Comments on: Tibetan snake boxing – whaaa?

By: Augie the Dawg

Augie the Dawg — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 07:34:48 +0000

I was a student for a time in Arlington Texas and I was just in search of my old sifu and was surprized to read these comments. In a time where Roy Kurban was also teaching Tai Kwon Do and visited us at the school of Tao Chi Chuan Kung Fu oh those were the days… Sifu Painter taught many soon to be Movie Stars, stunt men and well just people like me. Biff is much like a Chinese Proverb… achieve results but don’t boast … He lead us to believe he was raised in East Texas by an old Master of Kung Fu so I don’t know where you got the seven year thing. I learned it is a way of Life…

By: Mike Hunt

Mike Hunt — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 04:21:11 +0000

1) This is the same guy that was known as Biff Painter in the late 60s who performed an escape artist and magic act in small nightclubs in the Dallas, TX area. A highlight of his show was allowing himself to be buried alive in a mound of dirt a couple of days in advance of his opening his show at a particular nightclub.

2) Painter also, claimed to be Houdini reincarnated. He claimed to be born on the same month and day that Houdini passed away.

3) He opened the Life Science Center for the instruction of Kung Fu, Tai Chi, herbal medicine, etc. Painter claimed in his literature for the school that he trained in these disciplines from master teachers in the Orient. Let’s see, he performed until the late 60s, maybe 1970, with his magic act and the institute opened, I believe, around 1977 so, this would mean that he had approximately 7 years to learn his Far East craft, becoming in the process a master himself. From what I have read, this attainment isn’t reached until much longer than 7 years. Of course, he could have made trips to the Orient on breaks between magic gigs in the 60s, I guess.

By: Alex W

Alex W — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:07:23 +0000

lhunrup: I think your post already says what I would say in answer. If you read this blog you will see that I *did* find out where to speak to him, and *did* ask him some relevant questions; the answers I got were not ridiculous, though they were extremely vague.
As to your speculations about my personality, I leave you to them.
Jim: You ask why I would “make a harmful statement about someone without doing the due diligence to ensure that you are behaving responsibly and not maliciously slandering someone”. The answer is that in the first place, the very idea of “Tibetan Snake Boxing” is just not something an informed person can easily take seriously; in the second place, as I see it, asking Biff for an explanation (which I published long ago) *is* reasonably diligent.
Perhaps I should stress that it is, above all, the suggestion that he was taught Tummo (and now teaches it to others) by Thrangu Rinpoche (one of my own teachers) that, to those who know anything about things Tibetan, sounds extremely fishy.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 23:22:39 +0000

I will state up front that I study Jiu Long Bagua Zhang. JLBZ is in my opinion the backbone of the Li Family Arts taught at The Gompa. Dr. John Painter is the lineage holder for the Li Family Arts.

Contrary to the posting by “A Word Witch” Dr. Painter does not call himself or accept others callimg him a master. The reasons for not accepting the title of master which I have heard in lectures from Dr. Painter, and that I am not quoting but paraphrasing(to be clear any errors are my own), are that a master has learned and understood everything, Dr. Painter has stated that there is much he is still learning and understanding.

“Cone Beckham” the name snake boxing would be derived from this being a system of fighting from the ground. You would be correct in the thought that “boxing” in Chinese Martial Arts is not quite the same as “boxing” in Western terms.

The gentleman running this site is the person I have a serious concern about. You sir have stated…”Now although I’m tagging this with charlatans, I’m not at the moment saying that’s what this guy is – to be honest, I haven’t even read his site properly” Why would you make a harmful statement about someone without doing the due diligence to ensure that you are behaving responsibly and not maliciously slandering someone. This is my first experience with your site. I hope more investigation is done on your other postings as I think the premise for your site is excellent as long as you are being vigilent.

I wish you the best.

Regards,

Jim Sullivan

By: lhunrup

lhunrup — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:18:37 +0000

why dont you take the cnace and guts , go up to his afce and ask him , your a a very very weak little man who just fault finds all then time to boost your own little ego
i hope this kung fu guy in the picture gets to meat you one day
i wonder are you gay or a pervert or something , i sense you are a very week man , with a lot to hide

By: Cone Beckham

Cone Beckham — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:46:40 +0000

Whether or not this guy is genuine, I pause at the name “Tibetan Snake boxing.”

I mean, boxing usually implies you have arms…and fists…and such? Do Tibetan Snakes have arms?

(I suppose someone will reply that the word “boxing” is a translation from Chinese or Tibetan……fine. Go ahead.)

By: A Word Witch

A Word Witch — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:02:53 +0000

Maybe a real master with a sense of humor?

Not bettin’ on it, though!

By: john foley

john foley — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:57:09 +0000

I remember “Biff” Painter from back in the 70′s..one of the early “internal” martial artists on the scene at that time. Never met him, seemed like a “serious” student of the internal arts. I think the need to dress up with the beret stuff just reveals a serious lack of discrimination.
Interesting that he is trying/ purporting to teach Tummo outside the four year retreat.
Snake boxing would relate to monkey style boxing…I never tracked it down but styles of “Lama Boxing” was allegedly a super secret brought to the court in China by the Tibetans, never taught to commoners. Many styles specialize in “floor work” it being very difficult to deal with a trained opponent who stays low on, near the floor.
Well, just some thoughts….he might teach really good Chi Kung..been doing it for a while, just too bad the presentation is so bizarre.
Welcome to Texas.