On Yer Back - my BJJ workshop for trad jitsukas

Last night I had the privilege to teach some BJJ to my old pals at the NKJJK - a Japanese ju-jitsu club that I trained at for over ten years. The syllabus the club uses is great for self defence - analogous to the Gracie self defence series - but the system only has a small emphasis on the sportive side of grappling. So I hoped my workshop would showcase how ground-fighting can be seen as a multi-faceted thing of beauty.

byMeerkatsu

in seminar, traditional ju-jitsu

March 26, 2010

On Yer Back - my BJJ workshop for trad jitsukas

Last night I had the privilege to teach some BJJ to my old pals at the NKJJK - a Japanese ju-jitsu club that I trained at for over ten year...

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Simon Yeo seminar

Photo: Simon armbars Seymour, the ninjutsu way..ouch!

Last night I attended a ninjutsu seminar given by 12th dan Simon Yeo. Readers may recall that I interviewed Simon about his views on traditional martial arts and BJJ. You can read the interview at On The Mat here. So when the offer of training with Simon cropped up, I felt it was the honourable thing to at least see and learn a few tricks from the ninjutsu master.

byMeerkatsu

in seminar, traditional ju-jitsu

November 20, 2009

Simon Yeo seminar

Photo: Simon armbars Seymour, the ninjutsu way..ouch! Last night I attended a ninjutsu seminar given by 12th dan Simon Yeo. Readers may re...

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Sai balls

Well I finally hauled my lazy Meerkat ass down to the doctors who diagnosed a chest infection and put me on antibiotics. After 3 days of treatment I can’t say I feel any better but we’ll see. Anyway, no BJJ for me right now.
But I did manage to attend ko-budo (traditional weapons) training at the weekend. Five hours of twirling wooden and metal farming implements was actually very therapeutic and I found it to be the best one I have attended for years.

Key to my satisfaction was having a very good instructor and completing that darned Sai No3 kata. It is probably the longest kata ever. My official kata notes lists 78 separate moves in the kata, but it’s more than just the number of moves. It is the fact that at several points along the kata path, it deviates from the sequence and throws in a curveball – or maybe it should be the sai-ball? But now that I have it in my head, I reckon it is the coolest weapons kata ever. Yes, even cooler than any of our various katana (samurai sword) katas.

All this spare non-training time means I have the chance to hone my writing skills. I’m researching and interviewing various people in the BJJ community for a proper blog article – yes proper like, with commas and full stops and everything. I think the subject matter is interesting and hopefully you will too when you read it so watch this space.

byMeerkatsu

in traditional ju-jitsu, weapons

March 13, 2009

Sai balls

Well I finally hauled my lazy Meerkat ass down to the doctors who diagnosed a chest infection and put me on antibiotics. After 3 days of tr...

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Ebony & Ivory

In today's blog, Meerkat gets a bit philosophical...

One of the most persistent topics of discussion among martial arts forums around the world is the style versus style debate. In particular, BJJ versus traditional JJ (TJJ).
There are lots of differences between the two MA and much debate about which is better. Die-hard TJJers poopoo the notion that BJJ offers realistic self defence when they believe that being on the ground is a bad strategy and they mock their colourful logoed uniforms. BJJers laugh at youtube clips of so-called experts imparting invisible ki power tricks and their love of samurai swords. It is two worlds that may seem poles apart. But I want to focus on the positives that both martial arts can offer each other.

In recent years, I’ve noticed a growing trend for TJJ students to also join a BJJ club and, rather than choose one or the other, actually stick to both. I like to think I was one of the early adopters of this scheme, but I’m sure there were many who practiced both forms long before I joined the bandwagon.

During the path to black belt, a TJJ student will learn hundreds and hundreds of techniques that have to be drilled over and over again until they become second nature. This method of learning is repetitive but forms good habits when it comes to muscle memory. It is also of great benefit in another way - in my own experience, I find that I pick up newly taught BJJ techniques pretty fast and a lot of this has to come down to my TJJ experience. A TJJ student will have been trained to analyse every minutiae of a technique and to ask questions if they don’t understand how something works. This anally retentive attention to detail means the TJJer is a good student of technique – regardless of style.

In TJJ you will invariably come across pretty much every joint lock scenario that the human body is capable of sustaining, so a BJJ instructor teaching something new to most of the class, may actually be showing something familiar to the TJJ student. Many a time I have seen a BJJ joint lock or transition and thought, ooh, that’s just like the so and so from purple belt or words to that effect.

But the biggest difference between BJJ and TJJ is that BJJ incorporates sparring on the ground as a major component of each lesson, allowing the students to pressure test their techniques. Very traditional TJJ schools have always said that sparring has no place as it would be too dangerous to pressure test, for example, knife attacks or full force strikes. However, these days, most TJJ schools have varying degrees of sparring as it is without doubt a good way to train under pressure. And this is where BJJ can assist the TJJ student. BJJ has been refined over a number of years to perfect the aspect of fighting from the ground. Of course strikes are not allowed, but as a platform for gaining good positional advantage and utilising very effective chokes, strangles, and joint locks, it is a great way to spar under pressure without danger of serious injury. If TJJ students and clubs can utilise this method of sparring, it would be of great benefit to their overall development as a martial artist.
But being such a specialist art, BJJ could be said to be too restrictive when it comes to overall self defence and sport fighting. It is noticeable that very good MMA stars train in both stand-up styles such as kickboxing, Muay Thai and boxing as well as BJJ in order to be a complete fighter. For the average punter, some exposure to defending punches, kicks, bites, weapons etc would be useful experience, and this is where TJJ might offer an opportunity since the syllabus covers all these aspects.

At the end of the day, as I have said many times before, the world is large enough to cater for all tastes. Many people will prefer one style over the other, but for some, like me, if you enjoy both, then you will reep the benefits of both.

...oh and let me not forget to wish my TJJ training buddies David and Kevin the best of luck with their second dan grading on Sunday...Oooosssss!

byMeerkatsu

in BJJ, traditional ju-jitsu

December 03, 2008

Ebony & Ivory

In today's blog, Meerkat gets a bit philosophical... One of the most persistent topics of discussion among martial arts forums around th...

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The Secret Japanese Death Lock

I love old jujitsu books. The funny costumes, the archaic language, the innocence and yet at the same time the dire warnings against the dangers of ruffians and vagabonds - all of it is wonderful in my eyes. Despite their historical and comical entertainment - many of the techniques shown in these old books are the same ones practised by modern jujitsu clubs today. The pictures here are from a 1920 manual produced by a Captain Allan Corstorphin Smith, Hand-to-Hand Instructor of the Infantry School in Colombus, Georgia, USA.
The photos above come under the chapter entitled: "THE SECRET JAPANESE DEATH LOCK - The most effective lock in existence. Superior to the ancient secret holds of Greece and Rome. Known to but a few Japanese and NEVER before published in any book."
Wow! Looks like a basic rear naked to me.



Vintage books usually run through a range of simple wrist and body grab escapes, with throws, elbow locks and usually a couple of techniques where a woman wearing impossible garb is seen throwing an assailant. All great PR. I think most of these instructors were influenced by time spent in Japan with early judo schools, rather than traditional ryu jujitsu.
Probably one of the great unsung heroes of vintage martial arts in the UK is Edward William Barton-Wright, the inventor of Bartitsu and, for a few years at least, quite the celebrity during late Victorian and early Edwardian England. I'll maybe write more about this fascinating gentleman, but savour the thought that Barton-Wright may have been one of the first promoters of 'mixed' martial arts in the West!

byMeerkatsu

in books, traditional ju-jitsu, vintage jujitsu

November 06, 2008

The Secret Japanese Death Lock

I love old jujitsu books. The funny costumes, the archaic language, the innocence and yet at the same time the dire warnings against the da...

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Special One

I used to think I was a bit different to other martial arts practitioners. No, seriously, I mean being an established instructor from a trad martial art who moonlights in another (almost rival) martial art (BJJ) can't be too common right? And for a short time it probably was the case, since most of the BJJ comrades I met in the early days were people who only trained in BJJ. But recently I have come across quite a wide variety of guys, several of them who are instructors at their own school of martial arts. At Nick's club, one chap I met told me he runs a taekwondo-based MMA school here: http://www.ukblackbelt.com/ As a two stripe blue belt I thought he would be good, and in the two milliseconds it took for him to sink an armbar on me, my thoughts were quickly realised. God forbid I ever engage in a stand-up spar with him if he is this good on the ground. In fact BJJ now seems to attract a lot of guys who also train in other systems, especially trad JJ, like me. And the BJJ instructors and classmates seem to be very cool about this. It speaks volumes about the confidence they/we have in the art. Clearly, the idea that including an effective ground-based strategy into your repertoire is widely agreed to be important. So I am the special one no more, but I’m glad. The more we all learn to appreciate each other’s style, the better the world of martial arts. No secrets I say. Oh yeah, here’s the blooper reel to illustrate just how special I am:



It was grading day for my club students on Sunday. I had quite a few guys grading and all passed, thankfully. But a couple of errors were pointed out by the senior senseis had me cringeing because I was the one that taught them the erroneous techniques. Invigilating gradings is also frustrating for me as I can't help but look on at other students and critically thinking, Nooo, that was wrong, wrong, wrong. But having to perform in front of a judging panel is a nervous thing and nerves can play havoc with your memory, coordination, and ability to do, erm, ju-jitsu.
So thankfully, the senseis grant a large degree of allowance for this.
Speaking of grades, as we all know, BJJ awards grades ad hoc and not on a formal grading like trad JJ. so it was a nice surprise for me to be awarded my third stripe at blue belt by Nick Brooks. I'm quite chuffed as I feel accepted into the fold at what is still a fairly new club for me. I'd better watch my back though. A three stripe blue belt I think makes me technically the most senior non-teaching regular at the club. Gulp!

byMeerkatsu

in BJJ, jikishin ju-jitsu, MMA, traditional ju-jitsu, video

September 16, 2008

Special One

I used to think I was a bit different to other martial arts practitioners. No, seriously, I mean being an established instructor from a trad...

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Balls of Steel

I came across this clip quite randomly (I googled Juko Ryu, more about that later). If I am honest, it is pretty amazing stuff, I can't work out how they manage to withstand punches to the throat and kicks to the groin. If we disregard the ambiguous claim of channeling 'chi' energy, I would imagine that this skill takes many many years of repetitive training of those parts of the body to tense at exactly the right moment.
Not easy, but certainly feasible physically (not that I would want to test the idea personally!)
Genki Sudo is a MMA star who rather shockingly knocked out Royler Gracie in an MMA tournament. Us Royler fans don't talk about that one too much. Ahem. BTW Royler is coming back to the UK in October for a seminar, hoorah! I'm getting my gi ironed in anticipation right now!!!!

byMeerkatsu

in traditional ju-jitsu, video

August 15, 2008

Balls of Steel

I came across this clip quite randomly (I googled Juko Ryu, more about that later). If I am honest, it is pretty amazing stuff, I can't ...

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Coach Trip

Ju-Jitsu was entering an exciting time when I first joined my club over ten years ago. The Association was abuzz with news that a good showing in the forthcoming World Games would ensure a favourable candidacy towards Olympic Games acceptance. Fast forward ten years and those heady days are long gone and as I watch the Beijing Games, I can't help but feel a tang of envy at the judoka, taekwondo and even wushu competitors as they show the world their exciting martial arts.
What went wrong?
Nothing really. I think Olympic acceptance was never gonna happen for many reasons, mainly, that (1) it already has judo which is too similar, (2) the world governing body for ju-jitsu (JJIF) is not powerful enough to lobby the Olympic officials and (3) there are too many competing and, let's face it, more telegenic sports than ju-jitsu. Heck, even BJJ, a very glamorous and lucrative martial art if you compete at top level, will probably never reach Olympic acceptance for exactly the same reasons. And anyway, does anyone actually notice the World Games? go on, test yourself, where is the next World Games gonna be? Answer - Kaohsiung in Taiwan. Where? Yeah, exactly. But if in 2009 you do manage to find it televised on some obscure satellite channel, you will find the likes of Team GB competing in events such as skydiving, korfball, sumo, tug of war, fistball, and....life saving!

I write about this because I just spent two whole days qualifying for my Level 3 coaching certificate. Not much coaching was actually on display, simply a boring powerpoint demonstration about ethics, child protection, communication skills etc. But what made it worthwhile was the brilliant stories and anecdotes from Sensei Terry Parker, founder of the Jikishin system and, with 54 years of jujitsu experience, a wonderful mentor and host for the sessions. But, inevitably, during proceedings, my mind did wander and the whole JJIF and World Games debacle did enter my head as I was longing to be somewhere else instead of a coaching lecture...like watching the Beijing Games.

By the way, some will recall my post about my all night vigil to complete 11 essays as part of the written assignment part of my coaching qualification. Well, I passed them and not only that, was told that I passed with top marks and that my essays should be used as model examples for other students. Phew! My traditional tactics of crashing for exams at the last minute still works. Sadly I can't remember a single word, so I can't say I learned much by writing them.

So there you go. As you progress up the ladder of any organisation, be it sport or commerce, you inevitably come across bureaucracy, politics, officiousness and administration. The powers that be see it as a necessary goal in promoting the martial as a safe and respected sport. Nothing wrong with that. But as I wade through binders full of pages about health and safety policy and ethical obligations, I cast my mind back to the excited talk of World Games and Olympics and wonder if it has all ballooned just a bit too much beyond what is actually necessary and what is actually needed to maintain a decent organisation. During the two days, the best bits were when us candidates could actually express an opinion and share experiences about our own coaching tips. I learned a more through listening to what others experienced directly in their clubs than from the pages of any manual. Oh well, only another 3 years until I renew all the licences again.

byMeerkatsu

in jikishin ju-jitsu, sports coach, traditional ju-jitsu

August 11, 2008

Coach Trip

Ju-Jitsu was entering an exciting time when I first joined my club over ten years ago. The Association was abuzz with news that a good showi...

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Ju-Jitsu Book Reviews

I can't help it, I love buying books about martial arts and especially Ju-Jitsu and BJJ books. I don't even read most of them, but I have to buy them.
But there are some that are worth mentioning, so here are my views on a couple, starting off with traditional jujitsu.

Ju-Jitsu, Eddie Ferrie, 1990

In the old days..I say old, I mean pre-UFC and the Gracies... jujitsu pretty much meant one thing - a syllabus-based system of self defence techniques culled from karate, judo and aikido with a few references to more ancient techniques and habits. BJJ has changed this and today, jujitsu could refer to quite a large range of styles. But let's stick with the jujitsu that we know and love and the one to which my JJ club mostly adheres to.

If you wanted to learn about this art in print form back in the oldie days, then Ferrie's book is the main guide to the background, history and modern day status of the art. It introduces all the aspects that typically the syllabus covers, from basic blocks, strikes and kicks to throws, locks, pressure points and weapons. It even has a section on gun defences! In general, the tone is light and easy without being burdoned by too much technicality. On the chapter of ground techniques, Ferrie wisely advises: "always keep the testicles protected...this is perhaps the most vulnerable part of the male anatomy"..quite.


Jiu-Jitsu, The Official WJJF TrainingManual, Robert Clark, 1991


So you've learned the history and liked what you saw in the Ferrie book. Back in the old days, you could learn all the syllabus techniques, step by step from the Robert Clark books. There was even a correspondence course one could follow with a black belt available by post to those who completed the course. Much has been muttered in JJ circles about this, and many other aspects surrounding the man Clark,but let's stick to the facts.

Robert Clark was one of the founding leaders of the style of JJ that most of us practice today and without his endeavours, arguably may not have been the success it is today. So we owe him some respect.

My own style of trad JJ closely follows the WJJF syllabus and so many of the techniques are identical (there is some argument about which came first...Sensei Parker says Jikishin came first so I'll take his word for it). Therefore I found these books to be very helpful when I was training for my kyu grades. Each technique is illustrated with four or five nicely posed and clear photos, followed by a short description. There is no discussion about the origin of the technique or the relevant possible applications, it is just a simple a-follows-b write-up. I personally would like more discussion for each technique.

The WJJF is still going, and these books can still be found on Amazon or Ebay. Worth getting if you train in trad JJ.

I wonder what Clark makes of all this cage fighting nonesense?


Ju-Jitsu, Martin Dixon, 2003

Here's a book written at a time when UFC, the Gracies and BJJ were starting to make big waves around the world of martial arts. In the ground fighting chapter, an allusion is made to this:

"ground-fighting has been very much in vogue in the last few years, but there is nothng new in the techniques."

This book basically follows the Ferrie book in terms of describing the components of the modern syllabus. But a huge chunk of the book is dedicated to non-technical aspects,including chapters on Ethics and Codes of Conduct, Philosophy, How to Find a Dojo etc.
I find all this boring and unnecessary. Speaking as a punter I want to see cool techniques and a description of how to do them.
But Sensei Dixon, who is Chairman of the governing body of Ju-Jitsu in Great Britain, obviously felt these were important to write about.
Overall however, the techniques are described fairly well and the photographs are a big improvement on the Ferrie and Clark books. It's a big ask to cover all the aspects of modern ju-jitsu in such a slim book but this book offers a useful introduction to beginners, if they skip the first half.


The Ju-Jitsu Handbook, Roy Inman, 2007

Roy Inman is an 8th dan in judo and a senior instructor at the world famous Budokwai in London. I was very curious that a judo expert was writing a ju-jitsu book so I bought it. At 250 odd pages it is the thickest ju-jitsu book here and it is in full colour.
Modern ju-jitsu shares many techniques with judo. In fact you could argue that ju-jitsu is judo with added punches and kicks. It is probably true to say, that given most ancient ju-jitsu ryu were secretive and unwritten, judo (and possibly aikido) was the only means by which modern syllabuses could be based. A sort of reverse engineering of martial arts.
Anyway, back to the book. The style offered here is very judo based obviously. The uke and tori in each photo really follow through with their throws in a very 'judo'style of throwing. That last sentance probably sounds pants but exponents of our style of ju-jitsu will probably understand what I mean. Although the photos are very clear, the accompanying descriptions are woefully brief.
Having said that. I like the book. The style difference is very minor so won't stop a student from picking up tips. The format is logical and and easy to follow. And all the basics are covered, from breakfalls to neck cranks and sacrifice throws. The ground-fighting chapter is a little better than the books above, but offers no more than a tiny selection of old-skool ground defences - as if BJJ never existed - which is strange given that it was printed in 2007. (and even stranger when you consider Roger Gracie - unstoppable World Champion - trains in judo at the Budokwai too). Anyway, I digress.
To sum, this book is the best so far and worthy purchase for keen jitsuka everywhere.

byMeerkatsu

in books, traditional ju-jitsu

June 30, 2008

Ju-Jitsu Book Reviews

I can't help it, I love buying books about martial arts and especially Ju-Jitsu and BJJ books. I don't even read most of them, but ...

Read More