Interview with Guro Rocky Twitchell, Founder of LIAHONA WARRIOR ARTS

You are already an accomplished JKD instructor, to some that would be enough. What made you decide to add FMA to your weapons?

FMA makes a system complete .. FMA is already a compete system , weapons .. projectile weapons .. dumog for Grappling ...  but JKD covers 4 ranges .. there is knives , empty hands , sticks , bats , clubs , guns , Grappling , kicking .. head butts , biting , pinching, throwing ... so many things in between a art. 4 ranges but so many things in between .... you study BJJ all your life then someone pulls a knife on you when you’re pinned you better know how to fight against a knife.

Who did you train with?

I trained with many FMA masters.  Grand Master Leo Giron, Tony Somera of Bahala Na Arnis... many Masters .. Currently train with Guro Willie Laureauno

What is Guro Willie's FMA style? does it have a name?

Inosanto Laureano Kali

What would you say would be the main difference of your style compared to other FMA fighters? 

I prefer long and Meduim range. I study Serrada Escrima ( Mata Sa Bagyo ) under CARLITO Bonjoc. but I prefer long range .. single and double

How similar do you think is FMA and JKD when it comes to its fighting principles and battle tactics?

Just watch Enter the Dragon. Bruce started showing he could blend it all !!!
He was in the dungeon .. his staff got broken he used FMA to fight .. then he used nunchucks.. he showed Grappling at the beginning then showed Wing Chun against Bob Wall ...
He used kicks , throws and showed FMA in Enter The Dragon.

Have you ever used your martial arts skills to defend yourself in a street or self defense situation?

I was a bouncer at a night Club for 3 years ... and I was a Guardian Angel for 6 .. yes martial arts saved my life in many occasions

We have seen a lot of TKD McDojos sprung up who have destroyed the good name of that art. Do you think making FMA mainstream and popular is good for the art or will it destroy it?

It could go sour ... depending on how many market FMA.. and what they want out of it.
What will destroy FMA? Someone who waters it down and only wants fame and fortune  from knowing only a portion of it .. and sharing it for the wrong reasons ...  studying FMA means learning from a legitimate instructor, learning its history, culture and combative nature ... a tribe study’s FMA to preserve its heritage ..Many dont pay true respects to FMA ..

What do you think is the key for FMA to finally reach the level of popularity of Taekwondo or BJJ?

Most every school in America is now cross training ... but many can’t blend FMA with the system .. the FMA is weak because they are using it as a marketing sceme.  It’s just got to prove itself .. over time. It’s already a 400 year old battle tested art ...

What would be your advice for new FMA students?

Seek out an instructor who wants to share his/ her  art for preservation, it’s true combative nature and  it’s cultural history, Combative arts , cultural arts there is 2 lines to research

Do you currently teach FMA as a separate class?

I do in some cases .. it’s automatic in the Jun Fan JKD

PROFILE

Guro Rocky R. Twitchell is also a Senior Instructor in Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do under the Larry Hartsell organization as well as a certified Silat Master with lineage from Indonesia. He is currently the Self Defense instructor of UC Davis Police Department.

You can reach him at@

Phone 916-747-3694
rrtwitchell@me.com
13169 Dogwood Lane , Grass Valley , CA 95945