I have been studying/practicing the martial arts since 1989. I began training in Goju Ryu and about a year into my training (Green Belt) my instructor began changing which katas we were required to know and mentioned that we were beginning Ryukyu Kempo under George Dillman. I was 9 so most of the changes were transparent to me as most of what was changed was new material to me.
We learned jujitsu techniques from our instructor, to which he incorporated "Dillman's" pressure point theory. We did study pressure point meridians and KO's. I have opinions of my own on the KO's, in that the pressure points are conveniently located near the nerves that are commonly traumatized in say, a boxing KO.
Anyway, my sensei "retired" from martial arts instruction just about the time that Dillman started hyping up the no-touch KO's. At this point I was a 2nd Dan under Dillman, with seemingly nowhere to go. Shortly thereafter I enlisted and spent 4 years in the Marines (which, sorry to say have terrible martial arts training). Upon returning home after my enlistment I learned that a fellow student in my teacher's class had begun to teach classes with our sensei's permission. This was run as a school founded by our sensei who at his retirement was a 7th dan under Dillman. Since that time we have been functioning as a small organization with 3-4 schools run out of gyms or park districts. We have practiced jujitsu/grappling techniques and typical Karate-Do self-defense techniques. I have since been promoted to 3rd and 4th dan by my sensei.
No one in our group is in anyway associated with Dillman, Dragon Society, .... however, my instructor is adamant that we still claim to study Ryukyu Kempo as he is a great admirer of Gichin Funakoshi. My largest problem is that I want to respect his wishes, but I would also like to not be grouped with the likes of Dillman, as I've already received a rather "warm" welcome on another thread here.
My Sandan and Yondan certificates are awarded to me by my sensei and not Dillman or any other large organization. And yes, I am aware that these are just pieces of paper, but there are always those folks that need the proof.
Do I start over? Do I change the name to something less Dillman-like and call it Okinawan Kempo?
We learned jujitsu techniques from our instructor, to which he incorporated "Dillman's" pressure point theory. We did study pressure point meridians and KO's. I have opinions of my own on the KO's, in that the pressure points are conveniently located near the nerves that are commonly traumatized in say, a boxing KO.
Anyway, my sensei "retired" from martial arts instruction just about the time that Dillman started hyping up the no-touch KO's. At this point I was a 2nd Dan under Dillman, with seemingly nowhere to go. Shortly thereafter I enlisted and spent 4 years in the Marines (which, sorry to say have terrible martial arts training). Upon returning home after my enlistment I learned that a fellow student in my teacher's class had begun to teach classes with our sensei's permission. This was run as a school founded by our sensei who at his retirement was a 7th dan under Dillman. Since that time we have been functioning as a small organization with 3-4 schools run out of gyms or park districts. We have practiced jujitsu/grappling techniques and typical Karate-Do self-defense techniques. I have since been promoted to 3rd and 4th dan by my sensei.
No one in our group is in anyway associated with Dillman, Dragon Society, .... however, my instructor is adamant that we still claim to study Ryukyu Kempo as he is a great admirer of Gichin Funakoshi. My largest problem is that I want to respect his wishes, but I would also like to not be grouped with the likes of Dillman, as I've already received a rather "warm" welcome on another thread here.
My Sandan and Yondan certificates are awarded to me by my sensei and not Dillman or any other large organization. And yes, I am aware that these are just pieces of paper, but there are always those folks that need the proof.
Do I start over? Do I change the name to something less Dillman-like and call it Okinawan Kempo?
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