Lakewood, CO, May 20, 2013
From: Jubilee Deaf Fellowship, Denver, Colorado Dear Bob Orlando, All of the ladies that attended and the ministerial staff of JDF want to extend our sincerest thanks and appreciation for your kindness and generosity in providing the Self-Defense class on March 3, 2013. [This is a free women's self-defense class we provide, scheduling by appointment only.] I have heard several stories from different ladies demonstrating your care in providing a safe and thoroughly interesting class. You not only took good care of the ladies but in addition went overtime in the class without saying a word. I believe you really demonstrated how a Christian gentleman can and should present himself and we are deeply grateful. We all want to express our deep appreciation. Thank you so much! Sincerely Yours, Rev. Charles T. Martin Lakewood, CO, November 28, 2011 From: Pascal Masse, Tokyo, Japan I trained with Bob Orlando in his school in Lakewood for two weeks and I can wholeheartedly say it was a rare privilege. Before going there, I had seen Bob's videos and I had read one of his books but, despite their many qualities, they still pale compared to the experience of training personally with the man himself. Bob has impressed me not only with his formidable fighting skills, derived from his long practice of Kuntao-Silat, but also with his sincerely humble attitude and his unwavering focus on what is practical today for self-defence. Refusing any grand tittle (No sifu/sensei/master for this man!) and being humorously informal almost all the time, Bob sees himself as a teacher first and foremost, one who "puts skills in your hands" to face today's challenges through evolving teaching tools such as drills, techniques and forms. Indeed, "I put skills in my students' hands" seems to be one of Bob's favorite sentence and it is one that will stay with me for a long time. What Bob teaches/does in his school is definitely not flashy, not in fashion nowadays and not for everyone due to the sheer efficiency/self defense focus of the style but it works very well (having been on the receiving end a few times, I should know), it is well fitted to our times and is, therefore, immensely practical. Simply put, if you are really interested in self-defence, regardless of whether you are a martial artist or not, you NEED to train with Bob, either in Lakewood or through one of his seminars. No matter how good you are, You WILL learn something of value, either directly through learning Bob's style or through your interaction with him as his teaching skills and his insights will make you think and understand your own art further. It was a great gift to be able to train with Bob and I sincerely hope to be able to have this experience again in the future. Pascal Masse
Lakewood, CO, March 4, 2011
From: Mary Ann Forman, Volunteer Coordinator
Thank you so much for spending time with residents by providing the class on Self Defense. The residents [young
women] really enjoyed and learned from the practice. You gave them a sense of empowerment. We really
allreciate all of the time, energy, and expertise you shared with the residents. I appreciate that you led
the class, and I know the residents did as well. Thank you again for doing so much for our residents and
their babies as well. Lakewood, CO, April 17, 2010 From: Mark Mueller, Certified Personal Fitness Trainer
I chose this school mainly for its emphasis on practical training. I am pursuing a career
in law enforcement and want to learn the most effective ways to keep myself and others safe from harm
without any fluff. I also appreciate the school's disciplined and well-organized class
structure and schedule. Furthermore, I am drawn by the head instructor's teaching style, attitude,
and enthusiastic spirit and love for his art. Manville, NJ, November 7-8, 2009 From: Jon Tresslar, Workshop participant
Bob, You are very thorough and meticulous in your approach. I found the seminar to be extremely informative and I am trying to incorporate some of what I learned into our style. I particularly like your method of blocking along with fighting strong side forward. Thank you for sharing your considerable knowledge, Jon S. Tresslar P.E., P.L.S Greenwood Village, Colorado, September 25, 2008 From: Melissa, Co-chair Moms and More, Hope United Methodist Church
Thank you so much for coming to our Mom's and More church group. Your talk educated us
well in life lessons of safety. It was very practical and easy to adapt to our lives with
young children. Thank you for doing such a fantastic job teaching us some simple, basic
protective moves. Your hands-on approach to practice technique was fabulous. It really
helps to have that advantage and put the moves into motion. All of the moms were thrilled and
came away with good solid advice on basic safety. We will definitely have you come back in the
spring or early fall to refresh what we learned. Thank you very much for your time and
generosity. We really appreciate your coming. Alma, Michigan, August 2-3, 2008 From: Brian VanCise
We just had Bob Orlando back to Alma, Michigan for a seminar on Langkah or Leg Destruction's. What can I say but Bob is a wealth of information and this seminar was great. We worked on some of the Kilap drills and then proceeded to get into the langkah leg drills and they are an eye opener on getting you in the right position for great leg skill work. Definitely I would recommend this seminar to anyone. Brian R. VanCise
Littleton, Colorado, October 17, 2007 From: Samantha, MOPS Coordinator, Southern Gables Church
Fabulous! I really enjoyed your workshop! I am going to practice some of it on my husband
when he gets home! Everyone who I spoke to enjoyed it as well. I think the initial hesitation
came from the fact that as wives, we usually do not touch men that are not our husbands/ fathers/ brothers
(at least that is my general rule.) Once I wrapped my brain around the fact that this is "training"
I really got into it. The guys you brought with you were great! We greatly appreciate all of
you taking time from your busy schedules! Some of us expressed an interest in attending a self-defense
classes (short term). I know you mentioned that you may be putting a class together. let me know
when you do and I will put the word out. I would like to attend one myself. Manville, New Jersey, May 21-22, 2005 From: http://www.WarriorTalk.com/showthread.php?p=88506#post88506
Cold War Scout Went to NJ for a kuntao-silat seminar this weekend put on by Bob Orlando. He is a well known Paladin Press videos/books guy. First of all, what a great guy Bob Orlando is. Extremely personable. Quite wise. Very combatives knowledgeable. He eagerly helped peel the mysticism onion of Indonesian martial arts. The material at the seminar itself was well worth the trip to NJ. Learning how to integrate legs (not just kicks) better into the close quarters fighting equation is a definite combatives plus. We did numerous, intensive practical exercises in each of his five fundamentals of Indonesian fighting arts: adhesion, whiplash, gyroscopic rotation, shearing, and seating. I found some of the techniques to be very efficient and subtly powerful. Being able to subtly put a hurting on somebody in front of a crowd of witnesses can be a wonderful tool to have in the tool kit during these trying times ("I only saw the officer slap the suspect."). Bob Orlando is a great guy to train with for a weekend if you ever get the chance. I will probably make this annual pilgrimage. BTW: the seminar was held at the Red Dragon Martial Arts Academy in Manville, NJ. Great group of guys doing their combatives thing in there. If you were looking for a place to practice martial arts in this area of NJ, this would be a great place to check out. The owner, Bob Teodorczy, is a real good, very competent, down to earth guy with no attitude whatsoever. All the students from the dojo who were at the academy were similarly genuine guys. Because of his day in, day out LEO background, as is the case with many of his students, the stuff taught there has a decidedly reality based flavor to it. If I lived up that way, I would have found a home in that dojo. Cold War Scout [Follow-up post]
I was somewhat surprised by how hard he hits, although his movements/strikes appeared rather
effortless. He really demonstrated to me in a way I have not quite seen before, how
important it is not to tense up but rather to be relaxed, loose and fluid.
From: Charles E. Dulin
I had the opportunity to train with Mr. Orlando on May 21-22. The seminar focused on several key concepts presented in Mr. Orlando's book and companion video on the fighting arts of Indonesia (highly recommended by the way). Information flowed at a steady, but manageable, rate with breaks after each block specifically for note-taking. In addition, participants received handouts on each technique or concept to enhance retention of the material. The Indonesian arts can be shrouded in mysticism, but the weekend's training was designed to clear any such concerns away. The focus was squarely on the physics and biomechanics of the movements, and the instructor plays by the "If I hit you you get to hit me" rule--that was a pleasant surprise. A weekend with Bob Orlando is well spent regardless of one's martial background; he teaches movement principles that will dovetail with any art. I am primarily a Filipino stylist, but I found that in exploring, however briefly, another system my understanding of my own was greatly enhanced. Charles E. Dulin Alma, Michigan, April 16-17, 2005 From: Brian VanCise Recently I had the opportunity to host a Bob Orlando seminar on Pentjak Silat and Kuntao. This really was a fantastic experience for both myself and the seminar participants. Mr. Orlando is dynamic, innovative, and inspiring in everything he does. The seminar covered material from his book and companion video Indonesian Fighting Fundamentals, two of the best learning tools on Indonesian Martial Arts that you will ever find. The best thing about the way Mr. Orlando teaches is that everyone at the seminar came away with a clear understanding of the material and the theories behind the techniques. I heard more than once that this was the best seminar that someone had ever been to. All of those statements came from people with many years of training and who had attended plenty of seminars! If you ever have the chance to train with Bob Orlando, I would highly recommend it. As a matter of fact I can't wait to have him out again for another one! Yours in Martial Science Brian R. VanCise
Topeka, Kansas, December 10-19, 2004 From: Andrew Evans
Thank you for coming out to Kansas. Our students, as well as my wife and I, really had a great time. It was an honor and privilege to have you out here. You helped to energize our group and showed us a lot of great drills and principles. I highly recommend that any martial artist looking to broaden their perspectives give the Indonesian Fighting Arts a good hard (and soft) look especially from you. Your teaching method is highly organized and logical. . . . If any small-medium sized school would like a reference for one of your seminars, please don't hesitate to provide them with my contact information. Andrew Evans
From: Mike Olive I wanted to thank you for the great insight into the Indonesian arts you shared in Topeka. I was very satisfied with the training I received. I shared some of the techniques with my small group in Missouri. They were excited to see the applications. I used to train under an instructor that worked with Eddie Jafri. Though my former instructor never shared the Pentjak Silat with us, he did use it on us during our training. Things were starting to click with what you showed us on Saturday. That is always a great feeling when you can finally say "Oh yeah, that IS how it is done". I also enjoy being able to share that with my students when they finally see the application. . . . I hope to be able to train with you again soon. This experience reignited my passion for broadening the scope of my training. Michael G. Olive
Manville, New Jersey, September 25-26, 2004 From: Sifu Bob (jeetkunedo@verizon.net)
Last weekend was a great experience training with Bob Orlando at our school. He is a first class person and his knowledge, skill level and presentation of Pentjak Silat and Chinese Kuntao can only be compared to another great instructor. And that is Dan Inosanto. And comparing it, I mean there was no visible difference in the skill level and knowledge between them in these arts. And myself and my students have attended many Inosanto Seminars. At the end of both days we were comparing who had the most bruises on our bodies. A Bob Orlando seminar is a working seminar where he believes in practicing exact lines of entries and hitting targets that you are aiming at. In other words, "You don't practice to miss" as Bob would say [emphasis added]. Needless to say we know why its MANDATORY to wear groin protection..LOL.. Everyone enjoyed themselves and gained a lot of information while having a lot of fun. Most of the attendees at the seminar were instructors from other schools along with my assistant instructors and students. The best testimonial that I could receive from them was simply that they wanted me to bring Bob Orlando back to the school as soon as possible for another workshop/seminar. I agree 100% with them and am looking forward to having the honor to bring him back so that he can share more of his endless knowledge in Pentjak Silat and Chinese Kuntao. Sifu Robert Teodorczy
From: Erskine Issac On September 25-26th, I was a participant in Bob Orlando's Kuntao-Silat seminar, held at the Red Dragon Martial Arts Academy in Manville, NJ. After reading his books and viewing his videos (which in my opinion are among the best in the business) I was curious to see how Mr. Orlando came across at arm's reach. And boy, my arms did sting at the hands of Bob Orlando. I can say without hesitation that Mr. Orlando is the real deal. Bob Orlando is a great instructor and communicator. As a Vee-Jitsu student I found his information to be innovative and grounded in sound martial science, and his application very practical indeed. The only problem that I had with Mr. Orlando is that he could not stop time in order for me to go over his vast treasure chest of information within the two day seminar. Nevertheless, I received a bargain as far as seminars go in the martial arts business (or put bluntly, I did not walk away feeling I was ripped off). Mr. Orlando has given me a new respect for drill training and has broadened my horizons in my own art of Vee Arnis Jitsu. And that my friends, are what seminars are designed to do. Thank you, Mr. Orlando for job a well done. PS. Please work on the time control thing. Erskine Isaac Meise, Belgium, February 15, 2004 From: Wim Demerre
Not once, but several times over the course of the last year, I've experienced something interesting. The last time was two days ago: Whenever I'm attacked by surprise (I have weird friends...) Block-left and Block-right pop up. And not just against punches, they come out against kicks and during ground work too. And not only when an attack is launched but also if I want to clear an area before going in or preempt a limb from attacking me by accelerating it away from it's nearest target. If feels like they just get launched by themselves. . . . I wish I could fly to Denver to train more. Meise, Belgium, October 5-6, 2002 From: Wim Demerre
As I write this, my body aches from being slapped around and thrown to the floor countless times during the seminar. Though the impacts are controlled, they are still very real. Willem de Thouars used to say "They have to feel it," and his student, Bob Orlando, makes sure we all do. To his credit, he receives as well as he gives. He would start laughing and teasing when people held back and got hit just as hard as the rest of us. All too often, teachers just show a technique but don't play along with the rest of the students. However, this was not the case here. Every day, Bob would be correcting people and having them hit him to make them understand better what they needed to do. He was continuously going from person to person, making sure everybody got it right. At almost 58 years old, he has an energy and enthusiasm that I have yet to see matched by any other instructor. In short, it was a joy to learn from him. Now the seminar is over, I feel grateful to have had this opportunity to learn from him. Bob Orlando is a gifted teacher and has impressive technical and physical skills. With over 30 years of training, he also has a depth of knowledge and understanding which he uses to help you not only do, but even more importantly so, also understand what he teaches. If you have the opportunity to study with him or attend one of his seminars, I'd very much recommend you to grab the opportunity. You will not be disappointed. Denver, Colorado, August 3-6, 2002 From: Jason Brigham, Raphael Chiu, and Ben Lum
(benlum1@yahoo.com)
We had the opportunity to train privately with Bob Orlando for three days in summer 2002 and it was a phenomenal, hands-on experience! In summer of 2001, the Filipino Kali-Eskrima Academy of Chicago (founded by Maha Guro Nate Defensor; founder of Defensor Method of FMA-IMA) hosted Bob Orlando (founder of Je du-too School of Martial Arts; student of Willem de Thouars) in a 2 day seminar. Bob's seminar in Chicago paralleled his first book, "Indonesian Fighting Fundamentals," and its corresponding videotape. This past summer 2002, a few of us visited Bob at his school in Denver, Colorado for follow-up training. Prior to that, we corresponded with Bob outlining our "wish list" of topics to cover. You can say that we came to Denver with an agenda and left fully satisfied with the training that took place. We spent three days with Bob and covered the following items. Day 1: Juru Satu. The first form taught by Willem deThouars and its their combative applications. This form is actually a combination of multiple jurus linked together in a flowing sequence. Thus, it is longer than most traditional Indonesian jurus. The point is that all forms training is a cultural expression and vehicle that conveys the philosophies, beliefs, culture, and body structure and movements of that system. This allowed us to "soak in" these aspects as a primer for the remainder of our stay.Our training time in Denver was amazing! Not only is Bob knowledgeable and able to execute what he teaches consistently in a real time environment, but he is also a wonderful teacher. He is similar to our Guro: very open, honest, non-political, gracious, humble, lighthearted and fun. It is rare to find an instructor who doesn't hold back and believes that any sincere question deserves a sincere answer. He is also constantly trying to find ways to teach better and maximize training time. For that reason, he had a senior student assist in teaching on Days 1 and 2, allowed us to train in his open classes, and asked us to preview his new videotape for release in October, "Fighting Drills for Fighting Skills," to gain our feedback. The Kilap Hand Sets we covered in Day 3 is a subset of this 2 tape set and is shot extremely well from multiple angles and with narration during the action. In short, we had a great time and was graced by Bob's personality, ability, knowledge and teaching ability. We would recommend him to anyone at any level seeking to learn Indonesian Martial Arts. Jason Brigham, Raphael Chiu, Ben Lum Students of Maha Guro Nathan Defensor
Providence, Rhode Island, June 29-30, 2002 This past weekend our Martial Arts school brought in Bob Orlando for a seminar (actually it is a workshop!) This workshop was incredible. Bob's skills in Silat and Kuntao are amazing and even more impressive are the skills Bob has in teaching his art. Bob is passionate about teaching, and passes this on to all the participants. In a matter of minutes after picking him up at the airport we felt as though we had made a new friend and by the end of the weekend we had! Bob makes all of the participants feel at ease in the dojo with him. This workshop was a lot of fun and a lot of good hard work. Everyone sweats! (Including Bob!) There is no attitude with Bob like some other big name martial artists. As soon as Bob began the workshop the excitement started. He welcomes any and all questions and gives handouts for each topic covered at the workshop. This way you have something to look back on as a training aid. If you are not familiar with Bob Orlando, I suggest looking into his books and videos and definitely consider him for a workshop in your area. You will get more than your moneys worth! (Here is a hint.....Be the host! You get to pick his brain all weekend long.!) Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Doug Petrarca Thibault School of Reality Fighting
Boston, Massachusetts, March 23-34, 2002 From: John Corriveau (john@humpa.com) We recently had Mr. Bob Orlando give a weekend seminar at our school in Taunton ,MA. It was the best and most informative seminar I've ever attended. His skill and knowledge is immense and is only surpassed by his teaching ability. Mr. Orlando most definitely has a way with people ,he made us all feel quite comfortable and at ease as though he was a member of our family. He didn't give anyone that "holier than thou" attitude that you sometimes get with highly ranked martial artist. In fact rank was not even an issue. His entire agenda revolved around teaching and not on having his ego boosted. Any questions we had were answered clearly and concisely, and he stressed that he wished not to change or replace our philosophy with his own but to enhance it with his years of experience and hard work. Mr. Orlando is truly a great Martial artist. We all feel honored to have had the privilege to have trained with him and we are already planning our next workshop with him. Mr. Orlando is for lack of a better word "AMAZING" and aspiring martial artist could have no better role model than he. Should any of you get the chance to have him to your school I assure that it will be a great and enriching experience. Mr. Orlando is a treasure and we can't thank him enough for sharing himself with us. Respectfully, John Corriveau Doug Betts School of Kenpo |
Mon, Aug. 11, 2008
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Aug. 6, 2016 by Bob Orlando |