Prometheus: The George Dillman Story

Prometheus is the first and only biography "authorized or otherwise"of Grandmaster 10th-Degree Black Belt, George A. Dillman . . . irrefutably one of the pioneers of the Eastern martial arts in post-World War II America. For anyone with an interest in the evolution of these arts in the West, Dillman's experience provides a veritable Who's Who of those exciting times. The author is acknowledged as perhaps the foremost authority on Pressure Point Theory applied to the martial arts in the U.S. Prometheus details the kind of hard science that Dillman engaged and sponsored (cadaver studies, EKG studies, electrical and neurological monitoring, thermal imaging) of Eastern Pressure Point Theory. Three medical doctors and a SWAT officer, among his highest ranking students, add their expertise to this book with reports of their investigations of Dillman's methods. Having trained under the likes of Harry Smith, Danny Pai and Hohan Soken, Dillman was one of the most-awarded competitors on the tournament circuit in the 1960s and '70s, and received advanced instructor certifications in a wide variety of martial arts. Dillman was always dedicated to sharing the work's benefits for both health and self-defense. During the 1980s and '90s, for example, he partnered with other great Headmasters, Wally Jay (Small Circle Jujitsu), Remy Presas (Modern Arnis) and Leo Fong (Wei Kuen Do), to give seminars all over the world. With testimonies from 50 of his peers and students (now teachers), the book is a record of his contributions to others, both personal and professional. As much of the narrative is offered in Dillman's own words, the reader meets the man himself, his unvarnished prose, his quirky interactions with animals (even cougars and bears!), his irrepressible sense of humor, and his sheer determination in pushing limits in whatever he undertook. George is now the CEO of Dillman Karate International, a global organization with hundreds of affiliated schools and tens of thousands of students.