NHB Fighter, 8 Step
This was a number of years ago, but I believe it was Joel Sutton from NY that competed in the Octagon. There was only a brief clip in one of the UFC tapes, and I’m not aware of full footage of his UFC fights.
KFO admin
I couldnt have said it better myself! I lived at the HQ school in san fransico and learned a lot about masters sun’s (my sifu’s) goals. They are simple yet complicated, and as you said the long road is not for everyone but if you decide to put in your time and take the long road the rewards are waiting for you.
Syre, if you work for a large company and the boss knows you wont stay for very long or dont plan to retire from your job , how much inside information do you think you will get? that maybe a bad example but I think you get my point.
As for 8 step in the octagon it is UFC #6 in buffalo NY joel sutton the bloodiest match in UFC history it shows the whole match.
UFC # 7 he also fought and won but it did not make the final edit of the taped fights but highlights were shown
from another beginner…
Everything’s already been explained in excellent detail, but I thought i’d throw in 2 cents from a fellow beginner.
I started studying 8 step last january (or was it Feb? It was some cold, snowy month anyways). class situation was pretty much the same as you described (almost makes me wonder if we take from the same school). Progress is going way slower than I’d like. Not long after I joined up I caught something really nasty that was going around the dorms and in my family that put me out for almost 2 months. Then i got back and started building back up. Sometime this summer i took my first testing and earned my yellow sash. then I ran into some money trouble and had to take a leave of absense while I get things straightened out.
I’m not sure what martial arts background you have, but I studied taekwando for 4 years when i was younger and I can honestly say I learned more in the way of combat effective technique my first night at 8 step than I did in 4 years of TKD. My tkd class sucked, and i don’t hold anything against the style. What I can say though is that I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with 8 step. It increased my flexibility, dropped 20 lbs, gained some muscle, learned a little bit about how to fight, and I’ve had a great time along the way. Like others have said, it’s not for everyone but it’s definitely taking a serious look at.
And about the sash system: In my closet I’ve got every TKD belt from white to one belt before black.. At the 8 step school I have (or should have..couldn’t make it back to class not long after testing) a yellow sash waiting for me. That sash means more to me than all the TKD belts in the world, because I know that I EARNED it. Sifu didn’t let me slide by like the teachers in TKD did. I had to meet certain physical requirements, have a knowledge of certain material, and be able to demonstrate it. There were standards and i had to meet them. Sashes and belts are just glorified pieces of twine to hold your pants up with, but at least I know I had to bust some serious a$$ for this piece of twine. =)
pain junkie
who is your sifu? how long have you been studying? I am glad you like the system, I was a black belt in goju ryu when I went to masters shyuns semminar in clarence in 1991, I fell in love with it immediatly, it was everything I was looking for, I was amazed at the effortless techniques in which master shyun would use to throw me and began learning 8 step from sifu dean until he and I moved to san fransico to live at the school, I obtained my sifu status moved back to buffalo and opened my own school and have been teaching ever since. good luck with your training I hope you stick with it!
earth dragon
I take 8 step in Vermillion under sifu Loftus.
How long I’ve been training is a tricky question. =) I started in either mid-late January or early Febuary 2001. I was at class for a couple weeks and caught something nasty going around the dorms and at home. Came back in march or april I think. Tested in July, and haven’t been back since. So I’ve been a member of the school for 9 months, but I’ve only gotten in about 4 months of actual training. It makes me mad, but I know it’s just temporary, and the time off has also made me realize how much I love Fu. With anything else I’ve ever done in my life, if I had to leave for 2 months or 3 months at a time, I never would’ve come back. But there’s no doubt in my mind I’ll get back to Fu when all this blows over. A good night at Fu makes me feel better than anything else I’ve ever done in my life (except helping my friends), and I can’t imagine not doing it even though I haven’t been there in like 3 months…
KFO Admin
Hey, I wrote to you twice and haven’t heard back… are you going to reply to me?
Tnanks!