Archive for year: 2010

This blog will probably more interest, the BJJ students, but this can relate to all martial arts.  There are so many techniques in this art and Instructors are always endeavouring to come up with solutions so most of this stuff sticks.  In BJJ it can get quite difficult trying to remember the many techniques, especially, when they each involve a serious of little steps which can really test the memory.  Realistically, it’s difficult for anyone to come up and fluently demonstrate eg all the chokes they have learnt over the past 6 months especially when the techniques may have been taught in an adhoc fashion. Katas/patterns have been practiced in the traditional styles for many years preserving the techniques of each particular art and making them easier to remember.  Something similar can be used for BJJ, which I call the flow.  So here is my Choke Flow:

Choke 1 – Bow & arrow choke from guard
Choke 2 – Double lapel choke from guard
Choke 3 – Guillotine choke from guard
Scissor sweep (to change into mount position)
Choke 4 – Front choke from mount
Choke 5 – Half nelson lapel choke from side mount
Choke 6 – Repeat same on other side
Choke 7 – Take back and apply rear naked choke

After being shown how to do the techniques in that sequence, it is now simple for anyone to recall and practice the moves which only takes about a minute or so to go through them all.  Good way to practice, good way to remember and a good way for the Instructor to ensure their students practice what they need to know.
GA

I dropped in at work the other day and had a chat with my one of work colleagues about how it’s almost impossible to keep up to date with technology.  Nobody can escape it.  We once thought death and taxes were the only things you can’t escape but now you can add technology.  But there’s an upside to this; keeping up to date with what’s going on will allow you to make more informed decisions such as whether you buy the latest 3D television right now or the later version which is being developed where you don’t need to wear glasses.  In this case, a little voice in my head said, ‘wait’ because there's something better around the corner; now that's one good reason to keep up to date.

Surprisingly, technology in the martial arts is no different.   A couple of Sundays ago, I found myself staggering around, on my crutches, at the Fitness Expo and I was absolutely astounded with what’s out there today.  Where do I start?  Somebody must be out there doing research and sums to come up with new equipment.  I particularly liked this ‘do it yourself’ focus pad machine.  The Expo is about technology – all about the latest and greatest inventions and developments on display.

Technology also involves the martial arts industry – new skills and training methods (apart from equipment).  It was just the other day Shihan Norton had found a much easier way to learn and teach the Black Belt Complexes. Simply just tweaking a technique or coming up with something better deserves a standing ovation; this process involves everybody because inventions and ideas don't always come out from a laboratory.
GA

Today, it's not difficult to obtain a Black Belt as any martial arts store will sell you one and nobody really cares if you buy one anyway.  Has it lost its value?  I remember the days when you walked into the store and a Black Belt was something which had to be brought out from a vault.  The vendor would be inquisitive and interrogate you under a spotlight before handing it over.  God help you if you got caught wearing one if you weren’t a Black Belt; it was sacrilege. You'd be on the front page of every newspaper and stoned to death in Martin Place!

I earned my Black Belt in the days of ‘only the elite few will get it’.   The gradings were long and hard – no mercy, no complaining, no break, no water!  Your fitness and spirit were ultimately put to the test to see if they could break you; if they succeeded in doing that then you'd have to wait for the next grading which was only a year or two away.  Of course, times have changed and that culture is virtually non-existent but it is a shame things can go completely the other way.  Changes are good but not when they go overboard.  Just look at discrimination laws, ethics and politically correct statements gone mad.  It gets to the stage where it is difficult to know whether you're on the right track anymore.

However, it was time for a change in the way we graded people especially to Black Belt because it had to be achievable for a larger part of the population. Another reason was because some of the new styles that came later on the scene did a good job of marketing themselves at no consideration of jeopardising their integrity. This put pressure on the older and more established styles to make changes in order to compete. I remember one Instructor advertising you can get a Black Belt in 6 months.  You can't roast a leg of lamb any quicker.  Maybe, the Black Belts he was giving were microwaved.  That 6 month thing didn't work and didn't last long.

Today, good schools maintain a certain standard in the grading system to ensure the belt you earn means something, otherwise, it is only a piece of material you buy over the counter.
GA

If you're old enough you might remember the days of the black and white TV.  If you saw one in a museum you may be forgiven to think it is just as amazing the first day it came out.  The question is why would such a useless, outdated and worthless piece of junk would still intrigue some people today?  If it was on the side of the road you wouldn’t even give it a second look but in a museum, it would probably catch your eye and maybe think how incredible it was that such a primitive piece actually worked.  If it wasn’t for that, we wouldn’t be sitting today in front of our LEDs wearing 3D glasses.  It’s all thanks to the inventors and developers of that black and white TV. 

In comparison during the same era, martial arts was a black and white TV but having said that, the martial arts began developing over a thousand years ago.  That’s how long it has taken the martial arts to reach its heights today.  We take all things for granted when we jump on our mobile phones and laptops but if it wasn’t for our pioneering inventors and achievers we would still be rubbing sticks together to get the kettle going.  The martial arts are where they are today because of the do-ers and we should not take for granted what is being taught out there.  Good Instructors will go out of their way to show as much as they can to their students. 

Many people take up the martial arts as a hobby whilst others take it more seriously.  If martial arts have ever helped anyone out of a situation, then all that training must be worthwhile.  Just hearing from others how it helped them was enough for me to take up Karate as a young man.  Thirty five years later I’m still at it.  I get strange calls every so often from ex-students to tell me how a little voice in their head said 'why did you stop training', the moment they got themselves into the wrong place at the wrong time!  That sends one message – the dojo is the right place at the right time.
GA

It is an amazing feeling when people notice and try to do something for you when you’re on a handicap.   That is certainly is the case when you’re on crutches.  You are the first one to enter the elevator, cars stop for you to cross the road (even though you were just standing around with no intention to cross the road) and you’re the first one to get served at any shop counter.  People can be good human beings when they want to. 

I actually get more attention and sympathy when I have the pants rolled up exposing the full length of the boot, making it look more serious.  When I have the pants down, I only get 'he'll get over it' attitudes.

I was standing around in the office of the Dental Surgery waiting to be called in.  An old gentleman got up and offered me his seat because he could see I was on crutches.  That was a bit of shock to me – it’s usually the other way around.  Maybe, it was his way of feeling better about himself, he is in better condition than me.  It’s only a thought and I shouldn’t be taking anything away from this nice man.  I am just not used to this role reversal.  I had to explain to dentists, nurses and receptionists what had happened to my foot.  Everybody in the room was keen to listen so I took a deep breath before I started my speech.  I was trying to down play my handicap which is what I did about any weaknesses, I had at the time, before a martial arts competition or street situation. I lifted myself off the ground and did other strange things I have picked up along the way using the crutches.  These sticks weren’t designed for acrobatics which almost flung me onto the ground.  I recovered well and it looked like part of the act; I almost got a standing ovation!  I discovered later, that day, one of the rubber feet had badly split.  I rang the pharmacy to claim on my warranty (with tongue in cheek) so I get another pair for new challenges.  I guess if there is any point to this blog it just shows the personality of a martial artist.

It is really amazing (not much fun, though) to spend 6 weeks with your leg in a cast with a couple of sticks taking you for walks but every day is a step forward (pardon the pun).
GA