Last is John Kerker who is Sherman Harrill’s senior student. I met him first in Chicopee, Mass. Giving a clinic to several of his students.
That first meeting made the impression of what direct training with Sherman would have been like. He struck his demonstration partner for the day harder than I have ever seen anyone strike another. And each time he went down he was still able to return for more.
Sherman always told me how much he was holding back because he wasn’t directly training them. Watching John in motion explained a great deal. Yearly visits there explained many other details about their art. I am grateful I have had the experience.
Cumulatively I probably studied sever thousand techniques from both of them.
More than plenty for a lifetime, yet each of their understanding of their arts still grip me, and also my students. I only have a small piece of their arts. But the first impressions remain strong.
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