The Author - Raputra

Hi! My name is Rafique Adi Putra bin Mohd Nasir @ Raputra. I'm from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Thank you for visiting my website! Please feel free to browse through my website and also share ideas by participating in the discussion forum. I appreciate your comment to enhance my website. Please bookmark this website and please do come again.

In this section, I would like to share with you a little bit story about my martial arts learning experience.

My First Experience:

My father was the person responsible to introduce me in this very exciting world of martial arts. He encouraged me to learn martial art and he registered me to a Silat class when I was 10 years-old. My first martial art lesson was in Silat Seni Gayong Malaysia (PSSGM) or Silat Gayong. Learning martial art at an early age has helped to build my passion and interest in martial art, as well as prepared me with strong basic and foundation in it.

Until now although I spent more years studying other martial art styles, I still love and hold a high respect to Silat Gayong style. Maybe because it was my first martial art experience. Silat is also a big part of my ethnic culture heritage thus naturally I have some kind of bias to it. Nevertheless, my reverence to Silat Gayong style is because I think that it is a complete martial art. In my opinion, it is complete in the sense that it covers almost every physical techniques we can think of - physical exercise, kicking, punching, blocking, throwing, dance, grappling, joint-locking, un-locking, jumping, acrobatic and various weapons usage - long stick, short stick, keris, knife, cloth or 'cindai' and others. It also emphasizes good spiritual excercise and connection with the 'divine'. Another unique thing is that in the syllabus, there is a "hidden spiritual technique", which is only "granted" to selected students - a lesson called it "Seni Belian" - where practicioners claim that a student, having that knowledge, can fight like a tiger or even literally turn into a tiger. Will talk about it more in the future. So, keep on visiting my website! :)

I studied Silat Seni Gayong Malaysia for three years until I reached Pelangi Merah belt (red belt for kids). Then when I was 13 years-old, I was sent to a boarding school about 300 km away from my hometown. My study of martial art stopped for a year because I could not find any Silat Gayong class nearby. I felt something was missing when I stopped training...

From Silat to Karate:

I remembered an advice from my first martial art teacher, Cikgu Faid,"Wherever you go, do not stop training martial art. Even if it is not Silat, learn other style. It will help you in your life". This advice, I hold very dearly to my heart and has become my motivation anywhere I go in the world - I will continue searching, learning and training martial arts regardless of styles and who the teachers are. Indeed, this advice has benefited me in my martial art life such that it makes my mind opened to new ideas and lessons and not to confine myself to one individual style.

When I was 14 years-old, I joined Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate club at my high school in Teluk Intan, Perak, Malaysia. My teacher then was Master Krishnan (6th Dan). Training under him, I was exposed to Goju-Ryu style Karate. Definitely, my Silat background had prepared me a good basic and foundation to the new style. Goju-Ryu Karate style was similar to Silat such that it has a lot of "open-hand" technique and circular movement. I studied Goju-Ryu for four years until I reached 2nd Kyu Brown belt. I also participated in several state level kata and kumite tournaments, which I enjoyed very much although I did not win any medal. I graduated from high school and again my martial art study stopped for one year as I returned to my hometown in Kuala Lumpur.

From Malaysia to USA:

At the end of 1999, on the eve of the new millenium, I flew to Minnesota, USA to further my study. I was given a a full-scholarship to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. My quest for martial art learning continued.

In the middle of my first year, I joined Shotokan Karate-Do Club at the university. My first Shotokan teacher was Sensei Nina Chenault (5th Dan), the first woman to attain 5th Dan in America. I was also taught by Sensei Robert Delmas (3rd Dan). At first, I needed to do a some adjustment to the new style I was learning especially on the stances. When I studied Silat Gayong and Goju-Ryu, I was so used to broad and low stances. But in Shotokan, I was taught to do higher stance but with strong connection to the ground.

Shotokan taught me to perform every technique with high concentration, precision and focus or 'kime' - which I strongly feel that this is the specialty of Shotokan Karate.

Although I had a brown belt in Goju-Ryu, I started over as a white belt when I joined Shotokan as the syllabus and most Katas were different between the two. In 2001, the training instruction of the university club was taken over by Sensei Robert Fusaro (7th Dan). At first I did not know how it would affect me but later I knew that that transition was a big blessing in my martial art life.

Sensei Fusaro was one of the most respected Senseis in North America. He was one of the few highest non-japanese black belts in the world and has more than 40 years of experience in Karate. At 70 years old, he still trains and teaches Karate. He was the person responsible to boost my passion in martial art. His teaching style, his wisdom, his personality, had inspired me. I trained really hard such that during my final year in college, I spent training Karate at almost the same hours I spent for studying engineering. My Karate progressed fast and I slowly gained Sensei Fusaro's attention.

In 2003, Sensei Nishiyama (8th Dan) came to Minneapolis to give a Karate seminar. No need to introduce Sensei Nishiyama as he is the founder of Japanese Karate Association (JKA) and Head of International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF) and was an ex-student of Master Funokoshi, the father of modern Karate. Currently, Sensei Nishiyama is one of the highest ranked karate masters in the world.

During the seminar, there was also a black belt testing. At that time, I was only holding a 2nd Kyu Brown Belt. I managed to convince Sensei Fusaro to allow me to test for ShoDan (1st Degree black belt) as I had trained hard and prepared for it. With permission from Sensei Nishiyama, I was allowed to test for ShoDan and skipped one Kyu.

Out of six tested for ShoDan that night, only two students passed the test and I was one of the two. All praise due to the Almighty. I feel blessed. I was granted a ShoDan - tested by Sensei Nishiyama!

But, Sensei Fusaro always reminded me, "When you get your black belt, that is when the real karate training starts”. ". What he meant by that was, what I learned before that was just the basic to Karate. So I should not be arrogant with my rank and I must continue learning and training Karate. The more I learn Karate, the more I should feel humble. This has been a valuable lesson in my martial art life.

A few months before I left USA, Sensei Fusaro gave me more personal attention and passed-down and transfered his knowledge to me. He taught me more advance Katas, which I had not learned before. I was also asked to teach a few of his classes at the university and at his dojo just to prepare me for what he would ask me to do later. His last request before I left USA was,"When you go back to your country, teach Karate!".

End of 2003, I returned to my home country. I brought back two scrolls - a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a ShoDan in Shotokan Karate-Do. Most importantly, I brought back valuable knowledge and experience in martial arts, which definitely useful to me in my life. I think the most valuable lesson I gain through martial art study is that it teaches me discipline, self-control, passion and focus.

And now...

Now, I am working as an Engineer in an oil and gas industry in Bintulu, a small town in East Malaysia. I'm also married to a beautiful wife, Rahimah (love you honey!). Busy work schedule always hinders me to train Karate or martial art in general. There is no Shotokan Karate class in Bintulu. Nevertheless, I try to spend whenever time I have to train by myself and also try to teach others. I invited some friends who are interested to learn Shotokan, teached them, learned from them and trained with them. I hope this is to also fulfill the request from my good sensei, Sensei Fusaro.

Hapkido?

Just recently, I joined a Hapkido class. I found it interesting as the style is different than what I have learned before in Goju-Ryu and Shotokan Karate. Hapkido does a lot of joint locking, which I have learned a little bit in Silat. Hapkido was also believed to have the same origin as Aikido so most of the concept is quite similar. I am very excited!! This will be another new journey in my quest for knowledge and experience in martial arts.

Deep down inside, I know that I do not know anything about any martial art. That is why I must continue learning and training as the old saying says,"Practice makes perfect". As the first precept of Dojo-Kun says, "To seek perfection of character". Perfection of character can only come with continuous practice. So, to me martial art is a life-long study, a life-long journey, a life-long passion. I will continue my journey until it cannot be continued anymore in this physical world.

Thanks to all my teachers, all the individuals who have had impacts to my martial art life.

This website is my dedication to share my passion with you all.