I find myself
equal parts awestruck and humbled in the presence of Richard
Bustillo. He is a giant among masters, a legend in his own time, a
martial arts lifer who can proudly say he trained shoulder to
shoulder with Bruce Lee, Cacoy Cańete and Leo Giron. Few men in the
annals of American martial arts have touched so many and
accomplished so much in giving back to an industry that often
rewards character with character assassination.
For a guy who’s been in the martial arts for 50 years, Bustillo
remains unusually grounded. He’s seen the best, trained with the
best and mixed it up with the best, yet he still knows how to make a
new student—in this case me—feel like the only one in the room.
Maybe it’s part of the “Aloha Spirit” that serves as his lifeblood.
Maybe it’s the humility woven into the fabric of every martial art
he ever studied. Maybe it’s as simple as never forgetting from where
he came.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hi., Richard Bustillo cut his martial
arts teeth on judo and then added boxing to his repertoire. Over the
past 50 years, his training resumé includes eskrima, kung-fu,
Machado jiu-jitsu and muay Thai. But perhaps the crowning
achievement came in the 1960s when he studied Jun Fan jeet kune do
with Bruce Lee at the Los Angeles Chinatown School. Opening the
Filipino Kali Academy with Dan Inosanto in 1974, Bustillo worked
stick and stick with Lee’s senior disciple to revolutionize and
modernize the American Filipino martial arts movement.
With greatness comes titles, and Bustillo has an impressive list to
be sure: ninth-degree black belt in doce pares eskrima; certified
Olympic Training Center coach and official with USA Boxing; 2001
World Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee; and designated sensei and
kru by the Catchascatchcan Wrestling Association of Japan and former
muay Thai champion Nanfa Satenglam, respectively.
When not conducting law enforcement and martial arts seminars
throughout the world, Bustillo dispenses wisdom at the famed IMB
Academy, a world-renowned Torrance, Calif., training ground where
experimentation and innovation have been the mantra for more than 30
years.
Along with an extraordinary list of achievements, Bustillo carries
with him a string of memories that spans nearly 50 years, and
features some of the martial arts’ celebrated figures. In this
exclusive two-part interview, Bustillo looks backs on whom he’s met,
what he’s accomplished and how he hopes to be remembered.
INSIDE KUNG-FU: How
and when was IMB Academy first established?
RICHARD BUSTILLO: The original Filipino Kali
Academy was founded in 1974. After 10 years of growth and evolution,
the IMB Academy was co-founded by Mr. (Dan) Inosanto, Mr. (Chuck)
Martinez, and me, in 1984 based on the trust and respect we have for
each other and the martial arts. By fate, the original IMB acronym
of Inosanto, Martinez and Bustillo also stands for “International
Martial Arts and Boxing,” “Individual, Mind and Body,” and the ideal
of “Individual spirit, Mental attitude, and Body fitness.” The IMB
Academy is built upon Bruce Lee’s concept of being well-rounded in
all martial arts ranges. I support learning all three combative
ranges: the weapons range, the striking range and the grappling
range.
IKF: What is unique about your teaching
style at the IMB Academy?
RB: The IMB Academy is unique because of its
curriculum. We have a well-rounded combative martial arts program:
the long-range weaponry of Cacoy Doce pares eskrima/kali/arnis, the
striking range of boxing/muay Thai and the close-range grappling of
judo/jiu-jitsu. These three combative ranges are enhanced by Bruce
Lee’s concepts, philosophies and training methods. More importantly,
we have an “Aloha Spirit” that intensifies our camaraderie, loyalty
and respect for each other.
IKF: What was the real reason behind your
split with Dan Inosanto?
RB: There will always be those who feed on
speculation and controversy at others’ expense. These people need to
get a life. Dan Inosanto and I have gone our separate ways after 20
years of partnership with no animosity. From 1967-87 we researched,
promoted and revived the Filipino martial arts together. Many have
credited us with being able to bring back the FMA because of our
position in the martial arts community. The reason for our amiable
split is simple: We had developed our individual ways to share and
teach martial arts. Our partnership produced great things, but our
lives and careers have also changed positively since our split [two
decades] ago. Wow! It’s been over 20 years and a few jealous people
are still trying to live in the past.
IKF: You managed to stay clear of the JKD
controversy. Was that by luck or design?
RB: What JKD controversy? It was neither
luck nor design staying clear of any JKD controversy. There are so
many other things to concentrate on rather than getting involved
with negative issues. We are all in this together. I share the
history of JKD and I share JKD in its present form, but we all share
in the shaping of JKD’s future.
IKF: What would you consider your
contribution to martial arts?
RB: As the former president of the World
Kali/Eskrima/Arnis Federation, I introduced and hosted the first
international Filipino Martial arts event in which athletes from 12
countries competed in Carson, Calif. I was also happy that my
application for the Hollywood Walk of Fame Star for Bruce Lee was
finally accepted. For Bruce Lee’s students and fans, I have helped
keep his name alive by hosting the 10th and 20th anniversary
memorials in Gardena, Calif., and Los Angeles’ Chinatown,
respectively. Twice a year I conduct a self-defense awareness
seminar for children, women and men in my community. Also, Mr.
Inosanto and I have helped revive and promote the martial arts of
the Philippines worldwide.
IKF: How would you rate your martial arts skill?
RB: Bruce Lee once said, “If I tell you I’m
good, you will say I’m bragging. If I say I’m not good, you will say
I’m lying.” In this business, you must be confident in what you do
and believe in what you teach, but I’ll let you be the judge of how
good I am. After you check me out, it’s a matter of honesty. You’ll
know I’m the best.
IKF: What is the greatest lesson you learned
while under Bruce Lee’s instruction?
RB: It is hard to say. They were all great,
but I think the best lesson was to be honest with myself. I always
talked about wanting to work on a specific technique, working on my
“six-pack” abs or intending to jog more. Bruce used to tell me,
“Just do it. Don’t procrastinate.”
IKF: Who is Richard Bustillo outside of IMB?
RB: Outside of the IMB family, I am a
husband, a father of two boys and two girls, a grandfather of three,
and an uncle and godfather to many. I enjoy music and play the
Hawaiian ukulele and bass guitar, but no singing (thank God). I also
serve my community as a volunteer member of the Los Angeles County
Sheriffs Search and Rescue (Recovery) Unit. I’m a certified law
enforcement defensive tactics instructor for the safety of peace
officers and citizens alike. I enjoy riding my ’61 Pan Head Harley
or my ’02 Road Glide Harley. I love to tinker with my ’30 Ford sedan
when time permits. I’m a man who enjoys life and enjoys sharing his
experiences to improve other people’s total well-being.
IKF: What will you do after you retire and
what will become of IMB?
RB: When I die, not retire; the only things certain on my horizon
are death and taxes, but not retirement. My continuing projects
include writing books, developing DVDs and donating my time and
energy to my community. IMB will continue to prosper throughout the
world with a new president and chairman of the board.
IKF: What do you hope your students take
away from your teachings?
RB: It is my hope that my students grow and develop to
be responsible, law-abiding citizens and always strive to be an even
better martial artist than I. I plant the seed by teaching my
students a strong emphasis on the basic fundamentals of the
International Martial Arts and Boxing discipline. However, I leave
it up to the student to determine how he grows, matures and adjusts
to the direction his art takes.
Bustillo
On:
Dan Inosanto:
“Mr. Inosanto is a walking martial arts encyclopedia. He strives to
learn everything he can about all martial arts styles, methods and
disciplines. When we used to drive eight hours to and from Los
Angeles to Northern California to study with the kali/eskrima/arnis
masters, Dan would constantly practice new techniques in the car
while I drove. When we ate lunch or dinner, he would use chopsticks
to simulate eskrima sticks to analyze and practice techniques. To
develop, research or modify techniques to fit our individual way,
Dan used to say, ‘Let’s JKD’ize this technique.’ We were always
analyzing a martial arts technique to make it combative, simple and
practical.”
Cacoy Cańete:
“Mr. Cańete is an unbelievably young man at age 87 who still spars
daily. He was hospitalized for a day for a stomach ailment and
returned to sparring the very next day after being released from the
hospital. He took his Filipino martial arts to another level and is
the founder of eskrido. He continuously makes everyone laugh with
his endless jokes and contagious laughter. He is a religious man who
can fight. He is a model martial artist that every martial artist
should emulate.”
Bruce Lee: “Mr.
Lee was very charismatic, electrifying and was the most powerful and
intelligent martial artist the world will ever see. When Bruce
wasn’t training in martial arts, he had fun playing tricks on his
students. He had God’s gift of physical talent and man-made,
hard-earned martial arts skills. Bruce Lee was a genius when it came
to martial arts—just as Mozart was to music, Van Gogh was to art or
Einstein was to physics. He had an affinity for both physical and
mental martial arts training just as Cacoy Cańete and Dan Inosanto
have.”
Aimee C. Giron, managing editor of Inside Kung-Fu, is a
Southern California-based martial artist and freelance writer.
—A.G. |
