Martialforce.com

Online Magazine

 

 

                     Martialforce.com :  When did you begin your karate training?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER: In 1996 at the age of 18 a close friend persuaded me to be part of a family program at a nearby karate studio.  I already had been performing punches and kicks in my day-to-day activity that I had learned from watching movies and documentaries shown on the Discovery Channel.

 

Martialforce.com :  Who or what motivated you to learn karate?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER:  I would like to say that I don’t have a motivation but that won’t make any sense. The martial art has always been a part of me. I’ve always known I was going to be a martial artist since the age of eight years old.  I was in 4^th grade when I had a tremendous urge to start training.

I didn’t know very much about the different disciplines however I knew one thing… we wouldn’t be able to afford the classes, so I kept my craving hidden. Instead I walked a different way home from school in order to watch students train at a karate studio. I watched the techniques taught by the instructor and practiced on the way home.

 

 

Martialforce.com :  Who is your instructor/s?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER:  My instructor is Hanshi Tyrone Sherif; he holds the rank of 6 ^th Dan in Japanese karate, Okinawa karate and Okinawa weapons. He is a licensed Private investigator, a certified herbalist, and studies iridology.

He trained with some of the old masters of Okinawa during his services in the military. Lastly he is the wisest man I have ever met, but isn’t that how it’s supposed to be? 

 

  

 

 

 

Martialforce.com :  What keeps you motivated?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER:  It’s hard to speak of motivation when the martial art is now inside of me but there are a few things that keep me in line and training hard. Being part of passing on the discipline, way, spirit and history of my Hanshi is one of the most gratifying feelings as a student, however, to be able to reach out to the community and change the fate of one warrior/s lives from negative to positive is also a benefit.

It has become a complete circle now, when I first started training all my reasons were selfish. After 11years I now keep my abilities sharp for unselfish reasons.

 

 

Martialforce.com :  What are your thoughts on the practice of kata?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER:  I feel that kata teaches you the spirit of the warrior. Many students who have quit training usually say that they stopped training because they, “Hated kata.” I feel that part of the student distaste for kata may have rested in the instructor’s hands.

In order for the student to know how to do a movement they should have been taught the true depth of the movement, both visible and non-visible meanings.

Techniques in kata have been proven successful in the battlefield and were employed in a song of movements, kata. That alone earns the respect to perform the movements at ones highest ability.

 

 

 

Martialforce.com :  Do you think tournament competition is good or bad for student?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER:  I have always felt that tournaments are a gray area for my students. To rest my students confidence in 2 to 4 judges, who most likely are not of my system, is a risky thing to do, however, I do believe that making friends and creating relationships with other schools is an advantage to keeping up with the times.

 

 

 Martialforce.com :  What are your thoughts on mixed martial arts?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER:  Training in mixed martial arts is a valuable asset to ones ability and his or her students. Some martial artists wish not to admit that there system of choice has a weak area but there is. My system for instance focuses primarily on upright fighting. Statistics say, “After seven seconds the fight goes to the ground.” With this statistic in mind my system allows me to successfully handle the first seven seconds of the battle, after that it becomes a matter of will to survive and adaptation. To strengthen the weak points and become comfortable in all areas of self-defense is hard but extremely valuable.   

 

 

Martialforce.com :  Do you study weapons?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER:  Since day one in my 11years of training I have had a weapon in my hands. I truly enjoy weapons training, it has taught me a lot about long range and short range fighting. The weapons I practice are the; Bo (6 foot staff), Kama (sickle), Sai (3 pronged), Tonfa (wooden version of the police baton), Ecku bo (boat oar) and Techo (brass knuckles).

 

    

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Martialforce.com :  Please tell us about your first tournament?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER:  I remember my first tournament as being a total success. I was a Blue Belt, and had been training almost a year. It felt like such an honor to be part of the event. I didn’t know a thing about tournaments and I was told that this was the only martial art event in all of California.

I placed first out of four competitors in kata and second out of three competitors in weapons. I was told that placing the way I did for my first tournament was rare. 

 

 

Martialforce.com :  Do you currently teach and if so, at what location?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER:  I have classes every Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. The system I teach is Shiryudokai Karate-do and Kobu-Jitsu.

 

       

 

    Click on pictures to enlarge

 

My school is located at:

 

1520 San Jacinto Ave. #1

 San Jacinto, Ca 92583

Tel-951-282-4650

 

Martialforce.com :  What would you say to young children about studying karate?

 

RAY BORNTRAGER:  I tell children as soon as they have the urge to start training “get on the floor!” I think it’s almost a necessity for children to start training immediately. Parents ask me this question on a daily bases. The initial reason the parent approaches me is they want their child to learn discipline and be more respectful of their elders.

The highest concern is if their child will become more aggressive or start randomly punching family and strangers. After assuring them that if the parents stay on track with the development of their child, this will not be an issue. The hard part is finding a school that focuses on the children’s social skills, controlling ones emotions and self-discipline.

It is noticeable that children are growing up and getting older, earlier than ever. Take for instance their capabilities with a computer, television remote, even video games.