In most seminar formats, the phrase “we do it this way” is discouraged and essentially detracts from the overall experience for everyone involved.  Therefore, on a Friday night in April, 2004, we held a special “Invitational Executive Session” at Kashimunji Dojo.  There the more 'advanced’ members of our seminar could explore certain topics in more detail. 

The author (fourth from left) and his instructors, including
(second from right) Sabom Burrese.

There were six of us, including Alain, attending the mini-session.  We put our two hours to good use.  During this time we were able to compare the differences and similarities in Alain’s knowledge and our own Jujutsu, Taekwondo, and Hapkido techniques.  It was very interesting to watch Andreas Sensei and Sabom Sutter interacting with Sabom Burrese. One instructor would introduce a topic and the other two would branch off into variation upon variation.  I found myself taking numerous notes and trying to glean as much information as I could from this highly synergistic session!

"Compare and contrast" took on a new meaning at Kashimunji Dojo.

Saturday we had a full load of students.   The majority of these were from the Boise Valley Hapkido Club under Sabom Robert Sutter.  Kantan Kyo Jujutsu, led by Sensei Michael Andreas, comprised the second largest group.  Filling out the ranks were some of the local cross-trainers, who brought with them backgrounds in Krav Maga and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  All told, we had 25 participants – over four times that of last year.

We began the morning training session with basic stretching and warm-ups while Mr. Burrese outlined the day’s activities.  Alain explained that these plans were tentative, as he wanted to remain flexible and direct the flow in a way that best suited the seminar students.  Shortly after this we began ukemi drills up and down the mats in preparation for a hard day's work.  Alain coached some of the lower belts and even some of us ‘upper’ belts on proper technique. It is sadly obvious that Spanky needs to maintain a higher level of ukemi practice!

Author Danny "Spanky" Rowell endures Alain's hammerlock.

The rest of the morning was spent discussing arm locks – how to set them up, how to pull them off, and (more importantly) the key principles behind why they work.  Alain teaches with a lot of positive energy. He combines a strong commitment to performing the physical techniques with good academic explanations.   Add to these his anecdotes based on his real world experiences and, before you know it, it’s time for lunch!

The afternoon session began at 1 PM.  We followed the natural progression of Hoshinsul into wrist locks and shoulder locks.  Having gone through this training with Alain in the past and being the proud owner of Hapkido Hoshinsul, I was very familiar with the technical aspects. Working with new students with different knowledge sets and different athletic abilities, however, opened up a new dimension in making the Hapkido techniques really work. 

Alain (foreground facing camera) works among the students.

After another 90 minutes of training, we took a break for some group photos and held our raffle.  We gave away two sets of Streetfighting Essentials and a single year’s subscription to S.W.A.T. Magazine!  Many thanks to the folks at S.W.A.T, Boise Valley Hapkido, and Kantan Kyo Jujutsu for sponsoring this year’s seminar.  We could not have done it without you!

The seminar attendees pause for a group photo.

During the last hour of the seminar, Alain Burrese introduced a new wrinkle into our training format: Adrenal Response Training.  Alain described the way many people get into the comfortable routines in their training.  He picked a volunteer from the group and asked her to perform a specific technique, which he had covered earlier in the day.  She complied and succeeded. Then he said to try it again…now… and he immediately went into aggression overdrive, screaming in her face.  Needless to say, she wasn’t able to perform that or any other technique.  The moral of the story is, what you can do in normal conditions is rarely the same as what you can do under extreme duress.

Sabom Burrese demonstrating a technique.

Sabom Burrese then gave us some role-playing examples of passive, assertive, and aggressive behaviors.  He explained that in a tense situation, being passive might get you punched in the face.  Aggressive behavior will get you punched in the face.  He explained that what you want to do is be assertive.  Stand up for yourself while not attacking your opponent. Make sure that he knows there is a price to pay and you’re not willing to allow him to do you harm.  Sabom Burrese then had us go through reacting to aggressive behavior through assertion and mental/physical preparedness.  It was obvious that many of the students had never experienced this before and became very aware that they should start training in this manner.

Seminar attendees work the techniques.

Overall, this seminar was a huge success. All those who attended were very pleased and felt their time and money were well spent.  How do I know this?  Each person thanked Alain for a great seminar and then asked whether he would be coming back next year.  ("Asked" is a polite term.  They insisted.)   As of this writing almost two weeks after the seminar, I am still getting comments and questions concerning Alain’s return visit for the 3^rd Annual Collaborative Self-Defense Seminar.

There are some thoughts I would like to pass on that I picked up in this seminar:

• Don’t talk trash to Alain Burrese when you’re volunteered as his crash dummy for demonstrations.
• Having Andreas Sensei prove that Alain’s techniques really work for a low belt Hapkidoist using Spanky as the test specimen is a not-so-joyous experience.
• Verbal de-escalation tactics are important.  I learned new appreciation for them.
• You must learn to plant your opponent while maintaining your mobility.
• There are many facets to martial arts training. Martial arts should be done to improve your life, not the other way around.

Last, but certainly not least, I'd like to say that Alain Burrese is one hell of a human being.  I am proud to call him a friend and mentor.  If I didn’t already have an excellent instructor and many awesome training partners (both in the school and in the valley) I’d buy a bigger snow shovel, pack up the wife, kid, dog, and cats...