Shen Chuan Review - The Official Newsletter of Lansdale's Self-Defense Systems

We always say it. We always mean it. This year’s camp was the best one yet.

Professor C, true to form, came in with a determination to teach, as well as learn. And I don’t think anybody came away shorthanded.

We kicked the camp off on a Friday night with Sensei Norma Almanza treating us to her flavor of Shen Chuan. There are many reasons why Sensei Norma is our first, and only female Black Belt. Those qualities were self evident as she took the floor. Her method of capitalizing on the Shen Chuan concepts and principles while moving to upset her opponent is truly amazing. Don’t let the size, or gender fool you. She’s a killer!

Guru Mike Casto returned once again, with a few new tricks up his sleeve. The greatest thing I could ever say about Guru Mike is that he IS the consummate student of Martial Arts. There is no seminar, teacher, flavor or style of the arts that he won’t glean some information from. He will absorb the material, add it to his bag of tricks and pass it on for others to know. That wealth of knowledge was laid before us that Friday night, and we learned alot from him.

It was an amazing start to an amazing Camp.

We kicked off Saturday bright and early with Professor Lansdale showing self defense techniques that make the Shen Chuan system so formidable. Locking, striking, pressure point and balance disruption. Mmmmm. Better than caffeine in the morning, but with a lot more kick.

It was enough to get Professor C all excited and rarin’ to go for his session, which came up next.

Now I hear tell Professor Lansdale tried to put a bug in Professor C’s ear, and mentioned that he might want to use an uke a little younger than yours truly this time. And I hear tell Professor C laughed and said “Why the hell would I do that? Billy Jack’s my favorite slap monkey!”.

So I have to say that it was, yet again, an honor to be Professor C’s “slap monkey”. If ya gotta be beat, be beat by the best I always say.

And all kidding aside, it really is a leg up on the learning curve when you are uke. As we’ve been taught from day one, pain is our friend. Not injury, but pain. Pain and precision of having something done ON you far exceeds the imprint on your brain of having someone TELL you something.

I would get tickled, after having something done on me three, four or five times, Professor C would walk the room and iron out everyone’s mistakes. Talk about people flopping around like fish out of water. I hope I didn’t look that silly. And no, I wasn’t laughing with you. I was laughing AT you.

So needless to say I got a lot of imprinting that weekend. And I love Professor C for every bit of it!

Come back soon Professor C. You’re always welcome at our dojo!

Shihan Paul Britt was given some instruction time throughout the camp, to bring down some of that Rockwall, tactical police style Shen Chuan that’s just… well...brutal.

Shihan Paul is just like most of us at the core of Shen Chuan. Give us the meat and potatoes, and leave that silly green crap off the plate. It’s pretty… but it don’t stick to your ribs.

That’s Paul’s character. And that’s Paul’s art. No froo-froo. Just kick butt on the street, and make it home to the wife and kids at the end of the day.

And you gotta love his little saying. “If you ain’t cheatin’… you ain’t tryin’”.

Paul has been there, in that life and death struggle. His method bores it out. As we like to kid him… “It ain’t pretty, but it’ll sure as heck get it done and get you home in one piece”.

Professor Coy Harry was highlighted this year. His sessions were intense, and well thought out.

There is a reason he is a teacher by trade. He is good at it. More times than I care to count, he has had to explain something to me ten different ways until the lightbulb went off. But that’s his skill. He is able to come up with ten different ways to teach the same thing. To do what it takes to make you understand.

That is only one of the many reasons Professor Lansdale chose him as Soke Dai. That, and the fact that he is one of the most phenomenal Martial Artists around.

I know it’s seven months away, but make plans to attend this years Camp. Always the first weekend in October. They only get better every year!

	Camp Lansdale #10 has Come and Gone! We always say it. We always mean it. This year’s camp was the best one yet. Professor C, true to form, came in with a determination to teach, as well as learn. And I don’t think anybody came away shorthanded. We kicked the camp off on a Friday night with Sensei Norma Almanza treating us to her flavor of Shen Chuan. There are many reasons why Sensei Norma is our first, and only female Black Belt. Those qualities were self evident as she took the floor. Her method of capitalizing on the Shen Chuan concepts and principles while moving to upset her opponent is truly amazing. Don’t let the size, or gender fool you. She’s a killer! Guru Mike Casto returned once again, with a few new tricks up his sleeve. The greatest thing I could ever say about Guru Mike is that he IS the consummate student of Martial Arts. There is no seminar, teacher, flavor or style of the arts that he won’t glean some information from. He will absorb the material, add it to his bag of tricks and pass it on for others to know. That wealth of knowledge was laid before us that Friday night, and we learned alot from him. It was an amazing start to an amazing Camp. We kicked off Saturday bright and early with Professor Lansdale showing self defense techniques that make the Shen Chuan system so formidable. Locking, striking, pressure point and balance disruption. Mmmmm. Better than caffeine in the morning, but with a lot more kick. It was enough to get Professor C all excited and rarin’ to go for his session, which came up next. Now I hear tell Professor Lansdale tried to put a bug in Professor C’s ear, and mentioned that he might want to use an uke a little younger than yours truly this time. And I hear tell Professor C laughed and said “Why the hell would I do that? Billy Jack’s my favorite slap monkey!”. So I have to say that it was, yet again, an honor to be Professor C’s “slap monkey”. If ya gotta be beat, be beat by the best I always say. And all kidding aside, it really is a leg up on the learning curve when you are uke. As we’ve been taught from day one, pain is our friend. Not injury, but pain. Pain and precision of having something done ON you far exceeds the imprint on your brain of having someone TELL you something. I would get tickled, after having something done on me three, four or five times, Professor C would walk the room and iron out everyone’s mistakes. Talk about people flopping around like fish out of water. I hope I didn’t look that silly. And no, I wasn’t laughing with you. I was laughing AT you. So needless to say I got a lot of imprinting that weekend. And I love Professor C for every bit of it! Come back soon Professor C. You’re always welcome at our dojo! Shihan Paul Britt was given some instruction time throughout the camp, to bring down some of that Rockwall, tactical police style Shen Chuan that’s just… well...brutal. Shihan Paul is just like most of us at the core of Shen Chuan. Give us the meat and potatoes, and leave that silly green crap off the plate. It’s pretty… but it don’t stick to your ribs. That’s Paul’s character. And that’s Paul’s art. No froo-froo. Just kick butt on the street, and make it home to the wife and kids at the end of the day. And you gotta love his little saying. “If you ain’t cheatin’… you ain’t tryin’”. Paul has been there, in that life and death struggle. His method bores it out. As we like to kid him… “It ain’t pretty, but it’ll sure as heck get it done and get you home in one piece”. Professor Coy Harry was highlighted this year. His sessions were intense, and well thought out. There is a reason he is a teacher by trade. He is good at it. More times than I care to count, he has had to explain something to me ten different ways until the lightbulb went off. But that’s his skill. He is able to come up with ten different ways to teach the same thing. To do what it takes to make you understand. That is only one of the many reasons Professor Lansdale chose him as Soke Dai. That, and the fact that he is one of the most phenomenal Martial Artists around. I know it’s seven months away, but make plans to attend this years Camp. Always the first weekend in October. They only get better every year!