Real Kung Fu Magazine

Editor in Chief – Michelle Marquez

Creative Director – Lupe Huerta

C.E.O. – Jim Muse Furtado

Senior Staff Writer – Cecelia Railey

Writer – Marisa Marquez

Administrative Assistant – Roseanne Najera

Assistant – Christina Railey

Graphics – Michelle Marquez

Interns

Mia Marquez

Grace Marquez

Samantha Edwards

Contact us!

realkungfumagazine@yahoo.com

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Letter from the Editor

Welcome to the second issue of Real Kung Fu Magazine!

In this issue we are featuring The Northern Style of the Praying

Mantis and we’ll be focusing on the History of this Martial Art. This

is a very ancient and complex style and not many teach this today,

so we are very pleased that Grand Master Jim Muse Furtado

agreed to do several demonstrations for us.

We also have Grand Master Ed James who shares his origin story, I

always find it fascinating to hear how one begins their Martial Art

journey, and he was kind enough to share his unique story with us!

We have two demonstrations performed by Grand Master James

and his student, 1st Degree Black Belt Angelo Cruz. They are a

step by step performance of Tang Soo Do’s intense fighting style.

This Martial Art takes dedication to train and has rewarding

benefits.

Faiz Mashood has returned for this second issue and demonstrates

several key moves from the Martial Art; Tai Shing Pek Kwar! He is a

very talented Martial Artist who has studied this art and has

accomplished great results which you will see in the demo!

We are also excited to have in this issue a wonderful woman who

some of you may know as ‘Kung Fu Grandma,’ Master Sandra

Kamar Kreitz Luna, she has a unique background, one that hails

from Belly dance and Master Sandra shares with us how she

transferred from Belly dancing into Martial Arts!

There are also two rounds of Martial Art battles which are

performed by Willie Lawson who is a Brown Belt in Tai Shing Pek

Kwar and Blue Belt Matthew Gutierrez!

So take a moment and enjoy this second issue of Real Kung Fu

Magazine!

--Editor Michelle Marquez

Welcome to

REAL KUNG FU MAGAZINE!

The purpose of this magazine is for enjoyment,

enlightenment and educational. We welcome anyone who

wishes to submit photographs and articles about their

schools, teachers and students, as we would like to

highlight those who have made achievements in Martial

Arts!

So please take a moment and enjoy the April Quarter issue

of

Real Kung Fu Magazine!

We reserve the right to edit all articles and photos received.

Journey

the

Kung Fu

Grandma

Sandra Kamar Kreitz Luna

My incredible journey in Gung Fu did not begin in my

younger years as most. I began my journey in 1995. My Granddaughter, Tamara,

was already training with Grand Master Muse Furtado. Her other Grandmother

had been taking her to train and could no longer take her. It was then that I

volunteered to take

Tamara. I sat there every

week, twice and

sometimes three times, in

a chair in the back of the

school while she trained.

Sometimes Tamara

would get special

attention as the only

student there for that time

slot. I was so impressed

with Grand Master's

knowledge and the

amount of attention he

paid to her.

It was a few years later

that two more of my

Grandchildren, Drew and

Robyn also started training. Master Sandra with her sword!

After not even a year of taking Tamara to train, I volunteered to

help Grand Master Furtado with choreography, props and costuming for his

yearly school production of A Childrens’ Nutcracker. Several years later I helped

Grand Master by designing and constructing most of the costuming, collecting

and making props for his new production of Peter Pan; The Story.

As you may have guessed, my passion was and is Performing Arts, dancing,

Fashion and Costume Design. Little did I know that Gung Fu would join the list

and has since become a true passion and way of life.

It will always be my

pleasure to assist Grand

Master with any of his

Performing Art endeavors

and to assist him with the

yearly promotions and

awards banquets along with

anything else to help make

the running of the school

easier.

One day I asked Sir where

he got the Kung Fu Sashes

for the promotions, he said

he had them made for the

school. I told him I could

make these for him and he

agreed to let me try.

So now for the past several years, I make every Black Belt Sash and added the

black or white fringe to the lower ranking sashes. Now affectionately known as

Kung Fu Grandma, my journey was just beginning.

With a background in Belly dance, Ballet, Flamenco and Performing

Arts, I was fascinated immediately by the grace, movement and power of this

Martial Art called Gung Fu. In a way, it was almost like dance choreography.

Belly dance became a big part of my life in my late 20s.

Before we got married, my husband taught me how to dance while we were in

College, but after we got married he did not want to dance anymore. Frustrated, I

had to find a dance form that I could do alone. Belly dance? Yes!!! I could design

and make my own costumes and had no need for a partner.

In the late 70s, there where

no DVDs, CDs or Internet to

learn this dance called Belly

dance, so, I bought a

paperback book about Belly

dancing at the local K- Mart

and a record from a local

record store. Two months

later, I had taught myself a

few moves, created my first

costume and was invited to

dance for the Elementary

School PTA Talent Show.

The rest is History! I have

participated in Southern

California’s first major Belly

dance Competition in Long

Beach, California. I

accumulated three First

Runner Up Trophies, three

People’s Choice Trophies

and three Halame

Congeniality Trophies from

the Belly Dancer of the Year

Competition held every year

at the Long Beach

Convention Center. After 38

years and no breaks, I am

still Belly dancing.

Meanwhile, I was still sitting in the waiting area of United School of

Martial Arts watching my growing Granddaughter train never thinking that a 55

year old Grandmother could do this. Grand Master Furtado invited me to join the

Friday night Yoga Class. I loved it! Never did I get such a great stretch and attain

a more flexible body than I did in this class. Even with15 years of Ballet it had

nothing on Taoist Yoga. About six months later, Grand Master invited me to start

the beginning Gung Fu class. I said that I was too old. He assured me that I was

not too old and that he would not let me get hurt. We would see!

This should have been easy for someone with a dance background. It was not

easy but I loved it and hungered for more. Gung Fu has been my best friend and

a way of life. I dreamed Gung Fu suddenly waking up in the middle of the night

and going over a form in my mind. I had to work harder because remembering all

this new and wonderful information was not easy for me. I knew Grandmaster

was getting impatient with me but he never showed it. He would always

encourage us to practice slow and easy and practice often. It has now been more

than twelve years since I took my first Gung Fu Class. I am now a Fifth Degree

Black Belt and my fellow students must now call me Master Sandra I never

thought I could ever make it this far. I never could have done so without the great

knowledge and encouragement I have so humbly received from Grandmaster

Jim Muse Furtado. I cannot thank him enough for what he has done for my three

Grandchildren and me! Because of him, I have been recognized in three USA

Martial Arts Halls of Fame Awards. I am still working hard on being a United

School of Martial Arts Kung Fu Academy Golden Warrior. I have been so blessed

and am thankful to God for my incredible journey. Yes, Gung Fu is Gung Fu:

Hard Work and Not Childs Play.

But if you work hard no matter your age, you too can make it a part of your way

of life as well. Peace!

Grand Master Ed James

8th Degree Black Belt

Inducted into 8 Martial Arts Hall of

Fames! Long Beach Tang Soo Do Academy

The Origins of

A Grand Master

By Senior Staff Writer – Cecelia Railey

Photos by Lupe Huerta

Random acts of violence are horrible, and rightly

condemned by all civilized members of society. No Matter how angry, or

frustrated, those emotions can be re-directed into positive, life-affirming

actions depending on societal influences.

This story – which is true – can be told about three remarkable men: Grand

Master Edward James, a Martial Artist who teaches a form of Martial Arts

called Tang Soo Do right here in Long Beach. His students are very fortunate

to have such a learned, skilled man for a teacher. Than there’s his father, a

Korean military man named Bennie James, and his teacher, Master Sang Kyu

Shin, who helped a young man regain his balance and zest for life.

Grand Master James first began training in Martial Arts, at age 21. While he

acknowledges that training can begin for Martial Arts at a considerably

younger age – 6 to 10 – he himself was brutally introduced to the world of self-

defense because of a horrible act of violence.

Grand Master James as a young man, liked outdoor sports: baseball,

swimming, and other outside activities – as any other young man. He can

recall in great detail the day he was attacked on a beautiful Sunday in Detroit,

by a vicious gang of street thugs. He realized he couldn’t defend himself

against the gang of attackers, so he did the best thing he could: he hollered

and screamed, and protected his head. He was on the ground when his shouts

attracted the attention of firemen in a nearby fire station, who swarmed to his

side and in doing so saved his life.

But from that

point on, a

change came

over Grand

Master James:

After the attack,

he grew

distrustful of

groups, and

then of

individuals. He

withdrew into

his home,

becoming less

social. This

effect is not

unknown among

those returning

from battle, but

it was hard to

deal with.

Paranoia can set

in, and a feeling

of helplessness.

For a year,

Grand Master

James

recovered from

his attack, but

the attackers

took away from

him a most

valuable

possession: His

love of activities.

Grand Master Ed James at his school in Long Beach, CA

Grand Master James’s father, Bennie James, a Korean military man, did not

like to see the change that had come over his son. He set about to encourage

Edward to regain an interest in life, and took him to investigate a self-defense

(judo) school in the neighborhood. It was the 1960s, Bennie located a judo

school operating out of a local YMCA and he made an appointment for his son.

What Grand Master James saw when he went to the Y was a group of teens

dressed in white, light uniforms, with different colored belts and he was also

exposed, at this same time to Karate, which was fairly new in the 1960s, and

not popularly known as a discipline outside Martial Arts circles. He noticed

differences in the classes, one of which was the outfits. Karate uniforms were

lighter and promoted ease of movement, while the Judo uniforms were thick

and quilted. When he asked about why the judo uniforms were so thick, he

was told it was because of the judo throws: landing on surfaces, the padding

helped to minimize bruising. Faced with the choice of Judo or Karate, young

James decided on Karate as a source of study. Judo was an art, but Karate

helped more with group fighting. He signed up August 18, 1964, for Karate.

Odd to say, but one of the reasons Grand Master James decided on Karate

over the (at the time) more publicized Judo discipline was cosmetic: He liked

the uniform, and the multiple kicking styles.

Ask Grand Master James today, and he’ll tell you that signing up for that class

was the best move he ever made. Grand Master James is knowledgeable

about the history of Martial Arts. There were originally four major styles of

Karate in the US in the 60’s: Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Okinawan, which

is another Japanese style. Grand Master James decided to study (and teach)

Tong Su Dong Moo To Quon, ‘Way of the China Hand.’

Grand Master Sang Kyu Shin taught James. This man was a great influence, as

a teacher and as a father figure. Master Shin de-emphasized negative traits,

such as egotistical behavior and bullying, and emphasized loyalty, integrity,

discipline and of course self-defense. He went out of his way to ensure that

Grand Master James could learn a discipline which was not regularly taught

outside of Asian countries.

Grand Master Edward James is able to influence children to be their best,

thanks to the loving support of his father, Bennie James, and the teachings of

his other father, Grand Master Shin. Congratulations to these three for being a

positive influence on their students, and being truly deserving of their titles,

“Master” and “Father.”

The Art of

Tang Soo Do

Grand Master Ed James and his student 1st Degree Black Belt Angelo Cruz demonstrate Tang Soo Do!

Photos by Lupe Huerta Step #1 Grand Master James Prepares for an attack!

Step #2 Grand Master James Defends by raising his left harm blocking the attack and places his right to protect his core.

Step #3 With a swift Block downward

Grand Master prepares for a strike to the neck in Step #4.

#3

#4

A sharp strike to the neck in step #5 and an elbow hit to the spine in step #6 ends this match.

#5

#6

In this attack Grand Master Ed James is attacked with a knife and in several quick

moves he has his attacker unarmed!

#1 The attacker lunges with a knife. With a grab onto the Wrist Grand Master prepares For the next Move!

Step #2 Grand Master Steps in And disables the Wrist with a Quick and decisive Move!

Step #3 Grand Master grabs the knife

And uses it on his attacker!

Step #4 Grand

Master James transitions and aims the knife!

Step #5

Grand Master embeds the knife into the spine!

Northern Praying

Mantis…

Also known as ‘Praying

Mantis Fist’

Photos by Ana Montgomery

Demo performed by Jim Muse Furtado

Northern Praying Mantis, ‘praying mantis fist’ is a style of

Chinese Martial Arts, sometimes called Shandong

Praying Mantis after its province of origin, and named

after the Praying Mantis, an insect whose aggressiveness

inspired the style.

It was created by Wang Lang, he was an unshaven monk of the

Henan Shaolin Temple. Wang Lang was a native of Shangdong

Province; he came from a wealthy family and studied the Martial

Arts in his youth. He entered the Shaolin Monastery around 350-

400 years ago.

Wang Lang witnessed a

fight between a

Praying Mantis

and a Cicada.

Lang was

fascinated by

the

aggressiveness,

speed and

strength of the

apparently

overmatched

Mantis. Wang

Lang took the

Mantis back to

his living

quarters for

further study;

he used a reed

to prod the

Mantis and

carefully

studied its

movements.

Wang would

then imitate these actions and over time the system slowly evolved.

He compiled these movements into the:

12 key words Verbal Formula,

the 8 Rigid Hand Patterns

the 12 Flexible Hand Patterns

the 8 Vulnerable

and 8 lethal points of attack

He incorporated into the new

style the best techniques

from the other seventeen

styles which he had

previously studied. He then

blended the footwork of the

Monkey with the hand

movements of the Mantis thus

assuring both Speed of the

hand and feet.

This Kung Fu style offers a

complete syllabus of skills in

long range kicking, middle

range hand techniques,

trapping skills, pressure

point/pressure strikes, iron

palm training, joint locks,

throws and skills capable of

neutralizing ground grappling attacks.

Its fighting style involves the use of whip like/circular motions to

deflect direct attacks, which it follows up with precise attacks to

the opponent’s vital spots. One of the most distinctive features of

the Northern Praying Mantis is the ‘Praying Mantis Hook’ a hook

made of one to three fingers directing force in a whip like manner.

The hook may be used to divert force (blocking), adhere to an

opponent’s limb, or attack critical spots (eyes or acupuncture

points). The ‘Praying Mantis Hook’ is also part of some of the

distinctive typical guarding positions of the style.

Northern Praying Mantis is especially known for its speed and

continuous attacks. Wrist/arm techniques are emphasized, as well

and knee and elbow strikes. Another prominent feature of the style

is its complex footwork, borrowed from Monkey Kung Fu.

What makes this style so effective are based on balance,

coordination, and body efficiently. This waist-torque method of

generating power does not require as much physical strength to

have powerful techniques. This method offers quite efficient

movement and aerobically does not require as much physical

exertion and with its shorter movements it also consists of

extremely fast techniques.

Praying Mantis uses a more flexible approach by using a guiding

set of concepts and principles rather than a specific set of

confining rules making it adaptable to any fighting environment.

Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu teachers have with each

successive generation, added to the development of the system

without altering the original concepts that make it such an efficient

fighting art. As social conditions have changed so has the training

emphasis. Today the emphasis is more on modern day street

practicality.

There are several styles of Northern Praying Mantis, the best

known are:

Seven Star Praying Mantis Boxing, this style was

created in the late 1890’s. It takes its name from the star

constellation the Big Dipper, the inside meaning being ‘the

disciples of this style should spread all over the world’. It has

as part of its syllabus, health enhancing breathing exercises

called (in Cantonese) Law Hon Gong, or The Monk’s Strength,

acquired from the Shaolin Temple. These chi gong-styled

breathing exercises have meditative, health enhancing,

strength building, and martial training aspects to them. It’s

considered by many as the hardest of the Praying Mantis

styles, however it still utilizes soft-hard principles and is

classified as a soft-hard style.

Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing is the oldest

among all Northern Praying Mantis styles, tracing its lineage

to the 1700’s.

Taiji Praying Mantis Boxing, today this style is

represented by two distinct lineages. This style is practiced

in Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam and North America.

Taiji Plum Blossom Praying Mantis Boxing, this

style is, historically, a combination of two different lineages

of Mantis: Taiji Mantis and Plum Blossom Mantis. This style is

well-known for its large two-handed sword and for being

somewhat ‘softer’ than Seven Star Praying Mantis.

Six Harmony Praying Mantis Boxing, known as the

‘softest’ or most ‘internal’ of the Praying Mantis styles. This

style has a very different curriculum, with unique routines not

found in other Praying Mantis styles.

Eight Step Praying Mantis Boxing, this style was

originally conceived by Jiang Hua Long and was further

refined by his principle disciple of the style Fen Huanyi.

Other rarer styles, but deserve a mention include:

Shiny Board Praying Mantis Boxing Long Fist Praying

Mantis Boxing Throwing Hand Praying Mantis Boxing

Secret Gate Praying Mantis Boxing

The Art of Tai Shing Pek Kwar

Demo by Faiz Mashood

Photos by Lupe Huerta

This stance is a

Pek Kwar Low Block

A Short Form

Monkey Salute

(Notice the back leg,

the knee is not locked)

Twisting Stance

Chop/Block Axe Fist

Cross Legged Stance

Double Upper Cut

The Art of Defense! Demos Round 1 & 2 are Performed by Willie Lawson

(Brown Belt) & Matthew Gutierrez (Blue Belt)

With his Right hand Gutierrez grabs Lawson’s wrist in

this move.

Gutierrez attempts to strike Lawson in the torso and

Lawson blocks the move. (Note Gutierrez still has his

hand on Lawson’s wrist.)

Lawson jumps out into a low cat stance and breaks

free of the hold on his wrist bringing his left arm up

in a guard position.

Stepping into a quick Bow Stance, Lawson does a

Right Twisting Punch into the Solar Plexus

ending this round.

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Here we have a wrist grab! This time Lawson is

attacking Gutierrez!

Gutierrez Hooks the hand with a Wrist Grab!

Gutierrez prepares for an Axe Fist Chop!

Performs the Axe Fist Chop which Breaks the Elbow!

After completing the Elbow Break Gutierrez does a

Left Side Punch to the Floating Ribs!

A move that completes Round 2!

Ask Grand Master

Jim Muse Furtado

A question!

In this section we welcome readers to submit questions to Grand Master

Furtado at realkungfumagazine@yahoo.com or you can ask us on our Facebook page!

Grand Master will try and answer your questions! (Please note your names and info will remain private)

Question: Grand Master, the basic forms used in the Tae Kwon do and Kwon Bop and the renamed style of Suh do Kwan (Peaceful mind way) where do they originally come from? Is it from the Kwons or from China? Answer: The original basic Forms or Patterns as they are also called are from the original nine Kwans (schools) of Korea, they are based on the Japanese/Okinawan styles of Karate. As well as the Chinese Kung-Fu Arts, however, many have created their own ways, names and systems over the years and also changed a lot of the original Forms around and gave them their own flare. Question: Do you know the first form of Southerly Praying Mantis? Answer: According to the History on the Southern Praying Mantis the forms taught are as follows:

Sarm Bo Gin

Sarm Bo YIl Sou

Sarm Kung Bic Kuiel

Sarm Bo Pai Tarn

Sarm Bo Pin Kuiel

Tong Long Bow Sim Sou Tong Long Won Sou