(Larry Tatum, world expert in martial arts that trains movie stars; :It upsets me to see abuse in the Martial Arts)

By Willy Haltenhoff

He looks a lot like Robert Redford, that is why it seems normal to him to have people ask him for his autograph in the countries he visits. But this blond gringo, tall and athletic, is no movie star. He is the top practitioner of Kenpo Karate in the world, a type of martial arts widely practiced in Chile. He has assisted actors like Sidney Poiter in preparation for their films. Mr. Tatum, who leads an organization that helps children at risk in the US, travels around the world in his free time giving seminars and classes to practitioners of Kenpo Karate. His latest visit to Chile was a great success because of the quality of his teachings and the depth of the concepts discussed. According to his students, Tatum, humble and serene as a tree, posses a great inner strength and energy that nobody can ignore. He is a tenth degree in Kenpo Karate, that is equivalent to say that he is reached the highest level in this discipline. However, Mr. Tatum reveals that he becomes a student again when he teaches.

Q: What upsets you?
A: It really upsets me to see abuse in the Martial Arts for personal gain.

Q: You are a 10th dan in your discipline. What is left to learn?
A: A lot. You never finish learning. Every time I teach a technique, I learn it again. Besides, since every person is different, I always learn something new.

Q: You have traveled all over the world. What can you say about the Chilean practitioners of Kenpo?
A: I love coming to Chile because her people are so warm. Here family is very important, which helps to keep children away from drugs. In the U.S. people may shake your hand but here you feel a very genuine friendship.

Q: Frequently we hear news from your country about examples of extreme violence. Why do you think this happens?
A:  What a question. There are two reasons. On the one hand, there are some extremely crowded cities in the United States where people have a hard time getting along. But the most important factor in my opinion is drugs, which transform an individual into somebody dangerous. According to some recent polls, in the United States about 40 % of the kids between 14 and 18 years old use drugs. These facts is really alarming.

Q: What can Kenpo do to solve that problem.
A: Who trains in this discipline learns not only how to fight but also learns a strong philosophy of life; this new found confidence allows you to say no when you are offered drug. This tradition strengthens the self-esteem of the individual.

Q: Is it true that women are stronger than men?
A: Women are potentially stronger than men. Something curious can happen when a small-frame woman can break one of your ribs. They have a natural aggresivity than can be more intense than a man's. A man has to apply more force to cause injury.

Q: Are you speaking from experience?
A: (Laughter) Not yet, but when a came to Chile in '96, a female student hit me so hard that almost broke one of my ribs. She was a petite Chilean woman but of great strength.

Q: The movie stars that you have trained....do they learn for real or just for show?
A: Some of them learn for real while others just learn what they need for an action scene...it's up to the individual.

Q: You have worked all over the world. What are the characteristics of the Chilean fighters?
A: I have traveled a lot and I have met quite a few martial artists. What I like the most about Chileans is their strong discipline and commitment. Since our teachings are in video form, they can be accessed quickly. This has helped rise the level of Kenpo in Chile since my last visit in  '96. They are now at the same level than Kenpo practitioners in the U.S., which is to say a lot.

Q: Do you expect the coming century to be more or less violent?
A:  I do not foresee any changes in the next century, if nothing else, violence will increase. There is still a great deal of drugs in the streets within easy reach of our young people.

Q: Isn't that a very pessimistic prediction?
A: But a real one.

Q: What is the real value of Kenpo?
A: It helps us learn to live in harmony with everyone else. When somebody joins a Kenpo school, he or she re-directs his or her existence; there is a new focus for the energy. Kenpo is not so much a fighting art as it is an art that teaches social harmony. The ideal is to not ever have to use it to fight.