I want to start by reminiscing for a bit. As many know, I trained directly under Mr. Richard P. Baillargeon from 1973 to 1987 in Valdosta, Ga. His first dojo was a half-mile from the front gate of the Moody Field Airforce base. Pics of his dojo are on my Facebook site. Presently it is a Masonic lodge. Being a Mason myself, I was allowed entrance, and upon entering, it brought back many memories of a very rigorous workout. We would arrive fifteen minutes early, and after dressing out, we would then make the half-mile run to the front gate of the airbase and back. “a total one mile,” then upon entering the dojo, we’d do at least 100 jump jacks, proceeded by sit-ups, pushups, and stretches. Then came the real workout. We had no AC in the summer and no heat in the winter. Most students now would never last under this type of training. Today I can put down most that are half my age with the workout that I do now. There is an old saying. “Use it or lose it.”
In 1987 I was offered a job from a professional firm as a mechanical designer for Proctor and Gamble in Albany, Ga. which is located about 60 miles from Valdosta. Having taken the position, I still maintained contact with Mr. B up until his death in February 1989.
Mr. Baillargeon was addressed by many names. Mr. B, Soke B, Sensei, and Soke. I asked him once how do you want to be addressed? He replied. They are just names, and people are going to call you what they want. He went on to say, a title or position is worthless without substance. So, I will use the name that I and others frequently used. Mr. B.
Upon receiving my Shodan rank in Sept. 1977, I asked Mr. B about rank. If I am a black belt in karate, am I a black belt in jiu Jitsu, and kobudo? He said, if you train in MY dojo, you are the same rank in both. I thought this answer was somewhat vague but took it at face value.
In the mid-1980s, after understanding a little more of the workings of NKJU, I proposed an idea to Mr. B. I suggested that he should create a separate certificate for Jiu-Jitsu and Kobudo ranking. By doing this, you would alleviate in your students any doubt or assumptions that they may have about their rank in jiu-jitsu and kobudo. I said a person could be very knowledgeable in karate and have had little or no proper training in Jiu-Jitsu or kobudo and this could be very beneficial down the road for the organization.
Mr. B seemed to be susceptible to this idea at the time, but later on, I began noticing a change in Mr. Bs attitude. He was becoming preoccupied and detached. When asked, what was wrong? He would just say. “I have some personal issues that need to be resolved.”
I did not know until after his death, the issues he was referring to was all the politics that were in play within NKJU. If my memory serves me correctly, it was in the summer of 1987, Mr. B was the guest of honor at a karate tournament being held at the Albany, Ga. YMCA, organized by Nancy Cartmel. “Big Momma,” as many of us called her. It was here that Mr. B and I talked, and he told me that he was “tired of all the politics that was going on and did not know who to trust anymore.” I knew from this statement, and what I later learned that had transpired before Mr. Bs death, that his love for NKJU was not the same. His motivation and desires were not there.
Depression, along with his medical issues, in my opinion, were the reason Mr. B gave up on life. He saw his NKJU and everything around him falling apart.
When NKJU was handed down by Mr. B, I waited a few years to see where it was heading. I was not impressed by what I saw and decided to go another route as many others eventually did. There is a lot more to this I could talk about, but minds have been made up, and egos have been satisfied. I
just will say. “What comes around goes around.”
Question? What makes a good student?
Loyalty: Being loyal to your style, to your instructor, as he passes down his
knowledge and keeps you on the right path. As this is the foundation of the martial art.
Loyalty is a two-way system; a student should help his instructor, and an excellent instructor should look out for his student’s wellbeing and interests.
A student can have only one Instructor, so once you find a genuine one, you must stay with them no matter what. There will always be some questions, for this is the process of learning. Never doubt your instructor until he has proven not to be trustworthy.
A loyal student is one who understands that he will never know more than his instructor and that ego and narcissism have no place in martial art. There is no substitute for time, patience, and experience.
Humility: is an essential characteristic in martial art. Having the bighead is not an attractive trait, no matter what your successes and achievements have been. You should always look for improvement. Anything less than this leads to
complacency, which means you think you are the best, and that you know everything.
If you have reached this plateau, then you have reached the top of the mountain and should be revered, and we should all bow
to you. I only have one thing to say for people like this. Dream on.
“A Black Belt is only a white belt that never quit.”
I considered myself a good student to my instructor Mr. B. Yes, we had differences of opinion, but never about karate. My loyalty, humility, and dedication stayed true.
No one from 1973 to 1987 knew Mr. B as I did. My heritage and training during those years I mentioned are indisputable. Anyone
that says different, I ask to Present your facts. Otherwise, continue living in your fantasy world, making quotes such as “It’s my turn now.” A partial quote from the new beginning.
One of the biggest complaints that I have heard over the years from students who are part of an organization is that they are allways having to make changes. I can relate to this all too well when I was training under Mr. B. He was always making changes, especially in kata. Yes, it was frustrating, but my commitment to learning the martial arts and the fact I knew Mr. Bs short comings did not stop me from learning.
Through experience, I have learned that most people do better when they are not faced with constant change. This is no fault of their own; they are programmed this way. When asked to change something they have practiced many, many times, the first thing that comes to their mind is who taught me and why was I taught wrong? If this continues, then trust becomes an issue. Students begin to talk among themselves, and dissension may set in if not put in check.
NKJU®/NKJUI® will adhere to a strict discipline of consistency. That is why all head instructors who are affiliated with my organization who want to advance their kata or kobudo, will have access to direct training or video.
When teaching these two areas of karate, there should be no excuse but to teach it the way the video shows. As for your Jiu Jitsu, and your specific wazas. I leave that to your individual instructor and his style.
I am not here to change your style to mine. You are what you are. But let’s face the facts, over the years things change from what was to what is. Things get lost in translation, and the kihon/waza of the context of a style becomes cloudy and lost for a variety of reasons.
I could give hundreds of reasons why the martial art of today is not what it was
intended to be. Most know why, but they have no way out. Others know but are satisfied because it feeds their narrative. NKJU®/NKJU® can give those that have seen the light a chance to get back some credibility. It’s never too late.
For this and other reasons, I will strive to make my organization NKJU®/NKJUI® be one of consistency. I want to get away from this phrase. But he said she said.
A friend of mine who I worked with when employed with the Department of Public safety said to me. Roy, you know, Johnny is an asshole. I replied that it is ok with me because he is an asshole to everyone. At least he was consistent. You can look at this as being good or bad, but at least you knew where he stood. He treated everyone the same. He would not say something behind your back that he wouldn’t say to your face. He was not a backstabber. He passed away a few years back, and I considered him one of my best friends. ”Oh” I have been told by some that I am an asshole. I can live with that.
With modern technology, students can watch a specific kata done in a variety of ways. This, in turn, brings up the question, which is the right way?
Let’s take the kata, Pinan Shodan. Can anyone show me a document/pics, or a video of the original as it relates to Shito-
Ryu? Which has more kata than most any other style or any of its offshoots.
What you have is a kata that has been changed to be relevant to a specific style, person, or organization. So, who is to say which is the right way? For simplicity’s sake, the right way would depend on the bunkai, and does it work within the kata.
Every style wants to claim that their style is the best and that their kata, waza, and kobudo is the best.
This reminds me of the old Kung-Fu movies years ago. If you will remember, they nearly all had one underlying theme. One school pitting their style against another school to see who is number one. We have a similar situation going on today.
So, what is right? What is right is what works within your style. But there lies the dilemma. What works in one style may not work in another style. Correct application of bunkai defines the context of kata.
Many instructors and students have not figured that out yet. I will make this a topic for another time.
Every good parent wants their kids to have a better life than what they have. So, they give them the tools by way of education, and how to cope with everyday life’s challenges. This holds true for a good martial arts instructor.
When NKJU/NKJUI was dissolved, I took it on myself to try and get back the original concepts, ideas, and teachings of Mr. B and to make NKJU®/NKJUI® a legitimate organization. I applied for and received the Trademarks. This was never done until now.
Mr. B can rest in peace, knowing that his NKJU®/NKJUI® has been legitimized and that his ideas, teachings, and dreams have not been forgotten. I will continue to build off of the heritage of Mr. Bs teachings and ideas that he and I discussed.
Since Mr. Bs passing, any further knowledge I have obtained has been through personal experience and the teachings of a select few. Whose knowledge is indisputable in the world of martial arts.
The foundation of my martial arts began with my sensei Richard P. Baillargeon founder of NKJU. After Mr. B’s passing, I wanted to continue my training/knowledge in Shito-Ryu. I found that in Soshi Hugh Kelly of the UMAAI, Butch Velez of AGK, and his Fuku Kaicho, John Sliger. These instructors’ knowledge is interrelated to Motobu-ha Shito-Ryu and NKJU®.
Kihon and Waza distinguish one style from another. An instructor should look at other styles and incorporate those kihon/waza that work. You will not be changing your style by doing this but actually increase the
effectiveness of your style, for there are good and bad points in any given style.
I have seen instructors advertising, they have a black belt in many styles. Does this make them more knowledgeable? That is a question you should ask yourself.
You can’t be really good at one thing if you are running around, obtaining multiple belts in a variety of styles. It’s hard enough to master one style, let alone many.
What I see from this is a person feeding ego and for commercial reasons. There is an old saying. He is a jack of all trades and the master of none.
As a loyal student and friend of Mr.B, it is my obligation and duty to pick up and move forward with new and refined concepts of his teaching. In this way, I would be building on his legacy and making NKJU®/NKJUI® stronger than before.
In time, no one will remember Mr. B., only some of my oldest students know the name when I mention it. I rarely mention his name on my bulletins, and that is not out of disrespect. Its just time to move on. I know this is what Mr. B would have wanted.
As Kaicho of NKJU®/NKJUI®, I want to pick up where Mr. B would probably have gone if it were not for internal strife and his untimely death.
I will be implementing menjos for Jiu-Jitsu and kobudo. These ranks will not be easily obtained since they are interrelated, and both play off the other. They will only go as high as 5th Dan “Godan.” The Ryu- ha for both have been in the works for quite some time. We are now in the process of putting them in a systematic order. Menjos have already been approved and printed.
In addition, I will be implementing new concepts and ideas that have been overlooked for years by many in the karate circles. I feel this will make NKJU®/NKJUI® an organization second to none.
As I have said before, I don’t want people who are part of my organization to be under me but to work alongside me in sharing knowledge and ideas whose goal are to bring back the true meaning of karate-do and karateJitsu.
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To be open minded is to become knowledgeable in what you seek
Kaicho Davis
NKJU ®& NKJUI® is a USPTO registered trademark owned by Roy D. Davis III. Any use of this name by any person, organization, company, or in association with the marketing or sale of any products and services without the owner’s permission violates the US Trademark Act.
All NKJU® & NKJUI® Bulletins are under Copyright and shall not be altered from its original form without the written permission of Roy D. Davis III.
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If anyone has a specific question or topic you would like to be addressed, please let me know. Your input is vital to me.
