New blog about my Jiu-Jitsu Journey

I've begun posting on a new blog and probably won't post to this one for a while.  I'm documenting my thoughts as I progress in Jiu-Jitsu.  http://joshjiujitsujournal.blogspot.com/

After a lot of consideration I have decided for personal reasons that a change is in order. I have the desire to be a student again and I feel the best path right now is Jiu-jitsu. I also have the desire to compete eventually.

I'm excited to start something new but also a little sad that Shin Koo Hapkido is going on hiatus.


www.ShinKooHapkido.com

Judo for Jiu-Jitsu Clinic

This past weekend Craig and I visited Roseberry's dojo for a seminar. It was a good learning experience and a tough 4 hours. I got a couple of ideas from this that I'll be injecting into upcoming classes, so be prepared.

Check out the highlight video below.  I only wish we had their mat area!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeG2Q7853-w



www.ShinKooHapkido.com

Message From Harmoni

Harmoni sent me an update on how she is doing:

Hi! Good to hear from you!

While I have been waiting to start work (my first day is this coming
Monday) I have been busy getting to know DC and making this my new
home. One of the first things I did was join a gym. Moving all my
stuff up to my 3rd floor apartment was a good test of my arm strength
but after that was done my body really started craving a good workout.
I have been so used to doing Hapkido 3-4 times a week, running, and
lifting weights that my body didn't know what to do without it. I
wanted a gym that had a good set of free weights/machines, treadmills,
and an array of classes without the juice bar, tanning beds, and
beauty salon. I chose the Golds Gym on Capital Hill because it had
what I wanted and is 2 blocks from the National Mall so I can go
running outside. I still wanted to maintain my martial arts skills and
I found out that the gym offers a 6am Mixed Martial Arts Bootcamp
class M,W,F so I joined. It's a great workout with a mixture of
wrestling, jiu-jitsu, muay thai, and kickboxing. A lot of the
techniques I already know, but I'm working on my "shooting" wrestling
takedowns and doing a lot of strength and speed drills for punching &
kicking. The biggest difference is that everything is done by
ourselves instead of with a partner. It's also at a much faster pace
with less complicated techniques that require a lot of instruction. My
Hapkido background has been incredibly useful because I am familiar
with both stand up and ground fighting. So far I really enjoy the
class but we'll have to see how it works with my work schedule. I've
also been doing Pilates and cycling classes. I have only been to 2
pilates classes but each time I came in feeling sore and left feeling
stretched out and relaxed. I've also noticed that my posture has
improved because I feel like my ab and back muscles are stronger and
can keep my shoulders back.

I honestly haven't looked at any Hapkido or other Martial Arts schools
and I feel kind of guilty about this. The problem is that I know I
won't be able to find a school that can replace what I had with Mr.
Cather so I'm avoiding the disappointment. I'm sure there are a lot of
great schools here but it won't be the same and so I have it in my
head that it wont be as good. I know I need to get over this so I can
continue on with my training in some form. I'd hate to lose what I've
worked so hard to learn. I also feel like I'm open to trying different
martial arts to see what others have to offer that could compliment
what I already know. I think it may be easier to start over in a
different martial art than to try to re-learn a modified version of
what I already know. The problem is I really like Hapkido! I like
Hapkido because it's versatile and focused on self-defense. I think
that's why I gravitated towards this MMA class. The only thing I don't
like about this class is that it's part of a gym and not a school so I
feel like it's more for exercise than learning martial arts. I know
there are MMA schools in the area but I'm not looking to be trained
for UFC! In sum, I'm still not sure what I'm going to do about my
martial arts training in DC :) I'll keep you posted!

http://www.shinkoohapkido.com/

Be a blob (and other visualizations)

Two times during classes this past week I told students to be more like a blob and I didn't mean that the student should be lazy or fat.  The concept that I was really trying to convey is that they needed to keep constant pressure, drop their weight, and don't give your opponent the chance to escape.  We were working on Armbar #1 and it seems to be common when the technique is not working for the student to lift their weight up into their chest and then try to come down on the opponent. 

You can tell that this is happening when the student is up on the balls of their feet looking really top heavy.  This is no real fault of the beginner student, it seems like the natural thing to do to put more of your body weight behind the technique.  However, this usually results in accomplishing the opposite desired effect, by actually relieving pressure on the jointlock and putting the student off balance.

Think of yourself as being more grounded and sinking into the ground like a blob from the 1950's horror movie.  Lower your center, bend your knees, constant steady pressure until your opponent is down.

Another aspect of being a blob is when you have to transition into either another technique or to a hold on the ground. There should be a seamless act that keeps the pressure on them and doesn't give them a chance to get out of your hold.  Best example of this is when we have taken them down with the armbar and we need to transition to the shoulder pin.  Any opportunities you give your opponent to get up, roll over, or drag you down with them they are going to take.  By any means necessary you must keep that pressure as you slide your knee behind their shoulder blade and lock their arm out. 

This also is in line with the water principle.  How water will find the weaknesses in the hardest of rock, seep into the cracks and crevasses and eventually engulf it.  The blob having more substance to it may seem like a more tangible visualization for some people.  Another good one that I've heard is thinking about the anaconda snake and how the more you struggle the tighter it gets.

Something I have read and experienced is that really good ground fighters seem to ooze all over their opponents on the mat.  That might sound pretty gross but to me it's a good interpretation of what's happening.  In many cases it's like you can't breath, they take up the spaces that you open up, they are constantly applying pressure and improving their position until you are enveloped and put into a choke or submission of their choosing.

http://www.shinkoohapkido.com/

Had a great week in class Aug 24th, 26th, 28th

Seems like attendance is really picking up.  We've had new students Devan, Demon, Mark, and Kieth join our school recently.  Also it's been great having some Taekwondo visitors in the Saturday classes.  Trying to keep the classes balanced so I don't focus completely on beginner stuff and I also set aside enough time to work with more senior students has been a challange.

To sum up the week we did a lot of learning how to fall and basics like natural stance, palm block, mount escape, etc.  We also did some punch avoidance and sparring with the helmets.  And an introduction to hip throws. 

It's great to have so many people in class, the downside is I don't get to personally work with everyone as much as I'd like to. 

http://www.shinkoohapkido.com/

Aug 21st GroundFighting and Jointlock Class

Had a great class this morning.  It seems like attendance is turning back around. 

Participants: Mike, Craig, Harry, Devon, Greg, Keith

Groundfighting: We warmed up with side control reversals and changing partners 30 seconds each.  We broke into partners and worked on whatever each group wanted to.  We finished with some sparring.

Open Class: Started off with transitions from a straight arm lock moving into several techniques such as Elbow Extention Lock to Pullover Takedown to Twist Throw or going to Step Under Twisting Lock and then doing comealong and armbar from there. 

We finished with the wrist grab flow drill.  Here is a video that I have done in the past:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XGNM_nmpsw



http://www.shinkoohapkido.com/

August 19th 2010

Had a great class tonight.  It was Harmoni's last night and we're sorry to see her go.

Participants: Harmoni, Matt, AJ, Demon

Started off the class with some body conditioning.  After stretching we did some defenses from a sitting position.

For the remainder of the class we worked on knife defense with partners.  Building from just evading to controlling the weapon to techniques.  Then we did defenses against a knife when you are against a wall.  Finally we did knife on knife.

To finish up class we did some sparring by numbers.  Each of us had a number and when called with another person's number they would spar.

www.ShinKooHapkido.com