The dynamics of combat is an ever changing and progressive format that few instructors can achieve at a high-level of competency. Research, development, cross-referencing, and splicing various lines either to connect to previous training or to push the boundaries of new methodologies can be an arduous task for even the best of the best in instructors. One of the few organizations out there doing all this is Natural Spirit International (NSI), a grassroots organization led by Datu Kelly Worden that has world-wide acceptance to its combative methodologies and its resistance against regulation of styles that proliferate politics. What you may not know about Worden’s organization may surprise you.
Arguably, Datu Worden is one of the most sought after instructors that teaches real-time, no non-sense combat, but also seeks to utilize, rather than formalize it’s instructor base to widen and expand Worden’s idea of “Connecting the Systems.” For example, advanced instructors from Sambo, Ninjutsu, Aiki-ju-jutsu, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Jeet Kune Do, Brazillian Jujitsu, and arnis players train with Worden to receive advanced courses in tactical combative. Doing so, further expands their knowledge of their primary system to gear it better for the streets. As the students grow and develop within NSI, Worden incorporates these instructors to teach their primary style. In this way, other instructors can benefit from the experience of other qualified NSI instructors. Here the body of NSI instructors learn what many advanced practitioners already know, that there are more similarities of the arts rather than differences. Here Datu Worden’s methodology describes the connective tissue that connects arts like TKD and arnis to its brutal, efficient, combat effectiveness without having to have the student learn another system.
The logistical nightmare of controlling all these different elements such as instructors with different backgrounds, advanced and beginning students, military or police force is simply handled by NSI by teaching and sharing versus dogmatic control measures. The skills of Worden and his instructors speak volumes. All of these volumes cover various aspects of the martial arts, let’s explore a sample of the most prominent aspects of the Natural Spirit International and the programs that revolve around it.
Natural Spirit Seminars
Datu Worden is asked to do many seminars throughout the year. Worden keeps the seminar schedule down to only two per month. This is where many potential NSI instructors get their first take of Worden, and understand first hand the high level of instruction given. Most often, these seminars will include students from many disciplines, traditional and eclectic. Worden’s training curricula easily adapts itself to the most traditionally based system to the most flexible system geared for only self-defense. Students come away with a realization of the work needed to make their primary systems more street ready, but also come away with the knowledge that years of hard work obtaining black belt rank wasn’t wasted either. The NSI curricula focuses on taking one’s knowledge base and cross-referencing the material that Worden gives his seminar participants. This is one of the key goals of NSI and a forwarding the philosophy of “Connecting the Systems.”
Water and Steel
Now in its 26th year, the NSI Water and Steel camp has become a Mecca to those who seek a true warrior retreat camp vacation. The Water and Steel camp embodies the best and most respected instructors in the martial community: Master-at-Arms James Keating, Bob Anderson, Dr. Brett Jaques, Ted Lucaylucay, Leonard Trigg, Burton Richardson, Mike Janich, Richard Ryan, David Harris, Bong Sun Jornales, W.P. Yip, Joe Simonet and a host of others throughout the years. The camp is advertised as an “intensive four-day camp,” and that it is. The camp itinerary is chock full of seminars, clinics, and lecture all within the backdrop of beautiful Raft Island, Washington. Here the outdoor sessions seek to energize and drive the seminar participants, and the gourmet cook’s food is well earned after multiple two-hour workout sessions. Many students come for the camaraderie, some come for the training, some come for the fresh Salmon dinner, and some come to expand their knowledge and apply for certification through Datu Worden. Whatever the student’s reason, the camp is always fully attended and all leave with a feeling of accomplishment and humbleness.
Combat Groundfighting
When many instructors saw the need to incorporate grappling into their curricula, some sought the advice of Brazillian Jujitsu. While this is a fine area to research, Worden thought a more combative system that had been field tested would better suit the needs of NSI and its instructors. Thus the connection to Dr. Brett Jacques, a noted Sombo instructor and national champion. Dr. Jacques’s methodology of Sombo incorporated not only the sport aspect, but included the military tactical aspect as well. For example, Jacques includes the concept of awareness of possible weapons such as knives, fist loads, and other improvised weapons into all training of his Sombo program. In this way, various techniques suggested by Judo or BJJ simply are ineffective for the tactical practitioner. In addition, Sombo is field tested and adopted as a solid training regiment for the Russian military and is not considered to be primarily a sport or a method of the way.
The HQ gym of NSI regularly leads classes in combat ground fighting through an NSI Master Instructor, Ken Smith. Smith heads the combat ground fighting curricula and is ranked in Sombo under Dr. Jacques Jeet Kune Do, Modern Arnis, Goju-Ryu Karate and holds various instructor ranks in NSI. Smith is also in charge of training NSI students in Washington, Utah, and Idaho.
Washington Research Council of Martial Arts (WRCMA)
The WRCMA acts as the research arm of Natural Spirit. Here masters and students alike come together to present and share research on the various topics in martial science. Annually, the WRCMA holds a national conference whereby students present research papers and have their research critiqued by fellow peers and masters of the arts. Here the body of knowledge grows, and acts as a library for experienced and non-experienced students alike. Additionally, the WRCMA produces a journal with all the research presented each year. Thus, the WRCMA helps to encourage writing and research skills by sourcing new ideas and concepts. Following a non-political stance, the WRCMA encourages it’s members to expand beyond their current systems to get a better understanding of other systems or ideas other than their own. In this way, the concept of “Connecting the Systems” is further promoted.
Innovative Weapons and Training Tools
One of the keys to training is to have all the tools necessary for development. Datu Worden implements tools for training, he also designs them! Depending upon the venue, Datu Worden is known for various designs on training tools and weapons. Beyond the many, many tapes and DVD’s produced by Worden, CSI, and Paladin Press, let’s take a look at some of NSI’s favorites.
In the knife collector and tactical knife circles, it is a well known fact that Worden Knives and trainers are the best around. From the Timberline Wortac to the Presas Legacy Knife, Worden’s designs are both functional and beautiful.
From the tactical circle, Worden is known for his Impact Kerambit Tool, simply known as the Travel Wrench Key Chain. Unlike the Kubota, the Travel Wrench explores not only impact lines, but pressure point and joint-locking capacities that enable the average citizen (not to mention the police or military user) to carry in a powerful, yet humane manner.
Travel Wrench – rear view
Travel Wrench – front view
From the self-defense circle, Worden is known for his Silent Fighter Training Dummy that is versatile enough for the Wing Chun practitioner, yet can accelerate training for arts such as boxing, kickboxing, arnis players, and grapplers for entry from boxing to grappling ranges. Using this tool, the student can expand their training for self-progression and work on natural flow that cannot be done on other implemented tools.
Realistic Tactical Training
Where some instructors are content with simple knife drills, many NSI students seek out the most cutting edge training, which sometimes has serious connotations and shock-reducing scenario-based training. Closed-door training modules such as the Wortac Defensive Knife training, take the instructor from 0-60 mph discussing law, dialogue control, body language, and anticipatory attack sequences geared to gain the tempo and psychology of the potential knife encounter. Here the combination of No-Lie Blades and Blauer Full body suits and metal training drones (real knives with dulled blades) create an environment not for the weak-of-heart nor the weekend warrior.
Conclusion
While we have only touched upon a fragment of the goings-on of Natural Spirit International, I hope that this primer enabled you to get a better idea of NSI and the world of “Connecting the Systems.” If you would like to learn more about NSI, contact Datu Kelly Worden through his website at www.kellyworden.com.
About the Author: Corey Minatani is a freelance writer and martial arts instructor.
Datu Kelly Worden Image Gallery
