Instructors Fighting Seminar

[RandyBrown]

Are you interested in improving your fighting skills? Do you have a school and want to incorporate practical real world application/fighting into your curriculum? Or do you just want to unlock those pesky applications in your forms?

My Sifu is holding a 3 day intensive workshop for Instructors Only that wish to improve their applications, fighting, or the way they teach fighting. I'm sure most of you have tried teaching fighting to your students as I had, and failed miserably, or tossed up your hands as they one by one quit after getting bruised, beaten, and bloodied. The reality is that most of our students are not going to be Professional Fighters, most don't want to go to work the next day with a broken nose, or black eye, and most just want to learn to handle themselves without getting hurt.

Our job is to teach them this without losing income from disouraged students, and without getting them injured at too early of a stage. If you're like me then teaching just forms doesn't sit well with you either. Your students end up living under the delusion that they know something they don't. Arming our students with a false sense of security is often more dangerous and detrimental to them than getting the black eyes would have been.

So how do you teach people to fight that don't want to fight? Sifu Puyot's methods will not only show you how to teach people like this, but will show you how to train your students methodically so they will gain emotional control, real fighting skills, diagnostic tools, and eventually even enjoy getting hit.

Diagnostics: The seminar will also be giving you tools to diagnose your own fighting and that of your students. Imagine bringing your car to a mechanic that had no way of diagnosing the problem. How long would it take him to repair your car? So how can you repair your fighting skills without solid diagnostic tools? Sifu Puyot's technique offers ways to diagnose your fighters so you can hone in on their mistakes, fix them, and make THEM capable of knowing what they did wrong. These tools will definitely make you stand back in shock and amazment and you'll never watch another fight the same way again.

The material is clear, concise, easy to understand, and easy to assimilate into your curriculums. You won't want to miss this!

Date: May 4, 5, 6 2007

Location: San Diego, California

Schedule of Events: TBA - Friday evening, Saturday (all day mulitple workshops), Sunday morning

Pricing: Please Call for Pricing and Availability

Contact: Sifu Tony Puyot - 619.540.9477

References: If you would like references about Sifu Puyot and his material then please contact one of the following individuals and we'd be happy to provide you with more information:

Michael Dasargo
619-917-9017
San Diego, CA

Randy Brown
978-486-3095
Littleton, MA

Jeff Hughes
512-707-8977
Austin, TX

[specialed]

This sounds like a fantastic seminar. Before I decide to go, could you please post an outline of the program so I can get an idea of how you teach people to fight without getting hurt? I really want to know if its worth my money to go learn from you, or if its better to stick with the old fashioned way of practicing basics, drilling, and sparring.

[Michael Dasargo]

Hello SpecialEd,

Thank you for your interest. First and foremost, please contact us with your credentials for qualification purposes, as the minimum prerequisite is Instructor level.

The format is designed to assess your stress intensity level to optimize your learning curve. We focus on enabling the student to comprehend the experience as it happens. What this means is that we'll identify your optimal sparring intensity so you remain focused on observing your experience rather than to simply survive. Our goal is to prevent overload.

This is important because if a technique was successful, but cannot be repeated, then it is most likely that the technique was a luck shot.

Our goal is to help you identify defeceincies within yourself and your opponent so that you can re-create a successful technique on demand, with no gambling involved!

Applications will be discussed, however there will be a heavy emphasis on the principles embeded between the execution of techniques.

We utilize teaching methods that are scientifically proven and medically supported. There are many who have refined their Martial Art, but have neglected their teaching art.

Ultimately, by the end of the seminar, you will have learned how to learn.

Best Regards,
M.Dasargo

[specialed]

Thank you for your interest. First and foremost, please contact us with your credentials for qualification purposes, as the minimum prerequisite is Instructor level.



Based on what criteria?

[lkfmdc]

Tony Puyot has a good reputation, and it looks like he as skill, but this seminar begs a few questions....

If I read this correctly, Tony Puyot is going to teach instructors how to run a commercially succsseful school while also teaching students how to fight.

This requires Sifu Puyot to demonstrate two things
1. That he runs a successful school
and
2. That said school also produces those who can effectively fight

If you are going to charge money for this seminar, those who you are asking to pay have a right to ask these questions

How many students does Sifu Puyot have?
What is his monthly gross?
By what criteria does he define the ability to "fight"?

Telling someone you're going to teach them how "to learn" is fluff... any substance to this?

[Michael Dasargo]

Based on what criteria?

Hello Special Ed,

First, what is your name?

Secondly, the criteria are very basic. An instructor is someone who has been authorized by a coach or teacher, to teach, based on their pre-determined level of proficiency or expectations. The criteria, however, has exceptions. If an individual shows capabilities equivalent to that of an instructor, but was not authorized to teach for reasons other than being incapable of properly executing techniques, then that individual may participate.

The reason the prerequisite exists is because the seminar is not designed to teach techniques, mechanics, or applications.

Rather, it is designed to enhance techniques, mechanics, and applications by examining the strategy and tactics that exist during the transitions of techniques.

Therefore, someone who is just learning throws, locks, strikes, etc, may not benefit as greatly as someone with existing proficiencies in those areas.

An analogy would be attending a Masters Thesis writing seminar before learning grammar.


The strategist will always defeat the technician.

M.Dasargo

[Michael Dasargo]

Hello LKFMDC,

Thank you for your interest!

Tony Puyot has a good reputation, and it looks like he as skill, but this seminar begs a few questions....

If I read this correctly, Tony Puyot is going to teach instructors how to run a commercially successful school while also teaching students how to fight.
That is actually not entirely accurate. Shifu Puyot is going to teach instructors how to identify flaws within themselves and their opponents, and how to correct such flaws; thus supporting the instructor’s ability to teach the fighting aspects of Martial Arts to the average joe.

[/QUOTE]
This requires Sifu Puyot to demonstrate two things
1. That he runs a successful school
and
2. That said school also produces those who can effectively fight
How many students does Sifu Puyot have?
What is his monthly gross?
By what criteria does he define the ability to "fight"?
[/QUOTE]

1. He teaches locally part-time, as he is a full time Law Enforcement Officer. We come from a reclusive tradition, and have only recently become available for those who feel they may benefit from what we have to offer.

2. He teaches in the country to a small group of focused individuals. I myself, am the only one in the public perspective. Shifu Randy Brown and Shifu Jeff Hughes have only recently began studying these aspects of their art.

Here are short bios:
http://www.mantisskills.com/generic74.html
http://www.mantisskills.com/generic83.html

And very few testimonials:
http://www.mantisskills.com/generic81.html
[/QUOTE]
If you are going to charge money for this seminar, those who you are asking to pay have a right to ask these questions [/QUOTE]
I agree with you 100% and have never revoked anyone’s right to ask. (Nor do I have the power or intention to).

[/QUOTE] Telling someone you're going to teach them how "to learn" is fluff... any substance to this? [/QUOTE]

I apologize if that appeared to be fluff. Learning how to learn is the greatest thing my teacher taught me. To add substance:

The military uses the following acronym: OODA Cycle
Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act.

Maintaining the ability to observe and learn during the actual event allows for optimal strategy, setup, and execution of techniques. You will learn what to look for, how to look for it, and most importantly, how to capitalize on the opponents mistakes.

Hope this helps,
M.Dasargo

PS
I can be reached at (619) 917 - 9017

[SevenStar]

what fighters has he trained?

[specialed]

Hello Special Ed,

First, what is your name?

Secondly, the criteria are very basic. An instructor is someone who has been authorized by a coach or teacher, to teach, based on their pre-determined level of proficiency or expectations. The criteria, however, has exceptions. If an individual shows capabilities equivalent to that of an instructor, but was not authorized to teach for reasons other than being incapable of properly executing techniques, then that individual may participate.

The reason the prerequisite exists is because the seminar is not designed to teach techniques, mechanics, or applications.

Rather, it is designed to enhance techniques, mechanics, and applications by examining the strategy and tactics that exist during the transitions of techniques.

Therefore, someone who is just learning throws, locks, strikes, etc, may not benefit as greatly as someone with existing proficiencies in those areas.

An analogy would be attending a Masters Thesis writing seminar before learning grammar.


The strategist will always defeat the technician.

M.Dasargo



Here's the problem:

intensive workshop for Instructors Only that wish to improve their applications, fighting, or the way they teach fighting.


In order to have credibility, and therefore attract the audience you're attmpting to reach there needs to be verifyable documentation of success in this field. There's no reason to think that either you or your sifu can not teach what you are selling here. On the other hand, there is nor reason to think that you can. The testimonials on the website do not address this.

Have participants in previous seminars or programs successfully competed in San Shou, San Da, MMA, Kuoshu, Karate style point fighting, or any of the other various outlets? If so, what is thier public record? If not, what other verifiable evidence of success can you provide to demonstrate the effectiveness of the material presented?

It seems absurd to advertise on a martial arts forum about: intensive workshop for Instructors Only that wish to improve their applications, fighting, or the way they teach fighting. Without documentation of success in this endeavor.

Also, if the target audience is Sifu, Instructors, Teachers, or skilled students, one would make the assumption that they should alread know the material that is being offered. If not, then are they really a teacher? Who is going to tell thier own teacher that they are attending your program in order to learn how to teach fighting?

[lkfmdc]

1. He teaches locally part-time, as he is a full time Law Enforcement Officer. We come from a reclusive tradition, and have only recently become available for those who feel they may benefit from what we have to offer.

2. He teaches in the country to a small group of focused individuals. I myself, am the only one in the public perspective. Shifu Randy Brown and Shifu Jeff Hughes have only recently began studying these aspects of their art.



So, let me see if I understand this correctly? A person who doesn't have a full time school and has only a few students wants instructors (who may have large schools) to pay him money so he can show them his method (which has yet to be proven actually produces the results he claims).

Would you take driving lessons from a guy who never owned a car?

Would you take cooking lessons from a guy who has never been in a kitchen?

By the way, there is nothing reclusive about Tony's lineage. It goes back to Chiu Luen in NYC, who produced a lot of good fighters by the way

[RandyBrown]

I have been working with Shifu Puyot for a year now and I speak from my personal experiences after spending hours upon hours with him. I see many legitimate questions being offered up although some borderline rude. I can relate to the skepticism as many of us have been burned by false claims and empty promises, and wish to voice our discontent and direct it at anyone making any sort of claim these days.

Shifu Puyot has worked a full-time job and taught on the side for years. His ability to run a successful school while doing such is in my book irrelevant, but if that's a sticking point for you then read on. Over the years he has given away for free, more material than Santa Claus.

If you wish to know of successes in the business side - I have a mid size school (50 or so students) that's only been around for 3 years. All of my students are beginner's or the lower end of intermediate skill level. I have had no success with fighting or sparring classes prior to this material. I have been using Shifu Puyot's material for about 12 months in my curriculum now. I had 14 people sign-up for the fighting class when they saw what it was about, and I have 9 remaining. The 5 that left were all for reasons outside the school e.g., schedule conflicts, surgery, school. I have had no one quit the class because of ego, temper, injury. I have a whole team of Level 1 students fast approaching the class and anxious as hell to get into it.

What is of higher importance (too me) is that he's literally been in hundreds of fights over the years. It sounds silly - 'hundreds of fights', but he's worked law enforcement and security and depended on his training to keep him alive in real situations. He's a very down to earth and realistic man, and if something didn't work, he didn't stick with it for the sake of historical relevance, or obsessing about forms.

I'm not sure the analogy - "Would you take cooking lessons from a guy who has never been in a kitchen?" The man has been in hundreds of fights? How is that never stepping into the kitchen? I believe you may want to reread what this seminar is about. It's not about running a successful business, but on teaching fighting from someone who has spent years training people in real world application and using it himself so he can see his family the next day.

Obviously my Shixiong - M. Dasargo, who has spent a better part of his life working with Shifu Puyot, is better at explaining these things. I only offer my perspective in addition because I'm coming from a place closer too many of you out there - cynical, burned out, screwed over, disappointed in the level of kung fu or martial arts in general, attitudes.

I was, and still am, reeling in shock over finding someone that rekindled my faith that people are out there with the tools and knowledge to make us better, and most importantly have the ability to teach it! I went to him to learn a form, I left after a weekend of working with him, dumping everything I thought I knew, and revamping my entire school/curriculum. If that doesn't convince you, or offer some form of credibility then I don't know what will.

I fought plenty of fights over the years, always in survival mode, taking hit after hit after hit in order to learn, and eventually found a plateau where my skills weren't getting better. I never reached a level where I could even see an attempt at pulling off some of the applications that I see in forms. Now I can see it. This doesn't mean I can perfectly implement it yet, but I can see the steps to get there and a path to attain it.

Perhaps this will sound familiar to some of you - I started asking myself questions like - how can I teach others to fight if I'm just rehashing what I was taught, and what I was taught wasn't working? How many students am I going to lose from premature injuries? How many blown temper fights am I going to have to break up? How do I teach women to fight and overcome men with superior strength? Why can't I make Kung Fu work in a fight? Why are forms so much different from real fighting? And on and on and on the questions piled up.

How many of you have worked tooth and nail over the years bleeding, sweating, exhausting yourselves only to fight and have it turn into kickboxing? If you don't have this problem then I'm very happy for you, but many of us weren't as lucky in our training. I learned more about fighting in the first 5 minutes with Shifu Puyot than I did in 7 years of Martial Arts.

I'm not sure I can tell you much more than this but that's my story and experience working with him. I hope that it's helpful to some of you and that I'll be able to meet and play with you that weekend.

[RandyBrown]

I would like to enclose the following quote from Shifu Puyot in response to questions on another forum -

Come and see -
I am putting on a seminar on my methods of training and teaching. On my understanding of fighting based on real fights over the past thirty years and the training I have received from my masters. As ridiculous as it sound, I have been in literally hundreds of fights because of the jobs that I have had. I do not claim to know everything or every style but I do believe I know a thing or two about teaching fighting for the real world.

I have been asked by a number of teachers to come out of my cave and teach more and share more of my knowledge. I am now doing just that. What makes the process so maddening is when a simple post about a seminar becomes the topic of a debate.

The forums are dying because of paper tigers, screen names and lack of respect. Question, debate and agree to disagree if you must, but show respect.

I hope to have a very productive, fun and educational seminar for those that attend.


Respectfully,

T. Puyot

[Three Harmonies]

Mike & Randy-
Welcome to the world of internet "masters" and **** talkers! Posting here on KFO usually brings about exactly what you have experienced unfortunately.
Don't waste too much time explaining yourself, nor your seminar. None of the nay sayers would show up anyways!
Good luck with the seminar.
Cheers
Jake :)

[lkfmdc]

Mike & Randy-
Welcome to the world of internet "masters" and **** talkers!



Wow Jake, never knew I was an "internet master"

Let's see, my school right now grosses between $18,000 and $24,000 per MONTH. So I'm just a "**** talker", don't know anything about business

In the meantime, I also seem to run a fighting school. At least I think I do considering I have around 14 active fighters doing Muay Thai, San Da and MMA. I'm "new to this", only been doing it since 1996 :rolleyes:

The simple fact is, how can you teach someone how to run a school when you've never run one. His ideas and concepts he's applied to a part time setting, with a small group. His big endoresement is from a guy with 50 students. Yet he obviously wants people to fork over cash so he can share his secrets to success...

Let the buyer beware.....

[lapu_squared]

With so many charlatans in the kung fu world, it's hard to know which teachers are the good ones. So, I can understand the healthy skepticism anyone would have before signing up for Shifu Puyot's program. Unfortunately, there's really no good way to know in advance if someone can help you or not. Documents seldom exist, are often forged, and only make you wonder as much about the credibility of the document's source as you're already wondering about the teacher holding the document.

Although you can never get a guarantee, you can at least get "reviews" or "references" from others who know the teacher. That's probably as close to a guarantee as you'll ever get, realistically speaking.

So, in that spirit, Shifu John Chang and I both highly recommend Shifu Puyot to anyone interested in learning the material this seminar proposes to teach. (Shifu Chang is a student of GM Wei Hsiao-Tang from the 8-Step family who has been practicing, improving, and actively involved in the 8-Step community for 30 years. My reputation is not significant except in that I have been studying under Shifu Chang for a few years.)

Shifu Puyot is an excellent martial artist, knows what he is doing, and is an excellent fighter. He doesn't just know forms, and he doesn't just know applications. He also knows core principles behind applications, the sorts of core principles that cross all martial art styles. In addition, his decades of experience using martial arts in real-world situations as a part of his job have given him truly unique insights. Anyone asking themselves the sorts of questions Randy has been listing in his posts should seriously consider attending Shifu Puyot's seminar.

Shifu Chang and I are unbiased references. We had the pleasure of getting together with Shifu Puyot last Fall for a weekend, during which time we benefitted from Shifu Puyot's highly-applicable pinciples and theories. Hopefully we will have a chance to visit with him again soon. We're not affiliated with him in any other way--not commercially, not financially, not in terms of any sort of teacher/student relationship, etc. We have no incentive to support him with a false testimonial. In fact, quite the opposite, we're sticking our necks out and placing our own reputations on the line to offer our recommendation with nothing in it for ourselves. I'm not sure how you can get more unbiased than that.

[mantid1]

Let me save you some time

Contact: Sifu Tony Puyot - 619.540.9477

His phone number was in the very first post.

If you are really interested I would call and ask for yourself. Its sounds like he has a small club..so he may invite you to watch a class or perhaps participate.

Why waste your time on the forum asking these questions?

Its seems he has been in law enforcment for some time.....so I would be willing to bet he has had MANY more real life scuffles than the average "mantis dude" instructors and students that post on these forums or any where else. That would qualify him for having some fight experience.

He doesnt post advertising a seminar every month so I doubt it is about making money. If he didnt have a job or a full time school then I would question it.

I am sure he has many good ideas on teaching and running a school. You dont have to have 200 students to be able to think for yourself. He probably makes a good living in his carreer...why would he give it up run a full time school to deal with the average idiot off the street for little money.....he gets paid much better to arrest the average idiot and throw them in jail:)

This isnt is defense of Mr Puyot. I never met him....or any of his studnets.


Just making it easy....CALL THE FREAKING GUY AND ASK HIM FOR YOUSELF.

[SevenStar]

Why waste your time on the forum asking these questions?

because it's a forum. When you post on a forum you open yourself to questions. Such is the nature of internet forums.

Its seems he has been in law enforcment for some time.....so I would be willing to bet he has had MANY more real life scuffles than the average "mantis dude" instructors and students that post on these forums or any where else. That would qualify him for having some fight experience.

possibly. I know cops who have never been in fights. But my particular question wasn't what his fighting experience was. there is nothing wrong with asking questions.


Just making it easy....CALL THE FREAKING GUY AND ASK HIM FOR YOUSELF.

see above. He posted here, so he can expect responses / questions here, no?

[Three Harmonies]

Was not aimed at you Mr Ross. Your points are very valid.
Jake :)

[B.Tunks]

He definitely can fight.

BT

[RandyBrown]

Chang Shifu, Chas - thank you for coming forward with your endorsement, it means a great deal to us that you would put your reputation on the line in support of Shifu Puyot and this endeavor. I very much enjoyed meeting you all last Fall and hope to see you again in the near future.

Jake, thanks for the continued support! Mantid1, great points! B. Tunks - thank you as well! It means a lot hearing the support of some important players in the community!

Best Regards to you all,

Randy Brown
Plum Blossom Traditional Kung Fu Academy
www.plumblossomacademy.com

[pilgrimsunwukun]

5 or 6 years ago I was searching for a good teacher and somehow got hold of Sifu Tony Puyot, probably after hearing good things about him from other Sifus in Ohio and Eugene who did 7 *. He was kind enough to send me a tape on stances which I never did get working but the point was he made an effort to help. On the phone we briefly talked abouty learning fighting( starting slowly, position, strategy) very briefly ie it's a phone call. He seemed willing to teach if I was willing to do the work.
Since Oregon's way far away from San Diego, I never siezed the opportunity. Completely because my Guru is in town and is the best I've ever felt.
The point is just because you have a commercial school doesn't mean much of anything. To me the more garage the better, since the guru/sifu/ teacher takes in who they want, not who wants to be there like a commercial school. Black belts in a commercial school are a dime a dozen in some cases, other cases folks are really good.
What matters are you willing to learn from a person with life experience or in the rules oriented enviroment of a ring?
Steve