Discussions on the Eugue Ryu style of Karate.

[SamuraiDave]

Glad to hear things are going well for you KL. Not surprised at all that you have been working on Aikido lately, we tended to focus on various things for a while then switch. Ron didn't mention your birthday, it was on one of your posts somewhere. In my school here in Somerset I have a set syllabus of what you need to know and work on for each belt. I think it's a bit more fair that way. Sensei Topp occasionally goes by what he feels he wants you to know on that day which sometimes changes as the days go by. We spend quite a bit of time on various styles instead of strictly Karate. My own students probably learn 40% Karate, 40% Jujitsu, 10% Aikido, 5% Judo, and 5% various other things. I have to give a orange belt test tomorrow and a blue belt test next week so those two students have been getting ready for weeks now.

Thanks for the info on Black Belt Magazine, didn't know it. Probably won't be able to order anything since I just ordered about $300 worth of DVDs. I am moving soon so I'll have to get my own computer up and running soon instead of using the one at the library. Would love to have a discussion with you online about what you have learned in Sensei Topp's class to see if he is still teaching the same things he taught me. Take care. Hope all the other Karateka out there are doing well. Ciao...

[Kieran-Lilith]

So, you are moving for sure? Where to?

Sensei's tests do seem to change sometimes, but my opinion's a bit off, I think. My first test was when I was in the kid's class, my second test was when I was in the adult class, but it was really rushed because I had a choir performance that night, then the last two have been in the adult class. They line up pretty well to Blaise's, though. He's a purple belt, one of my best friends.

Do you have a blog that you use like an online MA journal?

[SamuraiDave]

Just moving somewhere in the existing area. Had a personal rough spot, my wife and I are divorcing. I am paying for a big, three-bedroom house and need something smaller just for me and my dog. Been looking for a new place for months now and houses are extremely expensive in the southwest of England.

Although I am older than my brother, he had a 11-month headstart on martial art training (I was working in the evenings at the time and couldn't attend). I did know Sensei Topp for several years before I introduced Ron to him. Ron's belt tests were usually quite different from my own, though they were only 11 months apart. That's part of the reason I developed a more exact guide to what each belt tester needed to know, though Sensei Topp is better than I am at judging what everyone already knows and what he wants each person to develop. I have the luxury of having fewer students so I can spend a bit more time with them each.

I don't have a blog for my online stuff, though I am writing and studying quite a few styles now. My notebooks are less of a journal and more of ideas, quotes, and information I discover on my martial arts, philosophy, religion, etc... It might make a good book someday if I get around to finishing my other books. Bruce Lee did a similar thing when he was laid up in the hospital for a long stretch.

I will look for you on MSN Messenger when I get moved into my new place, though I am unsure how long that will take. Cheers from rainy Somerset!

[Kieran-Lilith]

It would certainly be easier to study for tests if you knew exactly what you needed to know. My green belt test, Sensei was reading off the names of people on the list at the end of January so the February testers knew, and he mentioned that he expected a green belt to know the whole packet. I got lucky. Even with that, I had to know stuff that was definitely not in the packet.

Sensei normally has about 20-30 kids in the kid's class every month now. When I joined, there were only 15 kids, if that. Maybe less than ten some nights.

I only have one notebook at the moment. When I first joined the adult class, it took me a while to realize that I needed a notebook. I was the first of my friends to get one, and I use it more than they ever do/did. Blaise usually borrows paper and a pen from me, and Atalanta071 used to have her own notebook. She quit at the end of February. She picked the night before my green belt test to tell me this, among other thigns. As if I hadn't been stressed enough...

I do have a blog I use for recording the night's classes, and I can PM that to you if you'd like. I leave some things out. I got warned once about what I write on this forum, I don't need trouble for writing in a blog.

[SamuraiDave]

Have to fix something. I mentioned some of our black belts earlier and I messed up one of the names. I left out Sensei Faulder. I confused his last name with Shockley, who is a different student. I haven't seen John in so long I confused myself about his last name. We don't have a Sensei Shockley (yet). Keiran, I would be surprised if you didn't know Senseis Jones or Faulder.

Also, Sensei Oscar Adams passed away in early March (1st?). Not sure of the exact conditions. I don't know where he comes into the lineage of the Kansas City Club, but he took over from Sensei YamaEugue and Sensei Ray Flowers. I unfortuneately never got to meet him but have seen many pictures of him.

[Blind Dragon]

The loss of Mr. Oscar Adams, is a great loss indeed. Any further details that you can find would be greatly appreciated. Mr Adams was the teacher of my original Eugue Ryu instructor, Mr. Terry L. James. Mr. Adams promoted Mr. James to the rank of Shodan, I believe in Nov of 1972. At the time Mr. James was at the young age of 15. And had only been practing in the art for 3 years. I believe Mr. James had trained Mr. Mike Young for a few years, as Mr. Adams had some troubles with his knees. I also believe Mr. Young began studing in the art a year after mr James had began. Eventiully? Mr. James had recieved his Nidan from Mr. Oscar Adams and left the Lima, OH area. And returned in 1986 and tested for his sandan, under mr. Mike Young, who was then a yandan, And Mr. Oscar Adams. I really hate to have to break this news about Mr. Adams to Mr. James. Also considering that Mr. Steve Williams who pasted away, was Mr. James first black belt level student. Mr. James had expresed great interest in contacting Mr. Adams recently, as he wanted to let him know that he had finally became a chiropractic doctor. As far as any furthur lineage information, Mr. Topp has seen a certificate awarded to Mr. Ray Flowers from a Tajiro Wajimoto from Korea, where Mr. Flowers was at during the Korean war, Aparentlly a student of Kensenzu Yamaegue. Again it is a great loss for every one. Say I hate to be the bearer of bad news twice in one month.

Thomas C Baswell (Kansas City Eugue Ryu)

[Kieran-Lilith]

SamuraiDave- Oh, yeah, I know both of them. Sensei Jones was just teaching us a jujutsu-aikido thing with the wrist last night. The last time I saw Sensei Faulder was in the summer, I think. Maybe August or September at latest.

Blind Dragon- That's definitely interesting...How do you get promoted to shodan at 15? After only 3 years? I thought in Eugue Ryu the rule was must be age 18, and must have trained for 5 years?

[Blind Dragon]

In the late 60's at the Lima YMCA, as a general rule you were not even permitted to begin learning karate till the age of 15. I think there was actually two (2) youngsters that actually began learning Judo from Mr. Adams and another teacher. That some how proved themselves worthy enough to also be accepted as karate students. Both achieved their shodans at the incredibility young age of 15. One went on to start the Cobra Kai dojo. and eventually found his own system. His name was Terry Sullivan. Karate was not at all well known in the country at them early years. The only movies around was perhaps Billy Jack and of course Bruce Lee's "Green hornet( Kung Fu)". I think they basically had the same quote rules then but practices was in dojo, I believe six (6) times a week. It is a rairity for anyone to show enough discipline to proceed through the ranks, at such fast speeds. Discipline in todays society is truely lacking. A green belt in this system, should be the equilivent to alot of systems black belts.

[Kieran-Lilith]

Our sensei actually says our blue belts are the equivalent of black belts in a lot of schools, and I believe him on that.

I also thought it used to be a requirement by Mr. Adams to have a brown belt in Judo to test for black in Eugue Ryu. This is interesting, I'll have to ask my sensei what he knows.

[SamuraiDave]

Glad to hear from you Mr Baswell! Glad you could fill me in on the Kansas City club, though I am sure my instructor could have answered some of it for me but I have been out of the loop for three years now. Yes, Mr Adams passed away on March 1st. I assume he had cancer or some other illness. I was sad about it as I had never had a chance to meet him in person. I hope to get out and meet the people out in Kansas. Haven't been back to the states in two years now. I hope to make it back to Ohio in June (finances allowing). I will see if I can find out any more about Mr. Adams.

I have been told that before Mr. Adams became head-instructor our style was predominately Karate and Jujitsu and Mr. Adams had lots of previous expertise in Kodokan Judo so he switched the style to Karate and Judo. I do know in most of the Ohio classes over the last 10 years we have switched back a bit more to Jujitsu rather than Judo. My own students have a certain number of Jujitsu and Judo techniques for each belt (and also Karate of course and others). My own belt syllabus is a bit different from my own instructor and I am sure his is a bit different from the other Eugue Ryu instructors.

I hope to spend more time in all the Eugue Ryu classes, both in Ohio and Kansas. I had wanted to work with Mr. Adams. I haven't gotten to work with Perry Wiltsey or Mark Hunter either. I don't know many of the current students in Ohio and hope to meet them as well. Anyone is welcome to come out to visit us in England if they want, though our school is new and still growing.

I think alot of how good each belt in your style is depends on your training. The old saying is, "practice makes perfect" but I disagree. I think perfect practice makes perfect. I have worked with and met hundreds of black belts in the last 10 years and I can count the number of them that really impressed me on one hand. I don't like to compete in tournaments anymore, but I wasn't losing to black belts when I was a green belt. Most of the new-ish black belts I meet tell me they don't really feel like a black belt at all.

I am just old enough to remember the Green Hornet and I loved the hapkido in Billy Jack (though I hated most of the film). The martial arts that affected me the most as a kid was The Karate Kid. Mr Miyagi rocks! haha

Anyone who wants to say hi or ask a question can email me at jukidowarrior@hotmail.com Take care all!