Another fifth of my test is done. It was the very last of the drill sections.
All that I have left to do is the part called Freestyle Fight Simulation.
For four minutes the candidate and their partner do an exercise that looks like two people fighting. In it, the partner repeatedly presents as many of the cues and indicators as possible, and the examinee has to respond with the correct countermove.
You try and cover as many techniques as possible. Some will be missed, and others done several times. The examiners watch to make sure that too many cues are not missed, and that there are no significant pauses between the movements.
It is said that this is the most important, and also the most difficult part of the test.
It certainly is difficult. If one is too tense, or too nervous, it can be almost impossible. Four minutes doesn't sound like much, and it isn't if one is relaxed. I may be old, but I am really, really good at relaxing while fighting.
The instructor said we’ll be working on this stuff Saturday, so I’ll likely get a shot at finishing off the last of my exam.
My instructor still has to review my recordings. Some might require re-recording, but I won’t mind. I have almost a month to brush up any that are flawed.
I hate exams, but I can see the end approaching.
I am a 68 year old retired teacher living on the west coast of Canada. I spent over 30 years as a student of Karate until my knees stopped liking it. My current passionate activity is Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, which I've been at for about 13 years.
Thursday 31 May 2012
Wednesday 30 May 2012
With care
I have to be careful.
In martial arts there is a seniority system inherited from the Japanese. If someone has been a higher rank to you, they are your senior forever. You might pass them in rank, but it will always be shaded by their earlier seniority.
This is why, at Karate, Black Belts with rank higher than mine often step aside and insist I stand on the higher-ranked side of the line.
In our Jiu-Jitsu class, I am one of the least senior members. When I started almost everybody had already been training for a while. A few have joined since, but not many.
By almost perfect attendance, and by taking extra lessons I have advanced more quickly than my group, and started my Blue Belt test over a month ago. Over a dozen people who are senior to me are still not ready to begin their own exams. Likely my belt will turn Blue months before theirs do.
I will outrank them, but they will still have the legacy of seniority over me.
Already I find myself seeing things my seniors are doing wrong. I don't want to offend anybody by seeming a know-it-all, so I usually don't point these things out. If I do, I only do so with people I am sure won't mind.
Sometimes, they ask me questions. If they do so, I share.
So is it a matter of rank, or of seniority? It is both, and more than both. The fact that I am a Black Belt in another art also matters. It also makes a difference that I am an old guy, and that some of them are teenagers. It also matters to the teenagers that I'm a High School teacher.
I don't know how the Japanese keep track of it all.
Every possible pairing in Japan has a relationship of senior and junior. They handle this with ease, as it is the same in all aspects of their lives. It two students join a Dojo at the exact same time, they will already know who should be considered senior from other cues. They are only really confused by equality. When such a thing happens, it is as if they are waiting for the disquieting situation to resolve itself by one or the other getting promoted or some such thing.
In Canada, we can handle equality, and also can handle rank. Layers of status can be the confusing to us.
In any case, I have to be careful who I try and help. Will they be offended?
Don't want that.
In martial arts there is a seniority system inherited from the Japanese. If someone has been a higher rank to you, they are your senior forever. You might pass them in rank, but it will always be shaded by their earlier seniority.
This is why, at Karate, Black Belts with rank higher than mine often step aside and insist I stand on the higher-ranked side of the line.
In our Jiu-Jitsu class, I am one of the least senior members. When I started almost everybody had already been training for a while. A few have joined since, but not many.
By almost perfect attendance, and by taking extra lessons I have advanced more quickly than my group, and started my Blue Belt test over a month ago. Over a dozen people who are senior to me are still not ready to begin their own exams. Likely my belt will turn Blue months before theirs do.
I will outrank them, but they will still have the legacy of seniority over me.
Already I find myself seeing things my seniors are doing wrong. I don't want to offend anybody by seeming a know-it-all, so I usually don't point these things out. If I do, I only do so with people I am sure won't mind.
Sometimes, they ask me questions. If they do so, I share.
So is it a matter of rank, or of seniority? It is both, and more than both. The fact that I am a Black Belt in another art also matters. It also makes a difference that I am an old guy, and that some of them are teenagers. It also matters to the teenagers that I'm a High School teacher.
I don't know how the Japanese keep track of it all.
Every possible pairing in Japan has a relationship of senior and junior. They handle this with ease, as it is the same in all aspects of their lives. It two students join a Dojo at the exact same time, they will already know who should be considered senior from other cues. They are only really confused by equality. When such a thing happens, it is as if they are waiting for the disquieting situation to resolve itself by one or the other getting promoted or some such thing.
In Canada, we can handle equality, and also can handle rank. Layers of status can be the confusing to us.
In any case, I have to be careful who I try and help. Will they be offended?
Don't want that.
Strength
I learn a lot from big training partners.
In my class, I'm one of the larger people. As a result, I can make most techniques work on my smaller classmates even when I do the move somewhat wrong. I can just muscle through.
With any of the other big guys, I can't. I must do it correctly.
It's funny, but to work on big people, it is actually better to use less strength.
As I've learned from this, I have become careful to also apply it when training with smaller opponents. I treat them as if they can hold me as firmly as the big boys do. I do not use strength, but try and apply only technique. In doing this I am practising moves that work on both small and large opponents.
Jiu-Jitsu really requires very little strength. If done right, it is like performing magic.
Once I am a Blue Belt, and get to walk around helping the White Belts I'm going to specialize in the bigger guys. I will watch them carefully for evidence of bulling through. If they are guilty, I'll swap them off to work with me. I won't let them succeed through muscle.
If they are too strong for me, I'll suggest that Sterling or Corey partner with the violator for a while and not let them muscle through. Sterling and Corey are the two biggest guys in the club, and both work in construction, and are both Blue Belts. Bulling through does not work on them if they don't want to let it.
If a big strong guy trains properly he should have no trouble with people smaller or his own size. He should succeed equally well against the dreaded bigger-and-stronger opponent, too.
In my class, I'm one of the larger people. As a result, I can make most techniques work on my smaller classmates even when I do the move somewhat wrong. I can just muscle through.
With any of the other big guys, I can't. I must do it correctly.
It's funny, but to work on big people, it is actually better to use less strength.
As I've learned from this, I have become careful to also apply it when training with smaller opponents. I treat them as if they can hold me as firmly as the big boys do. I do not use strength, but try and apply only technique. In doing this I am practising moves that work on both small and large opponents.
Jiu-Jitsu really requires very little strength. If done right, it is like performing magic.
Once I am a Blue Belt, and get to walk around helping the White Belts I'm going to specialize in the bigger guys. I will watch them carefully for evidence of bulling through. If they are guilty, I'll swap them off to work with me. I won't let them succeed through muscle.
If they are too strong for me, I'll suggest that Sterling or Corey partner with the violator for a while and not let them muscle through. Sterling and Corey are the two biggest guys in the club, and both work in construction, and are both Blue Belts. Bulling through does not work on them if they don't want to let it.
If a big strong guy trains properly he should have no trouble with people smaller or his own size. He should succeed equally well against the dreaded bigger-and-stronger opponent, too.
Monday 28 May 2012
Settling down
Almost June. There is not a lot left on the season's martial arts calendar for me.
I've been working on the five segments of my Jiu-Jitsu belt test. Three are done, so only two to go. One will be done any day now, and then only a single part will remain.
In my Karate training, I've had a very important seminar looming. I was concerned my ankle wouldn't heal in time. It did, and the seminar has passed. I enjoyed it and learned a lot.
My Karate club just has training to continue, with exams before July kicks in.
That's it. Two Jiu-Jitsu test parts, and one set of tests for my Karate students.
I'm shutting things down for the summer, and it all starts again in September.
I'll try and attract a few more Karate students. I'll be back at Jiu-Jitsu, hopefully wearing a Blue Belt.
No tests for anybody in either activity for a good long time.
Just like I like it.
I've been working on the five segments of my Jiu-Jitsu belt test. Three are done, so only two to go. One will be done any day now, and then only a single part will remain.
In my Karate training, I've had a very important seminar looming. I was concerned my ankle wouldn't heal in time. It did, and the seminar has passed. I enjoyed it and learned a lot.
My Karate club just has training to continue, with exams before July kicks in.
That's it. Two Jiu-Jitsu test parts, and one set of tests for my Karate students.
I'm shutting things down for the summer, and it all starts again in September.
I'll try and attract a few more Karate students. I'll be back at Jiu-Jitsu, hopefully wearing a Blue Belt.
No tests for anybody in either activity for a good long time.
Just like I like it.
Sunday 27 May 2012
Oishi Sensei
My Achilles tendon is OK. Yesterday I was at Karate for five hours and pressed pretty hard. By the middle of the second class it was starting to protest, but never really got worse than that.
Funny thing. I didn't even think about the rest of my body at all. This morning I'm definitely walking like a thousand-year-old man, but my Achilles has nothing to do with it. All my muscles are trying to punish me for working them so hard. My typical recovery pattern says they are just warming up for a big protest tomorrow.
The big instructor at the training was Oishi Sensei. Back in the day he won the All-Japan Championship 4 times. Since then, he's been the Chief Instructor at Komazawa University. That's the one institution that has produced more All-Japan and World Champions than would seem possible. He has just retired, being 71 years old, and is doing a last few seminars. Through connections, BC made it to the list. He's been here all week.
His helper and translator on this trip is my own teacher, Sakurai Sensei. Sharp Sensei, our group's 6th Dan, was second helper.
The first class was lead by Oishi Sensei and was for Black Belts only. All of it was good, but the best was at the end. He explained the four times when it's best to attack. I really want to retain that part.
It was a little after 10:30am when that session ended. The next class for my rank was not going to start until after lunch. I had registered for a Coloured Belt ONLY class with Sharp Sensei online, but I asked him if it would be OK for me to stay. He smiled and said, "of course".
For an hour-and-a-half we trained, and he explained many of Oishi Sensei's key lessons from the week. It was great. At the end he recapped the four main points of his lesson and of the week so far. I was sure I'd remember, but only have found two of the four in my brain; knee moving and knee kicking. Somebody must have gone into my brain and erased the other two.
The hour lunch break had somehow turned into 15 minutes, but I got to sit down for a bit and chat with an old friend. Back at it again in another Black Belt class with Oishi Sensei.
Sakurai Sensei was off teaching Coloured Belts, so a female Black Belt was playing translator. She had a polite, Japanese-female voice, which meant I couldn't hear much at all. Again, it was superb training.
Helen, after a long hard day of shopping was there to join in the mass photo opp after class. I got changed and we sat down to watch the Black Belt exams. Five Brown Belts were testing to try and become Blacks. Three Blacks were going for Second Dan, and five more were trying for Third Dan.
One of them almost passed out. It was really cool. The results will likely be online soon.
Morning after; in my puffy chair, ice on my Achilles and 375mg of anti-inflammatory drugs in my bloodstream. Nothing today that I must do.
The morning after.
Funny thing. I didn't even think about the rest of my body at all. This morning I'm definitely walking like a thousand-year-old man, but my Achilles has nothing to do with it. All my muscles are trying to punish me for working them so hard. My typical recovery pattern says they are just warming up for a big protest tomorrow.
The big instructor at the training was Oishi Sensei. Back in the day he won the All-Japan Championship 4 times. Since then, he's been the Chief Instructor at Komazawa University. That's the one institution that has produced more All-Japan and World Champions than would seem possible. He has just retired, being 71 years old, and is doing a last few seminars. Through connections, BC made it to the list. He's been here all week.
His helper and translator on this trip is my own teacher, Sakurai Sensei. Sharp Sensei, our group's 6th Dan, was second helper.
The first class was lead by Oishi Sensei and was for Black Belts only. All of it was good, but the best was at the end. He explained the four times when it's best to attack. I really want to retain that part.
It was a little after 10:30am when that session ended. The next class for my rank was not going to start until after lunch. I had registered for a Coloured Belt ONLY class with Sharp Sensei online, but I asked him if it would be OK for me to stay. He smiled and said, "of course".
For an hour-and-a-half we trained, and he explained many of Oishi Sensei's key lessons from the week. It was great. At the end he recapped the four main points of his lesson and of the week so far. I was sure I'd remember, but only have found two of the four in my brain; knee moving and knee kicking. Somebody must have gone into my brain and erased the other two.
The hour lunch break had somehow turned into 15 minutes, but I got to sit down for a bit and chat with an old friend. Back at it again in another Black Belt class with Oishi Sensei.
Sakurai Sensei was off teaching Coloured Belts, so a female Black Belt was playing translator. She had a polite, Japanese-female voice, which meant I couldn't hear much at all. Again, it was superb training.
Helen, after a long hard day of shopping was there to join in the mass photo opp after class. I got changed and we sat down to watch the Black Belt exams. Five Brown Belts were testing to try and become Blacks. Three Blacks were going for Second Dan, and five more were trying for Third Dan.
One of them almost passed out. It was really cool. The results will likely be online soon.
Morning after; in my puffy chair, ice on my Achilles and 375mg of anti-inflammatory drugs in my bloodstream. Nothing today that I must do.
The morning after.
Friday 25 May 2012
Gentle
For the last two nights at the White Belt Jiu-Jitsu class our 23 lesson cycle of lessons was on hold. We pick it up again on Tuesday.
Instead, our instructor showed us variations on the kimura armlock on one night and assorted chokes on the second.
It was great fun, and very interesting. I don't know if I'll be able to retain much of it, but it was sure cool.
For one particularly nasty technique I ended up with a partner who always uses unnecessary muscle. I really was a very painful collar choke thing. I went first and was very gentle. Obviously gentle. Gentle and slow. It was all right in front of his nose. I slowly and deliberately applied the movement for a single centimetre, and his head almost popped off.
When he did it to me, as gentle and slow as I've ever seen him. He doesn't mean to use power; it's just how he's programmed.
We kept switching, and he never over-pressed.
Then the instructor stopped to watch us perform the move. I did it as I had been doing all along, gentle and slow, and the instructor announced it perfect.
My partner's turn, and he reverted. It was nasty, but I was ready and tapped quickly.
Until then he'd been doing the technique as well as I had. No praise from the instructor when he added muscle back in.
Again, I don't think he'd meant to do it. His brain must have decided, "Teacher watching...must do well...strength equals good...must use strength..."
He did it worse, and if I were one of the little people of the class I might have been hurt.
He had it right for a while.
There's hope for him yet.
Instead, our instructor showed us variations on the kimura armlock on one night and assorted chokes on the second.
It was great fun, and very interesting. I don't know if I'll be able to retain much of it, but it was sure cool.
For one particularly nasty technique I ended up with a partner who always uses unnecessary muscle. I really was a very painful collar choke thing. I went first and was very gentle. Obviously gentle. Gentle and slow. It was all right in front of his nose. I slowly and deliberately applied the movement for a single centimetre, and his head almost popped off.
When he did it to me, as gentle and slow as I've ever seen him. He doesn't mean to use power; it's just how he's programmed.
We kept switching, and he never over-pressed.
Then the instructor stopped to watch us perform the move. I did it as I had been doing all along, gentle and slow, and the instructor announced it perfect.
My partner's turn, and he reverted. It was nasty, but I was ready and tapped quickly.
Until then he'd been doing the technique as well as I had. No praise from the instructor when he added muscle back in.
Again, I don't think he'd meant to do it. His brain must have decided, "Teacher watching...must do well...strength equals good...must use strength..."
He did it worse, and if I were one of the little people of the class I might have been hurt.
He had it right for a while.
There's hope for him yet.
Thursday 24 May 2012
Conflicts arise
I have conflicts.
There is just too much to do.
I was attending a friend's Karate class. It was enjoyable, but I wasn't learning new things.
I started Jiu-Jitsu classes so I could get back to learning. That worked great, but the training times conflicted. I had to give up half of the Karate. The other Karate night was Friday, and everything that popped up seemed to fall on Friday.
I decided I had to let the Fridays go, too, but I didn't want to leave Karate altogether. Some friends kept asking me if I was going to teach a class again, and I finally said yes.
Set up the Karate times so they would not conflict with Jiu-Jitsu.
The coolest day of my week became Saturday. I have Jiu-Jitsu in the morning and teach Karate in the afternoon.
Still conflicts arise. This Saturday I am off to Chilliwack for a really big-deal Karate seminar. This bumps me out of both grappling and my own Karate class.
These things happen. Jiu-Jitsu I just have to miss. Karate goes on without me. The students are all expected to show and work on their Katas and such. They'll be fine for one day.
There is some chance that grappling with change days and times soon. The instructor is trying to get a different location.
It is hoped this won't create new conflicts.
There is just too much to do.
I was attending a friend's Karate class. It was enjoyable, but I wasn't learning new things.
I started Jiu-Jitsu classes so I could get back to learning. That worked great, but the training times conflicted. I had to give up half of the Karate. The other Karate night was Friday, and everything that popped up seemed to fall on Friday.
I decided I had to let the Fridays go, too, but I didn't want to leave Karate altogether. Some friends kept asking me if I was going to teach a class again, and I finally said yes.
Set up the Karate times so they would not conflict with Jiu-Jitsu.
The coolest day of my week became Saturday. I have Jiu-Jitsu in the morning and teach Karate in the afternoon.
Still conflicts arise. This Saturday I am off to Chilliwack for a really big-deal Karate seminar. This bumps me out of both grappling and my own Karate class.
These things happen. Jiu-Jitsu I just have to miss. Karate goes on without me. The students are all expected to show and work on their Katas and such. They'll be fine for one day.
There is some chance that grappling with change days and times soon. The instructor is trying to get a different location.
It is hoped this won't create new conflicts.
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Details
I really like the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu program.
The basic material is called Combatives. All the stuff they expect you to learn before you get a Blue Belt has been organized into 23 lessons.
Schools go through the material one lesson after the other, and then repeat the sequence.
This means that if an instructor likes a particular technique, he will still only cover it on 1/23 of the lessons. If he dislikes another, he will still cover it 1/23 of the time. Nothing gets emphasized or downplayed. It keeps cycling along.
The entire evening's class is spent observing, and then practising the techniques of that lesson.
In the Combatives classes one does not free-roll. Students learn and drill. After doing every class twice the student then starts attending what is called Reflex Development classes in addition to the regular Combatives lessons.
At Reflex Development, there are sometimes unscripted classes. Let's call this free-rolling. By that time the student has some basic technique to use and doesn't just thrash about.
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is known for the attention to detail. Detractors call it controlling or anal. I don't care if it is. I go to class to learn what the experts have spent decades figuring out. I do not go to class to try and figure out what to do on my own.
Teach me, drill me, and then let me roll and apply what I've learned.
Jiu-Jitsu blogs almost universally decry the kind of guy who attends class to dominate with power and pain. Can't say I've run into any such people so far. It wouldn't matter if I had. We'd be learning and drilling. Aggression and strength is useless in that context.
The Gracie secret came to the world's attention starting in 1993. The UFC was brand new. Fighters fought in a tournament format and had to defeat 3 or 4 opponents to win the event.
Royce Gracie participated in the first four UFC tournaments. He won three of them. Even his one failure to win illustrated why Jiu-Jitsu is effective.
He was always by far the smallest competitor in the event, but even so the pure strikers stood no chance. Against grapplers, size and strength is more of a factor. In the first event he faced grappler Ken Shamrock, in the second he went against European Judo player Remco Pardoel, in the fourth it was heavyweight wrestler Dan Severn, and in the third Kimo Leopoldo.
Shamrock outweighed Royce by about 60 pounds and was an experienced submission fighter. He tapped out in 57 seconds.
Remco Pardoel was an experienced Judoka, and bigger, and stronger. Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu share all the same techniques, but with different emphasis and detail. He lasted 73 seconds, defeated in the details.
Dan Severn was 65 pounds bigger than Gracie and an incredibly experienced freestyle wrestler. Royce spent most of the fight being crushed under Severn's weight. Finally, after 15 minutes and 49 seconds, still on his back, Royce applied a triangle choke to win. Details again.
Royce Gracie never panicked, or played a muscle game. He waited, defended, conserved energy, and then struck.
In UFC3 he faced a relatively unskilled opponent in Kimo Leopoldo. Kimo fought like a madman and pressed hard with his bulk and strength. His rampage got Gracie to respond with more effort than his norm. He didn't wait, or defend, or conserve energy. He tried too hard. He managed to submit Kimo in 4 minutes 40 seconds. However, he was so burned out from his effort that he was unable to continue in the tournament and had to withdraw.
Learn from the Gracies. Learn your technique, wait, defend, conserve energy, and then strike.
Don't panic.
The basic material is called Combatives. All the stuff they expect you to learn before you get a Blue Belt has been organized into 23 lessons.
Schools go through the material one lesson after the other, and then repeat the sequence.
This means that if an instructor likes a particular technique, he will still only cover it on 1/23 of the lessons. If he dislikes another, he will still cover it 1/23 of the time. Nothing gets emphasized or downplayed. It keeps cycling along.
The entire evening's class is spent observing, and then practising the techniques of that lesson.
In the Combatives classes one does not free-roll. Students learn and drill. After doing every class twice the student then starts attending what is called Reflex Development classes in addition to the regular Combatives lessons.
At Reflex Development, there are sometimes unscripted classes. Let's call this free-rolling. By that time the student has some basic technique to use and doesn't just thrash about.
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is known for the attention to detail. Detractors call it controlling or anal. I don't care if it is. I go to class to learn what the experts have spent decades figuring out. I do not go to class to try and figure out what to do on my own.
Teach me, drill me, and then let me roll and apply what I've learned.
Jiu-Jitsu blogs almost universally decry the kind of guy who attends class to dominate with power and pain. Can't say I've run into any such people so far. It wouldn't matter if I had. We'd be learning and drilling. Aggression and strength is useless in that context.
The Gracie secret came to the world's attention starting in 1993. The UFC was brand new. Fighters fought in a tournament format and had to defeat 3 or 4 opponents to win the event.
Royce Gracie participated in the first four UFC tournaments. He won three of them. Even his one failure to win illustrated why Jiu-Jitsu is effective.
He was always by far the smallest competitor in the event, but even so the pure strikers stood no chance. Against grapplers, size and strength is more of a factor. In the first event he faced grappler Ken Shamrock, in the second he went against European Judo player Remco Pardoel, in the fourth it was heavyweight wrestler Dan Severn, and in the third Kimo Leopoldo.
Shamrock outweighed Royce by about 60 pounds and was an experienced submission fighter. He tapped out in 57 seconds.
Remco Pardoel was an experienced Judoka, and bigger, and stronger. Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu share all the same techniques, but with different emphasis and detail. He lasted 73 seconds, defeated in the details.
Dan Severn was 65 pounds bigger than Gracie and an incredibly experienced freestyle wrestler. Royce spent most of the fight being crushed under Severn's weight. Finally, after 15 minutes and 49 seconds, still on his back, Royce applied a triangle choke to win. Details again.
Royce Gracie never panicked, or played a muscle game. He waited, defended, conserved energy, and then struck.
In UFC3 he faced a relatively unskilled opponent in Kimo Leopoldo. Kimo fought like a madman and pressed hard with his bulk and strength. His rampage got Gracie to respond with more effort than his norm. He didn't wait, or defend, or conserve energy. He tried too hard. He managed to submit Kimo in 4 minutes 40 seconds. However, he was so burned out from his effort that he was unable to continue in the tournament and had to withdraw.
Learn from the Gracies. Learn your technique, wait, defend, conserve energy, and then strike.
Don't panic.
Tuesday 22 May 2012
The leg is normal
Tonight was a good time to return to training. I hurt my Achilles tendon a couple of Sundays ago, and have been off since then. Wouldn't want it to turn into something serious. Tonight I was back on the mat.
It feels just fine.
Our instructor has been away for a while training in Florida at a big Gracie Camp being held there. It was his first night back, too.
He is all full of fresh enthusiasm. Tonight we didn't do a regular class, but instead did some variations and improvements he picked up on the kimura armlock.
It was a hoot, and very interesting.
When not working on all that, I got partnered with Cody and we worked on preparing for our next test sessions.
Lots of good test training, some new information, a re-enthused instructor, and my leg held up perfectly.
Can't beat that.
It feels just fine.
Our instructor has been away for a while training in Florida at a big Gracie Camp being held there. It was his first night back, too.
He is all full of fresh enthusiasm. Tonight we didn't do a regular class, but instead did some variations and improvements he picked up on the kimura armlock.
It was a hoot, and very interesting.
When not working on all that, I got partnered with Cody and we worked on preparing for our next test sessions.
Lots of good test training, some new information, a re-enthused instructor, and my leg held up perfectly.
Can't beat that.
Monday 21 May 2012
Lady Blogs....
Today I was wandering about the internet, and stumbled on a Jiu-Jitsu blog called, "BJJ Grrl." It was interesting, and lead to other blogs by female Jiu-Jitsu people.
Each must be striking a nerve, as they have tons of comments from other female parishioners.
Certain universals seem to emerge.
They all have experienced guys who use size and strength to bully on the mat. They also all seem to train at clubs where free-rolling is a big part of things.
Free-rolling is like free-sparring in other martial arts, or randori in Judo. This is where you play with a partner, exchanging technique. Trying to score, or beat them, or whatever.
The Jiu-Jitsu they describe sounds like Judo fifty years ago. That was when Judo was recently accepted as an Olympic sport, and many clubs moved away from self-defense and self-improvement and into the sport aspect. Many insisted on competition participation, or even success, for rank progression.
Who would do that kind of thing these days?
And who would ever use size to bully a dojo mate? I outweigh the women in my class by fifty pounds easily. There are about half a dozen teen-aged boys who are equally small. If I put my full body weight on any of them with correct position, there would be a kind of moaning sigh as their lungs empty and their ribcage flattens.
Who learns from that? I sure don't. Does the pancake? Hardly.
I put weight onto them, but hold some off. This lets them work their moves. If they can do it, I might put on more force the next time. If they can do it again, I can continue to crank it up slowly. When they reach their limit, I hold there.
Maybe it's my Karate background. I've sparred with White Belts many times while wearing my Black. I could destroy them pretty easily, but to what effect? I go slower, and broadcast intentions, and leave openings. They learn from this.
Do they walk away thinking they beat that Black Belt? Hardly. They appreciate it and understand. So do my Jiu-Jitsu partners.
Another universal thread is that the women's blogs would advise other women not to worry when they cry on the mat. Cry? They don't cite injury, which I could understand. They relate it to frustration. Frustration?
Do they suck that bad? I've rolled with our instructor. I think he got one submission on me, but I was able to prevent the rest. I got nothing on him, except for a few positions. He did stuff to me I'd never seen, and still was holding way back. Frustrating? Not at all. It was packed with tiny victories.
If he'd gone crazy on me and treated me like a rag doll I wouldn't have learned much. Frustrated? Being dominated by somebody who can and should be able to would be no surprise at all.
Training with our Christmas giant hurt a bit, but frustrating? Even when I was supposed to perform the cunning move, and it didn't move him at all, I was learning. I found lots of ways to make moves work better. Sometimes even then I couldn't move him. Can't say it made me want to cry.
But like my wife sometimes says...
...I'm dead inside....
Each must be striking a nerve, as they have tons of comments from other female parishioners.
Certain universals seem to emerge.
They all have experienced guys who use size and strength to bully on the mat. They also all seem to train at clubs where free-rolling is a big part of things.
Free-rolling is like free-sparring in other martial arts, or randori in Judo. This is where you play with a partner, exchanging technique. Trying to score, or beat them, or whatever.
The Jiu-Jitsu they describe sounds like Judo fifty years ago. That was when Judo was recently accepted as an Olympic sport, and many clubs moved away from self-defense and self-improvement and into the sport aspect. Many insisted on competition participation, or even success, for rank progression.
Who would do that kind of thing these days?
And who would ever use size to bully a dojo mate? I outweigh the women in my class by fifty pounds easily. There are about half a dozen teen-aged boys who are equally small. If I put my full body weight on any of them with correct position, there would be a kind of moaning sigh as their lungs empty and their ribcage flattens.
Who learns from that? I sure don't. Does the pancake? Hardly.
I put weight onto them, but hold some off. This lets them work their moves. If they can do it, I might put on more force the next time. If they can do it again, I can continue to crank it up slowly. When they reach their limit, I hold there.
Maybe it's my Karate background. I've sparred with White Belts many times while wearing my Black. I could destroy them pretty easily, but to what effect? I go slower, and broadcast intentions, and leave openings. They learn from this.
Do they walk away thinking they beat that Black Belt? Hardly. They appreciate it and understand. So do my Jiu-Jitsu partners.
Another universal thread is that the women's blogs would advise other women not to worry when they cry on the mat. Cry? They don't cite injury, which I could understand. They relate it to frustration. Frustration?
Do they suck that bad? I've rolled with our instructor. I think he got one submission on me, but I was able to prevent the rest. I got nothing on him, except for a few positions. He did stuff to me I'd never seen, and still was holding way back. Frustrating? Not at all. It was packed with tiny victories.
If he'd gone crazy on me and treated me like a rag doll I wouldn't have learned much. Frustrated? Being dominated by somebody who can and should be able to would be no surprise at all.
Training with our Christmas giant hurt a bit, but frustrating? Even when I was supposed to perform the cunning move, and it didn't move him at all, I was learning. I found lots of ways to make moves work better. Sometimes even then I couldn't move him. Can't say it made me want to cry.
But like my wife sometimes says...
...I'm dead inside....
Sunday 20 May 2012
Be lazy
People claim that strength and size are not important in fighting. This is a ridiculous claim, and absolutely false.
They certainly matter, just as much as speed and many of other factors.
Our current biggest White Belt is as strong as an ox. The poor fellow just can't seem to stop doing things with strength.
An example is one of this week's moves. You are supposed to break your opponent's headlock using your entire body pushing up and forward. This gives you tons of power, and also gives you a huge advantage against his arm due to leverage. Our big guy's partner held tight, and his headlock was not broken. The big guy's body was quivering with exertion. He had it all right except for pushing forward as well as up. No leverage. Technique failure.
In the pair next to him, Amelia had no problem effortlessly dislodging her partner's equally secure headlock. She did it correctly, and used hardly any strength at all. She must weigh about a hundred pounds.
I get to roll about with everybody sooner or later. Big and strong is only part of the equation.
One of the secrets of martial arts is making sure the other guy is using more energy than you, especially in grappling. When I roll with our big, strong guy I could never match his power. I never try. He tries too hard. I rest and he tires out very quickly. Then I have him.
If he ever masters that trick, I'll never beat him.
They certainly matter, just as much as speed and many of other factors.
Our current biggest White Belt is as strong as an ox. The poor fellow just can't seem to stop doing things with strength.
An example is one of this week's moves. You are supposed to break your opponent's headlock using your entire body pushing up and forward. This gives you tons of power, and also gives you a huge advantage against his arm due to leverage. Our big guy's partner held tight, and his headlock was not broken. The big guy's body was quivering with exertion. He had it all right except for pushing forward as well as up. No leverage. Technique failure.
In the pair next to him, Amelia had no problem effortlessly dislodging her partner's equally secure headlock. She did it correctly, and used hardly any strength at all. She must weigh about a hundred pounds.
I get to roll about with everybody sooner or later. Big and strong is only part of the equation.
One of the secrets of martial arts is making sure the other guy is using more energy than you, especially in grappling. When I roll with our big, strong guy I could never match his power. I never try. He tries too hard. I rest and he tires out very quickly. Then I have him.
If he ever masters that trick, I'll never beat him.
Spurts...
It's funny how things don't progress evenly.
By logic, they should. If one trains in something for a while, you'd think that every week along the way the improvement would be steady.
It never is.
Take Karate. Students struggle along learning the five Heian Katas and Tekki Shodan for several years. They slowly get better, but are rarely content with their skill. Finally, they pass to their Brown Belts and get beyond the Heian/Tekki grind. Universally, they report a significant improvement in their ability at doing the Heians and Tekki almost immediately.
Soon they not only do those Katas better, but are able to teach them to others.
A similar thing happens at Black Belt.
I think I'm about to experience the same phenomenon in Jiu-Jitsu. I've been plodding along trying to gain tiny improvements in my technique.
As I complete each section of my test, I find I somehow relax about it and am able to perform it better than before. I can also see the mistakes others are making in those same movements.
I can't claim to understand why this happens, but I am quite convinced that it does.
Not that it works that way in Math or French after an exam.....
By logic, they should. If one trains in something for a while, you'd think that every week along the way the improvement would be steady.
It never is.
Take Karate. Students struggle along learning the five Heian Katas and Tekki Shodan for several years. They slowly get better, but are rarely content with their skill. Finally, they pass to their Brown Belts and get beyond the Heian/Tekki grind. Universally, they report a significant improvement in their ability at doing the Heians and Tekki almost immediately.
Soon they not only do those Katas better, but are able to teach them to others.
A similar thing happens at Black Belt.
I think I'm about to experience the same phenomenon in Jiu-Jitsu. I've been plodding along trying to gain tiny improvements in my technique.
As I complete each section of my test, I find I somehow relax about it and am able to perform it better than before. I can also see the mistakes others are making in those same movements.
I can't claim to understand why this happens, but I am quite convinced that it does.
Not that it works that way in Math or French after an exam.....
Thursday 17 May 2012
Rewards
Jump for that reward. Society does it all the time.
In school; earn the marks, pass the year, and change grades. Of course, there is learning in there, too, but sometimes it's hard to see.
At work; get that promotion, gain seniority, get a raise, and earn a pension. All very similar a dolphin jumping for a fish.
Martial arts does it better than most. They provide great motivation and yet the visible rewards really have no value at all.
Most have a coloured-belt system. Students train hard, and are tested. If successful, they get to wear a new colour tied around their waist.
It can be funny how effective this is. In Gracie Jiu-Jitsu new people wear a White Belt. As they progress through their training, cute little black stripes are awarded every so often. When a student has reached that point, a tiny ceremony happens after class where their stripe is awarded. The student universally has a big, goofy smile on their face. The funny thing is that the stripe only means that they have attended another 20 lessons. There is no test or anything, and they might well have learned nothing at all. Attend and get stripes and be proud.
I have been ploughing through my White Belt training as quickly as I can. My goal is the first actual test, which earns the student a spiffy Blue Belt.
As a long-time hoop jumper I fully recognize the dangers of motivation for external rewards like belts. I have been training like a lunatic in order to get a Blue Belt not for the belt itself. Reaching that level gains the student access to advanced training. I am after the advanced training, not the belt. Clearly I am beyond all that silly reward chasing.
And I really want that belt.
In school; earn the marks, pass the year, and change grades. Of course, there is learning in there, too, but sometimes it's hard to see.
At work; get that promotion, gain seniority, get a raise, and earn a pension. All very similar a dolphin jumping for a fish.
Martial arts does it better than most. They provide great motivation and yet the visible rewards really have no value at all.
Most have a coloured-belt system. Students train hard, and are tested. If successful, they get to wear a new colour tied around their waist.
It can be funny how effective this is. In Gracie Jiu-Jitsu new people wear a White Belt. As they progress through their training, cute little black stripes are awarded every so often. When a student has reached that point, a tiny ceremony happens after class where their stripe is awarded. The student universally has a big, goofy smile on their face. The funny thing is that the stripe only means that they have attended another 20 lessons. There is no test or anything, and they might well have learned nothing at all. Attend and get stripes and be proud.
I have been ploughing through my White Belt training as quickly as I can. My goal is the first actual test, which earns the student a spiffy Blue Belt.
As a long-time hoop jumper I fully recognize the dangers of motivation for external rewards like belts. I have been training like a lunatic in order to get a Blue Belt not for the belt itself. Reaching that level gains the student access to advanced training. I am after the advanced training, not the belt. Clearly I am beyond all that silly reward chasing.
And I really want that belt.
Sunday 13 May 2012
Whatcha call 'em
When you start a new physical activity, what do you call the instructor? I'm talking about North American English here.
Sometimes they get called Coach, but just as often they go by their first name.
In martial arts, this normally doesn't happen. The big-name martial arts all come from cultures where instructors are given a much more formal level of respect.
An example would be the term Sifu. This is a word used in some Chinese Martial Arts groups. It translates somewhere between teacher and master. It has never really caught on in North America in a big way.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is big right now, and some use the term Professor for their instructors. This doesn't work well in a North American context. The Portuguese version of the title means any type of teacher at high school level or above. A better translation into North American terms would be Teacher. Professor is reserved for University instructors only. When used by martial artists it sounds as if they are claiming an expertise they do not hold. Regardless of skill, they are not University instructors.
Many Korean martial arts are big in North America. Unfortunately, the English term they use for their instructors is often Master. While some English private schools use the term for teachers, there is no equivalent in North America. In my entire life, I've never run upon anybody in any other context who would expect to be called Master. Korean arts first arrived here in the 1950s. At that time there were still Americans who had been born into slavery. Master in a North American context has a very negative connotation. Master is normally paired with Slave, not with Student.
The most successful term transferral came with Japanese martial arts. Their term for instructors is Sensei. This has been adopted into the English language. In Japan, it is the title given to school teachers, and teachers in general. Culturally, it implies a great deal of respect. A teacher can be addressed as Sensei, and have it mean nothing more than teacher if the North American student so desires. It can also carry a great deal of respect. Most students accept this, too. It carries no negative or inaccurate connotations that the terms Master or Professor can.
It's a matter of honorific.
Sometimes they get called Coach, but just as often they go by their first name.
In martial arts, this normally doesn't happen. The big-name martial arts all come from cultures where instructors are given a much more formal level of respect.
An example would be the term Sifu. This is a word used in some Chinese Martial Arts groups. It translates somewhere between teacher and master. It has never really caught on in North America in a big way.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is big right now, and some use the term Professor for their instructors. This doesn't work well in a North American context. The Portuguese version of the title means any type of teacher at high school level or above. A better translation into North American terms would be Teacher. Professor is reserved for University instructors only. When used by martial artists it sounds as if they are claiming an expertise they do not hold. Regardless of skill, they are not University instructors.
Many Korean martial arts are big in North America. Unfortunately, the English term they use for their instructors is often Master. While some English private schools use the term for teachers, there is no equivalent in North America. In my entire life, I've never run upon anybody in any other context who would expect to be called Master. Korean arts first arrived here in the 1950s. At that time there were still Americans who had been born into slavery. Master in a North American context has a very negative connotation. Master is normally paired with Slave, not with Student.
The most successful term transferral came with Japanese martial arts. Their term for instructors is Sensei. This has been adopted into the English language. In Japan, it is the title given to school teachers, and teachers in general. Culturally, it implies a great deal of respect. A teacher can be addressed as Sensei, and have it mean nothing more than teacher if the North American student so desires. It can also carry a great deal of respect. Most students accept this, too. It carries no negative or inaccurate connotations that the terms Master or Professor can.
It's a matter of honorific.
Brave Combat injury
Stupid leg. I went off running today. About one kilometre in there was a discomfort in my left Achilles tendon. By the time another klick was done, so was I.
The rest to the run was aborted, and I limped home.
It’s a few hours later, and the bloody thing has stiffened up considerably.
So my leg is bummed up, and there is no real reason. No twist, or stumble, or pull. Just my leg deciding it wanted a saucy limp.
If it remains this stiff tomorrow, I won’t be biking to work either.
My priority, after avoiding serious injury, is to be able to continue with my Jiu-Jitsu and Karate.
Karate is easy. As the instructor I need not do anything with that leg other than hobble about.
Jiu-Jitsu does not require much mileage, but a certain suppleness is a must. Play that game with the wrong injury and real damage can occur.
I think I’ll be wearing a few turns of duct tape for the next few days. It works as well as sports tape, and stays in place better.
The rest to the run was aborted, and I limped home.
It’s a few hours later, and the bloody thing has stiffened up considerably.
So my leg is bummed up, and there is no real reason. No twist, or stumble, or pull. Just my leg deciding it wanted a saucy limp.
If it remains this stiff tomorrow, I won’t be biking to work either.
My priority, after avoiding serious injury, is to be able to continue with my Jiu-Jitsu and Karate.
Karate is easy. As the instructor I need not do anything with that leg other than hobble about.
Jiu-Jitsu does not require much mileage, but a certain suppleness is a must. Play that game with the wrong injury and real damage can occur.
I think I’ll be wearing a few turns of duct tape for the next few days. It works as well as sports tape, and stays in place better.
Saturday 12 May 2012
I love Saturday...
Saturday training is my favourite of the week.
During my first 8 years in Shotokan up North the classes were two hours long, ending at noon. We'd often go for lunch or coffee afterwards.
After moving south, my new club didn't have any weekend classes. Once a month I'd go train at Champlain Heights in Vancouver on good, old Saturdays. That went on for a big part of a decade.
When a club started here, we had Saturday training for a while. It never really caught on, and was cut for financial reasons.
Now I have a new Karate class, and teach a class in the latter part of Saturday afternoon. It's nice to be punching and kicking regularly on the weekend again.
Even more than our new Saturday Karate class, I enjoy having Jiu-Jitsu Saturday morning. The class is only an hour long, and is done by 10am. The day is barely dented. It's like time magically created from nothing. When I get my Blue Belt, I'll be able to stay for a second, advanced hour.
It's funny who manages to get themselves to the Saturday class. It is for the advanced White Belts. There are about ten of us permitted to attend. I am almost always there. Dan makes about half of the classes, and Cody a bit less than that. A couple of other folks have been there once or twice, and the rest have never been.
They're nuts.
During my first 8 years in Shotokan up North the classes were two hours long, ending at noon. We'd often go for lunch or coffee afterwards.
After moving south, my new club didn't have any weekend classes. Once a month I'd go train at Champlain Heights in Vancouver on good, old Saturdays. That went on for a big part of a decade.
When a club started here, we had Saturday training for a while. It never really caught on, and was cut for financial reasons.
Now I have a new Karate class, and teach a class in the latter part of Saturday afternoon. It's nice to be punching and kicking regularly on the weekend again.
Even more than our new Saturday Karate class, I enjoy having Jiu-Jitsu Saturday morning. The class is only an hour long, and is done by 10am. The day is barely dented. It's like time magically created from nothing. When I get my Blue Belt, I'll be able to stay for a second, advanced hour.
It's funny who manages to get themselves to the Saturday class. It is for the advanced White Belts. There are about ten of us permitted to attend. I am almost always there. Dan makes about half of the classes, and Cody a bit less than that. A couple of other folks have been there once or twice, and the rest have never been.
They're nuts.
Friday 11 May 2012
Stupid Delay
I am close to the end of my Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt exam, but things might be stalled. At the Saturday classes, we go over one of the sections of the test, and then do the actual test with recording. The instructor is usually there to supervise the review, and to supervise the actual test.
For the next two weekends, not only won't the instructor be present but there will be no classes at all. He said it would be OK if we did the testing after evening classes.
My additional problem is that I cannot attend the Saturday after that. Not only a two-week delay, but for me it's three.
The problem with this is that we wouldn't get the wonderful test technique review as we get on a typical Saturday.
To pull this off, I'll have to review the material at home until I cannot possibly do it wrong. This will be tricky as I have no training partner to work with. It would be all mental review.
During evening training I could kidnap a partner and work test technique when the others are practising that evening's material. This would add up to a physical run-through or two before I'd have to do it before the camera.
Wait three weeks, or take a harder road? I want the test finished, so I shall press forward.
If the effort fails, I'll still be readier when I attend a normal Saturday class. Might be done the rest of my test by mid-June.
If I partially succeed and complete one of the two sections I have to complete, I shall consider it a bonus. I could be finished the rest by the first week of June.
If I manage to complete both final sections I shall be victorious. Being done before the end of May would be wonderful.
For the next two weekends, not only won't the instructor be present but there will be no classes at all. He said it would be OK if we did the testing after evening classes.
My additional problem is that I cannot attend the Saturday after that. Not only a two-week delay, but for me it's three.
The problem with this is that we wouldn't get the wonderful test technique review as we get on a typical Saturday.
To pull this off, I'll have to review the material at home until I cannot possibly do it wrong. This will be tricky as I have no training partner to work with. It would be all mental review.
During evening training I could kidnap a partner and work test technique when the others are practising that evening's material. This would add up to a physical run-through or two before I'd have to do it before the camera.
Wait three weeks, or take a harder road? I want the test finished, so I shall press forward.
If the effort fails, I'll still be readier when I attend a normal Saturday class. Might be done the rest of my test by mid-June.
If I partially succeed and complete one of the two sections I have to complete, I shall consider it a bonus. I could be finished the rest by the first week of June.
If I manage to complete both final sections I shall be victorious. Being done before the end of May would be wonderful.
Thursday 10 May 2012
Done tonight....
On the old, White Belt record card there are three types of checks to keep track of.
I finished off the first category a long time ago. There are 80 spots. Mine are all filled in. If more were counted I'd be at about a hundred.
There are only 12 slots for the reflex development classes. Mine are all full, and have been so for several weeks.
In the last group, there are 69 checkboxes. This is the only category I have not completed. I have one last box to check off.
Tonight I will finish the last box in my last category.
My card will be done. I will no longer have to collect my card each class and hand it in. I will be carefree; a hippy; a forest spirit.
A small milestone passed.
I finished off the first category a long time ago. There are 80 spots. Mine are all filled in. If more were counted I'd be at about a hundred.
There are only 12 slots for the reflex development classes. Mine are all full, and have been so for several weeks.
In the last group, there are 69 checkboxes. This is the only category I have not completed. I have one last box to check off.
Tonight I will finish the last box in my last category.
My card will be done. I will no longer have to collect my card each class and hand it in. I will be carefree; a hippy; a forest spirit.
A small milestone passed.
Wednesday 9 May 2012
Worthwhile
I have been pushing to advance quickly in Jiu-Jitsu, and have been wondering if it made any real difference. So I figured it out.
Got to the Saturday classes three weeks earlier than otherwise. I started testing in the middle of April. If I hadn't done all the extra training, I would not have started my exams yet.
In fact, wouldn't be starting my testing until about the middle of June.
As it is, I'll be finished quite soon, instead of being unable to complete the exam before the start of Summer. I shut down in Summer.
This means that in the fall I will start attending the advanced classes. If I were unable to complete my exam, September would be spent trying to wear off my Summer rust just to start my test. Maybe I'd be done before Christmas.
Let's say "Slow me", is able by Christmas to start being a Blue Belt while "Fast me" will have been one for months already.
Those are months that will be invested in learning more advanced technique. The difference in level will get greater with time even though I've already stopped accelerated training.
It turns out it was even a better idea than I thought.
Got to the Saturday classes three weeks earlier than otherwise. I started testing in the middle of April. If I hadn't done all the extra training, I would not have started my exams yet.
In fact, wouldn't be starting my testing until about the middle of June.
As it is, I'll be finished quite soon, instead of being unable to complete the exam before the start of Summer. I shut down in Summer.
This means that in the fall I will start attending the advanced classes. If I were unable to complete my exam, September would be spent trying to wear off my Summer rust just to start my test. Maybe I'd be done before Christmas.
Let's say "Slow me", is able by Christmas to start being a Blue Belt while "Fast me" will have been one for months already.
Those are months that will be invested in learning more advanced technique. The difference in level will get greater with time even though I've already stopped accelerated training.
It turns out it was even a better idea than I thought.
Timeline
I was hoping to finish the last drill section of my test this Saturday, which would have left just the sparring section to complete.
No such luck. The instructor is doing the kids class testing in the hall this Saturday, and will be away the one after. The one after that, I will miss due to a big Karate seminar.
So what? No testing for three weeks will put the last two parts of my exam off until June 2nd and 9th. That's starting to cut it a little close to July for my taste. Do-overs, or injury, or the flu could screw it up royally.
It might be possible to do some of the taping in the evenings. This happened last night. Two of us had to re-do parts. As there were going to be no Blue Belts training at the advanced class we got to use that time for our test stuff. It was sweet. This could happen again.
When it is all done, and uploaded to HQ I want to get a copy of my test to watch. I don't want to see before it's all done. Part of doing well is confidence and seeing oneself can be unnerving. I'll watch it all later.
No such luck. The instructor is doing the kids class testing in the hall this Saturday, and will be away the one after. The one after that, I will miss due to a big Karate seminar.
So what? No testing for three weeks will put the last two parts of my exam off until June 2nd and 9th. That's starting to cut it a little close to July for my taste. Do-overs, or injury, or the flu could screw it up royally.
It might be possible to do some of the taping in the evenings. This happened last night. Two of us had to re-do parts. As there were going to be no Blue Belts training at the advanced class we got to use that time for our test stuff. It was sweet. This could happen again.
When it is all done, and uploaded to HQ I want to get a copy of my test to watch. I don't want to see before it's all done. Part of doing well is confidence and seeing oneself can be unnerving. I'll watch it all later.
Monday 7 May 2012
Why?
So why learn martial arts?
The usual answers are;
for self-defense
for exercise
for discipline
Let’s see. Self-defense? I started in Karate in 1982. Since then I’ve spent about thousands of hours practicing, and been in exactly zero fights.
In fact, I’ve been punched, kicked and choked many times, but all during practice. In spending a considerable amount of time learning to fight, I’ve managed to get smacked around a fair amount, and yet have done so preparing for a fight that has never happened.
Exercise? As I understand it, exercise is supposed to make you healthy. I guess one acquires general fitness, but there are much more pleasant routes than martial arts. Yoga seems lovely, or how about going for a dip in a pool. I run, and get a better workout from that than I get from kicking and punching.
One should also deduct all the injuries that happen along the route. I can’t imagine getting a cracked rib from Yoga, or repeatedly busted toes from swimming. Never gotten a black eye from swimming either.
I guess martial arts are really about discipline. Really? Does it mean the army kind, where you line up straight and some guy yells at you? This does happen, but I don’t see a lot of value in it, and I was in the army.
Maybe it means self-discipline. The discipline to get yourself to training, and to practice with full effort and concentration. I guess, but don’t you have to get to other activities on time? If I started going to music lessons, and managed to get myself there and did sufficient practice I would be demonstrating self-discipline much more than I show at Karate.
So why do we go to the Dojo, and train hard to achieve and perfect combat skills we’ll never use, even at the cost of occasional injury.
Because martial arts are cool, of course.
The usual answers are;
for self-defense
for exercise
for discipline
Let’s see. Self-defense? I started in Karate in 1982. Since then I’ve spent about thousands of hours practicing, and been in exactly zero fights.
In fact, I’ve been punched, kicked and choked many times, but all during practice. In spending a considerable amount of time learning to fight, I’ve managed to get smacked around a fair amount, and yet have done so preparing for a fight that has never happened.
Exercise? As I understand it, exercise is supposed to make you healthy. I guess one acquires general fitness, but there are much more pleasant routes than martial arts. Yoga seems lovely, or how about going for a dip in a pool. I run, and get a better workout from that than I get from kicking and punching.
One should also deduct all the injuries that happen along the route. I can’t imagine getting a cracked rib from Yoga, or repeatedly busted toes from swimming. Never gotten a black eye from swimming either.
I guess martial arts are really about discipline. Really? Does it mean the army kind, where you line up straight and some guy yells at you? This does happen, but I don’t see a lot of value in it, and I was in the army.
Maybe it means self-discipline. The discipline to get yourself to training, and to practice with full effort and concentration. I guess, but don’t you have to get to other activities on time? If I started going to music lessons, and managed to get myself there and did sufficient practice I would be demonstrating self-discipline much more than I show at Karate.
So why do we go to the Dojo, and train hard to achieve and perfect combat skills we’ll never use, even at the cost of occasional injury.
Because martial arts are cool, of course.
Sunday 6 May 2012
Make it work
Retired people are supposed to be gardeners. I really, really hate gardening.
No worries. Some retired people are golfers. This I don't actively hate, but it holds no appeal. The expense alone leaves me cold.
This isn't really fair. I don't mind spending on things I like, but expensive things I dislike confuse me.
Some retired people get RVs and head for Palm Springs. My parents did that. They went there year after year, and purchased a holiday home. While it does have an appeal, they never went anywhere else. Travel shouldn't always be to the same place.
My plan is to travel to many places, and to substitute martial arts for Golf and gardening.
It could work.
No worries. Some retired people are golfers. This I don't actively hate, but it holds no appeal. The expense alone leaves me cold.
This isn't really fair. I don't mind spending on things I like, but expensive things I dislike confuse me.
Some retired people get RVs and head for Palm Springs. My parents did that. They went there year after year, and purchased a holiday home. While it does have an appeal, they never went anywhere else. Travel shouldn't always be to the same place.
My plan is to travel to many places, and to substitute martial arts for Golf and gardening.
It could work.
Saturday 5 May 2012
Cafe?
In martial arts you hang around with a small group of like-minded souls. You work together and help each other. This goes on class after class, hour after hour, month after month.
It's funny how little you learn about one another in all that time. You learn if they are strong or fast, and who knows how to do which techniques. Nothing is learned about their background, or family, or their work.
This is fine, but very one-dimensional.
Once I'm one of the Blue Belts, I'm going to try and introduce the concept of "going for coffee," after the Saturday morning class.
The session ends at 11am, so there's time for maybe half an hour in a cafe without seriously denting the day.
It is nice to know the people one wrestles around with. Some won't be able to come, and some will choose not to, but some will.
It's the best way to make martial arts friends into real ones.
It's funny how little you learn about one another in all that time. You learn if they are strong or fast, and who knows how to do which techniques. Nothing is learned about their background, or family, or their work.
This is fine, but very one-dimensional.
Once I'm one of the Blue Belts, I'm going to try and introduce the concept of "going for coffee," after the Saturday morning class.
The session ends at 11am, so there's time for maybe half an hour in a cafe without seriously denting the day.
It is nice to know the people one wrestles around with. Some won't be able to come, and some will choose not to, but some will.
It's the best way to make martial arts friends into real ones.
More....
I like my Jiu-Jitsu Saturdays. Sometimes when we record people's test segments. On those days, we spend about half the time working on advanced drills.
On ordinary Saturdays, we spend all of the time on advanced drills.
The pace is much faster than during the evening classes. The assumption is that we already know the basics.
Saturday is by far my favourite training day of the week.
If I pass my test, I'll be allowed to attend three even more advanced classes per week. This is eagerly anticipated.
Currently our club has about half a dozen active Blue Belts. Some nights only half of them are present to train. Some nights it is too few for them to really accomplish much.
They could use a few more people, and I want to be one of the first to join them. There are three of us testing together, and a couple more who might qualify to start their tests by Summertime.
By Autumn, the number of active Blue Belts might have doubled.
On ordinary Saturdays, we spend all of the time on advanced drills.
The pace is much faster than during the evening classes. The assumption is that we already know the basics.
Saturday is by far my favourite training day of the week.
If I pass my test, I'll be allowed to attend three even more advanced classes per week. This is eagerly anticipated.
Currently our club has about half a dozen active Blue Belts. Some nights only half of them are present to train. Some nights it is too few for them to really accomplish much.
They could use a few more people, and I want to be one of the first to join them. There are three of us testing together, and a couple more who might qualify to start their tests by Summertime.
By Autumn, the number of active Blue Belts might have doubled.
Friday 4 May 2012
Shoes
I still don't know.
All my recent runs have been while wearing barefoot shoes. That's a very stupid name, but it's the only one that fits. They are foot-shaped, and each toe gets its own sleeve. The soles are only a millimetre or so thick. No support at all.
Wearing them, one can never use a heal-strike stride. It's all on the balls of the foot, or as I call it, tippy-toed.
Tonight I ran with regular running shoes on.
I could feel every difference between the two styles. My normal runners felt very heavy. I also was running about 10% faster. My stride went back to heal strike. Over the length of the run, I felt the effect the pounding had on my knees. I have flat feet, and they felt better after the normal-shoe running than they feel after tippy-toeing.
Tippy-toeing is also very hard on my calves. It must be good for them, strength-wise, but it hurts.
Bottom line, they are very different shoes for very different styles.
All my recent runs have been while wearing barefoot shoes. That's a very stupid name, but it's the only one that fits. They are foot-shaped, and each toe gets its own sleeve. The soles are only a millimetre or so thick. No support at all.
Wearing them, one can never use a heal-strike stride. It's all on the balls of the foot, or as I call it, tippy-toed.
Tonight I ran with regular running shoes on.
I could feel every difference between the two styles. My normal runners felt very heavy. I also was running about 10% faster. My stride went back to heal strike. Over the length of the run, I felt the effect the pounding had on my knees. I have flat feet, and they felt better after the normal-shoe running than they feel after tippy-toeing.
Tippy-toeing is also very hard on my calves. It must be good for them, strength-wise, but it hurts.
Bottom line, they are very different shoes for very different styles.
Do it
How can I possibly tape the hardest segment of my Blue Belt exam tomorrow? The instructor will not be there.
Of course, one or two of the Blue Belts will be there. They will do everything they can to help, but it just isn't the same.
Dan will be there, and he needs to do one of his earlier segments over. That will fill a chunk of our limited time.
What will I have to do to stand any chance?
I have to trust my training. I've been at this since September. Not having final advice and review will be mostly a psychological hit. My confidence has to stay up of its own accord.
I also need to review the test techniques at my leisure tonight. This doesn't mean slamming my wife around, but rather going over the list of material and watching the demonstration video. Doing this with full concentration is almost as valuable as real, in-person drill.
So I need to remain confident, trust in my training, and do final review at home. Any work we do tomorrow will be gravy.
The worst that might happen is that it isn't up to snuff. In this case, the instructor will call for a do-over once he's had a chance to review the recordings.
No problem.
Fear no defeat, and success is a bonus.
Of course, one or two of the Blue Belts will be there. They will do everything they can to help, but it just isn't the same.
Dan will be there, and he needs to do one of his earlier segments over. That will fill a chunk of our limited time.
What will I have to do to stand any chance?
I have to trust my training. I've been at this since September. Not having final advice and review will be mostly a psychological hit. My confidence has to stay up of its own accord.
I also need to review the test techniques at my leisure tonight. This doesn't mean slamming my wife around, but rather going over the list of material and watching the demonstration video. Doing this with full concentration is almost as valuable as real, in-person drill.
So I need to remain confident, trust in my training, and do final review at home. Any work we do tomorrow will be gravy.
The worst that might happen is that it isn't up to snuff. In this case, the instructor will call for a do-over once he's had a chance to review the recordings.
No problem.
Fear no defeat, and success is a bonus.
Stripes
Suppose you came to train at our Jiu-Jitsu class.
You'd see a bunch of people wearing similar white outfits. Maybe you'd notice that a few of the class members are wearing Blue Belts instead of White. You assume that these denote higher rank.
The class starts, and the instructor is also wearing a Blue Belt. You assume that a Blue Belt is a big deal.
Class continues, and one of the Blue Belts is assigned to you to explain the basics. Soon, you are rolling around with the other White Belts. You notice that some of them have black stripes on their belts. Some have more than one.
You assume this also denotes rank. You start looking closely at the instructor's belt, trying to see any difference between it and those of the other Blue Belts. It is exactly the same.
It would be just a tad more elegant if the instructor were somehow off higher rank than his highest students.
I have been a Karate instructor for a very long time, and ran a major club while wearing only a Brown Belt. I got by, but people expect clubs to be taught by Black Belts. If not a Black Belt, then at least somebody higher than the students.
In our Jiu-Jitsu class this has just changed. The most senior of the Blues have been working towards completion of their first stripe curriculum and exam.
The first to receive the new rank is our instructor. He is now qualified to wear a Blue Belt with a single, proud stripe on it.
He is also a certified instructor. As such, he would be qualified to wear a slightly different instructor's stripe once he has produced a certain number of Blue Belts. He has also recently achieved this.
Soon, several others of the Blues will earn their first stripes, too, but the instructor will have two on his belt.
Somehow it just will look better and more structured. Nothing real will have changed, but symbols can be important.
You'd see a bunch of people wearing similar white outfits. Maybe you'd notice that a few of the class members are wearing Blue Belts instead of White. You assume that these denote higher rank.
The class starts, and the instructor is also wearing a Blue Belt. You assume that a Blue Belt is a big deal.
Class continues, and one of the Blue Belts is assigned to you to explain the basics. Soon, you are rolling around with the other White Belts. You notice that some of them have black stripes on their belts. Some have more than one.
You assume this also denotes rank. You start looking closely at the instructor's belt, trying to see any difference between it and those of the other Blue Belts. It is exactly the same.
It would be just a tad more elegant if the instructor were somehow off higher rank than his highest students.
I have been a Karate instructor for a very long time, and ran a major club while wearing only a Brown Belt. I got by, but people expect clubs to be taught by Black Belts. If not a Black Belt, then at least somebody higher than the students.
In our Jiu-Jitsu class this has just changed. The most senior of the Blues have been working towards completion of their first stripe curriculum and exam.
The first to receive the new rank is our instructor. He is now qualified to wear a Blue Belt with a single, proud stripe on it.
He is also a certified instructor. As such, he would be qualified to wear a slightly different instructor's stripe once he has produced a certain number of Blue Belts. He has also recently achieved this.
Soon, several others of the Blues will earn their first stripes, too, but the instructor will have two on his belt.
Somehow it just will look better and more structured. Nothing real will have changed, but symbols can be important.
Thursday 3 May 2012
May+June
I need to complete three more sections of the test. Might be able to do one per Saturday class.
So maybe May 5th, May 12th and May 19th.
There is a problem. The instructor can't be there on May 5th or May 19th. Other people will take us through practise run throughs, and then help us record the exams but it isn't the same.
Let's assume we don't complete anything successfully without the boss. That changes my dates to May 12th, May 26th and June 2nd.
No big deal, except I can't be there May 26th. That extends my testing to June 9th.
I'd really like to finish before that, but will live if I don't. I would still have three Saturdays left before my summer vacation kicks in and my training effectively goes into hibernation.
I am glad I've been training as hard as I have. I started testing only seven months after beginning my training. That is likely a club record.
Of course, failing will throw my timetable all wonky.
So maybe May 5th, May 12th and May 19th.
There is a problem. The instructor can't be there on May 5th or May 19th. Other people will take us through practise run throughs, and then help us record the exams but it isn't the same.
Let's assume we don't complete anything successfully without the boss. That changes my dates to May 12th, May 26th and June 2nd.
No big deal, except I can't be there May 26th. That extends my testing to June 9th.
I'd really like to finish before that, but will live if I don't. I would still have three Saturdays left before my summer vacation kicks in and my training effectively goes into hibernation.
I am glad I've been training as hard as I have. I started testing only seven months after beginning my training. That is likely a club record.
Of course, failing will throw my timetable all wonky.
Wednesday 2 May 2012
Three Days
This Friday is one of those teacher days. The kids stay home, and we go to class. It is going to be one controlled by the school district.
When this happens, all the teachers end up meeting at one of our two high schools.
If it's held in the other school, I can't ride my bike and there is a half-hour drive each way. Thank goodness it's at my school this time.
My fitness calendar for the rest of the week is pretty sweet.
I bike to work tomorrow, and in the evening go to Jiu-Jitsu. Up bright and early for the teacher day, and I get to ride again. That evening I run.
Saturday morning it's Jiu-Jitsu, and in the later afternoon it's Karate. In between I'll run again.
In those 3 days I get two bike rides back-and-forth to town, about 15km of running, a Karate class, and two Jiu-Jitsu classes.
...and I bet there is a sushi meal in there someplace.
When this happens, all the teachers end up meeting at one of our two high schools.
If it's held in the other school, I can't ride my bike and there is a half-hour drive each way. Thank goodness it's at my school this time.
My fitness calendar for the rest of the week is pretty sweet.
I bike to work tomorrow, and in the evening go to Jiu-Jitsu. Up bright and early for the teacher day, and I get to ride again. That evening I run.
Saturday morning it's Jiu-Jitsu, and in the later afternoon it's Karate. In between I'll run again.
In those 3 days I get two bike rides back-and-forth to town, about 15km of running, a Karate class, and two Jiu-Jitsu classes.
...and I bet there is a sushi meal in there someplace.
Racing me
So far in 2012, I've ridden 720 bike kilometres and run 116.
That might seem a lot, but last year at the same time I'd completed 908 on wheels and 258 on foot.
There are several reasons I'm so far behind. One is that this year I have a car, and am able to choose not to ride to work sometimes.
Another is that last year my only other physical activity was two Karate classes a week. This year I'm going to five martial arts sessions each week. Two of these are on Saturday, which used to be my top running day.
So I have reasons I am doing less, but it still sticks in my craw. I'd like to be at least closer.
As my records are by week, I actually have until bedtime Saturday to catch up a little. No car to work for me. That should add a few kms to the total. I will also squeeze a run into Saturday.
What else can I do? There are no martial arts tonight or Friday. I will run on both of these days as well.
So I'll sneak up a bit on the 2011 version of me.
To actually catch up, I'll have to up the pace week after week.
Don't know if I can do that.
That might seem a lot, but last year at the same time I'd completed 908 on wheels and 258 on foot.
There are several reasons I'm so far behind. One is that this year I have a car, and am able to choose not to ride to work sometimes.
Another is that last year my only other physical activity was two Karate classes a week. This year I'm going to five martial arts sessions each week. Two of these are on Saturday, which used to be my top running day.
So I have reasons I am doing less, but it still sticks in my craw. I'd like to be at least closer.
As my records are by week, I actually have until bedtime Saturday to catch up a little. No car to work for me. That should add a few kms to the total. I will also squeeze a run into Saturday.
What else can I do? There are no martial arts tonight or Friday. I will run on both of these days as well.
So I'll sneak up a bit on the 2011 version of me.
To actually catch up, I'll have to up the pace week after week.
Don't know if I can do that.
Tuesday 1 May 2012
Slogging
It turns out I didn't do well enough on the test segment I recorded on Saturday. It needed to be redone.
Not a problem. The instructor just said that during all the practises tonight I should not do the class's technique. I was supposed to grab a Blue Belt and go over the test sequence instead.
This way I went through the test sequence about four or five times.
Right after class, we did the video over. It felt really good. I bet it's a keeper.
The hard test parts are yet to come. Unfortunately, the instructor will be away again this Saturday. We'll try hard, and record a test sequence anyhow, but it will be much harder without him.
If that works out then the end will almost be in sight.
Not a problem. The instructor just said that during all the practises tonight I should not do the class's technique. I was supposed to grab a Blue Belt and go over the test sequence instead.
This way I went through the test sequence about four or five times.
Right after class, we did the video over. It felt really good. I bet it's a keeper.
The hard test parts are yet to come. Unfortunately, the instructor will be away again this Saturday. We'll try hard, and record a test sequence anyhow, but it will be much harder without him.
If that works out then the end will almost be in sight.
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