John Black an interview - life and Martial arts.

Post date: 04-Feb-2014 09:31:34

• Fighting as the main event against tough Martin Donaldson , can you give the good folks short Bio, Fights, style,weight next event etc.
  • Alas I'm no longer main event with Martin for Caledonian Combat. I walk around about my fight weight (usually lower) of 70kgs, and couldn't really make up an extra 4. Not something that usually stopped me taking matches at a moments notice, but I'm also healing up fresh from a shoulder injury. I'm hoping to be competing again after march, once I've work and other commitments sorted, and learn how to block leg kicks!
  • Fighting style – You are pretty unique within the Scottish MMA scene for your Pugilistic style (Imagine a turn of the century boxer, one hand low and one high , standing side on ) Can you give us a brief breakdown of the ideology behind this choices of stances (without giving to much away
  • As for my style, it really is my style. Everyone basically has their own style, or way of doing things- even if they are copying or using one or many others styles. There are a lot of things that influence the way a person fights, but I think everyone does what they enjoy and comes most naturally to them. Pugilism, fencing, knife fighting, JKD, Ninjitsu, and quite a few practitioners of various fighting strategies have influenced me. I can recommend books! The ideology with the stance is favouring a strong side forward, and low hands for tackle prevention (also leads into sneaking chokes from takedown defence). My style involves a lot of getting round behind people where they are most vulnerable, a principle that applies to all kinds of fighting. Positioning is everything. Again, I could blether for ages on other reasons, but won't write you a novel!
  • Carrying on from this, Martial arts that work ? There is a lot of styles and a lot of crazy high level techniques that just ain’t going to work in a instinct based reaction on the street. What’s your thoughts about self defence systems ?
  • Any martial art can work, it depends on the practitioner, their mental state (the most determining factor in any experience or performance- not just martial arts), and positioning/circumstances. It never ceases to amaze me when I teach self protection, how many people get taught escapes from terrible positions- without being told to avoid those positions in the first place! The other neglected part of "street" or "self defence" martial arts are the build up of events that lead to physical conflict. Added to which, most martial arts instructors that do teach "street" or "combat" systems have no experience in security, or forces etc etc. No real experience of street fighting, without being an asshole and starting fights in bars for the sake of experience:P Anyway, I do what I do, which seems to work. There is a lot of psychology, and personal development skills I primarily seem to teach with physical strategies- simple ones. You're right about high end complicated stuff being no use, particularly in an adrenalised situation. That's where tolerance training comes in handy. Again- I could waffle for hours!
  • Insight in to life- Yoga, Martial arts, Political ideology, health, Training, - How does a day play out in your life?
  • Life is pretty sweet at the moment! I've read some books recently that have really put things in place that I obsess about. Questions about what is real, and worth placing value on. The first book is "Love Freedom and Aloneness" by Osho. Made a lot of sense to me, and perspective when it comes down to your relationships, and what love means. I'm kinda living up to the hippy/ninja stereotype... I still practice yoga everyday, by myself, and with clients. It's really rewarding to get to know and understand yourself, and particularly your body, and gain awareness of it and it's capabilities. It's also been of benefit recovering from injuries- both physical and mental!

• Your know for entrances with (in my opinion) spot on Political messages- What’s the drive behind these walk out messages? (any good web links etc for folk to check out)
• Political questions are a dangerous one to start me on! I'm a ninja. I don't want anyone to rule over me, and I sure as hell don't want to rule over other people. You could call that the ideology of Anarchism (without hierarchy), Voluntary Interaction, and the Non Aggression Principle. The last one particularly for someone that competes in MMA and has to use physical force on a regular basis! I hate the political party system, and our current sham of governance. It's like a really bad pantomime of puppets, the strings being pulled by the largest private banks. This could easily steer into a rant! Suffice to say, I think people are beginning to realize this now. That they have been lied to over and over again, about wars of aggression and occupation, about what drugs they may or may not take, about people who are supposed to be our enemies. Anyway, hippy style I got my adopted daughter to write me up some slogans for my matches, as some fun and education to go with the half naked men spectacles:) I recommend https://www.facebook.com/PositiveMoney, for a bit more information on what I was saying regarding the sham that is modern monetary system, and the debt slavery it has us all gripped in. All I can add to that is that both you tube and wikipedia have excellent videos and articles on Anarchism, 9/11 and the reason we went to war with Iraq, the history of the federal reserve system, the history of the catholic church... So much messed up stuff that actually happened! On a lighter note though, Eddie Bravo's book on Mastering the Rubber Guard (which is what first got me into half guard and pot... long story...) is amazing, and also mentions the interesting history of cannabis and hemp.
• Aberdeen scene- How is it, gyms, community etc ?
• A day in my life usually starts with training by myself, I like to wake up and limber up, before doing yoga. I also like to sit in my hammock thinking and meditating if I have time in the mornings. I often have clients either for counselling or CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy- a kind of talking therapy), or for fitness and martial arts sessions. What I teach largely depends on what my students need, so it can vary wildly with some students and sessions- like outdoors climbing, or camping... Or just jogging, free-running, and yoga. Next I could be covering ground work for mma, or improvised weapons for giving to your girlfriend and how to use them. It's a strange life, bit of an adventure with last year being full of fights, lack of sleep, and an interesting work load! I like to mix it up, and help people where I can. Ninja/hero complex. I train twice a week with the public class I teach for Street Combat System (mostly sparring, and teaching backyard boxing and pugilism, tiny bit of mma), and usually at least once with Aberdeen Combat Centre, usually sparring- testing things out, or getting shark tanked! I teach the Ninjoga (Ninja yoga) class there on Thursdays. They have a great atmosphere there, like I’ve found with many genuine martial arts training places. I find like minded people are probably what attracted me to these places in the first place, although ironically I'm more of a loner than an extrovert. There are some really lovely people there however, Nath, Chris Batty, Carson, Carlos Dunbar, Andrew Walters, Keiran and Matti, some of which I've know since before the place was about for years. All wonderful people who I have learnt a lot from and enjoyed their company. Food wise I stick to what I delivered from a nearby farm, which is pretty cheap and encourages me to cook. Not a big fan of sports nutrition, although I found that beer and weight gainers do indeed help me put on weight!
• I'll leave you there for now, and hopefully catch you in person sometime.