To the count

[Yung Apprentice]

I sent you a PM.

[Former castleva]

If you do not mind me sticking my leg between the door,how is your training doing now?
Done with testing schools?
:)

[count]

Yung Apprentice,
Jacks a good Llama man. I can't speak to his Tai Chi except to say I have seen it and his teacher was the best you will ever see. Thanks for the update. I agree that Jack's methods are creative and progressive. Hope you enjoy. I will give him a call myself today.
Jeff "count"
PS: Did you refer to me as count? I'm sure he had a good laugh over that. He gave me that nickname about 25 years ago. BTW, it's just "count" not "the count"

[MonkeySlap Too]

ARe we talking about Jack Soderburgh here?

[count]

Indeed we are.

[Yung Apprentice]

Yup, I did refer to you as count. He even told me the story behind that.:p


Castleva- i found a school that I liked very much.I visited it yesterday. Count (without the "the":D ) reccomended his former teacher Jack Soderburg. I saw his school, and it was a exactly what I was looking for in a school. I will start on Monday. Thank you for asking.:)

[Yung Apprentice]

You know of sifu Jack too?:confused:

[Water Dragon]

LOL, it's kinda scary how he just knows everybody, ain't it? :D

[count]

Originally posted by Yung Apprentice
Castleva- i found a school that I liked very much.I visited it yesterday. Count (without the "the":D ) reccomended his former teacher Jack Soderburg. I saw his school, and it was a exactly what I was looking for in a school. I will start on Monday. Thank you for asking.:)
Very glad you found what you were looking for. Jack is gonna work you hard. Not to be nit picky but my guess is you were speaking to "Former castleva" as opposed to "Castleva" and possibly opposed to "Current castleva" or "Future castleva".:D Sorry if I butchered your handle FC.


You know of sifu Jack too? :confused:

Ya MonkeySlap Too, You know everyone don't you? :p I know you know Jack's Llama teacher. Anyone that knows anything about real CMA in Chicago knows him. :cool: How do you come to know Sifu Jack? I know he spent many years on the tournament circuit before he opened his school in Chi town. Is that where you met him? :)

[Water Dragon]

Well then, apparently I know who Jack's Lama teacher is too then. Even though I have no idea who Jack is. It is kinda funny when you think about it.

[Yung Apprentice]

Yeah, thats one of the reasons I liked the school so much. It's very physical. I've been out of MA's and need to get back into shape. When I first met Jack, he asked me why do I want to get into MA's. I told him that first and foremost, to learn self defense. Secondly, to get back into shape. He said with a smirk,"Don't worry, we'll get you into shape." Then I saw how the class is into heavy conditioning, and is very combat oriented. I knew that I had found the right school. Even though I was just watching the class I felt comfortable there. Sifu made me feel comfortable, and the students there made me feel comfortable. I am very much looking forward to this Monday.:)

[count]

Originally posted by Water Dragon
Well then, apparently I know who Jack's Lama teacher is too then. Even though I have no idea who Jack is. It is kinda funny when you think about it.
Well you're probably too young to have met Jack or remember him.;) He moved to Las Vegas when you were a mere youth. :D But if I lived where you do, I would be at Choi's studio everyday. Can anyone from Chicago name anyone who comes close to that level? (Serious question, you never know when the information might help someone.)

[Water Dragon]

Choi's level? No

But there are a couple people worth training with. Brian Ebble teaches an excellant system of Long Fist. Dr. Brian Wu is not teaching publicly as far as I know, but he is one of the premier Shuai Chiao guys in the nation. Carlson Gracie (Jr AND Sr) as well as Dino Costeas both have excellant BJJ classes. And believe it or not, there's some **** good Karate around if you look under the right rocks.

Rumor also has it there are two brothers teaching top-notch Southern Mantis in the city.

[SevenStar]

Last time I was up there (back in august), I ran into a kalista at the airport who said there was some good kali in the area.

[count]

I just talked with Jack, long distance for about 2 hours. Interestingly, he incorporates BJJ, as well as Kali into his method. Still teaches traditional Llama and Liu Ho Ba Fa but adding to it with concepts of JKD and Silat and anything useful. And does an incredible imitation of Bruce Lee too.:D Me, I'm just interested in traditional Northern styles like Bagua, Xinyi, Tai Chi Chuan. There must be some good TCMA in Chicago that doesn't cost and arm and a leg? Anyone else?

[MonkeySlap Too]

No I don't know Jack. I had heard he moved to Las Vegas, so I figured that's who you were talking about.

Years ago, as a mere lad I traveled far and wide toi find good MA. I found Jack in his studio in Rogers park. I was blown away by his approach, but he was literally four hours away in rush hour - so for a high school student, it just did not work for me.

I learned 'legends of Jack' later on from friends over at Choi's.

Since he was one of the first CMA people I ever saw run a class, you can say he inadvertantly had a big effect on me.

I've heard nothing but good things asbout him, from people who know better than I.

[count]

That would be Llama Kung Fu Academy on Touhy Ave. I have fond memories of my first years in CMA there. I have heard some of the "Legends of Jack" some of Choi's students tell. Some true and some not. Did you know Guru Rich L. too? He brought a full range of Fillipino martial arts into the Academy. I hear he's still teaching with Jack and has added a lot of Brazilian Ju Jitsu to the mix now. Sounds like they have a pretty tight school in Vegas. Yung Apprentice should have his hands full.:D

[Yung Apprentice]

Yeah, thats the kinda school I was interested in. Something that is really going to challenge me. I heard there is another teacher at the school who comes over on Tuesday nights to teach bjj, so I guess thats who you are talking about. Unfortuantely, I won't be able to show up to the Tuesday nights class very often, because I usually have prior engagements on Tuesdays night. But I will be able to make that class every now and then. Plus there is an earlier afternoon class that I can make, although it's only an hour.

I saw sifu Jack do some ground submissions when I saw his class, he's pretty good at that too.


MonkeySlaptoo- I know what you mean, I was blown away by his approach too, and so was my friend, who isn't even into MAs, and he's now actually considering joining. I'm very excited, and my first class is tommorrow at 5:30 pacific time.

[MonkeySlap Too]

Hey Count,
I met Rich L. ast a party once, some years ago. This was sort of an open CMA party hosted by a student from Choi's.

I wandered outside, and there was Rich chatting with two 'taji hippies' - I forget exactly what stupidity the Taiji hippie said, but it was one of those statements that demonstrate A.) You have your head up your ass B.) You are speaking from theory, rather than experience (Which might be the same thing...).

Rich offered to prove his point. The Taiji hippie was aghast - he couldn't beleive he would have to fight to prove his point. Rich then went on to explain how the old Phillipino guys had a mind like a dinisaur - they were the dinosaur, and your the mouse. Squish. And they exhibited as much compassion as that dinosaur for that mouse.

I was on the ground in convulsions, laughing so hard. The hippies walked away horrified that they might be expected to back up thierr pomposity with action.

I was so busy laughing, I never got a chance to talk to him again.

So that's my Rich L. story. I only remember because he was so **** serious and funny at the same time. Ah, you had to be there...

[Yung Apprentice]

I'm going to have to wait until Wensday to start training. I've been sick all weekend, and had been hoping that I would be alright by Monday. Today is a very bad day to go out, very windy, probably going to pour as the weather here has been bad, so I'm going to wait till I'm fully recuperated to go train which will hopefully be Wensday. Plus I don't want my first impression of me being me getting every one else in the school sick!