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Kokoro On Line is the website version of Kokoro, the BJJY newsletter sent to all BJJY members 4-6 times a year. Kokoro means heart or spirit. The online version contains only the "Question/Answer" segment of the current & several past newsletter going back through 2003. Articles, announcements, seminars, editorials, techniques, etc., are not shown on this page.If you would like to have the Kokoro mailed you will need to secure BJJY membership.If you would like to purchase all past issues of Kokoro please click here. Once you get to the "store" site, click on "Books" & scroll down the "Books" page until you get to Kokoro.If you have any questions or suggestions please click here. I usually respond to e-mail within 1-2 days. I will also post your question, date of entry and answer below. I do not list names or e-mail addresses as a matter of confidentiality.
Q: I'm the smallest person in my Ju-jitsu group, being 5'3 and very
lightweight. In fact, at
least half the class is twice my size.
I'm finally getting comfortable throwing the people of average
height, but I still have lots of problems throwing the ones that have to
almost get on their knees so I can do a rear choke on them during
practice. I've been in
Ju-jitsu for two years and it hasn't gotten much easier.
What can I do? The
people most likely to attack me on the street will be a lot bigger than
I am, but when I use Ju-jitsu techniques on big people they are often
not effective. [10/27/07]
A: Here's the issue. Judo
type throws are effective only against a person who's not much taller
than you AND weighs no more than 1.5 times your weight. That means if
you weigh 125lb, the most you can realistically lift with your leg
muscles is 187lb. A few throws or ankle blocks might work if your
attacker is moving towards you, such as tai otoshi or uke otoshi, but I
wouldn't hold my breath.
What makes a judo throw a jujitsu technique are the strikes, hits,
kicks, and nerve attacks that can be used to "off balance" an attacker,
destroying his kuzishi. However, with a bigger attacker you'll have
better luck with joint locking & aikido type techniques. That's the
bottom line. Yes, a street attacker isn't going to expect a coherent
response from you, but you also need to practice those techniques that
will give you the greatest chance of success.
Practicing judo type throws
are very useful, but judo has its limitations. If you understand that
you can work round the limitations with the other two "do" that came
from ju-jitsu: aikido & karate.
Q: I started Ju-Jitsu two
years ago. I've learned a
lot, but even though I now have a purple belt, it seems that I have to
learn the throws over and over again.
Throws that I did perfectly six months ago suddenly become
difficult and it feels like I have to learn it all over again from the
beginning. Is this a normal
part of the experience? Does
everyone have to constantly rebuild their knowledge like me?
It makes me feel like an idiot when I, one of the senior
students, suddenly can't do a basic Ippon Seanage shoulder throw and the
new junior who joined the club three months ago can do it better than I
can. [10/27/07]
A: There may be occasional
classes when you feel like you have 3 left feet. That still happens to
me on occasion. If you're having problems with a technique go back to
square one and practice it slowly several times [kata no nage] -- to get
the form correct. Once your self-confidence is restored then you can go
for smooth execution of the technique. There are some other issues here
that can/may also be addressed.:
1] Your training partner
should be as close to your weight/height as possible. Once you get
techniques down with someone in that category then you can more
effectively deal with bigger & smaller people, modifying your execution
accordingly.
2] The higher you move in
rank the more techniques & variations you’re expected to know &
your expected to do them better at each higher grade. {Seki was
incredibly frustrated by my inability to execute any sort of hane goshi
until after I becme a nidan. I was an absolute klutz until I got it one
night. I then figured out what I was doing right & that's how I teach it
to my students & they pick up on it fairly fast.]
3] Your sensei should make
reviewing techniques learned at lower AND upper ranks part of each
class' instructional lesson. [Hope I'm not stepping on some toes here].
Seki had us do an incredible amount of review - -usually at least half
the class. We might spend a whole hour doing koshi nage kata no nage. We
might do 20-30 kata no nage & then one throw. Then he’d have us repeat
the sequence. Constant review is the key to really learning techniques -
even though you may feel it's incredibly redundant.
BTW: If
you're a purple belt [4th kyu] now & you've been in the program for 2
years, you're at about the right place rankwise. So you may be
underestimating yourself. Ask your sensei to help you find a more
"acceptable" partner [even if lower rank] and to watch you so that
sensei can make positive suggestions to help you get over this hump &
get better.
Q: I'm trying to get straight
in my head how you need me to demonstrate proficiency. Looking at the
Disks there are obviously techniques in the first two that are really
requirements (per the handbook) for later grades which is great.
[11/1/07]
A: You are absolutely correct
here. When I scripted each tape I made sure that every [or almost every]
technique was a "complete" ju-jitsu technique/ That means it includes a
distraction [strike, hit, kick, nerve attack, etc.] to off-balance the
attacker, the actual technique required for a belt exam, and a
finishing/submission technique [pin, lock, hold, dislocation, strike,
kick, etc.] to make the technique "complete". Complete techniques are
not required below 5th kyu & at 5th kyu you're only required to show 2-4
submission.
In
addition, I showed different responses that could be used for the waza
[self-defense] portion of the test. You could use techniques used in the
kata portion for the waza portion if you wish. However, since I realized
what an opportunity I had to make the tapes, I showed additional
techniques which, as you said, were for "later" grades. This was done
intentionally to provide you with more than what was required. I do this
in my classes as well.
As a
result [1] you are being presented with much more material than what is
required which 2] gives you more choices of techniques to demonstrate,
especially in the waza portion, and 3] you're learning techniques and
submissions, etc that can also be used in later belt exams.
Q: Since this will eventually
be placed on video for you to see, what format do you usually use.
Looking at the handbook it looks like someone would need to ask me
questions for the General Knowledge part. Then for the waza/techniques
part someone would call out the technique then I would demonstrate?
[11/1/07]
A: Up through 4th kyu you can
just ask yourself 1/2 the questions & terms on video & answer them. The
same applies to the kata & waza portion of the performance tests. Or you
can have a 3rd person call off the kata & waza & then you execute it on
your uke. Kata can be called off in English and Japanese up through 4th
kyu. Starting at sankyu you'll go to a much more formal testing sequence
where I'll actually set up the test for you based only on the criteria
in the student handbook. Ast that point you must also know the names of
the kata in Japanese. I will then select up to 10 kata and 15 waza for
you to execute, but you won't know which ones until they're actually
called out by the "3rd person" on the mat. Instructions on how to test
in a secure method will be sent to you along with the 3rd kyu [& higher
grade] exams when you're ready to formally test for each grade. BJJY
certificates are issued for these grades and AJA certificates are also
required [which means you also must become an AJA member by the time you
test for sankyu.]
Q: ......and then possibly a
freestyle session where some person or persons would alternate grabbing
me etc and I would respond to their advance? [1/1/07]
A: If the first belt you want
to test for is sankyu [or any brown belt] I will require that you
present ALL the kata & waza listed on the sankyu exam on a demo tape for
pre-evaluation. The tape must also contain 60 seconds of "freestyle"
where you are attacked randomly by 1-2 uke without any prior knowledge
of what attacks they'll use. However, if you go through all the belt
evaluations & I've evaluated them, then I will sometimes wave this
massive evaluation video as I've been monitorig your progress all along.
Q:
I believe that I can do most all of the techniques demonstrated
in the 1st two DVD...but that doesn’t necessarily jive with a specific
grade... [11/1/07]
A: You are correct here. As I
stated in my answer to your first question, much more is presented than
what is required. I figured I'd only get one chance to do something like
this [DVD series] and I wanted to make it as comprehensive as possible.
If you use the handbook as your guide for testing you'll be ok.
Q: I am working on the 1st
two DVD's, Im trying to get up enough nerve to ask one of my jujitsu
classmates to be my uke for future testing...My wife ( :-) ) has agreed
to help for the time being bless her heart. She takes Aki-jitsu and
Karate so she's not unfamiliar but she is much smaller than myself and I
feel a little odd doing this with her which is why we don’t take classes
together...(It's our respective time away from the kids also) I suppose
that's ok that she's smaller?
[11/3/07]
A: Although a smaller uke
[your wife] will work for the lower ranks, you will need to find someone
closer to your height/weight, particularly after 5th kyu. Some of the
techniques will not work well with a significantly lighter uke.
Q: Im going to see if one of
my classmates will help out and if so you may end up with 2 students.
Before I do that I want to tell my Sensei here that Im doing this
and explain my reasoning so he doesn't feel like Im not satisfied with
his class… which Im not, many of the techniques are obviously similar
and the practice is great with different body types. [11/3/07]
A: Depending on how secure
and flexible your sensei feels will determine his reaction to what
you're doing. Regardless of how he might react you owe it to him [and
yourself] to be up front with him. Honesty is the best policy although
it might cause some short-run friction. However, if he sees that you're
being an active participant in his classes that may assuage his
concerns. I was very up front with Seki when I started studying Ketsugo
[Hal Brosious] while still in Seki's class. The only hard part was for
me to keep some of the Ketsugo Jujitsu techniques out of Seki's class.
Occasionally Seki would ask me about Ketsugo JJ outside of class [we
usually went for coffee after class], but that's as far as his interest
went.
Your
sensei may actually be interested in what you're doing and how they
apply to what you're learning in his dojo. You sort of have to go with
the flow on this one. I am glad to see that you're taking your sensei
into consideration here. That says a lot about you. Be very positive
about his class as you don't want him to see you're training in Budoshin
JJ as a threat to him or his dojo.
Q: One thing I noticed yesterday at the tournament:
all of the purple belts were wearing black pants! (I think they were
____ students.) What's up with that? Who (or what) determines when a
student gets to wear black pants? As you know, I've always felt
that only black belts are entitled to wear black pants. But, OK. If
purple belts are wearing black pants nowadays, then so can I! [11/4/07]
A: Ideally [according to
Seki] all students & instructors in a jujitsu class should be wearing
white judo gi top and black pants. However, there is also a financial
reality. Ordering a white judo gi plus black pants would add another $20
or so to the costs for a new student. My compromise has been that all
students & instructors, sankyu & higher should be wearing black pants.
Also, if a student needs to get larger pants I'll sometimes recommend
black ones. I think that requiring them from sankyu on up distinguishes
them from the lower ranked students [ sort of a status symbol if you
wish].
____
apparently requires black pants from the getgo from what I understand.
Q: I would appreciate your
advice on how best to become more relaxed.
Trying to become more relaxed is
probably like
trying to love my wife and
daughters--it has to be natural and not forced, not
trying
to "do" anything. I just love my family, simple as that--it's just
there, it just
is. If
I
try to be relaxed and think too hard about it, then I'll
only become stiffer.) You recommend a number of books on the
Budoshin website--is there anything in addition you could suggest, or
any specific works you really like? [11/6/07]
A: The
ability to execute techniques in a more relaxed manner comes naturally
with experience in executing the techniques correctly. [Sounds like a
"catch-22" doesn't it. The more competent and confident you become in
executing techniques, the less you will worry about doing them - as in
any sport or physical activity.
All it takes is practice practice and more practice. As a student I used
to object to all the reviewing we did [probably 75+% of the time.
However, I also learned that my performance became better & thus I was
more relaxed on & off the mat.
One of the best oxymorons I know is when people say, "Try to relax".
Maybe if a person works harder at relaxing they'll be able to relax
quicker. Even the phrase "relaxing quicker" is contradictory.
Relaxing is a process. You can't follow the western mind-set of
"work-harder". In my book they key [ki] to relaxing is in not trying at
all. After years of practice I can refocus/relax quietly easily by
rotating my head 1-2 times & then rotating my left & then right
shoulders forward followed by another head rotation. It helps me
recenter & sometime people near me hear the "crunching" of my vertebra.
It relaxes me.
Relaxation will come in time. Don't push it. You might read the poem I
have about ki in the Advanced Ju-Jitsu book. I'd also recommend that you
read "Flow; The Psychology of Optimal Experience, by Mihaly
Csikszentmihali. He gets into the concept of being able to function well
[mastery] without any conscious effort of what you are specifically
doing. It's a good "western" study of "mushin", which is something you
wil eventually get to in your ju-jitsu training.
What should
you do in the meantime? Practice and practice slowly. Don't try so hard
that you get frustrated. Be patient with yourself. " Go with the
flow " , as Mihalyi would say.
Q: What
type of striking - if any does your JJ system incorporate? [11/28/07]
A:
Budoshin Ju-Jitsu uses strikes to vital areas generally for two
purposes: distraction or damage [fracture] although the latter would
most definitely cause the former.
Initially, at the start of the jujitsuka's "response" [step 1] a strike
would be used for distraction purposes & would be directed towards
vulnerable parts of the body [nose, cheekbone, side base of ribs,
throat, armpit, groin/crotch, inside/outside of thigh, calf, instep or
toes, as examples.
In the followthrough [part 2] a strike would be used to stun or fracture
[again to vulnerable areas] but would also be part of a throw or
takedown - but not as part of a control hold/comelaong - which is
another option.
Lastly, as the submission [part 3] strikes could be used to fracture
[e.g., nose, cheekbone, knee drop to sternum, zyphoid process, base base
of ribs, etc]
Strikes are usually done with an open plam strike or knife edge. A
closed fist is only usd against really soft areas [stomach/solar plexus
-- or the armpit -- very disabling if done at the correct angle] elbow
is also used. Kneecaps & feet can be used appropriately as well,
although there are rarely any kicks above the waist.
An extremely hard block can also be considered a strike & can result in
numbing an extremity, completely off-balancing an opponent, or even
fracturing the extremity.
However,
the other side of the coin is the recognition that the law says you may
only do what is necessary to protect yourself and safely remove yourself
from the situation. So, common sense and reasonableness has to be used
in using any martial arts knowledge for self-defense purposes.
Strikes &
hits are only a part of a Budoshin Ju-Jitsu student's training and are
usually integrated into other techniques rather then being taught in
isolation.
Hope I've
addressed your question.
Q: Holy cow. Based on the
lineage chart on your website, you are pretty direct to Dr. Kano!
So, does your system have a bit more of a Judo aspect than other JJ
systems? [11/30/07]
A: There are a lot of
judo throws, techniques, pins, in our system, but they'd probably be
considered what is called "combat judo" although I'm not really sure
what combat judo really is. I do know that much of the judo [throws,
pins, locks, etc] that Seki taught do not have the "limitations" sport
judo has, and some of the throws are done a bit differently for maximum
street impact [pardon the pun].
With
respect to being "close to Kano, I had to rely on various verbal and
written history on Seki [not all verifiable]. I was able to contact the
Judo Kodenkan in Japan & was able to communicate with one of their
secretaries via e-mail. The closest response I could get was that it was
possible that Seki could have trained under Kano & it was possible that
Seki [father] knew Kano, but there is no written information to confirm
that BUT a lot of written records were destroyed in WWII. So, one is
left in a sort of limbo. However, much of the verbal history surrounding
Seki was verifiable to one exent or another. Sometimes it came down to
"there's no evidence to suggest it didn't happen. Also, Seki's military
records [along with tens or hundreds of thousands of others] were
destroyed in a military depository fire in the 1960’s - which I would've
had access to under the Freedom of Information Act had they still
existed. Seki also had a unique employment with Lockheed, which is still
not an open book [the info I have is not disclosable].
So, how "close" I am to Kano is not
an issue to me. In fact I never thought of the relationship until you
mentioned it --- which could be interesting if verifiable at Seki's end
of the relationship. Just wish WWII didn't destroy so much - everywhere.
Q: One question I have about
your association is : Is your group a strictly jiujutsu
association or do you have other arts as well? [11/30/07]
A: The BJJY [Budoshin
Ju-Jitsu Yudanshakai] doesn't care what martial art you practice or hold
rank in. The goal of the BJJY is to increase the public's awareness of
Budoshin JJ & help serious students attain teaching grades in Budoshin
JJ.
The AJA
[American Ju-Jitsu Association] is limited solely to Ju-jitsu dojo, but
has many different ryu in the organization. The main requirements for
mmbership are that you must hold at least a shodan grade in a verifiable
style of ju-jitsu and that you are teaching ju-jitsu in a dojo. [Other
martial arts can also be taught in the dojo.]
GC:
You may recall me asking you
for your advice on instructors doing their own thing/teaching their way.
On the last testing I did not see the finesse or clean technique I was
looking for. Since they had not graded in 9 months, it would not
be right of me to hold them back...I could only plan to fix it for the
next testing. I could only fault myself for letting my instructors
have too much say in how they were teaching. GK: We've all been there. I've lost a couple of excellent instructors [technique-wise]because they "wandered off too far" and wouldn't realign themselves with my program. It always hurts deeply when that happens because you've put so much time & effort into them. That's one reason I added the general knowledge portion to all belt exams several years ago. I was on a grading panel for one of my black belts [who had his own dojo] and he had a candidate going for shodan & nidan. Techniquewise they were ok. However, shodan candidate couldn't explain what ki was - or how it was used and nidan candidate couldn't define or explain what mushin was. I voted against promoting but he passed them anyway - ultimately a bad move on his part.
GC: I
spent the summer thinking about how to rectify the challenge, and I
decided the best way to stop them in their tracks was to take them back
to the basics...which would force the higher belts to review as well.
They were spending too much time on self-defense only, and not covering
the foundation.
GK:
Like they say with kata: review, review, review --- until you can spell
it backwards & in your sleep --- and then you've started to learn the
technique.
GC:
I’ve rearranged the instructional sequence somewhat by putting the vast
majority of core techniques from basic to advanced in the syllabus up to
purple belt. Purple/brown belt will have the reversals, counters,
weapons, seated/kneeling/etc. For the first brown stripe, you will
need to explain/demo white and yellow belt techniques along with
whatever other requirements there are. For the second brown
stripe, you will need to explain/demo orange and green techniques along
with whatever other requirements there are. For the third brown
stripe, you will need to explain/demo the blue and purple belt
techniques along with whatever other requirements there are.
GK:
Most of my successful blackbelts have rearranged some of the belt rank
requirements to some extent and added some additional requirements. I
don't mind the additions unless they really go overboard on them. I do
this more informally with all ranks. I assign higher ranks to work with
or supervise lower ranks. If they show something wrong I won't interrupt
unless it's a safety issue. However, I will pull them aside & show them
the correct way that it should be done. This process allows them to
"keep face" so to speak. Also, I try to get them to minimize their
verbal explanations as this is what causes the most problems. Different
people interpret the same information differently. I stress having them
move their students physically through the correct movement with minimal
verbal information. From my experience this increases their learning
curve significantly for all parties and it's easier for me to supervise
as well. As someone once told me many years ago, you don't start
learning a subject until you have to teach it to others -- and then you
find all the mistakes you're doing.
I still prefer some core techniques at the lower ranks along with the
all-important footwork. By the time they get to purple, they should have
msot of the core techniques down reasonably well - but there's still
room for improvement - there always will be.
Q: Prior to beginning learning techniques, I closely study each move in-depth by watching several times. I need to have a question answered that I do not believe is found on the site with regards to this. 1: (In the video) I noticed that when you have shown the uke has grabbed your lapel you then place your thumb (in relation to) over the pressure point between his thumb and index finger, your fingers go toward the bend of his wrist and then you finish the technique. 2: Another time that the takedown is shown, you place your thumb between his first and second knuckles and do the takedown. 3: The site shows that one can do the takedown by using pressure further down on the wrist with two thumbs over one pressure point. Would I be wrong if the takedown can be done all three ways or should one "stick with" only the web site version? [12/21/07]A: In ju-jitsu there is rarely just "one" way to do something. All three variations will work although the second is probably the most effective. If, in the process of executing the takedown you could press your left thumb on top of your right thumb [another variation] or your left hand on top of your right thumb [another variation], the takedown would be more effective as you are able to apply more pressure [& therefore pain] to the particular pressure point. Generally, the more pressure you can apply to a smaller area to affect pressure points/nerve centers the more control you will have as the more pressure you can apply as necessary [control] to gain compliance of the attacker.
Q: What
does “yudanshakai” mean? [12/29/07]
A:
Yudanshakai comes from two Japanese words,
yudansha [which means black belt] and kai [which means club or
association]. Therefore yudanshakai means an club/organization of black
belts.
Q: My
“sensei” inquired as to what format should I expect to test under.
Should we use the list in the handbook or should my instructor expect
a examination packet from you? [1/05/08]
A:
Currently your “sensei” are ikkyu. If your “sensei” holds a shodan grade
from me and has secured AJA dojo membership by the time you're ready
to test for nikyu then he can do it directly from the handbook as he
"knows the drill" -- or will by then. He should record & send the test
to me for my review. The goal of your sensei after getting their shodan
grades is to get their instructor certification [from the AJA] and then
earn their nidan. At that point they can directly promote to shodan. If your “sensei” is NOT at shodan
level by the time you test for nikyu then it will have to be done
directly through me.
Q: On
your training DVD's, you perform kata at very slow demonstration speed
all the way up to combat speed. Sometimes the footwork and/or handwork
have to vary slightly to accommodate various speeds. You have
consistently requested
slow and smooth on our kyu grade tests. We
practice our kata and waza at various speeds in the dojo. On which speed
should we plan to focus our practice as we prepare for our first dan
grade test. Which speed or speeds do you consider optimum for testing
purposes at black belt and beyond? I know the answer may vary with the
individual. Do you have any general guidelines? [1/16/08]
A: I like to see techniques
executed smoothly as that indicates control. So "slowly" is relative.
The more proficient you are with a technique the smoother it becomes &
thus it seems you can execute the technique more "quickly." I don't like
to see techniques done fast in the kata/waza portion of any test. I like
to see them done correctly and smoothly, which means they have to be
done somewhat slowly. However, a well-executed technique can be done
smoothly while allowing the examiner to see all the essential elements
of the technique.
I know
this is not the black/white answer you're lookig for but, as you said, a
smooth speed will vary somewhat with the practitioner. There's also a
reality that no matter how smoothly you try to do a certain technique,
once you get below a certain speed it can't be done smoothly as there's
not adequate ki movement/momentum in play.
I'll get
to see speed when you're doing the self-defense sequence. Again, I'm
primarily looking for smoothness but also for flow; you're ability to
blend with and control the attacker and his techniques. Just be careful
with your uke.
As far as
modifying hand movements and footwork as techniques speed up, that does
happen, again so that you can work with the attacker's ki act blend
effectively with him & his momentum. Sometimes specific footwork is
blended & modified. Sometimes very little visible footwork or hand/bady
movement is required for a technique to work because you're using the
attacker's ki fully. It's at that point that you wonder "what did I do?"
and the art becomes an art. However, by training with all the specific
movements, it trains your body to develop a feel for how techniques
should work. If you know your techniques & have a feel for them, you can
speed up, modifying some of your movements to allow for attacker ki &
momentum, and still have a perfectly executed technique.
Q: Could traditional jujitsu be called the MMA of its
day? [1/18/08]
A: There are purists who would like to believe that
“poof”, one day jujitsu appeared out of the sky. The same goes for
karate, judo, aikido or any martial art. Unfortunately there is no
“poof”.
All martial arts are the result of the comingling and selection
of knowledge that follows a common trend or concept; karate = strikes,
aikido = momentum & joint locks, judo = throws & pins, etc, etc. etc. In
all cases someone put a series of common moves together to form the
particular “do”.
What makes traditional jujitsu the MMA of its day was that it was
a combination of all do [& the direct predecessor of judo & aikido]
among other do. As a result it was a very flexible, efficient, and open
self-defense system. Yes, the different ryu of jujitsu may have
emphasized different aspects of the art, but they all shared a common
base and common set of knowledge. So if someone asks you, “What’s the best MMA?” The answer IS jujitsu. MMA is nothing new except that it is a takeoff on certain elements of traditional jujitsu — with a lot of restrictions thrown in to make it a “safe” sport.
Q: I am a COC student with previous martial arts
experience in many backgrounds and am interested in your spring Ju-jitsu
class. I was wondering if you could give me a little info on the
structure and depth of the course. Also I have never taken a martial
arts class at a college before and was wondering how the setting would
differ from the traditional dojo environment. [1/12/08] A: The course is designed to move you through the lower ranks of Budoshin Ju-Jitsu, hopefully up to 4th kyu [purple belt] or 3rd kyu [brown belt] if you remain in the program for 4 semesters. During that time you will not only learn specific throws, techniques, takedowns, submissions, nerve/pressure point attacks, & strikes/hits that make up Budoshin Ju-Jitsu [even in the first semester], but you will also start to developa personalized self-defense system against street attacks --- as all techniques are taught against street attacks [even in the first semester]. You'll also learn about the philosophy of Ju-Jitsu, reducing your chances of being a victim and other non-physical aspects of the art. The goal of Budoshin Ju-Jitsu is twofold: 1] to teach you the art of ju-jitsu and 2] to provide you with an extremely effective means of self-defense based upon your personal abilities. Belt testing is done periodically based upon the Student Handbook, which all students receive at the start of the semester. The handbook specifically contains what will be taught and what you will be tested on. There are no secrets or surprises in Budoshin JU-Jitsu. It is a completely "open" system. All techniques are cross-referenced to my books [one required for the class each semester] and my DVD series [if you choose that option on your own [not required] for the class. The Handbook goes all the way up through 1st degree brown belt [which is just below shodan - 1st degree black belt]. "Traditional" can mean many things. However, I intrepret it to mean that sensei & student treat each other in a respectable manner and respect themselves and the art in an honorable manner. Source language [Japanese] terminology is used in addition to English. Although we have formal bow-in and bow-out as well as some other formalities, nothing is done to indicate any sort of subserviance to anyone or anything. It's all done out of respect to each other and the art. That's the way my sensei [Japanese] was. Unfortunately my Japanese is very limited beyond techniques - something I'd still like to work on. I try to run the class as traditionally as possible within the scope of COC's requirements. Belt testing is done twice each semester. Last semester's class moved faster than I anticipated. All students passed the yellow belt [7th kyu] & green belt [6th kyu] exam and we were about half way through the requirements [with practice time] for blue belt [4th kyu]. The goal for the 1st semester of Budoshin Ju-Jitsu [to get an "A" had been to reach the green belt level. This means that I'll be revising my course requirements for the first semester. Of course, I had a terrific group of students with very positive attitudes. I hope to have similar groups in the future. I'd like to see all students in judo gi, but I can't require it. Nevertheless some students do get them as a promotional belt has to be put somewhere appropriate & gi/belts are relatively inexpensive. Yes, we do work out on mats, which we have to take out & put away each day. This is a participation class [obviously]. If you're on the mat and participating you will progress. Grading is based upon regular participation and whether or not you pass the required belt tests. If you really like Budoshin Ju-Jitsu you may be able to continue it beyond COC, dependent upon where you live. I also run a 2-nights/week program through Santa Clarita Parks dept & have other blackbelts teaching in other locations as well. Ultimately I'd like to see every student earn their blackbelt & teach the art to others. If you want more info on me, you can go to http://www.budoshin.com/Lineage.htm , although judging by the fact that you've e-maield me, there's a good chance that you've already been to my website. [Good plus for you. Shows you do your research ahead of time.] BTW: Your past experience can be an asset to faster learning if you keep an open mind.
Q: I
would like to hear your expert opinion regarding Airsoft guns, about the
pros and cons. I personally thinks that Airsoft guns are not deadly
enough to be used as an assault weapon, but if it resembles the "Real
Thing" too closely, then there are some possibilities of its use for
criminal purposes. What do you think? [1/16/08]
A:
For a quick info on airsoft gun problems go to:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/265541.html & in
particular read the last 4-5 paragraphs. Although all toy & air guns are required for have a bright, easily recognizable tip [usually international red] at the end of the barrel, some people color them black. And so the saying goes from the movie Forest Gump: stupid is as stupid does.
Airsoft guns are realistic looking especially in low-light or dark
situations. If an officer sees a weapon pouinted at them [or a laser
light pointed at them] it's a life-threatening situation & they'd
probably be within their rights to shoot at the source. The red tip is
easy to see in daylight, but not always in a "dark" situation. Nor do
most average citizens know the difference.
Although I'm not opposed to airsoft guns per se, they probably should be
treated as a real weapon for the most part: kept unloaded & locked in a
container and used only in areas designated for use. ["Designated areas"
is the big problem.] if people don't know what's going on they will call
the police and the police will respond assuming real weapons are in the
hands of "criminals." Fortunately in the U.S. there are private property
areas or businesses that have paintball or airsoft facilities. Years ago [30+] a student [who was also a police officer] & I would practice ju-jitsu in a local park. Occasionally we'd practice knife defenses [using a real knife with a dulled blade as we weren't totally stupid.] Inevitably someone would call the police. The normal pattern was that two police cars [with two officers each] would come into the park with front doors open & guns drawn. If we saw them approach we'd put the knife down, raise own hands, and my partner would pull out his badge. Everyone would sign with relief & we'd explain what we were doing. Eventually the police got used to us & ignored us. We've even had the same thing happen when we'd practice wuithout weapons. A concerend citizen would call the police about a "fight" in the park. Can't blame the citizens. They were acting responsibly, as were the police -- and us fortunately.
Stupid people do stupid things & have no concept of why they end up at
the "short end of the stick" so to speak. This applies to airsoft guns,
drinking alcohol, riding motorcycles, walking down the street, or
anything. Nine times out of ten, if people used common sense they'd
avoid most of the problems they run into. Unfortunately, if enough
people act stupidly laws have to be passed to deal with them -- & those
laws infringe upon the rights of the non-stupids. In the case of an
airsoft gun with a blackened tip, the act of stupidity could be fatal.
Question:
has the Indonesian government considered the red tips, or restricting
use to "designated" areas, or even considered some sort of license [so
that users are aware of safety rules, laws & restrictions, & use by
criminals could hopefully be minimized]?
Q:
With reference to your DVD #1, self-defense technique #6:
This is the throw where you press your finger against the
opponent's trachea and push through to drop him on his back.
I can't
make out the Japanese name of the technique on the DVD, and I can't find
it listed in your Basic Techniques book.
The technique is there but no name. It sounds like <something> no
ushiro nage. Help?
[2/10/08]
A: You gave me enough info to do a direct reference from the "Big Book".
The
complete "technique specific" name is Nozo No Ushiro Nage [Throat Attack
rear Throw == nozo = throat]. It's techniques #134. It can also
generically be called a shioku waza [nerve attack], nozo shioku waza
[throat nerve attack] or nozo tatake [throat attack, particularly if
it's a strike].
Hope I'm not confusing things. Seki called the
same technique different names at different times; sometimes being
technique specific and sometimes using more generic terminology. That
doesn't make life easy, but it's simpler than English -- at least to me.
Q: I noticed a lot of schools are using the large odd sized certificates
for their promotions. (10x14.5) (11x16) and so forth. what size do you
use with Budoshin and the AJA. Just wondering because I am working with
a certificate designer and thought about the 10x14.5, but want to be
consistent with AJA...I know it sounds trivial but I want to be
consistent. (My wife says I should go with 8x11.5 because it will be
easier for people to frame, not a bad idea.) Do you usually have the
Japanese translation on the left of what it says on the right in
English? [2/12/08]
A:
I use 8.5x11” because it fits in my printer AND it’s easily
framable. I really don’t know why some certs are as big as they are.
Maybe the bigger they are the more important they are [?]. I don’t have
Japanese in my BJJY certificates, except in the design [halftones]. I
don’t think the AJA certs have promotional info in Japanese either. Nor
do I know whether the Japanese should be on the left or right side if
you’re going to go that route as I’ve seen it on both sides.
My
personal opinion is that the Japanese isn’t necessary unless you’re
trying to impress people with something they usually can’t read.
[Ignorance is bliss?].
Wish I could’ve been more helpful.
Q: One question I still don’t really understand is the testing for the
belt ranks. What do you advise on this? I see I get a few free ones per
year but do I need to start sending in tapes from like white to
yellow..etc kyu or wait until the higher ranks? [2/18/08]
A: I would start with greenbelt [6th
kyu]. The reason I prefer you to test by rank is that it’s easier to
catch problems while they’re still small and not engrained. [It’s harder
to unlearn stuff than to learn it.] If you wait until purple or brown to
start video-testing you can end up with some serious execution errors in
techniques. Please keep in mind that I do not expect perfection in
technique execution for each rank. What I look for is progress suitable
to the rank you’re testing for. As you’re retested on many techniques at
higher belt levels I do expect to see better performance at higher belt
levels. Also, I look at how well you do the techniques, not how fast you
do them. Speed will come naturally as you get better. But it’s more
important to do things right.
Q: Also another concern at the moment is the cost of the mats. I may
have to save up on these and share the cost with some friends. [2/18/08]
A: You might check e-bay.com or craiglist.com .
Even
some of my students have gotten really good deals on mats online. Just
be careful. You might also check out your local recreation center if
there’s one nearby. They might have mats lying around that you could use
there. You might even check around martial arts or gymnastics schools to
see if they have any used ones for sale.
Q: I was wondering about
testing. When I send in my video and you are please you send me a rank
advance certificate? [2/18/08]
A: If I’m satisfied with your
video “test” I’ll let you know your promoted. If you want a certificate,
request it on your video. Starting with sankyu, certificates of rank are
automatically issued. By that time you’ll also need to be a member of
the American Ju-Jitsu Certification so you can get certified by them
too. You don’t need to worry about that until you get to sankyu. [AJA
membership is $25/calendar year & the certificate from the AJA is $8.
The AJA doesn’t issue certificates below sankyu as a matter of policy as
most jujitsu dojo don’t care what you are below sankyu. However, a
sankyu has to be verifiable.
Q: I was wondering about the
belt. Do you send one as well or do I need to purchase one on my own
(really doesn’t matter just wondering)? [2/18/08]
A: You can probably get
single belts cheaper on your own. Belts are really only about $3-4. It’s
the s&h that makes them expensive. If, however, you wanted to order
several belts at a time, the s&h is about the same as one. At that point
it becomes something we can price out before you decide to order. If you
want to get your belts elsewhere that’s ok too.
Q: Also while testing do I
need the appropriate gi and belt rank for the video? [2/18/08]
A: That’s entirely up to you below sankyu although I
like to see students in gi ASAP. However, starting with sankyu testing a
single-weight judo gi [hopefully with a purple belt] is appropriate. I
figure that if you’re committed enough to the art to go for sankyu, the
judo gi is an indication of that commitment. Besides, judo gi will take
the abuse that karate gi won’t.
Q: Just looking around for some gear and was wondering if the brand
ATAMA is okay to buy? [2/22/08] A: I usually suggest that students purchase the least expensive single-weight/single-weave gi they can find. However, if you want a bit roomier cut & top quality I suggest a Mizuno single-weight/single-weave judo gi [their least expensive model – which I’ve used for years] as it will serve you well. As Budoshin JJ is a “traditional” form of jujitsu I don’t like huge logos, shoulder/sleeve designs, etc. When you’re on the mat you should be representing your art, not advertising a company logo or design. [Yes, there is a small Mizuno logo on the left sleeve, but one can’t be totally inflexible.] I’ve had students show up in my dojo with Atama & other brand judo gi [including blue & in colors] & I ask them to look at the rest of the class before they put the gi on. They usually take it back to the store & show up with a white gi [preferably unbleached]. Unfortunately, Mizuno gi are only bleached, so another bit of flexibility is required on my part.
BTW: The
cheapest online source I’ve found for Mizuno gi is at
www.karatedepot.com/un-ju-12.html .
There
actually is a philosophical reason for the unbleached gi in martial arts
“lore”, but that’s another short story I can tell you if you wish in
another e-mail.
Q: I am interested in
attending Camp Budoshin, but I am very new to the martial arts and do
not have much experience. Is this camp set up for novices? I would be
traveling across country for it also (I live in MO), so I want to make
sure its a match for me (I train in Kenpo since there is no jujitsu
anywhere, but I still have not had that much training).
In
addition, I may come to the Salem, IL event you will be teaching at and
I have the same question for it: Will I, as a novice, be suited for this
event? [2/22/08] A: Camp Budoshin [1=day event] is open to all martial artists regardless of experience. We usually have 16 instructors from different martial arts – not just jujitsu. That’s why it’s called a “martial arts supermarket.” If you go to |