Randy

Coach - Mantis Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Artist, Writer, Pilot (Hang-Glider & Para-Glider).

  • Founder/Head Coach - 2004

  • Black Belt - Mantis Boxing

  • Black Belt - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

  • 2x Gold Medalist, 1x Silver Medalist U.S. National Kung Fu Championships 2004

  • Gold Medalist - IBJJF Boston Open 2012

  • Yang style Tai Chi Instructor

25 years experience Praying Mantis Boxing, 13 years Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Cross-disciplinary training in various Chinese Martial Arts (Eagle Claw, Hung Gar, Long Fist, Yang Taijiquan, Xingyiquan).

Trained in 17 ‘Chinese Martial Arts weapons’. Specializing in staff, saber, sword, and military saber.

Randy has been FEATURED IN...

  • Guest: Karate Unity Podcast - part 1 - part 2

  • Guest: Fight Commentary Chats - Interview - with Jerry Liu

  • Guest: Happy Life Martial Arts - Episode #82 - with Sensei Ando Mierzwa

  • Guest Lecturer - 5th Annual Martial Arts Studies Conference 2019 - Chapman University

  • Guest: Happy Life Martial Arts - Video - with Sensei Ando Mierzwa

  • Guest: Fight for a Happy Life - Podcast - with Sensei Ando Mierzwa

  • Guest: Strenuous Life Podcast - Episode 128 - with BJJ Black Belt Stephen Kesting

  • Guest: SenseiAndo.com Channel with Sensei Ando Mierzwa

  • Article: Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine - July/August issue 2017

  • Article: Journal of 7 Star Mantis Boxing

Publications


Q&A with Coach Randy Brown

Hanging out with Master Wang (zoom in - not photoshopped!)

Why did you start martial arts?

Since childhood I have been fascinated with martial arts. However, my early machinations of becoming a highly skilled ninja assassin by age 10, were thwarted by my mother,

When did you start your training?

I finally began formal martial arts studies in Texas in 1991 for a brief period.

What was your first martial art style?

Tae kwon do/Hapkido while serving in the U.S. Army. I had an amazing instructor.

Did you ever return to it?

I tried. After leaving the military out of sheer convenience, I briefly retried my hand, or foot rather, at tae kwon do. The experience I had was abominable to say the least. I quickly abandoned that path and turned my attentions back to handily, and potently propelling my life into a downward spiral for a few years.

How did you end up in Praying Mantis Boxing? That’s a bit of a strange style isn’t it?

Ha! Yes, for sure. When I was doing tae kwon do in the military, I encountered Chinese boxing (wu shu, or commonly known as kung fu) while sparring a friend. I was amazed with the efficiency and efficacy of the style he fought with (basically…he whooped me). This friendly bout stuck with me for years to follow, and would come to shape my later choices and goals for not only myself, but my students.

When I sought out kung fu training in my mid 20’s, the only place I found teaching kung fu taught a style known as praying mantis boxing, and Chinese weapons. I always thought of them as amazing creatures, so I was in. Plus, there wasn’t exactly a bevy of choices where I lived.

When did you begin training Mantis?

1999. Once I was done diligently trying to screw up my life, I undertook a quest to right the ship, as it were. Eventually seeking out an instructor, as I mentioned, in Chinese boxing as part of this rebirth/reboot/relaunch.

Did you train other styles of Kung Fu?

Yes. Several. I continued with dedicated focus in mantis for a few years, and then years later I trained all over. During this time I went on to explore other styles of Chinese boxing like long fist, eagle claw, tai ji quan, xing yi quan, hung gar, southern fist, and weapons.

Did you say weapons!?

Yes. Many of the Asian martial arts have weapon training as part of their practice.

How many and what kind of weapons did you train in?

17 Chinese weapons. Pole arms such as short, and long staves, spear, guan dao. Mid range bladed weapons - single and dual hand swords, sabers, tiger hooks, Close range weapons such as daggers, butterfly swords, fighting fan, even a flute, as ridiculous as that sounds. Flexible weapons as well - chain whips, 3 section staff, and rope dart.

That sounds like some HEAVY METAL!?!?

Perhaps. Weapons are simple in methodology though. If it is complex, it is likely a trick/stunt for someone to show off, and would not work in combat. Practical usage of each weapon though is quite simple. Additionally, many of the weapons share common principles and functionality, which makes it easier to assimilate new weapons with common shapes, grips, function.

When did you open your training academy?

After 5 years of dedicated training and competing, my friend Bruce Sanders and I opened our school in Westford, Massachusetts. In the old Graniteville district.

What is the biggest thing teaching and running a school taught you?

I could list hundreds! All of equal value. However, teaching students full-time, I quickly realized how scattered my interests had become in the realm of Chinese boxing. My students (a direct mirror into ourselves as coaches/teachers) were not benefiting from this chaotic Frankenstein of a journey I was on. A hard reset was necessary.

What did you do about it?

I quadrupled down on mantis boxing. Delving deeper into the variations of seven star, and 8 step and the practical application of these. It’s a long story. You can read more on my Mantis Boxing journey in an essay I wrote Rise from the Ruins.

What brought you into the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)? It seems like a big deviation from mantis boxing/kung fu? Didn’t you try to be ‘less scattered’ as you put it?

Being smaller, I saw the value in knowing some basic ground fighting techniques. Even the best throw has an opponent grasping at anything they can find to help soften the catastrophic end they are fast approaching. That tends to be the person throwing them. That means we’re going to the ground with them. I had enough bad experiences on ground to recognize that we are our own worst enemies on the ground. Panicking and gassing ourselves out in a matter of seconds, leaving ourselves defenseless against our enemy.

Did you find it easy to start BJJ?

Hell no!!! By all accounts I should have quit when I started. If I weren’t so painfully stubborn, I would have walked away. If you enjoy the tragedies you can read more about it in my essay ‘A Dark Start - Why I should have quit BJJ when I started’.

Did you have a goal when you started BJJ?

Absolutely! I had no plans to be a ground fighter. Initially I had planned to get to a ‘blue belt’ level of proficiency, and move on.

Why a blue belt?

Blue belt is tough. Some styles of martial art are giving black belts out in the time it takes someone to achieve blue belt in BJJ. This first belt takes time and grit to earn. 2 to 4 years on average.

Why did you stay after blue belt?

I saw how mistaken I was. The level of skill that comes with a blue belt is fine against most people you end up on the ground with, if they lack any BJJ training. Unless…they are significantly larger, stronger than us. Then we need even greater levels of skill to mitigate the disadvantage.

What level is enough then?

Usually purple belt. By then we have the ability to flow from one thing to the next. When one attack or escape fails, we intuitively move to the next; instead of being a ‘one-and-done grappler’ - try something and if it fails we’re done.

Why did you continue after purple belt?

Enjoyment, challenge, depth. I love learning. There is always more to learn in hand-to-hand combat. It has ceased to quit on giving back to me all these years. The more I put in to these arts over the decades I have been doing them, the more I give to others, the more the arts give in return. After diving into the punch bowl, I became lucid, not only realizing how important this pillar of training is in fighting, but how immensely challenging and fun it can be. The deeper I went the more I found that the style melded extremely well with my mantis boxing. I saw no choice but to continue on, forging a new hybrid of the two arts.

The mantis boxing style you teach is ‘bare knuckle’, ‘no-holds barred’? And your BJJ, you add strikes to your BJJ classes. These seem abnormal in today’s boxing and BJJ gyms, boxing with big gloves, or MMA gloves, and BJJ for sport, where striking is not allowed. Can you tell me why you do this?

Definitely. I have competed at length in combat fighting sports. Sport rules are there for good reason, and yet, they create serious problems when it comes to martial arts being effective in real world situations, and for self-defense.

Have you seen this happen?

Absolutely! I witnessed a 10 year old girl with no training dismember adult martial artists with decades experience using a simple groin kick. I’ve seen people naturally react to getting hit by throwing a hand up, and inadvertently poke a striker in the eye on their way in to hit the person. There is a popular meme in BJJ - “How do you turn a BJJ Black Belt into a Blue Belt…? - Start striking.” That meme does not exist free of cause.

What is your approach? You enjoyed competition, do you train others to compete?

If they want. That is a completely personal decision. If someone wishes to go that route I will absolutely support them any way I can. However, overall in my coaching/teaching I want to train people to be effective at their art in any situation. More of a no holds barred vale tudo mindset if you will.

Combat sports like western boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, BJJ, judo, wrestling, are they not effective? People do fight with those outside of the arena and successfully defend themselves, correct?

Yes. Absolutely. And yet, martial artists do routinely get into problems using their skills in non-competition situations. Sport is excellent for taking things to a level we often can’t reach otherwise. Specialized sports such as boxing for strikes, muay thai, or tae kwon do for kicks, judo for throwing, are all exceptional arts. Through them, we can take our skills to an exceptionally high level due to their focus on a single pillar of fighting.

You used that word ‘pillar’ before. What do you mean by pillar?

A pillar being a modality of hand-to-hand combat - grappling/wrestling (throws, trips, takedowns), kicking, striking, submissions (chokes and joint locks), and ground fighting such as wrestling or jiu-jitsu. Each of these are arts in and of themselves.

MMA (the sport), took these pillars and tested them against one another. A hyper focus on individual pillars, that existed at the detriment of a well rounded skill set. This in turn gave rise to the UFC. It is also what made it exciting to watch. One pillar would clash up against another and the cracks would show. As time went on the fighters ultimately blended these pillars to become effective all around fighters. Something traditional eastern and western martial arts did centuries ago, but decades of sport fighting had negated.

This is also not new. Genghis Khan would measure his soldiers using the 3 manly acts - archery, horseback riding, and ‘wrestling’. The wrestling excluded striking, knees, elbows, biting, etc. for the same reasons we have today.

What are some of the drawbacks to modern striking combat sports in your eyes?

Gloves and wraps create weak wrists ripe for injury. They put us in the mindset that we can full power punch another human in the skull without breaking our own hand. Are we wearing gloves/wraps when we are out with friends? Do we stop and wrap up before walking to the car after a movie with our kids, or leaving dinner with a significant other? Gloves are a crutch.

What about ground fighting, or grappling in general?

In the present day BJJ underworld, all too often there is a lack of striking in training due to it being illegal in competition. There also is a lack of focus on how to deal with a standing opponent (where a fight usually starts) that wants to punch your face in. These factors create serious deficiencies in our skill set when it comes to real-world situations. If what we know is ground fighting, and an enemy is blocking our only egress from a room, are we going to jump on our butt and say ‘come get some’ in order to fight them?

BJJ is heralded as one of the best martial arts for self-defense, right?

Yes, and it can be. It is phenomenal! It has so much to offer people. And any training gives people hope that they can survive. Sometimes that bit of hope is enough. Yet, spending years and years in a ‘competition rule-based mindset’ without ever training to strike, to defend strikes, to rip ears, gouge eyes, crush the throat, hit the groin, or snap someone’s fingers, or having someone try to do that to us, or using a weapon on us; we lack the tools we may absolutely need in a real world non-combat sport situation to survive.

Untrained people strike (flail), scratch, bite, pinch, & headbutt. In my opinion, what good are years of martial arts training if they can be dismembered by a novice that uses schoolyard fighting methods?

Isn’t this type of training dangerous? Bare knuckle! No holds barred! Grappling with strikes! I mean, is it hard to train this way without people getting hurt?

There are challenges to it for sure. But these are easily conquered with solid training methods, a good atmosphere, and above all else, an amazing group of people to train with! Those are key.

What do you do for fun?

Train. Coach. Teach. I get to live the life!

Any hobbies other than martial arts?

One of my favorite moments - Scraping the clouds overlooking Mt Washington, New Hampshire from my Hang-Glider @ 7000 ft (2136m).

Flying! Hang-gliding! I love to fly. Aside from being a ninja, since I was a little kid I wanted to be a fighter pilot. It wasn’t in the cards. Flying helicopters in the Army was as close as I got. Diving off cliffs in fabric wings and soaring into the clouds is my replacement.

What is your favorite ice cream?

Coconut Almond Chip from Kimball’s Farm. Nothing comes close. Hands down, THE best ice cream on the planet!