Dr. Gyi Comes to Buffalo, NY
(L-R Tom Macaluso, Dr. Gyi, Boyd Ritchie)
October 18-20, 2002
Buffalo, NY
Training with Dr. Gyi is always a learning experience. This seminar was no exception. On Friday night, we worked with the Dha or long sword. Its size and length make it a unique weapon. While it is not one you will encounter on main street in most American cities, training with it brings out body mechanics that carry over very well to other weapons, especially those that are large and unorthodox. If you are a fan of historical martial arts, it is fun to train with because it is a true battlefield weapon. Dr. Gyi provided a written syllabus outlining drills with the wooden training Dha that will keep us busy for a long time.
On Saturday, we spent the entire day learning about and training with the Kukri. The Kukri is the familiar weapon of the famous Gurkha soldiers. First we learned how to care and clean the weapon. Next the history of the weapon was presented followed by a discussion of the safety "zones." We learned about the different salutations of different Gurkha regiments and their significance and then practiced them. This leads naturally into how to properly draw the weapon. We trained in the different basic draws, target zones, and basic training exercises. Using wooden Kukri, we practiced combat drills against multiple attackers and realistic combat techniques for dispatching an enemy. It is truly a functional, practical and effective weapon that dates back to Alexander the Great but is still used effectively world wide by modern soldiers.
On Sunday, Dr. Gyi presented Letha Yoga and the healing arts of Burma. These included meditation techniques for preparation, discussion on the energy channels and chakras in the human body followed by hand-on training with partners in stretches and healing practices.
All in all it was a great seminar. If you have a chance to train with Dr. Gyi, please take advantage of it. He refers to his art as a "dump truck" martial art in that it may not look as good as a "Ferrari" martial art but it will get you where you need to go when you need it. His art (Burmese Bando) is a functional, practical combative martial art.
- Boyd Ritchie