Jiu-jitsu Sensei

First New Post at Our New Blog Page

2012-01-12T16:14:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't already know, our blog has moved. Our first new post on the new blog is up, How to Breakfall Naturally. Read it at our new address and follow us there from now on. Thanks for reading!

Jiu-jitsu Sensei is Now at PacificWaveJiujitsu.com

2012-01-09T16:05:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

We have now successfully moved Jiu-jitsu Sensei to its new home on our dojo's fancy new website. If you want to keep following our blog posts, check in at our new address here: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/. Thanks for reading everyone!

Lori

Jiu-jitsu Sensei's Martial Arts Blog is Moving!

2011-12-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to let you all know that we are in the process of re-locating this blog over the next couple of weeks. As a result, we have closed commenting on blog posts (so we don't have as much to move). I will post an update after the move with the new URL. Thanks for your continued support!

Lori O'Connell

Can Older People Do Jiu-jitsu? Just Ask Rick...

2011-12-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

This post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/can-older-people-do-jiu-jitsu-just-ask-rick.

5 Tips for Maintaining Martial Arts Training (Or Any Hobby) as a Parent

2011-12-08T10:26:00.004-08:00

This post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/5-tips-for-maintaining-martial-arts-training-or-any-hobby-as-a-parent.

Celebrating Martial Arts Milestones

2011-12-01T09:38:00.000-08:00

This blog post has moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/celebrating-martial-arts-milestones

Taking Responsibility for Higher Level Learning

2011-11-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/taking-responsibility-for-higher-level-learning

Getting Into & Maintaining the Martial Arts Training Habit

2011-11-17T14:15:00.000-08:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/getting-into-maintaining-the-martial-arts-training-habit

How Martial Arts Instructors Can Give More

2011-11-09T14:56:00.000-08:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/how-martial-arts-instructors-can-give-more

6 Favourite Movie Fight Scenes for Inspiration

2011-11-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/6-favourite-movie-fight-scenes-for-inspiration

Dealing with Less-than-Ideal Ukes

2011-10-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/dealing-with-less-than-ideal-ukes

The Role of Pain, Frustration & Violence in the Martial Arts

2011-10-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/the-role-of-pain-frustration-violence-in-the-martial-arts

3 Different Takes on the Sensei-Student Relationship

2011-10-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/3-different-takes-on-the-sensei-student-relationship

10 Things You Can Do Outside the Dojo to Become a Better Martial Artist

2011-10-04T14:06:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/10-things-you-can-do-outside-the-dojo-to-become-a-better-martial-artist

Ip Man the Movie & Wing Chun for Martial Inspiration

2011-09-26T16:21:00.000-07:00

Back in July, I wrote a post about my top 5 martial arts related movies, not just based on the fights alone, but the movies as complete works. A few people mentioned that Ip Man should really have been on my list, but I hadn't seen it. I finally managed to rectify this over the weekend and I must say, this movie would have made my top 5 list for sure. Check out the trailer:

Not only was the story well told, it was also well acted, not that cheesy-I-can-put-up-with-this-for-the-awesome-fights kind of acting. And the fights are indeed excellent! They did a great job of representing the style of Wing Chun and even made the Japanese's fighting style look, well, Japanese, with Karate style striking (though I would have liked to see a bit more Jiu-jitsu, naturally).

This movie made me remember way back in university when I did some Wing Chun training for a period of about 6 months. Its fluid striking and blocking blends hard and soft martial art principles and can be quite practically applied. One of my favourite drills was chi sao, a "sticky hands" drill that allows you to practice feeling your attacker's energy, so you can block, redirect and counter. Here is a video explaining the principles of this (you'll have to excuse the poor sound quality, but it really is a good video):

Anyway, Ip Man was a great source of inspiration for me, making me want to play with more flow drills. Have you seen it? What did you think? Out of curiosity, are there any Wing Chun practioners out there who have seen it? If so, do you think it stayed relatively true to the style?

Solutions to 6 Common Martial Arts Training Hurdles

2011-09-19T15:40:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/solutions-to-6-common-martial-arts-training-hurdles

Warrior Movie Giveaway!

2011-09-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know what this movie is going to be like. I've been disappointed by MMA movies before (I prefer not to discuss how I suggested going to see Red Belt with some of my students). But who knows? Perhaps Warrior, a new MMA movie with an all-star cast, will break the mould.

Anyway, the promotions company for Warrior offered to do a giveaway of a Warrior Fan Prize Pack for my blog's readers. This prize includes: Lionsgate Action-Packed DVD Pack, The Men of Warrior coffee table book, Warrior t-shirt, and a Warrior one-sheet. To enter this contest, simply write a comment for this blog post. One commenter will be chosen at random to receive the giveaway. This giveaway is only valid for people who live in either Canada or the United States.

Here is the description I was provided for this movie (I will reserve judgement until I see the movie for myself): Haunted by a tragic past, ex-Marine Tommy Conlon (Hardy) returns home for the first time in 14 years to enlist the help of his father (Nick Nolte) to train for SPARTA, the biggest winner-takes-all event in mixed martial arts history. A former wrestling prodigy, Tommy blazes a path toward the championship while his brother, Brendan (Edgerton), an ex-fighter-turned teacher, returns to the ring in a desperate bid to save his family from financial ruin. But when Brendan's unlikely underdog rise sets him on a collision course with the unstoppable Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront each other and the forces that pulled them apart, facing off in the most soaring, soul-stirring, and unforgettable climax that must be seen to be believed.

A rousing ode to redemption, reconciliation and the power of the human spirit, "Warrior" is also a moving testament to the enduring bonds of family.

Here is the trailer for the movie if you're curious:

What's Your Excuse?: 7 People Who Will Inspire You to Overcome It

2011-09-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/whats-your-excuse-7-people-who-will-inspire-you-to-overcome-it

Enter the Dojo: An Introduction to Ameri-Do-Te

2011-09-01T14:08:00.001-07:00

I recently happened upon a commercial video for a dojo down in New Mexico, teaching the style of Ameri-Do-Te. Here is that video:

If you haven't guessed already, this is spoof. Actually, it's a trailer for a spoof video series, a mockumentary if you will, about Master Ken and what he teaches in his "perfect" martial art, Ameri-Do-Te, a made-up style that takes self-defense/combat concepts to ridiculous extremes. Watch episodes 1 and 2 below to see what I mean:

I quite enjoyed the humour of these videos being an instructor of a self-defense oriented martial arts style. I've even had a few requests for "groin grab sparring" from students in jest. That being said, I noticed in the YouTube comments that a number of people thought this was a real martial arts school, criticizing its operations. What a sad state of affairs that there are enough McDojos out there that people could think that this spoof is for real! Ah, well. It is what it is. You just have to find the humour in these things. I hope you find these videos as entertaining as I did! If you want to watch another full-feature martial arts mockumentary, check out The Foot Fist Way.

The Purpose of Meditation in the Martial Arts

2011-08-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/the-purpose-of-meditation-in-the-martial-arts

New Self-Defense Fitness Classes

2011-08-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

At our Vancouver area martial arts school, we pride ourselves in offering a full schedule of adult Can-ryu Jiu-jitsu classes, which offer students a wide range of self-defense skills, including striking, throwing/takedowns, breakfalls, joint locks, sparring, ground techniques and more. Our standard classes start by introducing the most practical, easy-to-learn defensive skills with strong emphasis on gross motor skills while also providing foundations for higher level learning that is developed as a student progresses.

Having taught these types of classes for 5 years now, and we do our best to make these classes accessible to anyone and have people of all ages (even a 65-year-old!), fitness, levels and physical abilities. That being said, some people have different comfort levels in terms of what we do, or are not necessarily looking to learn a comprehensive martial art, but still want a place where they can develop and maintain their defensive skills as well as their fitness levels. It is for this reason that we developed our new Self-Defense Fitness classes.

Using the simplest, most effective self-defense techniques in Can-ryu Jiu-jitsu, we've created a program that improves students' cardio, strength, coordination, balance, flexibility, etc, AND teaches students how to apply them for personal protection should the need arise. Unlike our regular Jiu-jitsu classes, these one-hour classes leave out higher impact activities such as breakfalls, throws, joint locks and sparring making it accessible to everyone. It's designed to be a solution for people looking for a lower-impact martial arts fitness option. It also can appeal to people who don't like the idea of being thrown or having their joints locked up, whether they're getting over an injury or just a little intimidated at the prospect.

I never really liked the idea of cardio kickboxing or boxercise classes, finding that these types of classes were more about getting fit with only a minor association with the martial arts, and little to no application as to how to use the martial techniques taught. That's why I wanted to make this class different. Around 1/2-2/3 of the class would be spent on fitness and circuit training with practical striking drills with the remaining time spent on the practical applications of the techniques. This class will not require uniforms and will have no belt system. The only equipment required would be a groin protector.

I am hoping that this class will help broaden our reach by offering a more simplified training option that addresses different people's needs. It would also serve as an ongoing training option for women who do our 2-hour women's self defense class. Additionally, I hope it will also serve to attract curiosity in our regular Jiu-jitsu classes from people who develop a desire to progress further. At the same time, it would also serve our regular Jiu-jitsu students should they want a different format class to help improve fitness levels or give them a training option while recovering from injury.

What do you think?

Need for Speed: 3 Principles that Shouldn't Be Sacrificed to Go Faster

2011-08-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/need-for-speed-3-principles-that-shouldnt-be-sacrificed-to-go-faster

6 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Martial Arts Conferences

2011-08-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/6-tips-for-getting-the-most-out-of-martial-arts-conferences

Pressure Point of the Day: Lateral Femoral

2011-07-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

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My Top 5 Martial Arts Related Movies

2011-07-19T15:32:00.000-07:00

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How to Tweak Your Side Breakfall for Really Hard Throws

2011-07-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/how-to-tweak-your-side-breakfall-for-really-hard-throws

Celebrating Solitide: 6 Benefits of Taking a Personal Retreat

2011-07-06T13:56:00.001-07:00

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8 Day-to-Day Habits to Improve Mental & Physical Health

2011-06-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

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The Difference between Panicking & Choking

2011-06-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

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How 'Will to Win' Affects Martial Artists

2011-06-13T14:13:00.001-07:00

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Choking While Performing in the Martial Arts (Or Anything!)

2011-06-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

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A Look at Filipino Martial Arts

2011-06-01T12:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Chris and I tried out a FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) class at a school close by to us in Surrey called Mendoza. We had been looking for something new to try that had daytime classes and this place seems to fit the bill. Being half Filipino and all, it's funny that it's taken all this time for me to give it a shot. To be fair though, there wasn't much in the way of FMA in Ottawa while I was living there.

Our first class went very well and we both enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. It was all empty handed techniques that day, but really fun, useful stuff. The style of movement is so different from what I've seen on other martial arts. The closest I've seen in another style was Wing Chun, at least for the flow of the movement, but it has its differences. For one thing, a lot of their movements are punctuated with slaps, which gives it a neat rhythmic quality that helps with hand flow.

Below is a sample of the hand flow from Filipino martial arts. We did a similar style of hand flow drill that focused more on elbow strikes.

As fun and useful as the empty handed stuff was, I'm looking forward to trying out the weapons work that FMA is famous for. The video below features the instructor from Mendoza doing free flow stick movements.

I consider myself lucky to live in the Vancouver area, which seems to have a wide variety of martial arts training available with all sorts of skilled instructors. I'm very much looking forward to learning more. :)

Odour Management for Martial Artists

2011-05-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/odour-management-for-martial-artists

Encouraging Personal Development in the Dojo

2011-05-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to a new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/encouraging-personal-development-in-the-dojo

Technical Analysis: Shoulder Throw

2011-05-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

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How to Throw Big When You're Small

2011-05-04T14:26:00.001-07:00

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Back on the Mats and Training

2011-04-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

Last night I got back on the mats and resumed my Shorinji Kan Jiu jitsu training. I took 2 weeks off after I sprained my Achilles tendon right at the beginning of my purple belt grading. I pushed through the grading and avoided doing things that would make it worse, but I must admit that it was pretty sore afterwards, so I needed to take some time off to recover.

I need my body to be healthy for what I do, so I take my healing very seriously. Whenever you get any joint sprain, it's wise to avoid using the joint for the first 48 hours, a vital period of your healing. I didn't even go into the dojo for the first 48 hours so as to avoid standing on my bum ankle. After that, I resumed teaching, but tried stay off my ankle as much as possible as I did so. Even when I was just standing around and giving advice, I did feel sore by the end of a class at first. Jenny, my doctor student, gave me some exercises to strengthen the joint gradually over time. I've been religious in doing them. And last night, I was finally ready to get back to the mats and train.

I'm still not a full capacity though. Running and skipping are still stressful on my ankle, so I had to do my own warm-up independent of the class. I did 5-10 minutes of shrimping and crab walking rather than participating in the classes usual running exercises. The only other thing I had to make modifications for was forward stance (zenkutsu dachi) practice. When my injured ankle was the back leg in the stance, I had to do a modified half stance to avoid stressing the ankle. Other than that, I was able to function completely normally in class, which is great after 2 weeks of doggin' it! :)

Anyway, sometimes you have to back out of training to let yourself heal, but in some cases you can get back to training in a limited capacity if you're diligent about avoiding things that will could hamper your healing. If you do decide to get back to training, make sure you do so under the guidance of your doctor so you know what types of movements to avoid. Some people, however, just can't participate in a class and hold back in any way. These people are probably best served by waiting until they're fully healed before returning.

Have you ever had to train around an injury? What adjustments did you need to make to allow you to train?

The Gift of Fear vs. the Price of Worry & Ignorance

2011-04-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/the-gift-of-fear-vs-the-price-of-worry-ignorance

Promotion to Purple Belt in Shorinji Kan Jiu jitsu

2011-04-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I graded for my purple belt in Shorinji Kan. I'm happy to announce that I passed. :) After the grading, a course was put on by Andy Dobie Sensei (head of Jitsu Canada) and Steve Hiscoe Shihan (heir apparent to the style of Can-ryu). We were all told that we would find out the results of the grading after the course. I was told to go ahead and change into my Can-ryu gi and black belt, but this of course led to a humourous belt presentation later on.

They called up each candidate to receive their new belts one at a time. When it came to me, Dobie Sensei said, "Hmmm... now where did she go?", then looked at me in the Dan line-up and said, "Oh, there you are!" He even referred to me as O'Connell Sensei when he called me to receive my belt. Since we were taking photos of everyone with their new belts afterwards, I switched my gi, put on my purple belt, then lined up with all the Kyu-ranked students. It was all very amusing. I was proud to be demoted from Yondan to purple belt. :P In the photo below, me and some former white belts are tossing up our previous belts, graduation style.

The course was awesome. Hiscoe Shihan started by teaching handcuffing techniques, which was interesting because this is not something on our usual curriculum. That's the benefit of having the law enforcement influence. Dobie Sensei followed up by showing a number of takedowns with strong emphasis on kuzushi (balance breaking), which everyone appreciated.

These combination style courses are great for students to attend. They get to see different instructors, different styles and different perspectives. I always walk away having learned something and enjoy seeing my students talking excitedly afterwards about the new experience. If you have the opportunity to attend these types of events, I highly recommend it.

I was asked by a few students why I would grade in Shorinji Kan for Kyu belts when I already have my Yondan in Can-ryu. It's all about keeping up with my learning. There is always more you can learn, more you can improve, but sometimes it's hard to get solid training time in when you're an instructor. It's easier to focus on your own learning when someone else is in charge. I've seen many an instructor become complacent in their own learning to the point that they become stagnant and start losing interest. For me to keep my enthusiasm up, for both teaching and training, it's important for me to train outside my own dojo. I chose Shorinji Kan because I wanted to focus a bit more on throwing (which they specialize in more than we do), plus I have the benefit of having an in-house Shodan in that style at my own dojo.

Are you an instructor who cross-trains in another style? What style did you choose and why?

How to Improve Your Success Rate in Applying Submissions

2011-04-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-success-rate-in-applying-submissions

The Disadvantages of Having a Friendly Dojo

2011-03-31T15:06:00.000-07:00

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Standing up to Bullies: The Case of Casey Heynes

2011-03-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

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Understanding Physical Biases in the Martial Arts

2011-03-17T07:34:00.000-07:00

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How Do Your Assumptions Hold You Back?

2011-03-09T16:30:00.001-08:00

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4 Tips for Preventing Illness at the Dojo

2011-03-02T17:02:00.000-08:00

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One Way to Remove Strength from Takedowns/Throws

2011-02-25T12:00:00.001-08:00

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Gi Washing Tips for Double Weaves

2011-02-19T12:03:00.000-08:00

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Forget What You "Thought" You Knew about Aikido

2011-02-16T14:34:00.000-08:00

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Muscle Memory & Confusion for Building Technique & Strength

2011-02-08T14:35:00.000-08:00

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Muscle Memory & Its Role in Self-Defense

2011-01-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

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4 Factors that Affect Muscle Memory Development

2011-01-25T16:02:00.000-08:00

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Celebrating My Dojo's 5-Year Anniversary

2011-01-18T15:30:00.001-08:00

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Safety Rules for Women at Bars/Clubs

2011-01-13T17:35:00.000-08:00

Over the last year, I taught around 8 women's self-defense classes in Vancouver. During that time, in nearly every group I taught, there was at least one woman who either knew someone personally who had had rohypnol slipped into their drink, or had had it slipped into her own drink. Back when I used to go to bars regularly, it was something that you only read about in the papers. Unfortunately, these incidents have become commonplace in recent years. Read more about rohypnol.

To avoid this type of situation, there are a number of safety rules I teach women to follow in my self-defense class. Here they are:

1. Avoid going to bars alone. You're more vulnerable to these types of situations when you're alone. No one is there to intercept if someone attempts to "take you home" in a suspicious way, nor will anyone miss you if you're suddenly gone.

2. Avoid drinking to excess. I understand that it's fun to let loose, but drinking to excess impairs your judgement. You may not recognize a dangerous situation if it happens to you. You're also more likely to take risks you wouldn't normally take when sober. If you're with friends, you might not notice if your friend is in a situation and needs help.

3. Keep track of your drinks. It's not just about staying close to your drink, but actually keeping it in sight. Many women have looked away just for a few seconds, turning around to look for a friend or put their wallet away, and have had their drink drugged in that time.

4. Don't let strangers buy you drinks. Sure, it's nice to save money, not having to buy your own drinks, but when you let someone buy you a drink it can give a man the opportunity to put something in it. Even if the guy isn't looking to drug you, he may feel that you're now obligated to him in some way, and may get angry if you don't feel any such obligation.

5. Look out for your friends (and make sure they're looking out for you). It can be easy to lose track of your friends in a crowded club. Try to stay together, at least with one other friend. Let each other know where you're going to be. It's easier to stay safe and stop bad things from happening if you're all looking out for each other.

I give this advice to women, not to scare them, or to make them feel unsafe when they go out. These are just a few simple practices one can easily make a habit of doing without having to dwell on it overly. By following these practices, women can worry a lot less about what "could" happen, and focus more on just having fun.

My next women's self-defense class is taking place on Sat. Feb. 5. More information.

5 Easy, Inexpensive Ways to Market a Martial Arts School

2011-01-05T16:40:00.001-08:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/5-easy-inexpensive-ways-to-market-a-martial-arts-school

5 Ways Martial Arts Help with Mental Self-Improvement

2010-12-30T15:43:00.000-08:00

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Reducing Time-Wasters for Efficient Living

2010-12-27T11:56:00.000-08:00

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How to Live Life Efficiently and Effectively

2010-12-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

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Feedback for Upcoming Ground Defense Book

2010-12-15T08:43:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Sorry I didn't post last week. I had a good reason; I was away on my honeymoon. Anyway, I'm back now and am ready to share some good news with you all. Over the past few months I've been working with representative of Tuttle Publishing (one of the largest martial arts publishers in the world) on a book proposal. I didn't want to say anything until things were a bit more solid, but things are starting to look promising.

The book is about practical ground defense, specifically in a street self-defense context. The goal is to provide easy to learn tactics and techniques that a BJJ-er can combine with his sport grappling training for an effective toolbox of skills that can be used in a street defense context. Conversely, traditional martial artists that are more focused on stand-up defense would also be able to learn an effective package of ground defense tools. The book will also be accompanied with an instructional DVD to supplement its contents.

My contact at Tuttle said that there is definitely interest in my book and on top of that they're interested in having me expand the content. There are many different topics related to ground defense, and I have many of them covered already, but I would like to find out if there is anything of particular interest to my blog readers on this matter. Please let me know in the comments of this post. I very much appreciate your feedback and support. :)

The Zone Diet for Martial Artists - A Review

2010-11-30T13:47:00.000-08:00

This blog has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/the-zone-diet-for-martial-artists-a-review

A New Rank in a New Shorinji Kan Curriculum

2010-11-23T10:28:00.000-08:00

If you follow my blog regularly, you know that this fall I got back into training in Shorinji Kan Jiu-jitsu under Jonathan Jamnik Sensei at his dojo in Vancouver. I had trained with him and with Kevin Eugene Sensei at the BCIT dojo in Burnaby over a year ago, having double graded and earned my orange belt. I ended up taking a break from it for a little while I focused on my own dojo, but decided to get back into it with a goal of developing my throwing skills more since Shorinji Kan places a heavier emphasis on throwing than we do in Can-ryu.

There was a big change when I came back though. A new curriculum had been developed with the addition of Henka-waza (transitions) and Kaeshi-waza (counters) as applied to throws, joint locks and ground work.

With all the changes, I was glad there was no talk of double-grading again. At first it seemed like there so just so much more to learn on the curriculum, I wondered if I would even learn it all in time for the November grading. The additions affected all my previous kyu levels as well as the one I was grading for, and I was expected to know them all. But as I spent more time playing with the new additions, I realized it wasn't so overwhelming after all. The so-called "additions" weren't all that "additional". The transition and counter training techniques were more a way of teaching how to flow between the different moves so that students don't get stuck on one way of getting the job done, so to speak. When trained correctly, it helps students adapt to the changing circumstances that are likely to occur in a real physical encounter.

The key to training transitions and counters correctly is to maintain proper intention, which can be tricky at times. If training a transition, you have to go in for the initial move, whether it's a throw or joint lock, with the intention of completing it. If you only go in for the initial move half-committed, holding to the goal of the final transitory move in mind, you miss the point. The transition is only meant to be used if the first move fails.

As an uke, it's a good idea to let your tori follow through with the first move on occasion, as well as performing the appropriate counter for the purpose of transition practice. This helps "keep it real." As for counter training, uke should always try to throw tori for real so they develop the necessary movement skills to do a proper counter. Of course, when first learning a counter, it's a good idea to go more slowly, while still committing to the throw.

As for the test, all went relatively smoothly and I passed. As always, there were a number of things I would have liked to do better. I certainly wish I hasn't lost my balance while performing a ko-uchi-gari and fallen butt first onto my uke's chest with all my weight :(. Thankfully, my uke was a strapping fellow weighing in at over 200 lbs, so he could handle the unexpected blow. But when all is said and done, I accomplished my goal of improving my throwing skills, and certainly the transition and counter training played an important part of that. I look forward to working on those skills further as I continue with my progression as a martial artist.

Why We Use the Coloured Belt (Kyu) System

2010-11-17T15:49:00.000-08:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/why-we-use-the-coloured-belt-kyu-system

Leadership Training Courses Now at Our Dojo

2010-11-10T09:41:00.000-08:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/leadership-training-courses-now-at-our-dojo

How I Learned to Be a Student

2010-11-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/how-i-learned-to-be-a-student

Braving through a Belt Test with an Injury

2010-10-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/braving-through-a-belt-test-with-an-injury

Upcoming Shodan Grading for Chris

2010-10-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

This Sunday is my assistant instructor Chris's Shodan grading. He is fine right now, but I know that the night before the test he'll be very nervous, but he has his own ritual for dealing with nerves. He eats a healthy, high-carb meal, takes a hot bath or shower to loosen up muscle tension, then he watches one of his favourite Kung fu movies.

I too will be a little nervous. This is the first time I've ever gotten a student up to Shodan before. I can't take full credit for it though because he had years of prior experience having trained in Shorinji Kan Jiu-jitsu. Still, he is being judged on his calibre of skill in my particular style, Can-ryu, and as a result, I too am being judged.

For those of you who aren't in the know, I'll be the one running the grading, but the heir apparent to our style, Steve Hiscoe Shihan will be there to witness the test. So even though I'm running it, if Shihan watches the test and is dissatisfied with what he says, he has the last word. Not that I'm worried that Chris won't pass. I just want him to do his best and show off the skills I know he has. If he does that, he'll definitely succeed.

Either way, Chris's test is a milestone for me and I'm looking forward to running it. He's the first Shodan candidate I've had in the 7 years of I've run my own dojos. Has any of you out there reached this particular milestone? How did it feel for you?

How to Practice Good Strike Targeting

2010-10-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

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Jiu-jitsu Style "In-Laws": The Marriage of Can-Ryu & Shorinji Kan

2010-10-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Some of you may already be aware of this. For others, it may be new information. Last month, I got married. The man I married, Chris, is my second in command at my dojo, who had originally come to us just over 3 years ago as a brown belt holder in Shorinji Kan Jiu-jitsu.

Apparently, a new term has been coined with regards to our marriage, with our two styles now being referred to as "in-laws." Steve Hiscoe Shihan, heir apparent to our style, recently visited the dojo run by Andy Dobie Sensei (head of Shorinji Kan's Jitsu Canada) in Peterborough. After the class, Shihan was quoted as having been very glad to have the opportunity to visit, explaining the connection between our two styles as "in-laws" now that Chris and I have married them together, so to speak.

Chris came to our style having moved to the Vancouver area, where there were no Shorinji Kan dojos at the time, which is why he started training with us. Originally, he took up Can-ryu with the goal of keeping an open mind, but naturally looked at everything we did with a Shorinji Kan eye. Over the years, he has come to be a Can-ryu practitioner every bit as much as he was a Shorinji Kan-er. He earned his Shodan in Shorinji Kan in December last year. And at the end of October, he'll be testing for Shodan in Can-ryu. If he passes, he'll be the first to hold the rank of Shodan in both styles.

I, too, have earned my own place with Shorinji Kan, having received my orange belt last year. I took up training with the new instructors who had moved to the area with the hope of focusing on skills that receive less emphasis in our style. It's also just nice not to have the weighty responsibility that comes with wearing a Yondan belt. I had to take a break from it for awhile, but I've re-started my training this fall and hope to test for green belt in late November.

Chris and I hope to continue to maintain a good relationship with both styles. Of course, our dojo is a Can-ryu dojo, but Chris still goes to the Shorinji Kan dojos that now exist in Vancouver to help out whenever he can. We also invite Shorinji Kan instructors to teach at our dojo as guests and, vice versa, I occasionally teach at Shorinji Kan dojos as a guest. And, of course, we always welcome Shorinji Kan students to drop in at our dojo. They're family after all...

Women's Self-Defense: Dealing with Assaults from People You Know

2010-09-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/womens-self-defense-dealing-with-assaults-from-people-you-know

The Importance of Surprise in Self-Defense

2010-09-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

Surprise is a very important fundamental to understand when it comes to self-defense, but it's difficult to incorporate into one's training. There are two sides to the coin to consider; removing an attacker's ability to surprise you and using surprise to add effectiveness to your own physical defense.

Removing An Attacker's Ability to Surprise You

This is accomplished by being aware of your surroundings and taking sensible precautions. When out and about, whether you're walking home from a transit station, walking to your car in a shopping garage, out for a run for exercise, etc, you should always be generally aware of all the people and vehicles that are in close proximity as you move about.

As part of this practice, you should avoid closing off your hearing and outward focus by listening to an MP3 player or talking on the phone while walking about. You should avoid going close to areas that could allow a person to jump out at you quickly. You should also avoid allowing people to follow you into an isolated area or to triangulate around you as a group.

Even if you're as good a martial artist as Bruce Lee, if you let yourself be caught by surprise, you may not have the opportunity to put those skills to use for self-defense.

Using Surprise to Add to Your Own Self-Defense

Catching an attacker by surprise is one important way a person can make up for lack of size or numbers in a self-defense situation. Women have been known to successfully repel much larger attackers by using the element of surprise. Most of the time, if a woman has been targeted for an attack, she has been perceived as an easy victim, which makes using surprise that much more effective a tactic.

I remember one example of a woman in Ottawa who was attacked while rollerblading. A man jumped out of the bushes and took her to the ground. He may have thought that she would be helpless while wearing a pair of those cumbersome skates. He was wrong. The woman managed to kick him in the groin using her skate. She successfully immobilized her attacker and was able to flee to safety.

Weapons of opportunity make for great elements of surprise because they're usually not accounted for by the attacker, whether it's sand thrown in the attacker's eyes, a pen used a striking implement, or a trash can thrown in their path to trip them up.

Even when you're not using a weapon of opportunity, you should do what you can to conceal your attacks. This is why we try to avoid telegraphing our strikes and kicks with exaggerated motions. You should also save any strikes you intend to use for a moment in which they can be used most effectively. For example, you shouldn't try to knee someone in the groin from far away. They're more likely to see it coming and if you miss, you can better believe your attacker will be even more ready to defend against it the second time.

These are but a few examples of how surprise can be used. Please feel free to share your own examples of how you've used surprise to keep yourself safe.

Most Embarassing Moments in the Dojo

2010-09-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was asked to teach a technique at a black belt course that was being hosted at my dojo. I confidently got up and demonstrated a particular wrist takedown to the group of 12 or so black belts who were in attendance. As I was stepping back into a stance having finished the technique, I heard a loud ripping noise coming from behind me.

"Hm. I think I just ripped a whole in my pants," I announced to the group.

As I moved, I couldn't help but noticed the increased breeze caressing my back-end. I covered it up with my hands then backed away toward the washroom in a decidedly undignified manner. The best part of it is that it was all being recorded on camera so that everyone could "review" what was taught as necessary. Needless to say, the incident elicited a lot of laughs.

Now that I've shared my most embarrassing dojo moment, I'd love to alleviate my embarrassment by hearing some of your most embarrassing stories. Please share in the comments! :)

When Old Becomes New in the Martial Arts

2010-09-07T05:20:00.000-07:00

While I was in Ottawa, I did a little training with Perry Kelly, a Godan in Can-ryu Jiu-jitsu who has a very diverse training background, and his friend Chris Anderson, also a black belt in Can-ryu as well as a WWII combatives expert. As always, I learned a ton, and am looking forward to bringing what I learned back to my dojo.

One thing that was of particular interest to me from this training experience is the way that old becomes new in the martial arts. Knowledge is cyclical. Things go in and out of vogue over time and what was once old, can be rediscovered and re-popularized, making it "new" again.

Take Brazilian Jiu-jitsu for example. BJJ wasn't new. It's essentially a combination of Judo/Japanese Jiu-jitsu techniques that came to be re-emphasized and re-explored. Much of what you see in the BJJ core curriculum can be found in older Judo and Jiu-jitsu texts. That is not to say that it hasn't evolved since then, but when it was first re-introduced to the world, it seemed completely different from anything else. Even though it was derived from Judo and Japanese Jiu-jitsu, those arts had moved in different directions in more recent decades.

There is much to be learned from historical martial arts texts if you can get your hands on them. Perry and Chris both have extensive libraries with texts dating back to the late 1800s. I was amazed at the information they contained. Some of it seemed silly at first, but make sense when you understand the context under which the concepts were developed. Take the stance that was used by bare-knuckle boxers. It looks goofy under a modern eye, but there is a big difference between bare knuckle boxing and modern boxing. According to Cris and Perry, the back hand was held across the chest to protect against strikes to the heart. With gloves on, this strike is largely irrelevant, but with bare knuckles, a strike to the heart area can cause a palpitation that can heavily impact the recipient's performance.

You'd be surprised what can become relevant again over time. Knowledge that gets lost in the shuffle often gets re-shuffled back into the mix when someone re-discovers it. Some people even establish their entire martial arts reputation just by doing this.

What Gives You the Teaching Jitters?

2010-08-31T04:23:00.000-07:00

I've been teaching martial arts for going on two decades now. I'm pretty comfortable in my skin when it comes to teaching, at my own dojo, at other people's dojos, even at major training events. There is, however, one thing that still gives me the teaching jitters after all these years: teaching in front of my Sensei.

Last Thursday I taught at my Sensei's dojo in Ottawa. I taught some of the ground defense concepts I've been working with and teaching my own students. Every time my Sensei would come onto the mats, I found that I would get nervous and wouldn't be my usual confident self. I've taught in front of other heads of styles before with no problems, but with Ed Hiscoe Sensei, it's different.

He remembers me from the time that I was only 16 and a lowly white belt trying Jiu-jitsu for the first time. He remembers all my awkward years as a teenager. He remembers the times when I was first learning to teach as a brand new Shodan. And it's not so much that he remembers all those things, it's that I remember all the nervousness and lack of sureness in myself associated with those times, and somehow it manages to creep in when he's on the mat while I'm teaching.

Hiscoe Sensei ended up watching most of the class I taught from the other room on his dojo video system, making the class go more smoothly for me (which I know he did on purpose). I'm sure that one day I'll get over it, but I have to say that his willingness to help me by doing that put me a few steps further in that direction because it demonstrated his empathy for my situation and that, on some level, says to me, "You see? It's only in your head." It was an effective way of conveying that message.

Are you a martial arts instructor? What gives YOU the teaching jitters? Please feel free to share in the comments section.

Addressing Differences in Martial Arts Styles

2010-08-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/addressing-differences-in-martial-arts-styles

How Caffeine Can Enhance Your Physical Performance

2010-08-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/how-caffeine-can-enhance-your-physical-performance

90 Years of Jiu-jitsu Experience in 3 Cool Instructors

2010-08-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

Firstly, I want to apologize for the delay in my blog writing. Last weekend, attended a Jiu-jitsu seminar in Sicamous and was away for 4 days, so I had a few things to catch up on. Now, I'd like to do a little run-down on the seminar.

A lot of times when you go to these types of events, there is a weak link in the instruction. I'm happy to say, however, that all 3 of the weekend's instructors were just awesome. Collectively, Andie Dobie Sensei (Shorinji Kan Jiu-jitsu), Steve Hiscoe Shihan (Can-ryu Jiu-jitsu) and Michael Seamark Shihan (Kokodo Jiu-jitsu) have over 90 years of martial arts experience between them, and it showed in their instruction (left to right in the pic below). They were like 3 peas in a pod of pure pain.

The participants in the event thoroughly enjoyed being twisted up, punched, squeezed, and slammed. The instructors never seemed to be without a smile when teaching (unless demonstrating their "mean face"). I'm not sure I can say the same for their ukes.

Steve Hiscoe Shihan also introduced us to a fun new "game." He created some Can-ryu Challenge coins (see pic on left). The idea is that you carry this coin on your person and if you whip it out to someone and say "Challenge!" they have to produce their own coin (if they have one). If the challengee doesn't have one, they must buy the challenger a drink. If they do have one, then the challenger has to buy. I got the ball rolling with my own coin (Sorry Dobie Sensei!). It didn't take long before people started buying their own (thankfully!).

Anyway, we all really got our money's worth, having learned/refined techniques, made new friends and shared drinks (so to speak). It was very successful and expect that it will be even better attended next year (we're gonna need more mats!). I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to train under such fine martial artists.

5 Space Options for Running a Dojo

2010-08-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/5-space-options-for-running-a-dojo

Top 5 Cross-training Activities for Martial Artists

2010-07-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

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Playing with Improvised Weapons

2010-07-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

As a senior black belt, sometimes I want to do something creative in my training, something that stimulates the brain, something that makes me look at an analyze techniques I've practiced for years in an entirely different way. One way to do this is by playing with improvised weapons.

You can take any single item that you might carry with you or have on you in an defensive situation then try to use it in a way that enhances weaponless techniques you've learned.

At the orange belt level in our style of Jiu-jitsu, we introduce the concept of the yawara. In training, it is simply a short stick about 3/4 of an inch thick and about the length of a pen. But this item in theory need not only be a stick. It could be anything that is a similar size and structure, like a pen, small hair brush, a mascara container, etc. Students are taught a variety of strikes with the yawara and are encourage to improvise defenses that incorporate its use. At first, the focus is on more practical techniques involving strikes and simpler movements. Later, as students progress through the belt levels, they are encouraged to use the yawara to enhance joint locks, throws, etc.

When I get on the mats to train rather than teach, occasionally I'll pick out a random item and improvise defenses that incorporate that item. This week, I think I'll experiment a bit with the cane, which could also be a cane umbrella which is an item I sometimes carry on me. I have no formal training in the use of the cane, other than a few random techniques I was shown over the years, but that just makes my play time all the more creative and fun.

How about you? Do you incorporate improvised weapons into your training?

4 Common Problems with Women's Self-Defense Classes

2010-07-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

I've been teaching women's self-defense classes for many years now. I've seen all sorts of classes offered by a wide variety of martial arts instructors. The problem is that while many of these instructors are skilled martial artists, they are not necessarily self-defense instructors, and don't run a class that takes into account the realities of what women face.

Here are 4 common problems with women's self-defense instructors:

1. Lack of understanding of the anatomy of an attack on a woman. There are a lot of misconceptions of what the typical assault or attack on a woman consists of. Many people imagine the worst, a woman being brutually and mercilessly attacked and/or raped by some stranger in some back alley. The truth of the matter is that the majority of assaults on women in North America (I won't generalize about the rest of the world) are performed by men that are previously known to the woman. Also, the majority of attacks are performed in a home or motor vehicle. Knowing these facts, an instructor should provide information to help prevent these situations, which leads to the next point.

2. Underemphasis on awareness, avoidance and de-escalation tactics. Many women's self-defense courses place more emphasis on physical combat because that is what the instructors know more about. But ultimately, the vast majority of the incidents women face can be avoided though awareness skills and knowing what actions to take when something is up.

3. Over-complicated defensive combat techniques. Whether a class is only a few hours long or several classes over a few weeks, women's self-defense classes are generally short-term classes. Women don't usually continue to train the techniques regularly once the course is over. That being the case, it's a waste of time to teach women techniques that take lots of time to learn and become proficient at. Even if they do manage to learn them, it's doubtful they'll retain the skills over the long term and be able to apply them under the stress of an attack.

4. Lack of Emphasis on the Psychology of Self-defense. In North America, the typical man who attacks a woman is not looking for a challenge, they're looking for an easy victim. If a woman is targeted, part of their physical defense strategy should encompass the idea of unequivocally demonstrating that they are not one. Whatever physical defense is taught, women should also learn to be loud and vocal to gather witnesses and increase the risk of the attacker getting caught, which they obviously don't want. They should also be taught to fight the response of freezing in fear by harnessing anger so they can channel the resulting adrenaline dump into a fight response that is more likely to make an attacker think twice about his choice of victim.

At the end of the day, without extensive training, a woman is not likely going to be able to mount enough of a physical defense to stop a determined male attacker who refuses to back down no matter what the consequences. Fortunately, most attacks are not like this and can be stopped simply by being an unappealing victim and can be altogether prevented just by understanding and applying safety measures in daily life. This is why a proper, useful women's self-defense class is NOT just a bunch of physical combat techniques. It teaches the whole package. And if a woman wants to learn more and become better equipped at the physical aspect, they can always sign up for ongoing martial arts training that continues to build on that foundation.

Taking Care of Joint & Muscle Strains

2010-07-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/taking-care-of-joint-muscle-strains

How to Create Your Own Basement Dojo

2010-06-27T15:51:00.001-07:00

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The Importance of Self-Belief in the Martial Arts (or Anything!)

2010-06-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

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Hobbies Outside of the Martial Arts

2010-06-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have been involved in the martial arts for over 17 years. I run a dojo that has 8 classes per week and I do some of my own training in addition to teaching. Martial arts has become a big part of my life. That being said, I've come to discover that I need to have hobbies outside of the martial arts to give my life balance.

I believe that people need both a mental and physical break from the martial arts in order to get the most from their training. They need hobbies that are fun that allow them to enjoy time with their friends and families. These other hobbies can give students perspective about their training, allowing them to step onto the mats with a clear and receptive mind and body.

Lately, I had discovered that my own balance was out of whack. I was starting to feel a dip in my energy and enthusiasm when it came to the martial arts. It wasn't like I was thinking about giving it up or anything. I think it was that I had been so focused in the preparation for my Yondan that I hadn't had enough of a life outside the martial arts to balance things out.

After achieving my Yondan, I looked into finding a hobby I can do with my fiancé that is outside of the realm of martial arts. We have decided to take up fencing at a club that operates right around the block from the dojo, Dynamo Fencing in Richmond BC. I used to do fencing back in high school and university. It was a fun activity that was both physical and social. Though some of you might think of it as being a martial art, it really is more of a sport with only a very loose connection to its martial origins.

Other than that, I have a few seasonal interests that I pursue, including downhill skiing, climbing (indoor & outdoor), and camping. I also do yoga in the mornings, and I both read and write for pleasure.

Since I've started to restore balance, I've found myself happier overall with my life and have renewed my energy and enthusiasm in my martial arts training and teaching.

How about you? I would love to hear what sorts of things other dedicated martial artists do with their lives to maintain balance. Please post your comments! :)

Foam Rollers as an Alternative to Massage

2010-06-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/foam-rollers-as-an-alternative-to-massage

RIP Tidewaters Pub, Our Beloved Local

2010-05-30T17:54:00.001-07:00

It saddens me to report that our dojo's favourite pub for after-training drinks burnt down Thursday night. What really guts me is that we weren't able to go to it this past week. There are reports that they'll be rebuilding the pub but it looks like we'll have to find a new regular place for a while. See the complete story with videos of the fire.

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Doing Hip Throws

2010-05-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

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My Promotion to Yondan

2010-05-19T14:29:00.001-07:00

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How to Use Your Whole Body to Improve Technique

2010-05-11T13:09:00.000-07:00

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Getting in Touch with Our Own Knife Psychology

2010-04-26T17:35:00.000-07:00

(*This is a continuation of my last post Fear of Knives: Exploring the Roots.)

There really is no definitive answer as to whether humanity fears knives more than other deadly weapons or why this might be the case. Moreover, the fear (or lack of fear) that is experienced when faced with any weapon will vary quite widely from person to person simply based on their own individual psychology, making it impossible to predict how anyone would react when the moment comes.

In Jim Wagner’s Reality-Based Personal Protection, he asks the following:

"How will you perform at the moment of truth in a conflict situation? What’s going to happen to you emotionally when you’re facing the real possibilities of injury or even death? Will you have the will to survive, or will you be so paralyzed with fear that you will not be able to move at all? The answer is: You won’t know until you can say, 'Been there, done that.'"

What is generally agreed upon, however, is that knives, being a deadly weapon are likely to cause an increase in combat stress. And combat stress, no matter what kind of attack situation one is facing, has the potential to greatly harm one’s ability to mount an effective defense.

When one is scared, adrenaline levels are high, which cause perception, coordination and thinking to be impaired. People can have impaired sensory experiences including tunnel vision, auditory exclusion and time distortion. When one has gone beyond the levels of being scared to being terrified, a person can freeze up, unable to react or even move.

To prepare yourself for combat stress, you have to learn to handle yourself both physically and mentally with equal emphasis. You need to experience the physical and mental effects of combat stress in your training so you can better equip yourself for what you would experience in a real attack. As Professor Sylvain puts it: “Without both, you can only remain combat illiterate, no matter how well you perform your techniques or how fit you may be.”

A further contributor to the effects of combat stress when faced with a knife is the fear of death and mutilation. While it is impractical to practice death so to speak, a person can visualize their death regularly as a way of combating this fear. The Samurai were well aware of this fact, encouraging warriors to “practice death”:

"The way of the Samurai is, morning after morning, the practice of death, considering whether it will be here, or be there, imagining the most slightly way of dying, and putting one’s mind firmly in death. Although this may be a most difficult thing, if one will do it, it can be done." (From Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai)

While this may considered a bit morbid for the average person who is unlikely to face lethal violence in the entirety of their lives, a soldier or other type of military or law enforcement officer might see the benefits from this type of psychological training. Of course, many strains of philosophy also contend that there is much spiritual benefit to be had from this kind of mental visualization because a complete acceptance of our inevitable deaths allows us to more fully experience life, or so they say.

(**A quick note of thanks to all blog commenters who contributed to my formulation of this aspect of my thesis, particularly ones who contributed without lowering themselves to personal attacks.)

Fear of Knives: Exploring the Roots

2010-04-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

(*This article is the more developed and elaborated version of my original post last week, Why We Fear Knives? in which I was exploring one of the questions that was put to me for my Yondan thesis. This article is split into two parts. Please read both and if you have comments, post them in the second article, Getting in Touch with Our Own Knife Psychology.)

The knife is a deadly weapon and people are naturally going to fear an attack with a knife more than one with no weapon involved. There is room to posit theories that humans may psychologically fear knives more than other deadly attacks like guns, bludgeoning weapons or even multiple attackers. Many scientists believe that evolution has produced natural fears in the human psyche which evolved to help protect us from things that would cause us harm (i.e. fear of snakes, spiders, heights, etc). Research shows that mammals in general have developed the perceptive ability to focus on things seen as threatening, such as snakes and spiders, and to respond emotionally with a feeling of fear. (See reference article.)

It’s not a stretch to suggest that humans might have a latent fear of knives which could easily be associated with other natural cutting weapons that go way back in our evolutionary experience, like the teeth and claws of predators that once threatened us. Guns, bludgeoning weapons, even swords, don’t have the long history of being a life threat that small cutting weapons have in our evolutionary background. That being said, Richard McNally, an associate professor of psychology at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, stated: "The biggest challenge that we face in considering these theories of evolution is we cannot recover the evolutionary history—there is no fossil record," he said. "People seem to have different thresholds for saying what is a plausible account of evolution."

Even if we don’t subscribe to the evolution theory, we can consider our own experiences. Pretty much everyone has been cut at least once in their lives even if it was just a simple a paper cut. They can actually remember what it feels like to be cut. The memory of that pain could theoretically cause a visceral fear reaction in people when they are threatened with a knife. Most people have never been shot so it does not evoke the same intensity of response when a gun is pointed at them.

What we see and read about in popular media may have an effect on how we perceive knives, whether the perception is accurate or not. When you see people cut with knives on TV or movies, they usually feature a close-up of the victim’s face showing him in extreme pain. When people are shot, on the other hand, the pain isn’t as prominent. Usually the victim just drops to the ground or goes flying back from the impact. To go further with the point of how knives are depicted in movies, the most horrible serial killers in movies are usually depicted as being hackers and slashers. All of this could theoretically contribute to a stronger emotional reaction to a knife.

As children, many people are exposed to toy weapons, most often guns and swords. This familiarization at a young age could theoretically make a person less fearful as an adult. You don’t usually hear about kids playing with toy knives on the other hand so one could surmise that the lack of familiarity in that way leads to a greater level of fear.

Why Do We Fear Knives?

2010-04-21T16:24:00.001-07:00

You may think that the answer to this question seems a bit obvious at first, but it isn't really. It's a knife! A lethal weapon. of course we fear them! But the fear that comes when a knife is pointed at you as a weapon is so much more visceral than the fear that comes when a gun is pointed at you. This is a question I'm answering as part of my thesis for my Yondan.

Everyone has been cut at least once in their lives even if it was just a simple a paper cut. The memory of that pain causes a visceral reaction in people when they are threatened with a knife. They can actually remember what it feels like to be cut. Most people have never been shot so it does not evoke the same intensity of response when a gun is pointed at them. The same goes for bludgeoning weapons like a baseball bat.

Moreover, when you see people cut with knives in film, they usually feature a close-up of the victim’s face showing him in extreme pain. When people are shot, on the other hand, the pain isn’t as prominent. Usually the victim just drops to the ground or goes flying back from the impact.

These factors contribute to a stronger emotional reaction to a knife, so when people actually face a knife in reality as a weapon, they are more likely to freeze up and cower behind their arms in response. This is something every instructor should try to address in their teachings to help prepare their students mentally for the psychology that might trip them up even if they do become as technically proficient at knife defense as one can get.

Reacting to Aggression: How to Avoid and De-Escalate Conflict

2010-04-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/reacting-to-aggression-how-to-avoid-and-de-escalate-conflict

Knife Toys for Children... FAIL!!!

2010-04-07T10:17:00.001-07:00

One of my students brought in a toy to show me that he thought was hilarious. I won't go into bothersome detail when you can see a demonstration of it in the video below.

Yes, that's right. It's a funky-coloured plastic knife that makes a squeaking noise as you stab someone with the blade. While this toy is a hilariously campy toy that I wouldn't mind having on my shelf, this toy is all kinds of wrong for young children.

What kind of play time would you expect with this toy? Children would run around stabbing each other or their toys to be rewarded with delightful squeaking sound. What does this teach children about knives? That it's fun to stab people! Imagine a very young child who plays with this toy and hasn't yet learned the difference between toy knives and real knives. What would might happen if they somehow got their hands on a real one?

Yes, yes. I know that parents should be active enough in their children's lives that they wouldn't be introduced to a toy at a very young age, nor would they leave knives just lying around. But honestly, I don't trust everyone to properly parent their children and this is the last toy I would want to see in the hands of a child that is being raised poorly.

How to Be a Good Uke (Training Partner)

2010-03-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/how-to-be-a-good-uke-training-partner

How to Hit a Woman

2010-03-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new location: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/how-to-hit-a-woman

The Practicalities of Conflict Avoidance

2010-03-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

This blog post has been moved to our new location: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/the-practicalities-of-conflict-avoidance

5 Rules of Ground Defense

2010-03-08T13:43:00.000-08:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/5-rules-of-ground-defense

Can-Ryu Ground Defense Concepts Applied

2010-03-02T23:08:00.000-08:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/can-ryu-ground-defense-concepts-applied

A Note on Accident & Liability Insurance for Dojo Instructors

2010-02-24T12:34:00.000-08:00

I have recently been doing a lot of research about accident and liability insurance and how it applies to me and my dojo. This is something of vital importance to every martial arts instructor and is not something that should be taken for granted, even if you are part of a larger organization that is supposed to have you covered insurance-wise.

Having spoken to the insurance broker responsible for our coverage, he told me of a number of horror stories in which sport participants were not covered by insurance because of technicalities that the sport association people in charge were not aware of.

I want to warn all martial arts school instructors everywhere that whether you have your own private accident/liability insurance coverage or you are obtaining it through a sporting organization, be sure to read your insurance policies in detail. If you're a member of a sports organization, make sure you also read its constitution and bylaws to so you can ensure that you are not operating in a way that would preclude the possibility of insurance coverage.

There can be a number of loopholes that could limit your insurance coverage and it is your responsibility to yourself and your dojo's students to be fully informed so as to ensure safe training for all.

(P.S. I haven't forgotten about my promise to do up a video showing some ground defense in application. I promise to get to it next. Sorry for the delays...)

What to Do When Your Bell Gets Rung

2010-02-15T15:09:00.001-08:00

This blog post has been moved to our new address: http://pacificwavejiujitsu.com/blog/what-to-do-when-your-bell-gets-rung