NEXTGENERATIONJKD
Martial Arts - Functional Fitness - Lifestyle
JKD MOVIE
Texas JKD’s El Campo Location was chosen as the site for some curriculum filming for the JKDAA and we hosted other JKD Instructors from around the country for a week during filming. During the video shoot we additionally shot some movie style fight scenes to show what our art would look like on the big screen and the project turned into a short film that we are releasing in sections. Two of the sections are already out and can be watched on Youtube. Texas JKD Instructors Clay Pratka, Beverly Pratka, Gunnar Davis and Shawn Solis all have appearnces in this film.
2015 JKDAA TEXAS RETREAT AND DVD SHOOT
We Hosted our 4th Annual JKDAA Texas Retreat at the Pratka Ranch outside of Wharton Texas. The Seminar is taught every year by JKDAA Head Instructor Sifu Singh. This year we were joined by around 50 martial artist from around the state and country including Instructors from Washington, California and Maryland. This year was an Instructor course on Military JKD and SPEC OP KALI and the entire 2 day course was filmed for a DVD that will be out later this year. We had an additional full day of training on the Friday before covering our JKD for MMA curriculum. After around 8 hours per day of training we would hang out, network and enjoy the ranch until the evening when we would gather in the Pratka families on site saloon to film the JKD Street fighting Series Bar Fight 101. The amazing weekend ended with many of Texas JKD’s Students ranking up as well as several of our members receiving additional Certifications. Keith Van Ness and Andrew Orozco were promoted to Apprentice Level in JKDAA and Shawn Solis was promoted to JKDAA Coach Level 1.
STICK FIGHTING GATHERING
Texas JKD Instructors Gunnar Davis and Keith Van Ness decided to put their skills to the test at the quarterly Stick Fighting Gathering held in a park in Houston Texas. The matches were held in the grass rather than in a gym on Matts. Combatants wear lacrosse style gloves that allow them to hold the weapon as well as fencing style headgear. They fight full contact using sticks however they are also allowed to punch, kick, and grapple so it is basically a MMA style match with weapons which can be very exciting. The matches are done exhibition style and competitors fight for experience rather than to determine a winner and looser. Both Gunnar and Keith fought multiple matches and did extremely well in all of them. They took the teachings of Texas JKD and applied them beautifully against fully resisting opponents in a full contact weapons match and the Texas JKD family was very proud.
THE JKDAA EXPO
Texas JKD Instructors- Clay Pratka, Beverly Pratka, Gunnar Davis, and Keith Van Ness all attended the Second Annual JKDAA Martial Arts EXPO held in Sunnyvale California. The event is organized by the Head of our Organization Sifu Singh and it is one of the Highlights of our year. Guest Instructors come and teach representing a variety of systems, styles, and linages. This year’s Instructors Included – Professor James Hundon (Small Circle Ju Jitsu) Coach Derek Sierra (Boxing, Clinch, and Dirty Boxing) Coach John Clarke (RFLX Wrestling) Grand Master Darren Tibon (Angles Disiples Serrada Escrima) Guro Hector Solis (Espada Y Daga Inosanto Blend) Shidoshi Trevis Chandler (Ninjitsu) Professor Marcel Louzado (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Wrestling) Guro John Ward (Inayan Escrima) Coach Jay Cooper (Catch Wrestling) Sifu Ben Der (Wing Chun) and Sifu Arnold Tayam (Tai Chi and Qi Gong) Each year there is one special guest and last year we were blessed to be joined by Bruce Lee’s Sister Phobee Lee. This year the excitement continued as first generation Bruce Lee Student Sifu Richard Bustillo came and shared his knowledge as well as stories of training and sparring with Bruce. This section ended with Sifu Bustillo awarding Sifu Singh with a medal that he and Dan Inosanto created to give out to people who are doing an exceptional job keeping Bruce’s Legacy Alive. Only a handful of these medals were made and it was a proud moment for all of the JKDAA. As if the amazing training was not enough we finished the weekend off with a group gathering at Sifu Singh’s home where he taught us some Street Savate Applications and then watch the UFC Fight. Sifu Singh took this time to give out 3 awards to members of the JKDAA. The awards were – Most Improved Martial Artist which was presented to Beverly Pratka of Texas JKD, Coach of the Year which went to our Brother from up North Jay Cooper from Canada and finally Most Valuable Person which went to Clay Pratka of Texas JKD.
JKD FOR MMA DVD SHOOT
Texas JKD Instructors Clay and Beverly Pratka joined JKDAA Instructors Dee Burton, Derek Seirra, and Dave Carter, to assist Sifu Singh in filming the JKD for MMA DVD Series. This will be a massive DVD set showing how to apply the concepts, philosophies, and teachings of Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do into the Ring or Cage. The crew traveled to the RFLX Training Center outside Denver Colorado to film the series. The project is still in the editing process but some sneak peaks have been released.
YOUTH COMPETIONS
Instructor Gunnar Davis took students (Beto Moreno and Stade Yount) from our Youth JKD Program to compete at the Texas 4 Season's Karate Tournament in Victoria Texas. Beto won 1st Place in Sparring and 1st Place in Weapons Forms. Stade won 2nd Place in Sparring.
Instructor Gunnar Davis Coached Keith Van Ness in his first NAGA Grappling Tournament. Keith fought in two different divisions wining a Gold and Silver Medal at the Event!
GUNNAR DAVIS MUAY THAI FIGHT
Gunnar and Keith enjoyed the first gathering so much that they went back to the next event this time held at the Gracie Bara Jiu-Jitsu School in Houston. Matches were done with the same rules except this time there were matts and they were fighting with a cage MMA style but again with weapons. Gunnar and Keith were joined by Instructors Clay and Beverly Pratka who also joined in on the Action. Texas JKD showed up this time with a crowd of our students who came to watch as spectators, two of which (Kayla Llanes, and Allan Chan came out from the crowd to do a sample match with padded sticks.
TEXAS JKD GROWTH
Texas JKD added a location in the Galeria Area to our existing class locations. We now offer training in El Campo on Tuesday Nights, Houston (Galeria Area) on Wednesday Nights, and Houston (Midtown) on Thusday Nights
KEITH VAN NESS COMPETES AT NAGA
Head Instructor Clay Pratka heard about a Muay Thai Kickboxing Academy putting on a Sparring Event and told Gunnar Davis to Check it out. Gunnar showed up thinking it would be a few guys doing some light rounds and as it turned out the gym had a professional size Boxing Ring and was putting on a full event called King Of the Ring. Gunnar had to fight through some nerves of competing in a ring for the frist time and also the suprize of the crowd. He fought a great match against a very experienced Muay Thai Fighter from Kings MMA.
STICK FIGHTING GATHERING 2
KING OF THE RING 7
Texas JKD took a team of fighters to Kings MMA for the King of the Ring 7 Muay Thai Kickboxing Event. Beverly Pratka fought two matches in the same night both against larger opponents. Chase Dorris and Keith Van Ness both fought tough battles against larger experienced fighters and Gunnar Davis fought in the Main Event agaisnt a 3 time Savate World Champion from France. The whole team fought hard and made everyone proud. Coaches Clay Pratka and Shawn Solis spent most of the night coaching on the side of the ring. Along with coaching the five matches their fighters fought in they were also asked to coach two other fighters who didnt have a coach with them. It was a great event and great night for all
SEMINAR AT 3RD COAST MMA & PROFESSOR JOE's B-DAY
IJoe Soliz Owner of Texas 3rd Coast MMA was having a training event to celebrate his birthday and hosted a joint seminar with Clay Pratka teaching a JKD session and Jason Soliz teachinh a No GI grappling Session. The seminar was a huge sucess and it was great to bring the 3rd Coast MMA group togeather with the Texas JKD Group.
TEXAS JKD RECIEVES PRAISE FROM LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
Texas JKD Instructors have been involved in training over 25 different Goverment Agiencies Including SWAT TEAMS, and the US SECRET SERVICE. It was nice to be able to bring some of that training back to our home town of El Campo.
YOUTH CLASS PROMOTIONS
Texas JKD Recently held our quarterly Rank Cerimony for the Youth Students and had many students earn some stripes and several that colored up to the next belt level!
TEXAS JKD TRAINS LOCAL ACTOR FOR BRUCE LEE AUDITION
SHAWN "SPIDER MONKEY" SOLIS MMA FIGHT
ITexas JKD Instructor Shawn Solis recently made his MMA Debut. He fought in the Legacy MMA organization held at the Arena Theater in Houston Texas. Shawn was coached by Texas JKD Instructor Clay Pratka who put Shawn through several hours of training a day Monday-Saturday working on the JKD for MMA Curriculum. Every Sunday they would travel to Sugarland to Train at Texas 3rd Coast MMA with Coaches Joe and Jason Soliz. On the Night of the Fight Shawn was coached by Clay Pratka and Jason Soliz and they were joined in the Corner by Chase Doris. The larger opponent came out aggressive but Shawn’s superior skill showed almost instantly as he was able to shift from range to range always staying one step ahead of the opponent. After landing some great strikes from the clinch Shawn took the fighter down and working some ground and pound until the opponent exposed his back. Shawn won the fight in the second round via Rear Naked Choke. The promotion immediately offered him a fight on the next card in December which we accepted and are currently pre-pairing for.
SEMINAR AND NEW CLASS AT FIT MIX
Texas JKD held a Semianr at Fit Mix Studio In the Downtown Area of Houston for both Adults and Youth. This was the first time we had offered youth training in the Houston Area. The Semianr was such a success that the staff at Fit Mix asked us to start up a weekly class for the kids and it became our first official location for Youth Training programs in Houston!
BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU PROMOTIONS
At Texas Jeet Kune Do we pull from many systems to make our curriculum as complete and well rounded as possible. Some of our Instructors recently leveled up in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Shawn Solis and Clay Pratka recently recieved Purple Belts, Beverly Pratka recieved a Blue Belt with 1 Stripe, and Gunnar Davis and Chase Dorris recieved Blue Belts.
