Top from left, Martin O’Neil (Lurgan) Alan De Preter (Belguim) Neil Click (Longford), James Devine (Dublin)
Bottom from left, Paul Tobin (Laois), Tom Chambers (Mayo) Mark McNulty (Donegal) Colm Whooley (Dublin)
Jeet Kune Do in Wheelchairs
A Real Eye Opener!
Newport man pushes the boundaries to conquer yet another challenge
There is something about Tom Chambers that enlivens the spirit. Wheelchair bound since an accident in 1981, the Newport man’s spirit knows no bounds. The sports fanatic has completed numerous marathons, pushed the wheels through countless races and inspired a multitude through his unyielding belief that anything is possible. The big man was always active, playing football with his native Burrishoole in his youth and later lining out across the water in England. When a car in 1981 left him disabled but nothing could harness his love of life and ambition to push back the boundaries time and time again. Tom never ceases to amaze, but his latest venture is even more interesting than usual. The Newport man has taken up Martial Arts. Jeet June Do (The way of the Intercepting Fist) now has a Newport exponent and Chambers is more than enthusiastic about his new achievement. “If you always put limits on everything you do, it will spread into your work and your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” It is a method of self-defence for those of us with spinal injuries and it really works. I was delighted to get involved. I have met some amazing people and I’m learning new skills all the time. Jeet Kune Do (The Way of the Intercepting Fist) was founded by Sifu Bruce Lee over 35 years ago. He emphasized on intercepting your components attack before it’s launched or at the latest while it’s in motion. In order to achieve the goal of interception there are a few key principles to abide by: Simplicity, economy, longest weapon/nearest target! Martin O’Neil began the first JKD School in Ireland in 1987. He has been active in martial arts for 27years and he is the first person in Europe to be certified full instructor in Jun Fan Gung Fu, Jeet Kune Do, by Sifu Lama M Davis II. He is ranked by Sibak Taky Kimura and Sifu Andy kimura at Advanced level 2 in Jun Fan Gung Fu. Martin became only the second person outside the USA to receive the rank of level 2 in Jun Fan Gung Fu from Sibak Taky Kimura and Sifu Andy Kimura. Taky Kimura was perhaps Bruce Lee’s closest friend during the Seattle period. Being a Japanese-American, Kimura lived a life that was marred by anti-Asian racism, which ran rampant in the United States during World War II and afterward. When Kimura was 36, he met Lee, then 19, and signed up for marital arts lessons. Immediately, his self-confidence grew, and his self-defence ability improved. Lee eventually promoted him to the fifth rank of Jun Fan gung Fu and gave him permission to teach the system. From 1960 to 2005, Kimura oversaw the functions of the Jun Fan Gung Fu Club of Seattle. Together with his son Andrew, he now operated the Jun Fan Gung Fu institute there. Martial arts for people with a disability took a major step forward in 2008 when Spinal injuries Ireland (who run a Jeet Kune Do self defence program) were privileged to host a seminar in Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, with Sibak Andy Kimura as the guest instructor. Andy Kimura, Senior instructor at the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute of Seatttle is the son of Sigung Taky Kimura, Bruce Lee’s closest friend and highest ranked student. The Jun Jan Gung Fu Institute of Seattle was founded in 1960 by the late Bruce Lee the founder of the Martial Art OF Jeet Kune Do. Spinal Injuries Ireland have being pursuing their goal to create a self-defence program that ‘Really works’ for wheelchair users since 2003. Spinal Injuries Ireland’s JDK instructors Declan Breen and Colm Whooley met Andy Kimura and Alain De Preter of Antwerp JKD at a seminar in Belfast held by Martin O’Neil of JKD Ireland. It was while attending this seminar that the seed of an idea was planted. Would it be possible to get Andy and Taky Kimura Kimura to agree to hold a seminar for Spinal Injuries Ireland? The first step in this journey was October 2008 when six members of Spinal Injuries Ireland JKD self defence program travelled to Antwerp in Belgium to train with Alan De Preter of the Antwerp School of Martial Arts. It is fair to say that Alain De Preter and his colleagues were impressed with the technical ability and passion of the group. At the end of the weekend Alain agreed to ask Taky and Andy Kimura when he was next in Seattle if they would consider putting a seminar for Spinal Injuries Ireland together. Alain De Preter outlines would how committed and passionate Spinal Injuries Ireland JKD self-defence group where about developing a real and practical self defence program. Taky and Andy agreed to travel from Seattle to the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dublin where Spinal Injuries Ireland run their JDK self defence program for both inpatients and individuals from around the country. Tom is glad to report the programmes are going from strength to strength that Kelly McCann (He is a combatives instructor and former Marine with more than 25 years of experience is self-defence) who is interested in what we are doing would love to meet up with us. Thomas loves travelling from Newport Co Mayo every month to the self-defence training day and hopefully one day will have his own school in the West and his dream came through on the 23rd of June 2009 following a very steep self-defence weekend by Martin and Alain under the supervision of guest instructor Sifu Andy Kimura of the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute of Seattle he received his first of many certificates in Jeet Kune Do and he proudly hangs on the wall of his house. What will Chambers next challenge be but one thing is certain he will play te hand of cards he is dealt with.
Tom Chambers
The Billy Ranch
Knocknageeha
Newport
Co.Mayo
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