24 Apr 2005

Just got back from SENI 05 - The UK's largest martial arts exhibition and trade show. It was the usual mix of martial arts stores, demonstrations, 'PR' girls and seminars. Top of the bill, in our eyes however, was the Gracie European Invitationals - arguably the top BJJ tournament in the UK.Our BJJ club entered five players - all were BJJ contest virgins, so there was no expectations and nothing to lose, spirits before the competition were high. Our boys on paper did well - two bronze medals and one who got through to the second round. The results however hid a slight sense of disappointment from the team, who all, apart from Brad, lost in their first round fight. Of course, me and the other travelling posse of club supporters did our best to convey the fact that they did marvellously well for their first ever tournament. For players who had not even trained in BJJ for a full year, to hang there against BJJ veterans who have been training for years, is a remarkable achievement. So my hats off to all at the RGDA-UK academy for putting in a valiant effort. Next year, we all agreed, things would be very different.

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Apart from the drama of watching your team mates battle it out on the mat. The whole event was very enjoyable and well organised. Yours truly did his best to take some snapshots before being unfairly chucked out the inner zone by the stewards. However, like a good pap, I managed to sneek back in for some action shots with the snazzy D70.
One thing I did not capture, was the appalling scene between one blue belt finalist and the referee. This chap clearly did not expect to lose and when he did, argued in the most heated manner possible over various technicalities that he disagreed on. Taking off his gi top and throwing it down, swearing, finger pointing - it was scenes not unlike the worst you see during a football match. All the way through his tirade of abuse, the ref remained calm and unswerving. It was a good thing that he did, for the ref was none other than Roger Brooking - one of the UK's most senior instructors and, with his rep, not someone to cross swords with.

Other notable matches included a very technical and surprisingly entertaining juniors division, and a small but competitive women's division. There were rumours that our owb instructor was to compete against a brown belt, but the tournament over-ran so the match was cancelled - shame as many of us wanted to see Eddie in action.

Elsewhere, in the exhibition, I saw very cool demos of capoiera, Muay thai (with the evergreen Master Sken), some bizarre Indian martial art dance thing, lots of hot PR girls (well they were nicer to look at than musclely blokes), aikido sparring (thought the two were incompatable) and Royce Gracie. All demonstrated to a very high standard. Well, so would you if you had to perform in front of thousands of, mostly, expert eyes.

Finally, a small note to the Gracie Barra club who all looked like they were devotees of the Millwall supporters club...COME ON THE TRAIN!!!!! You know who you are.
Roll on 2006.

Biting the BJJ tournament cherry

Just got back from SENI 05 - The UK's largest martial arts exhibition and trade show. It was the usual mix of martial arts stores, demon...

21 Apr 2005

Last night we were treated to a two and half hour seminar with our association head (AH) who is a 7th Dan. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the occasion and walked away with a real sense of pride.
It is not uncommon for all practitioners in their art to suffer an occasional dip in form, self-confidence or enthusiasm – it is all part of the learning process. The Meerkat is no stranger to these ‘lows.’ Seminars like the one last night do much to reinvigorate the senses and wake you up to the fact that the martial art you do is pretty damned fine. Everyone needs role models and people to look up to in their lives. When these people show you the amazing potential of the art – you cannot help but be enthused.
True to his word, our AH showed us lots of ground techniques – something he has been keen to promote since taking over the association. Some of it was familiar to me from a BJJ point of view, although with slight variations. There were still lots of techniques I have never encountered before, and I made sure to make a good mental note of them for use in BJJ class!
There were still plenty of 'Old Skool' techniques - still very effective, and painful! Plus one extremely weird trick that some poeple seem to have encountered before but I never have and it was a bit freaky!
Having chatted to the AH in private before. He mentioned he was keen to see more of other clubs and meet members in a more relaxed dojo environment, rather than simply being viewed as the serious looking sensei who barks commands during gradings. I understand his point entirely. At one point in the seminar, I asked a question about a technique and he replied that he didn’t know the answer! Well, if the AH is big enough to admit he didn’t know the answer to my question, then I am impressed. How many people have you met who would rather make up some gobbledy-gook than admit they don’t know the answer to your question (politicians aside). In the end, he did in fact have an answer to my query, which he worked out on an unsuspecting uke. There is a certain aura that surrounds someone of such high calibre, whatever their profession or art – but last night, we were given the chance to meet the more human side of our AH.

Keeping the faith

Last night we were treated to a two and half hour seminar with our association head (AH) who is a 7th Dan. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed t...

18 Apr 2005

Gosh, the Meerkat was blushing with flattery as I was contacted by a TV production company to take part in a new reality tv program. I was chosen to participate in the program as a martial arts instructor to a woman who was training to be a stunt person. Sadly, I declined their offer as I did not think I had what they were looking for. I did however pass them on to my other instructors in BJJ and JJ, it will be exciting to see if they take up the mantle and get themselves on TV!!! And besides, if I WAS on TV, my club mates would NEVER hear the end of it and I would be the most boring meerkat in the world. Still, maybe I should have accepted…

Remember my name....fame!

Gosh, the Meerkat was blushing with flattery as I was contacted by a TV production company to take part in a new reality tv program. I was c...
Went to kobudo training on Saturday and was shocked to learn that our tried and tested tonfa kata had new bits added to it. I was not the only one aghast at having to relearn this simplest of katas. It now has new fancy twirly bits added at the behest of our new association head and it was funny seeing seriously high graded instructors grapple with the twirly bits. The collective clang of dropping tonfa sticks was deafening. I must admit the fuss was really over nothing as after a short period, the new bits eventually came fairly easily to the Meerkats tiny paws. The other new katas I had to learn were not so straightforward and although I kept plugging away repeating the same damn moves, it just wasn’t sinking in. It just goes to show, no matter where you are in your status, the learning from scratch process never gets any easier. Perhaps this is a good thing to remember when one has to teach novices – something that seems effortless and easy to you, may not be so easy to a beginner and only through patience and perseverance will the student get to that level.It’s funny. I used to view weapons training in the same vein as groundfighting – something I had to do occasionally but generally disliked. Now, the more I do them, the better I get and the more I appreciate them. Ju-jitsu is more than just throws and locks and I am starting to see the bigger picture.

Twirly Bits

Went to kobudo training on Saturday and was shocked to learn that our tried and tested tonfa kata had new bits added to it. I was not the on...

 

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