Andy Norman of Keysi Fighing Method KFM

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By Pete Mills, on 28-10-2008 19:35

Martial Edge met up with Andy Norman, Co - founder of Keysi Fighting method (KFM) to learn more about the fighting system that is not only taking the Hollywood Studios by storm but the global martial arts community.

Martial Edge: Andy, where does the name Keysi come from?

Andy Norman: The name Keysi means from the heart and was Justo Dieguez nickname as a child.

Martial Edge: So what is the Keysi Fighting Method? What makes it different from any other martial art?

Andy Norman: For me Keysi is a method of fighting for people looking for a street application. Keysi was borne on the streets and it’s almost a reflection of life itself. We like to distance ourselves from the tag of ‘martial art’ because in the traditional sense it is not a martial art. Fundamentally Keysi is the art of warfare.

KFM was borne with Justo but together we developed it into what it is now. - Andy Norman

Martial Edge: Andy how did you get started in the martial arts and how did the meeting come about with your co founder of Keysi – Justo?

Andy Norman: Well I’ve been involved with martial arts all of my life. I met Justo Dieguez at a training camp and we just instantly clicked. We probably trained together for what can only have been 30 seconds but we decided that we would meet up after the camp to train together later. I guess you could say our meeting was no coincidence, as in a way we have always been on the same path. Justo from his gypsy background has come from a tougher background then me but I have had a tough upbringing too – I have always had an archaic attitude towards life and I guess that’s why it was natural that we both came together in training.

Martial Edge: So when did you both think, yeah we have something really special here with Keysi?

Andy Norman: Keysi was developing naturally and I feel sure that even if we didn’t hit Hollywood it would still be growing organically today. We were already hitting the states and Europe and were growing our instructor network for the Keysi system. What our involvement in the first Batman film brought about was to really explode our public profile – we went from been fringe to mainstream.


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Martial Edge: When did the call come through from Hollywood then?

Andy Norman: Well I had been teaching a guy called Buster Reeves (who is now the stunt double for Christian Bale and Tom Cruise) and I was over doing a seminar in Germany when Buster gave me a call. It had been a while since I had seen Buster and he was like Andy there is a film I would like you and Justo to audition for as the fight coordinators are researching fighting styles for a film. Of course my thought was it was some low budget flick in a warehouse but Buster was insistent that we come over to LA and do an audition.

Anyway we went over to the US and me and Justo were sat in this room watching amazing martial artists doing back flips on concrete floors etc. To be honest I was like if they are wanting us to do that then no chance. However, Paul Jennings the fight coordinator said to us right guys just do your stuff and he was totally blown away. You see they were looking for not just a fighting method for Batman but a way of movement. Paul Jennings saw in Keysi how the new Batman would move and fight and the rest as they say is history!

Keysi Interview

Martial Edge: What impact has this had on KFM?

Andy Norman: Well it has gone totally global. After Batman Begins people were like what is this? Since the Dark Knight Keysi has really established itself as a truly global practice. I mean we have even had Christian Bale on TV interviews talking about us now that’s some endorsement.

We were doing a demo at the Orlando Martial Arts Super show this summer and a guy called Bill Clarke (founding member of the American Taekwondo Association) saw us in action. He could not believe what he saw and he came up to us after and was like guys lets talk business. So we set up a company with Bill and have established the Keysi fighting method (KFM) Headquarters for the Eastern United States in Jacksonville, Florida.

With Paul Jennings we have also set up a company for stunts and fight co-ordinators. We have done some consultancy on the new Sherlock Holmes film and have a few projects in the pipeline.

Martial Edge: To really push Keysi you have set up the home learning program to people can study it in there own homes. How do you maintain the quality of the training without a traditional hands on approach?

Andy Norman: Sure you will never beat the face to face instructor- student relationship. But a lot of work has been put into the home learning program to ensure it is structured and comprehensive and hand in hand with the home learning we are also working on our instructor networks and ensuring there is a good time table for seminars.

Martial Edge: So to finish with how do you get involved with KFM?

Andy Norman: That’s the easy part. Check out our website for how you get started.

	The Dark Knight Fight Co Ordinator Interview You have seen it on the big screen, now read about the fighting skills that made Christian Bale, a.k.a. Batman kick the bad guys into touch in the Dark Knight. In an exclusive interview we caught up with fight co ordinator and co founder of the Keysi Fighting Method Andy Norman.