Instructor of the Year

Inside Kung-Fu Magazine

February 2009 Vol. 37


Instructor of the Year

By Dave Cater


It took Joseph Simonet nearly 25 years to become an overnight sensation. Simonet, a contributing editor of Inside Kung-Fu for the past two years, has taken the martial arts world by storm with a teaching concept both unique and traditional. One-half (along with 2008 “Woman of the Year” Addy Hernandez) of the juggernaut martial arts system known as KI Fighting Concepts, Simonet has taken the best ideas of his predecessors and synthesized it into a magical collection of training, conditioning, technical and application skills that can benefit anyone of any discipline.


“What good is a martial arts technique if you can’t use it?” ask Simonet, whose Unique Publications books and DVDs are among the company’s best-sellers. “For an application to be beneficial, it has to be easy enough to learn and even easier to apply,” adds Simonet.

Now don’t think for one minute that Joseph has borrowed from his martial arts brethren. Far from it. Long before the world knew who he was or what he could deliver, Simonet was training with some of the most-respected minds and most-admired technicians in the martial arts world.

Like any trailblazer, however, Simonet was not content to stand on ceremony. In other words, he was not afraid to tinker with perfection. What may have worked in the 1500s was due for some modernization; the street fighting techniques practiced 40 years ago needed a facelift to tackle the dangers of today.

Through seminars around the world-from China to New York and hundreds of stops in between-Simonet is spreading the gospel of his exciting new discovery. KI Fighting Concepts is a living, breathing 21st- Century approach to training that fits around the practitioner like a new pair of jeans. The more you wear it, the more it stretches to fit your style. It takes a martial artist of vision to create something so revolutionary. It only took the rest of the world 25 years to take notice.

KI Online Training

IKF Magazine

January 2009

Vol. 37


KI Online Training

By Joseph Simonet


In the fall of 1995, Addy Hernandez was attending college near Spokane, Wash. The three hours of travel time from our hometown to Spokane created a bit of a challenge for us to get together and train. We would usually alternate travel on weekends; she would come home one weekend and I would travel to Spokane the next weekend. Though not an ideal situation for quality training time, we managed to make it work. On one of my trips to Spokane, Addy and I wandered into a used bookstore. The owner of the store asked us if we would like to see the “Internet” in action. Remember this was 1995 and at that point in time, I had never seen anything on the World Wide Web. So we proceeded to the store owner’s office and were amazed at all of his fancy computer stuff. At that moment, I felt like I was stepping into the future. He asked me what I was interested in searching, and I replied martial arts.

In a matter of seconds he was showing me photos and text from a Web site somewhere in Europe. Initially, I was blown away. The marvel of visiting all these different martial art sites soon dimmed as I became more disappointed in the quality, or should I say “lack of quality,” of the actual karate, kung-fu and so on. The technical genius of the Internet was overshadowed by the unimpressive and sloppy presentations of the so-called “masters” I observed. I remember saying at the time, “You can bounce it off the moon and circle it around the sun and back, but it’s still watered-down karate to me.”

The Internet has grown in availability, quality and enormous technical advances. Since my first chance encounter with the Web, I have waded through eight different “webmasters.” (It’s interesting to me how as a martial artist we spend a lifetime training to master our craft, and tech geeks take a weekend Web design workshop and call themselves “webmasters”). Our Web site, KIFightingConcepts.com, still isn’t finished nor shall it ever be. We are constantly evolving despite the long run of “masters.”

Developing, maintaining and improving one’s Web site is an enormous task. One of my main objectives for ours is to offer online martial arts training. The challenge has been waiting for technology to catch up with the public’s demands. The public is looking for affordability, availability and high-speed quality. I believe we’ve finally arrived.

Addy and I are now offering online training through our site. The subjects are many and varied. We are teaching kenpo karate, wing chun, Filipino arts (stick and blade), Pentjak silat, tai chi, boxing, weapons, wooden dummy, lock flow, sensitivity drills and grappling. Our intent is to make available the most comprehensive collection of preeminent martial arts training on the Web. We both realize that to complete this task will ultimately take years. However, we already have several hundred downloads available right now. I estimate we’ll have several thousand training choices before we are done. The idea is to show the world our vision of what training martial arts is all about.

Sometimes people ask me if I’m worried that other martial artists will take our “secrets” and call them their own. First, there are no secrets. I once read that to make an apple pie from scratch, you would first have to reinvent the universe.

Addy and I have unique and highly functional training methods that are fun, challenging, practical and thus valuable. We are opening up our art and training methods to the world. We have already made several DVDs with Unique Publications and Paladin Press. Offering downloads is not intended to replace or dismiss our Unique or Paladin DVDs. On the contrary; we believe all our projects, books, articles, DVDs, seminars, camps and now online training are part of an integral tapestry of our life’s work.

Our DVDs are comprehensive presentations of specific arts and training methods. Someone interested in defensive knife training in particular would be advised to purchase the “A Cut Above” DVD from Unique Publications. If someone was interested in Sinawali (double-stick drills) I would suggest getting our “Secrets of Sinawali” from Paladin Press. What is useful about our online training is that once you sign up, you can have both knife and stick training available to you as well as hundreds of other training tips and drills. It just depends on your interest and, of course, your depth of knowledge.

We encourage beginners to high-level black belts to reference our material somewhat as an e-University. Everyone has something to gain. We will also address questions by choosing the most interesting or relevant ones, and creating downloads to represent our answers. We will demonstrate the why’s of our answers in this format. We believe we can show and share the depth of our skills and knowledge. So every week, ask us the tough questions. We’ll pick the best ones and address it right on our site. Addy and I are excited about this aspect of our online training. Come visit us at www.kifightingconcepts.com.

Total Domination Pt. 2 Joseph Simonet

Inside Kung-Fu
“Total Domination part 2”
Interview by Michael Janich
July 2005
Pg 62-66, 108, 111

The attitude behind Jospeh Simonet’s KI Fighting Concepts system is simple: One move and you’re done.

In last month’s Inside Kung-Fu, Joseph Simonet explained the 30-year background behind his impressive martial arts resume and the genesis of his eclectic KI Fighting Concepts curriculum. In part 2 of his interview, this outspoken martial artist explains his personal fighting philosophy, the role of wooden dummy training in the quest for personal martial excellence, and his plans for the future.

INSIDE KUNG-FU: What are the key components of the KI Fighting Concepts philosophy and curriculum?
JOSEPH SIMONET: Every aspect of my personal study of the arts was a quest to fill in the gaps in both my own knowledge and skills and the curriculum that I offer to my students. After devoting myself to a variety of different arts, I stepped back and began to cherry pick the elements that were most valuable. Again, the goal was to synthesize the various elements at the foundational level, not to arbitrarily lump things together.
In its current form, the key elements of the system include proper structure and alignment, as derived from my interpretation of wing cun and silat; sensitivity and spontaneity, adapted from the Filipino arts, taijiquan, and wing chun; and an attitude of “wherever you’re standing, you’re stand in my spot,” which is a reflection of both my personality and some elements of Indonesian silat.
IKF: Wherever you’re standing, you’re standing in my spot. What does that mean?
JS: It means having the attitude and commitment to totally dominate your opponent. Most martial arts separate fighting into four ranges: kicking, punching, trapping, and grappling. We believe in only one range: trampling range. That’s the range between my initial impact with your body and your impact with the ground. At that point, I’m standing in your spot.
IKF: Certainly somebody of your size and strength could pull that off. But is that a sound foundation of an entire system?
JS: The system works because it is based on proper anatomical structure and a committed attitude. My partner and assistant instructor, Addy Hernandez, weighs half as much as I do and is about one-third as strong, but she can easily knock most men my size on their butts. If the system works for her, it will work for anyone.
IKF: What is Addy’s martial arts background?
JS: In addition to being the first person to earn a black belt in the KI Fighting Concepts curriculum, she has also earned black belts in kenpo, doce pares eskrima, and eskrido, and has instructor’s certification in taijiquan and yoga. She has also kickboxed competitively in the ring.
IKF: If KI Fighting Concepts is a superior system, why did she train in the traditional arts as well?
JS: To teach the full KI Fighting Concepts curriculum effectively-especially to people already trained in other styles-it was important for her to experience some of the traditional arts in their pure forms. That gives her the frame of reference to relate to the other arts, to understand the lineage of our core concepts, and, most importantly, to have a full appreciation of what we do and why. As my assistant and protégé, she needed the additional background. For anyone else just interested in developing fighting skills, the KI Fighting Concepts curriculum is all you need.
IKF: How would you describe your typical student?
JS: Most of our students, both at our school in Wenatchee, Wash., in our affiliate schools in New York, and in our distance learning programs, are experienced martial artists over 30 years old who are frustrated with the traditional arts and really want to learn how to fight. They’ve been around the block, are tired of the hype and want something real.
IKF: Why do they come to you?
JS: In most cases, they got a taste of my approach through my book or one of my videos and like what they saw. They were looking for both a system that made sense and a mentor with the courage to lead, so they came to me.
IKF: You’re a pretty tough and opinionated instructor. Why do they stay?
JS: It’s interesting that usually whatever brings a student to us is never what keeps him here. Our students always grow in ways they never anticipated. Many of them came looking for a physical challenge and never expected the mental and emotional growth they experienced. Others came to me to give them confidence and they ended up finding it themselves through the physical aspects of what we do. It’s just further proof that the martial arts is a personal journey, not a production line to create people who all move and fight the same way.
IKF: Wooden dummy training is usually associated with the practice of specific Chinese systems like wing chun or choy lay fut. Why is this traditional training method such an important part of your eclectic art?
JS: The wooden dummy allows me to practice proper form and structure with full power and resistance. Unlike a heavy bag, it also provides the anatomical tools to practice full-power blocks, traps and other techniques with great realism. Best of all, it’s the only training partner I’ve ever had that never whines and is never tired, sick, bored or injured.
IKF: The core of your wooden dummy training is a form you developed called the “Slam Set.” Why would an eclectic martial art need a form? Are you just replacing someone else’s tradition with your own?
JS: The Slam Set represents all the essential elements I’ve learned in 33 years of training condensed into a 60-second form. If you’ve been around the arts for a while, when you first see it, you’ll see what look like elements of kenpo, eskrima, silat, muay Thai, whing chun and other arts. But when you analyze the form and start extracting applications from it, you realize that what looked like kenpo was not only kenpo, it was also an element of eskrima, and expression of taijiquan, and a fundamental concept of silat. Ultimately, it becomes a window to understanding the common ground of all martial arts.
I developed the Slam Set as a vehicle to train all the core principles of the arts I’ve studied and to provide a set of essential fighting skills in one form. I did it on the wooden dummy so that all the movements would have to be done with contact and intensity and would not degenerate into a meaningless dance. In the process of developing the set, I subconsciously included a number of elements that I knew needed to be there, but at first even I wasn’t completely sure why. As I practiced and analyzed the form and its possible applications, I realized that it truly includes all the movements and skills essential to a real righting system. Even now, years later, I will see a technique or application from another art that I really like and I re-evaluate my curriculum to make sure I haven’t missed anything. In most cases, I end up discovering those movements somewhere in the Slam Set.
IKF: It still seems like practicing a rote form is inconsistent with the spontaneity and “formlessness” you claimed to achieve with KI Fighting Concepts. Aren’t they opposites?
JS: Forms, like oral traditions, are a convenient and effective way of passing on a large body of knowledge, because they allow you to remember things in a sequence. You just need to understand that it’s the knowledge that’s important, not the sequence.
Any movement or series of movements in the Slam Set can be practiced individually as a drill, in any combination, and in any order. With proper visualization and intensity, they can also represent thousands of different applications. For example, what looks like a wing chun bong sao/lop sau/backfist combination to you might be a figure-four armlock to me. The movements are the same, but the intent-and therefore the application-are very different.
By mastering the physical movements of the Slam Set and then creatively expressing them in as many different ways as possible, you don’t do techniques; you make techniques.
IKF: What is the Art and Science of Mook Jong (ASMJ)?
JS: Once I realized that the Slam Set is, in fact, a distillation of all the essential elements of KI Fighting Concepts, it made sense to use it as a primary tool to teach the system to others. In the ASMJ program, students begin by learning the Slam Set form and the most obvious, literal translations of the movements as applications. Once they are competent of the movements. That’s the science.
Then, based on their understanding of the applications, they start analyzing the form and discovering their own combative expressions of the movements. They start seeing applications in the transitional movements of the form-between the “techniques”-and tap into the full potential of their skills. That’s the art.
IKF: How does someone get involved in your curriculum?
JS: We recently established a worldwide federation to provide an infrastructure to share our art. We also host an annual training camp at our facility in Chelan, Wash., which features more than 40 wooden dummies, and teach seminars all over the country. The resources are already there. You just need an open mind and the guts to train hard.
IKF: What are your goals for KI Fighting Concepts and for you as a martial artist and instructor?
JS: I want to build a professional organization of like-minded people who are interested in continuing the development of the effective fighting arts. I want to find worthy instructors who are interested in sharing this information with motivated students. Most of all, I want to leave more than I take.
It’s not about me taking credit for what I’ve done; it’s about enabling others to continue to build upon it without having to do it all over. They shouldn’t have to repeat history. I know that there are plenty of people who have changed their approach to the arts after seeing what I do without ever giving me credit. That’s fine. As long as the evolution continues, I’ve done my part.
IKF: That sounds amazingly humble compared to some of the other things you’ve said in this interview.
JS: Humility is about balancing what you can do with what you say you can do. It’s not about selling yourself short to try to impress someone. When you get right down to it, most of today’s martial arts legends has-beens surrounded by wannabes. I’m here now and I’ve got a lot to offer. People who really want to learn appreciate that and are lining up to train with me. That’s it.
IKF: Nevertheless, I’m sure you know that you’ll probably ruffle a few feathers when this interview is printed. Any final words for your critics?
JS: Sure. I don’t accept challenges; but I do respond to attacks.

Michael Janich is a freelance writer, author and instructor in Longmont, Colorado. He also is a founder of the Martial Blade Concepts system of edged-weapon defense and director of product development for the Masters of Defense knife company. He can be reached at www.martialbladecomcepts.com

The KI to Fighting Supremacy Part 1

Inside Kung-Fu
“The KI to Fighting Supremacy Part 1”
Interview by Michael Janich
June 2005
Pg 34-39, 95

Joseph Simonet has taken 30 years of conceptual study and turned it into one revolutionary martial arts system.

For years, Joseph Simonet has been one of the best-kept secrets in the American martial arts community. An exceptionally talented practitioner and instructor with high-level ranking in numerous Chinese, Indonesian, and Filipino martial arts, he is best known for his ability to cross-reference and synthesize the common elements of individual arts into universal concepts and physical principles that transcend style.

KI
This universal body of knowledge forms the foundation of his revolutionary KI Fighting Concepts curriculum and its wooden dummy-based, state-of-the-art training methodology, the Art and Science of Mook Jong. In this two-part interview, Simonet explains the method behind his uniquely visionary madness.

INSIDE KUNG-FU: When did you begin your training in martial arts?
JOSEPH SIMONET: I started training in 1972 in Japanese karate. At that time, I as already a competitive power lifter and was looking for other ways to challenge myself physically.
IKF: When did you get involved in kenpo?
JS: I switched to kenpo in 1973 and met Al Tracy in 1975. Although I have studied many different arts since then, I am still associated with Al Tracy and Tracy’s kenpo and am probably the highest-ranked practitioner of that system no teaching that art exclusively.
IKF: What ranks do you hold and in what arts?
JS: I am currently an eighth-degree black belt in Tracy’s kenpo; a fourth-degree in doce pares under Christopher Petrilli; a second degree in eskrido under Cacoy Cañete; a second degree in pentjak silat tongkat serak; and a black-sash level in wing chun gung-fu. I also have an instructor’s certification in Yan style taiji.
IKF: What do you mean “black-sash level” in wing chun?
JS: I’ve trained in both classical wing chun and its non-classical variants for over two decades and had the opportunity to study with some of the best wing chun instructors in the country. I learned the classical wooden dummy set from the great Wang Kiu and ultimately mastered all the skills of the system on my own terms.
IKF: But you never received a formal rank?
JS: I trained with people who had their black sash and could do everything that they could-usually better. That taught me that individual accomplishment is always more important than formal rank or certification. If anyone doubts my skills in wing chun, they are welcome to stop by anytime and “stick” with me.
IKF: What was the significance of each of the arts you studied and how did they give you the tools to develop as a martial artist?
JS: I consider kenpo to be the most complete encyclopedia of physical motion in the martial arts. If you want to catalog a movement, you can find it in kenpo. The Filipino arts taught me the importance of flow and the fact that spontaneous application is more important than rote technique. Through wing chun I developed an in-depth understanding of physical structure and the advantages of skeletal alignment over muscular strength. Silat taught me forward enerfy, taking an opponent’s space, and the secrets of body leverage and angles in throwing. And from taijiquan I learned the power of fluidity and relaxed movement.
IKF: Which arts were the most revolutionary to your development as a martial artist?
JS: At the time, every one of them was revolutionary to me, because I immersed myself completely in that art while I was studying it. I wanted to make sure that I understood the totality of the art in its pure form first. Then, I stepped back and looked at the art with a critical eye to draw the best elements and concepts from it.
IKF: Which arts were least beneficial?
JS: I have learned something from every art I’ve studied-even if it was what not to do. Once you discover that, you reverse-engineer your training to focus on the stuff that does work.
IKF: What is KI Fighting Concepts?
JS: The KI in KI Fighting Concepts stands for “karate innovations.” I founded it in 1979 as a hybrid system designed to fill in some of the blanks that I found in kenpo, but it’s grown far beyond that. The way I see it, every martial art presents a specific model. Although every model works fairly well at a basic level, the more I challenged them, the more their limitations became apparent and the models broke down. To fix them, you have to look outside the model and draw from something else.
Over time, what began as a hybrid system of kenpo has become and eclectic blend of pre-eminent martial arts systems, unified at the conceptual level. The development of KI Fighting Concepts has also paralleled my personal development in the arts, filling in the blanks in the totality of my own training, knowledge, understanding, and training methodology.
IKF: So KI Fighting Concepts follows the model of “absorbing what is useful?”
JS: Absorbing what is useful is a nice start, but more important that that is extracting what is essential. A “useful” skill set that doesn’t include the really critical skills that you need to fight well is a guaranteed way of getting your butt kicked. It’s like having a survival kit full of “useful” items that doesn’t include matches or some other way of making a fire. Without that essential element, you die.
IKF: There are a lot of styles and systems out there that claim to have extracted the best of all the arts. How is KI Fighting Concepts different?
JS: Most people who claim to have created eclectic systems have done nothing to integrate their arts at a fundamental level. If you duct tape a wrench and a screwdriver together, you haven’t invented anything. By the same token, duct taping a bunch of tae kwon do techniques onto jiu-jitsu ground skills doesn’t produce an integrated fighting art.
The “concept” in KI Fighting Concepts reflects the fact that it is a synthesis based on total integration of the component parts, not just a buffet line of different martial arts techniques. So many styles are actually defined by the minute difference that set them apart instead of the 99 percent of the content that makes them similar. That’s ridiculous.
By understanding the core concepts and mechanics that are common to all systems, you can achieve total integration at the foundation of the art and flow to any technique you choose. This approach also helps you appreciate various styles for what they contribute to the whole, rather than blowing them off because “their stance are wider than our stances.”
IKF: You’ve got some pretty impressive martial arts credentials, but what qualifies you to create your own martial art?
JS: After 30 years of training, six black belts, and years of seeking the truth from other people, I decided that I was qualified. Who told Yim Wing Chun, Mas Oyama, Morehei Uyeshiba or any other founder of a martial art that they were qualified? Nobody. Because of all the tradition and ritual that surrounds the martial arts we forget that men developed all arts. In most cases, they were developed to overcome the shortcomings of the systems they already had, which were also developed by men. Well, the same thing applies today.
It amazes me that when it comes to every other field of human endeavor-science, medicine, technology, education-we constantly strive for progress. But when it comes to martial arts, most people are convinced that someone else figured it all out and created the ultimate fighting art hundreds of years ago. I don’t think so.
If I have the knowledge, the skills, and the insight to create a superior system, I’m not going to hold back because it’s not traditional. The telegraph was a great invention, but I don’t see anyone trading in his cell phones for one.
IKF: So you no longer see much value in the traditional martial arts?
JS: All living things are evolving, dormant, or dying. When viewed in this way, most traditional arts are at best either dormant or dying. As cultural experience, as a form of fitness, or as an off-the-shelf basic self-defense, they’re fine. But as a state-of-the-art fighting system, no art that values tradition above function is worth betting your life on.
IKF: What about the instructors who claim to have adapted their traditional arts to the needs of modern self-defense?
JS: If they’re still restricted by the limitations of their tradition, they’re going to come up short. Training in traditional martial arts is like restoring an old car. You bust your butt for years to get everything to look exactly like the original. But when you’re done, you’ve still only got a 1973 Pinto. Granted, it’s a beautiful, historically accurate Pinto, but it’s still a Pinto.
IKF: Do you consider yourself in the same league as people like Mas Oyama, Ed Parker or the founders of other well known systems?
JS: That’s not for me to judge, but that’s certainly my goal. They were great men and great martial artists because they started with the martial tradition that they learned and continued to analyze, innovate, and build upon it. That tradition-a legacy of innovation and progress-is what I really value.
If you think about it, the biggest difference between me and the founders of other arts is that I’m still alive. As strange as it may sound, in the traditional arts, being dead is a great qualification. Your followers will spend years interpreting and re-interpreting everything you said or wrote like your grocery list somehow holds the key to martial enlightenment. I’m here to answer questions and provide guidance to my students now. I’m also continuing to grow and learn along with them.
IKF: What has been your most satisfying experience or accomplishment in the martial arts?
JS: Realizing that I was in control of my own destiny and didn’t need validation from anyone else.
IKF: What has been the most frustrating?
JS: Waiting so long to realize it.
(In part two, Simonet explains his fighting philosophy, the role of wooden dummy training in the quest for personal martial excellence, and his plans for the future.)

Silat Secrets

Black Belt Magazine
September 2003
“Divining the Secrets of Silat”
Joseph Simonet Finds that Innovation Is the Key to Preserving the Ancient Indonesian Art
Pg. 83-85
By: Michael Janich

The Indonesian martial art of pentjake silat serek is one of the most fascinating yet under appreciated fighting systems ever created. It was purportedly developed by a member of the reclusive Badui tribe of tury. Originally known by his Badui names Aliya Hasan and Grat Zapah, he’s more commonly referred to as “Pak Serak.”
Unlike most founder of martial arts who are credited with possessing great physical prowess, Pak Serak was physically challenged. Standing a mere 5 feet tall, he suffered from two birth defects: an underdeveloped arm that was considerably shorter than normal and a clubfoot. Despite his disabilities, he actively pursued the study of pentjak silat and combined a knowledge of several styles with his own perspective to give birth to the serak system. He later passed his art down to Mas Djut, who adapted its techniques for use by people who were not physically challenged.
During the ensuing two centuries, serak remained secretive. Even though some of its most prominent instructors settled in the United States and openly taught derivative forms of it to the public, true serak had been taught to only a handful of advanced practitioners. Sadly, when those practitioners attempted to share their skills with others, they were disowned—and often discredited by their own instructors as part of a desperate effort to cling to outdated traditions.
Fortunately, one American martial artist chose to break this cycle and transcend tradition. The result of his bold and innovative effort is the martial science he calls “silat concepts.”

INSPIRATION FOR CHANGE
The man who founded silat concepts is Joseph Simonet. A veteran martial artist with more than 30 years of experience, he’s earned advanced teaching credentials in kenpo karate, doce pares escrima, eskrido and Yang-style tai chi chuan. He also holds a black sash in wing chun kung fu and a second-degree black belt in pentjak silat tongkat serak.
Simonet’s inspiration for the creation of silat concepts started several years after he began his formal study of serak. After comparing his instructor’s expression of it with that of experienced practitioners from another lineage, he noticed a significant disparity with respect to the finesse and precision of his line. When his questions regarding the variations went unanswered, he took it upon himself to explore the other lineage to perfect his own understanding and expression of the art.
Simonet’s methodology was simple, yet painstaking. He first assembled all the reference materials he had collected during his years of silat study: books, magazine articles, handwritten notes and hours of videotape. Then, with help from his senior students and other noted martial artists, he began an in-depth analysis of the structure, movements and techniques of traditional serak and its derivative forms.
He also compared the instructional methods of various senior practitioners—first to find differences between one man and another, and then to find changes in the way each man executed his moves at various times in his life. Alone the way, he noted inconsistencies, deliberate changes and simple errors. Throughout the process, he remained focused on the martial function of serak, methodically reducing it to the fundamentals of physical and anatomical structure, leverage and angles.

GOING PUBLIC
Simonet distilled serak into a true martial science that focused exclusively on the functional elements of the system. Like any good scientist, he then sought to validate his research through experimentation and comparison to similar bodies of knowledge. To do that, he turned to senior practitioners of the art and its variations. They not only validated his conclusions, but also encouraged him to continue his efforts and share his brand of silat with the public.
The final phase of Simonet’s research was to examine the art from the perspective of its founder. By simulating the physical disabilities of Pak Serak, he envisioned how the art had enabled him to overcome his limitations. Then, like Mas Djut, Simonet applied those lessons to an able-bodied person. However, unlike Mas Djut, who seemed to have focused primarily on giving serak bilateral symmetry, Simonet sought to take full advantage of all four limbs and further enhance the martial application of serak.
He called the result of his research “silat concepts” and shared it openly through a two-volume instructional video. His intent was to honor the art’s lineage and ensure its continuation. Rather than receiving praise from his instructors for getting unprecedented exposure for the art, he was criticized and ultimately removed from most versions of the serak family tree.
While Simont’s serak elders attempted to deny his very existence, his newfound students and followers praised his efforts and clamored for more. “Although I was very disappointed when I was purged from the lineage of traditional serak, I was extremely encouraged by the positive feedback I received from my students and those who viewed by videos,” Simonet says.
“Probably the most gratifying feedback I received was from active students of several different styles of silat. They commented that my silat instruction was the most organized and lucid they had ever seen. Compared to the traditional follow-the-leader approach, they said, my explanation and analysis of the art made it much easier to learn.”
Simonet claims his ability to teach silat concepts in a clear and concise way stemmed from his analysis of the parent art and his ability to cross-reference it with other styles. “Although I learned silat in the traditional manner—through pure mimicry and trial-and-error application—my real understanding of it came through objective observation and research,” he says. “To be honest, the most important things I learned about silat were never part of my formal instructions in the art.”

SUPERSTRUCTURE
Although silat concepts shares some elements with its predecessor, it transcends the traditional form of the art in several significant ways. Like traditional serak, silat concepts is built on a foundation constructed of the 18 juru (hand forms). However, they’ve been modified to emphasize silat concepts’ enhanced structure.
Those forms are important because they provide a convenient and easily referenced institutional memory of the movements and structure of the system. Once they’re learned, the significance of their movements is revealed to the student through the practice of selected sambut, or techniques. However, rather than focusing on rote technique, students are taught how to identify the physiological potential of them to form their own techniques.
“The juru provide an alphabet for the language of combat,” Simonet says. “But rather than emerely copying the classic writings of our ancestors, silat concepts is a course in creative expression with a focus on modern issues—specifically, practical self-defense.”

FANCY FOOTWORK
Another unique phase of training in silat concepts is its approach to langkha (footwork patterns). Traditional serak requires a student to devote years to learning patterns that emphasize 45-and 90-degree angles. These angles make the execution of techniques more difficult and less efficient; they were used primarily to create an impression of weakness during the elaborate stalking ritual that preceded traditional fights in Indonesia. Because the true application of silat techniques is based on the angles of an equilateral triangle, the footwork of silat concepts focuses on the powerful dynamics of this platform.
Perhaps the most significant improvement Simonet made involves two-hand supported techniques. “The use of the supporting hand was probably critical to Pak Serak’s ability to overcome his physical limitations,” Simonet says. “However, in traditional serak, its role is largely symbolic or limited to a sectoring function much like the wu hand of wing chun.
“By taking full advantage of the supported hand positions in the juru, I’ve supercharged the hand techniques of the art, doubling the power of the offensive techniques and creating watertight defensive frames. Most important, I’ve drawn from my knowledge of wing chun and applied the concept of simultaneous attack and defense to silat structures.
“For example, I used the bong sao (wing-hand block) to create a hybrid corkscrew punch that offers both attack and defense in a single movement.” Curiously, this technique, which was never part of traditional serak, has been adopted by Simonet’s former branch of silat and is now taught as an element of that art.

IMPROVING ON TRADITION
Simonet’s silat concepts is not just another attempt to create a new art. Rather, it’s an objective approach to understanding a functional yet often overlooked traditional style. It’s also a means for all martial artists to experience and appreciate the Indonesian arts.
“Silat concepts is a complete and functional martial science, but I don’t expect people to abandon their current arts to study it,” Simonet says. “If a judo player who trains in silat concepts adopts our principles of angles and unbalancing, he may use silat to make his judo better. A wing chun practitioner might use our reinforced hand positions to strengthen his close-range blocks and punches. In this way, I hope to use it to promote a widespread appreciation of silat and motivate more people to explore the traditional Indonesian arts.”
It’s important to understand that silat concepts is not traditional serak, nor does it claim to be. It also does not adhere to many of that arts ancient practices. However, it does follow the most important tradition of serak, as established by its founder: overcoming adversity through research and diligent effort to develop an effective fighting system that matches the practitioner’s needs and attributes.

About the author: Michael Janich is a free-lance writer based in Boulder, Colorado. He has more than 29 years of martial arts experience and is one of America’s best—known knife-fighting experts. For more information about silat concepts, call Joseph Simonet at (509) 662-7983 or visit http://www.kifightingconcepts.com.

Joseph Simonet

Stan Witz’s USA Competitor
“KI Fighting Concepts Meet Your Head Instructor Joseph Simonet”
By Stan Witz

Joseph Simonet began his martial arts training in the early 1970’s in the study of traditional Japanese Karate. During this time, Joseph was an avid weight lifter and power lifter. In 1973, Mr. Simonet began training in Tracy’s Kenpo Karate. At the age of 21, Mr. Simonet was managing a martial arts studio in Kirkland, WA. With an open mind and an insatiable thirst for knowledge, Mr. Simonet spent the rest of the 1970’s exploring the art of Goju-Ryu, Tae Kwon Do, and Hung-Gar Kung Fu. Mr. Simonet started teaching his Karate Innovations in Seattle, WA during the 1980’s. It was the early 80’s when Mr. Simonet discovered Filipino Kali Escrima and Wind Chun Gung Fu. During this time there was an explosion of Martial Arts seminar and workshop opportunities. Mr. Simonet participated in many such seminars including, but not limited to, Jeet Jung Do (JKD), Savate, Tai Chi, Silat, Muay Thai, and Arnis. It was during this time that KI Fighting Concepts emerged. In the 1990’s Mr. Simonet began his training in Pentjak Silat Tongkat Serak, Yan Style Tai Chi, and Doce Pares. Mr. Simonet is an 8th degree black belt in Tracy’s Kenpo Karate. He has attained 2nd degree level in Grand Masters Cocoy Canete’s Escrido and 4th level black belt under Chris Petrilli in Doce Pares. Mr. Simonet is a certified instructor in Yang Style Tai Chi under Dr. John Candea and a Guru with a 2nd degree black belt in Pentjak Silat Serak. He reached black sash level in Wing Chun Gung Fu during the late 1980’s. Mr. Simonet is also the author of some Paladin Press videos such as “The Mook Jong Slam Set” series, “Silat Concepts”, Advanced Silat Concepts “Beyond Kenpo”, “Ultimate Sinawali”, “Wind and Rock Training Camp II”, and “The Essence of Wing Chun”. Mr. Simonet has also began his own production company and is involved with making, editing, and producing martial arts videos. Mr. Simonet’s video can be purchased on his website: www.kifightingconcpets.com. Mr. Simonet is highly publicized, nationally acclaimed martial artist. He makes frequent appearances on national magazine such as “Inside Kung Fu Magazine”, “Black Belt Magazine”, “Martial Arts Training Magazine”, “Masters of the Filipino Arts Magazine”, and “Terrorist Survival Guide Magazine”. Mr. Simonet has also been featured on two unprecedented convers of Paladin-Press Catalog. Mr. Simonet has made many public appearances and seminars coast to coast. Between 1999 and 2000 Mr. Simonet created a new hybrid system called American Wing-Chun Silate (A.W.C.S.) This system evolved from non-classical Wing-Chun, Classical Wing-Chun and Pentjak Silat Serak. Joseph Simonet is the founder and head instructor of KI Fighting Concepts.

INTERVIEW WITH JOSEPH SIMONET
(BY STAN WITZ)
Stan Witz: When and why did you get involved in the Martial Arts?
Joseph Simonet: I started training in 1972 in a traditional Japanese style. I was 18 years old. Like many young men I wanted to be physically an mentally tough. I felt Martial Arts would help me be stronger…I was right.
SW: Thirty plus years of training is quite impressive, what kept you motivated?
JS: Thirty years sounds like a long time when you’re young, yet I feel like I’m just getting started. I’ve met and trained with Masters who have trained and taught for over 60 years. Martial Arts for me is a lifelong pursuit, it is my life. As far as staying motivated, I am forever the student. Like everything else Martial Arts are evolving rapidly. I call this phenomena “accelerating towards center”. Motivation is not an issue for me, learning, growing, and embracing the spirit of the beginner, that’s what the arts are all about.
SW: What Martial Art or Arts do you personally train and teach?
JS: I integrate multiple styles into a system I call K.I. Fighting Concepts (KIFC). KIFC mainly consists of elements from Tracy’s Kenpo, Wing-Chun, Pentjak Silat, Doce Pares, Tai-Chi, Boxing, and Grappling.
SW: Which of these arts is the most valuable and/or more practical for you?
JS: At this point I cannot qualify one art being batter or more valuable than another. It is the integration of these arts; the synergistic whole that creates a value beyond any one or limited approach.
SW: You have had many teachers, which of these have had the biggest impact on you?
JS: I have had many teachers and I hope to have many more. Every teacher I’ve studied with has given me priceless gifts of knowledge. To name every teacher I’ve had would take too long to be practical. However, I will say that the teacher I’ve had the longest time is Grand Master Al Tracy, my Kenpo instructor since 1973. Currently I’m training with Chris Petrilli (Doce Pares) and Matt Hume (Pankration)
SW: What is your take on traditional Martial Arts vs. no holds barred fighting (NHB)?
JS: Frankly, I see a need for both expressions of training. There is something for everyone. Ninety-nine percent of fighting technique is derived from the traditional arts. No holds barred fighters have refined and integrated traditional movement that makes it an exciting and brutal sport. I personally train both traditional and NHB.
SW: In your opinion, where do women fit into the Martial Arts world?
JS: Right where they should be, out in front. The explosion of women’s participation in sports and in all aspect of our culture is extraordinary. Through our history women have been suppressed and often ignored. The ultimate tragedy has lost 51% of it’s intellect and creative genius. It’s now the decade of women. Let’s go!!
SW: Tell us about your partner Addy Hernandez?
JS: In my opinion, Addy is the quintessential Martial Artist. She is the embodiment of femininity and power. Addy has a balanced sense of who she is, someone very comfortable in her own skin. Her Martial Arts skill is exceptional. She has fought full contact in the ring and she also teaches Tai-Chi. I believe Addy has a long and successful career ahead of her.
SW: Where do you envision Martial Arts in 10 to 20 years from now?
JS: I hope and believe Martial Arts will continue to evolve to a higher level. Practitioners will balance their study with the art and science of movement. Martial artist will be establishing interrelationship between the content and conclusion of all disciplines. Through trail and error, integrations and communication, the Martial Arts will indeed survive and flourish.
SW: Is Martial Arts your only means of making a living?
JS: Yes, Addy and I own and operate KI Fighting Concepts school in Wenatchee, WA. We currently have about 150 students. We also sell instructional videos on our web site (www.kifightingconcepts.com). We have ongoing projects with Paladin Press and we do seminars all over the U.S.
SW: What do you and Addy teach in your seminars?
JS: We derive our seminar material from many Martial Arts systems. Each seminar we teach is different. Depending upon the interest, skill level, and energy of the participants, we create our seminars as they are happening. This spontaneity keeps our work fresh and alive.
SW: I understand you have an annual summer camp, tell us about it.
JS: Our camp is called “Wind and Rock” training camp. It is located in Lake Chelan, WA. This is our fourth year. The training site is in the mountains about 3000 ft. elevation. Each year Addy and I invite world class instructors. Paladin-Press made a three tape series on one of our camps. You can purchase those tapes and find info about our camp on our web site. Check it out.
SW: Do you have any advice to young and/or new Martial Artists?
JS: Stick to it, and don’t give up. In Martial Arts, as in life, you are often given many hardships to test your will and character. After you have obtained your black belt, seek out many different teachers, systems, and points of view. A sustained effort will bring rewards. When you are down and out, or frustrated, plow ahead and keep going. “When in doubt, train”.

Making the Chi Sau Connection Part 1

Inside Kung-Fu
“Making the Chi Sau Connection Part 1”
By Joseph Simonet
October 2003
Pg 30-34, 67-68

Sensitivity in chi sau is all about sensing your opponent’s intent through physical feedback and pressure. PART 1

Chi sau is a dynamic, energy-based training exercise that teaches its practitioners the critical elements of structure and sensitivity in close-range fighting. After more than 30 years of training in many systems of martial arts, chi sau continues to be one of the most important training methods in my curriculum. How-ever, writing a meaningful article about chi sau, unlike teaching it first-hand, presents two major challenges.
First, how do I compress 20 years of chi sau training into a few thousands words? The best way for you to understand my teaching is for you t understand me. In short, I write the way I teach, I teach the way I train, I train the way I fight, and I fight to win. With that in mind, this two-part article will focus on the functional structure provided by chi sau training with the goal of practical application in a fight.
The second challenge is making my instruction relevant to everyone reading this. Whether you have been training in the martial arts for 30 years or 30 days, your personal skills and abilities hopefully will be enhanced by what is offered here. And so I have decided to focus on some of the misunderstood aspects of chi sau training and two specialized exercises that form both excellent precursors to chi sau training and useful supplemental exercises for experienced sticky hands practitioners.

Penetrating Hands
Chi sau, or “sticky hands,” is a highly developed training method that is integral to the study of wing chun gung-fu. It is designed to teach practitioners how to quickly and efficiently pierce an opponent’s defenses - and maintain their own - while fighting at contact distance. Although it is often described as a “sensitivity” exercise, this term can be misleading. If your concept of sensitivity is petting a puppy or taking an anger management class, you’re missing the point. Sensitivity in chi sau is all about sensing your opponent’s intent through physical feedback and pressure - Feeling what he is trying to do before you see it.
To achieve this type of feedback, you must make contact. Therefore, the first step in understanding chi sau is under standing the commitment to contact-range fighting. When boxers close the gap and their arms are entangled in a clinch, the referee separates the fighters to allow the fight to continue. Real fights don’t have the luxury, so chi sau practitioners learn to use contact-distance clashes and entangled arms as the foundation of much of their fighting skill. In fact, this type of engagement is precisely the situation in which a well schooled student of chi sau will have a clear tactical advantage and power superiority over fighters from other systems.

The 4 Ranges of Combat
Generally speaking, there are four ranges of unarmed combat - kicking, punching, trapping, and grappling. Chi sau deals exclusively with trapping rang, which can be simplistically defined as the distance at which elbows strikes are most valuable and effective. A more colorful definition of trapping range would be the distance at which knees, elbows, and attitude wreak havoc - the true “in your face” range of close combat. At this range, visual perception - the ability to determine an attacker’s intent by sight - is not fast enough to fight effectively. You are literally so close that your opponent can hit you before you can react.
However, by making contact with him and “feeling” his intent, you can determine it instantly. This “fighting by Braille” approach will allow you to dominate and destroy most average opponents at close range. It is also the one element that is most often missing from the skill sets of most beginning and advanced martial artists of other styles.
Structurally, there are three fundamental arm positions in chi sau: bong sau (wing hand), taun sau (palm up), and fook sau (bridging hand). These are demonstrated in photos 1-3. The unique and often misunderstood aspect of these three positions is their ability to function in multiple ways. They can be used in singular actions as blocks, attachments, and a means of deflecting incoming attacks. At a more advanced level, they can also be utilized in conjunction with other simultaneous actions and as reactive mechanisms. For example, in photos 4 and 5 the taun sau is used in conjunction with a left straight punch to effectively block and counter strike the attacker’s left hook. When considered alone, the specific qualities of the taun sau as a block are clearly seen. When considered with the straight punch, its function as part of simultaneous, coordinated actions is also clear.

Pulling the Trigger
A higher-level application of the taun sau allows it to function as a reactive mechanism or “trigger.” In chi sau training, the taun sau is used as an attachment to “stick” to a partner’s opposite hand, as shown in photo 6. The remaining photos of this sequence demonstrate single sticking hands, or doan chi, as well as the deflecting and triggering qualities of the taun sau. The person on the left (“A”) is attached with a fook sau to the person on the right (“B”), who is in a taun sau position (Photo 6). When “A” throws a left straight punch, “B” senses the incoming attack and maintains adhesion with the attacker’s wrist (Photo 7). This deflects the punch outward and opens “A’s” centerline for an immediate palm heel strike with the same hand (Photo 8). Note that during the palm strike, “B” maintains contact with “A’s” left arm so he can continue to detect, deflect, and counter-attack based on feel and sensitivity.
Even with the benefit of competent firsthand instruction, learning chi sau can be a trying experience. To become an accomplished sticky hands player, you will ultimately have to endure months of frustration, pain, exhausted, aching shoulders, and getting slapped around by more experienced practitioners. However, to make this process less arduous and speed your progress, I have developed a series of training drills as a precursor to actual sticky hands practice. Performed properly, these drills will prepare you physically for chi sau training and also give you a means of solo practice that you can continue to use when training with out a partner.

The Inner Tube Drill
This is a unique and extremely valuable training method, which teaches proper sticking alignment and structure to develop a “feel” for sticking. More importantly, it develops the strength and endurance necessary for quality sticking skill.
The inner tube drill is illustrated in photos 9-12. To perform this drill, the person on the left (“A”) places his right foot forward with 60 percent of his weight on the lead foot. His arms are held palm up with the elbows bent and the inner edges of the arms touching from the elbows the edges of the hands. Both elbows are approximately one-fist distance out from the center of the body. This is the double taun sau. The forward weight distribution and lean creates an aggressive body structure and forward “load.” This posture is also the foundation for straight punching with closing footwork.
The person on the right (“B”) in photo 9 assumes the same body position and the same forward load, however, his hands are placed in a double fook sau position - loosely curled with the insides of his wrists contacting the outside of “A’s” wrists.
From the double taun sau position “A” folds his hands together to a palm-to-palm position while applying smooth forward energy against “B’s” resistance (photo 10). Continuing to roll his hands, “A” goes from palm down to palm out, until the backs of his hands touch and his elbows rise slightly (photo 11). This is the double bong sau position. “A” then reverses this process to return to the starting position (photo 12) “A” repeats this action - double taun sau to double bong sau - over and over against the constant pressure of “B’s” resistance.
Not the “B’s” double fook sau is the connecting bridge between the two partners. As “A” rolls from taun sau to bong sau and provides forward pressure, “B” maintains contact and “rides” the movement and pressure of “A’s” double bong sau.
If you do not have training partner, you can practice this motion with its namesake - and inner tube. Purchase an inner tube from any local bike shop. The size of the tube you choose will depend upon you physique and strength. You may have to try several different sizes before you find one that is just right.
The solo inner tube drill is demonstrated in photos 13-16. Place the inner tube over your body so it is wrapped around your upper back. Hold the front of the tube with your thumbs with your arms in the double taun sau position. Now perform the drill as you would with a partner, using the elasticity of the tube to provide resistance (photos 14-16).
Serious practitioners of chi sau must develop their deltoids, triceps, and lattisimus dorsi to become proficient at sticking. My students perform 500 repetitions of this drill at least three times per week. After three months of this training, they typically will develop the specific strength and form to progress to chi sau training.

Bong Sau Drill
The bong sau drill is another excellent exercise that develops the skills and strength to be proficient at sticking. The body structure, forward load pressure, and arm positions are identical to the inner tube drill; however, in this drill, the practitioner learns to move his arms independently rather than in tandem.
In the bong sau drill, the partner in the double fook sau position is the proactive player. This drill illustrated in photos 17-21. From the same double taun sau/double fook sau starting position, the person on the left (“A”) throws a right straight punch at the chin of the partner on the right (“B”). As “B” senses “A’s” punch, he rolls his left arm into a bong sau position, maintaining contact with “A’s” arm and deflecting the punch upward (Photo 19). “A” then throws a left straight punch. “B” senses her punch and responds with a right bong sau (photo 21).
Continue this pattern, alternating left and right sides for many hundreds of repetitions. As you progress, you can also mix and match right and left punches and vary the speed and energy of your strikes to challenge your partner. Performed properly, this exercise can become quite lively and serve as preparation for actual chi sau training.
These drills are an excellent way to develop the proper structure and specific skill and strength necessary to practice chi sau. By first learning and practicing these, you can avoid many of the common mistakes made in chi sau practice and will achieve proficiency much more quickly. Even experienced chi sau players will find these drills a useful supplement to their current training, as well as a means of practicing their skills when a training partner is not available.

(In part 2 of this article, the author discusses how to expand the skills developed with these drills into actual chi sau practice with a partner.)

Master of All Trades

Inside Kung-Fu
"Master of All Trades"
By Joseph Simonet
March 2007
Pg. 24
Last year Inside Kung-Fu magazine asked me to appear on one of its covers with an accompanying interview. My initial reply was, "Absolutely." However, soon after "hurray" came my question: "Are you sure you want me on the cover? Am I qualified? The editor replied quickly and matter-of-factly: "Look, enough people hate you so you must be doing something right."
Fast forward to today. My partner, Addy Hernandez, and I are now being asked to share a monthly column. "Absolutely," was our immediate reply. Sound familiar? Of course, the same questioned followed: "Are we qualified?" This time the editor said, "I believe you are. However, there are critics who question your credentials and think you’re a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. It’s up to you to convince doubters that your martial skill, credentials, insight, innovation and past instructors are worthy of ‘master’ or ‘expert witness’ status. Good luck."
First, to my critics and doubters I would ask: ‘How many of you have actually met and trained with me?" My guess is probably none. Addy and I have taught seminars for New York to Shanghai, Houston to Minneapolis, and everywhere in between. The feedback we get from every seminar is, "Amazing," "Thank you," "That was incredible." I’m born-again martial artist. Not once has anyone questioned my knowledge and ability face to face.
So, am I a jack-of-all-trades, master of none? To really answer the question I would have to first reply with another question. "Who can observe the observer?"
It has been my experience that "the biggest trap of all is the one you do not know you are in." More often than not, a critic will project his abilities, values and/or lack thereof onto others without the prospective of truth or objectivity. My suggestion to all my critics would be to come over, talk and train with me, then express your critique. All I know is that after 35 years of training in the martial arts, I truly feel like a beginner.
The definition of a qualification and/or credential has become blurred with the changing tides in the martial arts. Is it a stamp of approval on the a certificate that some other so-called expert gave you? If so, I have several on my wall. Or, are credentials the accumulation of a lifetime of events, people, places, poignant insights and bruises - physically and otherwise - you have experienced along the way?
Looking back on my martial arts journey, in 1972, I was privileged enough to observe and meet master Gogen Yamaguchi at the Heck Edmusen Pavilion at the University of Washington in Seattle. As a young man, Yamaguchi studied several martial arts systems such as judo, kendo, iaido, jodo and kusarigama as well as goju. Though he was known as a goju master, he was never considered a jack-of-all-trades. Why not? What made him different?
My 35-year background in the martial arts has been laden with multiple martial arts systems. For instance, I have been in kenpo karate for 34 years. Wing chun gung-fu, mook jong (wooden dummy) training and the Filipino arts have been a part of my training for 24 years. I have studied Yang-style tai chi for 20 years and pentjak silat for the last 15 years. All the while, I have been enveloped in the physical culture of fitness and weight training. I have been able to bench press 300-plus pounds consecutively for the last 37 years.
I believe credentials and life experiences are imperative to be considered a master. However, I also believe you must have physical prowess, an ability to teach, a high fitness level and the conceptual ability to innovate. All my certificates, instructors and places of travel throughout my martial arts career have simply amounted to my continued education.
Today, I am extracting essential elements from all the arts I have studied and synthesizing them into what I call "The Art and Science of Mook Jong (ASMJ)." The fundamental aspects of The Art and Science of Mook Jong are that it must be teachable, learnable, practical and marketable. Within this foundational formula is the "seamless transitional integration" of al the aforementioned arts and training methods.
The process behind "seamless transitional integration" is for the practitioner to move from empty hand to blade, to club and back again in a natural and spontaneous flow. This process achievable because our skill sets and training methods call upon nearly identical motor skills and attributes. Individual training in The Art and Science of Mook Jong is done by working the wooden dummy forms "Slam Set," "Blade Set" and "Club Set." Partner training consists of two-person drills such as, "Argument of Movement" empty hand and "Point Counterpoint" applied with a knife and repeated utilizing a club.
At this point, I do not consider myself a jack-of-all-trades; nor do I consider myself a master. I would define myself a master. I would define myself as a pursuer of truth and a scientist, which inevitably means I am an innovator striving for martial arts excellence. I will proceed along my own path regardless of doubters, critics or those putting their own interests above martial arts.
Joseph Simonet and Addy Hernandez will be sharing insight on training tips, philosophy, innovative ideas and concepts each moth beginning with this issue.