke to another one of their instructors who basically said that they're having a very very hard time at their main school location. They are not recruiting and are losing students. They have had to cut their rates, and are turning people away who come in looking for more realistic training or want access to grappling or sparring or real self defense.

Good riddance. The more they suffer the better the martial arts environment is, as that means that the students that aren't training there are at other places getting real, quality training.

**tbubar** · Posted On: 8/04/2009 7:07pm

I wonder if this had any effect:
http://www.bbb.org/concord/business-...rd-nh-92010594

If so, then, they're welcome. :thefinger

**bjjgame** · Posted On: 8/04/2009 7:21pm

I thought the demo's looked familiar. I studied Kosho Ryu for many years in Keene, NH. This was on the website "William Chow had grown up studying his family style of Kung Fu which he learned from his father. After years of studying with Mitose, Chow combined both his knowledge of Kung Fu and Kosho Ryu Kempo to form his Kenpo Karate."
If this is,in any way, related to Kosho, then it is ****.

**Rambamatic** · Posted On: 11/05/2009 10:55am

Originally Posted by tbubar

I wonder if this had any effect:
http://www.bbb.org/concord/business-...rd-nh-92010594

If so, then, they're welcome. :thefinger

I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean.

**tbubar** · Posted On: 11/05/2009 12:55pm

That link leads to their negative rating by the Better Business Bureau, which was partly caused by the complaints I filed against them for not honoring their contract cancellation clause.

It looks like my complaints have expired since I posted that, because their rating is up to a B now.

**Rambamatic** · Posted On: 11/10/2009 2:59pm

Originally Posted by tbubar

That link leads to their negative rating by the Better Business Bureau, which was partly caused by the complaints I filed against them for not honoring their contract cancellation clause.

It looks like my complaints have expired since I posted that, because their rating is up to a B now.

I see. Thanks for the clarification.

Do you train anywhere else now? I have found 2 great schools, and have grown massively as a martial artist since I left there.

**tbubar** · Posted On: 11/10/2009 3:52pm

I haven't been training much since then...I've tried a few schools but haven't been impressed by anyone. Where do you train now? I just started working out again after a long injury-related hiatus and would be interested if you found somewhere good.

Thanks,
Todd

**Rambamatic** · Posted On: 11/11/2009 9:54am

Originally Posted by tbubar

I haven't been training much since then...I've tried a few schools but haven't been impressed by anyone. Where do you train now? I just started working out again after a long injury-related hiatus and would be interested if you found somewhere good.

Thanks,
Todd

Two places, both in Machester.

The first is Checkmate Self Defense. http://www.checkmateselfdefense.com/

Their SD program is EXCELLENT, and there is a lot of live drilling with resistance. You get striking, joint locking, throws, ground work, etc....all from within a realisitic Self Defense paradigm. The group of guys is awesome, and we have a lot of fun while putting in good, quality training. Also, its very inexpensive compared to a lot of places, and the classes are 90 minutes. They also offer straight Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from 1 of only 2 legit BJJ black belts in the state....Master Aldo Batista.

Leigh Rossi, who runs the Self Defense program, which is small circle JuJitsu based, is a 5th degree under Dave Castoldi who is a 10th degree under Wally Jay (founder of SCJJ). Leigh is the real deal and is an awesome guy.

The Second is Terry Dow's:

www.Terrydowsacademy.com

They are right down the street from Checkmate. They have classes in a much more practical form of Kenpo where you get live sparring and a good deal of practical application. They also have classes in grappling (no gi submission and catch wrestling), MMA, straight kickboxing, and Wing Chun Kung Fu. They have an 8,000 SF facility with a ring and everything, and are open during the day. They also have a full weight room, bags, tons of equipment, and are in the process of putting Showers in, too. They are also a bunch of great guys to train with.

Terry Dow is a 5th Degree under Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, and has a ton of experience in other arts as well. Terry is one of the best kickboxers I've ever seen....they guy is just off the hook in terms of his movement and technique.

You should check them out.

**Rambamatic** · Posted On: 3/27/2010 10:01am

Originally Posted by bjjgame

I thought the demo's looked familiar. I studied Kosho Ryu for many years in Keene, NH. This was on the website "William Chow had grown up studying his family style of Kung Fu which he learned from his father. After years of studying with Mitose, Chow combined both his knowledge of Kung Fu and Kosho Ryu Kempo to form his Kenpo Karate."
If this is,in any way, related to Kosho, then it is ****.

Who taught the Kosho Kenpo in Keene? Was it Rick Wilmott ?