Evan Pantazi - June 11/12 2005

[RDKI]

This was the second Kyusho International Summer School at beautiful Keele University near Stoke on Trent, hosted by Renshi Jim Hulse 7th dan Uechi Ryu and taught by Evan Pantazi, 8th Dan Ryukyu Kempo. Both of whom are extremely warm, friendly and open people for whom I have much time.

After opening Saturday's session with Ba Duan Jin chi kung exercises followed by revival and healing techniques, the theme changed to striking points in motion. This was accomplished via a series of drills working off both "sticking hands" type drills and flow drills from various attacks. Arm, body, head and leg points were put to much painful use.

The instruction and drills were good, but I was hoping for more advanced information being put over - especially as this was the main Kyusho International seminar and was a certification event.

I was also disappointed by many of the seminar attendees who seemed hell bent on belting these points as hard as possible with little or no care given to the safety of their training partners - one KI qualified instructor seemed to delight in beating his partner relentlessly and my own training partner enjoyed "cheap shots" - I was slowing down my attacks and giving him time to line up his shot to help him learn - and he replied by blasting my arms to pieces. He was belting heart -related points on the heart side of my body, not good and this put such a dampener on my weekend that i did not bother to train on Sunday's session and caught the first train back to Cardiff.

Pantazi as a person 10/10
Seminar content 6/10
Seminar attendees 0/10

[Aefibird]

Sorry to hear about the atendees on that seminar. Such a shame, especially if the instructor was good.

[RDKI]

Yeah it was a bummer, but i was surprised as KI espouse safe kyusho practice, but i didn't see too much going on there and I am simply not prepared to compromise my health. As an instructor I would also not be prepared to have the health of anyone on a seminar I teach compromised and I know John Burke is the same so judge others by my own standards.

Actually, come to think of it, at no point was anyhone asked if they have any medical conditions or health issues before the banging on points began......very disapointing:-(

[searcher2]

My (late) reply was of course that when we practice points (that is - in everything we do) we begin at low power levels precisely because there is no correlation between the amount of "power" you use and what your partner feels.
I sometimes have people look at me and say "I felt nothing". I would rather it that way. As I tell my students, There is always another Layer to be added. That's my perogative. If I knock you out with the first shot then I don't have the perogative of going lighter with the next one.
Incidentally, an acupuncturist friend has been warning me in severe terms about using GB20.

[AngelaG]

It's a shame the instructors didn't keep a closer eye on what was going on. Do you know what you missed out on for the second day?

[Evan Pantazi]

Well sir,

It seems that you did not enjoy the seminar at Keele and have decided to publicly denounce it. A few things though at the onset, that must be clarified...

It actually was announced about the health issues of training partners (as it always is) and that it ia after all YOUR responsibility to tell them, we can't guess ... maybe you missed that.

Second why, if you were being struck harder than you could take, why did you not say something, you are a Black Belt no?

Or if your health condition was so poor why did you enroll in a Kyusho Seminar to begin with, why did you not just sit and watch... why do you place personal responsibility matters on others?

No one was injured during the training session, maybe it was a bit more energetic than you were used to, but if it is something you can not handle, why did you not sit out... especially with your difficulties?

Next why tell us one story on why you did not attend Sunday that your parents were in a car crash latter followed by emails on their plight and then tell everyone else that it was because of the seminar ... which is true? (By the way the more advanced information was released that you missed, typically it makes sense to start basic and build through to the more advanced applications).

If you want a seminar that you stand around talking of "Advanced Concepts" like other organizations, why did you come to a workout seminar where you actually do Martial Arts rather than just talking about it?

That is OK as we have heard from the others that they got exactly what they needed to improve their understanding and actual ability to use Kyusho in more realistic ways. We can't please everyone... It is a shame that you could not tell us this up front instead of saying one thing to us and quite another to public forum... integrity and character sir!

[RDKI]

Evan,
We have discussed the matter separtately and you are aware of all the facts. I wil not expand on a public forum.

Suffice to say that if i have misrepresented anything done on the seminar i apologise however these were honestly held feelings and were not meant as begin derogatory to you or KI. The problem with forums is the emphasis can be distorted i think. That'w why i rarely post.

I hope that the matter is now closed. It is as far as I'm concerned.
Kind Regards
Martyn