• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

AJAAJA NNEWSLETTEREWSLETTER Volume XXXVII, Issue 1 Winter 2014 Ju-Jitsu and Judo Where Ends the Technique and Where Begins the Tactic? Scott Anderson In the last quarter of the 19th his studies concluded that the in a short time, the useful parts century, ju-jutsu and her Japanese missed out on some of the system were absorbed streamlined younger cousin, opportunities to throw oppo- into modern European judo. judo burst forth into Europe nents by hanging the thrower’s Today, judo-do is barely culti- and America as an exotic form body weight on their oppo- vated outside of Austria and of self-defense and physical edu- nent’s limbs to unbalance the Australia. cation. Some Westerners adversary. He believed that this wanted the authentic experi- concept and other changes In the first quarter of the last ence and tried to do everything could be used to modify judo century, the Russian NKVD was Inside this issue: just as the Japanese did, but for Europeans to provide some learning ju-jitsu through joint others decided that Eastern and parity in Western vs. Eastern training ventures with the Ger- Western minds and bodies judo. man SS. Meanwhile, the Red Kuzushi: The 2 were fundamentally different, so Army was integrating combative Great Equalizer these Eastern martial arts were Toward that end, he developed judo into its physical training ‘westernized” for others to a European module for judo to program. Once again, Europe- learn and excel at. be studied in addition to the ans had issues with Japanese standard judo curriculum. He concepts, and thus, judo was Julius Fleck, in the first half of called this system judo-do (the stripped of its Japanese trap- th Yudansha Promo- 2 the 20 century while living in widening of the path), and sub- pings and re-engineered using a tions Austria was considered so mitted his studies to the Greco-Roman wrestling training adept at judo that he was called Kodokan who awarded him a template and filling in judo sport the “white Japanese”, yet he still gold medal for his efforts. The and fighting techniques into all Newsletter Sub- 3 believed in his heart that excel- system’s hey day came and went of the slots on the training missions lence in judo was only for in- with the 1970s when tourna- charts filled with wrestling tech- heritors of Japanese DNA, yet ments were held in Europe, but (Continued on page 4) Upcoming Events 3 Kirby Seminar: A Jujutsuka’s View Stewart Burke Mudansha Promo- 6 With the possible exception of The head of the Arlington Dojo, tated the transfer of the mats, a tions Santa Claus, the annual visitation Sensei Thomas Salander process overseen by Sensei most eagerly awaited by the (godan), with the assistance of Youman. For what is the basis members of the Arlington Bu- Sensei Chuck Youman (yodan) of jujitsu if not the tatami? doshin Jujitsu Dojo is that of and Sensei Adam Kennedy About the Ameri- 6 Professor George Kirby. In the (nidan), oversaw the necessary Coral and I and our comple- can Ju-Jitsu Asso- days preceding November 2nd, preparations. For the second ment were pleased to see ciation the date of this year’s seminar, year in a row, the event in ques- among the assembled jujitsuka my 12 year old daughter, Coral, tion took place not at our home such old friends as Bruce Gay- was positively tingling with ex- venue at the Arlington YMCA, man, from whom I have person- citement, no doubt with visions but rather at the nearby Wood- ally learned so much over the of waza dancing in her head. mont Center, which necessi- (Continued on page 3) Page 2 AJA Newsletter Kuzushi: The Great Equalizer Jesse Strom It is said that the distance between fail- nent threat. of a throw or controlled takedown. ure and success is termed the extra mile. The great equalizer of strength and size Let us examine a yielding response to 3. In response to a high or medium that enables one to go the extra mile is three possible attacks: 1) Straight punch, level kick, we can parry the kick articulated in the Japanese martial art of 2) Round-house punch or haymaker, and, while grabbing a pant leg or jujitsu as kuzushi. and 3) medium to high kick. trapping the leg, simply step for- ward lifting the leg beyond the Kuzushi is the term to convey the princi- 1. In response to a straight punch, we attacker’s balance. ple of breaking an opponent’s posture simply avoid the force of the attack or balance forcing the opponent into a by stepping aside with a parrying Simultaneously and/or after systemati- vulnerable position. Kuzushi comes from block. Applying kuzushi, we grasp cally applying kuzushi, we are able to the Japanese word kuzusu which is com- the attackers sleeve or trap the continue our actions to effect the at- posed of the characters 崩すmeaning elbow and continue the attacker’s tacker’s submission if necessary. momentum in the forward direc- ‘to destroy or pull down’. The central tion until the attack is collapsed Jujitsu is called the ‘gentle’ art due to the root of the word can be found in the rendering the attacker unable to ‘giving way’ or ‘yielding’ motion of our character 崩 denoting a ‘collapse.’ rebalance and reprise the attack. defense. The principle of kuzushi gives jujitsu that extra advantage to enable Kuzushi is the principle that we apply as 2. In response to a round house safely repelling attacks without injury to a force multiplier, with our yield, in punch, we can step inside and parry the attacker. Applying this principle is assisting the attacker beyond the point the blow. By grasping the attacker’s not as easy as it seems nor is it difficult. of unbalance. Kuzushi, deployed in this sleeve or trapping the arm, we One must train diligently maintaining manner, also destroys or collapses the continue the attacker’s momentum kuzushi as the primary principle of all attack so that it is no longer an immi- in a circular direction to the point movement in efforts to go the extra mile. Yudansha Promotions Name Rank Date Dojo Nissan Zahavi Yodan 06/06/13 Belle Chasse Martial Arts David Vidal Shodan 08/01/13 Nova Budoshin Ju-j-Jitsu Hung Vo Shodan 09/10/13 Reston VA YMCA Jujitsu Martin Georgievski Shodan 09/15/13 Reston VA YMCA Jujitsu Bruce H Jones Hachidan 09/24/13 Reston VA YMCA Jujitsu Jancel Conroy Godan 09/30/13 Reston VA YMCA Jujitsu Rich Vinnacombe Shodan 10/01/13 Reston VA YMCA Jujitsu Andy Sparks Nidan 10/17/13 San Fernando Valley Martial Arts Antonio Ramon Nidan 10/17/13 San Fernando Valley Martial Arts Dennis McCafferty Shodan 10/17/13 San Fernando Valley Martial Arts Howard Kee Godan 11/10/13 Reston VA YMCA Jujitsu Kevin Mathis Nidan 11/20/13 Reston VA YMCA Jujitsu Volume XXXVII, Issue 1 Page 3 Kirby Seminar: A Jujutsuka’s View (Continued from page 1) were in his dojo. Perhaps I should let (Also a great way to make friends =D). years at these seminars; Tyler Garner, Coral describe her impressions of the The free-style kata was one of my favor- Jodi Canapp, and others. ite parts of the seminar. You get to see the different techniques people learn The morning session saw Professor from other dojos. I think this helps im- Kirby demonstrating the finer points of prove my skills.” a pair of throws that many of us in the lower and mid-level ranks might find During my own freestyle kata, my old relatively advanced – harai ogoshi and friend and uke Tyler Garner essayed an hanae goshi -- as well as tai otoshi. After unexpected and unaccustomed type of reading his books and watching attack which left me momentarily non- his instructional videos, it is especially plussed, underscoring the immense gratifying to be able to receive the bene- value of periodically training with uke fit of Sensei Kirby's knowledge in per- from outside one’s customary dojo. son. Changing partners as we did after working on each technique, it was also I think all in attendance would agree that very beneficial to receive the insights of the respective performances, against one's ukes, particularly those at the multiple armed attackers, of Sensei John upper levels. Frank of Ward Y Dojo and Sensei Chris Hendricks of Reston, VA, stood out as After a lunch of Subway sandwiches highlights of the seminar (a video of graciously provided by Sensei Thomas John’s performance can be seen and his wife, Mary Claire, the attendees here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ assumed the position of anza around the UCGMgamCe3wQwZJDc_S8JQNA). perimeter of the mat by order of height However, for Coral and I, this year’s and rank. Starting with the shortest seminar will always stand out as the one white belt, each student was allotted at which, at the very end of the day one minute in which to defend against before bowing out, we were summoned attacks from uke, after which their per- before Sensei Thomas and Sensei Kirby formance was critiqued by a distin- Prof George Kirby demonstrating tai otoshi at the to be awarded our purple belts in honor guished panel consisting of Sensei Kirby, Arlington Seminar on November 2, 2013. of our promotion to yonkyu. Sensei Salander, and Sensei Will Harris of the Ward Y Dojo [formerly known as Aside from the recognition of rank and White Marsh Dojo]. I must admit I seminar in her own words: courtesies thereof, our annual seminar beamed with paternal pride – and I think knows no discrimination other than that I detected a similar expression on the “The seminar was a great experience for of the ability to fall in relative safety and face of Sensei Thomas – when Professor everyone who signed up.

Load more

  6

Copy Link