In the spring of 1998, I wrote out a series of goals for my life. One of which was to earn a black belt in a Martial art. At the time, I had no idea what that might mean, or where it would take me... Then in April of 2000, I met Master Roger Koo.
My name is Jay Platt, and this the story of my involvement in the incredible Martial Art known as Koo Self Defense. Named after its founder and creator, it is undoubtedly unlike anything you've ever experienced. At least it was for me.
Koo Self Defense is not the first martial art I've been involved in, by the way, but it will be my last. I still have so much to learn. Let me explain.
As a kid, I was intrigued by the martial arts and got my first taste as a 10 year old, in the sport of Judo. I did that for a while, then as happens with kids, lost interest, and moved on to something else. In high school, I wrestled and learned the ins and outs of grappling. I also got in more than my share of fist fights. After graduation, I served in the US Marine Corps until my retirement in 1998. As a Marine, I practiced the Marine Corps' version of martial arts, and also became involved in Okinawa Kenpo Karate Kobudo.
I tell you my history to lead to this point. Although everything I did up to the time I joined Master Koo prepared me in many ways, I now know most of it was completely back- ward when it comes to being prepared for real world fighting. And that's where Master Koo comes in.
If you haven't done so, read about his background on his webpage. What it hints at, but what you'll never fully appreciate until you spend some time with him, is this is a man of the same caliber and mindset as Bruce Lee. I don't know if he thinks of himself in that way (as humble as he is, I seriously doubt it), but that is the way I and many others see him.
What makes his system so unique? In a word, everything. First of all, the level of fitness one obtains through the workouts is nothing short of phenomenal. I have seen people of various backgrounds achieve unbelievable gains in both strength and cardiovascular conditioning. I actually shocked an entire medical staff at my last physical when my resting heart rate measured 42 beats per minute. And I know many, many students who have the kind of punching and kicking power normally attributed to professional fighters. This is done through Master Koo's one of a kind aerobic conditioning sessions followed by all out punching and/or kicking into shields and mitts held by a fellow student.
Incredibly, all the intense aerobic sessions are led by Master Koo himself. During the punching and kicking sessions, the student is allowed to do what feels right, rather than spending hours on the "perfect" stance or arm movement, based on something some fisherman was supposedly doing a thousand years ago. Master Koo knows that often the best way to learn something is to do it wrong a couple of times. Believe me, if you hit a heavy bag with your wrist in the wrong position, you quickly learn not to hit that way again.
I could go on and on, but I won't. I will just conclude by saying this. Although I achieved my goal of obtaining a black belt, I now know, thanks to Master Koo, that the real power lies not in the color of the belt, but in what one becomes in the process. Therefore, the black belt is just part of the continuing journey. And for me, I look forward to what lies ahead...
Video Clips at the Downtown Cartersville Koo Self Defense Studio, Georgia, USA. Started training in Koo Self Defense on April 28, 2000 and has done 330 classes to the day of photos and video clips
Taken April 2002
Power Drills Class - Mixed Drills Class, simulating street attacks
Power Drills Class - Mixed Drills Class, simulating street attacks
Power Drills Class - Spaghetti (Free Choice) Kicks
Taken May 2002
Power Drills Class - Part of "The One Minute Challenge" nonstop hits for 1 full minute
The following is a newspaper article entitled "Self-defense training also builds fitness" written by me that appeared in Cartersville's The Daily Tribune's special supplement on 'Health/Fitness', Wednesday February 28, 2001.'
As I struggled to lift my leg for one more kick, I couldn't help but wonder,"How'd I get myself into this mess?" It was my first day of experiencing Master Roger Koo and his Koo Self Defense first hand, and boy did I learn a lot. What I've learned over the weeks and months since that first day has literally changed my whole outlook on what it means to be physically fit and prepared to defend oneself. Over the next few minutes, I'd like to share with you some of those lessons. (I don't have the space in this article to do justice to the history of Master Koo and the origins of his fantastic fitness/fighting system. You can learn more about him by viewing his web site at www.ksdi.net, or by visiting him at his world headquarters here in Cartersville. You're probably wondering by now what this Koo Self Defense is all about. What sort of person undertakes such a program? And what could you possibly learn there? Good questions, all of them. Let's take a look at each. The students at Master Koo's studio are as diverse as any group you'd find anywhere. Every background is represented. There are men, women, boys and girls of all different races and ethnicities. Some are just getting started on their path of fitness, while others are already in outstanding shape. There are doctors, lawyers, sales people, teachers, etc. He even lets a professional loafer like me train there (actually, I'm a professional speaker and writer). The great thing about Koo Self Defense is that everyone is challenged according to their own ability. If you're not in the best shape when you begin training, that's OK. You simply push yourself as hard as you feel that you can. You then build from there. Conversely, if you're in better shape, then you'll be challenged too. The training program is designed that way. It gets more difficult as you push yourself harder. And you'll find Master Koo there, leading you all the way. Other than fitness, what else can you expect to gain from Master Koo? Well, although the great side benefit of the program is that you'll get in tip top physical shape, the primary purpose of his program is to teach you to defend yourself more so than you've ever likely been able to in the past. (It should be noted that first and foremost, Master Koo stresses that one should only fight as a last resort). The method of defense that Master Koo teaches is based on his over thirty years of experience in the martial arts. He has taken only what works and gotten rid of what does not. For instance, you won't be forced to learn any ancient stances or forms that serve no purpose on the street. You will, however, learn to punch in much the same manner as a boxer. You won't be taught any high flying, ballet like kicks that look pretty but aren't useful. But, you will learn to kick in ways, and with such force, that your opponent will find it virtually impossible to defend against it. Make no mistake about it, this is fighting 101, pure and simple. Master Koo teaches you to defend yourself in the most direct and purposeful manner I've ever witnessed. The power of his students is unbelievable. Think Mike Tyson. Although my own power doesn't begin to approach his black belts, it has tripled since I began eight months ago. This power is achieved through Master Koo's unique, unheralded system of hitting with full power in each session. There is no punching in the air here (what's that supposed to teach you?). We learn what it feels like to punch or kick an object (we use padded mitts and shields held by a partner) at full power, which in turn develops the muscle strength, endurance, and memory necessary for maximum power later. All of this together produces what I believe to be the ultimate fitness/fighting system in the world. I feel truly fortunate to have Master Koo as my instructor/coach/mentor. I look forward to training under him for many years to come and invite you to join us. You'll be glad you did! Jay Platt is a former U.S. Marine Corps gunnery sergeant. In 1998, his military career was prematurely ended due to the diagnosis and subsequent complications of cancer. Despite the partial removal of his left kidney, multiple brain and spinal cord tumors, and the loss of his left eye, he went on the become one of fewer than 300 people to have ever thru-hiked the entire distance of the more than 2,100 mile Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia. He is the author of "A Time to Walk: Life Lessons Learned on the Appalachian Trail" and is a popular speaking professional.