Ray L

Hi Dave,

Hope you are well. Last time we spoke you mentioned Ray L and how effective he was on the doors and in the street.

He seems to have been a "natural"? You also mention that he never showed any fear. Was it that he just didn't show it or did he actually not feel fear?

cheers
Chris

Ah "Ray L" .. yes a definite 'one-off'.. a paradox of himself really.. he was a talented artist.. great at drawing anything..
a deep thinker and part-time philosopher, but rarely showed it.

Not only was I fortunate enough to have him as a student, but also as a friend.

He lived at our home for a while.. (mind you Ray lived anywhere.. he was a bloody nomad)

He was highly intelligent and we used to have some GREAT debates..

his prowess on the doors and streets became legendary in North Manchester, especially Rochdale... from the odd report I get from time to time he is still doing a stint on the doors occassionally, and he will be about 52 now.


When we spoke about 'fear' he told me in all honesty that he NEVER felt it about anything... he didnt 'overcome' it as most of us have to do.. he simply didnt have anything to overcome.

His 'eccentricity' boarded on the insane at times..

we were in his top floor flat in Rochdale.. one of the 20plus storey high rise blocks in the centre of Rochdale, known locally as the '7 sisters'.. it was a warm day and the balconey door was open.. I had asked him about fears not pertaining to fighting, such as 'fear of heights'.. he said "I dont know". to which he just jumped from the settee, right over the balconey and grabbed the rail with ONE HAND, this about 200 feet up, and just calmly pulled himself back in..

"Nope .. nothing" was his calm comment.. "You may not have felt anything mate, but I am shitting it" was my reply.

there are several more similar stories about him..

He had it in him to be the absolute best fighting man I had ever known, but packed up at 2nd Dan.. but he didnt stop fighting or working the doors, he just stopped the combat arts training. Very very fit, overflowing with self-belief and confidence, genuinely (I believe at least) to be fearless, and a superb fighting machine.. a one-off for sure was Ray L

Cheers Dave,

You mention the fitness of these guys. What kind of fitness regime did he follow? (If any?)

Good base fitness seems to have been the norm at the time?

cheers
Chris

believe it or not even I was fit back then mate

the word used was CALISTHENICS & SUPPLEMENTARY exercises

Agility and endurance fitness/strength was the norm.. we would jump, do dips, sprint rather than run, although some running was in there..

take Ray and Cammy's main training OUTSIDE the dojo. they would charge (like bloody lunatics) up and down the 20 odd storeys of the block of flats, often pausing on each level and do a fixed number of squats, pressups, situps etc, then charge up or down to the next level and do something else

also popular was charging through the local park (often at midnight.. God knows what the locals thought).. after one minutes charging some chins on a branch, or lift a rock.. jump over benches etc etc..

all kind of 'assault course stuff to a degree

very popular and quite beneficial