Lajos Jakab
Grand Master
Hungarian pioneer of martial arts. Known as the Father of Martial Arts in the West. Lajos developed his own style, Jakab and taught Roger Moore and Engelbert Humperdink, amongst many others.
Standout item: Lajos Jakab was a well-known martial artist in the 70's and his booklet on his style was a favourite of mine.
Brilliant book on a fantastic creator of his own martial arts, (defence and fitness). Master Lajos Jakab
ReplyDeleteI agree. A real Martials Arts man. I had and may still have a short booklet by Master Jakab.
DeleteI trained with Master jakob in crystal palace.He was unbelievable.Could break an engineering brick Staffordshire blue with his fist. Had some amazing techniques. The news of the world did some good articles on him which were displayed in the club.He also started kick boxing in Britain. Very good techniques he taught. I made green belt which was a lot more difficult then black belt in tae kwon do That I achieved. I traveled to France with his kick boxing team 4 or 5 times for competitions.Would love to hear from anyone who trained with him.
ReplyDeleteThose are fabulous memories you have of Master Jakab. Well done on your green belt. That must have been hard work. It must have been exciting to travel to France as part of the kick boxing team. I remember those newspaper articles. I have some martial arts articles from the Seventies but nit sure of Lajos is among them. Whwn I get in the attic I will check. Thanks for the comment and hope more of his students touch base with you.
DeleteI trained at Crystal Palace in the early 80s as well, maybe 83-85, with Master Jakab. I had forgotten his name and looked him up today and found this. I always remember him as short, very stocky with one heck of a limp. He walked from side to side. His hands were incredibly strong. We did a lot of grappling standing up: grabbing faces, mouths, any parts of the body. The sides were very painful and surprising. When we were not in action, I recall sitting against the wall, called the "Roman chair" I think, so your legs would start burning but you had to get over it. Multiple assailants in a line one after the other. Everyone wearing dark clothes. The house (it was really a house back then) with rooms with different groups training in them and maybe one light bulb - it was really dark and atmospheric. I trained in the evening sessions. A mate of mine trained with me and we started getting much better at active defense. Good memories. The best MA training I've done (having done Judo, Aikido, Fencing, Shotokan Karate, Kung Fu). We used to call it Hungarian Kung Fu back then. And the rumour had it that Master Jakab had challenged Bruce Lee to a fight, but Bruce said no :)
DeleteGreat memories Kiat. Vivid memories of Master Jakab. Somewhere I have his booklet on his style, which may have been the Hungarian Kung Fu you mention. the training you did sounds amazingly tough! Those were the days!
DeleteI was at the club from 83_86 , hardest physical activity I've ever I known. Used to go Wednesday and Friday night's . Ended up with a green belt , not bad considering the standard . He awarded 4 black belts in 15 years . People at my sons karate club wouldn't know what hit them if they'd attended this club . Awesome and great memories !! Still have my black suit , bit faded and still fits !
DeleteHi I have trained with the master LAJOS JAKAB in the flesh in Crystal Palace for a year and half it was the best training I have ever had in my life! forget karate or kungfu !!! I believe it was in the late 80’s early 90’s when I started training I was already a 2 Dan sankukia but it was thrown out of the window he trained me to be a man of steel! I am now 57 years old and still feel his spirit of that training in side of my soul! one of the best martial arts schools I have ever attended! Thank you! mr. LAJOS JAKAB. With all my greatest respect and admiration Nameer shaboo
ReplyDeleteGreat memories Nameer and thanks for sharing them here with fellow Lajos Jakab fans.
DeleteI was a Podiatrist in the NHS, he was a patient of mine. He told some incredible stories of his childhood and youth, and how he came to the UK. And he would show me simple moves, for one of which I had to attack him in the chair. I was terrified the door would open and everyone in the waiting room would see me trying to strangle a defenceless old man sitting in a podiatry couch...
ReplyDeletefabulour memories of Master Jakab Richard! I had to chuckle! Thanks for sharing.
DeleteMaster Jakab died last night, two weeks shy of his 83rd birthday. He was a great man. I have many wonderful memories of him (he was my uncle), and he will be missed by many. He was definitely one of a kind!
ReplyDeleteSuch sad news. I’m truly sorry for your loss. Your Uncle Master Jakab was a pioneer and I was in awe of him in the 1970s. A true legend. I will raise a glass to him. Rest in peace Lajos.
DeleteThe comment above is mine. Woodsy.
ReplyDeleteA great man was a privilege to train under him he trained us to a very high standard not found today with dedication of a true master. We will always be Jakab’s gentlemen RIP
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words. He was a great man who taught some great people. He will live on through all of you who practice his martial art.
ReplyDeleteI trained under him in Crystal Palace in the late 70'. Unforgettable man. Jean-Yves Gicquel gicquel8@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteunbelievable man will be sadly missed, I will never forget my time with Master Jakab and Gentlemen this man was will live in my memory's forever.
ReplyDeleteI trained with him too but in high wycombe. Happy days!
ReplyDeleteSo very sad to hear his passing❤️ I trained with him in High Wycombe for several years, and eventually got my white belt. I’ve never had any training as good as his ever before or after.I got very fit, supple and strong while at the club. Was a fantastic club and real life self defence techniques that worked. Such a lovely man.
DeleteGreetings from Australia. I purchased his book when living in London in 1974.
ReplyDeleteSpoke to him briefly on the phone about tuition. Sadly I was unable to travel to his school. RIP.
Great memories Bob. Thanks for sharing about the great Master Jakab.
DeleteI was his student 1973-74. I became a black belt and conceptualized the WORLD ART PROJECT that year!
ReplyDeleteGreat memories Stanley with Master Jakab. What was the World Art Project?
DeleteI too trained under Master Jakab at Crystal Palace. It was late 80's early 90's, I was 16 and he would only train me if my parents signed a waiver. He trained us hard for good reason. I still remember the buckets of rice that we had to dive our hands into and squeeze the rice to build hand strength. I also remember Mr Aubury, I think he was Master Jakab's second, he was a tough teacher too.
ReplyDeleteI trained at CP in the eighties. Best club around. If your interested I think Aubrey runs a club in Thornton Heath
DeleteHi I to had the privilege of training with Grand Master Jakab. I trained under Grand Master Banon Omidi for over 36 years untill he passed in 2009. Sad days for us all who new them both.
ReplyDeleteAfter dabbling with a bit of Aikido, Judo and Taekwondo, I joined what was then called the Crystal Palace Kung Fu Club (CPKFC) in the 1980s.
ReplyDeleteMaster Jakab was a very special man who incorporated numerous techniques of groundwork, throwing, striking, kicks, nerves, skin, submission and loads of other skills into a very effective self defence system.
I would come home bruised and sore after a Wednesday and Friday night work out.
There was no heating in the two bare rooms and no mats to absorb your falls. But even in winter, sweat would drip down the walls after our work out.
In one room we had punch bags, chopping blocks and rice to squeeze. Most classes started with 150 press ups and 150 sit ups.
In terms of CPKFC, I recall some of the many excellent athletes such as Bill Neil, Aubrey Henry, Parchment, Campbell, Derrick Bailey, Singh, Steve Cooper, Husband,
Neville Green, Malcom and loads more. Polite, skillful and as tough as nails.
I was far too clumsy to gain a senior belt, but I wached these warriers quickly take down their opponents in line-ups.
Master Jakab was tough but preached control where he taught us to be gentlemen not thugs.
I respect most people I meet, but there is only a handful of people I admire. Master Jakab is one of them. So much so, that my son's middle name is Lajos. I saw him turn many shy lads into confident gentlemen.
Respect Due and Rest in Peace Master Jakab
Yes it was an amazing place to train. Some of the senior belts started up their own clubs. I had the honour of training under Steve Cooper another warrior. Unfortunately dear Neville Green passed away a few years ago. He was one of the best. RIP
DeleteI notice that most posts about master Jakab are anonymous. I wrote about naming my boy after him and for the record, I'm Mr Pickett, an occasional visitor to KPKFC.
DeleteIs the Jakab Style of self defence still taught anywhere in London or the M25?
DeleteI trained with Master Jakab in the 80s and 90s at Crystal Palace, Booker Hall and at Stoke Mandaville, he was a huge influence and inspiration in my life and he and Sheila put me up at there home when I fell on bad times. An amazing man, family and life mentor