Mr Bill Theiss
General Details
My motivation for taking up the Martial arts was the book The Fighting Spirit of Japan, which I read in my early teens.
In the absence of any Karate clubs at that time, I dabbled in Fencing.
At seventeen I joined a Shukokai Karate club (SKU) which changed my life. They gave me a good foundation in a fast and clinical style of Karate and introduced me to the art of sweeping.
At University I joined the Wu Shu Kwan Chinese Boxing Club and Graded 1st Dan. They introduced me to the beautiful Chang Chuan forms and both Continuous and Full Contact styles of fighting.
I later joined the Martial Arts Temple System and Graded 2nd Dan. I taught in both of these styles over about a seven year period. During this time I did some boxing and had exposure to Thai Boxing and Kyukoshinkai Karate methods.
My Martial Arts training stopped in my late Twenties, due to major changes in my life but I continued weight training and took up Pistol target shooting (a Zen sport).
After a fight with a skateboard which I lost, I took up Shotokan Karate (SKI) as a successful alternative to physiotherapy.
Due to pressures of work my training again lapsed.
In my forties I tried Wado Karate, Archery (a Zen sport), Jujutsu and finally found Tang Soo Do. I am currently 1st Dan in Tang Soo Do.
Tang Soo Do successfully unifies Traditional karate and it’s Chinese Origins, with Korean Dynamics.
I enjoy training and teaching Tang Soo Do but joined the ATMA because of my high regard and respect for Master Fisher.
I have two clubs Vaynor and Droitwich, which are very different in nature and I am very proud of my students in both clubs. See accompanying photographs.
My intention is to expand in the direction of Worcester and to introduce Hojo Undo (Traditional supplementary exercises and conditioning) into my classes with my son (2nd Dan).
I have not given up the idea of running a fighting class again, or starting an informal club for “Rusty Blades”, whom I seem to meet more and more often and do not seem to have a home.
I do not learn forms quickly but pick up new techniques readily. I continue to read about and study other styles and my current interests range from Taekwondo sparring drills, Capoiera conditioning methods, to Iron Palm development.
I look forward to teaching you, training with you or simply being a part of the ATMA with you.
Classes Taught
