1-month to Sijo DeMile seminar!

Just a reminder that on August 19, 20 & 21 Sijo DeMile will be at The Fitness Dojo in Auburn, WA for a mini-intensive seminar.

Fri & Saturday will both be 8-hours long (with a 1-hour lunch break) starting at 9am, going till 6pm.

Sunday will also start at 9am, but will only be 4-hours long.

Cost is $500 for this event. Contact us, or contact sijo@wingchundo.com to register for this event!

Hope to see you there!

The Passing of a Great & a Legend

It is with our deepest regret to announce that Professor Wally Jay, founder of Small Circle Jujitsu, has passed away this past weekend. He was 93. Prof. Jay was a Amazing Martial Artist, not just in his abilities with the stuff he taught, but in his example of what a Martial Artist's character should be. This is proof in the fact that many Martial Artists befriended and admired him, and they were not all Jujitsu practitioners either. He was well known for his kindness, and generosity, and overall good nature. You ask many of what they thought of Prof. Jay, and though you will hear how great he was as an artist, the first thing you usually hear is the way he touched peoples lives. What an awesome example to live up to!

Professor Wally Jay's connection to us is 3 fold. First Prof. Jay was friends with our teacher Sijo DeMile's teacher, Bruce Lee.

Second, Professor Jay became friends with my senior & friend, Sigung/Coach Ron Ogi in Hawaii back in the 80's. Coach Ogi was teaching Prof. Jay's nephew at the time, and through the nephew, Professor Jay became highly impressed with Coach Ogi. From there he invited Coach Ogi to seminars, and to accompany him to other events, and the two developed a close bond that would evolve into a strong friendship. Coach Ogi became Prof. Jay's student and one of his highest skilled instructors in Small Circle.

Finally, through Coach Ogi, Sijo DeMile became friends with Professor Wally Jay. Both Sijo & Coach would accompany Prof. Jay to several of Professor's legendary Camp Danzan Ryu events, as well as participate in the Birthday Conventions that Coach Ogi organized and hosted in Prof. Jay's honor. Learning the Floating Punch from Sijo DeMile, Professor also became Sijo's most legendary students. And through the mutual sharing of techniques and information, they too developed a close relationship.

Our condolences goes out to the students, family and friends of Prof. Jay. May his legacy of sharing and being kind to others, developing friendships outside of styles, as well as his example of Martial Arts character live on!

Check it out! Sijo's new Blog site!

Just recently, my instructor, Sijo DeMile and his wife went on a european trip/cruise. To read about his experiences, as well as to read his new blog check out:

www.sijodemile.blogspot.com

What I've learned from my teachers, and my training

Not one thing is more important than another if it's part of the whole of who you are...

...the same goes for the following. They are not in any particular order, or order of importance.

- Breathing is essential. You don't breath, you die. If you're dead, you're not growing, evolving, or becoming better because you're not living. So Breath to live, & breath to grow

- Breathing connects the mind and body to work as one, so that the body can do what the mind intends...whatever you put your mind to within your abilities, you can do, & achieve.

- "Work with what you got, not with what you wish you had!" - Sijo DeMile

- Consciously breathing allows you to relax more, thus allowing you to be more aware of what's going on with you, and the world around you, by connecting your mind's focus to you, and thus inabling you to focus around you; increasing your awareness.

- When I was a kid, whatever followed "Once upon a time..." either grabbed my attention or didn't. The way you set-up, the way you start, sets the tone for everything else that follows, and how it unfolds. Before you act, make sure you're happy with the results that will logically follow how you start.

- Focus can make everything come into alignment so that the effort you put out doesn't have to be difficult or dramatic; making it all come together almost effortlessly.

- It doesn't matter what you know, or what you can do. If you don't believe in YOU, then it is all YOU-sless.

- Lingering on things too long makes you stuck in time, unevolving, incapable of adapting; Frozen. It's easier to hit, or be hit, if the target or you is "frozen". Keep moving

- Maintaining the core of who you are, your structure, doesn't mean you can't be adaptive, or learn to go with the flow. So long as you don't sacrifice the core of who you are, or "structure", you won't lose yourself when you go with the flow.

- For every situation, there's always more than one way to respond, in fact there's always at least 2 ways. So before you settle for one way to react, don't settle because it's the first thing you came up with and therefore you're easily comfortable with it; you may find a more productive, efficient, or practical alternative that isn't something you're comfortable with, but well worth the effort to make that reaction a habit. Don't forget, to explore all options, and really give each option a shot at being experienced

- Sometimes to improve your chances of getting the results you want, you can't wait for things to come to you, you gotta throw yourself out there.

- If they give, you accept. If they take, you deliver.

- "Energy is Universal". - Ron Ogi

- Don't limit yourself, use all of you.

- Meeting strength & aggressive attitude with equal energy is foolish. Compliment that energy, or attitude by redirecting, or moving out of it's way.

- Listen to your gut, your instincts. If it has to do with your safety, you are most likely right.

- Just because it feels like it's strong because you feel yourself using all of your effort, doesn't mean you'll get the maximum results. Sometimes less is more, creating maximum results, with minimal effort.

- The more attention I've given, the more rewards I've received in return.

-Every house has a foundation. That foundation allows for a framework. A framework that can be arranged in numerous possible arrangements and will support walls, windows, doors, and a roof in just as many ways. Principles are the foundation that gives you the freedom for creativity, and individuality. Before one can be creative, ample amount of time must be spent on creating the foundation. Don't use a foundation for an outhouse to build your mansion.

- Without goals, you won't have direction to focus your efforts. The Journey is important, but so is keeping in mind your goal, where you're going; otherwise you're just enjoying walking in place and facing different directions.

- Dabbling in many things is fun, it's living life. But at least be close to a master of one, rather than the proverbial Jack.

- Discrimination is limiting, why should the weak, unathletic, and elderly be discriminated against when it comes to self-defense? Aren't they the ones who need it the most?! Self-defense should be unlimiting

- Patience is important. The body must be ready before it can be taught more. The Mind must be "mature" enough to be able to see the big picture.

- By focusing on the center, the core of it all, you will not be distracted with what's on the outside, which can be a facade. In actuality you can see the beginning and the cause for what makes up the actions that eventually lead to that facade, and deal with it appropriately.

- You can be a master of yourself. Don't let any negative suggestions, especially from yourself, tell you otherwise.

- The loud ones who speak as if they know, don't really know. And the quiet ones who only speak when necessary, or asked, do know

- We have been raised by culture and media to think life has to be difficult. If you're going to work towards something, work towards making things refined, efficient, and gradually easier, not exponentially harder.

- What good is what you do now, if it only works for now. In a moment, Now will become then.

- What matters most, is how you effect others. No one cares about what awards you've won, what accomplishments and failures you've accumulated over the years. At their death beds, people don't think about sports champions, famous people, or how much stuff you've aquired; they think about their loved ones and those that have personally made a positive effect on them.

- Legacy, is how you interact, not a hand me down of family heirlooms or certificates.

To Sijo James DeMile, Irene DeMile, Ron Ogi, Lonnie Williams, my family and all those i've interacted with classmate/student/friends...Thank you for what you've taught me; you are all my teachers.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Week of fun experiences by Sifu Michael Banaag

This past week was a great educational opportunity for myself through gaining the chance to interact with some well known martial artists and instructors, as well as spending time with family.

It all started out last Saturday the 9th when I attended Master Steve Smith's seminar at the Element 5 Fitness center in Kirkland, WA. In an event with a great turnout of 50 participants, Steve got an opportunity to show the blending of Fook Yeung Chuan with what he learned from his other teacher/friend, Jesse Glover - Founder of Jesse Glover's Non-Classical Gung-Fu & the 1st student of Bruce Lee. In attendance were some other well known martial artists including Datu Kelly Worden, Kelly Yeun and Jesse Glover himself. I am still blown away by the friendly commaraderie that Steve shares and embodies with everyone around him, as well as how fluid his movement is and how effortless the techniques are. In my own opinion, in the past, Judo seemed to be the thing to learn if you wanted to learn how to throw. But I have never experienced throwing so effortless as what Steve teaches with Fook Yeung Chuan. I am really appreciative that he was willing to take the time to help me learn the techniques.

Later that day we all had the surprising pleasure of Jesse Glover teaching the last two hours of the seminar. Though I had been to one other Jesse seminar, for myself personally, this seminar was special in so much as I had the opportunity to touch hands with him, and then also train with several of his students; Sean, Tom, Vince, Wallace, Mike and Wes; as well as meet two of his other friendly students Paul and Laura. It was a great experience! I also am really appreciative that Jesse took the time to watch me train the techniques he taught, and help me attempt to execute the techniques even somewhat decently. In a crowd of 50 other participants to get the attention that I received is always nice, and something I promote everyone to actively try and receive when they go to seminars as large as this.

There is absolutely nothing else that beats the learning experience when you not only get to hear and see what these teachers are doing, but also get to feel it as well. And it doesn't even have to be competitive. Just the opportunity to touch hands is something everyone should actively try to do at every seminar they attend. That way there's no miscommunication or anything lost in translation. I'm often surprised with how much a majority of participants in most seminars don't ask to feel the technique being done on themselves. Now if the teacher is a jerk, as some others can be, I would understand the unwillingness to "feel it". But if they are respectable guys like Sijo, Ron Ogi, Steve Smith, and Jesse Glover, you should ask to feel it. And not do so with a challenging attitude, because then you won't like the outcome, or won't get the opportunity. But come in open mindedly, and you'll definitely learn something.

I just want to say thanks again, to Steve and Jesse for giving me an enjoyable & educational learning experience.

Following this event my family and I made our trek down to Sijo's home in the southern portion of the Pacific Northwest to spend a few days with him and his wife at their home. Stopping by Tumwater Falls, we had a great opportunity to see nature in the middle of suburbia and have some good family time. It was a nice teaser for the nice country feel of where Sijo now lives and enjoys his retirement. There we not only enjoyed more family time, but also I received a chance to refine my technique both in training, and the developmental techniques that Sijo has incorporated into our training that allows for accelerated learning, and better confidence. As Sijo puts it, it's training in Defensive Tactics on both a physical and a psychological/emotional level.

Overall it was great learning experience and I'm happy to be back home to get back to training, and growing!

Growth, Inspiration, Friends, & Fun! (Updated with Pictures)

Mid-August was a great time for growth for members of our club, and participants of Seminars that our organization held throughout North America.

First off, Sibok Rocco Ambrose had a good turn out and seminar in Winnipeg, Canada thanks to host and Instructor-in-Training Brett MacNeil.

Then, Sigung/Coach Ron Ogi had another great seminar at Portland Small Circle Jujitsu. Students got to experience how to flow from trapping to joint locks, and on the final day got a taste of how principles of trapping can help one in their grappling/ground work training.
Student, Mark Snow, saw this seminar as a great beginning for what would be a long training week for him and others at Sijo's Intensive seminar in Auburn, WA.

Sijo's seminar went REALLY well! Some of the Instructors (Sigung/Coach Ogi, Sibok Rocco, Sifu Ken DeMile, Sifu Pete Jay, Sifu Lonnie, and myself), and Instructors-in-Training (Anthony Morgan & John Mackenzie) got an opportunity to touch hands, and train with one another. Later, we would assist Sijo in interacting with the participants of the seminar who came from Canada, San Diego, New York, London, and from the Pacific Northwest, as well as our own club. These participants really got a great overview of what we have to offer, and how they can apply the principles and techniques into their own repetoire of self-defense; some coming in with backgrounds as Jeet Kune Do instructors, the Police force with Defensive Tactics experience, and Traditional Wing Chun.

Being exposed to everything from footwork, to Closing the Gap, to Chi Sao, to Trapping and to the Floating Punch, all participants really enjoyed the level of detail offered with the training. They also enjoyed how this level of detail in instruction helped make this seminar more than just mimicry and sweat inducing; instead becoming training with purpose to help start the participants on their journey to make the information, principles and techniques, truly "their own" - fitting their body type, personal tendencies, and physical abilities. Thus, allowing everyone to have the opportunity to go home and both remember what they did, and how to improve on it, and again, make it part of their own repetoire.

It was a great experience, and many voiced how inspiring it was to see the other "family members" of our organization, and interact with them as well as touch and feel the energy of Sijo DeMile himself! It was great to see old friends, as well as meet and make new friends. Hopefully, someday we'll all get a chance to interact with each other again.