Radames Pera is the last surviving star from the original "Kung Fu" TV show. His memory is burned into our brains, the young bald student monk who learned martial arts and Eastern philosophy from Master Kan (played by Phillip Ahn) and the blind Master Po (played by Keye Luke).

Master Po referred to young Caine as "Grasshopper," and that term has been used in martial arts classes ever since. Sometimes, when I'm teaching a student and they suddenly understand a technique and perform it well, I find myself saying, "Ahh, Grasshopper."

A few weeks ago I wondered what happened to the young boy who played the part of young Caine, so I searched and found Radames living in France. He is 61 now. I sent him a message, asked him to be on the podcast, and he graciously said yes.

He is a very engaging, funny and intelligent man. We talked for two hours, and I enjoyed every moment talking about his career (it is much more than just "Kung Fu") and some of the people he worked with, including David Carradine, Phillip Ahn and Keye Luke, and others such as Jack Lord ("Hawaii 5-0"), Michael Landon ("Little House on the Prairie"), and a man I appeared in a movie with, Lee Majors ("The Six Million Dollar Man"). 

I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Listen online or download the file at the Internal Fighting Arts podcast page.

The Bruce Lee documentary that aired this week on ESPN, titled "Be Water," is a must-see for any Bruce Lee fan. The film aired on June 7 but is being repeated on ESPN and you can stream it on the ESPN Plus app.

It contains photos and old film footage that I have never seen before, and I have collected and devoured Bruce Lee material since 1973.

"Be Water" is a very timely film, especially in light of the George Floyd murder and the protests against racism during the past three weeks.

Bruce Lee was the victim of racism, and he fought hard to overcome the prejudice that white Americans -- and Hollywood -- had against Asians. He refused to play a stereotype, especially the old-style "chop chop" pig-tailed Oriental image that was the butt of humor in American culture.

It is an eye-opening film. I grew up in the racist South in the Fifties and Sixties, but when I was 13 I watched "The Green Hornet" every week, and I thought nothing of the fact that Bruce Lee, as Kato, was Chinese. In fact, it was mysterious and cool to see his kung-fu in the TV show.

It would still be six or seven years before a buddy and I sneaked into a drive-in theater to see "The Chinese Connection" in the summer of 1973. A couple of weeks later, I saw a very short article in the newspaper that reported Bruce Lee had died.

I was surprised by the news. That strong young guy in "Chinese Connection" was dead. My buddy and I thought the movie was horrible, but I kept saying, "That Bruce Lee guy is really good."

A month later, I went to see "Enter the Dragon" and everything changed. I enrolled that September in my first martial arts class, and it has been part of my life ever since.

There are photos and film footage of Bruce in "Be Water" that show him throughout his life, and I particularly enjoyed the film of him dancing as a young man.

The documentary traces his life and his sudden death. There are no talking heads, but Bruce's family and friends speak over the photos and videos.

The title, "Be Water," came from part of Bruce Lee's Taoist philosophy. He is shown in the now-famous interview that he did in Hong Kong in 1971, when he says, "Water is shapeless, formless. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. Put water into a kettle, it becomes the kettle. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend."

And this is my complaint about the movie. This is where it falls short.

Bruce Lee's fighting philosophy was to adapt to, and flow around obstacles thrown at you by an opponent.

I practice this in my Tai Chi push hands and in self-defense. When an opponent touches me, when he gets close and grabs me, I have practiced to the point where I relax, like water, and I don't let him get a firm grasp.

It is like grabbing a handful of water, as Bruce Lee describes it in the film. But what we are working on is to relax, while maintaining internal strength and correct body mechanics, and we don't let our opponent find our center.

We find our opponent's center, however. We flow around his strength like water and we find his weakness. Like water, we find a way to go where we want to go.

If a stream of water encounters a rock, it flows around the rock. If an opponent punches at me or grabs me, I neutralize his force, go with it, and flow around it until I hit him or take him to the ground. At least, that is my goal.

That is the self-defense philosophy of "Be Water."

That same self-defense philosophy can be applied to your life. 

It is illustrated by Bruce Lee's reaction to the racism he faced in Hollywood. He wanted to be the star of the "Kung-Fu" TV show, but studio executives did not think Americans would accept an Asian star. They also thought Bruce's personality was more geared to fighting, not to the peaceful nature of Kwai Chang Caine. So, in a racist move, Warner Brothers hired David Carradine, and they made him half American and half Chinese.

It was the ultimate obstacle in Bruce's life, and what did he do?

He flowed around it, like water. He went to Hong Kong and he made the movies he wanted to make, culminating in "The Way of the Dragon." By this time, Hollywood paid attention, and cast him in "Enter the Dragon."

By adapting and going with the flow, Bruce became the biggest action star in the world. Unfortunately, he was dead before he was able to realize his full success.

"Be Water" should have hammered home the lesson that the "Be Water" philosophy promotes -- not only for self-defense but also for life.

What obstacles are you running into in your life? How can you flow around them, adapt and change, to achieve your goals and dreams?

I have used this philosophy in my personal life many times, not only in self-defense, but in adapting to and flowing around the loss of jobs, the loss of a daughter, the loss of marriages, the loss of a lung, a heart problem, and now a pacemaker. I will keep flowing, and changing, and growing, and I will continue to improve and understand more deeply because it is part of who I am.

Bruce Lee would understand this very well. THAT is the lesson of his fighting art and philosophy. It is a philosophy that you can use every day.

"Find what is worthwhile about yourself and express it," his wife Linda says in the movie, as if that is the message to be taken from his life.

Yes, that is one lesson, but it is not the lesson implied by the title.

"Be Water" is an excellent documentary about Bruce Lee -- a must-see for fans. But it should have been much more inspirational. It should have done a better job of teaching viewers this key lesson; to be water and to adapt and flow around obstacles that impede your progress. Do not let anything stop you, my friend.

My daughter Belinda made a great observation about this film. She said it was as if the producers "concentrated on the finger, and missed all that heavenly glory." 

By all means, see this film. But for a much better experience in learning about Bruce Lee, I recommend Matthew Polly's amazing book, "Bruce Lee: A Life."

-- by Ken Gullette

In 1990, I won a Gold Medal at the AAU Kung-Fu National Championships performing the Yang Tai Chi 24 Form, the short form that is practiced daily by millions of people worldwide. It is the most popular Tai Chi form in the world.

It took me 28 years, but I finally recorded step-by-step instruction and put it on a DVD. It is 2-1/2 hours of step-by-step instruction with a fresh perspective on body mechanics and movement.

The DVD includes complete demonstrations of the form from front and rear views, at regular speed and in extra slow motion. Then, I guide a student through each movement. That student happens to be my wife, Nancy. I teach her the form as we go, and you will learn by watching the mistakes she makes and you will learn what to avoid as I humiliate, I mean COACH her through the movements. Nancy is a good sport, and there is an outtake reel at the end of the DVD.

Even if you have studied the Yang 24 form, I believe this DVD will give you new insights into the body mechanics of the movements. I show you details of the movements that are rarely taught by instructors who teach this form.

The video is already online on my website, Internal Fighting Arts. Many of my members began their Tai Chi journey with the Yang 24, as I did. The reactions to the instruction have been better than I expected.

When I began teaching in 1997, the Yang 24 was part of my curriculum. I taught it for a few years, even after I switched from Yang style to Chen style in 1998. After studying the body mechanics of Chen Tai Chi, I realized what was missing in a lot of the Yang Tai Chi that you see being performed around the world.

Many people are doing an empty form. This DVD attempts to correct that. You will learn how the ground path, peng jin, whole-body movement, Dantien rotation and the kua are used in the movements. You will learn how to sink your energy and use spiraling movement.

The Yang 24 was designed by a committee of experts in Beijing in 1956. It was intended to be a simplified form that people of all ages could use for fitness, exercise, and "moving meditation." Tai Chi is a martial art first and foremost, but the Yang 24 is not usually practiced that way.

This DVD is intended to teach the form for health and fitness. Clinical studies have shown that older people who practice Tai Chi see benefits ranging from improved balance and leg strength (fewer falls among the elderly) and reduced blood pressure and stress.

You will learn the Yang 24 Tai Chi form from this DVD. This is a Tai Chi beginner form that got me started in the art. It fits into anyone's hectic, modern lifestyle, and it can bring you benefits in health and quality of life.

The DVD costs only $19.99 and it comes with an Iron-Clad, No-Hassle Money-Back Guarantee. There is Free Shipping Worldwide. If you aren't satisfied for any reason, mail it back and receive a prompt refund, including your mailing costs.

Click the button below for our secure order page. 

If you are looking for a great introduction to the art of Tai Chi Chuan for beginners, the Chen 19 form is a short, easy-to-learn series of movements that can be practiced both for health and for martial art.

The Chen 19 was created in the 1990s by Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang. 

The most popular tai chi form in the world is the Yang 24 simplified form that was created in Beijing to provide a standardized form. It took off because it is short and can easily be learned and practiced by Westerners who do not have the time or patience to do a longer form on a daily basis.

It seems logical that the Chen family saw this and decided to create their own form to compete with the short Yang form.

The Chen 19 is perfect. The basic movements can be learned in a weekend and it takes about five minutes to perform, easily fitting into a hectic modern workday.

I have practiced both forms. I taught the Yang 24 when I first began teaching Tai Chi, but after I switched to Chen style in 1998, the only "short" form I do is the Chen 19. I prefer the body mechanics of Chen style, and the "lively" body method.

My first Chen 19 instructional DVD came out in 2008. Last year, I revised it. I take you step-by-step through the entire form. The DVD runs just over 2-and-a-half hours. Besides solo instruction, you will also see me coach a student through the movements. You learn by watching him make mistakes and get corrected on camera. It's the next best thing to being in a live classroom setting. Each movement is taught with detail that you won't find on any other tai chi instructional dvds.

Check out a clip from the DVD here. It is available in standard and Blu-Ray versions. If you or someone you know is curious about trying Tai Chi, this is an inexpensive and convenient way to try it out.

My newly revised and expanded Chen 19 DVD is available starting today. It replaces the original, which was produced in 2008 in the older 4:3 TV screen format. The new DVD is longer, at 2 1/2 hours, with much more detail on each movement, and in widescreen format with better camera angles and overall better production.

The Chen 19 was the first Chen Taiji form I learned in 1998 from Jim and Angela Criscimagna. Through them, I also met Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang and studied the form with him. He designed the form in the mid-90s in response to popular demand for a shorter Chen style form that would fit into busy modern Western lives. I suspect it was also the Chen family's answer to the Yang 24, which is probably the most popular form in the world.

The new DVD includes:

** A complete demonstration of the form from front and rear views.

** Detailed instruction on each movement with an emphasis on internal body mechanics.

** You'll also see a student being coached through the movements, so you can learn to avoid beginner mistakes.

There are a few self-defense applications sprinkled throughout, but I decided to focus this DVD on the form. If you are interested in the fighting applications, I would recommend the DVD set on Laojia Yilu Fighting Applications, which explores over 400 applications from the longer form.

Here is a short clip from the DVD, part of the instruction on movement #3, "Lazy About Tying the Coat." The DVD costs only $19.99 and there is free shipping worldwide (International orders are shipped without the plastic cases). As usual, there is a no-hassle, iron-clad money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied for any reason. Follow this link to order the Chen 19 DVD. All of the video is also available for streaming for members of my website - www.internalfightingarts.com. 

 Sample Clip from Chen 19 DVD

Follow this link for more information and to order.

Portions of the new Silk-Reeling DVD were shot at a workshop Ken did in 2015.

My first DVD on Silk-Reeling Energy was shot in 2008 in the old 4:3 TV format. I was never really satisfied that it was spread over two DVDs, forcing me to charge a bit more for it ($24.99). But it has been very popular over the years with internal artists worldwide.

Now, I have completely redone it in widescreen format and I have managed to put more than 2 1/2 hours of instruction onto one DVD at a lower price ($19.99). The camera angles are better, too.

Silk-Reeling "Energy" has been misinterpreted by many literal-minded people. When you talk about internal "energies," you are not talking about an actual "energy" coursing through your body like the concept many use for "chi." What energy means is "method." What are the methods of moving in the internal arts that helps give you relaxed power, without the muscular tension that some martial arts use?

Silk-Reeling, or Chan Ssu Jin (Chan Ssu Chin) is part of that method. It involves spiraling movement through the body, which is combined with the ground path, peng jin, whole-body movement, Dan T'ien rotation and proper use of the kua. Now, I always get flamed when I say that SRE is not mystical, especially by people who are into the woo woo, but it's true. The spiraling movement of Chan Ssu Jin is a physical skill, like all skills in the internal arts. You can still believe in the woo woo if you want, but the exercises still work.

The Silk-Reeling exercises on this video teach you how to take the six key body mechanics that form the basis of internal movement and put them together into exercises that will help make your internal movement better.

There are many "energies" involved when you practice self-defense with Tai Chi, Hsing-I and Bagua, but there are also basic body mechanics that you need; without them, your movement is empty.

I first learned these exercises and concepts from Chen Xiaowang, Chen Xiaoxing, and their students and disciples.

One thing I love about these exercises is the fact that you can do most of them even if you don't have a lot of room. Most of them can be done in a cubicle, or in a small office, anywhere you find yourself without room to do a form.

When you do a Silk-Reeling exercise, you are doing Tai Chi. 

They can be done as qigong, too. Sometimes, if I'm watching TV at night at the end of the day, I'll get up and do these exercises rather than sit on the couch. They build leg strength and, if you practice as intended, they will improve your internal movement.

The DVD also contains a section on pole-shaking, which is one of the ways to begin putting all the body mechanics to work for fajin (issuing energy).

Here is a short clip from the Silk-Reeling Energy DVD. If you are interested, you can click here for more information and to order it. There is free shipping worldwide and an iron-clad, no hassle, money back guarantee. If you're not happy with it, just return it for a fast refund. I have never had anyone return this DVD after selling more than 1,000 of them since 2008. All the video from the DVD is also on my website at www.internalfightingarts.com. 

I have always believed if you are going to learn a martial arts weapons form, you should learn to fight with the weapon.

My newest DVD mines the gold inside the Chen Taiji Straight Sword form. I demonstrate 79 fighting applications, at least one realistic application for every one of the 49 movements in the form.

There is also a section that shows step-by-step how to go from form to fighting with a straight sword. How do you work with a partner to put the applications into practice? It is clearly demonstrated.

You will learn how the movements are used in parrying, deflecting, intercepting, adhering, controlling, and also how to counter with various cutting techniques. As usual, I teach with an emphasis on body mechanics.

This DVD is a follow-up to my Chen Taiji Straight Sword Form DVD, which provides instruction on the movements of the form. While it focuses on how to do the movements, this new DVD explores the fighting applications of the movements.

Running time is 1 hour 48 minutes. Check out the clip below for a sneak peak.

The Chen Straight Sword Fighting Applications DVD costs $19.99. There is Free Shipping worldwide, and a No Questions Iron-Clad Money-Back Guarantee -- if you aren't happy for any reason, just send the DVD back and you will get a prompt refund.

Click on this button for our secure order page and within a few days you will deepen your knowledge of the Chen family Straight Sword Form.

Buy Both DVDs and Save $10 --

The Chen Taiji Straight Sword Form DVD and the Chen Straight Sword Fighting Applications DVD -- Buy Both for only $29.99 with Free Shipping worldwide and a Money-Back Guarantee if you are not satisfied.

Here is a short clip from the Chen Straight Sword Fighting Applications DVD

I have been working for more than a year on my newest DVD on the Chen Tai Chi Laojia Yilu form. Now, it is finally done! Five hours of detailed, step-by-step instruction is now available in a 2-disc set.

For years, members of my website and customers of my Chen 19 DVD and Chen 38 DVD have asked for a DVD version of Laojia Yilu instruction. I did video lessons for the website in 2009 and 2010, but wanted to reshoot it in widescreen format for the DVD (technology has changed a little).

Laojia Yilu is considered the "essence" of Chen family Taijiquan. It means "Old Frame First Form." I began studying the form around 2000, and along the way I have had coaching from Chen Xiaowang, Chen Xiaoxing, and my instructors, who were students and disciples of the Chen family. 

I have been teaching the form for more than a decade, but due to health setbacks along the way, it has taken me a while to decide I was ready to put it on DVD.

I had great instruction and I took a lot of notes. I hold nothing back. The instruction on these DVDs is my effort to pass it on after years of hard work. If you are a disciple of one of the Chen masters, this DVD is not intended for you. For most students of the art, I believe they will find nuggets on these DVDs that would take years to get from some instructors, if you got them at all. For only $24.99, I don't think you will find a better investment, even if it takes you just one or two baby steps forward. 

Getting Laojia Yilu instruction from Chen Xiaoxing in 2005.

As usual, I put a lot of emphasis on internal body mechanics, infusing each of the movements with the ground path and peng jin, whole-body movement, silk-reeling, Dan T'ien rotation and opening/closing of the kua. I try to drive home the body mechanics with each movement. This is NOT just a DVD where the instructor shows a movement at different angles and then doesn't explain the movement in-depth.

When you look at Chen masters, each one performs a little differently than the next. Their stylistic differences make some movements appear quite different. Some are more conservative and others include more stylistic flourishes.

Regardless of who your teacher is, and how differently their movements appear, the fundamental concepts and body mechanics should be the same. Because of this, you will learn from this DVD set. And if you don't, just send it back for a refund. 

You will see a front and back view of the complete form, then each movement is broken down in detail. You will also learn as I coach a student who has never learned Laojia Yilu, and you will avoid beginner mistakes as you watch me correct him in his movement and structure.

It is like going through an in-depth class with actual instruction that goes beneath the surface of the movement. There are even a few fighting applications (but the applications of Laojia Yilu are already available on my Tai Chi Fighting Applications DVDs).

As I shot and edited these DVDs, I put the videos on my website. One member who has already learned Laojia Yilu called them "a revelation," and another was stunned by the detail. That's the kind of feedback I like.

As usual, shipping is free anywhere in the world and there is an iron clad, no hassle Money Back Guarantee if you are not satisfied for any reason.

Click this button to go to a secure order page, and check out the clip below to sample part of the DVD.

My new DVD offers two hours of detailed instruction in the Chen Taijiquan Pear Blossom Spear form, the Chen family spear form that involves lively stepping, athletic movements and bursts of fajing. I have probably spent more time shooting and producing this video than any other I have done.

The spear is one of the most important traditional weapons. The Chen Taiji Pear Blossom Spear Form can also be performed as a staff form -- it is also called the White Ape Staff form. It contains 72 movements, typically performed at a brisk pace with sharp explosions of power. 

As usual, I try to focus on the internal body mechanics that make Taiji such a powerful martial art. It is designed for students who are new to the Chen spear form, but even if you have studied the spear with another teacher, this DVD will hopefully provide you with insights that you may not have been shown.

When you watch different Chen masters doing this form, such as Chen Xiaowang and Chen Zhenglei, you will see differences in many of the movements. But the important thing to remember is that the body mechanics underlying the movements are the same.

You will not mistake my movements for those masters, but I think my best asset as an instructor is to get across some of the important body mechanics in a clear way. And that's what I am aiming at in this DVD.

Here is a clip from the DVD, showing instruction on three or four of the movements. Each of the 72 movements is explored in detail, from different angles, and the entire form is also shown from a front and rear view, at normal speed and in slow motion.

This has been a labor of love. I have been working on this DVD for more than a year. It is an amazing form, and I have tried to present it clearly so that anyone with a little experience can learn the Pear Blossom Spear form.

Here is the shameless plug - if you order this by clicking the button below, you will receive free shipping anywhere in the world. And if you don't like the DVD, send it back for a prompt refund, no questions asked.

When I was 18, in 1971, all my buddies were excited over the movie, "Billy Jack."

Tom Laughlin gave us our first exposure to "karate" and we LOVED it.

Until this time, Asian martial arts were joked about. Characters like James Bond used the "Judo chop," which looked pretty ridiculous. At the same time, the arts were presented as "deadly" and mysterious.

Billy Jack (Tom Laughlin wrote the script and starred in the movie) gave us the first glimpse of what was to be an explosion of martial arts within two years.

This is the video clip that started the craze. Billy Jack takes his right foot and wops Posner on the right side of his face. My buddies and I nearly jumped out of our seats when this happened.

Within a year or so, the Kung Fu TV show debuted. Then, in 1973, Bruce Lee movies hit our theaters and the rest is history. 

Tom Laughlin died this past weekend at age 81. We all owe him a big "thank you" for the work he did to prime the martial arts pump in the United States and get us all ready for what was to come.

This scene started it all.