Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Quincy

Today people are recognizing the effectiveness of Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Everyone from the U.S. Army to Professional Fighters has added it to their arsenal, and now you can add it to yours.

The Institute of Okinawan Karate-Do will soon host Gracie Garage Jiu-Jitsu meet-ups.

Grand Opening 

Institute of Okinawan Karate Do
28 Chestnut St.
Quincy, MA 02169

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

For more information about Jiu-Jitsu meet-ups, contact David Chan by e-mail: davidchan857@hotmail.com

For more information about Gracie Garage go to:

www.gracieacademy.com

www.gracieuniversity.com


Thank You for a Great 2011

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,400 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 23 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.


Batman’s Fighting Method

I have to say my all time favorite comic book superhero is Batman. With the movie releases of Batman Begins and the Dark Knight, I think these are the best Batman movies made. Now with Keysi Fighting Method (KFM), Batman’s display of fighting is better then ever.

Anyone with martial arts experience can tell that all of the Batman movies in the past consisted of simple martial arts choreography. The fight scenes in the past was reminiscent of the comic book “BAM”, “BOOM”, and my favorite “POW” style of fighting.

When the director/co-writer Christopher Nolan began working on the movie Batman Begins, Nolan didn’t have any idea KFM would be the fighting method of choice. Nolan did how ever wanted the violence on-screen to not lose its threat. Buster Reeves is a jujitsu world champion and was Christian Bale’s (Batman) stunt double for the movie. Reeves suggested KFM to be used in the movie. The fight arranger David Forman and the rest of the movie crew accepted KFM right away after a demonstration from the founders Justo Diéguez Serrano and Andy Norman.

KFM is a method of self-defense that is based on natural fighting instincts, martial arts and street fighting techniques, developed by Justo Diéguez Serrano from his fighting experiences while raised on the streets of Spain. The system was founded with the help of Andy Norman. Both Serrano and Norman are also instructors of Jeet Kune Do.

KFM is most recognized for the use of a tight defensive postures to protect the most precious part of the body, the head, and smashes and opens up the opponent for the finish using all ranges of strikes — punches, hammer fists, kicks, knees, head butts, and the sharp elbows to the opponent.

KFM is a close quarters fighting system, relying on understanding how people typically move or attack in a fight so that when striking, the opponent’s body moves to expose further targets. Another interesting aspect of KFM is its “360-degree” approach to multi-assailant attacks whether standing, kneeling, sitting or lying down!

I am so excited for the next Batman movie in the series, which is scheduled for release later in the year.


Happy Thanksgiving

Good day to give thanks to your martial arts, friends and family.


85yr-old Karate Sensei Cuts the Cake

The great karateka Jack Summers Sensei celebrated his 85th birthday on November 5, 2011. The birthday party organized by Senpai, turned out to be a beautiful success.

Jack Summers Sensei is currently a Hanshi (Grandmaster title in Okinawan Karate), a 9th degree black belt in the Uechi Ryu style of Karate. Summers Sensei also had training in boxing and jujitsu, which really complimented him to be a great martial artist.

The party was held at a local bar, which filled up quickly for the celebration. It was nice to see all the people who attended. There was of course many of the members from our dojo, but was also nice to see people from other dojos.

What was really nice, a person from another dojo spent the time to contact all the different people who knows Summers Sensei from around the country, Europe, and Okinawa to send their regards. Most of which was printed from e-mails, then placed in a binder and given to Summers Sensei.

People brought sweets, ordered pizza and of course cooked hotdogs (Summers Sensei’s favorite). Good conversions were had and many alcoholic drinks toasted.

Happy Birthday to the greatest Sensei of my lifetime.


Guns vs. Knives

What does a not-so-picture-perfect knife-attack scenario look like? Combat Focus Shooting expert Rob Pincus talks about that in his latest video, shot exclusively for Black Belt Magazine.

As a practitioner of shooting and knife fighting. I tend to criticize many so called self-defense experts demonstrating anything with guns and knives. I will give this article and video a thumb up.

I particularly like the duck under move used by Pincus, it provides some control in a better position.

Click the link below to read the full article and watch the video from Black Belt Magazine.

http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/martial-arts-philosophy/modern-martial-arts/combat-focus-shooting-expert-rob-pincus-discusses-the-not-so-picture-perfect-reality-of-self-defense-against-a-knife-attack-on-the-street/


That’s not a Martial Art

During a visit with my oral hygienist, I started up an interesting conversation with her. She told me that she is really excited now that she is taking boxing classes. I asked her what is the name of the boxing instructor, and after telling me who it was, I told her to say hi for me. She was surprised that a karate guy would know a boxing instructor. I just said, us martial arts guys just know each other. Then she said, “Boxing is a martial art?”

I thought about this for a while, and realized that many people associate martial arts with arts from Asia. The truth is martial arts is probably one of the oldest forms of combative expressions. Martial arts exposure is all around us, whether we recognize it or not. Most kids in America have the opportunity to learn some form of it when they are young, like wrestling and boxing.

Wrestling and Boxing is more commonly viewed as sports here in America, but they are still a Martial Art.


Looking at Judo

Judo is a derivative of jujitsu, which is a traditional Japanese martial art originally created for killing or maiming an enemy. For the jujitsu practioners of long ago, the only rule was to win by any means necessary. However, in the 19th century, Japan underwent a period of modernization known as the Meiji Restoration; it was an era during which Japan discarded feudalism in favor of the modern world, trading traditional swords for modern guns. This era also helped lay the groundwork for judo founder Jigoro Kano to change the face of the Japanese combative martial arts.

In his journeys abroad, Kano came into constant contact with emerging Western sports and their ideals. Originally, these sports had come about as a way for the Western armies to maintain their physical health. Kano saw value in this, too. He wanted to preserve the timeless qualities of jujitsu — loyalty, discipline, resolve, honor, morality — and discard the traditional qualities in which the martial artist learns techniques to hurt, maim and kill. To do this, Kano made judo safe, rewarding and challenging.

The ancient Japanese warrior Minamoto Yoritomo once stated that the outcome of a battle is determined by the preparation one has invested. Ask yourself: What do I need to do to have a real chance at winning?

— Hayward Nishioka


My New Dojo Code

“There is no limits to sharing, and no restrictions to respect”
-David Chan

Gasshuku Karate Camp Canada 2011

The Gasshuku Karate camp is known for their very hard-working approach to traditional Karate training. The lead instructor is Sensei Ron Fagan and along with his Senpai Budrow, both are senior ranked in Chito-Ryu Karate. Sensei Fagan is a technician and innovator in karate instruction and practices.

After years of hearing how great the training is at Sensei Ron Fagan’s Karate camps, I had to experience this for myself. From a special invitation from a friend, Sensei Charles Quimby invited me to travel with him and his students to the camp this year.

The three day camp was full of scheduled activities to keep all the participants busy. It was evident that the organizers came up with a thorough plan and I had to say they executed it very well. The camp consisted of scheduled training sessions with appropriate breaks.

The start of every training session consisted of warm up exercises that involved medicine balls, with the incorporation of calisthenics. Then the sessions lead into specific focuses, that worked kicks, sweeps, footwork, and kata. At the end of each session, groups were formed and pitted against each other for friendly competition. The competitions were primary non-martial arts related, like making a basketball shot or completing a small puzzle. The interesting part was the losing team had to stay back at the end of the session and perform calisthenic exercises.

“I don’t think we are better then anyone else, we just train different.”
Ron Fagan Sensei

I thoroughly enjoyed the practice of techniques in a breakdown to isolate specific aspects, techniques that may seem elementary, but never the less was appreciated no matter of age, gender or rank. The organization and synchronization of practice with over 60 practitioners at the camp was very inspiring to experience.

The camp in general gave me a re-invigoration for Karate practices and for my martial arts in general. The generous attention and knowledge I received gave me many things to revisit in my martial arts.

“Good Karate is good Karate, no matter what the style.”
Ron Fagan Sensei

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