Newsletter Jitsu May 2009 Canada In this * Congratulations * Provincials 2009 Results * Peterborough Demo * Accepting Pain Issue: * Upcoming Events * “Hit by a Mac Truck” * Featured Technique * A Visit to Hiscoe Sensei CONGRATULATIONS! Huge congratulations are in order for several of Jitsu Canada’s members. In early April, Stuart Cooke Sen- sei, Kevin Eugene Sensei and Chris Whynot Sensei graded for their Shodan successfully. Kenn Gibb Sen- sei was also successful in grading to Nidan. In addition, two members of Jitsu Canada were awarded their Hakama. Matt Der Sensei is taking control of the University of Calgary club and Steve White Sensei will be teaching at Gladstone, Ottawa. Good luck to the new instructors and congratulations to all that graded! Congratulations! April 4th 2009 yudansha grading results: New University of Calgary Club Instructor Chris Whynot, Ottawa (Gladstone) – Shodan Matt Der Sensei. Kevin Eugene, Burnaby, BC – Shodan Stu Cooke, St Lawrence College – Shodan Kenn Gibb, Trent University – Nidan Jitsu Canada Newsletter: May 2009 ~ 1 ~ Reproduced with permission from The Arthur (Trent University Newspaper), March 16, 2009. Martial Arts Demonstration at Market Hall Local groups from Peterborough gather for displays of strength and artistry Nick Ferrio Arts Editor March 11, six martial arts organizations Jitsu Canada, Seito Bugei Juku, and Magwood from Peterborough and the Kawarthas gathered at Martial Arts, demonstrated a variety of styles and Market Hall for a large-scale martial arts demon- techniques throughout the evening’s event. stration. Organized and hosted by Seito Bugei Juku Dave Burke, under the watchful eye of and Jitsu Canada, the not-for profit event attracted a Mike Chinadi sensei, began the event with a Zen sold out crowd of fellow martial artists and enthusi- Ken Ren Iaido sword demonstration. His dem- asts interested in both the spectacle of each disci- onstration was precise and intricate, as he went pline’s physicality and the grace and beauty of these through the traditional kata form. It was as if traditional forms. we were watching an imaginary dance of death The many martial arts groups, including between Burke and his invisible enemy. He later Jitsu Canada Newsletter: May 2009 ~ 2 ~ demonstrated cutting and slashing techniques on a tightly rolled rice mat, which was well received by This performance inspired a sense of awe within the the packed house. crowd, as Fisk’s deep breathing and Chinadi sensei’s Kenn Gibb and the students of Andy Dobie slapping and pounding techniques had many of the sensei at Jitsu Canada Peterborough gave a perfor- enthusiastic children in the crowd both intrigued and mance focused mostly on throws, one-on-one com- fearful. bat and a very interesting practical weapons demon- After a presentation of Aiki Jujutsu by Phil stration. Gibb noted that one of the most important Anderson, the Peterborough Hatashita YMCA Judo aspects of jujutsu is its similarity to dance: “[jujutsu] Club led by Paul Brown sensei and Tom Hino gave is all about toying with and manipulating physical the crowd a very intense look into their club’s train- balance.” ing and kata. The very traditional two person kata After an extensive demonstration of Kung Fu form they presented demonstrated ultimate physical and Tai Chi from Greg Magwood and the students of prowess and a genuine confidence in each other’s Magwood Martial Arts, Mike Chinadi sensei’s Seito ability as well as their own. This kata was the most -Bugei Juku dojo led by senior student Shawn Fisk graceful of the evening events, relying heavily on demonstrated the day-to-day training within their syncopation and split second precision for it to be traditional Okinawa Goju Ryu discipline. executed successfully. The students used a number of traditional When speaking with Shawn Fisk, one of training techniques including pounding rocks, grip- the event’s organizers, he told Arthur he feels that, ping jars, kongoken and the makiwara striking post, “martial arts are incomparable; they’re apples and demonstrating what typically goes on within their oranges. So, this was a good practice to see what the dojo. The stage was then cleared for Fisk’s perfor- other dojo in town do and what we can learn from mance of Sanchin: a physical interpretation of Three them.” Battles - the battle of the spirit, mind and body. After “The event in general,” he continued, “was the demonstration, Fisk said, “this is a tension kata about an expression of Peterborough’s rich mar- based on isotonic exercises and ibuki breathing, tial arts community, giving us and the community which I attempted to demonstrate through heavy, fo- a chance to get together and see what each art is cused breathing, flexing of the entire body as well as about.” the slapping of my shoulders, arms and legs by Mike Chinadi sensei.” Summer Course & Grading Kawartha Martial Arts, Peterborough. Grading: Saturday 20th June Candidates for 4th kyu to 1st kyu: 12 noon to 6pm Candidates for 7th kyu to 5th kyu: 2.30pm to 6pm BBQ: Saturday 20th June: 7.30pm, $10, BYOB. Course: Sunday 21st June: 12 noon to 4pm; $25 Jitsu Canada Newsletter: May 2009 ~ 3 ~ Alberta Jiu Jitsu Association Camp of Combat Arts 4th and 5th July, 2009 Each summer the Alberta Jiu Jitsu Association (AJJA) holds a major two-day training event, the Camp of Combat Arts. This event features eight senior instructors from various locations in Canada. This event is heavily subsidized by the AJJA, and is priced at just $75 for the weekend. Instructors for the 2009 camp are: Shihan Chris Bissett - Chief Instructor Jishin-Ryu Jiu-Jitsu Sensei Andy Dobie - President Jitsu Canada Sensei Rod Henricks - Head Instructor Inukshuk Bushido Kai, Edmonton Sensei Malcolm Bale - Head Instructor Calgary Jujitsu GMA, Calgary Guro Joel Huncar - Raven Martial Arts and H.A.N.D.S. Sensei Kevin D. Lintott - Chief Instructor AJJA / Goshinkan-Ryu Jujitsu Sensei Trevor Tessier - Head Instructor Panther Management Group Sensei Tom Gillis - Head Instructor Foothills Training Services This is a great opportunity to experience perspectives from other styles of jiu jitsu, and from other martial arts. All Jitsu Canada members are welcome to attend. Jitsu Canada is linked to clubs and associations all around the world. We meet every 3 years to train together, share new ideas, renew old friendships, make new ones, and have a good time on and off the mat. In August 2009, Jitsu USA will be hosting the 3rd International in the beautiful state of South Carolina and we want you to be there. The international committee of the heads of style for the various countries has been working to put together a really fantastic series of on and off the mat events. Many of the most senior international instructors will be there giving you the opportunity to experience how our style of jiu jitsu has developed in other parts of the world. The International has been spread over 4 days to give you the opportunity to really benefit from the diverse instructors attending. There will be a series of small jiu jitsu seminars and workshops on days 1 and 2, and the main event large course on days 3 and 4. Keeping the cost as low as possible has been the organising committee’s number one priority and we are able to confirm that the training fee for the four days will be just $180 (Canadian) inclusive of the Friday and Saturday night dinners. Discounted accommodation has been arranged at the Marriott Hotel (the event venue) at a price of just $25.00 US per person per night (based upon four to a room). We will be organizing van rentals from Ontario for those not wanting to fly. To keep travel costs to a minimum, Jitsu Canada will be subsidizing the road travel costs. For more information visit the JITSU INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE. Jitsu Canada Newsletter: May 2009 ~ 4 ~ The Boot Camp 22nd to 24th May, Kinmount, Ontario. Don’t let the name fool you, this weekend event provides an opportunity for students of all styles to train and socialize together in a co-operative and non-competitive manner. Training is mostly in two styles of jiu jitsu although a variety of other martial arts are also often taught. Training outdoors, often on uneven ground, adds a valuable new perspective to training. After the day’s training, there is also swimming in the lake for those who are brave enough. The event takes place on a 400 acre hunt camp, which we have to our- selves for the weekend. Participants are welcome to show up on the Friday evening to set up camp. After breakfast at a local restaurant, training starts at 10am on Saturday. Lunch, evening meal, and breakfast and lunch on Sunday are pro- vided. BYOB for the Saturday evening camp-fire. Cost for the weekend including meals is only $45. We are pleased to announce that Dave Burke sensei will be returning this year to teach Iaido (sword forms). Burke sensei will also be bringing a cutting sword, and will offer cutting practice to interested students. Cutting mats are available at a cost of $10 each (or 3 for $25) for those wishing to take part in cutting. You should be able to get 4 or 5 cuts per mat. Mats must be pre-ordered and pre-paid by Friday 8th May. You should bring camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, mess kit, etc.); food to barbeque for Friday night if required and money for breakfast on Saturday morning; drinking water; sunscreen; bug-spray; old clothes for training; drinks for the nights; and a towel and swimsuit. For further information, or to register please contact your instructor or email Jitsu Canada Newsletter: May 2009 ~ 5 ~ Featured Technique: Osoto-Gari ~ Kevin Eugene, Sensei ~ Throws in Jiu Jitsu can vary in range in regards to application and execution. They can be executed in various scenarios using different points of balance to achieve their end. Ultimately, what we may find though is that some of the initial tech- niques we learn are the most versatile and effective. In the following sections of this article, I will deal with one of the first throws that most people learn in their studies in Jiu Jitsu, Osoto-gari. The Throw Now, as with most throws, the emphasis of this throw should not be aimed at getting someone on the ground by whatever means possible but, instead trying to ensure your comfort and minimiz- ing the attackers through the entire throw. Initially, the most important aspect of beginning the throw is proper evasion of the attack. If we work under the assumption of an attacker throwing a solid punch to- Balance in this middle part of the throw is wards the head, we would use our common entrance mainly taken by movement of the chin. It has the of evading a punch which involves stepping toward effect of moving the head and causing the rest of the uke (the attacker) in a low stance and guiding uke’s body to follow. Placing a hand on the lower back can punch past the head. Tori (the defender) should be complement the balance being broken as it prevents thinking about settling their body weight into the uke from stepping backwards and regaining their bal- ground at this juncture and beginning to offset uke’s ance. Turning the hips prepares for the third balance balance. breaking motion which is a step with the non-reaping leg. This movement accentuates all balance breaking Once this has started, a shift in focus should movements done to this point and can often be all that be made to breaking uke’s balance completely to the is needed to complete the throw. back corner. This is achieved by four main move- ments to compliment the initial off balancing. The That being said, we make sure that if someone first three movements happen simultaneously and has made a movement of aggression in our direc- involve a ninety degree rotation of the hips, moving tion, that we respond with proper authority to con- the head back by lifting the chin and controlling the vince them otherwise and as such we complete this punching arm. technique with a reap. Once you have uke’s balance completely broken, we thrown in a reap to Jitsu Canada Newsletter: May 2009 ~ 6 ~ strengthen the technique and give it the author- Stepping moves tori’s centre of balance to a point ity needed. The reap is made by swinging the where the reap will occur in line with their balance non-stepped leg (same side leg as uke’s punch- maximizing the potential of the throw. When the ing side) through and back hitting uke’s leg calf balance isn’t broken, the bow will not break and the to calf. throw will fail. This leads this part of the discussion into the third mistake which has also been observed when try- ing to complete the throw. Too often in training, in an attempt to take someone from an attack to the ground, a reap is thrown in without some or any of the bal- ance being broken. When uke is standing upright, they have as much root and power in the ground as tori and if balance is not compromised, the net effect of prematurely reaping is tori throwing themselves. As an instructor, I’d advise any of you who’ve read this far to never let me see you do this. Frequent Mistakes While I’ve seen many mistakes made with this throw over my years of training, there are three main mistakes made with this throw all pertaining to tori focusing too much on getting someone on the ground and not properly tak- ing uke off balance. One mistake that has been observed in the beginning stages of breaking the balance is that some will try and take the balance by pushing the neck as opposed to lifting the chin. The primary reason we move the chin up is because it has the effect of moving the head and because the head moves the rest of the body follows because of the limited flexibility of the spine. If one pushes on the neck it negates any Technique Enhancements of this and there will be no net effect on bal- ance. Once a jitsuka understands the more straight Another mistake which has been ob- forward elements of this technique, there are a few dif- served occurs when tori does not step after they ferent modifications that can be made to enhance the have begun to take the balance at the head - this power this throw can offer. prevents two things from happening. The first We can add a bit more strength to the throw is that the balance will not fully be broken. As through a small change in the reap. If tori changes his mentioned above, the outside step compliments reap slightly by curling the foot backwards, during the movement backwards over the heels and al- the calf to calf reap, while dragging the toes along the lows tori to fully break the balance. The other is ground like flicking dirt, the reap becomes stronger as that, given no step, room will not be created for the curl along the natural arch of the leg strengthens. the opposite leg to reap properly. Jitsu Canada Newsletter: May 2009 ~ 7 ~ Once the balance is taken in this form, you can Technique Variants add the reap to complete the throw. If need be though, we can add some variation to the throw in the form One of the beautiful elements of Osoto-gari of pain. Using pain in any form makes for a good is that, like most throws, it can be made quite grace- alternative when your uke needs some persuasion to ful or quite brutal with a subtle movements of the comply with your desire to avoid altercation. hands or feet. A beautiful alternate, that can be used A great pain motivator, which is a personal in a gauntlet or when demonstrating the technique, preference, is using two fingers to push in and up is to do the throw from and outside block. To do under inside of the jaw around the trachea. This adds this, you would start by blocking a straight punch or pressure to the parotid glands and similarly causes backhand with a cross block. From there you would uke to move away from the pain. Adding pressure move you other hand, which should be up to protect upwards and away will gather the balance in the same your face, over the punching arm to the chin. Simi- manner as lifting the chin and set up nicely for Osoto- lar to our standard approach to the throw, we would gari and a variety of other throws as well. now take the balance by lifting the chin up and using the other arm on the lower back to prevent uke from moving backwards to counter the throw. Jitsu Canada Newsletter: May 2009 ~ 8 ~ Provincials March 2009 Results Male Novice to Green Lightweight Gold Ken Patchett Queen’s University Silver Mark Dankowych Queen’s University Bronze Curtis Templeton Queen’s University Male Novice to Green Heavyweight Gold James Bruce Toronto Silver Brett Alton Peterborough YMCA Bronze Mike Troop Kingston YMCA Female Novice to Green Gold Karen Slaughter Kingston YMCA Silver Kate Sedivy-Haley Queen’s University Bronze Jackie Maynard St. Lawrence College Purple & Above Lightweight Gold Phil Graham Gladstone Silver Joel Sparke Carleton University Bronze Davy Guo Trent University Purple & Above Heavyweight Gold Stu Cooke St. Lawrence College Silver Jared Lucas Peterborough YMCA Bronze Jon Thompson Toronto Accepting Pain ~ Stu Cooke, Sensei ~ You’re sitting in seiza, waiting for the class All students have to deal with it. Whether to begin. After a few moments of meditation, a muscle tiredness, bone-crunching wristlocks, slight sense of discomfort inhabits your knees and punches to the face or separated shoulders, we all ankles. The feeling burgeons into pain and any encounter pain on the mats. The occasional student semblance of patience you thought you had fades will resist, seemingly impervious, but they too will away. You’re concentrating on your legs. Etiquette, suffer. We all have a threshold – the question is training partners and techniques are far from your where exactly it lies and more importantly, what mind. All that you notice is the ache within your happens to our bodies on the way to that point. wheels. A slight shuffle provides momentary relief before the hurt returns, more intense than before. Pain is one of the major contributing factors Your only recourse is to wait for relief... to emotion on the mats. A student experiences dif- ficulty applying a lock, so powers through, Jitsu Canada Newsletter: May 2009 ~ 9 ~ using strength in skill’s stead and just like that, their Uke experiences anything from a dull ache to •Avoiding it is impossible – accept that it absolute agony. Alternately, someone throws you to will happen. Don’t fear it, don’t run from it – just the ground and your break-fall is slightly off; once accept it as an inevitable part of training in the Mar- more, pain. A weakening punch finds its mark in tial Art. your solar plexus; pain. With that pain come frus- tration and anger. Now comes the hard part; what Without violence and pain, the Martial Arts do you do? Where do you channel this energy? would simply be a dance. We don’t train to be able What can you use it for? Is it controlling you? Does to perform movement or affect balance. We train it determine your next action, how you treat your in techniques that are designed to defend one’s self partner and how you respond to the class? These and do harm to others. Philosophical and physical are challenging questions to answer. improvements are ancillary to the process, not the Ideally, all our decisions should be made in- process itself. As such, pain is an integral part of tellectually. Without emotion to affect judgment, we what we do. When you are training, it is a personal will be able to weight outcomes and decide accord- responsibility to manage your pain and respond to it ingly. Keep in mind that sometimes, the correct ac- in a way that is intelligent. Do so and you will find tion is to apply just as much pain as has been levied many benefits, from reduced injury to increased upon you, or attempted to be levied upon you. So learning. Every time you step onto the mat, under- does this mean we should avoid pain? Not at all, it stand and accept that pain steps on with you. Make would be futile to even attempt it while training in it your friend. Jiu-Jitsu. But there are a few things you can keep in mind to help deal with pain and stop it from affect- “Hit by a ing your decisions: Mac Truck” •Few people train with the intention to hurt others. Perhaps defeat them, perhaps show off, perhaps gain strength, but few intentionally wish to ~ Lori O’Connell ~ cause pain to others. Lori O’Connell is a Sandan in Can-Ryu •It shows that you are training properly. Jiu-Jitsu. She teaches in Vancouver, B.C and has Without pain, we would have no indicator of suc- recently started cross-training with Jitsu Canada. cess. If someone hits you, they are attacking prop- This except is from her web-log. More information erly and you need to learn to block. If someone on Lori’s club can be found at www.westcoastjj.com causes pain with a lock, they are applying it cor- rectly. April 20th, 2009 •It is temporary. It may last a few millisec- Yesterday I tested for orange belt in Shorinji onds or a few days, but most pain related to training Kan Jiu-jitsu. Today I feel like I’ve been hit by a will pass. Mac truck. I am happy to report, however, that I was awarded my orange belt with 3 mons (the high- •It is a warning. Pain is a message from est level of pass for orange). :) I think the person your body that damage is being done. Listening who ordered the belt over-estimated the size of my to that message will enable you to manage injury waistline though. while training. Jitsu Canada Newsletter: May 2009 ~ 10 ~