Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Going To Self Destruct?
18 Jul
Here are some thoughts I have on the parallels between the self destruction of karate and how BJJ may follow suit.
Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Going To Self Destruct
This is me and my Instructor “Jucao” (on the left). It took me 10 years to earn my BJJ Black Belt. I have a fourth degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo as well.
Tags: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu going to self destruct?
Right on. I would add that the training industry is the same. I just attended an NASM Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Specialist workshop; they taught how to use “MMA like” techniques to train clients. They have taken what is reserved for combat athletes and are mainstreaming it order to increase training revenue and play on the popularity of combat sports. Only a few had some semblance of martial arts experience. I understand the business aspect of earning your living teaching martial arts and fitness training, but I’ve also witnessed hardcore and effective systems become nothing more than a factory in which anyone in the assembly line will eventually get a black belt.
I would have to agree with you take on the whole watering down of fight training. I am one of those gifted with the ability to learn quickly and adapt my past training with any new style I try to learn. I had always been interested in martial arts as a kid and watched every Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Bill Wallace or any other fights/movies I could find. We did not have any money for training so I practiced everything I watched, then joined the Marine Corps.
In the Marines I found it easy to pickup on even the most advanced H-2-H moves because I had already practiced them as a kid in some form or another. At my first duty station, our H-2-H instructor was a 3rd degree black belt full contact martial artist and he taught me a great deal. After getting out of the Corps I knew how to kill and mame people, but not how to control a situation with a proper degree of force. I had a neighbor that was a former instructor and a 3rd degree black belt in Japanese Kenpo. I study with him about a year before I moved but his requirments for advancement were grueling.
My next instructor was the same way. He had black belts in Judo, JKD, HKD, TKD and had almost mastered long form Tai chi. His class discipline even with house wives and kids was friendly, but very demanding. Although at this time I fought at black belt level, he would not promote me past green belt until I mastered hand postioning and foor placements and the like. Al though in sparing only he and his 1st Dan were allowed to spar with me.
As I moved into an Amercian Freestyle dojo year later, they still demand hard work, and near perfection before promotion. I am still 1-2 years of training away from my black belt and although I am capable of fighting 3rd and 4th degrees, I would not want to cheapen the rank by not perfecting each move before that honor is granted.