AN INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN CIKARA

Date of interview: 14th of October 1998

Background of Grading - Took place on 31 August 1998 at the Sunset Coast Fitness Centre in Scarborough, Western Australia. The black belt grading requirements consisted of katas, techniques, defence against random attacks (including surprise grappling from behind, baton and knife attacks), 5 rounds continuous sparring, two-on-one sparring and three-on-one sparring. Brian was also required to submit a written thesis on a personally chosen topic before the grading.

How long have you studied the martial arts and through what styles?

Apart from this being my sixth year in Kenpo, I have done 2 years of boxing, 6 months Hapkido, 6 months Kung Fu and external cross-training with Brazilian Jujitsu (Shoot Fighting) and Kick Boxing.

Why did you end up with Kenpo?

A good friend of mine who was into the martial arts was often checking out different dojos and competitions - always looking for different and innovative systems. He was disillusioned with his own art and eventually stumbled across Kenpo. Soon after, he gave me a call to come and have a look with him. Needless to say, I was impressed with the hand speed and technical ability of Kenpo, which is just a few of the reasons why I continue it today.

What did you write your black belt thesis on and why?

The concept of 'Bridging the Gap'. I believe that this is one of the most important aspects of a combat once a fight has begun and distance is maintained between the fighters.

Did writing your thesis and then looking back at it provide any insights?

At first I went about writing on the physical aspect of bridging the gap, searching for literature and reading notes that I had found and taken over the years. Then I began to change the way I thought about this subject from a physical aspect to a mental one. The mental aspects of combat seem to be more of a primary focus for me now, as the physical side stems from this.

What sort of preparation did you do for your black belt grading?

Six weeks before the grading, I started running 40-50 km a week. Apart from 3 classes of training a week, I also did bag work, katas and techniques at home. I had 2 weeks off work before the grading to train 6 hours a day. After each day of training, I also watched a lot of martial art movies, boxing etc. for motivation and ideas.

How has achieving your black belt altered your way of thinking?

I don't believe that there are big secrets in the martial arts - just a lot of work and (more importantly) goal setting. 'Secret' techniques hidden in movements were always there to begin with - one just has to have an open mind. I've got a much more open mind to both training and personal life now, as I see it as a great tool for development and improvement. The vast majority of martial arts instructors will claim that their style is the best, but how can this be? Only those [martial artists] that realise that each style is a different angle on pursuing the martial arts can improve their style on the whole. An open mind to all styles must be maintained to realise different strengths and weaknesses - and to learn from these.

How do you view being the first WA black belt?

If feels good to be the "1st" in anything, not to mention the first black belt! I'm honoured. But being first has its disadvantages. I have no higher belts, other than Sam [the instructor], to get advice and ideas from in relation to my direction now. It's uncharted waters.

What weapons have you selected to specialise in and why?

The baton and the knife. Both being light weight one handed weapons, they seem to come naturally to me after the hand skills developed in Kenpo.

How will you go about learning these weapons?

Both the baton and the knife are similar to each other in regards to the flow of strikes. A bit of experimentation with techniques that I already know while using the baton and/or knife has already shown how easily they can be adapted to Kenpo principals. Also, we currently have an SAS combat instructor doing some training with us at Kenpo. He specialises in weapons such as the stick and knife which is very useful when exchanging ideas.

How do you envision your future direction in the martial arts?

I see myself doing a lot more cross training. I'm going to check out other styles for ideas and teaching methods. Eventually, I wish to start up my own club. Seeing as there are no other Kenpo schools in Western Australia, I would like to travel to the USA and train with one or two other Kenpo associations.

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All pages designed and constructed by Liam Delaney (c) 1998.
Interview conducted by Slade Norris
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