NYC AREA

[Coach Tran]

Anyone interested in training in CST or RMAX martial arts material living within NYC please contact me. I am looking for serious and good training partners especially in RMAX martial arts material. Clubbell® training is a solo act for me.

[Rob Hand]

Hi Bao,
I live in Jersey City and work in Manhattan M-F. I will be taking a break from 3 years of Tai Chi Chuan for something different and with throwing and groundwork. I checked out a Systema class last night and am also considering the New York San Da gym on 37th street. Don't have the funds to study both so have to make a decision soon. I read one of your posts, you mentioned Sambo. Do you train sport Sambo and Systema?

Anyway, I'm reaching out because we might be able to train together at some point. I'm new to Russian Martial Arts but have some stand-up skills and train as serious as a man with two kids and a full time job can.

Robert

[Coach Tran]

Dear Robert:

Greetings and good health. I am glad you research both schools. I am new Sambo myself and I recently started in Dec with Coach Stephen at the 37St school. Much of my previous training CST and RMAX has helped me greatly before I started Sambo and I believe the 37St school is a great school to learn Sambo. Coach Stephen is a good and decent man. It is a great school to apply CST and RMAX materials.

Personally I been out of practice for three weeks due to a shoulder injury which sux because I am trying my best to reach my performance goals for CST and well get myself flowing in Sambo. I have to prepare for my CST seminar in April and I am also looking for people to workout with me using RMAX materials and what I learned at the softwork seminar. I would HIGHLY recommend Coach Stephen's Combat Sambo. One of the benefits of training at this school is that you will learn from a talented Combat Sambo Coach, meet decent and down to earth training partners, and have someone such as myself who has a background in CST. I would be more than willing to workout with you in NYC inside and outside of the Sambo school.

Your friend and maybe future classmate,
Bao

[zakropotch]

hello, I'm also looking to form a group here in New York City. I'm hoping to grow it to meeting at least 1x/week. The more the merrier. Please respond if interested, thanks.

[Scott Sonnon]

"Zakropotch"
Before using the forum, as per forum courtesy policy, begin with posting your introduction at the Welcome Mat to your background and interests here at RMAX, including your full, real name in your signature.

[Coach Tran]

Z,

I would be interested in meeting new people and having a training partner but I would have to get to know you. Since you are a stranger, I think it is best if we had lunch and discuss our views and see if our temperaments match. I hope you understand because forming a Rmax group all depends on having the right temperament and having Rmax performance goals. My focus is doing Rmax materials and not just a particular martial system. Do you have any experience in Rmax? I read you wanted to form a group, but since you are new here. I am wondering what is your aim in "forming your own group"? If you have Rmax/CST experience and want to do Rmax together with me, then I am in and would welcome your own insight. However if you just want to me to follow your particular martial system or style, then I am definitely not in. Again, please dont take this as me being rude or disrespectful. I am trying to be as direct and clear as possible so there are no misunderstandings between us.

With Care and Respect,
Bao

[zakropotch]

Totally understandable. I have been a student of movement in all facets of sports and daily activities for years. I work as a personal trainer and my approach is more functional with tremendous focus on what planes, movements and overall imbalances need to be corrected in order to produce a better wholistic self. From clubbells, kettlebells, freeweights, bands, calisthenics, etc, all these modalities are part of an artist’s palette and myself as trainer will use this to create my work in producing a better functioning “you”. I had been using original Indian clubs quite some time ago as well as kettlebell years ago before they have become the new “flavor of the month”. However being a student of the old Masters like Hackenschmidt, Anderson, Sandow, Maxick and many others I have seen fitness come full circle back to what was being practiced decades ago. It is interesting to see how much information from these great men as well principles and concepts found in traditional martial arts have been repackaged as new. I have arrived at many of the same conclusions, epiphanies and discoveries as Scott Sonnon and it has been a pleasure paralleling his journey and seeing a comrade in spirit walking the same journey. I am by no means at the end of my journey but only the beginning. Every time, I make another realizations, I have only more questions. Yet I find it important not to hold on to this realization so defiantly so that I don’t get stuck in one way. The secret is finding the similarities among all these modalities, concepts and principle not the differences. I am looking to find like minded people who wish to step onto this road of discovering the limits of our human capacity so that we may reach it and perhaps even exceed it. I have been fortunate enough to have had access to many great minds, been under the tutelage of some of these individuals and allowed myself to further my understanding. However I also realize that in order to reach my capacity at its fullest, we must be open to other viewpoints, understanding & knowledge among other things so that we may better comprehend our own understanding in order to see the bigger and not miss “all the heavenly glory”. Just like understanding E=MC2 is saying that energy and mass are really one of the same in different states. So it is the same that mind, body and spirit are really expressions of the same and synergistically they produce a greater whole which is our being. I have not intention of finding people to follow me but rather I seek to further be taught and teach what I know in return so that I may understand. I greatly appreciate many of Scott Sonnon’s ideas and as aforementioned am thrilled to hear someone else saying many of the same things I’ve held to be true. My only intention is to keep finding the similarities so that I may understand better our true human potential. I hope this alleviates any concern and I look forward to meeting you.

[Scott Sonnon]

Geoff,

As I stated before, this belongs in the Welcome Mat. Thanks.
Secondly, please spare me that the Clubbell® is a "flavor of the month." It's required years of work, traveling, training, and coaching not just by me but the entire CST Coaching Staff and Instructor Cadre on the unique efficacy of the CST System (as opposed to traditional Indian club swinging). It's one thing to honor the past, but quite another to disrespect the present.

[zakropotch]

No disrespect Mr. Sonnon but when I said, "flavor of the month" I was referring to kettlebells exclusively. I apologize for the miscommunication and any offense you may have taken. At many of the gyms I work, I have seen many trainers having just got their qualification to teach kettlebells use them exclusively with clients and forget any other modalities of training. They forget proper training progression and totally disregard any concern if the person is even ready for this type of training. It's just a new tool and a new toy and they'll even have clients start out with explosive overhead snatches and heavily weighted upper windmills to show off. They do nothing but KB's & forget everything else in the gym. Its been become a pet peeve of mine. In the end, I believe KB's are a great and powerful tool in a trainer's arsenal. As per clubbells, I have a deep appreciation to how far you and your company have taken clubbells both in the new design and research in proper training protocal using the clubbells. From your books and videos, I've encountered many new ways of utilizing the Clubbell® that I never thought about with my old Indian clubbells. For that reason, I've ordered a Clubbell® several months ago to experience the difference in design between the two. I've been more than content and will soon be buying the next heavier ones. I hope this clears any misunderstanding.

[Rich_Hav]

Geoff,

I agree with Coach. I read about clubbells a few years back on the DD kettlebell forum. clubbells are great tools and work well with kettlebells and everything else you can add to them.

I am also from New York brother.

Anytime you want to get together and swing some weight around let me know.

Peace,
Rich