October 2001
M.A.T.C.
Mohamed Ali Training Camp, Now owned and run by George Dillman
as a Martial Arts Training Camp as well as a bed & breakfast.
I was in Pennsylvania earlier than the rest of our party, looking
round and enjoying the sights. We had pre arranged to meet
at the airport ( Reading ) were they were to pick up their
hire car. All went fairly smoothly, other than Keith having
a white knuckle experience ( the plane was quite small ).
Everyone looked tired but excited to be there. I took three
in my car, Paul took six and Keith had the rest. It was about
40 miles to the camp from Reading, a nice easy drive. And ,
whoops I missed the turning It Was Dark ( that's my excuse
). When we got to the camp, we were allocated our log cabins.
Just so happened that I had parked right outside mine ( very
handy ). Most of our guys were up the hill in the bunk house.
The camp itself is set in a surprisingly large plot of land,
almost carved into the side of a hill ( small mountain ). George
stressed to us the importance of keeping it clean, and the
painful penalties for littering. Needless to say no-one did.
Everyone was very eager for the training to start, while waiting
we had a good look round the dojo. This was were Mohammed Ali
sparred and trained. The ring had been removed and the floor
matted, making a good sized area. There was not much wall space
that did not have a picture or newspaper article showing Ali
or George or Both . This made for very interesting reading.
One wall had a beautifully painted mural showing the ring with
Ali training with George and Kim as well as others onlooking.
The training was Excellent, we all picked up some golden nougets
to help improve our own progress. One interesting thing was
an abdominal exercise George told us about. Refered to as the
'dead bug'. You lie on your back, hands palm down to the side
of your bum. You extend your legs, keeping them raised of the
floor approx 12 inches. Then raise your head and back approx
the same height. Then raise and turn your palms to face the
sky. Now hold this position for a count of 108 seconds, or
for as long as you can without getting the shakes and lowering
your legs. The exercise should be done once a day ( ideally
at the same time every day )
It was great to see Prof. Wally Jay, not only at the camp but
on the mat teaching.
There are many martial artists which are sceptical about pressure
points, not to mention chi or body energy. We have seen things
at this camp which would turn their scepticism into outright
disbelief. Using sound to improve the effectiveness of a technique,
an example being 'kyu' & 'sho' . use the 'kyu' on down
techniques and the 'sho' on upward techniques. The difference
it makes is astounding.
I am sure those who train with us have had the problem of
trying to describe a 'no touch knockout' to a sceptic non believer.
Now try to explain a no touch Ko. from across the room or to
Ko. someone running at you, again without touching them. It
sounds like fantasy, yet we have seen it. I will try and describe
them as best I can.
The first done by Jim Corn, his ( victim ) standing approx
10 feet away, Sensei Corn described the process as locking
onto the person with his physic centre ( just below your belly
button ) then focusing his chi from his hands ( left hand aiming
at the area of tw 17, right hand aiming at the gallbladder
cluster ) he described a mental image of firing laser beams
through the persons head and having them cross somewhere in
the middle. The result being a quick Ko. about 2 seconds.
The next done by Evan Pantaze, he requested a volunteer to
run at him from about 25 feet away. While the incoming was
about eight feet away sensei Pantaze dropped into a side stance
with his right open palm facing the onrushing victim. The guy
seemed to run into a wall, wavering and staggering. Sensei
Pantaze then moved a little closer until the guy was on the
ground, not touching him at any point. Looking round the room
then I saw many shocked expressions, you could almost hear
people saying 'is this for real'
Damn Right It's For Real. And what a goal we have to work towards.
Seeing these two Ko's was possibly my highlight of the camp,
but we saw so much else besides.
How could I forget the Kareoke ( especially when I sing so
well N O T )
Both George & Kim are fare from mike shy, they both sung
several numbers. Not half bad ! I think George had a surprise
when he heard Paul sing, that is SING, not what the rest of
us were doing.
Apollogies for all the stuff I have not told u about, that
would take a month to write and just as long for you to read.
I would like to add a quick thankyou to our sensei Master Paul
Bowman, without whose dedicated study and efforts we would
still be wandering in the preverbal darkness.
N. Donoghue |
