Travis member to compete in martial arts competition

  • Published
  • By Nick DeCicco
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Christmas Day in Gregory Trumbull's household will be a little different than usual this year. 

While the presents are opened and celebration begins, Mr. Trumbull's mind will sharpen and focus on the events of the following evening, when he plans to break bricks and boards with his hands and head in the 2008 Super Grands World Games and Amateur Internationals competition in Sacramento, Calif. 

If ramming one's hands into a wooden board or a pile of bricks just doesn't sound like you're kind of thing, Mr. Trumbull says you're not alone. 

"A lot of people ask, 'what do you break for? You just hurt yourself.'" he said. "It's about conditioning -- strengthening and callousing my hands. It leads to strengthened bones."
Then excuse his would-be questioners for calling him thick-headed. 

At the upcoming Sacramento competition, Mr. Trumbull, a black belt master, will compete against some of the best breakers in the world. Martial arts students spanning the globe will compete in fighting, weapons and other self-defense challenges. The National Blackbelt League, of which Mr. Trumbull is a part, is sanctioning the event. 

During his day job at Travis, Mr. Trumbull works as the logistics manager for the Patient Moving Items Center at David Grant USAF Medical Center. The center takes medical-stored items and equipment to disasters to help with relief. 

Mr. Trumbull has participated in martial arts for more than 35 years, he said, learning a mixed martial arts form called Defense, Offense and Common Sense developed by Grandmaster Victor Hughes in San Diego. DOCS is derived from 80 percent Okinawan Shorin-Ryu karate and 20 percent from other forms in Judo, Aikido and Jiu Jitsu, according to Mr. Trumbull. 

Mr. Trumbull's specialty is tamashiwari, the art of breaking, which he also teaches. Tamashiwari enables participants to boost their confidence and self-esteem while allowing them to practice their techniques, he said. 

The super grand tournament is set for Dec. 26 through 31, with the breaking division scheduled on the first night. Mr. Trumbull said it will mark his first nighttime competition.
He is no stranger to competing and breaking in Northern California. In September, he was featured on KOVR/KMAX's "Good Day Sacramento" television program. He's dominated the local competitions for nearly two years, capturing the top spot in his division every event including in the Golden Gate Internationals and the San Francisco Nationals twice. These are open tournaments, meaning anyone is welcome to participate. 

However, in July of this year, Mr. Trumbull said he had no competition, so everyone in attendance stopped to watch him. 

"I don't know if I scared everyone or what," he said with a laugh. 

Regardless of the level of competition, martial arts is a long-time passion for Mr. Trumbull, whose taught and competed around the globe. 

"It's always been my second pastime," after his career, he said. "It's a hobby to keep it going for the community and myself." 

Another reason to keep it going, though, is his 4-year-old child. He said as he ages, he wants to be able to continue to have strength and mobility to play and enjoy his time with his child. 

Furthermore, Mr. Trumbull claims the genetics are poor in his family and his continued breaking to strengthen himself so that he doesn't, well, break. 

"I keep as healthy as I can," he said. "At this age, it's challenging to me. I break against all age groups, 18 and up." 

Mr. Trumbull does two kinds of breaking. One is creative, which is using one's imagination regarding the complexity and unusual choices in breaking. The other is traditional style, which he says is the more well-known, involving stacking boards or bricks and smashing through them using maneuvers such as a hammer fist or elbow smash. 

The imagination category is where Mr. Trumbull's abilities shine most. One trick involves pulverizing stacks of bricks or boards with a sharp knife. Adding risk and danger to the process is part of the excitement for Mr. Trumbull, who said one of his tricks involves smashing a stack of glass with his head. He also can break a stack of bricks with a newspaper. 

Recently, in a competition in San Diego, Mr. Trumbull slammed a 100-watt light bulb through a cardboard box without breaking the bulb, he said. 

"I make up things and I train with them at home," he said. "If they're successful at a high percentage rate, I add them." 

While creativity has its advantages and is likely to get the crowd's attention, there are limitations. The NBL does not allow certain elements, such as fire, but there are exceptions made for glass. 

As far as his routine during the upcoming Sacramento competition, Mr. Trumbull was awaiting word about certain feats he wished to attempt. A participant can be disqualified is he/she tries something unauthorized, he said. 

While he's presently focused on the upcoming competition, Mr. Trumbull, who is retired from the Marines and Navy, said a long-term goal is to open one or two martial arts schools in the area. 

But his thoughts, too, are on keeping his mind and his body sharp for the long term. 

"I enjoy the art of competing," Mr. Trumbull said. "Now that I'm older, I want to challenge myself and the way I do that is through new and different ways of breaking things."