2007 Review of RSB Visit to India

In 2007, My Teacher, Richard Bustillo, The Iron Dragon of Jeet Kune Do, came to India to visit me. It seemed like eternity waiting for him to come to my home country. It was a tense moment for me. He would check my JKD growth and check the growth of my mind.

He got straight down to work & to training with me. From 9 morning to 11 night. We began by him observing me, my every move, my every skill. Patiently he observed without comment what I have been doing in his absence.  He then said Good Dr. Rao, I m happy with your growth in skills. He then got on to the floor. He started training me, systematically, subject by subject. Range by Range. Weapons, Kicking, Boxing, Trapping, Knee-Elbow, Grappling, Groundwork. All of it. And of course he laid special emphasis on sharing well kept secrets of Bruce Lees strength, power, coordination & efficiency. We trained all day long, extending at times to midnight.

In training, all of his 60 plus years disappeared. He became a young teenager, excited & animated about training. Endless energy & endurance. Massive Power & Tremendous speed. I was witnessing the legacy of Bruce Lee, alive & buring like a bright flame in the twenty first century. Bruce Lees words came alive via my Teacher & I felt Lees energy & Chi via my Teachers wisdom.

My Teacher sprained his wrist & due to extended hours of training, My Teachers old injuries got inflamed. He was sore in his ankle, knee & hip. He may have been in pain, but he never slowed down. He forgot about his meals, his sleep and was obsessed with only one thing. Training me. Me & Seema. We drilled & drilled without speaking much, trying to extract maximum skills in minimum time.

Then the Two day RSB Seminar started. Before the Seminar, My Teacher rises early & goes for a 5 mile run. Only then, after his own training is met, he comes to the Seminar Hall. He started off at a higher level with my students, Advanced Trapping & Muay Thai techniques.  The Seminar hours went by, but he didnot stop. The Students were ecstatic & thoroughly enjoyed the training. One student asks him how to overcome his inferiority. RSB Goes into great detail & explains to him & to everybody why we should put our chest out & approach the world with confidence - Bcos, We are all special! By the end of it, they were famished but on a high & in touch with their core. He tells my students "You have a fine Teacher in your JKD Instructor, my students, Dr. Rao & Dr. Seema. They teach you good Jeet Kune Do. Keep training under them & I will soon recognize you as Apprentice Instructors of IMB". My students are pleased.

After the tiring Seminar, I suggested to my Teacher that we see some important tourist places of interest. He said No, Lets go back and train. So thats what we did, after 6 hours of Seminar training, we go back & He teaches me. Again We Punch, Kick, Trap, Do Sticks & Ground work.

In the Evening, theres the Students Meet with my Teacher over Tea. They ask him about Bruce Lee, about  the evolution of JKD & about his own training. He talks informally for over 2 hours & the students dont want to let go of him. Eventually we have to practically push everyone out, as its Dinner time!

This goes on for 5 days. At the end of which its the last day. He arrives late as he has to spend time in the Gym doing weights!. The he strats training me again. When its time for Lunch, he says " We can skip Lunch. I want to show you Amara- Stick Combinations. So No Lunch for Sifu & Us, But more training. Wow, this is heaven, I thought. Finally, We go without Lunch & staright have Dinner at 7 evening. Then its time for his flight & we have an early check in at the Airport.

But No, My Teacher says. "We still have Chi Sao left, You wanted me to help u perfect that, We can go to the Airport a little late." I say "Teacher No, You will miss the flight" But he is adamant. What can I say, Hes my Teacher, Hes got to have his way. So Chi Sao it is for an hour. We rush to the Airport.

At the Airport He hugs my students first & avoids eye contact with me. Finally He looks at me & says "Good Bye, Deepak. See I told u, it will be over before we know" He hugs me. I dont want to let go of the embrace. I am in tears. After the embrace, he hugs me again, & hes holding back his tears.

Without saying anything more, he steps into the Airport & Walks straight away. I see him walking tall, very proud of me. What a fine man, I think. That instant, in the crowded Airport lounge, I want to shout loudly at the whole World  "Hey Everybody, Look there, at that Great Man. He's MY TEACHER- Did You Know?

After hes gone, I sulk. My Teacher is gone back to the other side of the World. Now It will be another year before I see the Iron Dragon again. I cant sleep at night. I am disturbed. Why do I have to live so far away from my Teacher? I dream & dream about his interest in training me, beyond his food, beyond his sleep, beyond his entertainment or sight seeing in a foreign land, beyond the pain of his injurys. I am in tears.  He reminds me of my late father.

I am going to relive every moment of his affection during my training. As I face the Heavy Bag, next moring, Hes going to be there, in my mind, shouting "Once more Deepak, Kick once more. Harder this time, with more power. You must Kick the Heavy Bag out of that window".  And I Kick with all that I got. The Bag flies off the Hook. See... MY TEACHER IS STILL WITH ME. And the torch of Jeet Kune Do blazes on!

Bottom Note:

The Philosophy of Jeet Kune Do Ideology, Mumbai

 The Jeet Kune Do Ideology Mumbai is inspired by fighting principles of the legendary Lee & Sun Tzus art of War.

This Jeet Kune Do ideology will help the Mumbai based martial Arts seeker and practitioner to find his destination. The destination can vary from physical prowess in the ring to combat & martial art skills to mental balance and eventually to spiritual development.

Jeet Kune Do is a journey and represents each mans search for truth both in the Martial arts and in life.  Lee has said that  via Jeet Kune Do Life opens its avenues to us.

Lee  founded Jeet Kune Do, but wished he did not have a name for it. Lee  fans and martial arts enthusiasts all over the world have elevated the word Jeet Kune Do to its present spectacular status.

The martial arts seekers and Lee fans in Mumbai can avail of these benefits from the Jeet Kune Do Ideology.

Those outside Mumbai, in and around India can also approach us for guidance in their Jeet Kune Do journey. If you are prepared to travel to Mumbai, we will help you with your martial arts evolution.