This style of training saved me from breaking my back in my mid 40's. Because I knew how to take a fall by muscle memory I was able to save my body from being really damaged when I took a fall doing some work in the back of a truck about 7 feet in the air. I fell onto concrete and only broke my hand which was a boxers fracture on my right pinky finger. I urge every person to learn how to fall and make it a part of who you are. You don't even have to be a fighter to benefit from this kind of training. Everyone takes a tumble in their lives. If your body does not know how to fall you can end up with broken bones and life time injuries. The doctor said he has never seen someone my age take the kind of fall I took without breaking more bones in my body. The energy of that fall was taken in my hand and the side of my body. Thank you Benny for all the useful training of both my mind and body. Chimbee
I studied with Al from 1985-1988. At the age of 55 I stepped on a single stone on a black top pkg lot. Muscle memory INDEED! I hit the ground w/left overs from the restaurant in my left hand....they never touched the ground! Later my husband said, "You bounced!" I said, "Yep, I'm suppose to!" The only bruise was to my ego. Can you believe some dojo's don't teach you how to fall?!
Had a huge crush on Graciela Casillas( 3:07 ) back in the late 80s. She was one tough cookie who won Boxing and Kickboxing championships and was always featured in Blackbelt magazine and was also a student of Filipino Eskrima Grandmaster Angel Cabales.
My sweet husband, Lawrence Tyson, studied w/Al for many years. Al called him one of his most lethal students. I began taking classes in 1985. That's how I met Lawrence! Al was best man at our wedding. My Lawrence died in 1995. Now he, Al and Mitz can grapple together once again!
My Jiu Jitsu gym recently hosted a champion Judo Black Belt and his break falls were similar to this video, clearly a cut above what we were doing at my gym. While his teachings focus more on his world-class kickboxing, Sensei Benny Urquidez obviously knows his way around the mat as wall as the ring; a "complete" fighter years before the UFC. Great stuff!
I had the honor to train with Master Thomas.I still remember Sensin,fixing us the best fried chicken after training! Seeing this video touches my heart in many ways. My brother Victor Ledbetter is in this video along with Sensi Steve Sanders of the BKF. May Victor and Sensi Thomas RIP!
Holy crap, they had this tape at the video store when I was a kid. Rented it all the time and eventually bought it when they went out of business. No idea what happened to it
If any one has the opportunity....to learn from a true legend. Someone that has actual ring experience. Was a world champion kickboxer. National and internaitonal. Makes all the difference VS from someone that's never competed and won. Was a professional fighter. When I was growing up my "hero" was Bruce Lee. Great martial artist/entertainer. Lots of accomplishments. But he was never a fighter. So he was never proven. And what gets me today is...with all the alleged street fights and challenges...there isn't a single photo or video clip to prove that took place. I think...because he never was. It was marketing. If he was challenged on the set of Enter The Dragon...why did no one swing the camera around and record?? No one had a SLR??
Thanks to RU-vid i have the chance to express my respect to a born legend like Benny the Jet Urquidez which i saw all the real fights and movies in my childhood Very Inspirational and Motivational Legend .Ps:Romania 💖
No Benny Urquidez was a 5th Degree Black Belt at the making of this video. Every Martial Artist in this video was proficient in different styles,like grappling the tsller oriental guy (sorry his name escapes me),Grace Casalas was a forms competitor who used knives,Karen Lee Shepherd to the right behind Benny was a Wu Shu competitor. Rueben (the bigger heavier guy) is Benny's older brother. The tape is Budo Jujitsu which is what Al Thomas taught. It showed to adapt different styles for the strt
Seeing this brought back some of my most cherished memories. I was a student of Grand Master Al Thomas for more than 25 years. The black gi with the red, white, and blue trim (which signified membership in Sensei Thomas' International Police Training Team) warmed my heart...and the mats used in the video are the mats I trained on for all those years, which brought tears to this old man's eyes. R.I.P. sensei, you were one of the most influential people in my life, and a good friend. Thank you.
Thank you for the comment, I too had found memories of Master Al Thomas, I grew up right next door to him and I and his kids clayton and tina would mess around on the mats in his dojo which at the time was in his garage. I always had the chance to see famous people coming to his house to train and also a lot of cool cars parked in front. I never forget he loved those cigars. Rest in peace Al.
I too was a student at his Place in Burbank for about 5 years Very good guy & friend. After every class. He didn’t want us to go. We would have a beer or Hot Toddie with him. I also got a 3 rd place win in Judo at a contest I still have my Black Gee Just like this Movie He was So strong And had no fear I miss him RIP Al
When I was young, I studied at Joeclyn's School of self defence here in Canada where I live. He taught us shotokan Karate,he also taught Kung Fu.I took both. I went for me,always blew off the testing. From the early 1980-1990 I studied Muay Thai Kick Boxing. I still have all of my gear. My bags gloves are cut down to fit me better. The place I took them to wasn't sure they could,my pair was the first. I never liked kick pads made my own that were a little thicker.
Men even by the look of his face I'm scared. He is a legend. The first time I see him in the movie from Jacky Chan I was like..... Wtf? Them that men is gooooooood
The guy who taught me learned when he was a teenager. He would be found at night doing Katas and such in our local cemetery. This was told to me by a number of people where I live including my Sensei.
I remember buying the video Just because Benny the Jet was in it. I still don't know who Al Thomas was other than thew guy that got Benny to be in his video. lol! Don't much care about that, but Benny was clearly the best martial artist on the video.
This is how martial arts was taught back in the days wish incorporated grappling.Some how it was pass over when martial arts became too commercialized and it took the Gracies and Brazilian ju jit su to bring it back.
@rallyivan1234 Benny "The Jet" Urquidez is a Fith Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. Ukidokan is the Martial Arts System Benny Urquidez created and teaches out of The Jet Center in Long Beach California. I studied Muay Thai Kick Boxing with a guy who went to California to learn from The Jet. Benny Urquidez is as personable in real life as you see in these videos.
Ed Parker who was base in Hawaii started the Kempo system in North America (I think). The symbol that was on Elvis Presley's black guitar was the Kempo Karate symbol. Elvis was a student of Ed Parker. Ed Parker had a huge tournament every year that's the tournament Bruce Lee unveiled his Jeet Kune Do system at. Shotokan which is what I learned is a more hard style of Karate. Meaning the movements are crisp and hard. Hope this helps. Hope this helps. Are you a student?
Budojujutsu. It was a Hybrid martial art created by Grandmaster Al Thomas. I rented this on betamax at the video rental shop back in the late 80s and it helped influence me to take up traditional martial arts training.
Clear Combat Self Defense and Fighting System you are killing your business with your gross ignorance and stupidity..I would never enroll in your school..
Tested in what? A ring with rules? Where was he in 1973, when Bruce was still around? It's a hell of a lot easier to tear down, than to create, ass clown.
