Pillars of Martial Arts

It takes faith to do anything. Faith is stepping out from where you are to somewhere else having little to no idea of where you may be heading. This is not a "religious" article, this is a martial arts and life article. I remember driving by the martial arts school for a year, to and from work with a compelling desire to do and be in those classes. I had many fears, being eighteen and on my own since age eleven put in me a strong survival instinct as well as work ethic because that's what kept me one with food and shelter, and two out of trouble.

One of the greatest books in history and ever written says: imitate great men of faith. It takes faith to develop a great martial arts instructor, and to develop into a great instructor. Martial arts instructors, teachers have a high level of influence and are accountable and responsible for more because they are. There are five pillars to becoming an effective martial arts instructor and to recognize them we will look to great men of faith in the martial arts who had to reach out to be where they are from places most of us will never know. Yet we now recognize these pillars and benefit from the fruit these instructors bear, it is a signature of them and what we aspire to be. The pillars are Character, Courage~ Strength, Love and Loyalty.

First I would like to propose that all martial artists or even black belts are not necessarily "instructors." Not all fighters necessarily can teach their fighting methods, in some cases have no desire. Some black belts have no desire to teach and carry on the evolution of the arts. But they have there passion for where they are, and we all are a part of the martial arts community.

However, none of us would be~ without the instructor. It is a unique individual indeed who can pose in the position as a martial artist and instructor. Some of the qualities and characteristics of a good instructor are: longstanding passion, dynamic enthusiasm, ompetent knowledge base, natural motivation that connects to the individual and the group.

The martial arts instructors represented herein are done so because their pillars can not be refuted, there are too many lives changed to many qualities exemplified to ignore. We are here to highlight a few for the encouragement and growth of all martial artists and martial arts families. It must be mentioned by personal experience and opinion that each of these instructors represent all of the pillars but are stronger suited in the particular areas mentioned.

Magulang Na Guro Inosanto brings volumes to the arena regarding development of the instructors in his organization. As a cutting edge and world leader in martial arts instruction he has highly defined his training and development of instructors represented by an international association. The pillar is character that he as an instructor represents as well as what is expected from his student and instructor body. Character is first lead by example. He has exceeded the standard of character and on many levels has redefined it in the martial arts world. His character can be traced through the years of his consistency in his leadership and instructorship in the face of every possible controversial issue, as well as political issues, every type of change that has been known in the martial arts arena. Character includes the ability to hold such a respected position and maintain the humility that is so hard to find in martial arts in general. An example of his character to the time of this article include the fortitude to travel and promote over 25 systems of martial arts all over the world 50 weekends out of the year. For over 15 years this type of travel schedule and still teach in his own academy 2 nights a week. At the time of this article he is 65 years of age! He has been poured into by more instructors than anyone can count and he has poured out a multiplication of that number by his dedication to furthering the martial arts in every spectrum. A man whose character every martial arts instructor should want to imitate.

The late Guro Terry H. Gibson has left a legacy of all the pillars mentioned in this article but when simply defined, Courage and Strength would be his strongest contribution to the martial arts. A man who in every way was successful in business as a lawyer, already accomplished in three martial arts systems and various sports throughout his life, he would step out in faith to sacrifice all of these things to aspire and become the best martial artist and martial arts instructor he could be. He would leave the attorney life and lifestyle to pursue is passion of becoming a full time martial arts instructor, under the best in the world. He would accomplish this as confirmed by a quote from Magulang Na Guro Inosanto, saying when asked by Master Chai who did he feel was his top instructor in his organization. Guro Inosanto responded with, Terry H. Gibson. Master Chai agreeing with this comment. Guro Terry Gibson, one of the rare Full Instructors in his organization. Another face defining his courage and strength would be to look at the caliber of instructors he produced. As rare as it is for him to have the rank he had, he brought others to those high levels as well through his strength. A reflection of this is in his wife Cathy Gibson-Fry who also holds the rare rank of full instructor under Magulag Na Guro Inosanto. It doesn't stop there, he has produced more quality instructors out of his academy at his time with the only superceding comparison of his instructor Guro Inosanto in Los Angeles, California. Guro Terry Gibson's pillar of courage and strength does not stop there nor will it. A whole different face to this pillar is in the humanity of his facing cancer and possible death for over 12 years, two major brain surgeries, chemotherapy and undefined pain. He endured these challenges and still became the martial artist and instructor he aspired to be. He allowed an environment for so many of us to attain to be the martial artist we wanted to be and now are. A man who truly demonstrated courage and strength that can not be refuted.

Pillars and the Martial Arts Instructor

Guro Harley Elmore is currently one of the most sought after martial arts instructors nationally because as these other great instructors mentioned he continues to evolve with the changes of our martial arts culture. "To be the best you must seek and train with the best," is desire and his personal motto that he has instilled in his organization instructors and students. This attitude continues to lead him to seek mentorship with the best instructors in the world. Rare are martial artists and instructors who have so many qualities to pull from that in his case include dynamic teaching, technical ability and retention as well as the fighting mentality and experience to back it up. He is an instructor that can carry these traits and still keep personal ego in check. Guro Elmore demonstrates the next pillar to become a great martial arts instructor which is love. Love and desire to train, to be mentored through out his martial arts journey and now full time career. Love to grow and eventually demonstrate it through a defined choice, in teaching and longstanding commitment to the martial arts and integrity to his family of martial arts. Love is a choice that bears through all hardships as well as good times it is consistent. Love is hard and soft, and has timing that is impeccable in its application, as well as patient beyond years. Through the years love develops fruit, which Guro Elmore's can be found in multi-development of kids, teens, adults, as well as sexual assault victims, various associations as well as our military and all walks of life.

Tuhon Chris Sayoc is a pillar of loyalty and openly establishes his family system on this intense and pure foundation. Loyalty simply defined: is love tested, love in action that makes change. The dictionary puts words simultaneous as love, obedience, faithfulness. Deeper defined and expanded, it is testing that is done to stretch an individual, a group in circumstances, situations not previously defined. So yes, this type of testing my not always be pleasant at the time but bears a crop of development and growth.

Loyalty in the martial arts has heritage and prestige. The great warriors and fighters of years past, from all cultures all over the world were so because of loyalty. For example, freedom we in America now know is because of loyalty demonstrated hundreds of years ago by individuals willing to stand for the extreme of loyalty which is to die for this country and the freedom it stands for. Die? Yes that is the ultimate loyalty, the ultimate test.

Loyalty like love requires a decision, and then to walk through it some times blindly for a greater outcome. Enter Sayoc Kali. Tuhon Chris Sayoc is the 5th generation leader of his family system. His family system newly released to the public, is lead in leadership by loyalty. Demonstrated in an effective system fit for our United States elite military and now carefully offered to the public by well thought out instructors and leaders. Tuhon Sayoc has brought real time application of loyalty to the martial arts and once again bringing a standard to the martial arts in general. His standards are excellent in presentation and action, and is super charging the evolution of martial arts defined in American culture. The concept is simple, all blade all the time.

The pillars represented here are to encourage instructors of all systems to have a streamlined standard. To stay in touch with humanity as we teach things that make us better in so many ways, but are also destructive as well. The humanity, is that the arts are presented through people. Evolved through the years by people, by our instructors before us to us and those who will follow us. We know that continued education is the only way to grow and therefore have our students grow. To bring us all to an understanding that we influence individuals heavily in their lifetime as well as play a part in the evolution of the martial arts in general. Be inspired, step out and imitate the great men of faith in the martial arts.

Heather MonDee (Content Copyright © 2004)