What do you know about Bob Breen?

eXcessiveForce · 10-23-2007, 10:56 PM

I was having a discussion on another forum, and the person says they trained with Bob Breen.

From what I can gather he is an Inosanto Instructor in London.

Has anyone trained with him.

The other conversation described training as nearly traditional, so I am curious if anyone can elaborate or disagree with this assessment.

(this is not a slam or an opportunity to slam this person, only an inquiry as to experience and impressions regarding training with him.)

Ghost · 10-23-2007, 11:15 PM

yeah ive trained with him, he is one of the best jkd instructors around IMO and is an excellent knife man.

eXcessiveForce · 10-23-2007, 11:18 PM

Interesting.

When training with him, did you do a lot of air punching drills up and down the floor?

I just can't visualize what this other person is saying in a JKD school.

Ghost · 10-23-2007, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eXcessiveForce

Interesting.

When training with him, did you do a lot of air punching drills up and down the floor?

I just can't visualize what this other person is saying in a JKD school.

no. lol, i dont particularly like talking about instructors i have trained with openly on the net, but my experience with him was not like that. His training was very tough and disciplined and painful.

Ghost · 10-23-2007, 11:26 PM

i should add that its years since ive trained with him and that he is getting on in years a little, i dont know what his teaching method is like now. just to be accurate.

eXcessiveForce · 10-23-2007, 11:32 PM

Okay, that makes more sense.

I just couldn't imagine a JKDC guy doing line drill.

And from the other comments the person has made, I don't think they trained all that long, because they don't seem to "get it"

Michael Wright · 10-24-2007, 05:15 AM

Hello Excessive,

I know Guro Bob, have trained with him on a number of occasions over the last 10 years, and he is an outstanding martial artists and instructor. He is a Full Instructor under Guro Dan Inosanto and was the first person to ever bring Guro Inosanto to the UK. He is considered to be the Godfather of JKD in Europe. He is especially noted for his close range game, and as Ghost rightly says he is considered a leading expert on knife defence. He has also been responsible for producing many of the younger generation of UK instructors under Guro Inosanto, and has also trained many champions in the competitive arena. I could go on but to answer your main point…..

Before finding JKD, Guro Bob was one of the leading Karate teachers in the UK in the 1970s, so his roots are very much in the traditional Japanese mentality. His teaching does to this day still hold those ideals, as Ghost said his sessions can be tough and disciplined. In terms of actually teaching traditional Wado Ryu drills, yes I have been at seminars under Guro Breen where he has taught these, and he does still maintain his instruction of traditional Karate. He doesn’t say this is JKD, and it doesn’t confuse the training, it just offers his students a different way of doing things. Hope that helps

eXcessiveForce · 10-24-2007, 10:12 AM

ahh so that sheds some light on this conversation.

I would bet the person watched a Karate class at a JKD school and that is where they are coming up with the floor drill idea.

This person has also stated that in seminars with inosanto that they did floor drills as well.

So I think I understand what i'm dealing with in this conversation.

fire cobra · 10-25-2007, 10:59 AM

I to trained with Bob Breen in 1985 for a while,i also hosted him for seminars in the north east Uk around that time period. up tp around 1987/8.

Bob is a great instructor and martial artist,a really funny guy and if any one gets a chance to train with him then i would take it.

seany85 · 10-25-2007, 04:22 PM

Am sure it says on his website that he still practices although he has had a double hip replacement. http://www.bobbreen.co.uk/ and everyone who has spoke about him to me, holds him in high esteem.

fire cobra · 10-26-2007, 03:28 AM

Yeah Bob had a double hip replacement a few years ago,i trained with him when he had bad hips,it limeted how he could use is footwork but he "used the stumbling stone as a stepping block" to quote Bruce Lee! and developed his sensitivity and trapping really well.

As somebody else mentioned in a earlier post Bob is great with knife work from the Escrima systems.

10-23-2007, 10:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
eXcessiveForce Excessive Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,690	What do you know about Bob Breen? I was having a discussion on another forum, and the person says they trained with Bob Breen. From what I can gather he is an Inosanto Instructor in London. Has anyone trained with him. The other conversation described training as nearly traditional, so I am curious if anyone can elaborate or disagree with this assessment. (this is not a slam or an opportunity to slam this person, only an inquiry as to experience and impressions regarding training with him.) __________________ eXcessiveFORCE. If you must use force, make it excessive.

10-23-2007, 11:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
eXcessiveForce Excessive Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,690	Interesting. When training with him, did you do a lot of air punching drills up and down the floor? I just can't visualize what this other person is saying in a JKD school. __________________ eXcessiveFORCE. If you must use force, make it excessive.

10-23-2007, 11:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
eXcessiveForce Excessive Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,690	Okay, that makes more sense. I just couldn't imagine a JKDC guy doing line drill. And from the other comments the person has made, I don't think they trained all that long, because they don't seem to "get it" __________________ eXcessiveFORCE. If you must use force, make it excessive.

10-24-2007, 10:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
eXcessiveForce Excessive Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Missouri Posts: 2,690	ahh so that sheds some light on this conversation. I would bet the person watched a Karate class at a JKD school and that is where they are coming up with the floor drill idea. This person has also stated that in seminars with inosanto that they did floor drills as well. So I think I understand what i'm dealing with in this conversation. __________________ eXcessiveFORCE. If you must use force, make it excessive.

10-25-2007, 04:22 PM	#10 (permalink)
seany85 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 264	Am sure it says on his website that he still practices although he has had a double hip replacement. http://www.bobbreen.co.uk/ and everyone who has spoke about him to me, holds him in high esteem. __________________ "That's how I feel, I'ma do whatever I like ... I was raised in this society so you can't expect me to be a perfect person cause, I'ma do what I'ma do."

10-23-2007, 11:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ghost Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: London Posts: 1,619	yeah ive trained with him, he is one of the best jkd instructors around IMO and is an excellent knife man.

10-23-2007, 11:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ghost Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: London Posts: 1,619	i should add that its years since ive trained with him and that he is getting on in years a little, i dont know what his teaching method is like now. just to be accurate.

10-24-2007, 05:15 AM	#7 (permalink)
Michael Wright Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: London, England Posts: 909	Hello Excessive, I know Guro Bob, have trained with him on a number of occasions over the last 10 years, and he is an outstanding martial artists and instructor. He is a Full Instructor under Guro Dan Inosanto and was the first person to ever bring Guro Inosanto to the UK. He is considered to be the Godfather of JKD in Europe. He is especially noted for his close range game, and as Ghost rightly says he is considered a leading expert on knife defence. He has also been responsible for producing many of the younger generation of UK instructors under Guro Inosanto, and has also trained many champions in the competitive arena. I could go on but to answer your main point….. Before finding JKD, Guro Bob was one of the leading Karate teachers in the UK in the 1970s, so his roots are very much in the traditional Japanese mentality. His teaching does to this day still hold those ideals, as Ghost said his sessions can be tough and disciplined. In terms of actually teaching traditional Wado Ryu drills, yes I have been at seminars under Guro Breen where he has taught these, and he does still maintain his instruction of traditional Karate. He doesn’t say this is JKD, and it doesn’t confuse the training, it just offers his students a different way of doing things. Hope that helps

10-25-2007, 10:59 AM	#9 (permalink)
fire cobra Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: north east england Posts: 315	I to trained with Bob Breen in 1985 for a while,i also hosted him for seminars in the north east Uk around that time period. up tp around 1987/8. Bob is a great instructor and martial artist,a really funny guy and if any one gets a chance to train with him then i would take it.

10-26-2007, 03:28 AM	#11 (permalink)
fire cobra Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: north east england Posts: 315	Yeah Bob had a double hip replacement a few years ago,i trained with him when he had bad hips,it limeted how he could use is footwork but he "used the stumbling stone as a stepping block" to quote Bruce Lee! and developed his sensitivity and trapping really well. As somebody else mentioned in a earlier post Bob is great with knife work from the Escrima systems.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread: