Nov 27 Dennis Jones – Self Defence Misinformation..

This interview was published in January 2006

Steve Rowe talks to Shi Kon martial artist and night club doorman Dennis Jones.

SR:  Dennis you’ve been getting around a bit on the seminar circuit what’s that been like?

DJ:  It’s been very interesting Steve, it seems that many people in the martial arts are looking for some sort of ‘holy grail’ in their training and are constantly asking questions.  I’ve also become more ‘computer and internet literate’ – as you’ve given me an ‘ask Dennis Jones’ section on the ‘Mind Body and Kick Ass Moves’ section on the forum , the questions I’m being asked show that everyone seems to have a real interest in what’s happening on the street.

SR:  At the seminars we have done together recently, many people seem to have been unintentionally fed a lot of  misinformation about self defence by inexperienced instructors, when they come to train with you it’s a great opportunity for them find out what really happens during a violent confrontation.

DJ:  Everyone does the best they can with the learning that they have. I have a lot of experience in that field, and that’s where I can really help to fill the gaps.

SR: Most students value your instruction because you are a very approachable person; you relate direct experiences that pass on valuable information.

DJ: I’ve had a lifetime of dealing with different types of people and I still feel that the majority are decent.  I believe in positive reinforcement and I want to encourage people who attend my seminars to look at themselves and think about how they train and what they are training for.

SR:  I think that is what you have to offer that is so special.  Your approach is the opposite to that of other instructors.  They are trying to convert existing martial arts movements and kata into techniques that will work on the street, to my mind that doesn’t work very well; whereas you teach what works well in the street and then the student can work out where your techniques appear in their art – and if they’re not present, they can ‘bolt’ them on.

DJ: My approach has always been that there are natural movements of the body as well as emotions that make it powerful when needed in confrontation – and this needs to be harnessed and not restricted. Movement needs to be natural and not too contrived.

SR: It’s refreshing that you actually teach on a seminar what you do on the street.  So you’re not saying that in a kata , this move could have this or that application, what you are actually saying is “this is what I do out on the street” and it’s up to the students to look to see if it is in their art,  that is unusual.

DJ: Often Instructors say “this is what I do in the Dojo and it would work out in the street” I say nothing because I’ve taken the opposite approach.  What I teach has worked for me.  Some people might look at what I do and think it’s ‘untidy’ but nobody could deny that what I actually do isn’t effective.  I’ve just done a photo shoot with some young doormen. We went through a few typical situations that might occur ‘on the door’ and what is interesting about the pictures is that I look all over the place!  It might not be pretty….  but it works!  I want to add that I know I’ve said things that have upset some martial artists and I want to apologise and say that my intention has never been to hurt anyone’s feelings. However, I must tell the truth about what works and will continue to do so.

SR: People have said what you do looks like Tai Chi and of course you have a tai chi background as well as karate.  My answer to that is of course it’s influenced you but what you actually teach is “Dennis Do”!

DJ: I practice tai chi as part of my normal routine, I feel that my body takes from it what it needs and therefore what I do is an ‘application’ of it, but not like the ‘contrived’ applications that others do.

SR: Application to tai chi doesn’t just come from the ‘techniques’, it comes from the underlying principles.

DJ: What I get from Tai Chi Steve, is the ‘feel’ of movement.

SR: I would go one further and say the application many people do to karate kata is often weak because they are looking for ‘bunkai’ (which actually means ‘to break down and examine’) to moves rather than the underlying principles.  I think the application of karate kata is the same as we have just explained for Tai Chi .

What you do is “Dennis Do” in the sense of, you’re saying “this is what I do out in the street and I’ve made this work here, here, here and here, this has worked for me may be forty or fifty times”.

A couple of weeks ago you did a seminar in Birmingham at Paul Kelley’s academy how did it go?

DJ: It was really good and I enjoyed it.  Paul’s club practice Jeet Kune Do, Jun Fan Gung Fu, Kali, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, western boxing and Combat Submission Wrestling.  They train hard and made me feel really welcome.  Paul is on Guro Dan Inosanto’s instructor program through his primary martial art instructor and mentor, the prolific Rick Young.  He studies BJJ under Braulio Estima, boxing with Tommy Thompson and Combat Submission Wrestling under Erik Paulson. I like the way Paul thinks, his motto is: ‘no rubbish please’ he wants to understand the ‘martial’ and the ‘art’ he’s on a mission and has been for years. His fighting academy is excellent and caters for all ages and ability. 

SR: How would YOU describe what you teach?

DJ: It’s very much like having ten cubic meters of dirt and then getting a bucket full of water at the top and tipping water on the dirt so that it has to find its own path down.  I had to make my own way through the maze of martial arts and combat.

SR: How did Paul describe it?

DJ: Quite interesting, he said my movements were very interesting and similar to those of Kali. This is what Paul wrote about me:

‘…his years of first hand experience mean he can identify what will work when conflict includes the added elements of unmatched or no style and high emotions such as anger and hate, in other words non compliant opponents with a desire to hurt you! The following are areas that Dennis can help you with;

• Environmental conditions and opportunities.
• Rituals, posturing and set ups in real life situations
• Power striking through technique, body position and footwork patterns.
• Positional dominance through matched lead, unmatched lead and its relevance to stopping an opponent.
• Dealing with weapons through energy and application
• Follow ups to the pre-emptive strike-what works in punching kicking and grappling.
• ‘Nasty’ techniques for the street-finger jabs, eye gouging, fish hooking etc.
• Training for the mental edge-developing the correct mind set for combat.
• Multiple opponents- the rhythm’s of multiple attacks.

Anyway Steve I’ll end this article with a quote I came up with about ten years ago. I had no club or students at the time so it’s been kept in my mind until now:

‘The intensity and ferocity of an attack can end your life in seconds. At that moment your body will react instinctively and override all acquired skills unless your training mimics and is in harmony with your body’s natural movements.’

Steve Rowe

Steve Rowe is a highly successful Martial Arts instructor - an International Neigong, Qigong and Tai Chi Teacher and an 8th Dan Karate with many other senior dan grades in other martial disciplines.

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