Martial Arts Illustrated – Bob Sykes interviews Sifu Marc Davis
Bob Sykes from Martial Arts Illustrated: OK, Marc, could you start by telling us how and when You became involved in martial arts?
Marc Davis: At the age of nine I saw a Bruce Lee film, Fist of Fury, and that same day I saw a live demonstration of different martial arts. I was hooked, and immediately started to train. l knew this would be part of me forever!
Bob Sykes: Tell us about your background in the martial arts?
Marc Davis: I have now been studying martial arts for over fifteen years. I started off in Karate – Renshinkia, Wado Ryu among others.. After this I moved on to Boxing, Aikido Grappling and Silat, however, for the last ten years I have been studying various styles of Kung Fu – Wing Chun, Chinese boxing, Tai Chi to name a few.
Bob Sykes: You have since developed your own system?
Marc Davis: Yes, that’s right. I am the Founder, Chief lnstructor and the only authority in this art, hence the term M.D martial arts is my initials. lt is my way of expressing myself and I pass this on to my students for them to express the art in their own way. I look at my art as a form of self-defence, since it is my belief that the individual is more important not the style. I would like to add that a lot of people claim to have developed their own system, but they have simply copied other styles and put different techniques together – this is often easy to see because there are cracks or everything looks glued together rather than solid and fluid.
I wanted to mention the above because my system is not just thrown together; it has taken many years of hard work. It is a solid and complete form of martial art, which has been tried, tested and proven over the years. Having said that we only have one head, two legs and two arms, so of course there is only so many ways that we can move, but it is also our concepts, principles and philosophy that make us unique.
Bob Sykes: What are the areas that you cover in your system?
Marc Davis: A vast amount of martial artists have to do many different styles in order to feel complete. I wanted to have everything ‘under one roof, therefore we cover all ranges and forms of combat. Long, middle and close range. Joint locks, grappling, throws, pressure points, weapons such as knife and stick, and so on…(you name it we do it).
Bob Sykes: What does a typical class entail?
Marc Davis: As mentioned above, all ranges and forms of combat are covered. Therefore, many of the above elements will be practiced, along with many different ways you could be attacked – not just one-dimensional. We also do a lot of drill work to develop softness, awareness and sensitivity among other things. There is also a great deal of pad work, I am a great believer in pad work, so many people lack that type of training, when it is important to learn how to hit/strike a target especially a moving target, so that you can learn to focus and penetrate with your strikes and become very sharp. All of the training in my classes are realistic and logical for the street, there is no sport element.
Bob Sykes: Speaking of Your classes, I know that you are a full time instructor, tell us about that?
Marc Davis: Yes, that’s right; I’ve been a full time instructor now for the last eight Years. As you know it is not easy, but it’s what I have chosen and I love it’ I wouldn’t have it any other way, it’s what I do l’m sure you know what I mean, being a full time instructor Yourself .
Bob Sykes: I certainly do! Are you planning to expand?
Marc Davis: Always, but I’m a firm believer in quality, the quality of my schools and teaching and the standards of my students at the moment is what my emphasis is on. I currently have five different schools throughout South East London’ one every day of the week, and I also teach privately throughout the week and the weekend, along with my own training there is little time for anything else.
Bob Sykes: You’re a very busy man!
Marc Davis: Definitely however, because my students cannot acquire information about my system from just anywhere I have made two teaching/instructional videos and have just completed my second book on the system with more to follow in the future.
Bob Sykes: What is your current training and are you studying with any teachers?
Marc Davis: I currently train between two to four hours a day, this includes a lot of bag, pad work, and technical skills, strength training and cardiovascular also. ln short I’m a perfectionist, so I keep trying to develop and improve everything. We can all improve and we can always learn more (that’s my outlook anyway). I’m not currently studying with any teachers, but l’m always on the lookout, so at the moment life is my teacher and the experiences that I gain from life.
Bob Sykes: Marc, thank You for a very Interesting interview.
Marc Davis: Thank You, Bob, it has been a Pleasure.
For more interesting news and articles from Martial Arts Illustrated click here.
