SHIAI MAGAZINE: Welcome my brother Master Tarek Hussein to Shiai Magazine. Tell us what brought you into the world of martial arts in your life in general?

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TAREK HUSSEIN:
I always believed in the saying that there is no such thing as destiny, people are just destined to do certain things in their lifetime, Martial Arts is my calling and purpose in life. Ever since I was a young child I was fascinated with the Martial Arts. Before I even knew what Martial Arts were about, I would wear my silk chinese black robe my grandfather made for me and run around the house kicking and punching at 3 years old! At that point in time I didn't even know what Karate was, or even the point of a kick or a punch. The only thing I remember is I felt there was a certain connection, a certain energy for me to do so... 20 years later, I'm still punching and kicking, but it goes far beyond the technical aspect now. Martial Arts has become a lifestyle, a spiritual connection to me. There is a big difference between training in Martial Arts and living Martial Arts. I don't practice Martial Arts, I live it. I am a Martial Artist, I live a Samurai Life.

 

SHIAI MAGAZINE: Coming from Africa, especially from Egypt are you aware of traditional fighting systems in your country?

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TAREK HUSSEIN:
Many believe Egypt is the birthplace of civilization, some even can argue that the first form of Martial Art and Combat Arts came from the ancient Egyptian civilizations. If you look on the scrolls and hieroglyphics, you can see Martial Art movements, patterns and fighting techniques carved on the walls. Some even say Egyptian wrestling can be dated as the first combat sport for man kind. Depending on which scholars you speak with, there is a big debate with which region the Martial Arts originated from. Martial Arts in Egypt can be dated back as far as 305-285 BCE. The ancient fighting styles in Egypt called Sebekkah and Tahtib were used for the warriors and the army for the Pharaoh, Menes. Although many of the historical evidence has been lost about these ancient fighting arts in Egypt, some will still argue that Martial Arts in general originated in Egypt/Africa rather than India where many believe that is the origin for the modern Martial Arts.

 

SHIAI MAGAZINE: What is the difference of Martial Arts  in Egypt vs. the United States?

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TAREK HUSSEIN:
Martial Arts in Egypt is very different from that of the U.S. From my experiences, Martial Arts in the U.S. can be separated into two categories. Business and Sport. In the U.S. the budo spirit and lifestyle for Martial Arts has been lost. I can even go as far to say as there is no Martial Art spirit anymore here in the states. Everything that the Martial Arts is supposed to teach and encompasses goes against how the society here functions. The philosophy of Martial Arts consist of discipline, self-respect, self-control, humility, good character, morals and values... But when you are surrounded in an environment which contradicts the virtues of Martial Arts... Martial Arts becomes either just fighting, brutality for sport. Or it just becomes a watered down business with no regards to standards, just an easy way to make money off of false presumptions. When you are a Martial Artist, when one becomes a Black Belt the right way, one is a budo-ka. A budo-ka is someone who lives a Martial Arts lifestyle. Someone who lives life with integrity, strong character, and always functions with a strong conscious. Here in the U.S. I see many "Black Belts" who display none of these aspects. I see Black Belts cursing, drinking, fighting, abusing what they learn, then the next day they go to the dojo and teach children on  how they are supposed to be "disciplined" in life. It is absurd! I am not saying everyone here in the U.S. is like that when it comes to Martial Arts. But when you look at the ratio of who is real and who is fake, being true to the Martial Arts is not that common anymore. It's almost as if being a true Martial Artist is like being an outcast to this society. Just to be polite, to have courtesy towards one another, to be honest and respectful in this society... People will think you are strange or abnormal. It's a real shame that this is the state we are in today with Martial Arts.

 

Martial Arts in Egypt however is far different. We are talking about a country where they regard Martial Arts almost as highly as they regard religion. It's not just Egypt that you can see this culture, countries like Japan, Korea, China, Europe, Africa, all exhibit the way Martial Arts is supposed to be conducted. Even the technical level is far superior in those type of countries. Many countries especially Egypt, when you test for a certain rank in your style, you have to be tested in front of the federation. In the U.S. you can literally create your own style. I have never seen so many 10th Degree Black Belts in my life. There are more 10th Degree Black Belts in just one state here in the U.S. than there is all of Japan.

SHIAI MAGAZINE: How is the physical training back in Egypt?

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TAREK HUSSEIN:
The training back in Egypt is very traditional. There are no fancy dojos with mats, air conditioning, nice equipment... It was just old school and hardcore. Those w ho weren't strong enough to adapt to the conditions were not welcome to train. Martial Arts in Egypt is a privilege, so someone who trains in the Martial Arts in a country like Egypt, has to represent it to the fullest. We had many of the best oriental masters migrate to Egypt to spread their arts. Hideke Okamoto from the JKA in Japan brought Shotokan Karate-do to Egypt. We had many of the top Korean masters come from South Korea to bring Tae Kwon Do to the country in the early 80's, as the same with Judo, Kung-Fu, and many other arts. We have produced many World Champions and Olympic Champions in Wrestling, Boxing, Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Karate-do and Full Contact Kung-Fu, so Egypt has always been a strong country for Martial Arts.

 

 

SHIAI MAGAZINE: Can you mention the names of various African masters you have trained with?

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TAREK HUSSEIN:
I trained with the top masters, champions and fighters from Egypt. I trained Free Fight, Full Contact Kung-Fu and Tae Kwon Do with the nations most renowned martial artists. Master's Ramy Latchinian, Khaled Elsherif, Tamer Maher and Nasser Shehata are all credited with my growth and development as a Martial Artist.

Master Ramy Latchinian was the 3x Full Contact Kung-Fu (No Protective Gear) Champion of Egypt. He was also a national champion in Shotokan Karate-do and made the Egyptian National team for Karate-do. He was training to compete in the world championships for Shotokan before he had to move to the U.S. When he moved to the U.S. he switched to Tae Kwon Do and trained with a Korean Grandmaster. Shortly after he established his Tae Kwon Do school and turned it into one of the top Martial Art schools in the nation. He became the Maryland State head coach, and was a 5x U.S. National Team coach for Tae Kwon Do. He produced hundreds of national, international and world champions. Master Ramy is responsible for making Maryland one of the strongest states for Tae Kwon Do to this day.

 

Another one of my instructors was Master Tamer Maher. For a period of time, Master Tamer was ranked one of the top fighters in the country. Tamer won the National Championships in Full Contact Kung-Fu (No rules fighting) as well as Tae Kwon Do. Tamer made the national team for Tae Kwon Do and was one of the most intense martial artists and fighters I have ever trained with. Master Nasser Shehata was yet another master I had the privilege to train with. Master Nasser is one of the most legendary Tae Kwon Do champions and masters in the country. He won the national championships numerous times and was the team captain for the Egyptian National team. Master Nasser was also a vice president for the Egyptian Tae Kwon Do federation and played a very fundamental role for the African Tae Kwon Do federation and Tae Kwon Do in Africa.

Lastly, my Full Contact Kung-Fu instructor was Master Khaled Elsherif. Master Khaled Elsherif was actually my teachers instructor while in Egypt. Master Khaled was one of the most recognized Full Contact Kung-Fu instructors in the nation. He was responsible for training 3 of the top Kung-Fu teams in Egypt. My teachers trained with the Gezira Club, and Master Khaled produced many national champions including several World Champions in Kung-Fu and Xanda.

 

SHIAI MAGAZINE: What do you think can help African martial artists to improve their skills and be promoted internationally?


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TAREK HUSSEIN:
To be honest the technical level I have personally seen from African Martial Artists in Egypt, Gabon, and other African nations, has always been a superb level for martial arts. The problem is they haven't been exposed, or many don't have the funding to do so. I personally know martial artists that are world class and world champion level, they just never had a chance to compete at that stage. I think the most important way to expose the Martial Arts in Africa is to have one governing body for Martial Arts. Europe is a prime example. The level of Martial Arts in Europe is so strong because they have the organizations and governing federations to do so. In Africa Martial Arts is not united as it should be. You have the federations for different styles in Egypt, separate federations in Cameroon or Congo, but there has to be one main governing body. We need to see more African Martial Artists at the World stage. In Tae Kwon Do Africa is one of the strongest countries. Niger, Egypt, Ivory Coast, are some of the strongest teams internationally. However the same needs to be said with Karate-do, Judo, Full Contact, etc...

SHIAI MAGAZINE: What is your vision of cross training in various fighting systems?

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TAREK HUSSEIN:
I believe cross training is something every Martial Artist should be engaged in, especially in this new ever evolving era we're in. My philosophy for cross training is very simple. I believe that one should have one base style for their foundation before they start to cross train. If you just start training in a little bit of everything with no base style, you will end up mastering nothing. I started cross training in different fighting arts after 8 years of Tae Kwon Do and Kung-Fu training. At the age of 12 I started to seriously cross train in numerous systems such as Boxing, Full Contact, Jeet Kune Do and Aikido. At 14 years old I began cross training in Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and Mixed Martial Arts (Freestyle Fighting).

The problem today with people who want to cross train is they train as a means to fight. Everything is just for combative reasons and principles. In my younger days when I trained, we trained in Martial Arts. We were learning Martial Arts. Now a days people just train in many different styles to fight. Take MMA for example. How can one MIX a Martial Art if they don't have a base in one to begin with? When I was training I never thought about fighting. Of course we could fight and defend ourselves when it was necessary because the training was real. I trained because it was a lifestyle and it was an art. All I see today is people rolling and choking people with no merit or no philosophy. It has almost become a game now a days. The way people play basketball or baseball is the way people do Martial Arts. When you train in Martial Arts you have to have a goal. Just to kick or punch or wrestle someone with no purpose means absolutely nothing.

SHIAI MAGAZINE: Tell me more about your training in Tae Kwon Do, which is your base style in Martial Arts?


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TAREK HUSSEIN:
Tae Kwon Do is my base Martial Art. Tae Kwon Do is the Martial Art I can say I have truly mastered the basics in. Throughout my career in Martial Arts I have trained in everything from Kung-Fu, Jeet Kune Do, Boxing, Full Contact, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and Aikido, but Tae Kwon Do has always had a special meaning to me. In Tae Kwon Do alone, I grew up with some of the best champions and masters of that style. The Tae Kwon Do we trained in was not a traditional style but it was not an entirely a sportive style. The Tae Kwon Do I learned from my teachers was a comprised system blended with their experiences in Full Contact Kung-Fu, Street Fighting, Karate-do, joint locks, grappling, throws and take downs. I remember watching the black belt testings my teacher conducted when I was younger. We used to have a free fight portion where we'd see judo throws, grappling take downs, knee strikes, boxing, etc... Tae Kwon Do is a complete martial art. Many see Tae Kwon Do just as a kicking style or an Olympic Sport, but it depends how the art is taught and interpreted. Just in the poomsae (forms) if you learn the applications correctly, they contain knee strikes, elbow strikes, nerve and pressure point strikes, take downs, joint locks and throwing techniques. As a matter of fact I can credit all of my technical ability for fighting from Tae Kwon Do alone.

SHIAI MAGAZINE: What is the difference between using martial arts for sport versus self-defense?


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TAREK HUSSEIN:
Martial Art for sport and for self-defense are two completely different subjects. When we talk about self-defense you have to analyze the term self-defense. Self-defense means an act of defense to an individual when one is personally attacked or threatened. In that case we are talking about Budo. Budo is killing, maiming, immobilizing. For sport we are talking about a competitive nature. Your techniques are utilized for scoring points, knocking the opponent down, for winning. Self-defense it is about life or death. If you "lose" you are dead. Just the mentality and concept of knowing that your life is at stake changes everything. When you have to defend yourself you don't fight. You don't have time to fight. If you are fighting when your life is at stake, then you have already lost. In self-defense you have to end the situation before the attack starts. 

There is a difference when you stare your opponent down across the ring or across the street. One wants to take the title or the championship, the other wants to take your life. Martial Arts for self-defense is more of a mentality. Martial Arts for sport is more technical and physical ability. You have to differentiate between a soldier vs. a warrior. A soldier is trained how to react for a certain environment or a specific cause. A warrior is trained to confront life. When it comes to self-defense it's no different. If someone is about to attack me, just the aura and energy I will comprise myself will send a clear message that I am ready to die at any moment, and have no repentance if your life is taken while in combat.

SHIAI MAGAZINE: Many consider you a genius in the Martial Arts for your age. How did you obtain all your awards, accomplishments, distinctions and trophies at a very young age?


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TAREK HUSSEIN:
Am I a genius in the Martial Arts? If you say so, than I can be... But to be honest with you, I'm just a Martial Artist. I am nothing special, nothing great. I just believe in what I do, and that means everything to me. So I'm no "genius" in Martial Arts, I just live it. I don't do Martial Arts to fight or to harm people, I do Martial Arts to help people. Just to help someone in life is Martial Arts. I just believe in sincerity. Now a days in society people believe if you are too sincere you are "weird" in a way. The only strange thing is being sincere is not a common characteristic among individuals anymore. My whole life I've had teachers mentoring me in Martial Arts and life in general, so I find it to be a huge honor that I'm in a position now where I can do the same.

As far as how I obtained all my awards and distinctions... Just train. That's the answer to everything in life, just train. Interpret it however you like, but the answer to life's success is... Just train.

SHIAI MAGAZINE: What advice can you give to African children who want to follow their dreams in life, no matter the poverty and hardships they are going through?

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TAREK HUSSEIN:
There is no advice I am qualified to give. I can not even begin to fathom the conditions some African children are going through especially with all the poverty in some African regions. All I can say is to remain positive, have faith in God and always follow your dreams. Dreams lead to passions, passions lead to success, and success leads to happiness. When you are happy you can then truly appreciate the value of life.

SHIAI MAGAZINE: Any upcoming projects in which you would like to talk about?


TAREK HUSSEIN:


I am opening up my own Freestyle Fighting Martial Arts Academy, Kamikaze Martial Arts, with good friend Steeve Randy Essogo. Steeve Randy Essogo is a Martial Artist and champion from Gabon. Randy is an incredible Martial Artist who was the champion of his country in Karate-do and Full Contact Kick-Boxing. We are combining our talents together to open up, what will become, one of the best and most diversified Martial Art schools in the state of Maryland. We will offer classes in traditional Martial Arts such as Tae Kwon Do, Shotokan Karate-do as well as the full contact arts such as, Kick-Boxing, Submission Grappling and Free Fight.

SHIAI MAGAZINE: What has been the greatest accomplishment or accomplishments you have gained from Martial Arts?

TAREK HUSSEIN:



Just training for so long in Martial Arts is an accomplishment by itself. To me Martial Arts has always been a means of self-cultivation. I never did Martial Arts to win awards or to be recognized. I could care less about my physical prowess. All I know because of Martial Arts, I am the person I am today. But the one thing I took away from Martial Arts is how to be a good person. As cliche as it might sound, Martial Art's develops character. When parents enroll their children in Martial Arts, the intention is not how to learn how to fight, it's to develop character. 20 years later I still don't know how to fight. I don't care about fighting. I don't need to fight... All I know is I like to help others and because of Martial Arts I have gained certain values and morals that will stay within me for the rest of my life. Martial Arts has given me the ability to confront life. I can say with confidence because of the training I have been through, I have no fear of death... More importantly I have no fear of life itself.

SHIAI MAGAZINE: Than you brother for accepting our interview, we hope you shall visit us in Cameroon one day. God bless you and your entire family.

TAREK HUSSEIN:


Osu.