When I was a Karate student, long, long ago, I attended every class I could.
When I became an instructor, my presence was always required.
Of course, people have lives and often cannot attend every class. Other than that, or injury or illness why would one miss a session?
Our current club had a Saturday class for a while, but it folded due to lousy attendance. We don't get most people there in the evenings, either.
At Jiu-Jitsu, I keep seeing members that I've never seen before, and I've been there over a month. There are some regulars, but also many who are there half of the time or less.
I just don't get it. People always say they love their martial arts classes and yet many are irregular.
Maybe I'm just obsessive.
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.
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Foots
Just finished martial arts 5 days in a row. Now I get a couple to recover before any more training.
Darn tired and some stiff muscles, but nothing worse than that.
The only exception is my feet. Anytime there is intense training, my stupid toes get hurt.
They get caught on mats, bent the wrong way, it's always something. I think it's related to age. They don't bend as well or as far, and get repeatedly hurt. In the last year there have been quite a few breaks. The nails are starting to get weird.
If that's the worst thing, then I'm lucky.
It just isn't tough. "Man, you should have been there. The training was so intense I hurt my toe."
Nasty stubbings are just not what you think of when you think of unarmed combat.
Darn tired and some stiff muscles, but nothing worse than that.
The only exception is my feet. Anytime there is intense training, my stupid toes get hurt.
They get caught on mats, bent the wrong way, it's always something. I think it's related to age. They don't bend as well or as far, and get repeatedly hurt. In the last year there have been quite a few breaks. The nails are starting to get weird.
If that's the worst thing, then I'm lucky.
It just isn't tough. "Man, you should have been there. The training was so intense I hurt my toe."
Nasty stubbings are just not what you think of when you think of unarmed combat.
Friday, 28 October 2011
How old?
In the last 3 days I've been to 3 Jiu-Jitsu lessons. My 55 year old body is feeling it some.
Last night did me in. The groundwork was particularly grinding. I've got some lovely stiff muscles. My neck feels fine, but is making crackling noises.
I came down the stairs this morning like a man twice my age.
No problem. Jiu-Jitsu now has a four day break.
However, tonight I'm off to a two-day Karate seminar.
By Sunday my walk should be more like a 10,000 year old man.
Last night did me in. The groundwork was particularly grinding. I've got some lovely stiff muscles. My neck feels fine, but is making crackling noises.
I came down the stairs this morning like a man twice my age.
No problem. Jiu-Jitsu now has a four day break.
However, tonight I'm off to a two-day Karate seminar.
By Sunday my walk should be more like a 10,000 year old man.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Private
Tonight was different. I've been kicking and punching and such for 3 decades, and tonight was my very first private lesson. I've given a few, but never received one.
Just me and an instructor, rolling around on the mat. No off time. No breathers.
The teaching was first rate, and the practise drills most useful. I could also ask lots of questions, which doesn't really work in a group setting.
I'll be doing this again, maybe every two weeks for a while.
I don't really have a long-term goal in Jiu-Jitsu, other than to go as far as I can. Short term, I want to get a Blue Belt, which is the lowest non-White rank. Upon reaching Blue, a student has access to twice as many classes each week.
I don't really covet the Blue Belt itself. I was a Blue Belt already, back about 1984 or so. Been there done that.
A Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt would be cool, but they are notorious for taking about a decade to achieve.
We'll see.
Just me and an instructor, rolling around on the mat. No off time. No breathers.
The teaching was first rate, and the practise drills most useful. I could also ask lots of questions, which doesn't really work in a group setting.
I'll be doing this again, maybe every two weeks for a while.
I don't really have a long-term goal in Jiu-Jitsu, other than to go as far as I can. Short term, I want to get a Blue Belt, which is the lowest non-White rank. Upon reaching Blue, a student has access to twice as many classes each week.
I don't really covet the Blue Belt itself. I was a Blue Belt already, back about 1984 or so. Been there done that.
A Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt would be cool, but they are notorious for taking about a decade to achieve.
We'll see.
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Week
This week I'm going to be busy.
Tonight it starts with Jiu-Jitsu.
Tomorrow, a private Jiu-Jitsu lesson. That might be intense.
Thursday for a change it's Jiu-Jitsu. If I am not dead tired afterwards, I'm going to train with the Roberts Creek Karate Club on the way home.
Friday, it's off to Chilliwack for an advanced Karate Class. Won't finish until the ferries are done for the night, so Helen and I will be staying over.
Saturday another class in Chilliwack. This time it's for all levels.
Sunday I don't think I'm going to leave my comfy chair.
Tonight it starts with Jiu-Jitsu.
Tomorrow, a private Jiu-Jitsu lesson. That might be intense.
Thursday for a change it's Jiu-Jitsu. If I am not dead tired afterwards, I'm going to train with the Roberts Creek Karate Club on the way home.
Friday, it's off to Chilliwack for an advanced Karate Class. Won't finish until the ferries are done for the night, so Helen and I will be staying over.
Saturday another class in Chilliwack. This time it's for all levels.
Sunday I don't think I'm going to leave my comfy chair.
Monday, 24 October 2011
Two
So Gracie Jiu-Jitsu came from Judo. How does it differ?
Judo’s big focus is in throws. Tons and tons of throws. To handle being thrown so much, students spend many hours practising how to fall. There are also arm bars, chokes, and groundwork, but the trademark is throws.
Jiu-Jitsu does not emphasize throw or falls. They put people down with non-throw takedowns. They also don’t practise taking falls.
Pretty much in Jiu-Jitsu, you want your opponent to go down and to go right along with him. You will try and go down on top, but are happy enough being underneath.
Judo is a martial art that is also a sport. The biggest score is to throw an opponent onto his back. The biggest thing a Judo person wants to prevent is being thrown onto their back.
They are different.
I am learning Jiu-Jitsu. This summer we’ll probably be in Victoria visiting family for the better part of two months. Victoria has an outstanding Judo club. I intend training there three times a week.
They are different, but both are fabulous.
And they use the same outfit.
Judo’s big focus is in throws. Tons and tons of throws. To handle being thrown so much, students spend many hours practising how to fall. There are also arm bars, chokes, and groundwork, but the trademark is throws.
Jiu-Jitsu does not emphasize throw or falls. They put people down with non-throw takedowns. They also don’t practise taking falls.
Pretty much in Jiu-Jitsu, you want your opponent to go down and to go right along with him. You will try and go down on top, but are happy enough being underneath.
Judo is a martial art that is also a sport. The biggest score is to throw an opponent onto his back. The biggest thing a Judo person wants to prevent is being thrown onto their back.
They are different.
I am learning Jiu-Jitsu. This summer we’ll probably be in Victoria visiting family for the better part of two months. Victoria has an outstanding Judo club. I intend training there three times a week.
They are different, but both are fabulous.
And they use the same outfit.
It's Judo
The big rage these days in martial arts is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I thought I knew where it came from, but I was very wrong.
The version that became the most famous is the one showcased in the early days of Ultimate Fighting. A guy named Royce Gracie dominated all the early UFC tournaments, defeating vastly larger opponents with apparent ease (they have since introduced weight categories).
The branch of the Gracie family that he is part of therefore got the most publicity. They have since trademarked their system with the name Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Their founder was Helio Gracie, who trained well into his 90s, and passed away two years ago.
Most people assume from the name, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, that it came from Japanese Jujitsu. It did sort of.
Helio Gracie learned his art from his older brother Carlos. Carlos's side of the family has its own style.
Carlos learned it from Mitsuyo Maeda, who moved to Brazil from Japan. Maeda did not teach Jujitsu. He trained at the Kodokan in Japan, which is the home school of Jigoro Kano. Kano taught Judo, which he derived from Jujitsu. In the early years Judo was often called Kano Jujitsu. When Maeda moved to Brazil, the Brazilians already knew of Judo by the name Jiu-Jitsu.
So what we have is Helio created his own Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, after learning from Carlos who also created a type of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Carlos learned from Maeda, who was a Judo man. Maeda learned it in Japan at Kano's school, who created Judo from Jujitsu.
It's all really very simple.
The version that became the most famous is the one showcased in the early days of Ultimate Fighting. A guy named Royce Gracie dominated all the early UFC tournaments, defeating vastly larger opponents with apparent ease (they have since introduced weight categories).
The branch of the Gracie family that he is part of therefore got the most publicity. They have since trademarked their system with the name Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Their founder was Helio Gracie, who trained well into his 90s, and passed away two years ago.
Most people assume from the name, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, that it came from Japanese Jujitsu. It did sort of.
Helio Gracie learned his art from his older brother Carlos. Carlos's side of the family has its own style.
Carlos learned it from Mitsuyo Maeda, who moved to Brazil from Japan. Maeda did not teach Jujitsu. He trained at the Kodokan in Japan, which is the home school of Jigoro Kano. Kano taught Judo, which he derived from Jujitsu. In the early years Judo was often called Kano Jujitsu. When Maeda moved to Brazil, the Brazilians already knew of Judo by the name Jiu-Jitsu.
So what we have is Helio created his own Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, after learning from Carlos who also created a type of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Carlos learned from Maeda, who was a Judo man. Maeda learned it in Japan at Kano's school, who created Judo from Jujitsu.
It's all really very simple.
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