IN DEFENSE OF BOJUKA!

I have to apologize, I haven’t been able to keep up the blog due to my having major computer problems. I’m hoping that this will change very soon.

Human beings by nature have a particular way of classifying things. Specifically, things that are familiar to them. Smells, sights and sounds are usually rounded off to the nearest memories in order to accomplish a sense of comfort and acceptance. In other words, it’s easier for people to swallow something they can refer the taste to compared to something new. Like some exotic meats of cuisine, (snake, octopus and frog legs) most people would say tastes like chicken. Which in case brings me to Bojuka. Usually when other martial artists and professional warriors view a demonstration of any kind in regards to Bojuka, comparisons to other forms of martial art systems begin to quickly follow. I have been told that Bojuka is a Krav Maga knock off, modified Wing Chun or that it’s a bad form of Wing Chun and Kali mix as well as other unflattering comments. First off lets get something clarified, Bojuka is a non-traditional American martial art based in America. Despite it’s using certain traditional martial art drills as building blocks for the attributes of the practitioner, it’s thinking and philosophy is very much geared towards American views and philosophy. People compare Bojuka to Krav Maga because Krav Maga has been successfully marketed, but unknown to many Bojuka existed in America long before Krav Maga first ever appeared on a magazine here in the states or in Jennifer Lopez's film "Enough". I know of this personally because I have lived my martial art career through several of the major martial art revolutions. I have experience how they have come to popularity. The kickboxing revolution, the Jeet Kune Do revolution, The Ninjutsu craze, the Gracie Jujitsu /UFC revolution and now the mix martial arts/close quarter combat revolution are all examples of systems that boast superiority for street combat. If you do a side by side comparison of the systems of Bojuka and Krav Maga’s tactics you will see that Bojuka is truly geared for American street confrontations due to the understanding, reinforcement and training of legal ramifications that arise from life threatening altercations. Also, there are several core concepts that are exclusive to the system of Bojuka such as the Rock, Zoning, The Cobra Theory, The Lever Concept, pain reaction, the 30/70 percental rule and Manipulation concept. The system was perfected due to the experience Tom gained as a bail bondsman. Through those experiences he was able to develop tactics that would help in situations most likely to occur during daily life such as knife attacks and multiple opponent scenarios, but allows the defendant to protect themselves from legal ramifications that could and does sometimes arise as civil suits against the victims who defend themselves. A thorough examination of Bojuka reveals this to be so. I am excited that attention has been given to the world of self defense and close quarter combat, but I also have been disappointed due to the influx of inadequate instructors who claim that they have a thorough knowledge of self defense or street knowledge of self defense, when usually all they have done is taken their system’s strongest techniques dealing with weapons and modified them, but still the tactic falls short which opens a Pandora’s box for the practitioner seeking to find competent tactics for the street. Since 911 several systems have come to the forefront as being the go to persons of superior knowledge in self defense. YouTube is a haven of self defense gurus whose methods are highly questionable. Most teach techniques and tactics that have not been proven, are impractical or are totally irresponsible. The Bojuka Institute Of Self Defense is committed and dedicated to teaching those who seek to have a way of defending themselves in a life threatening altercation. In the interim we ask that before comparing or judging the the system of Bojuka please research us or ask questions. I guarantee you through demonstration or response you will see we are the purest form of self defense.

Thank You!

Sifu James,

“Train Well, Train Smart, Fight Hard!”

Bojuka Teacher Excells!

Sorry for falling behind on the posts, but I've been waiting to receive the photos taken during the One Day Summer Camp. Just got the CD from our photographer Dimitry and they are awesome! I will be posting some in the next coming days. But for now I want to say congratulations to our Bojuka West Coast Federation Vice President Christian Cardona for completing his studies in CGI & matte painting. Christian graduated with top honors and with his extreme talent created and completed a 5 minute trailer based on a screenplay that he and I wrote together years ago. It's called "Mark Of The Dragon". The trailer has several Bojuka students in it and was shot over several days.
Click on the link below to view the trailer and while you're at it check out the brother's reel. Smokin!. http://www.christiancardona.com/demo4dload.mov
We will be doing a spotlight on Christian in weeks to come. Congratulations Sifu Christian! We love you and are very proud of you!

The Bojuka Summer Camp Recap!

The 2007 One Day Bojuka Summer Camp was a great success. We will be posting photos and a written recap of the event sometime this week.

Spotlight on West Coast Bojuka Federation President Sifu James! Part4 Final

At that time I was heavy into Bruce Lee's teaching. It was the teachings of Bruce Lee that I believed and understood gives people their own individuality which allows them to best fighter they can be. It's something that my Sifu Carl used to say. "Go into any school across the world and look in the teachers library and you will find a copy of the Tao Of Jeet Kune Do." Tom and I talked for hours that evening. A week and a half later we had our first training session. He blew my mind! Anything I thought I knew about defending against a stick, a knife or punches was quickly thrown out of the water. Not only did he show me that size was not important but he opened the door that many systems keep closed. Multiple opponents! He showed me to make that something to keep in mind always. He took what I thought was a strong foundation of self defense and burned it to the ground. In that single day he offered me something that for so long escaped my grasp. He offered me true confidence and control. There was no secret he offered, just simplicity. He became my instructor and still is to this day. Months later I stopped training Wushu Gung Fu completely and committed my time fully to Bojuka. Although I still taught several other systems at my school. The mainstay of my curriculum all lead to Bojuka. I even trained my young ones Bojuka concepts and once they became Black Belts it became their main sourced of training. I cannot begin to tell you what Tom and the system of Bojuka has done for my life. At 38 I know I can go any where in the world and face death in the eye and truly have no fear in combat. The uneasiness that I once had for bigger opponents is now replaced with a passionate respect for combat against any assailant of any size. After being a victim for the early part of my life and then after all the years that I studied I had finally found me. More than techniques, memorable times of comradeship or self defense. I guess that what Bojuka gives you in the end. It gives you... You. Thank You Tom, always!

"Train Well, Train Smart and Fight Hard!"
Sifu Choice James Skinner.

Spotlight on West Coast Bojuka Federation President Sifu James! Part3

One day I went across to the gym to use their bathroom. The plumbing in my school was down and it would be a day before things would be restored. As I walked into the back room I caught a glimpse of a guy tossing some huge power lifters around. Out of my ignorance, blind ego and arrogance I foolishly assumed that they where working on Judo. Although I dabbled with Judo on my path to enlightenment I was never really pleased with the fact that the practitioners always seemed to be injured. Never made sense to me. So I did my business and made my way back across the street. A few weeks later the same man that was tossing around the power lifters came into my school. He was a humble guy and modest in stature, 5'10, 170lbs, blonde hair and blue eyes. I didn't think much of him and quite frankly due to my prejudices, fear and arrogance; I was quick to brush him off. He told me he was looking for established martial artists to train with. I quickly interjected and told him "I don't do Judo". He quickly retorted, "He didn't do Judo either". In that conversation alone I almost lost a most valuable gem that would eventually change my life. But he was patient yet persistent in getting his point across. He told me his name was Tom and he had his own system named Bojuka. He said, “It’s a pure self defense system based on the common denominators of street combat.” Although I was somewhat interested my arrogance got the best of me. While on the outside I was cordial on the inside I wondered what he could teach me. I realized at this point in my career that were no "secrets" in the martial arts, so what could he be able to show me that I have yet to see? He allowed me to brush him off and said that he would slide some information under the door in the future. He did a week later. I put the book on the shelf and it gathered dust. He came through once again and because of his persistence I told him that I would be willing to train with him but I had to wait for some mats that I had recently ordered. But, for the very first time he mentioned something that piqued my interest... Bruce Lee.

Spotlight on West Coast Bojuka Federation President Sifu James! Part2

In Georgia I took a year off from training and reflected on the teachings that Mr Jackson gave me. Although my fear of combat wasn't as bad as it was before training with him, there still wasn't a sense of control that I knew was possible. When I looked at and listened to Bruce Lee and his teachings, there was always a supreme control and true confidence that he harnessed. I desired and longed after that control true confidence. I started down a pathway similar to his and submerged myself in all forms of reading materials on the martial arts as well as never turned down a impromptu training session with warriors of other disciplines. I sparred combatants of various styles on the regular. Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Jujitsu, Ninjutsu, Aikido, Kung Fu, etc. I would always fare well but still sensed that the matches could and should have gone more to my favor in a quicker fashion and with more ease. It was in my seventh year of training when I was convinced by another martial artist to open my own school due to the fact that I was well beyond my years in regards to knowledge. I was working at a video store then and the young brother would always have questions in regards to techniques and strategy. I would share my views with him and he would go back to class and employ them. These bits of advice helped him to quickly move up in rank. So, after the eighth time of him mentioning that I should teach, I gave it some considerable thought. It wasn't until I went to a Tae Kwon Do tournament and saw the instructor yelling and screaming at his students during a board breaking demonstration with such disrespect and disregard, I decided that in order to make a difference in the martial arts world I had to act upon my thoughts. The environment that day fully reminded me of Bruce Lee's open letter entitled "The Classical Mess." A fellow friend and co-worker gave me the initial capital to start a small but modest school. We opened up right across from a local gym where power lifters were regular attendees. At that point I was somewhat confident in my skill but to a degree there was still a discomfort when any guy over six-feet weighing more than 200lbs would be around me. I always questioned myself if I could truly handle the situation. I was haunted by that fear. Soon after I was approached by a former Wushu champion of Germany named Carl Hudspeth. He who wanted to take me on as his student. I accepted. I studied with him for about a year.

Spotlight on West Coast Bojuka Federation President Sifu James! Part1

I started training martial arts around the age of 14. I got into it because I had been mugged several times and had a tendency of being a victim due to past physical abuse and molestation I suffered as a child. My brothers had already been entered into a class taught by my first instructor Mr Dyron Jackson at a community center. His background was strict Shotokan Karate, kickboxing and Wing Chun. When I met him he was investing his time researching Jeet Kune Do and Ninjutsu. He was like a big brother to me as well as a strong mentor due to his strong Muslim background. I was the worst in the class and was always a step behind everyone else, but I wouldn't quit no matter what I was commited to success in the martial arts. Eventually my family ended up moving to Augusta GA during my last year in high school. Despite training for three years with Mr Jackson, there was always a small place in my gut that told me something was still yet to be attained in regards to true protection of myself.

Meet the Founder Of Bojuka!

I wanted to take the time to introduce you to the man responsible for creating the system of Bojuka... Tom Schrenk! Click on the video to see him in action. I met Tom back in 1992 in Augusta Ga. Since then we have remained close friends and are working together to bring Bojuka to the masses. Tom has dedicated his life to the pursuit of practical and pure self defense. His main headquarters is the Bojuka Instittute located in Lemoynne Pennsylvania where he trains and teaches. There are also students in Canada and Los Angeles who currently train and teach this stellar form of combative arts. He continues present day to streamline the system in order to make it more proficient, efficient and effective for those who have a desire to defend themselves. I am very grateful and truly appreciate the opportunity to be his student. On behalf of myself and all others who study Bojuka... Thank you Tom! We Love you!

Bojuka Is Featured In Soap Opera Digest!

One of our very own skill level four teacher was interviewed this past week in regards to how Bojuka has changed her life. Click the link to read all about it! Then click the video below. She's the one in the trailer disarming the gun from the big guy!
http://www.soapoperadigest.com/features/gh/interviews/kentmasterskingbojuka/index.html

Bojuka One Day Summer Camp!

We are looking forward to our annual summer camp coming up in 2 1/2 weeks. We will be covering some great topics. All skill levels are welcome as well as beginners through advanced of other systems. Hopefully everyone will get to make it. Click the flyer to enlarge.

This Is Bojuka!

Welcome to the official blog page of the Bojuka featuring the Westcoast Bojuka Federation. Although some of it's movements and concepts are based on several familiar forms of martial arts, Bojuka is a combative art based on the american legal system. Meaning, that the system recognizes the law and was designed to help the practitioner defend themselves without losing view of justification and training to properly defend oneself while at the same time avoiding excessive force and civil lawsuits due to their reactions to violent encounters. This page is designed to keep those of interest updated with the weekly going ons of the philosopies, activities and events that we in the system are currently working on.