Welcome To my web site, a place to freely express views on martial arts, and liberate oourselves from the classical mess. The views expressed here are my personal beliefs that we all have the freedom to express ourselves the way we choose, and recognize self worth, and not worth only what others tell us we are worth, or worthy of. To look inside your heart and judge yourself, to know oneself is the ultimate revelation. In martial arts, it is the same. Why copy, and imitate? Why not learn, experience, and form your own way without limits. Without obstacles. Everyone needs a path to follow. A beginning. And an end. Then new beginnings. This is hard to explain, and for some to understand, but I will attempt to explain in these pages of my website. Maybe then, will some see what I see. And some may not. I do not care what others think, for I have discovered for MYSELF the Path for which I have chosen to walk. Walk with me, or walk your own way. It is simple as that.

Freedom in martial arts is rare. Everyone is always doing what others tell them to do. And value themselves on somweone elses scale. And etiquette in martial arts is stupid. Your teacher usually has all these stupid ways of how to speak, how to act, what to say, how to say it....he is programming you to his liking, wiping away anything, and everything that is you, making you a clone. A robot. A reflection of something else. Unable to freely speak your mind, or freely express your feelings. Some people can accept that. I cannot. I was sickened by some of my past instructors attempts at erasing me, and making me into something unfamiliar. I was not interested in having my charachter changed, or my own personal etiquette tampered with. I took up instruction so I could learn how to defend myself, and strengthen my mind, body and spirit. I care for nothing else. There was always politics, and traditions for which I did not care for involved, and it was unavoidable. Most of the time I dealt with it until I either had enough, or reached a point in my training where I was satisfied with the level of content absorbed, and moved on to find something else to study in, or train. I have studied under 4 different instructors. I started my training in Okinawan Goju-Shorei Karate under the instruction of Sensei Rob Marxer. I was a private student for about a year, but we parted ways when he decided to only teach womens self defense after being aggravated at the progress of his male students, and wanted me to join him on his new found quest. I was a brown belt at the time, but I decided to look elsewhere for training. At the time of my departure, we were currently deep in  study of The Tao Of Jeet Kune Do, and were starting to apply the techniques to our karate curriculum. I then Studied Bruce Lee, and his art for 4 years with my best friend Salim Counts. We were both hardened street fighters, and ex gang members who had seen the worst of scenarios in the street, and were natural survivalists, overcoming many personal, and medical obstacles in our lives. We became roomates as teenagers, and used any space available to spar full contact. Most of our friends joined in, and soon our house, or apartment was the place of training for many everyday. From hand to hand combat, to weapons of all sorts, we worked together as a group to find out what was useful, and what was not. We cut the etiquetee, any person was able to speak his mind, and express it freely. Anyone could come and leave as they pleased. And all suggestions were welcome. It was perfect. In the streets we were respected, and feared. We were not a gang, but a close knit group of fighters that did not follow any set of rules. We fought for what was right, and helped those in need. Our main enemies were the real gangs. They would hunt us regularly. If we were caught alone we were jumped, or surrounded. When we were together, we were left alone. After about 5 years, I sat down and wrote EVERYTHING down that we had ever done. I documented it in detail, and though it was my own personalized style, I did not give it a name. Basically, I just called it the way to survive. I then visited the local  Minnesota National Guard Facility, and requested use of their Gymnasium, due to the overwhelming requests from my friends to teach them self defense. I was granted the use of the National Guard armory, where I taught for free, and had about 30 students right off the bat, and more came. I kept the training going for almost a year, then moved to AZ to pursue further training. I tried Tae Kwon Do for a month. I did not like it at all, except for the stretching, and some kicking tactics. But I could not get comfortable with the rigidness after doing Jeet Kune Do for so long. I was at a low, depressing point of my life, and then I read about Budo Karate House, a full contact Japanese Karate program in Black Belt Magazine, and was accepted. The nature of the program was to train from daylight to sundown in rigorous training by a direct student of the late Mas Oyama. Nathan Ligo, the program director ran a intense program indeed. Training was 10 hours a day, and the students, aslo known as uchi deschis ( live in students ) were also made to work a job to support the program. The director would get my entire paycheck. I trained from 7am-5pm, then worked 5pm-1am everyday, No one lasted usually more than a week. I saw some students leave after one day, some thrown out after a pathetic performance after a day or two. It was all about how much pain you could take. The etiquette was ridiculous. You had to ask permission is japanese to even talk. And if you said the wrong thing, you were punished with extreme physical excercise. I stayed in the program for 120 days. After recieving a devastating injury in all out sparring, and unable to walk, I was forced to hike Grandfather Mountain, the 2nd highest peak in North America during a blizzard. I nearly died during the hike, after winds reached over 120 mph and blew me off a cliff face onto a ledge, in which the new guy, only one day into the program, climbed down to help me to safety. Our entire group had frostbite to our hands, feet, and ears. I had no feeling in them for months to follow. After we returned from our mountain trip, my leg was was worse, and i was given no slack. After collapsing numerous times, I was still forced to train against my will despite my serious injury.I decided to leave. I returned to Arizona to recover. I loved the training, but the instructor was psycho, and had no regard for safety, and was a power tripping prick. In Arizona again, and looking for work, I replied to an add for assistant instructors at the largest martial arts school in AZ. Berstens House of Karate. I was accepted, and worked for a 7th degree kenpo master Barry bersten Sr. he was also a power tripping prick, making big speaches, and making students clean his house, paint his house, rake his lawn, standing in the 100+ degrees to hand out flyers, and be his personal slaves. I bit my tongue and tried to bear it as long as possible, in which I trained at his hall from 8am-10pm 7 days a week and reached 3rd brown after 8months, and one rank under blackbelt. I knew his schools entire method of operation, i worked in the office, and gave private and group lessons, but all manipulated by the school owner to his liking, and ripping people off. I saw him rip people off everyday, and I was unable to do anything about it. So one day, I had had enough after he tried to insult me infront of lower ranks, and potential students, so i gave him my mind, and left once again. But not before I had learned ALOT. I had learned kenpo which was the main style taught there, but was also taught Kickboxing by a National Champion, and  Brazilian Jui-jitsu by UFC trainers. I was also good at paperwork, and the info it woould take to run a dojo after slaving in his office for months. After that I re-wrote all my training on paper, and on computer discs, making sure I had all the material I needed to put it all together and open my own school. And after moving to Pennsylvania, and saving my money, I opened my own training hall/ dojo or whatever you wanna call it. I operated it for a year and a half. I was low budget, no advertising, so i got all my students from hearsay. I had some really good students, and I had some flakes. I did not enforce etiquette, everyone was able to speak freely. I labeled the dojo 9 rings collective. It was mixed martial arts, but i called it collective, since I was a collector of techniques from a wide range of styles. The core style is Jeet Kune Do, but I incorporatwe many other tactics from other sources such as Sun Tzu's Art of War, and musashi miyamoto's book of 5 rings, and other martial arts. I closed my dojo in Nov. of 2004. Now I plan to get married, and continue to train solo until further notice. But have you seen the point here? I have tried to go the way others have in the past, with the traditions, and etiquette, and old ways...but its not for me. I choose to follow my own ways, make my own path, and follow my heart. I study, and train just as hard, maybe even harder than the rest to better myself. Everyone has their own preferences, this is mine. I prefer not to imitate, but I'd rather originate. Does it matter where i find my resourses to learn? whether through other martial artists, teachers, books, internet,  real experiences, etc? I do not need a peice of paper, or any person on this earth to judge my skill. Anyone interested in finding out personally is welcome to test me in a friendly fight, or in all out combat. If thats what it will take, so be it. Fot those who know my knowledge and skill from firsthand experience, thank you for your time and understanding. I can be your best friend, or worst enemy, you take your choice.

UPDATES: 8/29/05

Hello All. Things have been going great. Got married on July 30th 2005. Me and Becky live in Fort Wayne Indiana now, its Ok here. Job market sucks. Anyway, next month in september is my 10 year mark in martial arts study. I will be doing a major review, and test of my skills to promote to 4th Degree in my system. I train at my home gym these days, and at the gym for my strength training. Its hard to work a full time job, and train as much as you like. you find yourself exhausted most of the time. But this is the only way. You get used to it. Darrin used to work long shifts at his job in hot, awful conditions, and come right to class after. And he never complained, and always showed up eager to train, and learn. MAy god strike me down the day I become a lazy butt. (haha) Anyway, We have thought about returning to Gettysburg next year, we miss it. Its a beautiful place. I miss the long runs, and walks through the battlefield. Maybe I will teach again if the situation presents itself. Would love to train with all my old students. I will keep you informed.

11/06/05 UPDATE

Me and My wife have returned to Gettysburg. We actually just moved across the border to Taneytown, MD. We both have jobs we like, and we found a perfect house. I made the largest bedroom into my training hall. It is very nice. Began training on the battlefield last week, it was awesome, I posted the pics on the photo gallery. Me and Becky did some training on the battlefield today, alot of stealth, and remaining undetected all over with tourists everywhere, it was a blast. Found some new caves, and climbing points up on Big Round Top, I love it up there. Anyone who visits, be sure to sign in and leave a message at the calender!

Take care until next time.