World's Deadliest Fighting Secrets: Count Dante 1897307322, 9781897307328

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COUNT DANTE - A real life comic book hero.

WORLD’S DEADLIEST

FIGHTING SECRETS by Count Dante ISBN 189730732-2 EDITOR IN CHARGE OF LAYOUT Annette Hellingrath FRONT COVER DESIGN Annette Hellingrath

Originally published in 1968 by The Black Dragon Fighting Society PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES COPY RIGHT JULY 2014

Dedicated to: The good, the bad and the ugly.

[email protected] www.risingsunproductions.net 3

CONTENTS Original Publisher’s Note ...................................... Preface .................................................................... The Deadliest Man Alive ........................................ World Karate Federation ...................................... Black Dragon Fighting Society ............................. CHAPTER ONE John Keehan - Count Dante ..................................

CHAPTER TWO Shortcomings in Present Day Fighting Systems Vital Areas of the Body with Charts ...................... Dim Mak Timetable with Charts ............................ CHAPTER THREE Poison Hand Techniques ........................................ CHAPTER FOUR Self Defense Forms No. 1 - No. 4 .......................... Self Defense Form No. 1 ......................................... Self Defense Form No. 2 ......................................... Self Defense Form No. 3 ......................................... Self Defense Form No. 4 ......................................... Stunt Breaking .......................................................

Bibliography ...........................................................

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CONTENTS .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... .......................................................................... ..........................................................................

7 9 11 14 15 17 19 61 62 69 78 83 84

111 112 113 131 137 145

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ORIGINAL PUBLISHER’S NOTE

We have made available to you the deadliest book ever written, which contains the most complete compilation of secret, terror fighting techniques known to man. Along with the most complete listing of the shocking, human horror weapons - the Poison Hand techniques. As well as the deadliest defense form in the world - the Dance of Death - the ballet of killer horror. The forbidden Dim Mak timetable is also shown, along with a stunt method, enabling a beginner to break a brick or board after only minutes of training. Bringing all these sought after secrets into the open is none other than Count Dante - the ‘Deadliest Man Alive’ - and an expert of all fighting arts.

It must be remembered that these techniques are a study in an ancient art form and merit the interest and respect accorded to any art form. Their use was applied years ago, as a peasant’s only means of defense against armed soldiers. Under those circumstances there was no such a thing as fair play and anything went. Their study is meant for those interested in them as an art form only. The chance of their being misused is slight, as it is not the weapon, but the technique and the ability of the beholder that is to be feared as this comes only through years of practice. A person interested in harming others would turn to the use of a knife or a gun and would be incapable of the patience, perseverance and humility needed for the mastery of the techniques as shown in this book. (1968)

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PREFACE

The purpose of this book is to exhibit some of the secret and forbidden techniques of the deadliest Oriental fighting arts and to familiarize the reader with such Oriental defense systems as Gung-Fu, Tai Chi Chuan, Pa-Kua, Kempo, Hsing-Yi, Shaolin Boxing and Chuan-Fa, which are in themselves graceful and beautiful, but terrifying, deadly and vicious ancient fighting arts forms. Unfortunately, little is known of these systems due to the fact their techniques have been closely guarded by secret Oriental societies and often are handed down from father to son, always staying in one family.

The content of this book will deal mostly with basic, but horrifyingly effective defenses, which can be used, in slight variations, against almost any attack. The weapons applied, will be the deadly Poison Hand techniques, which are blinding, crushing, ripping, stomping, tapping, poking, gouging and tearing movements.

Also, strangulation, arm locks and pinning procedures will be touched on. Included in this book will be the listing of the fatal and vital nerve centers, along with the most sensitive and easily accessible major blood vessels and organs, accompanied by diagrams showing their location. The Dim Mak timetable will give the specific time during the day when certain areas of the body are especially vulnerable to attack. As an added feature, a stunt breaking method will be shown, in which the beginner can break a brick within minutes. (1968) 8

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THE DEADLIEST MAN ALIVE

Count Dante, an immediate descendant of European nobility and a holder of the 8th degree Black Belt is somewhat of a legend in the Karate world today. Count Dante, (himself undefeated) and his students, have amassed over 1000 trophies and awards in international competition. A few of the titles held by himself or his team include: World Champion 1963, 1965, and 1967. Professional World Karate Championship Top Team 1967. International Champion 1965, Nation’s USA Top Team 1964 and Canada’s Top Team.

Even though the Count no longer enters teams in competition, many of his students, or their students, still carry away the top awards in major Karate competitions.

On September 1st, 1967 the Directive Committee of the World Federation of Fighting Arts declared Count Dante the World’s Deadliest Fighting Master in recognition of his having defeated the World’s foremost fistic and grappling arts Masters in ‘no holds barred’ fighting matches. 10

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Aside from his own unmatched fighting abilities he individually has produced more fighting arts champions than any organization or association in the world. As the director of a large wig and hairpiece firm he has frequent opportunity to visit their factories in India, China, Indonesia, Korea and Japan and always finds time to train in the various Oriental schools for fighting arts.

Originally trained in Karate, Count Dante has now changed from his Okinawan and Japanese style of Karate to the Chinese arts of Gung-Fu, Tai Chi Chuan, Kempo and Shaolin Boxing, which he believes to be far superior to the standard Karate system. The Count is an expert in Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Gung-Fu, Tai Chi Chuan, Shaolin Boxing, Kempo, Karate, Yawara, Boxing and Wrestling, aside from holding a black belt in Aikido and a Master’s certificate in Kibo.

Mountains of Eastern Cuba (Oriente Province) and later in Havana itself, during the military campaigns between the forces of Fulgencio Batista and Fidel Castro.

Aside from the fighting arts, Count Dante is a world famous hair stylist and beauty consultant and an avid devotee of classical singing.

Until 1962 Count Dante was the head instructor for the United States Karate Association. The strikingly handsome director of the World Karate Federation, who looks more like a movie star than a Karate Master, has often appeared on national radio and television programs such as ‘To Tell the Truth, CBS Sports Special, and Midwest Sports Spectacular, along with demonstrating at the United Nations in 1965, the World’s Fair and motion pictures. He has also appeared in Black Belt Magazine, in the Bible of Karate, in its July/August 1964 issue. This issue referred to Count Dante as one of the top instructors in the world today. In 1957 the Count had a chance to put his fighting ability to serious use as a Mercenary Guerrilla officer in the Sierra Maestra 12

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WORLD KARATE FEDERATION

The World Karate Federation is a non profit organization designed to help in the expansion of Karate and related Oriental fistic arts. It acts not as an association, but as a United Nations or brotherhood of Karateists to further the arts and support fellow members. The W.K.F. is composed of Yudanshas (black belts) and qualified instructors from such organizations and styles as the Japan Karate Association, Chito-Ryu, Kyokushinkai, International Kenpo Karate Association, Goju-Ryu, Tae Kwon Do, Ju-Te, ShorinRyu, United States Karate Association, Isshinryu, Tai Chi Chuan, Shotokan and Gung-Fu. These are over 200 affiliated black belts in the W.K.F.’s many registered dojos throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and the Far East. Their teams have amassed over 1000 trophies and awards in international competition. A few of these titles include: First Professional World Karate Champion 1967, World Champion 1963, 1965, 1967, World’s Top Team 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, Nation’s (U.S.A.) Top Team 1964, Canada’s Top Team 1965, International Champion 1965.

THE BLACK DRAGON FIGHTING SOCIETY

The Black Dragons Fighting Society is a world renowned fighting arts organization dedicated to the fighting systems of Gung-Fu, Tai Chi Chuan, Chuan-Fa, Kempo, Hsing-Yi, Pa-Kua and Shaolin Boxing. The secret society teaches the most savage, deadly and terrifying fighting arts known to man and has in its membership the world’s top experts in the Oriental Fistic and grappling systems. To qualify, an applicant must be a Master of, or at least a high ranking expert in one of the few acceptable Oriental defense forms. Many world famous champions have been unable to meet the strict requirements and have failed to gain entrance or admission into the forbidden society which is sworn to the arts of death. The exact membership and training procedures are closely guarded secrets of the membership who are sworn to secrecy and joined together through their initiation ceremony of blood. (1968)

(1968)

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CHAPTER

ONE

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JOHN KEEHAN - COUNT DANTE

Count Dante at 6’ 1” made an immediate first impression wherever he went. This was partly due to the fact that he was a very striking man with an animated face that your couldn’t help staring at. Tons of thick, carefully arranged, curly brown hair, coming to a widow’s peak, and a dark, sharply styled beard, coupled with a sometimes bright red face and clear, piercing eyes, completed his amazing look. He appeared to be taller than he actually was, because he carried himself very straight and upright. He also seemed to have a natural, aristocratic air about him and walked around with a casual, relaxed, unhurried confidence. Once you got closer to Count Dante you would eventually start to wonder if he was wearing make-up. This in no way detracted from his looks, and if anything, heightened the interest and speculation that always seemed to swirl around him. People close to him would tell you that he used make-up every day, in an effort to cover his red complection, but nobody knew for sure if this was the true reason. There was speculation that his face had been burned when a used car lot he owned in Chicago exploded. In his later years his red face was attributed to high blood pressure. Clearly Count Dante was self conscious about the color of his face, and being a master at make-up - he simply covered it up. It was widely believed, that, since everything about Count Dante eventually proved to be made up - then why not his face as well. To complete the picture of a confident, successful man, Count Dante carried his head tilted back and at an angle, which made him appear to look down on 18

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everyone who came into his orbit.

forty-three years, under Mas Tumore.

His father was a physician and surgeon, so Dante grew up in an upper income bracket in a good neighborhood. His parents, after fleeing Spain, after the Spanish Revolution, lived in Nestor Falls, Ontario, Canada for a while and then settled in Chicago for good.

Keehan never went in too much for degrees. This was largely due to the fact that he never stayed with one school for very long and partly because he felt hindered by being labeled. He had money enough,

Then there was his name - Count Dante. In actuality he was born John Timothy Keehan on February 2, 1939, on the south side of Chicago. His claim to the title of Count - he would tell you, was through his mother’s noble Spanish birth. His full name was legally changed to Count Juan Raphael Dante.

The Marine Corps came next for John at age eighteen. He spent a lot of time in the Far East. After that came a stint in the army, where he was stationed in Vietnam and Korea. Through it all, John continued to study Hapkido, Tang Soo Do, Moo Duk Kwan, Tae Kwon Do, Tai Boxing and Chinese Boxing.

Nevertheless, young John Keehan, as he was then known as, found it hard to stay out of trouble while growing up in Chicago. He had a lot of interests, including body building, weight lifting, Boxing, Wrestling and Judo. Since his parents had money, he was able to indulge all those interests. He was also lucky enough to study Boxing with Johnny Coulant, a World Champion, at his gym located on Sixty-third Street. At age thirteen Keehan took every opportunity available to him to box at Mount Carmel High, which he attended for three years. He eventually became the Heavyweight Boxing Champion in his second and third year. While in public school, he was the Heavyweight Wrestling Champion for two years.

Keehan also found time to attend a well established Judo club, which had been located in Chicago for 20

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thanks to an indulgent father, to tour around the world for a while and he found a club of one style or another wherever he went. He deviated from this pattern only by regularly attending Robert A. Trias' school in Phoenix, two or three times a year for months at a time. Keehan was asked to become a full time Goju Shorei student but he declined, preferring to study at different clubs instead and learn all the different fighting arts.

moving on to learn everything he could at different schools. It didn’t help either that Keehan made it quite clear to everybody that he wasn’t impressed with most - if not all, of his instructors. He thought most of them weren’t very good! He was convinced that he was better than all of them - also not an opinion that went over too well with his instructors.

Typically Karate school owners were not impressed by John’s habit of skipping from school to school, but John was not deterred by their disapproval and kept

Keehan was convinced that there was a big difference between an instructor and a teacher. He would tell anyone who listened, that no one can teach you anything - you only have instructors. He believed that you learn things yourself by falling down and getting

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back up again. He was convinced that Boxers and professional Wrestlers were better and smoother fighters than martial artists. He was also under the impression that martial artists were no purer than pro Wrestlers, because they also pulled their blows. Keehan also believed that a Karateist would not be able to stand up to a Wrestler. He personally found that the toughest fighters he came up against were either pro football players or pro Wrestlers and especially Sumo Wrestlers.

Eventually, in 1957, Keehan did become somewhat connected with the US Karate Association under Robert A. Trias, whom he considered to be a good fighter. When he left the USKA at age twenty-three, he was a sixth dan, the highest rank ever given to someone that age.

would probably be capable of kicking the shit out of Aaron Banks - which wouldn’t be all that impressive in his opinion. Keehan professed himself to be the greatest instructor there was!

It seems almost inevitable that Keehan would meet Bruce Lee in 1962. The two men, different in many ways, worked out together. They met again in 1963 and once again worked out together. These meetings came about thanks to Jimmy Lee who made all the arrangements. Keehan is on record as saying that Bruce Lee was very good, but in the next breath wondered why Lee had such a high reputation, since

Keehan received a black belt in Aikido from Morihei Uyeshiba, in 1965 and received a black belt in Judo from the Chicago Yudanshikai under Gene Wyker, in1963. Keehan also studied Jiu Jitsu and received a seventh degree black belt in Ju-Te, which is a combination of Aikido, Jiu Jitsu, Kid-Bo and Bo-Kid-Bo. This rank was under Uyeshiba and also presented to John in 1963. Keehan received all these rankings at approximately the same time, because he studied full time, and had done so since age sixteen. Keehan was also know to read voraciously. It was known that Keehan was not a particular fan of anything Bruce Tegner wrote, but Keehan even read his books. He grudgingly admitted that Tegner’s books were - not bad. Keehan had to amend that statement though, by adding that he thought that Bruce Tegner 24

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he never won any championships, never challenged anybody, or accepted any challenges.

Keehan also questioned if Bruce Lee had ever really contributed anything to martial arts, since he never held a tournament and wasn’t a pioneer of any kind. Keehan believed that Lee has simply lucked out being in the movies. Keehan was convinced that if he had had a serious backer that his career would have been different as well.

By now Keehan was already experiencing the painful symptoms of his developing ulcer. He blamed his condition on having to deal with all the politics in the martial arts. It is not known if he sought treatment for his ailment. He did seem to decide that it was time to leave all the politics behind and to strike out on his own and he subsequentially developed - The Dante System. Promoted as a universal fighting system, where Keehan - now Count Dante, assured his members that they would become one with the universal mind and their subconscious would be in accord with the almighty. A tall order to be sure. The religious overtones of The Dante System could be somewhat explained by the fact that although he was a violent man, and professed to be a death match fighter, Count Dante also professed himself to be a Catholic. To the extent that he at one time wanted to become a priest. He was rejected, possibly because of his many unorthodox ideas. It would seem that Count Dante did have a vague ambition to do some good for his fellow man, despite his participation in many death matches. 26

As a matter of fact, by the time he was thirty-six years old, Dante claimed to have killed over fifty men. Some of these kills were partly accomplished while he was serving in the military, which is totally believable, but he also claimed to have killed in street fights, as well as in competitions. Dante points out that other than for his military kills, that he didn’t use weapons of any kind - but killed with only his bare hands. He also professed not to enjoy killing, but that he was able to psych himself up to kill, through what he said was an - over secretion of the pituitary glands. He believed this pumped up his adrenaline, what the Orientals call Chi or Kid. Dante called it - plain guts.

He also believed that there was a certain thrill in killing, definitely a thrill in winning, something he blamed his military life on forcing him to discover. They had taught him to kill - rather than be killed. Dante must have been a witness to some awful things while he was in the military because he accused American soldiers of killing foreign captive prisoners like the Japanese and the Germans soldiers did. He considered the killing of prisoners to be just another part of war. When discussing this fact he felt the need to point

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out that he never felt any type of sexual, spiritual, physical or psychological thrill while making these kills.

Some of his students offered up the fact that Dante’s training curriculum included teaching them to kill, if they were in a position where they had no other choice. He taught his students to have the attitude to kill if necessary. Dante also admitted to having maimed about twentyfive people, by either blinding them or actually taking an eye or two out. He was also fond of aiming for his opponent’s testicles, ripping them off with his bare hands, or using a groin slap and twisting and tearing them - under very adverse conditions only - of course.

He was surprised to lose this fight though because it was against a neighbor boy he knew. He even chased his adversary for four blocks, going in for a rematch each time, and each time he was dropped by the kid. Dante waited a few years and then caught up to his neighbor and dropped him.

The second fight he lost was to a crime syndicate hoodlum, who was both a Boxer and a Wrestler. Dante was still in high school at the time. One night while home alone, he heard a noise in the basement. His father stored all his outboard motors for his boats

He admitted to losing two out of all his fights. The first fight Dante lost was when he was a really young boy.

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in the basement, so fearing a robbery in progress, young Keehan went into the basement to take care of the thieves. He found a couple of Sicilians busy stealing his father’s possessions.

Dante, stripped to the waist, and ready for a fight, rushed in to the basement and was promptly kicked in the balls. This was a new experienced for him and he found himself squirming on the ground. The thieves were kind enough to ask him if he had had enough and Dante said - yes. He ended up kicking his attacker’s ass about two years later at a chance encounter. This may have been when Dante first decided that to be an effective fighter, you needed to go out and get your ass kicked to know what if felt like.

imately 700 spectators. There were twelve competitors from all the different fighting arts in attendance, most were Chinese Kenpo men. Dante’s first fight was with a Kenpo stylist. He was a very strong man for his age. He was old, but it was hard to tell just how old. Dante killed this man with a closed hand technique - a strike to the head. After the Canton match, Dante fought outdoors in Bangkok at another death match, this time before 3000 spectators. There were over seventy competitors and Dante ended up fighting for the title of the Heavy Weight Champion of Bangkok. To win his matches Dante used his famous throat grab.

During his travels, Dante’s first death match took place in an outlying district in Canton. Some of his other death matches where held in Bangkok, Thailand (against Thai Boxers), as well as Korean, Japanese, Okinawan and Chinese Gung-Fu fighters. Dante insists that he didn’t travel to the Orient for the express purpose of fighting in death matches, that the first time he heard about them was by chance, when he was in Thailand. He just happened to overhear a conversation about a Canton death match about to take place, while walking around sight seeing. Dante at first, was like a lot of other people and didn’t believe that events like this occurred and decided to see for himself.

Once he arrived outside of Canton, Dante located the death match in a building already filled with approx30

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He would grip the throat of his opponent, and twist and pull. The trick was not to aim for the larynx - too much room for error. Dante would burrow his hand all the way in on either side of the throat. He likened it to an alligator getting a hold of a chunk of meat and using his tail for leverage - one hand goes one way, and the other hand goes the other way.

martial arts and didn’t really do anything else, so it is possible that he was more than capable of holding his own in these matches. It is also possible that Dante had connections, or paid many bribes along the way to get admission.

There are a few credible martial artists who know the Orient and who will tell you that death matches have, in fact, been held in secret. These matches are conducted as a matter of honor, but that to be chosen to participate in one, that you have to be highly regarded by your Sensei.

It was also widely believed by most martial artists

Much of Dante’s legend rests upon his participation in death matches. Official sources in the government of Thailand and the People’s Republic of China will tell you that no such events exist today - nor that they ever did exist.

Of course legitimate martial artists in the Chicago area, who all eventually ended up despising Dante, claimed that he couldn’t possibly have been in the Orient when he said he was. They had proof of attendance records that Dante was working for them at the time, although no paperwork was ever produced by anyone to back up the statement.

Assuming that death matches did exist in the Far East when Dante travelled there, the chances that John Keehan, alias Count Dante, was able to enter such a match seems to be very unlikely. An American would not have been welcomed with open arms into the secret, elite circles of those who organized these death matches and he did not have a Sensei in the area who would have entered him. Dante said that he won admission to death matches on the basis of his kata and fighting skills. Considering that Dante had his father’s money at his disposal, he would have been able to buy his way into these matches if he had to. He was devoted to the 32

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that Count Dante was a coward. They knew of a fight Dante and his best friend were involved in where Dante let his friend die. Count Dante it seemed was all smoke and mirrors, a charlatan, a mediocre martial artist, who relied only on his charismatic personality and good looks to get through life. The majority thought that Dante had been a promising Karateka at one time, but ended up believing his own press clippings, and made lying a way of life.

We do know for sure that in the sixties, when Dante was the top Karate personality in the American midwest, that he established the first contact Karate tournament. Eventually, ten years later, this became a popular concept everywhere, but was hotly contested at the time. Then there were Dante’s alleged involvements with the Chicago Mafia Family, his lucrative mail order Karate business, and the transformation of John Keehan into Count Dante. If that wasn’t enough to peak anyone’s interest, there was the famous bombing incident Dante was involved in, as well as the ensuing dojo war which led to the death of Karate star Jim Concevic.

tournament that Dante had arranged for him.

This incident was bad news for Dante, but it got worse years later, when on April 24, 1970 Dante and some of his students went to a rival dojo - the Green Dragon Society's Black Cobra Hall, and claimed to be police officers. They then proceeded to attack the rival dojo's students. The brief battle resulted in the death of one of Dante's friends and a fellow Sensei, Jim Concevic.

Former mob lawyer Robert Cooley stated in his autobiography, ‘When Corruption was King’ that he represented Count Dante during the trial, following the 1970 Dojo War incident. Cooley recalls that Dante was

The bombing attempt was widely reported and Dante was charged with attempted arson on July 22, 1965. He and an accomplice, Douglas Dwyer, (the second deadliest man alive), were arrested when they were caught taping dynamite caps to the window of a rival Chicago dojo. Both men claimed to be under the influence of alcohol at the time and told the officers that - they were just kidding around. Dante would explain much later that the bombing attempt was the result of a disagreement he had had earlier with the dojo's owner over payment never received for a 34

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ultimately acquitted, but not before both sides were given a stern lecture by the judge, who cited everyone at fault. Cooley also suggests in his book that Dante was the mastermind in the notorious 1974 Chicago Purolator vault robbery, in which 4.3 million dollars was stolen. While he was not named as one of the suspects, Dante was allegedly questioned by the Illinois grand jury and ultimately passed their lie detector test. Dante died shortly before the trial was completed. The trial resulted in the conviction of all but one person involved.

The deadliest man alive was dead!

Robert A. Trias, one of America’s pioneers in Karate, remembered Dante well, having been his friend for years. Together the two men had established the United States Karate Association (USKA), which still endures today. Dante left the organization in 1964. But before that, young John Keehan had been a popular, hard working instructor and one of the driving

Count Juan Raphael Dante aka John Timothy Keehan died in his sleep on May 25, 1975. He was 36 years old.

At the time of his death Dante had been on the verge of a comeback. He had overcome most of the struggles he had had to deal with, after the death of his friend Jim Concevic in 1970, and seemed to be in a better frame of mind.

His death was probably not the way the flamboyant Count Dante would have planned it. He would never have wanted his beautiful young wife to find him one morning, lying stiff in his bed. He had quietly succumbed to a bleeding stomach ulcer, possibly brought on by his life choices. 36

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forces in promoting Karate in the midwest.

Sensei Trias liked him quite a bit when he first met John, because he was conscientious and a good student. Remember Keehan travelled to his school in Phoenix every year and trained with him for three or four months at a time. Eventually young Keehan became the USKA representative for the Chicago area, thanks to Trias’ confidence in his ability to handle the responsibility.

having stood up for his black students, that they didn’t leave with him but chose to stay with Trias. One of his fellow Karateka during this time was Algene Caraulia, although Keehan always claimed Algene Caraulia to be his student. Caraulia denies this

Unfortunately this would prove to be a bad idea, because at age twenty-two Keehan found himself with too much power on his hands and he lost control quickly. His lies became more and more fantastic and eventually in 1964, John was dismissed from the USKA. He had not only lied verbally but also in printed stories. One of the more fantastic stories he told was about having served as a guerrilla, under Raul Castro, during the Sierra Maestre campaign in Cuba.

The unbelievable stories he told over the years proved to be Keehan’s downfall. This was unfortunate, because he had good technique, he was strong and consumed with everything to do with Karate, and very proficient. During his time with Sensei Trias he had been very well liked. It is possible that he got involved with the wrong people. Nobody ever disputed that he did a lot of good for the organization when he was a member. Keehan insisted that he was expelled from the USKA for promoting black students to Shodan, something he says was forbidden in the organization. Trias denied this accusation. Keehan was surprised when, 38

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claim, saying that Keehan was only on the promotional board which gave him his black belt and that they worked together at Gene Wyka’s Judo and Karate centers. Carulia remembers that initially he didn’t didn’t correct Keehan on not being his student because he liked him and they had become friends. Carulia admits that Dante was as good as any Shodan he’d ever seen.

Carulia and Keehan spent a lot of time together outside of the dojo as well and he got to know him better than most. They had a lot of good times together although Carulia was somewhat confused by all the obvious lies Keehan told. Carulia thought Keehan had a 'lotta balls’ telling lies about beating up three guys in a street fight or lying about being able to stick his fingers into someone’s rib cage or being capable of ripping out someone’s throat with his bare hands.

and a salesman. He was always impressed how Dante was able to pull in thousands of people to watch Karate tournaments, at a time when there was a distinct lack of interest in the martial arts. Keeney also admits that Concevic was definitely Dante’s student and that there were a lot of people in the midwest who studied with John. He also concedes that at one time Dante ‘was Karate’ in the midwest. This was most evident when they had the first World Championships and there were three men they called - Jhoon Rhee, John Keehan and Robert Trias.

Kenny Knudsen had yet another opinion, and remembers Dante as a demented, all show, no fight and mentally ill man. Keep in mind that Jim Concevic had been a close friend of Knudsen’s and that he blamed Concevic’s death on Dante - and only Dante.

He recalled that much later, Dante also claimed to have fostered many leading black belts in the midwest, including Bill Wallace. They separated as friends when Carulia wouldn’t join Keehan in his World Karate Federation. Carulia simply refused to go along with all the bull and never thought of Keehan as his superior. Glenn Keeney on the other hand, remembers seeing Dante spar and didn’t think he was really all that good - just an average black belt who never won anything, is how he thought of him. Keeney does admit that Dante was a top promoter 40

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Dante’s rather controversial influence on the martial arts in Chicago had ruffled a lot of feathers in the martial arts community - yet the public found him fascinating. The martial arts were still very mysterious then and Dante kept the mystery alive. At one point, he announced publicly that he would duplicate the classic feat of killing a bull with a single Shuto. This was not to be though, thanks to a well placed call to the SPCA. Some people claimed that Dante himself had made the call, because he only wanted the publicity for himself and had never actually intended on following through with his advertised bull killing stunt.

It is obvious that Dante did much for Karate during the time he taught in Chicago and that he was responsible for filling tournament halls with average citizens, which he had made hungry for Karate. He also taught many black belts who went on to establish their own dojos and turned out nationally respected students.

However much good Keehan/Dante did in his short life, he will always be remembered for his death matches, and he would probably have been impressed with that. How many martial artists are there who can claim to have being accused of bombing a competitor’s dojo? Dante always explained that this incident came about because he had a falling out with the owner, Gene Wyka, who was a Judoka. So naturally, he and Doug Dwyer, a black belt, had to do something. The best plan they came up with was to get drunk and blast away at Wyka’s dojo.

They came prepared for the job with cases of dynamite which the police never found. All they found were the blasting caps the two men had on them. Dante claims that they were so drunk that they were not even able to light the dynamite caps. They tried three or four times, while carrying on a loud conversation, accompanied with much laughter, which is what eventually got them noticed by the police. The attempted bombing received a lot of publicity because at the time the Chicago police were looking for a crime syndicate, which was bombing businesses all over the city. Pressured to make a quick arrest, the police were out in full force looking for the mad bomber. Unfortunately Doug just happened to fit the 42

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description on record.

Much as this incident stayed in the forefront with many martial artists, and did not help Dante’s reputation, this incident faded into the background with the death of Jim Concevic. This was the beginning of the end of Count Dante and would totally prevent him from becoming an accepted Master of the arts.

That night of blood and terror, which ended with Concevic on a slab in the morgue, was at the time, the ugliest moment in the history of American Karate. Dante’s version of the event was quite different from others who were there, and who all agree that his account was a lie.

Dante’s version is that members of the Green Dragon Gung-Fu Group had threatened him with death several times. He finally decided to face down his challengers at the Green Dragon’s Black Cobra training hall in Chicago. He brought along two of his disciples, Mike Felcoff and Jim Concevic, as well as three of Concevic’s students. After they entered the hall, a group of some seventeen or so Green Dragons, all armed with various weapons, locked the door after them and then charged at them. The three Concevic students ran for the door. Concevic was stabbed during the skirmish, while Dante was busy gouging the eyes out of one Green Dragon and then disposed of the others one by one. The account, as told by some of the Green Dragons, is quite different. First, nobody was sure as to what brought this fight on. One theory is that Dante had

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been extorting the Green Dragon owners for money. Threats were made to smash their dojo to bits and that challenge was accepted. Another version brought forth was that a Green Dragon instructor had been dating one of Dante’s girlfriends. Whatever the reason, on the night of April 23, 1970, Dante telephoned various friends and students and asked them to join him in a confrontation at the Green Dragon hall. Ken Knudsen remembers that Jim Concevic called him that night and told him that - Crazy John wanted him to go to the Green Dragons Hall with him. Knudsen begged Concevic not to go. Concevic said that he wasn’t expecting any trouble, but wanted to be there to back up John in case someone tried to stab him or something. Others who were there said it all started with a phone call from Concevic to join him for some food and a beer, after a quick pit stop at the Green Dragon Hall, to help out John. It was obvious to everyone that Concevic was not expecting any trouble that night. They described him as very calm.

Jane Orr, Concevic’s girlfriend believes otherwise. She was convinced that Jim was prepared for a fight that night because when she went to pick up his car later, Jim’s glasses and his daily reminder notebook were in the front seat of his car, along with his shirt and sports coat. To her that meant that he didn't want his clothes or his glasses damaged in a fight. She admits that Jim liked a little street brawl once in a while. 46

According to Dante, when questioned about that night, he says that once the doors were locked after them, that they were attacked by men bearing Chinese weapons, mace, spears, swords and knives. Dante and Concevic were both maced right away.

In the silence that ensued after the first attack, the two groups sized each other up. At this point the accounts diverge again. According to one story, Dante and Felcoff are led into a back office to talk with the manager of the school. Concevic and his men agree to stay behind. In this version Dante is not in the room when Concevic is attacked. In another version someone throws the first blow and all hell breaks loose. Concevic throws one Green Dragon to the floor with an Osoto-Gari, turns from the prostrate form and throws himself into the fight. The men stay together in a group, fighting off the armed herd of men and head towards the locked door. Knives flash! Concevic bears the brunt of the attack. He tries to fend off the slashing blades, his hands and arms slashed to ribbons. Then from somewhere in the crowd of men, a sword blade is thrusts deep into Concevic’s left side. It is a severe

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wound. Another sword blade right after, intended for his throat, misses, but rips open a wound under his chin.

A gravely wounded Concevic still manages to yell for everyone to - ‘Get the f--k outa here!’ The three students with him manage to kick the door off its hinges and they run into the street. One of them, realizes that Concevic did not follow after them and is still in the building. He turns and runs back into the Green Dragon Hall to rescue his Sensei. He is in time to witness his instructor’s death at the hands of a Green Dragon. Concevic, dazed and badly hurt is never the less trying to make a run for the door. He slams in to a wall instead. The man he threw to the floor at the beginning of the fight raises a

heavy spear and lets it fly.

The spear catches Concevic in the side of the neck. Concevic manages to get hold of the staff that is protruding from his neck and jerks it out. A thick, pulsing stream of blood quickly pools on the ground. The Karate champion’s carotid artery has been severed. Concevic manages to head through the door and falls to the sidewalk. He is dead! Blood no longer spurts from his many wounds. His heart has stopped. Sirens can be heard in the background, heading in their direction. One of Concevic’s students was able to make his way to a nearby firehouse and called the police. Everyone starts to run away from the building, some, including Dante, are caught and taken to police headquarters and charged. Later, Jim Concevic’s body is found to have thirty-six slash and stab wounds and a hole in his throat. According to Dante he was there, fighting for his life, pulling out eyeballs. Some accounts have Dante hiding under a desk in a Green Dragon office, where the police apparently found him. There was also a theory thrown around that Dante had been the target for the sword and spear, that because he and Concevic looked a lot alike, same hair, beard and body size, that Jim’s death was a case of mistaken identity.

Dante, in his account swears that he was charged with taking both eyes out of an opponent, and that in fact 48

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he had done so. But according to some eye witnesses the only other casualty that night was a Green Dragon who suffered an eye injury alright, but that it was due to a nunchaku hit.

Surprisingly the trial came to nothing. The witness who saw the fatal spear being hurled at Concevic was able to identify the perpetrator. Even so the case was ultimately thrown out of court. It was largely believed that this was because the suspected killer’s father bought some people off. Dante insisted that it was he who bought everyone’s way out, leaving his Karate empire cash strapped and in shambles. After Concevic’s death he was reduced to peddling peanuts in a Chicago baseball stadium. Jim Concevic’s death made a profound impact on what was left of Dante’s life. Jim Concevic had been his best friend and possibly, except for Bill Aguiar - his only friend. Dante never quite recovered from that night. The deadliest man in the world was now selling peanuts and he didn’t care. Apparently he got the job through someone who was part of the Chicago Mafia Family. This was Dante’s entry into the world of organized crime and his ultimate downfall.

At this point Dante had gone through several careers. He would never again teach full time in the martial arts. His attempt to set up a string of hair salons had also failed. He had managed to secure a spectacular front page article in the National Informer tabloid though. It proclaimed that Dante, the world’s deadliest fighter was now a hairdresser. 50

One thing that stayed consistent in his life was his carefully attended appearance and his make-up skills. One intimate friend hinted that Dante made himself up every morning. He confided that John could have made the cover of GQ but that the only cover he really wanted was that of Rolling Stone magazine. By the time he died at 36, the once pure martial artist had evolved into a figure of infamy, who craved publicity, who lied about everything he did, and had ever done, and was now involved with organized crime.

At the time Count Dante died, all who knew him proclaimed him to be one of the wealthiest men in the martial arts. By some accounts, he had made more from his book than Bruce Tegner ever did, and more from his catalogue than anybody but Bruce Lee and Mito Uyehara ever amassed.

Dante’s book, more a booklet, was titled The World’s Deadliest Fighting Arts and featured a few hand techniques, basic Kung Fu punches and some ripping and gouging tactics, as well as ‘The Dance of Death’ an overkill technique that involved either crushing or tearing away almost every vital organ in the body. His students could never quite perform this ‘dance’ but Dante could make you picture it happening on a barroom floor when he did it. Dante’s graceful mannerisms carried over into his kata and self defense forms, which unfortunately didn’t translate well in print. The book was written between 1966 and 1967 and published at his own expense. It sold millions of 51

copies and made him a fortune. It was mainly advertised in men’s magazines and in comic books. Dante thought of himself as the most famous martial artist who ever lived, known world wide, and on par with Bruce Lee.

Bill Aguiar tried to help Dante make his style more saleable to potential students, but Dante insisted on not changing a thing and on calling his hand based style Dan-Te.

His combat philosophy consisted of the fact that feet are not used until an opponent is on the ground, that legs are a means of transportation and not weapons. He felt that close-in training had advantages, that it psyched out an opponent accustomed to fighting with Boxing or Karate techniques at a set distance. Show me how to throw a sidekick in a phone booth, he’d say, or how to do a Uchimata in a phone booth. Dante trained his students to fight in bar situations. At least two sequences of the Dant-Te system involved techniques that don’t work on anybody who isn’t sitting on a bar stool. He had a habit of supplying his black belts with bottles of Budweiser beer inbetween workouts. His logic was that fights happen more often than not in bars and he therefore set the scene for his students. Dante himself preferred to drink malts and spirits and after Concevic’s murder, chain smoked Kools.

It is also known that Dante dabbled in pornography. The Chicago police were aware that he was involved 52

in a chain of pornographic bookstores. Dante denied being the owner of any of the stores, but that he was only a ‘sort of’ manager. People who knew something about this situation agreed that he was involved with these bookstores and that he grossed $9,000 a week. It was widely known that Dante was also into drugs, but nobody was ever really sure as to just how deep that involvement went. He admitted to using cannabis and that he only participated in dealing in narcotics. It was thought that he had been thrown out of the army because of his drug use, but that was not something that Dante ever admitted to. In the last years of his life, Dante was into drugs and getting drunk on a regular basis, almost like he had a premonition that the end was near. He started telling people that a doctor had diagnosed him as suffering from pernicious anemia and feared it would develop into leukemia. It is not known if this was actually the case, but Dante definitely talked about not caring if he died from then on.

Even a sick Dante inspired real fear, as an enforcer for the Chicago Syndicate. His students liked to play that up. So, on rare occasions, did he, bragging to have killed for a local gangster, an alleged godfather of the New England Mafia. Even with all his different commitments, Dante found time to run a mail order martial arts business, which eventually ended up going to his wife, as part of their divorce settlement. 53

Krista Dante was perhaps the only person Dante ever loved more than himself. He also professed to love his stepson, from Krista’s previous relationship. They all continued to live together, even after the divorce. This was due in part so that Dante could look after them because by now he was constantly worried about their safety, as well as his own, because of his involvement with the Mob. The fact that he had been associated with the famous Chicago Purolator burglary also continued to hang over his head. This had been the biggest American heist since the Brinks job, and if Dante had lived, it is possible that he would have been charged with this crime. Eventually Dante became somewhat of a recluse, sitting in his condo worrying and waiting to be shot. He started to keep a shotgun nearby. He was also considering moving to Lebanon to get as far away as possible.

At this time Dante found out that Luigi DiFonzo, a figure in the Purolator heist, believed to have been the one who laundered the stolen money, was publishing a book about the heist. Dante had been questioned and threatened with a subpoena and considered himself to be more on the inside of the theft than DiFonzo. Everyone who knew Dante, knew that he was prejudiced against all Orientals. A few months before his death, Dante challenged Paul Kwan to a death match and told him that all Orientals should be put into ovens. This came about after Kwan wondered how a Caucasian could claim to hold a tenth degree in Kung Fu and that comment eventually came to Dante’s attention. Dante of course tells it differently. He claimed that 54

Paul Kwan asked one of his students if Dante was still blowing up dojos.

Dante believed that all Orientals were not capable of fighting, especially not the Chinese. He believed that all they had was their mystical garbage, that they didn’t win matches, and that they were sneaky. He was convinced that the Chinese were trying to take over the country in every possible way, complete with their own well established crime syndicates.

Surprisingly, considering his racist attitude, Dante had an extensive black following. He would quip that he was their blue eyed soul brother. He claimed to have taught the Blackstone Rangers, a feared black street gang. Most of his schools boasted a large attendance of black students. He counted nationally known black Karateka such as Karriem Allah Fred Hamilton and Russell Brown among his staunchest supporters. As mentioned before, Dante pioneered full contact tournaments open to all styles in America. Many martial artists were against this concept, including Jhoon Rhee, whose introduction of safety equipment a few years later, would fling wide the door to full contact Karate in America and make him a fortune.

Dante counted the sponsorship of the World Karate Championships from 1962 through 1965, the First World Professional Karate Championship in 1967 and the First World Fighting Arts Championship in 1968 as some of his main accomplishments. His own tournament career was not especially distin55

guished. The biggest name competitor he ever fought while on the circuit was Gary Alexander. Dante was disqualified after disabling Alexander with a groin grab. Alexander decked Dante in the first moments of the round, and both of them were disqualified in the scuffle which followed.

Embittered by the experience of being shunned by the Karate establishment, Dante left tournament promotion and didn’t surface again until the controversial Taunton Death Matches, which bore his trademarked approach of sensationalism. He had reportedly challenged Joe Lewis to fight him for a $70,000 purse. Told of the rumor, Lewis’ manager Mike Anderson was greatly amused. This was somewhat reminiscent of the bull incident, Dante was totally aware that Lewis was in top form and he really didn’t want to fight him, as usual he just wanted the hype and the publicity.

At the Taunton event, Dante was challenged to a fight by two individuals. A gum chewing Dante sat calmly at the judges’ table, barely raised an eyebrow at the challenges and said nothing. He had no intention of going anywhere near the ring. He was two months away from dying and must have known himself to be a very sick man. Even at his peak, he probably would have ignored these challenges - because he only started challenges. Dante had been ill for a long time, suffering from high blood pressure, internal bleeding and towards the end was experiencing drastic weight loss. He seemed to constantly be depressed and negative. ‘I don’t 56

give a shit anymore!’ was a common phrase he used a lot. ‘I’m going to be dead in six months anyway.’ was another one.

After Dante died in his sleep the conspiracy theories abounded unchecked. The main ones were that he had been poisoned by ‘Family’ hit men, or been the victim of a death touch applied by an envious Kung Fu practitioner. Chicago residents especially pondered the fact that the Mafia might have been involved in Dante’s death. At one point there was even a request to exhume Dante’s body and analyze it for traces of poison. It was never done.

After Dante’s death Frank Ryan was touted as the new deadliest man alive. Apparently Ryan was the leading surviving disciple, although there is no record that he was ever a student of Dante’s.

His actual hand picked successor was William Aguiar of Fall River, Massachusetts. Dante had bequeathed his Black Dragon Fighting Society, his World Dragon Fighting Society his World Karate Federation and his Dan-Te system to Aguiar. Unfortunately, shortly after Dante’s sudden death, in April of 1975, a pregnant Krista Dante lost their baby.

It is said that those closest to Dante accept his death as natural and all evidence indicates that this is probably the case. Dante not only discussed death often in the months 57

before he died, but he also spoke about coming back, because he believed in reincarnation. Dante was a real person, but the extent of his reality is a matter of debate. He was to a certain extent as mysterious as the Oriental fighting arts were at the time. This man loved the martial arts, yet he despised Orientals.

He began his life as John Keehan, a promising young Karate prodigy, who lived and breathed the martial arts. He devoted himself to learning every style he could and set out to bring the martial arts into the limelight.

He was undoubtedly a very unique individual and had an unusual way of thinking and doing, pretty much everything. Especially his way of looking at the martial arts. For example he thought that the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi, considered to be the hero of Japan, was nothing but a man who murdered innocent men, women and children for money. Dante was convinced that he would also be remembered in a similar fashion after his own death.

have killed many men, yet he was gifted, brilliant, personable and even compelling. He was often described in two words - charismatic and psychotic. His criticisms of traditional martial arts, as applied to American street fighting proved to be valid and was eventually widely recognized as such.

We will never know just how much of the legend of Count Dante which he created for himself was real and how much of it was a lie. The death matches are in question but his organized crime connections were certainly real. The tragic death of Jim Concevic’s death was also very real. Whatever the case, Count Dante was an amazing human being and if he had lived to a ripe old age would have continued to entertain us.

He was without a doubt the first American mythological character. written by Annette Hellingrath

This is not to say that Dante had any illusions about how he was perceived by most people. He was well aware people referred to him as being an asshole even if they never said it to his face. Was Count Dante really just an asshole, or was he the deadliest man alive?

There were elements of both in this strange man and he, ironically, was the first to admit it. He professed to 58

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CHAPTER

TWO

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SHORTCOMINGS IN PRESENT DAY

It is unfortunate that today’s Karate and even the more intricate Chinese arts of Gung-Fu and Tai Chi Chuan are lacking in such important areas of defense as:

(A) The ability to control your opponent’s moves and attacks. This is much more evident in Judo than in Karate.

(B) Timing - When to attack, counter or apply general techniques, as in immediately moving inside of a strike or attack (to its source) to suffocate or smother it, before it gets to its peak and is most formidable (the tip of a flame is the hottest, as the final portion of an attack is the most dangerous). Timing and timing exercises are poorly developed in the Karate field. (C) Patterns of attack and defense - used also to control an opponent’s movements.

(D) Ducking, bobbing, weaving, to give one the use of both hands and feet to counter, also rolling with the blow to dissipate the full impact of the strike. The effectiveness of these are quite obvious in professional Boxing.

(E) Throwing, tipping, sweeping, pinning, pushing, pulling, gripping, grabbing, holding, turning, twisting, grappling and choking techniques, along with arm bars, arm locks, mat work and defensive and offensive groundwork, used very little in Karate, but very effective, especially to complete a counter. The falling techniques of Judo, as well as the rolling techniques of Aikido should be stressed along with off balancing techniques and the ability to control and keep 62

DEFENSE SYSTEMS

your opponent off balance.

(F) Utilizing your opponent’s attack against him (the attack which you should have controlled).

(G) Using striking techniques such as the pulled back strike, follow through strike, circular return strike, and the block and counter in one movement strike, instead of the common, but also effective thrusting strike, using either the rigidly extended arm or the various degrees of the bent elbow strike from either the center focused or side launched position. (All strikes utilizing the proper application of snap, twist, or whiplash if desired.) (H) Developing the senses to automatically respond to the attack with a counter or dodging technique without actually seeing your attacker.

(I) Using definite footwork and foot patterns (circular, linear and combinations thereof) to attack, retreat, and general movement aside from the common shuffle, slide and cross stepping - prevalent in Karate. This also includes working on the balls of the feet, like a Boxer, instead of always using the flatfooted shuffle. Along with this the body level can be constant, dipping, swooping or raising with or without a twisting or turning motion or position. (J) Developing the body to withstand heavy punishment and to eliminate fear of being hit. As in any contact sport, such as football, you can never truly get far in defense arts unless you enjoy body contact.

(K) Utilizing definite and specific hand and foot com63

binations of attack, defense and counter, using circular techniques as well as straight line. Many hand, foot, body development and movement techniques can be especially effective if initiated with a fast and jerky, but form controlled movement along with the use of proper and definite erratic, constant and combination rhythm of technique and control well developed in Kenpo Karate. (L) Use of fainting, deflecting, parrying, leading and misleading maneuvers. Many styles are too strictly systematized and in sequence. Thus predictable with little or no room for individual improvisation, surprise or unorthodox techniques. (M) Development of proper breath control to support all strikes and applications of techniques. With this goes the proper use and timing of kiai as in KiaJitsu. (N) Familiarization with the major and lesser known nerve centers, pressure points, blood vessels and vital organs of the body - their exact location and at what time of the day they are most vulnerable to attack.

and Okinawan styles.

(P) Development of the body’s inner strength. The human body has at its disposal latent power, dormant in most, making one capable of almost superhuman feats of strength and endurance. In Chinese Boxing the strength is called Chi, in Aikido it is known as Kid. The presence of this inner strength is acknowledged by many, but the ability to awaken, control and build on this gift has been accomplished by few. If necessary you should be able to avoid any attack or use your opponent’s strength or flow of attack to your advantage, not just by trying to block or stop him head on, but by going along with him and controlling the trip, throw if best at that time, roll with the strike or duck and counter if necessary, in one single continuous motion rather than the too common staccato 1-2 motion. Every move you make has a counter for any attack he may launch. You can develop the ability to direct and control any present and future movements and attack by specific patterns.

(O) Proper application of short, immediate block and counter techniques, using one hand to block and the other to counter. In one staccato motion, or using the same hand to block and or deflect and counter in the same motion, or the longer continuous and simultaneous flowing block and counter moves of the Chinese arts, using one hand to block and the other to counter in the same motion, rather than the block now and hit later defenses of the Japanese, Korean

You should be 'unhittable' if desired, and if hit by chance you should have the ability to withstand severe physical abuse by punishment conditioning training, if unable to roll with the strike and minimize the effect of the blow. With training you should be able to move inside of, or out of the way of any blow, duck, dodge, avoid or roll with or away from any attack by foot patterns, body deployment, etc. A skilled expert in the ancient fistic arts should move with extra sensory perception so as to avoid, move around or under, with or against any single or multi-

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ple attack. He will use fast staccato and continuous charges or defensive and offensive moves, never letting up the pressing drive until his opponent is incapacitated.

Each and every move you make in the application of an offensive or defensive technique should be fast, automatic, and spontaneous, utilizing the more widely practiced methods of the fighting arts, along with the above mentioned techniques which are sadly lacking in present day systems. It must be remembered that no defense system has all of the answers, or the best defense for every situation. A thorough and expert knowledge of the grappling arts (Aikido, Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Wrestling, etc.) plus a similar knowledge of the fistic arts (Boxing , Savate, Karate, Gung Gui, etc.) will enable the beholder to react to a certain attack with whatever particular defense style is most applicable at the time.

to help develop the body to withstand strike punishment and actually hinders the students when they are forced to use it on the street.

The Black Dragon Fighting Society places their members in occupations or positions where they can get a wide variety of actual street experience, often as special police, guards, union organizers, strike breakers, and in night club security. Here a man can legally get a world of assorted fighting experiences which the average fighting arts student would not see in several lifetimes.

Remember, the only true test of a fighting man is what he can do and no more. Form practice, sparring, self-defense practice and brick breaking are meaningless if the man cannot withstand the burden of the ‘real thing.’

Special Note:

Proper emphasis on courage, aggressiveness and actual training hall and street applications of effective fighting techniques is the most seriously lacking segment in modern day Karate and Gung-Fu schools. Many Chinese systems consider courage more important than technique, strength or speed, as without it all else fails, and courage can sometimes succeed alone. Most Karate schools place little emphasis on courage or guts, fighting and aggressiveness and usually even frown on it. They also do not permit body contact in their self-defense and sparring practice. This makes for a safe training hall, but does little 66

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VITAL AREAS OF THE BODY

A thorough knowledge of the human anatomy is an important factor in the study of the fighting arts. The vital areas are: pressure points, nerve centers, major blood vessels and accessible organs are especially vulnerable to attack. The following charts clearly illustrate the location of the major vital areas of the body which are to be attacked by the body’s natural weapons (hands, feet, knees, elbows, forearms, head, etc.) and are especially prime targets for the tapping, poking or striking techniques of Poison Hand shown in the following pages. In most Chinese Karate, the hands, rather than the feet are the preferred weapons. The few kicks used in Chinese Karate are generally always thrown low, below the belt line. As most news media coverage of Karate, Gung-Fu, etc., deal with the common kicks or flying techniques, we have restricted our text to the more deadly and lesser known open and closed hand weapons known as Poison Hand.

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CHART A 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23.

Crown Frontal bone Temple Above the eye Above nasal bone Eyeball Nasal bone Beneath eye Philtrum Cheek bone Ear Beneath lower Lip Maxillary hinge (facial nerve) Chin Angle of jawbone Adams apple Carotid artery and jugular vein Trachea (wind pipe) Base of cerebellum Mastoid process Base of skull Second cervical vertebra Side of neck

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CHART A UPPER BODY FROM THE NECK UP

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CHART B 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

Head of humerus Ulnar nerve Elbow joint Crazy bone Biceps Median cubitral brachial Collar bone Lower armpit Upper, middle, lower sternum Middle rib cage Heart Lower rib cage Solar plexus Floating ribs Inch under navel Lower abdomen Crest of hip bone Testicles

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CHART B MIDDLE SECTION OF THE BODY (FRONT VIEW)

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CHART C 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Seventh cervical vertebra Muscles on both sides of vertebra First thoracic vertebra Fifth thoracic vertebra Seventh thoracic vertebra First lumbar Liver Kidneys Fourth lumbar Tailbone Upper and lower brachioradialis Median nerve

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CHART C Middle section of the body (back view)

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CHART D 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Inside knee Base of calf Achilles tendon Sciatic nerve Lower outer thigh Upper inner thigh Knee cap Inner knee Shin bone Instep

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CHART D Lower body from legs down

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DIM MAK Dim Mak, in regards to the fighting arts, is a highly specialized Chinese art of striking in which ‘Poison Hand’ techniques are used as weapons with the proper co-ordination and concentration of mind and body forces, augmented by the proper method of striking, breath support, Chi (inner strength), technique and a thorough knowledge of the body’s fatal and vital points along with the knowledge of the Dim Mak Timetable. DIM MAK TIMETABLE At specific times of the day certain vital areas of the body are especially vulnerable to attack. If one of these spots is stuck in this period of time the damage incurred will be many times greater than ordinarily possible. The following charts illustrate the major vulnerable areas and the time in which they are most sensitive.

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CHART E-F 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

4 a.m. 8 a.m. 2 a.m. 12 a.m. 6 a.m. 5 p.m. 2 p.m. 11 p.m. 9 p.m. 11 a.m. 4 p.m. 12 p.m. 1 a.m. 10 a.m. 9 a.m. 7 a.m. 5 a.m. 3 a.m. 7 p.m. 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 10 p.m. 3 p.m. 8 p.m.

6 a.m. 10 a.m. 4 a.m. 2 a.m. 8 a.m. 6 p.m. 4 p.m. 12 a.m. 10 p.m. 12 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. 2 a.m. 12 p.m. 10 a.m. 8 a.m. 6 a.m. 4 a.m. 8 p.m. 2 p.m. 8 p.m. 12 a.m. 4 p.m. 10 p.m.

underneath jaw bone

where pulse is taken above nipple

inner thigh bottom of sole between thigh behind scrotum

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CHART E Front view - Dim Mak Timetable

CHART F Rear view - Dim Mak Timetable

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CHAPTER

THREE

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POISON HAND

POISON HAND

The human body has many natural weapons which can be used to attack (by strike, touch or pressure) the nerve centers, pressure points, major blood vessels and vital organs of the body. The fingers, hand, elbows, forearms, knee, foot, head, etc., are all easily adapted to these uses. In most Chinese Karate the hands, rather than the feet, are the prevalent weapons. The few kicks used in Chinese Karate are generally always thrown low (below the belt line). As most new media coverage of Karate, Gung-Fu, etc., deal with the common kicks or ‘flying techniques’ we have restricted our text to the most deadly and lesser known open hand and closed hand weapons known as ‘Poison Hand.’

Photo 1A Shows the same hand attack, but to the face.

Photo 1 - EYE LACERATION The hand in this position is used to take the eye in an attempt to lacerate the eyeball. It is slashed across the eyes in either a clockwise or counterclockwise movement, or back and fourth. From here the fingers can be scooped above, through or beneath the eyeballs into the eye socket cavity.

Photo 2 - NOSE CRUSHING DOUBLE EYE GOUGE Nose Crushing Double Eye Gouge, can be used, as shown here, to crush and tear the nose in an upward motion while thrusting the fore and ring fingers into the eyes.

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POISON HAND

POISON HAND

Photo 3 - CROSS TEAR Cross Tear. Cross the wrists and tear forward and out. The fingers can be slipped in to the mouth, tearing the cheeks and mouth backward to the the ears.

Photo 5 - CROSSED THUMBS TEAR The Crossed Thumbs are thrust into the mouth and with a side and forward motion the lips and cheeks are shredded ear to ear. This technique can also be performed with the thumbs uncrossed.

Photo 4 - CROSS EYE GOUGE WITH REAR TEAR Cross Eye Gouge with Rear Tear. The thumbs are thrust into the eye sockets, when buried the ears are grabbed and with a fast withdrawal, the ears and the side of the face are peeled off. This technique can be executed as shown or with the wrists uncrossed.

Photo 6 - GROIN SLAP Groin Slap or grab and tear off, (often called monkeys stealing a peach). The slap method is preferred over the straight grab because of its stunning effect and the chance for a more complete grip. The removal can be done with a straight tearing or twisting snap motion.

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POISON HAND

POISON HAND

Photo 7 - THRUSTING POKE The fore and middle fingers are used here as a thrusting poke to the underside of the jaw. Another application can be seen in the next photo. Here the ‘mirror hand’ is slapped down on to the eye, after reaching the bottom of the eye socket. The fingers can be re-thrust into the eyeball or scooped behind it, pulling it out on the withdrawal of the hand. In most Poison Hand techniques, the hand position should be exact and firm. An example of an exception would be when the fore and middle fingers are snapped out at the eyes in a whipping or jabbing motion. In this case the hand and wrist can be firm, semi-loose, or loose. The fore, middle and small fingers can be used as weapons, individually in a half closed hand position, (as shown), or with the rest of the fingers curled in a complete fist. For a slightly different approach, the first digit of the fore finger can be used to strike, with the middle finger bent at, and pressed against, the fore finger’s first joint for support. The middle finger can be used in the same manner with the bent finger acting as a brace.

Photo 8 - SUN FIST PUNCH Sun Fist Punch. (a) The Okinawan version of the upper cut ‘Sun Fist.’ The striking hand begins at the side of the hip, palm up, with a 1/4 twist or 90 degree turn motion, the fist is punched out, striking as shown, with the flesh side of the hand parallel to the ground. Notice that in this application the thumb is pressed on the side of the index finger and not behind it. (b) Either method is acceptable. (c) In close quarters the fist at the hip can be just thrust punched straight out without any turn or twist. (d) In the next photo a slightly different 3/4 turn application is illustrated.

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POISON HAND

Photo 9 - BACK FIST STRIKE (a) Here we are striking the temple with the back side of the fist two knuckles. Notice that the fore finger is not tucked under as the other fingers are. This strike can be performed with (b) all fingers tucked under, as in Photo 8, or (c) with the fore and middle fingers untucked. (d) The outside corner of the large third joint (knuckle) of the fore finger can also be used as the striking area. (e) The flat of the back hand can also be used if desired. (f) The inside (shown facing us) of the closed fist in Photo 9, is an effective weapon especially for head attacks.

POISON HAND

Photo 10 - DRAGON TAIL STRIKE Dragon Tail Strike to the throat and the underside of the jaw. This is a popular blocking technique also. In this strike the head is raised and the hand can continue until over the eyes, then a spread finger strike as shown in Photo 36 can be used to attack the eyes.

Photo 11 - CHICKEN HEAD STRIKE Here the Chicken Head Strike is used to attack the side of the neck. The striking area extends from the upper side of the hand between the second thumb joint and the wrist. This is also a popular blocking technique and is usually followed up with a fingertip attack with the same hand.

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POISON HAND

Photo 12 - BEAR CLAW STRIKE This strike began with a Bear or Tiger Claw, where the open hand has (a) the four fingers tucked under (Bear Claw) as in Photo 42, or (b) with the fingers half curled as in a Tiger Claw. After the initial impact, the side of the face or stuck area is grabbed onto and either raked (clawed) or peeled off. Photo 34 shows a Tiger Claw type tear. The hand position illustrated here shows the side of the face being grabbed in preparation for tearing the cheek off. The Tiger and Bear Claw positions are either for slapping or tearing or in combination.

Photo 14 - EAGLE BEAK STRIKE The Eagle Beak Strike is shown here attacking the eye. It can be used either to poke, thrust, tear or gouge out the eye. It differs from the Snake Head Strike in that the fingers and thumb are all pressed together.

Photo 13 - SNAKE HEAD STRIKE Here we see the Snake Head Strike to the throat. The throat is grabbed on one side with the thumb and by the four fingers on the other side. After grabbing firmly, trying to make the fingers meet, the throat is dislodged from the neck. The hand position for this strike is similar to the strike illustrated in Photo 14, except the thumb is dropped rather than being pressed together with the other fingers. The cupped four fingers can also be used as separate weapons, without the thumb, in a thrusting or a cupping motion.

Photo 15 -FLAMING EYE STRIKE The Flaming Eye Strike (fore fingers, second knuckle) strike to the temple.

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POISON HAND

Photo 16 -THE BUFFALO HORN STRIKE The Buffalo Horn Strike, (middle finger, second knuckle) to the nose. It, as the Flamingo Eye Strike, can be especially effective in striking the nerve centers and doing penetration damage, such as to the kidneys, solar plexus, etc.

Photo 18 - THUMB THRUST (a) Thumb Thrust to the side of the neck. This can be performed with the (b) open, or (c) half opened hand also, but is stronger when used with a closed fist.

Photo 17 - OPEN HAND HOOK Open Hand Hook to the throat can be performed with (a) thumb and fore finger alone, with (b) the thumb, fore and middle fingers (shown) or, (c) with the whole open hand used in the grab. In this application it has been thrust or buried into the throat and with a tight grip and twisting motion the throat is to be dislodged from the neck. If an effective grip has been executed, a straight line withdrawal can be used.

Photo 19 - DRAGON HEAD STRIKE Dragon Head Strike, shown here in application to the temple. Instead of the flat fist (large knuckles) the index and middle fingers are extended for penetrating damage. The thumb is placed under the first joint of the two extended knuckles. The ring finger can overlap the thumb for further support, if desired. The striking area is the second joint of both the middle and forefingers. A tightly closed fist is to be used.

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POISON HAND

Photo 20 - NOSE STRIKE A cross between the hand position of Photo 42 and Photo 19. Here we are striking under the nose with the extended second knuckles of the middle and fore fingers. The thumb can brace against the side of the fore finger or it can be positioned under the two extended fingers.

Photo 21 - HIDDEN TECHNIQUE The Hidden Technique. Here the left hand conceals or covers the Poison Hand from the view of the opponent. The covering hand, at the attack, will come out in a circular, counter clockwise movement, first blocking any left handed attack, then raking the attacker’s eyes with extended fingertips, then coming across to block any right handed attack thrown while the hidden hand seeks out its target, with an appropriate Poison Hand attack. This technique, actually quite simple, but difficult at first to the untrained, is performed at close quarters with your body slightly turned away from your attacker so as to control the area of his attack.

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POISON HAND

Photo 22 - PALM HEEL STRIKE Palm Heel Strike to the side of the face. This attack is especially effective when used to strike the nose in a forward and upward motion. When the Palm Heel is used to strike the attacker’s chin, in an uppercut motion, with the palm up and the fingers down and tilted slightly forward, the hand can be turned in an inward half circle so that the fingertips can lacerate the eyes as seen in Photo 1.

Photo 24 - AUGMENTED FINGER STRIKE Augmented Finger Strike. In this technique the middle finger is pressed (a) atop the fore finger or, (b) crossed over it to strengthen it. This is especially effective in the application of the Dim Mak attacks to pressure points or nerve centers. (c) A variation of this is to press the fore and middle fingers slightly together, either straight or slightly bent. This technique can also be performed with the whip like motion mentioned in Technique 7. The thumb can be extended, as shown, for a hook attack or it can be curled under the palm or curled with the ring and little fingers as a fist.

Photo 23 -CORKSCREW PUNCH Corkscrew or Twisting Punch to the heart. The punch begins at the side of the hip (palm up). From here it is thrust out with a twisting motion. The angle of the strike is preferably downward. The striking areas are the large knuckles of the fore and middle fingers. The exact type of fist position used may differ depending on the desired effect. (Refer to the Sun Fist Photo 8 and the Back Fist Strike Photo 9, for examples of two different fist positions.)

Photo 25 - FINGER STRIKE WITH THUMB Similar to the last technique except that the middle finger is separated from the fore finger and is either (a) on top, or (b) slightly to the side of it. (c) A thumb hook has been added and after the fingers have thrust into the eye, upon their removal, the thumb will slash the lips and cheek open to the ear, (to the right).

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POISON HAND

Photo 26 - EYE HOOK Here the fore and ring fingers are used to hook into the eyes. The fingers can be either straight or slightly hooked. It will take a while before you can manipulate your hands into this position, but the fore finger can be used with any of the other three fingers for fingertip attacks and their various combined uses should be practiced.

Photo 28 - NOSE CRUSHING EYE GOUGE Nose Crushing Eye Gouge. The fore finger and little finger attack the eyes while the middle and ring finger knuckles crush the nose upward. The two fingers can either hook as shown, or be thrust straight in. This attack can be used (a) with or (b) without the nose crush. The thumb has been dropped for this picture to avoid obstructing the view of the two curled finger positions. In application it would be tucked under as in a fist.

Photo 27 - SCOOPING HOOK (a) The middle finger can be hooked into the mouth while the fore finger is hooking the eyeball. From here, in a scooping motion remove the eye and lacerate the cheek. (b) Either finger hook can be worked also as a separate attack.

Photo 29 - EAGLE TALON ATTACK The Eagle Talon attack to the face. The fore finger and middle finger on the top with the thumb at the bottom, also very effective for an attack to the throat.

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POISON HAND

Photo 30 - THUMB HOOK Thumb Hook. The thumb is brought across the face into the mouth (teeth need not be separated) and the cheek is laid open in a forward motion to the ear. This hook can be used either with an (a) open, (b) half closed, or (c) closed hand position.

Photo 32 - OX JAW STRIKE An Ox Jaw Strike to the temple. The bone at the base of the edge of the hand, when properly developed, will protrude and is an effective weapon. A trained man can easily crack the skull open with this strike.

Photo 31 - HAMMER FIST STRIKE (a) A Hammer Fist Strike to the side of the face. This strike utilizes the bottom of the closed fist. (b) The inside edge (facing us), can also be used as a weapon, especially to the groin, throat and head.

Photo 33 - BACK HAND STRIKE (a) Back Hand Strike. This attack has a stunning effect when striking the face, side of the head or groin. (b) The inside, (facing us), palm can also be used for a stunning, slapping weapon.

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POISON HAND

Photo 34 - REVERSE TIGER CLAW Here we see a Reverse Tiger Claw or rake from behind. In this picture it will be used to rip the nose up from the face, then attack the eyes. If dropped lower and under the upper lip, when raked upwards it will peel the upper lip from the face and leave the hand in the position shown here to continue upwards attacking the nose, then the eyes.

Photo 36 - WHITE SNAKE HEAD ATTACK White Snake Head Attack to the eyes. (a) The fingers are separated as shown. Another variation is to (b) pull together the fore finger and middle fingers, leaving a space between the connected ring and little finger. The Chinese usually prefer to leave the thumb outstretched (as shown) for better finger and hand dexterity and the possibility of a thumb hook attack or grab. The Japanese, Koreans and Okinawa's usually tuck the thumb closer to the hand.

Photo 35 - FACE SLAPS Face Slaps. Bring both hands forward and in with two face slaps, from here garb the sides of the face and with a slapping, slashing motion tear the sides, or face, inward and off. The hands can also be slapped inward in a roundhouse type motion. The hands or wrists would not be crossed in this application.

Photo 37- THUMB PUNCH Thumb Punch. (a) Here the thumb is braced against the second joint of the fore finger and the first joint of the supported thumb is used to attack the under side of the nose. (b) An open hand variation, using the second thumb joint again in which the thumb is deeply embedded in the center of the palm with the fingers extended and joined, is especially effective when used against the groin or throat.

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POISON HAND

Photo 38 - THUMB EDGE STRIKE The Thumb Edge Strike, similar to Photo 37, except that the edge of the braced thumb between the first and second joints is the striking area now, shown attacking the underside of the nose. The second joint can also be used as a striking area.

Photo 40 - TIGER MOUTH STRIKE The Tiger Mouth Strike is upwards to the throat. The striking surface is the bony area on the inside of the third joint, (knuckle) of the forefinger. This strike, as many can be, is used to block or deflect also. If for example, it is used to block in an upward motion, (with fingers pointing at the attacker) the split or connected fore finger and middle fingers can be used to counter attack to the attacker’s eyes with a whiplash, snap or pull back motion or combination thereof.

Photo 39 - FINGERTIP STRIKE Fingertip Strike (closed fingers) to the throat. The Japanese generally (a) draw the fingers towards the wrist, thus bending them slightly (shown) and keeping the tips of the first three fingers even. (b) The Chinese, as a rule, push the fingers forward, thus creating the natural, uneven line of the fingers. Both ways have certain usages in which they are more appropriate. As mentioned before the thumb can be separated or close to the hand, whichever is best suited for its immediate need.

Photo 41 - THUMB HOOK (a) Here the split fore finger and middle fingers (Twin Dragon) are used to attack the eyes. The hook or curved version is also an effective weapon. (b) For the curved version the little and ring fingers and the thumb are curled under as in a fist. The thumb can be extended, as shown, in preparation for a thumb hook to the mouth, or it can be tucked under the third joint (knuckle) of the fore finger.

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POISON HAND

Photo 42 - KARATE HAND STRIKE (a) A Karate Hand Strike to the throat, striking with the second joints of the fingers. (b) The inside palm area of this hand position (Bear Claw) is very useful as a slapping or tearing weapon. From this same hand position the (c) edge shown facing can be used to chop or strike as can the (d) backhand or (e) outside (facing the wall) edge. Note: When the inside of this position is used for a Bear Claw slap or claw, the fingers can be either tucked, (as shown) or slightly separated from the palm.

Photo 44 - HAND SCISSORS Hand Scissors to the throat. Similar to the Hand Hook (see Photo 17), except that the second, third and fourth fingers are tucked under, as in a fist, while the thumb and fore finger are open as shown. The pressure is put on the throat between the thumb and the front of the first joint of the tucked middle finger used for a choke or for the removal of the throat.

Photo 43 - THOUSAND HAND CHOP (a) The Thousand Hand or Hand Sword used for a chop against the throat. (b) The Reverse Hand Sword (shown facing), but with the thumb tucked more toward the palm, uses the striking area between the base of the fore finger and the base of the thumb and is an especially effective weapon against the groin of throat.

These forty-four Poison Hand techniques, along with the additional variations (33 plus) mentioned can be used in any number of combinations, and are to be used with the utmost speed possible, without detracting from the effectiveness of the strike. Included in these highly systematized and specialized hand techniques, in the ancient Oriental fighting systems, were additional attacks such as using the mouth as a weapon to bite or tear off the throat, jugular vein, carotid artery, etc., or to suck out an attackers eyeball, when the use of the hand or extremities as weapons was impossible.

Note: Any of these techniques can be used for offensive as well as defensive attacks. Often it is best to attack the assailant before he attacks you. 108

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CHAPTER

FOUR

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SELF DEFENSE FORMS NO. 1 - NO. 4

These techniques are to be used in fast, fluid and continuous movements and are not to be individually jerky or crude. Each of these defenses should be effectively performed in a matter of seconds. In the punch attacks the same defenses can be used against the hook, roundhouse or the cross and with slight variation - the jab. For each of the four defense forms and their effective execution, time is quoted. The complete form, as shown, should be effectively performed in no less time than started. It can be executed in less time, but a minimum time is given.

SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 1

Self Defense Form No. 1 ‘Dance of Death’ (Effective execution time - 5 seconds.)

Photo 45 Here we see the attacker in position to throw a right hand punch while the defender is at the ready.

The first defense form is Count Dante’s deadly ‘Dance of Death’ and is in itself the most deadly defense form possible. Each move is smooth, flexible and it flows from one technique to another. Keep in mind the speed and flow of movement in the performance of all four forms.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 1

Photo 46 The attacker has stepped in with his punch. The defender immediately moves inside of the attack, catching it at its beginning. His left, open hand deflects and checks the strike at the same time that his right hand effects the counter. Note the strong definite stance of the defender. The defender’s right hand performs a series of damages in its first motion. The palm heel strikes the bottom lip, splitting it, and in an upward and forward motion pushes in the lower, then the upper teeth, also splitting the upper lip. From here in continuous motion, the hand goes up crushing the nasal cartilage and bone upwards while tearing the nose upwards also and away from the face. This combination of block and counter strike is performed in one strong continuous motion.

Photo 47 After completing the upward motion the defender brings his fingertips and nails down across the eyelids, tearing them open and clawing the eye itself (a tearing or slashing movement will do much more damage than an individual poke).

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 1

Photo 48 Immediately following the right hand attack to the eyes, you throw a left hand open palm slap to the side of the face. After impact, but in the same circular inward motion, you grab onto the side of the face, Tiger Claw and snap, or tear it off.

Photo 49 The same strike as in Photo 48, but using the right hand. The beginning of the grab tear is shown here.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 1

Photo 50 Retract the right hand from the face and throw a short, thrusting and forceful open hand hook to the throat. Hit as hard as you can and drive the hand forward as far as it will go into the throat. While doing this, your arm slides behind his right arm, batting it and pushing him slightly forward to support the throat strike. After completing the thrust, grab onto the throat and in a downward, circular motion, tear it free from the neck. The last step is to be performed in two fast continuous moves.

Photo 51 Completing the tear and still in a downward circular motion, continue this circle up and under the groin with an open hand slap to the testicles. After the slap, grab and de-groin in an upward and backward, (towards you), move. Note how the left hand locks the attacker’s arm and helps maintain control over him.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 1

Photo 52 After the right hand de-groining technique your closed right hand should be at your right side. From here we throw a right elbow, striking the arm lock to push him into the strike.

Photo 53 At this point use your left hand, (arm lock) to twist him forward and down into a right knee to the face and a right elbow to the base of the skull, always maintaining control over him with your arm lock.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 1

Photo 54 Form here, using the attacker’s arm to pivot, turn clock wise 189 degrees, bringing him along, controlling his movement by your motion and the arm lock. This throw should be quickly executed and is simple, as we are slamming him to the ground in a circular motion along his weak lines of balance. As you turn, drop to your left knee, and the right leg, which was used for the knee strike, will come down with a circular motion on its sole, with the knee bent. As the attacker hits the ground, the force of impact, along with pressure from your controlling left hand and arm, is used to break his arm at the shoulder joint as shown. The attacker is pinned on the ground by control of his arm.

Photo 55 In this photo, your left hand breaks his arm at the elbow as you hit him with a Hammer Fist Strike, (the side of the closed hand) to either the top of the spine, or it can be used to break the neck.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 1

Photo 56 After the break and strike, let loose of the assailant and leap up, coming down with both feet on your attacker. Your right foot should land on his head or neck while your left foot lands on his tailbone or lower spine to shatter it. This is to be performed in a swift, smooth and strong movement. Due to the extreme danger of these stomp crushes we have stepped to the side of the body.

Photo 57 From here, neck down and while lifting the head and tearing the face to the rear, snap the head to the side, breaking the neck. After the break, smash the face, or the side of the head to the floor, putting all of your weight and strength into it.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 1

Photo 58 Now with your left hand, grab his left side and pull with a circular clockwise motion, at the same time pushing down his right side with the palm of your right hand, stepping to the left with your left foot and roll him over.

Photo 59 After completing the turn, leap up, come down with a crushing stomp again, see Photo 56. The right foot should land on the face or throat, while the left foot lands on the groin or lower abdomen. For the sake of safety, we have side stepped again. After the double stomp, reach down and with a two handed forward and outward cross tear, rip the mouth and lips open as far back as the ears.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 1

Photo 60 After completing the cross tear, grab the ears and remaining flesh and with a reverse and inward cross tear, grab everything to you.

Photo 61 With a quick raise and drop with your right knee, using your full weight, crush the head to the floor. Note the left hand is in a blocking or defensive position, just in case there is any fight left in him.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 2

Photo 62 After the knee drop, cross your right leg over his body to a cross legged stance, always keeping the hands in a defensive position and move away.

Photo 63 The attacker is in position to throw a left hand punch while the defender is at the ready.

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SELF DEFENSE FORMS NO. 2

SELF DEFENSE FORMS NO. 2

Photo 64 As the attacker steps in with his strike, the defender moves forward with his right foot into the Cat Stance, blocking the strike with the forearm of his right hand. His open right hand is ready for another punch, if thrown, or a fast open hand counter to the face and neck.

Photo 65 After the block, lash out with the right hand, using Poison Hand Technique 2, which crushes the nose and sends the fingertips scratching and gouging across the eyes. The forward foot can now be dropped from its raised position, or it can be left up in preparation for the quick knee attack which is soon to be used. The Cat Stance is used in case a quick kick is needed from the forward leg. It can also utilize the knee to block or deflect a groin attack.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 2

SELF DEFENSE FORMS NO. 2

Photo 66 After this opening counter attack, slap both hands, Tiger Claw, to the side of the ears, rupturing the eardrums. After the slap, claw, tear the face inward and to the center, removing the flesh from the side of the face.

Photo 67 Bringing the hands together place the thumbs inside the mouth and snap/push the lips and mouth forward, ripping to the ears.

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SELF DEFENSE FORMS NO. 3

Photo 68 From here, grab the ears or the back of the head and pull the attacker down into a forward foot, right, knee as you tear the flesh to you. From here you can throw and finish the counter if necessary.

Photo 69 The right hand attack position is assumed by the attacker.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 3

SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 3

Photo 70 As he steps forward with his strike, the defender steps forward and deflects the blow with a downward forearm block, at the same time turning his body out of the way of the strike. Note the strong exact stance and block positioning. Before effecting the forearm block, the defender can strike the attacker with his blocking arm as it is in its blocking path. The strike can land to the eyes, neck, or temple, left side, of the attacker.

Photo 71 The attacker throws his second punch, a left hand strike, while the defender swings his blocking right hand into another inside forearm block, at the same time he throws a left hand round house punch to the temple of the attacker. In the motion between the two right hand forearm blocks, the defender can perform a right hand backfist temple strike with the back portion of his two large knuckles before he executes his second inside forearm block.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 3

SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 3

Photo 72 After the right swinging block and temple strike, swing the upper body to the left, hitting with the elbow to the neck or face. From here both hands should be brought to the left side.

Photo 73 With both hands to the left side, throw two punches, the left to the face in a downward motion and the right in an upward motion to the groin, lower abdomen or solar plexus.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 3

SELF DEFENSE FORMS NO. 3

Photo 74 Bring the hands together using a cross tearing technique to the face, (see Poison Hand photo 3), ripping out as far as you can.

Photo 75 Reverse the direction with a twisting, grabbing motion and snap the flesh the opposite way, bringing both hands to your side. From here you can throw and complete the defense if necessary.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 4

Count Dante the deadliest man who ever lived.

Photo 76 The attacker grabs the front. This counter may be used if he grabs high or low and if his arms are in close or extended.

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SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 4

SELF DEFENSE FORM NO. 4

Photo 77 The defender steps in immediately upon being grabbed, burying his thumbs into the eye sockets, while scratching the eyeballs with his thumbnails.

Photo 78 After burying the thumbs to the hilt in the eye sockets, grab the ears and with a tearing motion, rip the ears and the side of the face inward towards yourself. This technique may be followed up with a throwing technique if desired.

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STUNT BREAKING

Representing three nations

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STUNT BREAKING

the world’s top Karate team.

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STUNT BREAKING

STUNT BREAKING

The breaking of hard objects with the hands, feet, etc., is a show aspect of the fistic arts. A great deal of skill is required to accomplish the more difficult feats of breaking. Illustrated is a stunt method of accomplishing what appears to be authentic breaking. Almost anyone of normal size and strength can perform stunt breaking. A sense of timing, more than power or striking technique, is required. In the beginning it is best to practice on the longer and thinner bricks, progressing to the common size variety. Pictured here is a face brick with three holes in it. The face brick is in actuality a much harder brick than the common house brick. It is easier to break using the stunt method, due to much more crushing pressure than a common house brick, but will crack easier if hit with a hard object - due to its before mentioned brittle nature.

Photo 79 The brick is held flat on a concrete block. It is being held, supposedly to firmly keep it down, but in actuality it is to raise the brick. As pictured here, the 'unholed' side of the brick is to be raised. In practice, either side can be raised. Any time a brick is held at the time of breaking, chances are the lift or stunt method is being used.

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STUNT BREAKING

STUNT BREAKING

Photo 80 Here we see the brick at full lift. The striking hand should be raised much higher than shown, but the brick can be broken from the illustrated height. The brick is kept flat until just before it is hit. This is where the timing comes in. This is most important! No one will notice the lift if it is executed just as the brick is being hit, as all eyes will be on the striking hand and the untrained eye can not pick up too quick a move.

Photo 81 Here we see the brick cracked in half. In actuality, the brick and the cement block were hammered together, and the brick was broken.

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In the photographing of this stunt, the block used in Photo 79 and Photo 80 was broken rather than the brick, thus accounting for the different block. A heavy steel barbell plate or an anvil are especially suited for this trick, as it is the same as hitting the block with a steel hammer.

STUNT BREAKING

STUNT BREAKING

The Count seen here crushing two common house bricks with a Thousand Hand Knife Edge Strike. The Count is the only man alive who can crush two bricks - any type, while they are lying flat, without any lift or stunt method.

The ultimate paradox. The same hands that crushed the bricks on the preceding page designed this natural, but seductive look in the coiffure and make-up of this top Chicago model and Playboy Club Bunny.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Front Cover Count Dante in one of his deadliest fighting postures photo courtesy of Floyd Webb. Page 1 Dante and students demonstrating a clawing technique. Page 6 The Count laid back, demonstrating an air of arrogance. Page 8 John Keehan corrects one of his female students. Page 10 Two portraits of Count Dante.

Page 13 Count Dante on the cover of Black Belt Magazine. Page 16 A young John Keehan.

Page 18 A professional portrait of Count Dante.

Page 22 & 23 Robert Trias’ School International - photo courtesy of Emil Farkas.

Photo 25 Robert Trias, was the owner of the first martial arts school in the USA, which opened in 1948 - courtesy of Emil Farkas. 156

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Page 29 Count Dane with legendary Chicago fighter Jimmy Jones - photo courtesy of Floyd Webb

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Page 35 Dante does his version of a flying front kick while sparring. Page 31 Dante on a poster for one of his tournaments - photo courtesy of Bob Wall. Page 39 Dante on Karate poster Page 41 Defense against a gun.

Page 44 A young John Keehan in class.

Page 156 Dante’s famous advert which was in nearly every martial arts magazine in America - photo courtesy of Emil Farkas.

Page 159 top Another of Count Dante’s book ads - photo courtesy of Emil Farkas. Page 159 top Bruce Tegner and two opponents.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Page 160 Front cover of Count Dante’s million dollar selling book - World’s Deadliest Secrets - photo courtesy of Don Warrener.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Page 162 The one and only Count Dante.

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