ACTOR & MARTIAL ARTS SUPREMO

John Carrigan

ACTOR & MARTIAL ARTS SUPREMO

John has been an associate member of the IBF for nearly 20 years here is an article on his latest success article and attached pictures about receiving hi Master Instructors Award, also included some stuff about his latest filming in "Hollywood".

   THE JOURNEY IS THE DESTINATION

I began training in the martial arts way back in 1972, which now seems a lifetime ago. In 1983 I took a trip to LA and visited the IMB Academy which is a centre for many of the ex students and friends of the late great "Bruce Lee" who continue his JKD legacy. The IMB is run by "Sifu Richard Bustillo" a friend and original Lee student, Richard and "Dan Inosanto" were among the first to openly continue teaching Jeet Kune Do after Bruce's passing. Sifu Bustillo spoke to me about my training and agreed to take me on as an overseas student of his, this began our many years of me visiting LA and "Richard" visiting the UK to teach me and teach at JKD seminars I would host. I became one of Richards first European trainee instructors, and eventually a full instructor with the IMB Academy under him.

The long martial arts journey, plus the fact that I also became a stunt man and an action actor took it's toll on my body and five years ago I had to have a Hip replacement, (our martial arts injuries and having to become Bionic is something Martin and I share in common), It took me a long while to become what I consider workable again and get used to a new kind of me, coping with the pain and limitations of my new hip. I had not had Sifu Bustillo over for a seminar for several years, but this past November I attended and helped put together a seminar hosted by my friend and one time student "Guru Lee Banda". It was great to see Richard again and also to let him see that I had not slacked off or used my hip replacement as any excuse to be less than I used to be. It was a wonderful seminar and many of my students had never met Sifu Bustillo before, so it was great to see the smiles on their sweat drenched faces at the end.

I knew that at the close of the seminar, Richard was going to award some new trainee instructorships, but I was totally blown away when at the end he called me out and awarded me a "Master Instructor" ranking, It never entered my head that I would ever receive such an honour, to me the journey was always the destination, I had no words.....

A week later I was being flown back to LA by a production company to attend the first screening of a short Western I had co starred in a year before called "Cowboy Creed", this film also had a "Bruce Lee" connection, the actor playing the "Sheriff was "Anthony Delongis", he played "Morthon" the seeker in Bruce's "Silent Flute" he was also in "Roadhouse" and Jet Li's "Fearless". "Anthony" is a top stunt Choreographer but he was happy to let me put my big fight scene together and it went amazingly well.  I invited Sifu Bustillo to the screening and at the press question and answer session later there was loads of great feedback, the Director asked the crowd "does anyone have any negative comments", Sifu Bustillo raised his hand and I held my breath as he said " there should be more Blood on the big guy, because when my Boy John hits em, they bleed, everyone roared with laughter.... Phew, what a great year.

John Carrigan