Frankie Fuller - Who and What

Years before I became interested in grappling arts, I started a hybrid style of Korean martial arts as a child at age 8 which had strong elements of Korean kempo (“kwon bup”) as well. My first master was Kwang Jo Choi. My parents originally enrolled me in a class with my father and two of my sisters. They thought it would be good for my educational development and building discipline in a young mind. I really liked the striking aspect of it, especially the kicks, as I was quite inspired by such movie stars as Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Jackie Chan.

Advice to young martial artists looking to run a school someday:

I would say that people should always keep a young mind at heart, and that CombatSombo or grappling can be for everyone, no matter what age. I would emphasize that it is important to find the joy in practice, that it should not be work, but a form of exercise that is a great recreational activity. In addition, people can turn this activity into a business venture if they like, and that when teaching, instructors should remember what they enjoyed about doing martial arts early on and apply that to their teaching as well. When the instructor has a great time teaching and is truly passionate about what he or she does, this will come out, and that person’s students will more fully enjoy themselves in the long run.

Good memory of first master:

My first master was quite good at what he did and was a trailblazer in the martial arts. He had a history of competing internationally in demonstrations all over the world and was very good at helping people understand how to apply modern self-defense concepts to traditional arts. I remember distinctly him talking to me as a child at a testing, when he called my name up during a test and wrote my name on my uniform, and I remember how much he liked to see me practice the martial arts and commenting me on it. By blending the two concepts of the old and the new, he modernized many concepts about teaching the arts to make it appropriate for all ages, showed people that it was possible to make a living doing martial arts, and helped to conceptualize martial arts to the point that people were able to bring the mystery and aura out of them, that it was not something that only elite athletes, ex-military or law enforcement types, or persons looking to boost their egos through competition would do; he showed many that martial arts can be for all ages and all body types. But most importantly, he emphasized the idea that martial arts is for the greater good, for good health and well-being and is ideal for preserving one’s health into the twilight years of one’s life.

Training groups overseeing and instructors:

I have a small group of students students that I train regularly in several locations, as well as a small number of private students. However, several of my black belts have gone out on their own and teach at their own dojo locations. When I factor that in, there are probably several hundreds of students that are included in that umbrella. In addition, I serve on the board of directors of several martial arts organizations that total in the thousands of members when combined together. I estimate that there are over 1.5 million martial arts practitioners in the United States.

Old vs. newer training methods:

I believe that, in fact, the training methods these days are a little more scientific and designed with safety in mind. Some martial arts masters tell me that they thought of nothing to start throwing hard techniques without warming up properly in the past before the idea of stretching came into schools in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The old masters also believed that it was alright to hit hard surfaces for conditioning; this has some benefits for breaking hard objects, but this must be done with proper supervision. I believe that injury rates have been drastically cut as a result of safety, people knowing when to rest (especially after getting an injury) and waiting to heal, and the fact that rules prevent fighters in tournaments from hurting someone else as a result of better protective equipment, medical technology and procedures that are more widely known today, allowing practitioners to continue practicing the arts with less risk of injury. The old masters had their secrets about preserving their bodies, however, and there are ways to reduce bruising and such things as understanding the proper striking points, as there are home remedies available that are used with herbal medicines that some people are familiar with. However, it is important to have a certified expert in one of these areas to provide the necessary treatment and not to simply assume that one knows how to do this. Overall, I believe, however, that some schools are too careful in worrying about such things as frivolous lawsuits, as here in the US, and parents get quite sensitive when it comes to the instructor correcting a student’s stance or technique, for example, without fear or reprisal. These fears can be reduced with background checks of potential instructors and ensuring that proper protocol is followed when teaching. The old masters did things as well to calm their bodies, and it is important to have outlets other than martial arts or ways of reducing tension in the body when one is not working out, for example, both to reduce stress and to clear the mind.

Why some styles are recognized over others or why do rivalries exist today:

There has always been a rivalry between martial arts schools about who is the best and which one has the toughest fighters. However, these arguments are at best inconsequential, as the important thing to remember is that it is not the particular style that makes one good, but how one applies it. A good teacher of any system will be able to apply the knowledge of his system effectively in most situations, with the ability to impart this to his students. Traditional martial arts have a solid reputation of building great teachers who have brought the arts into the mainstream with the idea that anyone of any age can learn them. Because karate, for example, was one of the first systems to systematize a rank curriculum (borrowed from Kano’s judo rank structure in fact) and was initially one of the first martial arts brought over from Asia after World War II by soldiers, especially here in America, back to the home country (as many traveled to Japan to fight against them in the war), its influence remained heavy in the early days of martial arts in the United States. Many American G.I.s had little exposure to other self-defense systems before this, and at that point the Japanese had been teaching it to American soldiers who were stationed on bases in Japan during and after the war. When the soldiers came back from their typical 4-year commitment, they brought Japanese martial arts skills back and wanted to continue to spread this knowledge to others, some as a way of continuing a training that brought discipline and self-respect to their lives at a young age, and others who felt an obligation to teach valuable self-defense skills to others after they left. The early military types were the ones who first brought Japanese arts to America and perhaps other nations as well. Because karate was one of the first arts to go into the mainstream in the United States and many other parts of the world, it had the chance to become popularized early on, getting a lead on later arts that came to the United States, even taekwondo and Filipino martial arts, for example. A similar thing happened with judo. The earliest masters were primarily karate masters, and so they started teaching and bringing the art across the country. One can see that the earliest colleges in the United States, for example, such as several of the Ivy League schools, solidified their status by training the first scholars in the nation, who then became the first politicians and influential business persons before everyone else came, and so a similar parallel can be made in martial arts. Because of this, everyone knows the Japanese arts well and can relate to them as a result of their pioneering status ahead of other arts being introduced to the rest of the world. Japan was also forced into its present-day situation as a result of the US taking over the nation after the war and being occupied by this nation, which caused plenty of military men to stay there awhile and by happenstance, develop these skill sets while they were there doing their military duties, and also seeking ways to develop their own inner selves in their off-time, for example.

CombatSombo or Sombo in the Olympics?

I believe there is the potential to be in the Olympics someday, which may be soon. Sombo has been quite popular for many years; however, in some avenues it became very sport-oriented to the point that it turned away many traditional martial artists who felt that the rapid movement to expand sport competition got away from self-defense and focused too much on the sport aspect in the last few decades as it increased in popularity, especially seeing how such arts as taekwondo and judo rose to Olympic status. Certain schools felt that one should focus more on competition and less on building valuable self-defense skills, and in the name of satisfying business interests, it can denigrate to becoming somewhat of a franchise operation rather than an avenue for learning important skills to defend oneself. There can be a healthy balance between the two, as in making sport competition an option for those who desire to pursue it, with the understanding that one should not believe that sport always translates to good self-defense and to keep this in mind when practicing. The other side is that those who want to pursue self-defense at a dojo should be allowed to do it without the pressure of competition, for these persons are in it more for building character, self-discipline, and finding a way to preserve one’s lifelong health.

Is Sport Sombo destroying the spirit of the art?

I do not believe the sport aspect is destroying the spirit of the art. CombatSombo or Sombo, for example, always will be strong no matter what people do to it. It has already spread far and wide enough to the point that it is forever ingrained as a form of activity like any other, such as baseball, football, or cricket. In fact, in a way, competitions like the UFC and K-1 would not be around were it not for some other sports, like grappling arts, popularizing these types of competitions. It is innate in man’s nature to want to compete against another to see who is the best, and this has not changed in our history. Men have always fought wars against other men, and men have always settled things with duels. The difference is that now we have activities that are safer and lead to a mutual result instead of death or debilitating injuries with such competitions. It serves as a way to let fellow men satisfy their primal instincts to fight, but also to serve as a form of goodwill and friendly passion for one’s country. The spirit of grappling arts has been to help the strong to defend the weak, or to allow the weak to defend themselves. Martial spirit is something that will always be there, and good masters will know the difference between what skills will preserve life and those which will kill, and to impart this knowledge properly to good students. A good teacher will see bad intentions in the long run and avoid situations where thugs or hoodlums can learn things to hurt the weak; most schools will not tolerate this kind of behavior. In essence, what we learn is that CombatSombo or Sombo is a means of self-defense, but in some ways, sports are a good way of helping men to channel their energy into positive ways of fighting without hurting one another on the battlefield as in the days of yore. They will greater appreciate the spirit of brotherhood through competition, and by having protective gear and releasing the stress that can be felt from the trials and tribulations of everyday life, perhaps one can find a greater inner peace through competition. Good grappling arts are for self-defense, but high-level practitioners will be able to distinguish for themselves anyway which techniques are viable in real situations and which are better for sport. It is important, however, to explain the difference to students so that they do not develop a false sense of security for themselves simply by winning trophies and can explain and apply the knowledge in realistic self-defense situations, which comes down to the teacher ultimately and what he has been able to do with his students.

On CombatSombo International and its Rules and Regulations:

I think CombatSombo International is a great organization and is promising with its mission to spread CombatSombo to the masses. I believe it has an excellent goal in mind with regards to making CombatSombo something ideal for persons of all ages and countries. It wants to unite martial arts practitioners throughout the world, and what better what to do this through karate or friendly competitions. The rules are designed for safety and also give a fair sense that any person with aspirations of competing domestically or abroad can do so. I believe that the more one can find ways of bringing martial artists together, the better, and perhaps in some sense, this works towards the goal of CombatSombo International’s mission in the world, to develop harmony and one’s inner peace.

Strategies for Global Expansion:

I believe the important thing is to build membership, to promote goodwill amongst practitioners and reduce rivalries, and to find a common bond amongst practitioners throughout the world. Persons should contact local businesses and schools for joint sponsorship, build partnerships so that it is feasible to hold events, and to maintain a good relationship with one’s elders to ensure that CombatSombo and Sombo are getting the proper respect they deserve. One should always be flexible and creative in planning as well to cater one’s needs to the particular regional or local priorities that are required. The main thing is to plan for succession, to ensure that an organization is able to keep running smoothly when one is gone, and one has qualified individuals who are able to carry on the original mission of an organization.

Age in life and how often practice martial arts:

I am 34 years old and teach at least several classes a week, with time training for myself about 5-6 hours a week. When I was younger, I trained fanatically several times a day, nearly seven days a week, but I realized that as I get older, I must preserve myself so that I can still move effectively in my later years. I feel that the goal to reach is economy of motion, efficiency of technique, and creating a mindset to reduce use of force through nonviolent means if viable or to understand one’s surroundings so that life and limb are preserved to the maximum extent possible in any situation.

Besides CombatSombo International and CombatSombo USA am in some other organizations:

Yes, I am a member of the American Amateur Sambo Federation and the International Ry Kyu Kai Karate Association. In addition, I have my own organization called the International Fellowship of Martial Artists, which is designed to unite martial arts practitioners worldwide across disciplines. I have also developed my own system called Hoshin Kwon Bup, which means Self-Defense Way of the Fist, an expression of various arts that have influenced me throughout my history, including my kwon bup (Korean kempo) base art, some aspects of grappling I have been exposed to, and some later Japanese, Okinawan, Chinese, and Southeast Asian martial arts influences in my training that I have added in.

14) Master, If you Interested please tell about your family / Martials Arts background?

My wife Ying-Chu is actually Chinese, from Taiwan and is a frequent Qi Gong practitioner, which is good for one’s inner health and emphasizes certain breathing principles, holding positions ideal for the body, and has elements of Tai Chi in it, with slow-moving, meditative forms. These are especially good principles as one grows older. In addition, my father was a Korean martial arts practitioner in taekwondo for many years, attaining a 3^rd dan before his untimely death and often teaching in classes several times as week. Two of my 3 sisters reached the equivalent of blue belt status, though falling out later when their interests became boys and the typical things that teenage girls become curious about at a certain age. I have been told that one of my great-uncles perhaps was a prize fighter as well in the early part of the 20^th century and fought for money. My son Joseph is 11 and has been exposed to some arts here and there at various times. Perhaps his interests will go in that direction as he gets older, but meanwhile, he is taken up by cars and trucks, which he spends the majority of his time doing while he pretends to be a race car driver or read books that boys typically his age are excited about, such as the comic strips Calvin and Hobbes and Garfield.

Favorite techniques:

My favorite techniques are breaking the balance and sweeping the opponent. I enjoy breaking the opponent's structure and the infinite possibilities that are involved with doing this, plus capitalizing on whatever one can grab and then submitting the opponent, especially following up with some kind of choke.

Forms and drills vs. Fighting in traditional martial arts in general, West vs. East:

I feel that a good medium between both are important. Perhaps this is due to the early development of the arts abroad and the fact that many masters were initially taught the forms or drills as a form of exercise and that fighting was important for the combative nature of the arts. The Europeans had a history of warring states amongst each other, and perhaps martial arts served as a friendly way of continuing the rivalry that existed in the early European histories between various kingdoms. Also, in the West, the inner nature of the arts is normally not focused on so much as the physical nature of the arts, with deep study of forms and drills taking more time and patience for the serious practitioner. In the East, the nature of man favors inner harmony, with many religious aspects going into the arts about patience and finding the deeper meaning of oneself. Also, in the West we tend to see martial arts as more of a recreational activity than a way of life. However, in the East, more of the deeper aspects of the forms and drills were not transmitted to Westerners, while East Asians typically require many years of loyalty to a particular master before one will get the hidden essence of the forms or drills and what their intention is. I feel that free-sparring is important for realistic settings, and that fighting is but one part of it; however, one cannot understand the martial aspect of the art without some form of pressure-testing oneself in a situation which requires self-defense. This is at least where the free-sparring aspect can be useful in simulating more realistic application of the techniques, and in studying the forms and drills, one can refine the techniques and perhaps understand the original intent of the creator. In blending the two together, one also needs a self-defense aspect, which remains most important. One can do forms and drills to refine one set of techniques and perhaps do some experimentation with striking points on the body by studying a form or a particular drill, and ones uses free-sparring to test out how one might be able to stop an advancing attacker or in seeing which movements hold up better under pressure. However, the self-defense aspect of the training emphasizes that one does whatever possible to survive any situation, which can include someone in an alley with a baseball bat, a bar setting where a patron has decided he does not like someone and starts advancing in a tight crowd of persons, for example, or even in a setting where one may be in a combat situation, with hazardous surroundings, and one must react under pressure simply to escape to live another day. Any way to simulate real-life situations remain most important, and so through trial-and-error, one can discover which maneuvers may hold up better for self-preservation.

On CombatSombo development in the USA and abroad:

I believe CombatSombo is most importantly designed for the safety of the competitors, and to foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable in participating. I feel that growing membership is first important to build a base for support, with many practitioners, and then one able to with interact with local entities to sponsor local and regional competitions. People must see that CombatSombo is safe for all ages and favors rules that treat everyone equally. Also, persons must have qualifying stages where people can then be eligible for the larger competitions, leading to a national, intercontinental, and then an international level eventually. I have been contacting various martial arts federations for membership and interest and building a base for support to get people interested in holding several events.