As you all know, http://asksensei.blip.tv/ is our primary way to communicate our weekly lessons. I started a legendary teaching series and also a class that I have not taught since 1973 recently. I strongly encourage all anjingbanfaests and friends to listen to those podcasts as they are something you can't get anywhere else, at least to my knowledge.
I have a couple of projects that have come to fruition lately: the 
2008 black belt test DVD set, and the simple weapons disarm disk. As you can see the site is growing with video products and other great lesson. I think its important to have all that you can get about our art, so check your library and see if you have all the DVD's I have produced. Yes, the money is good too but I won't be able to purchase another car with the proceeds... there just are not that many of us but what is important is that you have a complete library of what we do. I have asked John Enger Sensei to provide an outsiders review of our material.. and here is his recent send of the black belt 08, 10 DVD set review...
ANJING BANFA BLACK BELT TEST
2008
Review
I’m a kind of person that will let you know right up front what I think….. not of course without a real assessment of what I have to say and some reflection mind you. I had 26 pages of handwritten notes on what I reviewed. In other words, I like to have my “ducks” in order (perhaps even “rubber ducks”! That’s a story in and of itself, and you would have either had to be part of the testing process itself or have had the chance to see the DVD’s to understand “Major Brooks” comment on the “rubber duck”—you can by ordering the 2 Volume: 10 DVD set!).
So, with my introduction out of the way let me tell you that the testing or perhaps maybe better stated ‘the right of passage” for eight (actually more, but you will need to view the test to understand) of the Anjing Banfa team was the most intense and comprehensive I have seen. I know that every “style” has its own testing or right of passage required to earn the next level up in the ranking system and certainly everyone will undeniably argue that theirs is sufficient…. well maybe, and then again maybe not! After reviewing this series of DVD’s you may come away reassessing your own testing process for promotions (I know I have …. hey, that’s what lifelong learning is all about and one cannot ever think of becoming a “Legendary Sensei” if you believe you have reached the mountain top and possess the “Holy Writ” itself and there is no further need to learn more. Not only in the martial arts, but life itself.) There is reason these words are in red. Read on… you will be back!
I can readily identify with the process with which these individuals went through over several days. As a former law enforcement tactical instructor (SWAT) as well as a firearms and defensive tactics instructor I was required to go through much of the same intense training….. however, I never was required to learn man tracking or go into a dangerous city of Mexico to complete an assignment as part of the test requirement. Nevertheless, I certainly can recall laying in sub-zero weather on a tactical assignment for hours in the middle of the night as well as making some hair-raising entries into buildings where there are people bent on killing you! So, I felt some kinship to those testing in this series and found much of the range exercises like watching movies of myself in my “former life” as a law enforcement officer. Watching this training and instruction made me long for the adrenaline rushes I received in law enforcement. A few homesick moments!
The series opens with the Anjing Banfa team getting ready to go to their test destination site which no one knew the specific location (later learned, once they arrived, it was just outside of the Mexico boarder). During the preparation they were all addressed by an Anjing Banfa Master who affectionately called himself “Stone Man” – reminded me of a first day military induction briefing. He certainly let the team know that he was serious about the mission they were about to embark upon.
An interesting twist was the drive to the testing site…. some very nice countryside I thought (a few bug splats on Kerry Sensei’s windshield were nice touch. Surely a few had to be the remains of a large “Cubachabra” that roam the area between California and Mexico – just kidding!). Kerry Sensei’s explanation of the “Brotherhood of the Patient Spirit” – becoming “One with nature” was interesting. After a few stops along the way to pick up some items they finally arrived at the testing site not far from the border of Mexico. The arrival at the site began with another briefing much like the first with Major Books (Former British S.A.S. – Special Air Service) setting down some rules and discussion on weapons safety with a no nonsense flare. This is obviously a man who trains people to stay alive in combat.
What the viewer of this extensive set of test DVD’s is going to quickly learn is that the testing process that these Anjing Banfa team members are about to engage in is one on survival and personal endurance, both physically and mentally. You are definitely not going to see traditional Dojo rank testing methods in an Anjing Banfa promotional exam. The art of Anjing Banfa I have learned goes much deeper into human survival in terms of wilderness and mental preparedness – thus it goes beyond traditional street defense tactics, although this is certainly part of the art. It is a true military style combat art that requires I believe a different mind set than the average martial artist has. I can bet some of you reading this are getting somewhat offended right at this juncture in the review. Here me out….. quite honestly, you just are not going to get anything like this unless you train in these military and yes, law enforcement style survival tactics. Listen, that’s just the way it is! The “combat” style of defense and “mental preparedness” have saved my life on the street many times. But, you can learn many of these things and add them to your own arsenal – now, scroll back up the page and reread the words in red. Enough said. Just giving an honest review of what I see and have personally experienced in life!
What is so strikingly different I found in reviewing this testing process was that the test really didn’t focus on what they had already learned on the “mat”.... in other words, a formal production of the rehearsals that had been perfected along the way by Sensei. No, the student was now brought to a different level of testing in which they actually learned more. Now, that is UNIQUE!
You will observe the eight team members and others in the team who didn’t even realize they were being “tested” for promotion drink the so called “Elixir” to stop the “Silver Headed Spear Fish”. After the explanation of what these particular “Parasites” (my description) by Major Brooks and Master Brusso can do I would have ordered a tanker full of the stuff. You will notice quite a few of the team members asking for extra shots of the “Elixir” which I found quite funny. I don’t ever recall in any of my promotional exams learning how to put together minnow traps with bait to catch dinner (crayfish) for the next day. They were going into the “pond” with those traps – ah, the reason for the “Elixir!”
Another very interesting twist to the test was live gunfire being shot over the heads of the team members. This was an ongoing process for a few days of the exam and was done to get the members oriented to the gunfire and getting down when it started. A very good explanation on cover versus concealment as well as moving properly in a tactical fashion was instructed to the members of the team. I observed one of the best lessons given on drawing the weapon (side arms). Discussed was the concept of “flagging”, “muzzle discipline”, “muzzle awareness”, proper tactical holstering concepts, “fingering the weapon”, reloading tactics, (orienting your magazine), site alignment and site picture, the “combat glide” with tactical reload and of course review and instruction after live fire drills. Also covered was a well explained and demonstrated discussion on adrenaline and breathing concepts, gear preparation, using your peripheral vision, and terrain – very good life saving skills! I’m going to say this again…. Not your typical black belt promotional exam!
Now, there was a scene where all the team members were lined up getting instructions when someone’s dog (“Lassie on crack”) strolls into the scene… I loved it! Master Brusso is heard telling one member of the team to give the dog a kick and get the dog away from the line. The dog looked confused, tail between his legs and ears back and the eyes looked somewhat rolled back in his head to me—hilarious and unintentional addition in the filming. Dog looked hung over! Ah, not to be out done “Lassie” is heard in the background on the porch of the house later on during the awarding of certificates attempting to bark…. well, not a real bark as it sounded like “Lassie” was suffering a case of laryngitis. Great stuff!
Back to the serious side of things….. the team went through rain, sleet, and snow during one their night exercises. Not an average day of testing for black belt! Team members were required to set up camp and sleep outdoors… the setting up of camp proved to be a time where good preparation and planning would have been helpful. It was obvious to the instructors that the team had not practiced using some of the equipment and the location and placement of the tents were brought into question based on the fact that a storm with heavy rain and winds were coming through the area overnight… a small fact or piece of information noted after some members had already set their tents. A good lesson in testing one’s stress level for sure! All part of the “test.”
You will see a very interesting “night undercover ops mission” into Mexico. What was the Mission Objective? Get into Tecate, Mexico carrying the “Guppy” (Defender) – disguised as a religious tool , religious literature and pick-up Tecate beer and carniceria, returning across the border in time or stay the night in Mexico – safely! Some good footage of the members inside of Mexico and operating as a team and what I found interesting was the very little attention that I could determine, by the footage at least, that there was no real attention given to the group walking around video taping. Did they get back in time? You will have to get the DVD’s to find out!
You will also get to hear an interesting and often time’s humorous discussion of the team members “Night Mission Two” (Due to inclement weather the mission could not be taped). There was a thorough explanation presented by Master Brusso outlining the mission so the viewer will miss nothing of what was required of the team members to complete it.
If you have ever wanted to learn how to track someone you will get what I feel was an entire seminar worth of instruction on how to do so from a US Border Patrol Agent and Anjing Banfa Black Belt. You will also see the team successfully track two of its members over grass, wet and dry ground!
If you ever wanted to learn how to use a “Ninja Net” Master Brusso instructed a class on the use of one. I have never seen one used and quite honestly had no idea that it could truly be used as such an effective tool to tangle and disarm an assailant. The series also comes with a disk covering more of a detail version on the instruction of the “Ninja Net.” You have to see it to believe it!
As a bonus in this series you are going to get a “Ninja Demo Disk” in which Master Brusso participated in. In was produced in 1982 – Boulder, Creek, CA. It covers some interesting history and spiritual aspects of Ninjutsu. I found the techniques to be very unique – I actually was able to practice a few of them and as I always attempt to do by adding them to my arsenal of new techniques. Very entertaining!
And for IPOD users…. No need to fret, you have a disk in the series that you can download to covering the black belt test. And for those who want to do a quick review or grab some of the highlights of the black belt testing series there is a disk in the package on this as well.
In conclusion, there is a “spirit” displayed or perhaps one that I personally sensed by all involved in the testing process. It’s impossible for me to explain it adequately in words… because I don’t think it can be! I believe you will need to view the actual testing process in order to experience it yourself. I will say this…. I felt that I became one with the team even though I was not there. I don’t know, perhaps what they were experiencing has been my experience in many ways, but I believe also it was the same spirit of oneness that binds all true martial artists together…..one, I hope, that we would all be willing to lay down our life for in order to help another brother or sister if they were in harms way.
I hope you experience what I did. I felt as though I was actually part of the Anjing Banfa family! Strange? Maybe, but the truth nonetheless!
I will see you all on the mat....
2008
Review
I’m a kind of person that will let you know right up front what I think….. not of course without a real assessment of what I have to say and some reflection mind you. I had 26 pages of handwritten notes on what I reviewed. In other words, I like to have my “ducks” in order (perhaps even “rubber ducks”! That’s a story in and of itself, and you would have either had to be part of the testing process itself or have had the chance to see the DVD’s to understand “Major Brooks” comment on the “rubber duck”—you can by ordering the 2 Volume: 10 DVD set!).
So, with my introduction out of the way let me tell you that the testing or perhaps maybe better stated ‘the right of passage” for eight (actually more, but you will need to view the test to understand) of the Anjing Banfa team was the most intense and comprehensive I have seen. I know that every “style” has its own testing or right of passage required to earn the next level up in the ranking system and certainly everyone will undeniably argue that theirs is sufficient…. well maybe, and then again maybe not! After reviewing this series of DVD’s you may come away reassessing your own testing process for promotions (I know I have …. hey, that’s what lifelong learning is all about and one cannot ever think of becoming a “Legendary Sensei” if you believe you have reached the mountain top and possess the “Holy Writ” itself and there is no further need to learn more. Not only in the martial arts, but life itself.) There is reason these words are in red. Read on… you will be back!
I can readily identify with the process with which these individuals went through over several days. As a former law enforcement tactical instructor (SWAT) as well as a firearms and defensive tactics instructor I was required to go through much of the same intense training….. however, I never was required to learn man tracking or go into a dangerous city of Mexico to complete an assignment as part of the test requirement. Nevertheless, I certainly can recall laying in sub-zero weather on a tactical assignment for hours in the middle of the night as well as making some hair-raising entries into buildings where there are people bent on killing you! So, I felt some kinship to those testing in this series and found much of the range exercises like watching movies of myself in my “former life” as a law enforcement officer. Watching this training and instruction made me long for the adrenaline rushes I received in law enforcement. A few homesick moments!
The series opens with the Anjing Banfa team getting ready to go to their test destination site which no one knew the specific location (later learned, once they arrived, it was just outside of the Mexico boarder). During the preparation they were all addressed by an Anjing Banfa Master who affectionately called himself “Stone Man” – reminded me of a first day military induction briefing. He certainly let the team know that he was serious about the mission they were about to embark upon.
An interesting twist was the drive to the testing site…. some very nice countryside I thought (a few bug splats on Kerry Sensei’s windshield were nice touch. Surely a few had to be the remains of a large “Cubachabra” that roam the area between California and Mexico – just kidding!). Kerry Sensei’s explanation of the “Brotherhood of the Patient Spirit” – becoming “One with nature” was interesting. After a few stops along the way to pick up some items they finally arrived at the testing site not far from the border of Mexico. The arrival at the site began with another briefing much like the first with Major Books (Former British S.A.S. – Special Air Service) setting down some rules and discussion on weapons safety with a no nonsense flare. This is obviously a man who trains people to stay alive in combat.
What the viewer of this extensive set of test DVD’s is going to quickly learn is that the testing process that these Anjing Banfa team members are about to engage in is one on survival and personal endurance, both physically and mentally. You are definitely not going to see traditional Dojo rank testing methods in an Anjing Banfa promotional exam. The art of Anjing Banfa I have learned goes much deeper into human survival in terms of wilderness and mental preparedness – thus it goes beyond traditional street defense tactics, although this is certainly part of the art. It is a true military style combat art that requires I believe a different mind set than the average martial artist has. I can bet some of you reading this are getting somewhat offended right at this juncture in the review. Here me out….. quite honestly, you just are not going to get anything like this unless you train in these military and yes, law enforcement style survival tactics. Listen, that’s just the way it is! The “combat” style of defense and “mental preparedness” have saved my life on the street many times. But, you can learn many of these things and add them to your own arsenal – now, scroll back up the page and reread the words in red. Enough said. Just giving an honest review of what I see and have personally experienced in life!
What is so strikingly different I found in reviewing this testing process was that the test really didn’t focus on what they had already learned on the “mat”.... in other words, a formal production of the rehearsals that had been perfected along the way by Sensei. No, the student was now brought to a different level of testing in which they actually learned more. Now, that is UNIQUE!
You will observe the eight team members and others in the team who didn’t even realize they were being “tested” for promotion drink the so called “Elixir” to stop the “Silver Headed Spear Fish”. After the explanation of what these particular “Parasites” (my description) by Major Brooks and Master Brusso can do I would have ordered a tanker full of the stuff. You will notice quite a few of the team members asking for extra shots of the “Elixir” which I found quite funny. I don’t ever recall in any of my promotional exams learning how to put together minnow traps with bait to catch dinner (crayfish) for the next day. They were going into the “pond” with those traps – ah, the reason for the “Elixir!”
Another very interesting twist to the test was live gunfire being shot over the heads of the team members. This was an ongoing process for a few days of the exam and was done to get the members oriented to the gunfire and getting down when it started. A very good explanation on cover versus concealment as well as moving properly in a tactical fashion was instructed to the members of the team. I observed one of the best lessons given on drawing the weapon (side arms). Discussed was the concept of “flagging”, “muzzle discipline”, “muzzle awareness”, proper tactical holstering concepts, “fingering the weapon”, reloading tactics, (orienting your magazine), site alignment and site picture, the “combat glide” with tactical reload and of course review and instruction after live fire drills. Also covered was a well explained and demonstrated discussion on adrenaline and breathing concepts, gear preparation, using your peripheral vision, and terrain – very good life saving skills! I’m going to say this again…. Not your typical black belt promotional exam!
Now, there was a scene where all the team members were lined up getting instructions when someone’s dog (“Lassie on crack”) strolls into the scene… I loved it! Master Brusso is heard telling one member of the team to give the dog a kick and get the dog away from the line. The dog looked confused, tail between his legs and ears back and the eyes looked somewhat rolled back in his head to me—hilarious and unintentional addition in the filming. Dog looked hung over! Ah, not to be out done “Lassie” is heard in the background on the porch of the house later on during the awarding of certificates attempting to bark…. well, not a real bark as it sounded like “Lassie” was suffering a case of laryngitis. Great stuff!
Back to the serious side of things….. the team went through rain, sleet, and snow during one their night exercises. Not an average day of testing for black belt! Team members were required to set up camp and sleep outdoors… the setting up of camp proved to be a time where good preparation and planning would have been helpful. It was obvious to the instructors that the team had not practiced using some of the equipment and the location and placement of the tents were brought into question based on the fact that a storm with heavy rain and winds were coming through the area overnight… a small fact or piece of information noted after some members had already set their tents. A good lesson in testing one’s stress level for sure! All part of the “test.”
You will see a very interesting “night undercover ops mission” into Mexico. What was the Mission Objective? Get into Tecate, Mexico carrying the “Guppy” (Defender) – disguised as a religious tool , religious literature and pick-up Tecate beer and carniceria, returning across the border in time or stay the night in Mexico – safely! Some good footage of the members inside of Mexico and operating as a team and what I found interesting was the very little attention that I could determine, by the footage at least, that there was no real attention given to the group walking around video taping. Did they get back in time? You will have to get the DVD’s to find out!
You will also get to hear an interesting and often time’s humorous discussion of the team members “Night Mission Two” (Due to inclement weather the mission could not be taped). There was a thorough explanation presented by Master Brusso outlining the mission so the viewer will miss nothing of what was required of the team members to complete it.
If you have ever wanted to learn how to track someone you will get what I feel was an entire seminar worth of instruction on how to do so from a US Border Patrol Agent and Anjing Banfa Black Belt. You will also see the team successfully track two of its members over grass, wet and dry ground!
If you ever wanted to learn how to use a “Ninja Net” Master Brusso instructed a class on the use of one. I have never seen one used and quite honestly had no idea that it could truly be used as such an effective tool to tangle and disarm an assailant. The series also comes with a disk covering more of a detail version on the instruction of the “Ninja Net.” You have to see it to believe it!
As a bonus in this series you are going to get a “Ninja Demo Disk” in which Master Brusso participated in. In was produced in 1982 – Boulder, Creek, CA. It covers some interesting history and spiritual aspects of Ninjutsu. I found the techniques to be very unique – I actually was able to practice a few of them and as I always attempt to do by adding them to my arsenal of new techniques. Very entertaining!
And for IPOD users…. No need to fret, you have a disk in the series that you can download to covering the black belt test. And for those who want to do a quick review or grab some of the highlights of the black belt testing series there is a disk in the package on this as well.
In conclusion, there is a “spirit” displayed or perhaps one that I personally sensed by all involved in the testing process. It’s impossible for me to explain it adequately in words… because I don’t think it can be! I believe you will need to view the actual testing process in order to experience it yourself. I will say this…. I felt that I became one with the team even though I was not there. I don’t know, perhaps what they were experiencing has been my experience in many ways, but I believe also it was the same spirit of oneness that binds all true martial artists together…..one, I hope, that we would all be willing to lay down our life for in order to help another brother or sister if they were in harms way.
I hope you experience what I did. I felt as though I was actually part of the Anjing Banfa family! Strange? Maybe, but the truth nonetheless!
I will see you all on the mat....
Master Peter Brusso
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