Ward's Rant

On this page I will vent all the gripes, thoughts and other things that bother me about being a martial artist. These are my views alone. The other students and instructors at the Kuroinukan may not agree with the below items. Obviously, they are not the views or statements of the AJJF or USJI. The newest ones are at the top.

Applied Yawara

Two cars meet on the freeway going 70 MPH; One driver has their high beams on; the other, a macho, aggressive guy, turns on his high beams to “show the other asshole.”
Two blinded drivers careen at 70 MPH towards each other.

Two cars meet on the freeway going 70 MPH; One driver has their high beams on; the other, a passive, do-gooder guy, leaves his lights on low to “endure the other’s stupidity.”
One blinded driver careens at 70 MPH towards the other.

Two cars meet on the freeway going 70 MPH; One driver has their high beams on; the other, a Jujutsuka, briefly turns his lights off and then on again to signal to the other driver his mistake.
Two cars safely pass each other at 70 MPH their lights on low.

There are 10,000 reasons for not going to class...and all of them are good.

There are probably more than 10,000 good, valid reasons for not going to any one jujutsu class. Your mother is on her deathbed, you were in a car accident on the way to class and are in the hospital, your best friend just showed up at your door after finding out he is terminally ill and needs to talk to someone, etc. These are all valid reason for not attending a class. On the other hand there are as many excuses for not going to class: your mother invited you over for a home cook meal, you got a speeding ticket on the way to class and you are very upset about it, your best friend just showed up at your door and wants to go out partying, etc.

The crux of the matter is the dividing line between an excuse that allows you to rationalize not going to class and a reason for not attending that any rational person would agreed is valid. Obviously, this dividing line is not a black and white one. Also, it is not the same for every jujutsuka and may even waiver over time.

The criteria I have used for making these decisions over the last 22 years is based on my reason for doing jujutsu in the first place. I do jujutsu because it is largely who I am. I see the world through a jujutsu prism. In daily life, I feel how zanshin helps me to avoid conflicts with customers at work and with deer on the highway, I sense when someone wants to use me as their “uke” over their anger at their computer and I set my daily priorities based on what will make me be a better jujutsuka. I have twice in the past walked into boss’ offices with letters of resignation when they were insisting that I not attend jujutsu class to be at company meetings. Both times they relented on their demands, when they saw I was serious about my dedication to jujutsu.  

If you clearly understand why you do jujutsu, the excuse/reason boundary becomes much more defined. If you do it as a hobby, then going out partying with your friends may be classified as a reason for not attending class. If you doing jujutsu because you want to experience personal development physically, mentally and philosophically, then going out partying becomes an excuse. If you value your family more than your desire to do jujutsu, going to your mother’s dinner makes perfect sense. Also, attending your kids sporting events, school activities and wife’s holiday party would all be good valid reasons for not attending class.

If this internal conflict over attending class versus other events in your life is a daily struggle, your pursuit of jujutsu will never be satisfying. I think this is clearly seen when you “don’t feel up to” going to class or ”just didn’t feel like it.” This avoidance is a sign that your motivations to do jujutsu are being overridden by other concerns. Again, figuring out your true aim for pursuing jujutsu will help clarify what your avoiding.

In the past as a sensei, I had have to stifle my frustrations over the excuses/reasons my students give for not coming to class. Now, I look at the possible reasons a student is doing jujutsu (we ask them on their initial sign in sheet why they are starting) and then I can more rationally evaluate their absence. Once I realized that their personal excuse/reason boundary was what motivated their attendance, my frustration diminished substantially. Not that I still don’t hear what amounts to excuses for not being in class. But, I often remind students of what Professor Browne was famous for saying, “Those who come, get.”

“…and it will make your jujutsu better.”

 Ever since I started jujutsu, I have heard the same phrase over and over again: “…and it will make your jujutsu better.” The speaker is trying to impress on me how some other activity will improve my jujutsu. Usually this other activity is a lot easier to participate in than a regular jujutsu class. For example, learning massage will make my jujutsu better, studying human anatomy will make my jujutsu better, doing Yoga will make my jujutsu better, etc. I am not saying that all of these activities are not valid pursuits. In fact, I am sure that if I put in many, many hours and tons of effort into any of these of hundreds of other activities, in some small measure my jujutsu will get better. But, the crux of the matter is the time and energy involved.

 At one time I was introduced to rock climbing. I loved it. It was challenging and enjoyable just like jujutsu. After a few weeks of rock climbing, I realized that I didn’t have the time, energy or desire to pursue both rock climbing and jujutsu. I haven’t rock climbed since. Did I lose out? Maybe, but my jujutsu is far better now that I am not rock climbing. Why? The energy expended and injuries sustained rock climbing did not detract from my study of jujutsu since I quit climbing. I would have gained some minor cross training benefits, but my progress in both activities would have been limited by the very act of participating in both endeavors.

 So, in reply to yet another activity I am being pressed to pursue, I thank them for their advice, but I am thinking the one truth that I know trumps all other arguments. Doing jujutsu makes my jujutsu better. Period.

What would Scooby do?

I just received a poorly copied letter saying I had been inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Big whoop. This is another in a long line of lures that martial arts in the US dangle in front of your face to hook you into forgetting why you really do a martial art. Recently I have had students wanting me to design and provide for them dojo T-shirts and a dojo patch. For the patch, I suggested a bloody piece of athletic tape. That didn’t seem to be a hit. All these ego-satisfying devices do nothing to help anyone along the way they have chosen. After reading the Hall of Fame advertisement, I realized that I needed a standard, decisive reply to all of these gimmicks. I believe it comes down to this. We have all see the bumper stickers that say WWJD? (What would Jesus do?) and all the variations on that theme. My personal favorite is What would Scooby do? In response to the martial art gimmickry and self-promotional crap, my response from now on will be: Will this make my Seoi Nage any better? You can put in your own Tokuiwaza. At the basic level, this is why I go to class every night and why I still have such a strong interest in DZR and judo. I am eternally looking for the perfect Seoi Nage or Katate Tori Ichi or Ude Garami. Much less a full and complete understanding of Kiai Dori, Riuko or even, Munen Muso. So, ask me to participate in some martial art promotional crap and I may reply WTMMSNAB?

Hang in there, I am just getting started.