30 Jun 2008

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 ,
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 ...
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25 Jun 2008


One of my biggest fears is the fear of making a tit out of myself when demonstrating a technique in front of my students at my JJ club. Well, that nightmare came true last night as I stupidly insisted we drill spinning kicks. It was all going swimmingly well, with everyone enjoying these strange twisty turny kick combos i was coming up with. I was gonna wrap things up, but no, I had to show off just one more technique. Ironically, the least flashy of all the one's so far - the simple jumping spinning back kick. Something I had practised a thousand times before in kickboxing. Last night however, I jumped a little too high, my body angle was all wrong and I landed on the outside blade of my foot, which gave way, a loud 'SNAP', and then me, crumpled on the floor weeping like a toddler. All in full view of everyone at the club. Lovely.
Thankfully, various club members acted swiftly in bringing ice, raising the leg and generally showing lots of serious concern and good advice. Of course I felt like a complete prat, lying there helpless as the rest of the class continued, but shit happens and there's no point going over the 'what if's'. It was only me that got hurt and better me than one of my students.
So here I am at home, hobbling around like Marty Crane from the TV show Frasier and acting all grumpy as it is so frustrating not being full bodied. I can't even pick up my kids, let alone contemplate doing martial arts.
But I suppose it gives me a bit of time to write my book reviews. And as it happens, my latest purchase arrived in the post today. I'll be reviewing this and adding my thoughts in the next blog post. Right, now for the ice pack.
byMeerkatsu
in
June 25, 2008

Way of the Falling Idiot

One of my biggest fears is the fear of making a tit out of myself when demonstrating a technique in front of my students at my JJ club. Wel...
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12 Jun 2008



Years ago, when my sensei handed me the reigns of the JJ club, I was worried about the big responsibility I was being given. He reassured me that after a short while, it would be a breeze but there would be the occasional tough times too. Largely, I have had nothing but good times and fun times. As a club runner, you get to try out any drills or techniques you like, you can watch students mature and progress, you can invite other experts down to show you new stuff, and generally, it is a privileged existence. But there are tough times too. The times when you have a stinking cold and can barely make it to the venue, or when only three people turn up, or a stranger turns up and tries to cause trouble, or the place is flooded, or a nasty injury occurs to a student etc. All of these have happened at my club.
Right now, it a little tough, I am nursing a painful neck which prevents me from demonstrating anything, and since the new year, newcomers and established members have dwindled slightly. But, as the person in charge, I have to keep things going, turn up and show my face regardless of the situation. And, as I celebrate ten years of being in jujitsu, I know by now that events go up and down in cycles. Club numbers will soon pick up and my injuries will heal. It’s all part and parcel of running a club.

In fact, my experiences with club running are nothing compared to some others. Sensei Grant, my current JJ instructor, runs a club from an army barracks, but for several months of the year, he cannot run the club there due to the army needing the space. Which would be fine except they give no notice, so many a time, students have been locked out or forced to train in a tiny squash court. Sensei G has finally got fed up and found a new venue. One with plush facilities and a clean room that will be the clubs to use as they like all year. BTW, he will be grading for the dizzy heights of 4th dan this Sunday, so again, we wish him good luck.

Another sensei, who I chatted with recently, runs a kids class and during one session, some youths broke in and started mouthing off. The sensei threw the youths out but minutes later, had to deal with an angry father intent on knowing why the sensei had, allegedly assaulted his son. The whole incident blew out of all proportion over the ensuing weeks as a whispering campaign by 'anonymous' pranksters led to numbers in his previously very full class, dropping fast. Anyway, the kid owned up to his misdemeanors and soon, the club members returned. Still, a cautionary tale.

My current neck injury was sustained sparring with Nick at the Mill Hill BJJ class the other night. We were working on triangle escapes all evening and during sparring of course, first thing Nick does is triangle me. My neck ‘cricked’ in an unnatural way and now I can’t look left, right or up and down without a lot of pain. I couldn't physically lower myself into bed that night amd it required the assitance of my wife to cradle my head and lower it onto the pillow (still attached to my torso I should add), where I lay there, blinking, unmoving for hours until my kids woke up yelling for attention. Poor Nick was overcome with apologies and regret, but sometimes, these things just happen, no one is to blame.
Anyway, I’ve had this type of injury before, years ago, it came on when my uke preformed an over zealous neck and spine lock (kinda like a BJJ crucifix lock, with lots of neck pressure). I was out for about three weeks, seeing physio and resorting at times to copious painkillers and a neck brace just to get by. My current neck injury is nothing of that magnitude, but it does suggest that I have a weakness there, and given my prediliction for grappling arts where the neck is a target, I should really be careful in future.

Anyway, Meerkat’s martial struggles will always continue and I promise to be in more upbeat mood next time.
BTW. The picture above has been doing the rounds on blogs and forums but I love it so much I reproduce it here to cheer up those feeling a bit blue. Thanks to Eddie Kone’s new blog for the link and a big congrats to him for being awarded his black belt in BJJ. An awesome achievement and the very pinnacle of the sport.
byMeerkatsu
in
June 12, 2008

Upside down, inside out

Years ago, when my sensei handed me the reigns of the JJ club , I was worried about the big responsibility I was being given. He reassure...
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6 Jun 2008

I managed to sneek some BJJ in last night at Mill Hill and I'm glad I made the effort as Jude Samuel, the first ever Brit to earn a black belt at BJJ, turned up to take the mat. We went through techniques from the De La Riva guard - a sort of sideways on open guard on a uke who is standing - it was my first go at De La riva and I must say I really enjoyed executing them. From the De La Riva, you can perform simple but brutally effective sweeps.
Jude is a good communicator and teacher, and took his time to look at everyone's technique, correcting as they went along. Of course he happily got stuck into sparring with various members, except me as usual I always end up missing out on sparring with the black belts. However I did have a jolly good run with young medal winning no-stopping him Daniel Strauss, I almost got a few sweeps on him before I inevitably succumbed to his back taking chokes. He was gracious enough to compliment me on my improvement - but all I could feel was a very fatigued nearly-40 year old self panting for breath. Actually, at Mill Hill, I always get to spar with either Daniel, Nick or the other high grades which really helps my game a lot. Sure I end up being easy prey for them, but it's the quickest way to learn, especially as my infrequent attendence can lead to some ropey habits creeping in.

Meerkat would like to take this opportunity to wish his trad JJ sensei - Grant - the very best in his attempt to grade for his fourth dan (with a broken foot bone too). Another one with a broken foot, is our club assistant instructor, David T, who suffered the indignity of breaking a bone during a warm up exercise. Hope it heals soon Dave!
byMeerkatsu
in
June 06, 2008

Heel to toe

I managed to sneek some BJJ in last night at Mill Hill and I'm glad I made the effort as Jude Samuel , the first ever Brit to earn a bla...
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21 May 2008

I just hosted a series of mini-seminars on self defence at the Imperial College. It was part of their Learning at Work week where staff of IC can take part in a whole range of activities and seminars for free. Ours was billed simply as a self-defence introduction and was co-hosted by both myself and Harminder Bharj - a Filipino martial arts expert.

The sessions were very popular with about 12-15 per class and mostly female. I find it interesting that a 'self defence' seminar attracts mostly women, but a 'martial arts' seminar attracts mostly men. Anyway, it was good to get a good turnout and the gang seemed to really enjoy and get stuck into their techniques. Of course a one hour seminar is gonna give nothing useful in practical terms but it hopefully gave people an eye-opener into the world of martial arts and self protection.

For me, self defence seminars - where I have to show normal people with zero background in MA techniques helps to bring a sense of reality back to the reason why we all do martial arts. A lot of people were initially very hesitant about making physical contact with each other and were quite hard to get engaged. But this soon changed after a few ice-breaking techniques (good old slapping of the hand pads) and many (including tiny little middle aged women who you would have thought least likely to be aggressive) who were really going for it with their wrist locks and strikes. One nearly broke my arm...not really, but she was much stronger than her 4foot 9 frame suggested.

Overall, a good exercise for me and hopefully for those attended. Maybe got one or two who showed interest in joining the club too.
byMeerkatsu
in
May 21, 2008

Self defence

I just hosted a series of mini-seminars on self defence at the Imperial College. It was part of their Learning at Work week where staff of I...
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16 May 2008

Just had an awesome eye opening introduction to Filipino stick fighting. Our club was lucky to host, as our guest instructor, Ermar Alexander from the Danny Guba Doces Pares fighting system. Alex is a 5th degree black belt and world champion in stick fighting. He gave us a 2 hour introduction to eskrima. Alex began with stick twirls. To escrima practitioners, this is the basic core drill to strengthen and flex the wrists. We started with four strike drill which took us nearly half an hour to get the hang of. If you've never done stick twirling, it makes even the most experienced martial artist a befuddled fool. We built up the combos until we were doing 15-strike drills with added foot movements. Most of us were scratching our heads and just barely keeping up. Then we moved to harder striking techniques. I liked these since it was a good feeling to thrash the stick and make that whooshing sound. After a short break, Alex moved to angles of attack where you drill a preset kata of moves on your uke. This could be done with stick, knife or even empty hand. We were also shown a glimpse of counter stikes, disarms and joint locks. Obviously, these set of techniques caught our eyes the most as they are related to jujitsu.
Finally, the showpiece of the evening, the full contact sparring. Plucky James was first and actually, he took to it pretty well. Even Master Alex was surprised at his vim and vigour. James was buzzing afterwards and raving about how good it made him feel to enter the ring. David was up next, bravely fending off Alex's masterful attacks. Then the finale; David versus James. Two big men smashing ten bells at each other with long sticks, it was fun to watch.
I really enjoyed the seminar. Filipino martial arts has a long history. It is rife with stories of deadly matches and fight offs. In my opinion, it sure looks the real deal and I was privileged to get a taste of what it was all about. Good luck to Alex as he defends his title at the Worlds Championships in July.
Us, well, we'll never look at a baton in the same way again!
byMeerkatsu
in
May 16, 2008

Chopped Sticks

Just had an awesome eye opening introduction to Filipino stick fighting. Our club was lucky to host, as our guest instructor, Ermar Alexand...
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2 May 2008


This advert in the local paper caught my eye. Apart from learning how to be 'street lethal' I was most intrigued by the 'reptilian brain', which I have never before come across.
According to info gleaned from fairly reliable websites (so it must be true), the Reptilian brain is one of the three components of the theoretical model of the brain known as The Triune Brain.

Sometimes I hate my ignorant self and how little I know about the world. On the school's website, there is a tantalising offer to not only learn more reptilian brain, but there is eagle vision, 'fighting with no mind' and the potentially murderous, dim mak death point striking.

Obviously I will have to sign up to learn more about these secret arts. I think for £45 a month by direct debit, it's quite cheap.
But you know I won't cos I'm a dullard and a scaredy cat. I prefer my bog standard, boring, no thrills punching, kicking and grappling. But hey, horses for courses.
byMeerkatsu
in
May 02, 2008

The Lizards are gonna get you!

This advert in the local paper caught my eye. Apart from learning how to be 'street lethal' I was most intrigued by the 'reptili...
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30 Apr 2008

I missed SENI08. Completely forgot about it. Some people fought, some won, some lost. Who cares. Actually I do. SENI is Europe’s biggest martial arts expo. And the Gracie Invitational is the biggest tournament in it. One day I will compete, one day…
More on this later as I find out who won and who lost from my small BJJ circle of sparring pals.
Actually I can probably tell that the Roger Gracie Team won their usual haul of bling - if last BJJ class was anything to go by. I got tapped four times in a row, by exactly the same four techniques. As usual with many of these things, the very simplest of things would have prevented me from falling into the trap each time. Nick showed me how to defend that trap, then I fell for it again. Duh!

Been shopping recently for MA gear for my club. I’m going to use this opportunity to review and rate online martial arts shops:

BLITZ – This is a very well established brand and store. Only sell their own stuff.
PROS: Tons of trad and MMA stuff at very good trade/club prices. Quality of their own brand equipment is high and they update and upgrade their stock frequently.
For example, a basic Blitz gi I bought ten years ago is still in excellent condition despite hours and hours of sweaty training and rigorous grappling. They've also got a great Bargain Bin. I've found all manner of end-of-line stuff at knockdown prices. I love bargain bins.
CONS: Usually I visit the actual store and buy on site, but the one time I ordered online and they cock up big time. The telephone sales help was useless and it took a stiffly worded letter to the Managing Director to get them to respond and refund me. This gave me the chance to try some other stores out. It's also rubbish for return of faulty goods. Forms to fill, purchase order numbers to quote etc etc.

BYTOMIC – Lots of own-brand and name brand equipment.
PROS: Great easy to use website. Lots of choice for both basic trad, MMA. Also have a lot of interesting novelty and alternative MA products. Fast online support and helpline. Fast delivery. I've been using these guys a lot recently.
CONS: Slightly more expensive club/trade prices than Blitz. No BJJ uniforms. Other than that, nothing to complain about.

BLACK EAGLE – Recently established, selling own brand and name brand gear..
PROS: Good quality products. They make a very good and surprisingly cheap BJJ kimono. Excellent customer support. The owner gets back to your emails or calls you personally within the day.
CONS: More expensive than Blitz, not a great choice of equipment overall. I think it is one of the owners who poses in all the photos, looks a tad unslick since bless him, he's no finely honed athlete.

TAO SPORTS – Small high street shop recently expanded into large online store.
PROS: Quality, quality, quality. I’ve bought from Tao for years and their own-brand stuff is top quality. My kickboxing trousers have been worn for years and years and my own knees are more likely to wear out before the trousers do. Similarly, their boxing gloves are wonderfully garish and excellently made. My Tao judo gi could survive a nuclear war.
The customer support is one of the best, with almost immediate response.
CONS: Well you got to pay a lot more for good quality. Not a huge range of gear, but got all the basics.

MMA Universe - Very popular site solely dedicated to MMA and BJJ.
PROS: Probably the best place to buy MMA and BJJ gear, although their range is a bit limited. Eg millions of Wanderlei Silva, Koral and BTT stuff, but the MMA and BJJ world is vaster than just those brands. Would like to see more choice. Keenly priced though.
CONS: You need to purchase a minimum of £65 to claim the club or trade discounts, which is too steep if all you are buying are a load of groin guards. Blitz have no minimum fee. As for choice, BJJ and MMA punters should also check out...

Dragon Bleu - This French company sells a large range of trad, MMA and BJJ gear.
PROS: Huge range, keenly priced, postage is surprisingly affordable considering they have to ship to another country.
CONS: No club or trade discount. I bought an Atama gi from them and although the spec was the same as the one I ordered from USA, it was physically very different. I presume Atama tweek the design for different markets, but you don't know this until it arrives. Customer support is adequate.

International purchases - I've also purchased one-off items from lots of other shops including from the USA. Buying from the States doesn't really save much money since you pay huge amounts for shipping and tax. And it could take months to arrive or days, just pot luck. But you do get the chance ot buy stuff not available in the UK and the customer service I have found to be pretty high. I have read on forums that buying kimonos from Brazil can be a nightmare, so watch out. Finally, ages ago I saw one shop seriously selling an outrageous Stars and Stripes karate gi. I can't find it now. I'm dying to see it again, and of course laugh at the hilarity of such a concept. In fact, I might just blog an article about hilarious martial arts products.

Coming soon...Meerkat's recommended martial arts books.
byMeerkatsu
in , ,
April 30, 2008

Shop 'til you Tai Otoshi

I missed SENI08 . Completely forgot about it. Some people fought, some won, some lost. Who cares. Actually I do. SENI is Europe’s biggest ma...
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17 Apr 2008

I’ve recently been chatting to someone from the Bullshido forums about hosting a possible London Throwdown (more about that later), but it reminded me that I have been meaning to write about Bullshido for while.

For those who are not familiar, Bullshido is a website dedicated to exposing the myths and hype that surround some martial arts and some of their infamous charlatans. It is by far the most informative and entertaining martial arts website on the whole of the internet. Unfortunately, it has acquired a reputation as a bit of a style basher. In that if you do something other than hardcore MMA or BJJ, then your style is obviously rubbish. And in fact many forum threads and articles are heavily biased towards this aim. But if you read the excellent deconstructions of so-called experts and view the huge library of video clips, I can guarantee you will walk away better informed about martial arts in general. The aim I believe is not to debunk martial arts, but simply to ask the reasonable question of whether something actually works or not.

Like many things, there are cranks, weirdos and plain outright scammers in all fields of life. Alternative medicine, for example has a lot of suspect misinformation (check out Bad Science, run by Ben Goldacre for a worthy expose of alt medicine).
The martial arts are also no exception. Many arts claim to teach you techniques that have no scientific basis and cannot realistically be proven to work. You just have to take it as read. That in my mind makes it too close to a cult, blind faith or religion for comfort. There is also nothing to stop anyone from setting up their own school and claiming all sorts of martial art prowess. As long as there are people willing to believe and pay for such instruction, such practices will always go on. Which is why Bullshido fills a very important role.

On their website, notable targets for their ire include:
Frank Dux - the man whose 'lifestory' inspired Van damme to produce the film Bloodsport.
George A. Dillman - the self styled, Grandmaster of pressure point fighting.
Ashida Kim - The Ninja Master.
Read and be damned. Bullshido are certainly thorough in their search to find the truth.

I’m not saying my trad JJ style is immune to propagating a few suspect beliefs. Some seminars I have attended have veered dangerously towards talk of meridian lines, one-touch rescucitation techniques and other ‘interesting’ interpretations of how the human body works. I cringe when I have to hear these things. They are often explained as fact, with no offer of a medical or reasonable explanation. Just because someone says if you hit L33 along the upper 'lung' meridian then you will feel feint, how different is that to saying: and if you wave this twig and chant intoxicum collapsicum, you will also feel feint? The words placebo, suggestion and parlour hypnosis spring to mind.

Many years ago, I attended a large seminar where a very highly ranked European sensei (he may have been like a fifth or sixth dan) gave a demo where he lightly kicked just below his uke’s knee and his uke collapsed as if shot by a 12-bore. We were all agasp in amazement. When we all tried it, some of my colleagues also attested to feeling intense pain and a sudden collapse. But I could not get it to work , nor my uke on me, so when the high ranking sensei came over, he performed the knee point technique on me. I felt nothing, but (and to my intense shame) I felt awful that he would be embarrassed in front of everyone, so I feigned a collapse (nothing too hammy, just a modest buckling). Yep, I tricked myself into believing this magical pressure point actually worked. The sensei walked away happy, the crowd were in awe and I acted honourably in saving his face. But it has haunted me ever since. I vowed from then that I would always aim to provide clear, logical and non-mythical explanations to techniques.

Of course, it is good to have an open mind and gain lots of knowledge. But it is equally important to be able to filter and interpret that knowledge intelligently. Realistically, a technique should be something that is logical, provable and repeatable. That is how one gains experience and wisdom. But it is human nature to want to believe in stories. They make ones physical endeavours seem more worthwhile and perhaps add a little mystique and glamour to otherwise mundane everyday lives. It is horses for courses and if a more ‘spritual’ approach to martial arts is your thing, then go for it. But a word of caution - just watch the pseudo psycho-babble, it can seriously harm your karmic chi levels. Oh, and the boys at Bullshido may just catch you.
byMeerkatsu
in ,
April 17, 2008

In praise of Bullshido

I’ve recently been chatting to someone from the Bullshido forums about hosting a possible London Throwdown (more about that later), but it r...
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3 Apr 2008

Earlier in the week I was a smug little bastard as I managed to hoax a lot of people with my juvenile april Fools joke.
Oh how the Karma tables were firmly turned last night when I made a complete twat of myself at BJJ.
It all began when I rushed home after work and, so determined was I to go to BJJ, that I rushed through all my evening duties (changing the kids nappies, bathing the kids, cooking dinner, putting the kids to sleep). Finally I rush out to training, nabbing all the gear in my bag and I arrive late of course as usual. But this is not the faux pas, oh no. I get changed and warm up by the side of the mat. One by one, everyone turns around and mouths drop and some muttering goes on. Instructors Nick and Daniel look up and laugh at me...aha, target practice and make gestures at their trousers. Huh? what was going on. I look at myself and don;t notice anything obvious like bird poo or baby poo, or indeed any poo. So I join the class and still the snide looks and suspicous glances carry on. Until finally, one of the junior grades shakes my hand and says congratulation on the purple belt. Arrrrrrgh! I was wearing the wrong belt. I should be wearing my blue belt, but in the rush I brought the purple and since I am a sad sufferer of Daltonism (colour blindness to you and me) I had absolutely no idea!

For those not accustomed with BJJ dojo etiquette, an analogy in say footballing terms is rather like walking into the red side of Liverpool wearing an Everton shirt - you just don't do it. Purple belts are rare and hard to obtain. there is no way in the world I am remotely at purple belt level and I sometimes wonder if I am even worthy of the blue. Hence the strange looks and suspicious glances. And even if I did get promoted, it would mean everyone would try that extra bit harder at sparring, hence the 'target' reference from Nick and Daniel.
Hugely embarrassed, I took off the belt and trained for the rest of the session without one. It made no dfference as I stll got subbed like every two seconds by Daniel and Nick. I think next time I'm going to ask for sponsor patches for my gi from the fast food outlet: Subway.

After the session I explained to everyone in the changing room about my faux pas. The guys were ok about it though. they just actually thought I was promoted and it didn't really bother them. In fact big guy Ollie (he of the evil knee on belly from my previous post) tried to reassure me by saying that he knew of lots of shit purple belts and even some dodgy brown belts in BJJ. Erm, somehow that didn't make me feel less embarrassed !

It was nice to see my sparring pal Stumpy Ninja turn up as well.

So there you go. Karma restored. Notes to self: bin the purple belt; get new colour sensing vision; train harder and try not to look like a prat.
byMeerkatsu
in
April 03, 2008

Revenge...a dish best served purple

Earlier in the week I was a smug little bastard as I managed to hoax a lot of people with my juvenile april Fools joke. Oh how the Karma tab...
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1 Apr 2008



OK, it's time to own up and admit my little April Fool's prank - in which I sent a group email out and pretended my Trad JJ club was gonna change into a BJJ club - was taken a little too seriously by some members.

Duh! I'm not gonna tranform my club into BJJ. My two jujitsu lives are distinct and separate but not wholly intercompatable, hence you'll find us practising groundwork in the trad class and self-defence drills in the BJJ class. I rate both forms as equally valid and important.

For those who didn't get the original email, here is an abbreviated version:
>
>
Dear club member,

I wanted to write and let you know about a big change I am making to Imperial JJ Club. After a very long time thinking about the direction the club should go, I have decided to focus the club
solely on groundfighting in the Gracie Jiu Jitsu tradition. Sadly this means I will no longer be teaching the current syllabus.
Clearly this is a huge step for me to take, but I have spoken to my BJJ instructors who are obviously pleased and have offered me support.

As is traditional with other BJJ clubs, I will be adopting a ‘Gracie’ figurehead as my mentor. Since Roger, Royler, Royce and others are well represented in the UK, I have been lucky to
obtain representation with the lesser known (and cheaper) but equally brilliant Ravinuon Gracie (3rd dan) – 4th son of Grandmaster Charlton Gracie (12th dan).

To kick things off, Master Ravinuon will be coming over from Rio and visiting our club for an introductory seminar – pencilled for September 31st. Of course I would be delighted to invite
everyone from NKJJK and Imperial to participate.

When students meet him, please remember that it is a big faux pas to mispronounce his name - the ‘R’ should be pronounced as an ‘H’ but other than that, he’s a really nice guy.

It’s all very exciting and I will keep you abreast of the news.

Take care and all the best.

S.
>
>
So some people didn't get the 'Ravinuon', or 'Having You On' - play on words. Clearly, I have too much idle time on my hands. :)
byMeerkatsu
in , ,
April 01, 2008

Fools Gold

OK, it's time to own up and admit my little April Fool's prank - in which I sent a group email out and pretended my Trad JJ club wa...
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27 Mar 2008

Yesterday was a bit weird and raised some questions about what to do during incidents in public. The first incident - I was sitting on the overland train and it was fairly empty. In from another carriage storms a young girl soon followed by her boyfriend. Clearly they were having a serious tiff and the lad was cussing with intense venom. She responded with all of her limited vocabulary to wind him up even further. He resorted to slapping at her possessions, grabbing her hands and calling all sorts of names, the physical aggression was beginning to escalate. I sat there, observing, weighing up the pros and cons of stepping in. But, in the end, I did nothing. Shameful non-action on my behalf? Yes I did size him up but if he started beating her, would I have intervened? I didn’t get to find out as we all got off the next stop and their bickering subsided.
The second incident on the same day – I was jogging late in the evening round my local back roads when I saw up ahead a gang of about a dozen youths ranging in age from tiny pipsqueaks to young men. They were throwing rocks and kicking in a parked car. My running path was heading straight towards them. Several thoughts entered my head – should I intervene? Should I cross the road to run on the other side? Should I do nothing? With nothing on me but my home keys and no mobile I felt strangely helpless to do anything. My dilemma ended when a bunch of guys ran over and shouted ‘Oi!’ and the kids scattered.
These incidents have left me feeling a bit deflated. Mainly because they highlight the amount of nastiness in the world, but also about my inability to do anything about them. Martial arts are supposed to give you the skills and abilities to fight and defend yourself. But they don’t offer much in the way of moral guidance about using them in real incidents. Taking an imaginary path in the two incidents above, I suspect any intervention on my behalf would have been met with a violent response with little to gain on my part.
I don’t think there is an easy answer to these nagging questions. You can only react as you see fit at that moment in time. There have been incidents in the past where I have stepped in to aid a member of the public. I don’t actually recall why I helped on those occasions but there must have been a subconscious assessment going on about the risks involved.
I make no conclusions from these incidents other than to say that there are plenty of idiots, scrotes and scumbags in the world, but why do half of them have to live near me?
byMeerkatsu
in
March 27, 2008

Sitting Zen - Citizen

Yesterday was a bit weird and raised some questions about what to do during incidents in public. The first incident - I was sitting on the o...
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