Shihan Evan Pantazi makes the cover of "Budoka"

(the largest Martial Arts Magazine in Finland!)

Story and Photos by Jarmo Osterman - Editor: Budoka Magazine

Hi Evan, Here's your interview translated in english. I would appreciate if you check out if there are many mistakes in language. And I am sure there are. Please feel free to correct those or make any changes needed. I will send you my photo soon. 

Thank you.  - Jarmo Osterman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EVAN PANTAZI

Evan Pantazi (6.dan Kyusho Jitsu) visited Finland teaching in Jarvenpaa and Turku seminars. These seminars were arranged by European Kyusho Jitsu Tuite. Luckily Mr. Pantazi had some time for a interview for Budoka Magazine. Evan Pantazi started his martial arts path some 25 years ago with judo. Soon he changed to Wing Chun Kung Fu and Kenpo Karate. One of Evans first instructors in Kenpo was professor Nick Cerio who passed some years ago. Pantazi was in Kenpo Karate (under the late Professor Nick Cerio), when he got a Dillman video. After seeing some people knocked unconscious he just could not believe his eyes. How on earth was that possible? And it all seemed so easy?! Evan just had to travel the 3000 miles to the next seminar to see if the man was a fake or not. Pantazi went to Dillman's next seminar and tapped the man in the shoulder. Evan told Dillman that he is from Boston and asked Dillman to knock him out, and everybody who ever had pleasure to meet Dillman knows that you don't have to ask that twice. Soon Evan followed his new instructor all over United States. That seminar was really a crossroad in Pantazi's Martial Arts path. Pak Sao In Dillman's organization (Dillman Karate International) most of the best instructors have their speciality, so does Evan. He teaches Pak Sao, Kyusho Sparring, this is sparring where you use pressure points. Pak Sao is a familiar term for everyone who's been in Wing Chun Kung Fu. Pantazi has been training Wing Chun over twenty years but he dosn't like to be called a Wing Chun instructor. Kyusho Sparring take parts from Wing Chun forms, trapping hands (from Professor Remy Presas), Joint manipulation (Tuite and Chin Na)Pantazi has also been studying Shiatsu, Tuina (Chinese Acupressure) and Chi Qong Therapy. as well as other oriental healing methods. Evan Pantazi tried to simplify Kyusho fighting. He didn't want to ask his students to think five elements during fast sparring. No, instead he gave them three warmer sections (upper, middle and lower) and teach them how to attact them. 

 

Simplified but Effective 

The easiest of these five is heads pressure point. Pantazi remainds that very seldom you attack mid-body in streetfighting. Soon Pantazi gives three more head pressure points (gall bladder 20, triple warmer 17 and stomach 5). Now there's alway a point available, no matter in which position opponets head is in. And these points are quite easy to attack even when the attacker is larger than you...and trust me, will be. Pantazi admits that attacks to pressure points doesn't work against everyone. But anyway you have reacted fast and punched, which is good and far better that to just be a punching bag. Seminar of Pak Sao Sparring in Finland was popular. There were over hundred students in two seminars. After only two hours training the students attacked fluently and without too much thinking to get to the pressure points in legs, mid-body and head. Students kept a close distance, taking no steps back with continuous nonstop attacks. 

 

Chi Sao 

One of the exercises were Sticky Hands, an exercise from Wing Chun Kung Fu. This is a good exercise since adrenalin will make you narrow sighted and possibly impair the vision. Pantazi would like to make training in the Dojo's more stressing to help students to react fast in real situation. This is one of the reasons Pantazi made up his Pak Sao (Kyusho Sparring). Evan Pantazi makes his new students first to touch right points in the body and teaches right positions for hands. He was surprised how shy people many times are to touch each other to faces. 

 

Correct Distance

Evan Pantazi teaches his students to get close as possible. "I am a firm believer in closing the distance because it is the reality of a streetfight. I am small so I feel better in this distance as well. Also everyone gets older and when you are close lack of speed, power and flexibility is not so dangerous." 

 

Accidents Happen

"Students many times accidentally knockout their opponents in their belt test. Their movements just are so well trained and automatic. Some students has also been unfortunate enough to have used their pressure points skills efficiently in streets." One of Pantazi's yellow belt student went to a point-fighting tournament. Competitors used gloves and Protective Gear. The fighting went little wild and this yellow belt student accidentally knocked out his opponent (by attacking gall bladder 24 and stomach 5 pressure points). Referees did not know what to do and Pantazi had to run to Tatami (the mat) to wake up the opponent. Pantazi saw another bullseye when Tank Abbott knock down his opponent in UFC tournament. It was a good clean hook behind the ear to triple warmer 17. The opponent seemed to get electrical shock and went down. It seemed to be quite hard to wake the man up (the head ache must have been bad). Tank Abbott probably dosn't know today what he hit.

 

  Straight Forward 

Pantazi teaches his students to go forward, never back, because it is a negative movement. An attacker will be very surprised when his victim is moving aggressively towards him, this is moment not to be missed and good time to use pressure points. Pantazi tells how after a good strike to pressure point the body gives the next point to strike. Evan demonstrates by punching a specific point that makes the body react in a way that a corresponding pressure point is available for attack. For example by striking leg points you get an access to a head point. Evan Pantazi stresses that you can learn pressure points and some technique from books and videos, but you really need to train a few years with a good instuctor and many partners to really learn Kyusho Jitsu. 

 

Karate Kata 

"I used to know 53 Katas, as there are a lot of Katas in Kenpo Karate. Now I am training eight katas and teaching only three. Those three forms are in the order: Naihanchi, Bil Jee and Sanchin." Evan tells that there is a lot to learn in Naihanci form. It teaches you Tuite and wrestling and it is good in lack of space or in the ground. Pantazi demonstrates and yours truly got to be a strangler for a moment. Pantazi could easily reach pressure points with his thighs and knees. So to activate a pressure point you don't always have to slam or punch your opponent. "Naihanchi training is good exercise for spine too, it really helps to get your energy flowing". Next kata is Bil Jee or "shooting fingers" form from Wing Chun Kung Fu. It teaches you attacking, hand movements, concetrating your energy into your hands and how to trap and set up opponents arms. "Sanchin kata if famous as breathing and Chi developing Kata. It is also good way to learn good posture, balance, inner and outer strength and how to get close well protected." (it also teaches the energy projection) 

 

Uechi Ryu 

Evan Pantazi is investigating Uechi Ryu and teaching Kyusho applications in their Kata, sponsored by George Mattson (9.dan, Uechi Ryu) trained Karate in Okinawa and he lives in New England USA. Pantazi has made a video series and has taught many seminars for practioner's called "Kyusho in Uechi Ryu". Uechi ryu is very popular style in New England. It is strong, hard, straight, traditional style and Pantazi loves it. Pantazi teaches seminars in conjunction with George Mattson, last time for over 300 Uechi ryu black belts.

 

  Knockout Sessions 

In Evan Pantazi's school of Karate students train Kyusho Sparring one hour at a time with varying speed. One of the Schools secrets is an ancient energy exercise Pantazi found some years ago. It was Originally developed and used by a Chinese war lord who is also credited with creating Eagle Claw Kung Fu . This war lord made his soldiers train this exercise prior to battle. Pantazi finds that it made students more relaxed and helped them to concentrate much more. It also helps their inner energy to flow when he and his students were in pain, and nauseated after long Kyusho sessions. This ancient exercise was a instant success, it helped everyone and made them feel better.

 

  Seminar in Finland 

Evan Pantazi is a real gentleman who doesn't hold back his words: "Tero Laaksonen is a great person who just asked my wife and I to live in his home. He's been treating us like queen and king." (This was before Tero made a practical joke on Evan). Pantazi really loved his seminar students in Finland as well: "Usually when I teach something new in my seminars, students try it few times and after that they just stand there and start talking with each other. Not in Finland. Here they just go on punching and don't stop until I ask them to", he laughes. Evan gets many instructors from other styles of martial arts to his seminars: "They want to check out if Kyusho Jitsu could spice up their own style". Tero Laaksonen counted in European Kyusho Jitsu - Tuite seminars (from Dillman, Kline and Pantazi) in Finland there has been students from 16 different styles of Martial Arts. He is very pleased how open-minded people training Martial Arts nowadays are. Pantazi was also pleased to see that there were many high class instructors in his seminars with white belts on: "That was really a high honor for another instructor to get, as they really emptied their cup by coming here to train with us in Kyusho Sparring." Pantazi also likes to teach healing in his seminars, and he is surprised how people many times don't feel that healing is important. "Healing is essential part of the Martial Arts. You have to know how to fix a human being as well how to hurt them. If and when you knock your partner out you have to know how to help his get their energy flowing again." Students of Pantazi know healing and there are many masters of healing in Dillman Karate Organization, guys like Ed Lake. Evan tells how his students learn to give healing massage and other methods, to each other before and after training: "We hurt and heal and hurt again" Pantazi laughes. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Text and Photos with permission from: Jarmo Osterman, 1.dan Wadoryu Karate, 1.dan Hontai Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu Jarmo Osterman Article Editor MikroBitti Magazine Helsinki Media jarmo@mikrobitti.fi tel: +358-9-120 5735 fax: +359-9-120 5799 Street: Kornetintie 8 FIN-00380 Helsinki Finland-Europe WWW.MIKROBITTI.FI

Hi Evan, Here's your interview translated in english. I would appreciate if you check out if there are many mistakes in language. And I am sure there are. Please feel free to correct those or make any changes needed. I will send you my photo soon. 

Thank you.  - Jarmo Osterman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EVAN PANTAZI

Evan Pantazi (6.dan Kyusho Jitsu) visited Finland teaching in Jarvenpaa and Turku seminars. These seminars were arranged by European Kyusho Jitsu Tuite. Luckily Mr. Pantazi had some time for a interview for Budoka Magazine. Evan Pantazi started his martial arts path some 25 years ago with judo. Soon he changed to Wing Chun Kung Fu and Kenpo Karate. One of Evans first instructors in Kenpo was professor Nick Cerio who passed some years ago. Pantazi was in Kenpo Karate (under the late Professor Nick Cerio), when he got a Dillman video. After seeing some people knocked unconscious he just could not believe his eyes. How on earth was that possible? And it all seemed so easy?! Evan just had to travel the 3000 miles to the next seminar to see if the man was a fake or not. Pantazi went to Dillman's next seminar and tapped the man in the shoulder. Evan told Dillman that he is from Boston and asked Dillman to knock him out, and everybody who ever had pleasure to meet Dillman knows that you don't have to ask that twice. Soon Evan followed his new instructor all over United States. That seminar was really a crossroad in Pantazi's Martial Arts path. Pak Sao In Dillman's organization (Dillman Karate International) most of the best instructors have their speciality, so does Evan. He teaches Pak Sao, Kyusho Sparring, this is sparring where you use pressure points. Pak Sao is a familiar term for everyone who's been in Wing Chun Kung Fu. Pantazi has been training Wing Chun over twenty years but he dosn't like to be called a Wing Chun instructor. Kyusho Sparring take parts from Wing Chun forms, trapping hands (from Professor Remy Presas), Joint manipulation (Tuite and Chin Na)Pantazi has also been studying Shiatsu, Tuina (Chinese Acupressure) and Chi Qong Therapy. as well as other oriental healing methods. Evan Pantazi tried to simplify Kyusho fighting. He didn't want to ask his students to think five elements during fast sparring. No, instead he gave them three warmer sections (upper, middle and lower) and teach them how to attact them. 

 

Simplified but Effective 

The easiest of these five is heads pressure point. Pantazi remainds that very seldom you attack mid-body in streetfighting. Soon Pantazi gives three more head pressure points (gall bladder 20, triple warmer 17 and stomach 5). Now there's alway a point available, no matter in which position opponets head is in. And these points are quite easy to attack even when the attacker is larger than you...and trust me, will be. Pantazi admits that attacks to pressure points doesn't work against everyone. But anyway you have reacted fast and punched, which is good and far better that to just be a punching bag. Seminar of Pak Sao Sparring in Finland was popular. There were over hundred students in two seminars. After only two hours training the students attacked fluently and without too much thinking to get to the pressure points in legs, mid-body and head. Students kept a close distance, taking no steps back with continuous nonstop attacks. 

 

Chi Sao 

One of the exercises were Sticky Hands, an exercise from Wing Chun Kung Fu. This is a good exercise since adrenalin will make you narrow sighted and possibly impair the vision. Pantazi would like to make training in the Dojo's more stressing to help students to react fast in real situation. This is one of the reasons Pantazi made up his Pak Sao (Kyusho Sparring). Evan Pantazi makes his new students first to touch right points in the body and teaches right positions for hands. He was surprised how shy people many times are to touch each other to faces. 

 

Correct Distance

Evan Pantazi teaches his students to get close as possible. "I am a firm believer in closing the distance because it is the reality of a streetfight. I am small so I feel better in this distance as well. Also everyone gets older and when you are close lack of speed, power and flexibility is not so dangerous." 

 

Accidents Happen

"Students many times accidentally knockout their opponents in their belt test. Their movements just are so well trained and automatic. Some students has also been unfortunate enough to have used their pressure points skills efficiently in streets." One of Pantazi's yellow belt student went to a point-fighting tournament. Competitors used gloves and Protective Gear. The fighting went little wild and this yellow belt student accidentally knocked out his opponent (by attacking gall bladder 24 and stomach 5 pressure points). Referees did not know what to do and Pantazi had to run to Tatami (the mat) to wake up the opponent. Pantazi saw another bullseye when Tank Abbott knock down his opponent in UFC tournament. It was a good clean hook behind the ear to triple warmer 17. The opponent seemed to get electrical shock and went down. It seemed to be quite hard to wake the man up (the head ache must have been bad). Tank Abbott probably dosn't know today what he hit.

 

  Straight Forward 

Pantazi teaches his students to go forward, never back, because it is a negative movement. An attacker will be very surprised when his victim is moving aggressively towards him, this is moment not to be missed and good time to use pressure points. Pantazi tells how after a good strike to pressure point the body gives the next point to strike. Evan demonstrates by punching a specific point that makes the body react in a way that a corresponding pressure point is available for attack. For example by striking leg points you get an access to a head point. Evan Pantazi stresses that you can learn pressure points and some technique from books and videos, but you really need to train a few years with a good instuctor and many partners to really learn Kyusho Jitsu. 

 

Karate Kata 

"I used to know 53 Katas, as there are a lot of Katas in Kenpo Karate. Now I am training eight katas and teaching only three. Those three forms are in the order: Naihanchi, Bil Jee and Sanchin." Evan tells that there is a lot to learn in Naihanci form. It teaches you Tuite and wrestling and it is good in lack of space or in the ground. Pantazi demonstrates and yours truly got to be a strangler for a moment. Pantazi could easily reach pressure points with his thighs and knees. So to activate a pressure point you don't always have to slam or punch your opponent. "Naihanchi training is good exercise for spine too, it really helps to get your energy flowing". Next kata is Bil Jee or "shooting fingers" form from Wing Chun Kung Fu. It teaches you attacking, hand movements, concetrating your energy into your hands and how to trap and set up opponents arms. "Sanchin kata if famous as breathing and Chi developing Kata. It is also good way to learn good posture, balance, inner and outer strength and how to get close well protected." (it also teaches the energy projection) 

 

Uechi Ryu 

Evan Pantazi is investigating Uechi Ryu and teaching Kyusho applications in their Kata, sponsored by George Mattson (9.dan, Uechi Ryu) trained Karate in Okinawa and he lives in New England USA. Pantazi has made a video series and has taught many seminars for practioner's called "Kyusho in Uechi Ryu". Uechi ryu is very popular style in New England. It is strong, hard, straight, traditional style and Pantazi loves it. Pantazi teaches seminars in conjunction with George Mattson, last time for over 300 Uechi ryu black belts.

 

  Knockout Sessions 

In Evan Pantazi's school of Karate students train Kyusho Sparring one hour at a time with varying speed. One of the Schools secrets is an ancient energy exercise Pantazi found some years ago. It was Originally developed and used by a Chinese war lord who is also credited with creating Eagle Claw Kung Fu . This war lord made his soldiers train this exercise prior to battle. Pantazi finds that it made students more relaxed and helped them to concentrate much more. It also helps their inner energy to flow when he and his students were in pain, and nauseated after long Kyusho sessions. This ancient exercise was a instant success, it helped everyone and made them feel better.

 

  Seminar in Finland 

Evan Pantazi is a real gentleman who doesn't hold back his words: "Tero Laaksonen is a great person who just asked my wife and I to live in his home. He's been treating us like queen and king." (This was before Tero made a practical joke on Evan). Pantazi really loved his seminar students in Finland as well: "Usually when I teach something new in my seminars, students try it few times and after that they just stand there and start talking with each other. Not in Finland. Here they just go on punching and don't stop until I ask them to", he laughes. Evan gets many instructors from other styles of martial arts to his seminars: "They want to check out if Kyusho Jitsu could spice up their own style". Tero Laaksonen counted in European Kyusho Jitsu - Tuite seminars (from Dillman, Kline and Pantazi) in Finland there has been students from 16 different styles of Martial Arts. He is very pleased how open-minded people training Martial Arts nowadays are. Pantazi was also pleased to see that there were many high class instructors in his seminars with white belts on: "That was really a high honor for another instructor to get, as they really emptied their cup by coming here to train with us in Kyusho Sparring." Pantazi also likes to teach healing in his seminars, and he is surprised how people many times don't feel that healing is important. "Healing is essential part of the Martial Arts. You have to know how to fix a human being as well how to hurt them. If and when you knock your partner out you have to know how to help his get their energy flowing again." Students of Pantazi know healing and there are many masters of healing in Dillman Karate Organization, guys like Ed Lake. Evan tells how his students learn to give healing massage and other methods, to each other before and after training: "We hurt and heal and hurt again" Pantazi laughes. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Text and Photos with permission from: Jarmo Osterman, 1.dan Wadoryu Karate, 1.dan Hontai Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu Jarmo Osterman Article Editor MikroBitti Magazine Helsinki Media jarmo@mikrobitti.fi tel: +358-9-120 5735 fax: +359-9-120 5799 Street: Kornetintie 8 FIN-00380 Helsinki Finland-Europe WWW.MIKROBITTI.FI