Testimonial Letter

The Power of Truth

March 4, 2000

On my first day of participating in Bukido’s F.I.S.T.™ Intensive, the first thing I came to understand about Bukido® is that its underlying foundation is rooted in principle, not technique. Principles, immutable and eternal by definition, carry with them the power of truth. The definition of Bukido, as defined by its creator, Richard Machowicz, is "A symbiosis of mental and physical disciplines that develop skills for use under extreme stress… a philosophy of performance."

This "philosophy of performance" inextricably intertwines psychology and martial arts into a matrix of performance and action.

Simplicity is the essence of Bukido. It is a martial art trimmed of all excess, fat and pretense. It is lean and mean. It is a direct line between thought and action, devoid of hesitation.

Richard Machowicz calls upon his ten-year experience as a Navy SEAL/scout sniper/instructor and a lifelong martial arts practitioner to create more than a martial art which can save your life in a life-threatening situation. Bukido® is also a philosophy and psychology that can just as simply be applied to business, personal relationships and all aspects of human interaction. It is here that the uniqueness and power of Bukido® reside.

From his Three Dynamic Elements of Combat – targets dictate weapons dictate movement; to overcoming and crushing fear; to creating an "Action Mindset"; Machowicz addresses the underlying elements of how we think and function. Once this thought process of action is understood, we can channel our actions effectively towards any target in our lives.

I want to reiterate Bukido® is driven by principle, not technique. All the techniques in the world will not save you if you freeze with fear and fail to take action. You may be able to punch as hard as Mike Tyson or kick as fast as Bruce Lee and have a 10th degree black belt in 8 different styles of the martial arts, but if you don't have the proper mindset, all you training amounts to nothing. You may as well have spent your time studying step aerobics or cardio-kickboxing.

Bukido® means the "journey an individual must take to bring out the warrior within." It is the "warrior within" that Richard Machowicz seeks to bring out in each of us, to confront and understand. Once we understand this relationship between ourselves and the warrior within, our targets become clear, our actions are pre-loaded and our technique flow simply and freely. In short, our targets and goals become a no-miss situation.

After only the first four hours of the F.I.S.T.™ Intensive, I was amazed at the simplicity and power of what I had learned. This is after 15 years of being both a serious student and teacher of the martial arts. I would highly recommend this class to any responsible person, whether you are a woman seeking self-protection or a high-powered executive looking to further your career. Bukido® is a path, a journey inward, and a self-examination that teaches us about ourselves.

Sincerely,

Dan McColgin
Martial art instructor & student
Strength & Conditioning Specialist