There's no fighter too tough, nor skill too difficult, for Jimmy Smith and Doug Anderson. Want to know which battle was the most painful, or what fighting style they think is the deadliest? All you have to do is ask!
POST YOUR QUESTION on the boards, and look back here for as many answers as they can handle, given their busy schedules!
Q: What is your reason for learning martial arts? Self-defense? For military? For sport fighting? The spiritual part? Self-discipline?
-- PECO
A: I was personally drawn more to the sport aspect of fighting. I didn't grow up doing traditional martial arts as a kid (kung fu, karate, etc.). Dad got me into boxing a little bit; I wrestled in high school and became interested in Jiu-Jitsu while at UCLA. So I kind of went down the professional path from the beginning.
I learned more about traditional martial arts during the show, obviously, and I have a profound respect for that side of the fighting arts. My background is more on the sport side, and that is what I have always been drawn to.
-- Jimmy
Q: The training in China seemed to be an intense experience on a deeper level than just physical training. Do you feel your experience in China changed you, philosophically or spiritually or whatever?
-- FrostedTheFlake
A: For sure it changed me. Chifu Shedechang, my trainer in China, was probably the single greatest human being I've ever met, in a moral sense. Just being around that man and witnessing his humility, his dedication and his deep-born compassion for humanity was incredibly influential for me. The guy is a walking prophet, and his teachings are about so much more than simply fighting.
-- Doug
A: Yes, my experiences in China did have a profound effect on me. The Fa Wang Temple was perhaps the most peaceful place I have ever seen, and staying there for a week allowed me to take at least some of that peace back home with me. Real strength comes from the heart and mind -- no one understands that better than the monks I lived with in China.
-- Jimmy
Q: Which country and which fighting style would you say give you and Doug the hardest workout? Furthermore, which martial art did you enjoy training in the most?
-- Cinite45
A: The hardest single workout for me was my initiation in the Philippines. It was very easily the most intense workout session I've ever gone through: seven hours of body destruction and excruciating cardio.
The second part to your question is tough; I never have a good answer for this. There's been so much that I've loved about the training in each country; the entire journey has been absolutely amazing for me. I don't think I could pick any one style that was more enjoyable than the rest, although I could definitely pick styles that were more painful than the rest, ha ha.
-- Doug
A: There is no way I can answer your question without having my butt kicked by a dozen angry martial arts masters. Every fighting style's workout was hard. The producers and trainers made sure that we were pushed everywhere we went. What people might find interesting is the fact that a lot of styles that were brutal were often easier for me than a style that required less contact and more grace and flexibility, attributes I am seriously lacking. Hope that answers your question a bit.
-- Jimmy
Q: How will Fight Quest be different than History Channel's Human Weapon with Jason Chambers and Bill Duff?
-- Superblitz
A: Fight Quest is a lot less about the history of the particular styles and more about the journey Doug and I go through as we are mercilessly battered all over the world. Trust me, there were many times when I was wishing it was a computer graphic getting hit instead of me.
Also, Doug and I always fight at the end of every episode. We are very good friends and the concern we have for one another comes through the show. We go through our training in separate locations and as a result you get to see the differences in our training and experience levels in every single episode.
-- Jimmy
A: The main difference is that our show rocks! Human Weapon is more of a history lesson, while in Fight Quest the styles are explored as Jimmy and I are fully immersed in the training and tradition of each country. Our experiences are grueling, real and very often traumatizing. We sweat, bleed and visit hospitals on nearly every episode. I've broken a few bones while filming Fight Quest, and I've been knocked out more times than I can count. All that hard work brings out a lot of emotion, so I think our show reveals a bit more of the fighter's heart and mentality.
And on top of all of that, Jimmy takes his shirt off a lot.
-- Doug
Q: As a practicing Kajukenbo'ist, I am curious as to your thoughts about our art. I know that each of you trained under GM Gaylord, and under someone under Sijo Emparado's method, and again, just curious as to your thoughts about Kajukenbo. Also, thanks to you and Discovery Channel for showing our art; it usually doesn't get the exposure that it deserves. Thanks again!
-- Native Warrior
A: It was hard to get a clear picture of Kajukenbo in the limited time we had to study it. To me Kaju is a VERY ambitious style, with lots of different elements to it (knives, sticks, hands, multiple attacker scenarios etc.). So technique-wise it was difficult to grasp. I worked with about five instructors at Master Gaylord's and each person seemed to have their own area of expertise, also many came from different martial arts backgrounds.
The techniques that really impressed me were the ones that were used against multiple attackers. By the end I felt confident taking on five to 10 guys at once, something I was certainly NOT used to before.
If you like Kaju, you will LOVE the final fight for this episode, it's one of the best!
-- Jimmy
A: Dude, I loved kajukenbo! I trained with Grandmaster Harper, who is undoubtedly one of the best trainers and coolest guys I've ever met. Kajukenbo, to me, has it all. It's a solid, well-rounded fighting style, practiced by some of the coolest guys on Earth. I'd be more than happy to train at a kaj gym again.
-- Doug