Redux

Well how do you reboot your club?

I started my journey in the martial arts when I was in infants school.  Around 6 years of age.  I had been having a hard time with all the other kids in school, being bullied and being the butt of many jokes due to my being overweight.

On a visit to my nan's house, my uncle was showing off his brand new VHS Video Cassette Recorder.  I'd never seen one before and he had these plastic rectangular cassettes that he inserted into the top, pressed it down and pushed the play button.  Movies would then be played on the home television!  It was fantastic.  My uncle had also rented two video tapes, one of which was the classic Enter The Dragon.  On watching this movie, my life changed.

Here was this 5' something super hero.  Slight of build, but huge in physical skill, he was bouncing bullies left right and centre.  I wanted to be able to do that.  I could do that.

Around three years later I happened upon a Shotokan Karate club, based in the local British Legion.  I spent many years there, obviously not possessing the physical abilities of many - I was still overweight, although my fitness was never in question.  I worked my backside off, but I still lacked the finesse, the ability to perform the jumping spinning kicks.  Even though many more talented than I passed through those doors, left and never returned, I stuck at it.

Eventually I grew disillusioned.  I realised that this was not for me, but I still loved the martial arts.  At the age of 16 I ultimately quit.  But the passion was still there, beneath the surface.  I had witnessed a programme a few years earlier, on Eskrima and I knew that this was what I wanted.  However I couldn't find anywhere to train me in this amazing art.

I went to University, and there trained in Muay Thai.  Only for a couple of years on and off, but I felt that now I was getting somewhere, now I could excel in something.

Leaving Uni and finding a job I eventually found the Combative Edge Academy.  Here I could finally train in my beloved Eskrima.  I also trained in Jeet Kune Do Concepts under the expert tutelage of Dave Green.  I got to meet some great characters and train with some of the best martial artists of the age.  However all good things come to an end.  The club eventually dissolved and what was left was Dave and myself training together in a tiny community centre in Dog Brothers Martial Arts.

I continued to train - and importantly to improve.  I built on the foundations laid by Dave Green and carry on the torch that was lit for me by him.  It is in honour to him that I am attempting to reboot the Combative Edge Academy.

What Is Combative Edge?

What is Combative Edge?

Let's start with what it is not.

It's not an innovative new martial art. 

It's not a traditional pyjamas and bare feet McDojo.

It's not a combat-trouser-and-black-tshirt-wearing 'real' military combatives class.

It's an exploration of Fillipino Martial Arts.  It's a group that meets and practices empty hand and blade techniques with each other.  Using techniques and training methods that are tried and tested under extreme stress situations.  Not simply accepting that because my master or instructor told me it works it must work, but by trying it under stress, sparring and working with a partner who isn't simply complying, but is resisting.

I currently run one session a week from CETRA in Haydock, Merseyside in the United Kingdom.  The focus of this session is fist fighting - empty hand self defence.  Panantukan, or the empty hand side of Kali.

With it's basis firmly in 'boxing', most of the movements and techniques are closely linked to weapons movements.  It incorporates hand techniques, elbows, knees, kicks, headbutts, grappling, wrestling, gouging, biting and anything that can cause pain and incapacitate an attacker.  It is aggressive, effective and fun.  These sessions are open to everybody over the age of 14, male or female.

Knife sessions are invitation only due to the nature of the beast!  If you are interested in the knife fighting side of things, please feel free to contact me with details of your experience and what you are looking for.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my new blog!

My name is Ste Ormerod and this is a martial arts blog.

I tell a lie, it's not going to be solely martial arts.  I will occasionally dip into other issues and interests of mine, but this blog will centre on Combative Edge Martial Arts, what it is, what it means to me and will also trace it's development and evolution.

I won't lie to you either. This blog will be used as a marketing tool.  Not in the usual martial arts club sense, trying to sell black belts to gullible parents for their precious little children.  But I'm simply trying to voice my philosophy of martial arts, my particular flavour of fighting arts and see if anyone else is interested in training with me.

If you've read this far, then I'm hoping that you already have an interest in martial arts, have your own views and are interested in hearing mine.

If this is the case, then keep coming back.

To the future.