About
Allen Pittman
Approach to Students
East
West
Misc. Articles
Links
Home
|
 |
Allen Pittman
Martial Arts : Theraputic : General Bio
Martial Arts Bio
He began his training with the ways of the East under Lawrence Huff and Peter Fabian in Tae Kwon Do or Korean Karate at the age of twelve. At fifteen he began studying the Nei Chia arts (or "Inner Family Arts") of China including Ba-gua (a bodyguards art), Hsing-I (an infantry art) and Tai Chi (also a bodyguards art) with R.W. Smith. This continued as he went to Taiwan at the age of 24 and later, 26 to be a live-in student with Hung I-mien (the senior student of Chang Chuen-feng, who brought a full Nei chia curriculum from Shanghai during the time of the Communist Revolution). During this time Allen also studied with the sons of Chen Pan-ling a well known Chinese Boxing historian and scholar and Wu Shao-lin, a teacher from the Ching Tao Guo- Shu Guan or "National Art Academy". After returning to the U.S. Allen began teaching in Atlanta and occasionally leading the classes for R. Smith in Washington, D.C. At 27 Allen met Irish strong man and wrestler Tim Geogheagan and began to study things connected to the Ways of the East and West, particularly Celtic Wrestling and Indian Yoga. He also worked with Tim on various "bone-setting" techniques similar to what he learned in Taiwan and other manual therapies. This went on for ten years. During this period he cross referenced Judo, Fencing and other kinds of training both mental and physical. He has dabbled in Aikido and from the late 1980's has trained in a variety of weapons in and out of armor from the traditions of both East and West (including Fencing at the Atlanta Fencing Club and traveling to New York to work with Maestro Martinez on the Spanish Rapier). At 35 while continuing to teach regular martial arts classes in these arts, he began working in physical education at the Waldorf (Middle) School of Atlanta working specifically with the ancient Greek Pentathlon concepts oriented toward ten year olds. From this he designed an expanded P.E. curriculum for ages 7-12. At present he is working with a Waldorf High School (Academe of the Oaks) on a curriculum
which combines fencing with staffs according to various traditions, concluding the 12th grade curriculum with the training of the English Long Bow. At present there is an Archery Exhibition Team in development with an intention of connecting it to horseback riding, the Scythian Culture and archery on horseback.
|
Allen Pittman
"Allen with Chen Yun-ching in Atlanta in 2006- after 22 years since my first lesson with him"
|
