Anybody (besides Batman) know Keysi?
So, I had never actually heard of the Keysi Fighting Method (KFM) until fairly recently when someone wrote in looking for more information on the art and who might teach it here in Utah.
I did a bit of looking about the art, and here’s a brief backstory from the Wiki:
Keysi Fighting Method (KFM) is a method of self defense that is based on natural fighting instincts and several street fighting techniques, developed by Justo Diéguez Serrano from his fighting experiences in the streets of Spain. The system was founded with the help of Andy Norman.[1] Both founders, Justo Diéguez and Andy Norman, are certified Jeet Kune DoDan Inosanto[2]. The Keysi Fighting Method became famous after it was used in the fighting choreography of the movies instructors under Batman Begins and its sequel, The Dark Knight.
I also went to the Keysi website to see what they had to say about it. I have to admit that I had to chuckle a bit when I read their insights:
“KFM is NOT a martial art. It was not born or reinvented in the ‘dojo’; KFM was born on the streets of Spanish gypsy origin. It has grown, developed and matured on the streets and the KFM Instructor Development Program is now a direct consequence of real events, experiences and subsequent years of investigation. KFM is an amazing multi dimensional journey into the world of self-discovery.
KFM was born in the 1950’s and therefore old and primitive traditions do not bind it, nor do they limit the never-ending process of evolution. If we are to truly grow and develop as human beings then we must first break free from all past conditioning. Learning is non accumulative, therefore we cannot store learning as we can knowledge, learning occurs on a daily basis and once we have ‘learnt’ something it becomes Knowledge which is now of the past.”
Reminds me of the phrase that those who do not understand the past are doomed to… well, whatever. Let’s move on.
I’m not all that put off by the rhetoric on the website. I find that zealots of many of the martial arts tend to eat just a little bit too much of their own dogfood. But that doesn’t mean the style doesn’t have cool things to offer.
So I’m curious… Anyone been around Keysi? Learned any? Care to share your insights with us? Please feel free to comment on this thread, or to contact me directly.
