By Martin E. Hansen., Member until 2018.
Jujutsu has always had my interest, like so much else within the martial arts, which is why I was also excited to see what goodies Kimu Sensei had decided to share this time. When I turn back the clock a few years, when the gray splashes in the hair and the high temples were not so significant, I myself was a "cloth" at the old jujutsu courses. I remember it as a real hell of pain, where I was on the verge of passing out several times. I have wondered a few times why I was chosen to experience so much pain, not that I think I deserved it or am masochistic J Nothing is accidental when Kimu Sensei teaches, which most, who have been taught by him by now know, so why? Why should it bother little me? I've stopped looking for the answer because it was an interesting course at the time and I learned a lot by feeling how intense and nasty real jujutsu can be, at the same time I now know why - I guess J
But let's not dwell on the past and instead turn the clock forward to Saturday, September 12, 2009. Usually, it's only by accident that I get my mobile phone to wake me up at 0600 on a Saturday morning, in my younger days I was only on my way home from the city at this time, but nevertheless it was the conditions this morning, when I had agreed that Karsten and Jane from Korsør should meet at my place so that we could drive together to Greve at 6.30. The course was supposed to start at 9.00 but two trailers with mats were waiting outside on Lars t.... fields in Ørslev in West Zealand, and I had promised to leave a car for one trailer and Bjørn the other. The air was fresh and had a scent of morning dew and grass that everyone knows but cannot describe and the sky was cloudless – a perfect start to a good day. However, the sensory impressions were quickly distorted by a smell of tobacco smoke – Jane and Karsten were waiting by my car, pretending to be fresh and well-groomed despite the time. The old VW Passat headed for Ørslev, where Bjørn was already waiting. We also came to that when Lars from DGI, who was supposed to deliver the key to the anti-theft protection on the trailers, was approx. 20 minutes late compared to the schedule which was called at 7.00. But we set off with both trailers and reached Greve at 8 o'clock, where we were almost the first to arrive anyway. As people arrived, they helped unload the two trailers and carry the mats down to the gym at Tjørnely School. Everything was ready at approx. 8.30, which was fine, as Kimu Sensei and all the head instructors had to hold a short meeting before the start of the course. At the meeting, we got a short introduction to what was going to happen during the day and a bit of the content and how we were to work with things ourselves, since this course, like all teaching, is part of our instructor training. I had brought PCs, speakers and Kjeld Renshi-dai a projector, which was started at precisely 9:00 so that Kimu Sensei could start the course with a presentation.
This theoretical introduction emphasizes the importance and importance of ryugi training in Shindenkan whether you like it or not J, most people prefer to go straight to the physical part. Personally, I like to acquire knowledge about what I have to learn and get some history and documentation to build on. This was also one of the purposes of the theoretical review, which explained both the system's course structure and why they are offered and at the price they do, but also another part that introduced what jujutsu is and how it has developed over time and has been trained from the beginning. Many recognized individual slides that they had seen in previous courses, and this is not because it is just for recycling, but it illustrates the, by Kimu Sensei, carefully planned common thread and link between the different curriculum and competence courses. A part of the presentation was particularly exciting for most people, as some video clips were shown supported by suitably dramatic and emotional music. These video clips were carefully selected to show the different ways in which jujutsu is perceived or trained. The first video clip shown was old and therefore in black and white. It contained clips from old judo kumite but also training sessions with Kyuzo Mifune (10th dan Kodokan Judo), it looked very graceful but also effective. The second video was in a way the contrast to the first video and showed modern judo-kumite, and if you are meant to lose your balance just to get the opponent down first and score a point, then it was a good video. The third video looked more spectacular, as it showed the European championship in jujutsu duo-games and here, too, points were given for the best technical performance in figure skating. These first 3 videos were great but didn't show the reality and people almost felt entertained. In the last video, the pipe got a different sound. String upon string of knock-outs from MMA fights, one more disgusting than the other judging by the "victim". Here there were no rules or points for well-executed technique - no, here the "point" was that you had won and neutralized the opponent, i.e. much more realistic if you have to compare it to the violence on the street. The comment on the video from Kimu Sensei was also "It's jujutsu", not necessarily pretty, but effective in the rough way. The sense of entertainment had changed to direct discomfort with many of the course participants and I got a little deja-vu for our own free fights during black belt graduations in Shindenkan, but also the staged "show" in the introduction to jujutsu 1, which had also shaken many people, but and closed the circle between the 3 courses we had to go through. What was demonstrated here was that we all have different comfort zones, both physically and psychologically, which is also connected to the technical performance of jujutsu and all martial arts in general. The stage was set for the physical part and off we went to the dojo.
The dojo was already prepared by the activities committee and the training could start immediately. As an introduction and recap, the different falls from course 1 - forward roll fall, backward roll fall, side fall, front fall and back fall - were quickly run through, which got everyone on track and in focus for what was now to happen, namely the throw. As a starting point, there were some prerequisites and training principles, which were essential for what we had to go through. Firstly, the techniques had to be performed at Tai-chi pace, which helped to ensure a certain safety but also higher learning, secondly, the prerequisite for most of the throws we had to do was that we had control over the opponent and could therefore execute thrown. At the same time, it was important to understand the essence behind all the techniques that we had to go through, built up in stages: control, create a point of contact, create a common center of gravity, use tipping points and break the balance, throw the opponent and finish. It made good sense for the subsequent throws and I think the success rate was relatively high, which it seemed to be in general for all course participants. It is actually simple and fascinating that if you understand one training principle or several, then you can understand all throws and locks - but still difficult to learn J As usual, the training was incredibly well constructed and there were selected throws from jodan, chudan and already that is Seio-nage, Shiho-nage, O-goshi-nage, Uki-Goshi-nage, O-soto-gari-nage.
As an appetizer for jujutsu 3 and conclusion of jujutsu 2, Kimu Sensei had selected a locking technique (Kansetsu-waza). Immediately I had deja-vu again to the old jujutsu courses, where I thought back to the amount of pain that can be inflicted on an opponent by a correctly executed technique. The principles behind the technique, which in this case was a wrist/elbow lock, were basically the same as in the throws. To a large extent, it requires understanding your opponent and being able to sense what works and doesn't work and when it works, we are not all built the same, nor at the pain threshold. Like so many other martial arts, by understanding yourself and how you react, you can understand how others will most likely also react to a technique.
The course was over and I stood with a good feeling in my stomach, because it had been exactly as exciting and interesting as I had hoped for. But at the same time, a question lurked in the deepest recesses of the brain, what precedes the jujutsu technique you use, you don't just go and, for example, throws his opponent and why not just finish before throwing if you have the option, there was a missing link. It could be thought that the principles of jujutsu also lie in the "normal" karate techniques, so the consequence of a well-executed parade is, for example, a throw, but that does not give the answer to grabbing your opponent and throwing him, there may be a deeper explanation .
The following week, i.e. on Friday it was the turn for the dan version of Jujutsu 2, we thought... Normally our Friday training will be replaced by the dan version of a course that has been held the weekend before. I had been looking forward all week to having the extra spices and perhaps some other techniques served on a silver platter, so that we could really get down to the nitty-gritty of jujutsu. Instead, something rather unexpected happened when we were asked to train ourselves, with the aim of reaching a consensus on why jujutsu had its merits, why not just parry and finish like in kumite. As shown in the duo games, it was an ordinary karate technique that started a kumite, but ended with a jujutsu technique. Or put another way, there is a missing link – why jujutsu. Kimu Sensei had been looking forward and prepared a lot of training, which we won't get this time because we hadn't delivered our feedback from the kyu course on time, so he couldn't know how much we had understood, which should put the common denominator for the dan course, and he was right about that. Kimu Sensei asked if we had understood the task, and after being confirmed by all of us, he said a nice goodbye and drove off. Slightly disoriented, we stayed behind, but went fresh to the task.
We started the training by discussing the presentation in a circle, why jujutsu? There was a lively debate which rounded off both the story, i.e. where and when jujutsu originated as well as who used it. We came to the conclusion that, naturally, like so many other martial arts, it was developed and refined on the battlefield of ancient Japan. We had received a small hint from Kimu Sensei, which also put us on track - how do you feel if you stand in the "fire" and have fought for a whole day? You are tired, very tired and full of adrenaline. Jujutsu uses very little energy when it is performed correctly, which we all could also feel on the kyu course, so in a way jujutsu could well be applicable on the battlefield for that reason. Personally, I also think that an opponent who, for example, is thrown while wearing armor is incapacitated for a longer period of time than if he has received a blow that did not go in cleanly, because he first has to get back on his feet, which in itself can be difficult probably in full battle gear and perhaps deadly with all the singing swords around him. We had all learned that you are good at sk….. if you are thrown, in fact floor fighting is the most unfortunate situation to find yourself in and no less unfortunate surrounded by thousands of fighters fighting for life and death. Pretty quickly we agreed that the most obvious reason for jujutsu's raison d'être was pure survival. The reason for this is that jujutsu is very likely the most effective and bestial weaponless method available. On the battlefield, it hasn't been the most graceful thing to look at with fine locking techniques, no, it's been disgusting throws with broken bones and half-torn limbs and knock outs with subsequent liquidation. Jujutsu techniques at the same time include the possibility of disarming the opponent if you should have lost your weapon and at the same time you can still throw your opponent with a weapon in hand and subsequently chop him down either in the air or when he lands on the ground. Jujutsu also provides the opportunity to escape from a situation where, for example, you are alone against several opponents. If you get hold of an opponent, you can e.g. use this to shield against other enemies or slow down the opposition by directly throwing him at the others and escaping yourself. Another thing that is obvious is the possibility of inflicting damage on an opponent who is armed from head to toe. Here punches and kicks are not as effective unless they are ultra precise against very small exposed points such as parts of the face, neck and armpit. But throw and lock techniques would work and the latter especially because you can take advantage of the fact that the armor is split at the joints, so they can still be affected and dislocated and make the opponent incapacitated.
We had talked a lot about the possibilities and decided to try out some scenarios as best we could. The first scenario was one against the others, who were armed on top of that, when there were five of us for training it was four against 1. Immediately a really, really bad situation to be in. What can you do? Different solutions were tested. You can wait for the opponent to take the initiative and they either attack at once or there is one of them who tries, this will depend on the cooperation skills of the group, but you are almost sure to be chopped to pieces if it is a good homogenous group. Nor is it smart to choose an opponent close to an obstacle such as an end wall, or push yourself up into a corner, as it gives fewer opportunities to escape or deviate. What worked best for those who tried their hand at being "the lone warrior" was to take the initiative themselves and disarm an opponent and use either the weapon or the opponent to create a hole for evasion or a new fight, but with fewer opponents. Here it was found that jujutsu is effective because you can keep yourself moving while gaining control over the opponent and you can create the necessary space - we called it keeping the pulse and the flow, which has a slight tendency to stop if you get into a "traditional" karate fight with less movement. One thing is almost certain, unless there is a major level difference between the one who is alone and down to the group, and that is that you cannot avoid being cut in. Here the attitude must be decisive for survival. If the samurai went into battle out of fear of dying or being hit, he was almost certain to be. It may well be that you have to die, but you might as well live, and if you have to die, you take as many people down with you as you can. It may sound a bit grandiose, but think about the legend of Yakami the Grandmaster and the red bridge. The second scenario we tested was a little more "fair" as it was 2 unarmed against 3 armed, which almost led to a 50/50 situation and significantly better survival chances. Much again depends on the ability of the two groups to cooperate or create unrest in the cooperation of the other group. In most cases it ended with 2 matches where it was one on one and two on one situations. A matchup of 2 can quickly be turned to your advantage if you can either disarm one and use his weapon against the other or possibly use one opponent as a shield against the other opponent. It was quite fascinating and exciting to try out the different possibilities and feel the "pulse" when the jujutsu occasionally worked. It was fast approaching 19.30 when we officially had to stop and as the last thing we wanted to experiment a bit more with this "pulse" or flow and Jens Kyoshi suggested starting from Shiho Nuki, which is suitable for good use of jujutsu and manipulation of several opponents . Some pretty exciting kumite situations came out of it. After all, this Friday night gave me a good feeling about the effectiveness of jujutsu and that it definitely has its merits and the famous missing link lies in effectiveness and survival.
I look forward with great joy to Jujutsu 3, which will then show whether this missing link is really that simple and provide the common thread for jujutsu 1 and 2.
