When I began – part 3

 

 

Immediate when arriving in Clarks Summit at Maureen’s parents home I began searching for a karate program. All I had at that time was working outside in her parent’s driveway.

 

I quickly found out there were no nearby karate schools and discovered the largest program was the Scranton Karate School which actually taught Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. Their main school was downtown in Scranton on the 4^th floor of a building but they had a branch school in Clarks Summit so there is where I went to watch their program. As it turned out the SKC owner, Frank Trajonwicz was visiting that evening. I explained my experience and that I had just reached a green belt in Isshinryu. He was polite but explained regardless I would have to begin as a white belt. I agreed and signed a 2 year contract to train with them.

 

 

The manager of that school informed me I should not practice my Isshinryu there and my first night I learned :

·         Pyung Ahn Cho Dan – also known as Pyong Ahn Cho Dan

·         Pyung Ahn Ee Dan – also known as Pyong Ahn Ee Dan

·         Pyung Ahn Sam Dan – also known as Pyong Ahn Sam Dan

Their forms were way simpler than the ones I had to learn in Isshinryu.

I continued to work out there.

 

Several months later there was to be an examination for all students at the main school. I went down there and found it quite large, the school took the entire floor. I discovered there would be 4 tests a year, and not knowing anyone there I began to practice the forms I had learned. A black belt observing me practice came over to me and began chastising me for practicing forms way above what I was to know as a while belt.

 

The testing took a long time as there were many ranks being tested.

I remember when the white belt division was called. I remember being asked to perform TSD techniques, then there was white belt breaking. No one had ever  mentioned breaking and I had been given no training. A board was held before me and I struck and broke it. Then when while belt forms was announced I was told to do Pyung Ahn Sam Dan, and I did.

 

Then the test was over and I found I was jumped from white belt to green belt.

 

A short time later the Clarkes Summit School was closed and I would there after travel to the Main SKC in Scranton for lessons.

 

Just some general observations about the SKC Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan.

 

They always had very strenuous workouts. Frank actually had more strenuous workouts the hotter it was.

 

The school had very good makiwara, which I used after each class for about 15 minutes. That did a great deal to improve my striking power. Most of the students did not utilize them.  They also has several hanging bags. As the ceiling was way up there they were on very long ropes and were mostly foam filled. They were very good for kicking. If used for flying kicks you could make them rise very high as a result of the kick.

 

There were many long striking and kicking drills every class. The kicking was higher than I was used to in Isshinryu. They stressed spinning kicks and flying kicks. As a result of that training my kicking ability greatly improved.

 

I did not find their kata very challenging after my Isshinryu studies. Class was not a history lesson but later I found out that the TSDMDK founder demonstrated the Shotokan kata in his first book. What they studied were variations on the  Shotokan kata. I studied there 3 basic forms, their version of the 5 Shotokan heian kata. And their version of bassai dai.

 

Breaking was always a component of their tests, each testing involved more skilled breaks. Frank once demonstrated several very advanced skills. Once driving a nail with his knife hand into a 2 x 4, then placing his obi over the nail and then extracting the nail by biting on the obi with his teeth and then pulling the nail out of the wood. I told my dentist about that and his opinion was at some point in time his teeth would fall out, as the mouth tissue cannot be built up like muscle. Another skill he showed was striking the neck of a full whisky bottle and breaking it with his knife hand.

 

That first year I do not remember us sparring in class.

 

Then when I was a more advanced green belt (4^th) Frank hosted a tournament. So classes worked to develop tournament skill, including breaking. As I really was not a flying kicker, he developed my front kick – rear kick for a break. The rest of the green belts were working on flying kicks. As the tournament approached he then gave us our boards. I had 3 for my front kick and then 2 for my back kick. I was to execute them 1-2.

 

The tournament was a large affair at the Univ. of  Scranton.  I know I competed in kata, solid but not spectular. But then the breaking division was called. Fellow classmate after fellow classmate attempted their flying kick breaks, and failed finding the pressure to do them in public was much different than doing them the school. When my turn came 2 were holding the 3 boards in front of me and 2 were holding the 2 boards behind me. I kicked and all broke, pop-pop, front then back kick, As it turned out at the end I won first place.

 

By June I had been promoted to 3^rd  red in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan.

 

For my summer vacation from the Bank, it had to be a mandatory vacation according to Pa. Banking Law.

 

Maureen and I went down to Salisbury and went tent camping. We attended the dojo summer party. Then at the dojo that first week,  I remember when kumite occurred at class. There was a 6’6” student who had been a white belt when I left, now a yellow belt I watched his first 2 fights. He was so tall he just bounced toward his opponents and they always backed off because of his size.

 

Then Lewis Sensei paired me with him. As we were standing there, in my mind I decided I was not going to back up. Then when he began to bounce in I stood my ground, suddenly kicking up with a very controlled crescent kick which landedmy foot exactly on his jaw with control. I remember Sensei’s eyes lighting up as he shouted Ippon. That was probably the best moment of my life.

 

The 2^nd week I trained at Salisbury on Monday. Sensei showed me a little more of Chinto. Then on Tuesday I traveled to the Princes Ann dojo and Wayne Webster showed me a bit more. On Wednesday I traveled to the Dover dojo and Reese Rigby knowing what I wanted shared more of Chinto. Then returning to Salisbury Sensei shared the rest of the kata.

 

So what began a year before when I was leaving Salisbury, now was completed for that week I got the rest of Chinto kata. Things could not be better.

 

Then returning home I began to practice it each morning prior to walking to work.

 

Labor Day 1977, several months after my visit to Salisbury. I was visiting my neighbor that afternoon when Maureen came over to tell me I had a phone call from Charles Murray. When I answered the phone he told me he had become the pastor of a church right outside of Scranton (in Providence). Also he knew I lived here and would I like to get together.

 

He was less than 10 minutes away from me and before he could hand up, I was driving there. When I got there he explained he was not doing Isshinryu anymore. On the other hand I made a case how desperate I was to return to studying Isshinryu. Eventually, convincing him to work with me.

 

We worked out in the Church basement several nights a week, of course I was under contract for another year at the Scranton Karate School and had classes there for another year too. All in all it kept me busy. Some night at midnight he would call and tell me to come over and train. I was being kept busy.

 

Our first workout I watched my kata Seisan through Chinto. Then he showed me his kata, and they had differences. He explained I should keep the kata I had learned in Salisbury as I had been taught but from Kusanku forward my kata should be done as he would teach me. Classes were ½ kata and ½ kumite. He would always run the kata alongside me. Making a very vigorous workout.

 

He also explained that as Tom Lewis was our sensei that would remain who Sensei was. For himself I should just call him Sensei.

 

 I was taught my kata extremely quickly, about one a month.

 

I the order I learned the kata from him”

 

Kusanku

Chantan Yara No Sai

Tokumine No Kun

Sunsu

Sanchin

Kusanku Sai

The Bando Horseman’s Form (which he learned from Reese Rigby)

He had me teach myself Chia Fa from the video he borrowed from Sensei.

 

I realize not it was so he could have someone to do the kata with.

 

And ½ of those classes was me sparring with him, It was the training I needed. However it was more like target practice for him. Most of the time I could not touch him, but he could explode all over me anytime, no matter what I did. He did explain the theory behind how he fought. I did understand it but I could not really do it.

 

I knew how great he was at kumite,  Once he fought Howard Jackson the #1 in the country as their weight division. And he had quite a reputation within the IKC of Lewis Sensei.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax7EHOz1WSA

 

  

Eventually he started teaching a youth program at the church. He had me assist him.

 

He and I attended an IKC shiai in Deleware. Also we competed at several tournaments together. I remember both of won brown belt and black belt weapons.

 

One time at Dillman’s I competed in the brown belt division in the morning. He was tied up on Church business in the morning, but made it there in the afternoon.. The black belt division would soon be starting.  He had me warm him up with some light sparring. If I thought he was tough on me, he had stepped it up several levels for that fight. He was as tough and brilliant as a diamond.

 

That day he drew Robert Nenow (American TKD) the regional heavyweight champion. Of course I was not calling the fight I would have scored it differently. Robert won, but their photo made Karate Illustrated.

 

 

But at the SKC TSD fighting made it appearance. It was done wearing kendo like chest protection.  They wanted high kicking, on the other hand I would score again and again with my hands which their training gave them no defense against as they fought long range with their kicks. I always was admonished to kick more. However some of the things I learned from Charles did work against them.

 

I was developing less of a like for TSDMDK  because to me the Isshinryu kumite skills were better, IMO>

 

Than next summer I returned to Salisbury when I was on vacation. I trained in Salisbury and traveled to Wallops Island Virginia to train with Dennis Lockwood. But for their warm-ups they ran outside barefoot. I was running daily outside but with running shoes. I did their run but it tore the skin of my toes off. I could hardly do much after that, of course I did work with them but left quite damaged.

 

Charlie had called Sensei and was recommending me for Black Belt testing, I was to spar that next class in Salisbury for Sensei to watch me. But my torn toes affected how I would execute, and poorly at that. Sensei called Charles and told him I needed more time.

 

So I went back to training with Charles. While I had made 1^st red in TSDMDK, Charles promoted me to 1^st brown in Isshinryu. I held both ranks at the same time.

 

But my contract was over with the Scranton Karate School. I informed Frank that I would not be continuing. He had once met Charlie at a tournament and I explained the last year, and how I had started in Isshinryu, my heart was there.  We parted on friendly terms.

 

Shortly later I heard there was to be a tournament in Wilkes-Barre run by the Michak Brothers. Charlie could not make it but I was going to attend with a friend who was a black belt in Kyokushin Kai.  While waiting for the brown belt weapons division it was announced that there were not enough brown belt competitors for a division so those brown belts competing would be in the black belt weapons division. I gulped a bit.

 

It was a large division with many skilled competitors. My name was called and I performed Chantan Yara No Sai. I got through the form and made no mistakes. I was followed by someone I had never seen, Cynthia Rothrock, who was most definitely not a brown belt. Cindy was a regional forms and weapons champion. I definitely found out what I was, not in her class. Interestingly one of her judges was her husband Ernest Rothrock. His main school was in Wildes-Barre too. I had never seen either of them before. A long story short Cindy won first place.

 

Cindy with Gary Michak on the right.

 

But I competed with weapons the first time, and I did not disgrace myself.

 

Soon after that Charles began teaching me Urashie No Bo, the 2^nd Isshinryu bo form.

 

 

So my studies continued and of course Charlie kept working me over.  I knew my kumite was getting stronger, but it just didn’t feel like it.

 

Charlie was not teaching me kata in order, I believe more so he could practice them with me while training.

 

Charlie did give me some advice during that time.

“For your first 20 years you are a reflection of what your instructor gave you. After 20 years your art is a refletion of what you are doing.”

 

Charlie described how almost everyone he say had differences in their Isshinryu forms. Even when he trained on Okinawa he saw differences. He just adjusted his form to do what they were doing on Okinawa, not worrying about the differences, instead concentrating on what he could learn.

 

Come January of 1979 Charles drove me down to stay at his parent’s home in Delaware. That night he took me to see a new  movie ‘Superman’. I remember saying how I did not think much of Superman’s fist to Charles.

 

The next day we attended two clinics by guest Howard Mitchum, one for kyu students and one for Black Belts.

 

Between  the two clinics was a short break . Charles volunteered me to perform Chia Fa kata. No one at that time was performing it in the IKC. I performed the form, then remember Howard Mitchum saying when he trained in Agena it was not taught. Nor was it taught when Sensei trained there. I know in 1972 Charles had never seen any of the Okinawan’s there perform the form

 

Then the break continued, Charles went into Sensei’soffice to see Sensei and Mr. Mitchum.

 

Everyone was standing around when Reese Rigby came up to me and asked me to spar his senior brown belt. Knowing what was coming later I was jacked.

 

The fight began and I immediately jumped on his butt, pounding away at his. We sparred for maybe10 minutes when suddenly Charles ran out of the office shouting “Victor, what are you doing? Did you forget what is to happen tonight?”

 

So we stopped and then 2^nd clinic happened. Thinking of what was to come I have no idea what was covered.

 

The entire group went out to the Ponderosa Steak House for dinner, I ordered and then we began eating when dinner came. Then the hazing began when someone said “I do not think you should be eating considering what is going to happen next.”

 

After dinner Charles drove me to Sensei house, where everyone had gathered and I went to change to my gi.  Eventually Charles came into the room and blindfolded. Then he guided me out to his car and drove me around for a while. Ostensibly to confuse me, but I knew I would end up at the dojo.

 

Then when we arrived at the dojo I was made to sit in the l;ocker room still blindfolded. Eventually I was guided out into the dojo, the blindfold was removed and a spotlight was shining in my eyes.

 

Before me sitting were all the current black belts of the IKC, Mr. Mitchum and Mr. Lewis. They all were my testing board.

 

 

First I was asked to explain a great deal about Isshinryu.

 

Then one after another I was to demonstrate Chart 1 % 2.

 

Next I had to perform all of the kata I knew in order. I did not have to do Chia fa as I had demonstrated that earlier.

 

I was not asked to perform kumite as everyone had seen me fight before.

 

Then person after person started asking me questions one after the other.  Often the questions had nothing to do with my Isshinryu training, but how I would respond to certain situations.  Through several rounds of the panel.

 

When that was finished there was another section to the test I will not discuss, it is a private matter between the IKC and me.

 

I was then blindfolded and taken back to the changing room to sit again.

 

Eventually Charles came and guided me to Sensei’s office. Everyone was in there, my blind fold was taken off and Sensei told me I had passed. Then he handed me my black belt.

 

After that Mitchum Sensei announced that was a fine test and additionally Sensei was promoted to 7^th dan.

 

That night back at Charles home, when I went to sleep I placed my black belt under my pillow.

 

The next day while driving home Charles asked me what will my black belt do for me if I am in a plane that crashes from 10,000 feet.

I responded I would just jump up and move into the aisle into Sanchin Dachi. Then when the plane crashes I would simply strike forward negating the force of the crash.

 

After that we continued working out together and teaching the youth class.

 

Charlie began to share with me what he experienced in Agena in 1972, Chief among those experiences he explained how Shimabuku Shinso (Tatsuo’s son) explained what Chinkotz was (Charlie learned it phonetically later I would learn this was Chinkuchi and shared that with Charles.

 

He explained how Shinso trained him to do his kata with Chinkuchi. But Charles and I never had the time to train me with Chinkuchi. I just understood what he experienced.

 

Suddenly about two months after my promotion Charles began instructing me in Shi Shi No Kon No Dan (3es Isshinryu bo).  Then a week or so later he informed me he was giving up the church and returning to a career in the USAF. He had gotten his Masters at Marywood College and was going to enter the Officers Training Program. Ht would be leaving in a week.

 

His last day I took off work as he was home packing. I took him into his backyard and asked me to teach me the rest of Shi Shi. He started doing so until rain clouds rolled in and it began raining. Charles went back into his house to resume packing.

 

Now it was a thunderstorm, bangs and lightning flashes. I remained outside practicing what I had been shown.

 

Eventually the storm passed and Charles saw I was still outside practicing. He came back outside and continued teaching me more of the form.

 

That repeated 3 more times, more rain, more practicing in the rain, Charles going back inside to pack.

 

Eventually I got the rest of the form.

 

Then I said a tearful goodbye to Charles, our time together had been so special. I was thinking as I drove back home I had no idea when I would see him next.

 

Of course when I got back home I resumed to practice on the sidewalk in the front of my house.

 

This concludes my beginning. So much more followed.

 

While this is an accurate retelling of these events, it does not relate everything I experienced. To do so would make this much longer. And many of those tales have already made their way into my blog previously.