Versions of Stand-up Grappling

Mike Martello demonstrates Chin na

The late Mike Martello was one of the favorite instructors I have trained with. Part class clown, part mad scientist working over lab rats, and all martial artist. As you can see, Mike was very short, but very powerful. He had to perfect body dynamics because he simply did not have the mass to out-muscle the big guys. As a result, Mike was able to teach very well and was a ton of fun to train with. Additionally, he had a very high level of body control in form work, which was beautiful to watch. I had a few long e-mail exchanges with Mike between his visits to Seattle, where we learned a bit about each other and life in general. Mike is missed by students on at least four continents throughout the world.


Wally Jay demonstrates Small-Circle Jujitsu

Aside from Wrestling in school, I studied Aikido for two years and got a great overview of spiral energy and joint locking. My training partner Corey was fortunate to have trained extensively with Wally and Leon Jay of "Small-Circle Jujitsu". I was able to attend a pretty wild seminar with Leon Jay in Portland some years back. I dislocated a guy's finger, Corey got seriously knocked out by Leon, and we learned a lot about energetics. In the short interview with Wally above there is mostly some pain-compliance that looks good for the camera. But let me tell you, the Jays can get really rough. They say "Pain makes believers".

Tim Cartmell demonstrates Chin na

And then there's Tim Cartmell.
The seminars I have attended with Tim on combat Bagua, Taiji and Xingyi application and stand-up grappling have been some of the most influential in my recent training years.
I wish there was more video available of Tim but he stays pretty much below the radar on YouTube.
For those that don't know, Tim was a successful fighting champion in Taiwan and authored and translated many books on martial arts including the classic "Effortless Combat Throws". Tim is a "grappler's grappler", now a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. During the time I have met and talked with Tim, he has dispensed with the notions of metaphysics and Chi in favor of good old leverage and mass-in-motion. His principles are proven in combat, both on the street and on the mat.
As you can see, Tim's techniques in this video resemble those Make Martello uses in the first video. I only wish there was more available. Fortunately, I have hours of the seminars I attended recorded, which is an invaluable asset. I look forward to training more with Tim in the future.

Special thanks to my friend and instructor Jake Burroughs for bringing Tim Cartmell and Mike Martello to Seattle, and for the continuing training Jake provides me.

Direct Transmission Of Knowledge

Our Friend, The Late Mike Martello

"Direct transmission offers all possible wavelengths of experiance because it is holographic and infinate in nature. It can be recieved intellectually, kinesthetically, of trancendentaly, through the channels of the mind or the heart or the soul, as well as through the primal instincts of physical body awareness".
-Spiritualist Suyra Ma

Jake and Dana at "Three Harmonies Martial Arts Center" in Seattle were kind enough to send me a few pics of our instructor and friend, the late Mike Martello. I thought the picture above represented what I view as "The Direct Transmission Of Knowledge".
At times, Mike loved to be the class clown and give everybody a good laugh, but when it came down to the nuts and bolts of understanding technique he was serious as hell.
I remember the exact moment this picture was taken; Mike was reminding me that a wristlock is not simply twisting a piece of meat, it is connecting to the center, to the entire body. He is demonstrating. He is making me understand intelectually. He is imprinting the moment in my mind, and he is making me feel the pain of a correct technique. This is direct transmission of knowledge, something no amount of reading or video surfing can accomplish.
Thank You, Mike.

Mike Martello Has Passed Away

Mike Martello, center

For those of you that haven't heard, our friend and instructor Mike Martello has passed away. Mike died suddenly from a congenital heart condition, he had been living and teaching in Belgium. Mike leaves behind a legacy of hundreds of students.
I met Mike through Jake Burroughs of Seattle's "Three Harmonies Martial Arts Center", who had recently relocated to the Seattle-area from New Mexico. I had seen videos of this guy half Jakes size tossing him and other students around. That guy was Mike Martello. I got in touch with Jake and shortly after attended my first grueling two-day seminar with Mike and witnessed first-hand what he was capable of.

Mike Martello in chin na applications
As you see in the above video, Mike was five-foot-two, and I doubt he cleared 120 pounds. He was wirey and strong, and could switch from a very yin-yielding aspect to a punishing-pounding finish in the same technique. Obviously, Mike could not out-muscle the big guys, so he had to become a master of body mechanics, and find ways to make his size work for him. Like taking down a big tree, Mike could get his center under you to throw or sweep a leg to bring an opponent down to his size. He was very much a "people person", and had a wonderful time just hanging out for burgers and beers after seminars. It was those conversations where we learned a little about him, and he about us. Mike would write me lengthy e-mails from Belgium, with comments about the training videos, or the other crazy crap we post on Dojo Rat. He wrote about his growing up, and his family history, and he was very welcoming and pleased to see us at the seminars we attended.
Mike was very close with my friend and Xingyi instructor Jake Burroughs. For the last several days, Jake has posted updates and rememberences regarding the untimely passing of Mike. Jake has also posted some of the pictures and video's from various seminars Mike taught, please go to Jakes Blog "The Ground Never Misses" for more information.
The loss of Mike Martello, a friend and Master-level instructor is a huge blow to students, instructors and friends on three continents.
I'd like to close with an instructional video of a Bagua form that Mike taught us, "Xaio Kai Men", or "Small Opening Form". This is an example of Mikes teaching process, and his depth of knowledge. We will miss him terribly.

-- Thank you so much Mike, your spirit will live on in the friends you crossed hands with.

More information:
Mike Martello's Wikipedia page
Jake Burroughs The Ground Never Misses
Wu Tan Belgium

Yin-Style Bagua With Mike Martello

One more video of Mike Martello at his last Seattle seminar, this one is of the Yin-style Bagua portion which I attended. Notice how Mike explains concepts of movement with individual drills. Next, he introduces and combines those drills in a linear short form - Xaio Kai Men (Small Opening Gate). And lastly, he demonstrates how the movements in the form translate into self-defense applications in the partner circle-walking drill.
Although Xaio Kai Men is a linear form, it's easy to put it into walking the circle and use it like any of the other Bagua palm changes.

These and other seminars have been generously hosted by Jake Burroughs of Seattle's "Three Harmonies Chinese Martial Arts Center", website available at THIS LINK.
Jake will also be hosting a seminar with Tim Cartmell Feb. 7-8, with sessions on grappling and Bagua applications. For more information, contact Jake Burroughs at the website linked above.

Mike Martello: Throwing Part Two

Ya gotta' love this.
Remember, Mike Martello is just a little over five-feet tall. You can see the amount of power he is able to generate with that compact, wirey frame.

Mike Martello On Chin Na Grappling

Mike Martello

Some of you may have seen this video before, it's one of my favorites. This is the type of grappling I like, it deals with defense from strikes, combines striking, locking sweeping, and choking. There is obviously no heavy clothing or Gi to grip, so locking the wrist, elbow, shoulder and neck is necessary. If you watch, in many of the techniques he begins with a high or low pass of the opponents arm, then works into a locking technique. Mike Martello is a very talented internal-style martial artist. He's coming to the Seattle area this fall, I hope to travel down and have an opportunity to train with him.

Internal Strength Exercises

Here's Mike Martello again showing some techniques for developing internal strength and power. Rather than using isolated muscle groups, the internal arts use relaxed, whole-body unified movement. This is a long segment of a seminar, and there are some examples of fighting applications at the end.

A Salute To Mike Martello

Chin Na


Basic Bagua Class

These video's are of Mike Martello, who may be the best non-asian internal stylist I have seen yet. The Chin Na is a re-post but I wanted to include it to contrast it to the slow, classical and elusive movements of the Bagua Kung Fu. Martello is only 5'2" but really packs some power in a small frame. Many of his other video's show him training with his teacher in Taiwan, and his website says he is based in Belgium, Taiwan and New York.
Here is a post he wrote on Youtube about his decision to give up all hard style arts, something which is difficult due to years of training.
Mike Martello:
A small rant below, open to comments...

Many years ago 10yrs and a bit more, I decided to quit, stop all my hard styles, Baji, HsingI and Chen, lets say to retrain the inner connections. Not forget just stop, I felt I was using wrong intentions and ws being guided to the wrong idea of practice because I realized even the teachers were off in their approach...

I decided this after I met teacher Wang Chieh who demonstrated to me the idea of inner power and smoothness, and I knew I did not embody what he so seamlessly showed me, but I knew this is what I was searching for as soon as I made first contact to his arms and his center just engulfed me by light touch..

So I decided at that point all my training was wrong mind idea but which was good for foundation training and form training, but lacked real IMA. I knew to myself as many people are so afraid to say to themselves or confront themselves, once they have achieved a good level, to say I am empty and still don't know why, yes strong but empty inside. Many know what I mean and then overdo strength to make up for what they don't understand, and perceive they think they understand...

Well for me the answer was easy, I am no fool and play no fools games... When I am told if you practice it will come and years of hard training which brought me great forms and basic fighting self-defense skills, is NOT inner strength... Not inner power that enlightens ones mind and spirit...

One hears the stories of masters that can do wonderful things with there chi and mind and power that we want to train to achieve so idea, but we never get there, either bad teacher or style or whatever we blame it on, but ourselves for not opening our eyes... Our culture and food and the way we perceive CMA is all wrong for most... You never leave your town but you found the magic bullet in martial arts and all of a sudden you become sifu?? Man we are distorted aren't we...

One must travel and go down the mountain to understand why ones inner connection lacks what we train so hard for... I am sorry for such hard words, but I feel this way by watching all the crap out there, being a good fighter does not equal IMA... So decided to retrain and be honest to say to myself these ideas and learn from the beginning again....

Its a phenonomen for martial artists, they search and practice and find there power but never truly know themselves... The ones who read this and understand will laugh to themselves because I speak open heart... Sorry for the rant...

I hope all enjoy objectively.
mike martello