Martial Edge caught up with Chris Crudelli star of hit TV series Mind Body and Kick Ass Moves about the launch of his new martial arts school in London.
Martial Edge: Chris thanks for taking time out from your busy schedule. What gave you the idea to begin teaching?
Chris Crudelli: Well I just got back from a retreat in Italy where I was delivering a series of teaching seminars. The feedback was fantastic and people on the retreat seemed to be really enjoying themselves. But I think what really got me into action was the fact I came back to all these news stories about knife crime and gang culture. I think everybody has a responsibility to contribute to society in whatever way they can, and I strongly believe we all need to do something about this endemic violence problem, a lot of people in TV are comparing this step to a Jamie Oliver campaign, I can tell you it’s certainly not, Jamie did a great job, a really great job, but we are not talking turkey twizlers here, Martial Arts is serious stuff, it can change attitudes, and this is about saving lives, not reducing cholesterol!.
We are not trying to create supermen Ninja spandex clad assassins here, there are no outlandish claims in JFM we are training the mind and body in traditional martial arts methods - Chris Crudelli
Martial Edge: We have seen Chris Crudelli the TV star and martial artist – but what qualities do you possess to be successful in teaching the martial arts?
Chris Crudelli: You know what Pete I would feel pretty arrogant if I started listing qualities I think I possessed. As a person though, I bring wide ranging objective experience, I have been fortunate to travel around the world and study with some incredible martial artists. I hope that experience and my years training will speak volumes to potential students. But at the end of the day, come down to the club, train with me and see for yourself, proof is in the pudding isn’t it.
Martial Edge: What style of martial art are you teaching in the school?
Chris Crudelli: The primary art I am teaching is called JFM or Jiufa Men, translated as Nine method still gate. It is basically a hybrid system of my own training. JFM combines principles from Chinese Kung Fu, check out the school website for more, wayofthewarriorschool.com
The whole system is a natural process taking into account that not only must the body be trained but also the mind. I think it is easy to forget that sometimes, every persons body’s and brain is built differently in both the physical and mental sense.
Also to support my teaching I have a relative coming over from Korea called Master Son Sangjon who is a qualified JFM instructor and gifted 4th Dan Taekwondo exponent. He’s a practical down to earth master and that’s reflected in his day Job as a teacher of the South Korean Marine Corps specialising in unarmed combat, he will be a key part in the laying foundations of my school, Way of the Warrior. And will be covering me whenever I am away filming.
Martial Edge: What expectations do you have for the school?
Chris Crudelli: Quality teaching -quality skills -affordable prices, well first thing is to make them affordable to everyone, that’s a key isn’t it, really high quality martial arts tuition should not solely be just the domain of affluent, we welcome all. The school is based in London and as you know everywhere is expensive. So I will be charging what works out at about £5 a class which for the London area is a bit unheard of. I don’t believe in membership fee’s either so I won’t be charging those, I do however expect students to train diligently and regularly and so class fee’s are to be paid on a per calendar month basis, which encourages attendance, and in the long run translates to better overall standards. I also plan to grow the schools presence in the London area that I feel will benefit the greatest, but not with some awful mcdojo approach, this is a project I believe in passionately. Martial arts have changed my life literally and helped me reach toward my personal potential, so this is not academic talk, it’s actual fact, I’m living proof, and I’m not the only one who can do this. And that’s the message of JFM and the way of the warrior school.
Martial Edge talks to Chris Crudelli
In 2007, Martial Edge was privileged to meet up with the kung fu instructor, TV presenter and martial arts enthusiast Chris Crudelli. Despite being the star of successful BBC programmes like Mind, Body & Kick Ass Moves, Birmingham born Chris is not entirely comfortable with the notion of TV stardom, as Ben Johnson finds out…
There will be a syllabus involved with JFM and I have designed this with the modern western lifestyle in mind. I have lived and trained in the orient on an apprentice on a ‘live in’ basis and I know full well that you cannot train in the same way over here because society is geared differently, mortgages, school fees and 9-5 work are not conducive to full time training, –as a general rule your average student cannot give thirty hours a week of training But living a modern lifestyle should not mean you are excluded from achieving high standards in the martial arts, so my syllabus is designed to give a good all round knowledge of my favourite arts.
We are not trying to create supermen ninja spandex clad assassins here, there are no outlandish claims in JFM we are training the mind and body in traditional martial arts methods, for effective self defence, self discipline and to help students achieve their potential inside and outside the dojo.
Martial Edge: As you know from your many travels and years of study, martial arts teaching is, when done with passion and dedication and extremely absorbing process. Will this affect any future TV work?
Chris Crudelli: No not at all. I’m not doing a TV show around the schools, because I don’t want this to be a campaign thing, it’s a slow burn, under the radar type thing, that’s just how I like it, but I am currently in talks with several UK and US broadcasters about a brand new series and my tv company wicked man productions has just completed a brilliant documentary about knife and gun crime in London, can’t give too many details yet, but Pete, Martial Edge will as always be the first to know more about that soon.
I have been really fortunate that my BBC tv shows are now being broadcast in over 190 countries world wide so the fan base is certainly there for more Crudelli man on the telly! The TV work is something I love doing and it helps spread the martial word (both weird and wonderful).
Martial Edge: Thanks Chris, good luck with the school.
Chris Crudelli: As always a pleasure to speak to you Pete, Martial Edge Rocks!
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