In the 1990's, we did a number of films documenting and preserving the concepts and approaches we were taking in the martial arts.  Perhaps this was motivated a bit by vanity, we were breaking new ground, and wanted others to know about it.  Another motivation was keeping our own traditions alive and viable for those who followed in our footsteps.  Probably as important was that video cameras and blanks tapes had finally become affordable.

"Sticks, Tricks and Useful Bits" was our intent to compile all of the "nifty" things in one place.  Every once in a while, someone will do something that is different, unique, and potentially effective.  You see it only once, and after you see it it's gone.  I was fortunate in my travels that others, including some Masters, were generious enough to share a number of such concepts and techniques with me.  "Sticks, Tricks and Useful Bits" represents our conceptual filing cabinet. Within,  a significant collection of these techniques are preserved for future viewing and research by others.

All of the raw footage was filmed when the opportunity arose, planning was impossible.  There were no scripts, nothing was rehearsed.  What  you’re seeing is what we were regularly doing.  The point is Gunfu strives to be in the moment, and not choreographed. You can see where we excelled, and where we could do better.  Back then, we all worked very hard to advance our skills, while accepting there was still room for growth.

As was the case with our other videos, a small number did make it to the marketplace. We sold them for several years, then the digital revolution took over and costs to continue producing outweighed the returns.  In a way, this tape has become an underground classic, we get feedback on it from all over.

Bringing this endeavor full circle, we have digitized the original analog video, edited for brevity, and uploaded as an eight part topical series on our YouTube channel (“spreadswings”).  For the intrepid, the final installment is the re-compiled "Sticks, Tricks and Useful Bits" in its entirety.  All of them are viewable here, for your enjoyment.

Real learning comes from sharing. Enjoy!

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These clips are for entertainment and general informational purposes only. We are not instructing you, or encouraging you to do or to believe anything, except to view, enjoy, and think. Never forget that martial arts, like any contact sport, presents the risk of injury, sometimes serious, disabling, or even fatal. Actual techniques should only be practiced in a controlled environment emphasizing safety, under the direct supervision of a Black Belt instructor (in whom you have trust and confidence), and only after you have been cleared by your personal physician.