Rick Tew

[L. johnson]

Hate to break this you you all, but I am not a mister. I am Andrew's mom. I hope that not declaring my gender did not breach any list rules. If it did I apologize.
I hope that the answers you gave would not have been different. I did not wish to be seen as an overprotective mom. I only wished objective information and honest opinion. Again sorry about the gender thing. I am a midwife and in my world most of the list are populated by women. Again thank you for the information. I look forward to the continuing discussion.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I hope that not declaring my gender did not breach any list rules.

Rules? We got rules? I wouldn't worry about it. Glad we were able to be of some help.

[LNGUYEN]

Ask him a question more understandable. How come people have to study at least 8 years in college to get a PhD and or you can purchase a PhD on the internet without studying? Martial art is exactly same thing. Rich Tew may know some fancy moves, but when the skill is needed, he probably is the first to run away. If your son want to look fancy, nobody can stop him to go to Rick Stew for fancy moves then later he can open a fancy moves dojo (it is not even a martial art). Your Son is 17 years old and if he didn't see the scam there, then no one can help him. Just don't pay for him. Oh by the way you don't have to go to Rick for fancy moves, just rent some movies.

[L. johnson]

We perhaps have reached detente (sp?). He was arguing with me about how Tew's stuff exploits the faults in other MA's and Tew's guys do so great at tournaments. Our compromise is that he will use what he has already learned from the home study program, enter the next open tournament and prove how superior this stuff is.
After watching some of these videos and reading criticisms of Tew's methods, I'm sure that one of two things will happen. He will fall back on the stuff he learned at a traditional school and win, or he will get his butt whooped.
It is interesting that whether Tew is a cult master must have come up more than once because he has info in his FAQ's that he is not a cult because he doesn't promote religion, and is not trying to start an army. However, the language he uses has the hallmarks of a cult.

[Siglith234]

I watch some of those movies but just couldndt take the rest..


Taking away tradition is the worst thing you could possibly do to martial arts. Having studied Kung Fu for 2-3 years i feel tradition is very iportant. But taking that away makes it Suck.

[etherknot]

We perhaps have reached detente (sp?). He was arguing with me about how Tew's stuff exploits the faults in other MA's and Tew's guys do so great at tournaments. Our compromise is that he will use what he has already learned from the home study program, enter the next open tournament and prove how superior this stuff is.
After watching some of these videos and reading criticisms of Tew's methods, I'm sure that one of two things will happen. He will fall back on the stuff he learned at a traditional school and win, or he will get his butt whooped.

This is turning out to be quite an interesting thread. I somehow knew we'd hear more of Mr. Tew in the future and look!

Anyhow I'd like to point out that tournaments aren't everything (your son may eventually come to this conclusion later in life). Maybe in Mr. Tew's land of er, fancy moves stuff it is. But the one thing about kendo that I like is that winning is not everything. You will often lose in shiai (sparring) and sometimes you'll win. It's kind of like life. You win, you lose. You can't always win. No matter how "superior" Mr. Tew sells you it is.

[Hongsermeier]

I just finished watching Mr. Tew's sword technique video's. Everyone in the office is wondering why I'm laughing so much. In most of the forms when someone is attacking him they are so off balanced all he would have to do is step aside and they would miss. I'm also wondering why after he has cut them 3 or 4 times he still needs to kick them to knock them over. I would love to see a demo by him and volunteer to try him out.

[AlexM]

Hate to break this you you all, but I am not a mister. I am Andrew's mom.

You're a woman!

D'OH!!!

I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I'm sure that... ummmm... you're very attractive and all ... Not that I was looking or anything! (sweating profusely) I mean... uhhhh... how would I do that after all? (drowning in sweat). Can we change the subject please?

I'm very sorry.

ummmm... Rick Tew is a fraud and a wanker! (I just needed to say that in case any people had doubts as to what I thought)

Note to the moderators: May I suggest that there be a place for members to indicate their gender in their profile so that AlexM in particular can avoid making a total ass of himself. (It won't completely stop me...)

[KATSUJIN]

Oh god no!!!! not rick tew!!!

Oh...hi guys...couldnt log reply for awhile...very busy...

as i was saying...

OH GOD!!!! My eyes still hurt after watching that 'martial arts' of 'sensei Tew'......

[Yowai]

L. johnson:

Consult a psychologist regarding the most effective way to educate your son. He needs to acquire sufficient common sense in order to dodge more harmful scams and frauds later in his life. Imagine if your son sincerely believes in make-money-at-home-with-no-effort scams in the near future. Woudn't you be embarrassed? He should know better.

[PhilMcLaughlin]

well this may be controversial - but perhaps the best thing is to tell him to get on with it, but to tell him to take out his own health insurance and pay for it himself

Frankly if he wants to join up then hes just being a sucker - Id advise you not to help him with any form of payment - home study ? - would you learn gymnastics at home without equipment and supervision ?

Looking at the sword videos in partcular id guess that not many accolytes (oops sorry its not a cult really ;-) pass the stringent tests required - most likely because they are going to pick up a lot of injuries very quickly (i really liked the tsuki into the chest (no armour) & then wiggle the kissaki(point) into the shoulder joint - i might try that one ;-)

Mr tew is one of a kind of self styled teacher that attracts people who WANT to belive & theres not much to do about it - perhaps letting him try it is the only way for him to find out

of course the caveat is that he could easily get badly injured working on some of this stuff (and the sword forms are total bollux) which is all show and no substance - that would prevent him ever starting his own school

hed be better off taking acting lessons - or joining the armed forces if REALLy wants to be a total combat warrior.

Sorry if that sounds harsh - all the bullshit on the site just conforms that tew is an egotist (not a martial artist) and tew ryu is just about tew - Phew ! (i couldnt think of anything else that rhymed

it really is total rubbish

best of luck

(ps i can sell your son Tower Bridge if he wants that :-)

[L. johnson]

Hi guys, my name is Andrew. My mom has been posting on this website trying to help me out with some stuff.
I just want to say I appreciate your input and value it. I respect what you have to say.
I am currently now a warrior without a path and if you can help me with what I'm looking for I would appreciate it.
I am looking for a serious art with a serious intructor, a lot of hand to hand combat. I also need an art that deal with intense sword technique. I am also interested in tricking if you know what that is but it can come later. I'm not looking for anything fancy, just practical and serious sword technique.
reply to my mom for now. I will become a registered user myself in a day or two (computer at shop, using mom's office for now).
I'm in the Toledo, Ohio area. Do you know of anyone around here (south of Detroit, east of Cleveland) that I can contact?
Have background in karate and have studied three different types of kung fu on my own. IMO I feel like I have learned quite a bit even w/o a teacher, but don't hold me to that. I am looking for guidance.
Thanks for the help.

AJ

[Neil Gendzwill]

Unfortunately the only kendo or iaido I'm aware of is in Cleveland or Dayton. See http://www.kendo-usa.org/statedojolist.htm#OH for details. Perhaps you can contact the Cleveland guys and see if they know of anything, sometimes this info is dated.

[sminki]

Well Andrew, you're in a bit of a tight spot.

There are very few legitimate serious teachers who teach both serious hand-to-hand and serious sword technique. The fact that you're in Ohio as opposed to... say... Japan, does not help your cause either.

If you want to learn both, I would recommend finding a credible ju-jitsu or nin-jitsu schools (don't know of any in Ohio). It might be hard to find legit nin-jitsu schools in the U.S. anyway. It's such an esoteric thing plagued by a lot of fake instructors like Tew these days.

Your other option is learning aikido somewhere. It's certainly easier to find legitimate schools than the above two martial arts. It's more hand-to-hand intensive, but you will learn sword techniques at higher level. If you want to really pursue being a serious martial artist and eventually teach, you'd want to be associated with legitimate schools and teachers with credibility. Choosing a more well-known or wide-spread martial art such as aikido does have advantages in ensuring that you're not dealing with a con artist.

Lots of luck to ya.

P.S. - Just out of curiousity, what is your level in karate and how and how long have you studied the three types of kung-fu? Usually, it's good to attain at least "black belt level" before you pursue other martial arts, as it will increase your general understanding of martial arts greatly. But then again, most people spend lifetimes just trying to master one.

[Nishi]

I would suggest Aikido Andrew, but it may lack the flash your looking for. However, from experience you will find traditional tarining, the use of bokken and jo waza, as well as many hand to hand techniques.

And Ohio has a pretty serious dojo as well.