Why Do You Train In Your Specific Martial Art?

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

---

Guest Post By Kevin Jackson

---

This post started with this question - ‘I want to know why people train in the Martial Arts’. Then the more I thought about it, and thought about my own personal experiences I decided a better, or at least supplemental question is ‘why do you train in your specific art or arts’.

So Why the change in question?

Well if I were to ask why you train in the martial arts I would get a slight variation on the following answers:

- To keep fit

- For confidence

- To compete/sport

- For self defence

- For the artistic nature (possibly)

- Because of the overall love of it

- Because my big brother beats me up!!!

I think this is quite fair as a summary of the majority of answers to that question.

But to ask why you have chosen your art should provoke some more interesting answers. The younger readers, or those who have recently started their art, may simply reply:

“Because it looked like fun” or “To keep fit” and will revert back to the answers above because they haven’t always made the conscious decision to pick X over Y. This is no criticism, we all start somewhere and all of the above answers are perfectly valid.

However, the answers that I am personally interested in are ones which are more deeply considered. I personally have some very specific reasons why I started training in Ju Jitsu. I had gained a Second Dan Black Belt in Karate by the age of 16. This was great, I felt quite proud of myself and being a young man, would play fight with friends regularly. I soon discovered that if somebody came in close and grabbed me or attacked me from behind then I was effectively useless. However I didn’t know of any classes in the local area that would teach me what I needed to know. And in fact I didn’t know what I wanted to learn.

I started TaeKwon Do when I was 17 because I figured I could improve my kicking ability. Kicking always was, and still is, something I enjoy in the Martial Arts. I enjoyed TaeKwon Do and had lots of fun doing it, but again felt that I wasn’t learning the most practical skills for self defence.

So this brings me to my next point. In my nearly 10 years (as it was at this point) in Martial Arts I had tried competitions briefly but never really enjoyed them. I continued training due to my own enjoyment of what I was doing, because it was a form of exercise and a hobby I enjoyed. But I slowly began to realise that I wanted to learn how to defend myself and my loved ones in case of an unprovoked attack. As I had already identified some downfalls (lack of grappling skills) I began researching what I could learn to fill these gaps. I found that Ju Jitsu was the way forward, but at this time in my life I was just about to go to University.

In my very first week at University in Scarborough, UK, without looking I came across a poster for a local Ju Jitsu club… “BINGO!” I went along in the second week and have never looked back.

Starting this new Martial Art was and remains a new challenge, the change from Karate to TaeKwon Do had not been difficult or challenging. So many new skills to learn, such a breadth of knowledge to pick up and so little time!! What I got from this new challenge was a “new lease of life” on Martial Arts. My passion for them exploded and still burns brightly over 5 years on from my first class in Ju Jitsu. I have also gained the confidence to try other clubs and arts when I am away from home (which my work dictates that I do).

I feel that I have made a good start on filling the gaps in my knowledge of self defence. I continue to train in Ju Jitsu today because I consider it to be one of the most well rounded martial arts out there. For those who don’t know, Ju Jitsu combines strikes, throws, joint locks, chokes/strangles, weapons and more to defend yourself against an attacker. One description is that it covers three fighting ranges; In-Fighting (A.K.A Stand up Grappling), Out-Fighting and Ground Fighting. This completeness and roundness of skills makes me believe and have confidence that I am learning all that I can and all that I need to defend myself in almost all defensible situations. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not Superman (sadly!) and have lots to learn. But I feel, at least for now, that I am learning a very worthwhile martial arts for what *I* want to learn a martial Art for.

In the future my motivations for donning the “white pyjamas” and entering a dojo may vary to sport, or for the artistic nature, or just for the familiarity of an old hobby, and in this case I may try a new Martial Art or return to an old one. But for now I want to learn the best thing I can for self defence and I personally believe that to be Ju Jitsu.

And what do I feel I get from Ju Jitsu?

- Confidence to walk around at night (but the sense not to do it without taking due care and attention)

- New skills

- Fitness (as some sessions leave me sweating like crazy!!)

- Enjoyment of the classes I attend, the knowledge I share with others and the enjoyment of the fact that I am constantly tackling new challenges and conquering these personal challenges.

I hope I haven’t bored you with this ramble. I aim to have merely asked a question and provided you with my own answer. Granted I have given you more than you may need to know, and for that I apologize! But I look forward in anticipation to reading why you train in your martial art, whatever it may be. I particularly look forward to the reply from my fellow bloggers here on JuJitsuOnline.com as we are new as a group and this will help us get to know each other, and introduce you, the reader to the bloggers.

---

No Tags Defined

Pressure Points To Help With Headaches

There is one pressure point in particular that seems to work for pain relief, it’s Large Intestine 4, its situated at the join between the thumb and forefinger works with direct firm but not painful pressure.

Apply the pressure using your thumb and hold, then release and hold, stay relaxed whilst doing it, I’ve tried this on myself in a number of different scenarios and this gives the best results for me.

It can be used to cause pain by applying direct pressure and altering the angle, but by doing it this way it can be used to release the bodies natural endorphins into the system as a painkiller. This is a method of pain killers for a mild case, more for the home use, taken to the extremes they are also used in operating theatres using needles and electro stimulus.

---

No Tags Defined

Pressure Point To Stop A Nose Bleed

Quite often we forget, but Pressure Points are actually based upon Acupressure points, they use a circle of construction, we use a circle of destruction, so in case of injuries we can use these points to actually help for a change.

Some of these I like, some seem to be a pretty much a psychological thing.

One of my favourites is the pressure point to stop a nose bleed, I’ve seen this and used it to great effect. Once even at work, a colleague had had a nose bleed for about 15 minutes, tried all the usual methods to sop it, I said I’ll try something, it’ll hurt briefly. Took him a bit to agree, but then I used it and he was amazed when it stopped bleeding straight away.

It’s positioned at the bottom corner of the nostril, right at the edge, to actually make it work, I like to use the knuckle of the forefinger, put your other hand at the back of their head to absorb the pressure, then apply pressure with the knuckle upwards, aiming towards the centre of the skull, hold the pressure for about 3 seconds.

I’ve used it against small bleeds and persistent and to date it has worked every time.

---

No Tags Defined

Stomach 9, What’s That?

I was talking about some of the posts the other day with one of my students and realised I’d been talking about pressure points and using these names without actually describing them so, time to rectify that.Stomach 9 is a really nice little pressure point positioned in the neck, just to the side of the windpipe and just above the bone of the collar bone.

I find a good guide for this is to straighten your fingers out and hold your hand so that it’s vertical, the little finger down, the thumb up. Then put your thumb out to the side, you should then find that as you slide your hand down the side of your attackers neck your thumb should slide nicely into place directly onto Stomach 9, I find that I get a better reaction if the angle of attack is about 40 - 45 degrees upwards. Hurts quite a bit.

---

Tags: jujitsu, jujitsu techniques, jujitsu training, martial arts

How Effective Are Pressure Points In Combat?

Pressure points are great, you can have great fun with them, it is possible to cause a massive amount of pain with them, but what is strange with them, and also worrying when it comes to relying on them, is that points don’t work on everyone.

You can get one person, or even 90 % of people, and one particular point, say Lung 5 for example will work really well and give you that impact that you are looking for, that extra bang for your buck, but then you get that one person who though you may stop the punch, you don’t cause them the pain you are looking for, or you get that person who feels nothing of the pressure points in the arms or legs which can be very dis-concerting, especially when that same point hurts you like hell. So does that mean you can’t use them in a combat situation?

My opinion, for what it’s worth is that you can use them, but don’t rely on them, and that’s for a number of reasons, the main one is the point mentioned above, a second reason is that in a fast moving, high octane pressure situation thinking of the combinations of points you might want isn’t practical,it’s going to get you hurt, but, there’s always a but!

You can train to hit a specific point, repetitive training is going to train your muscles so that in a pressure situation then instinct will take over, thats fine, and perfectly do-able, but if you try to make it complex it’s the same as everything, the more there is, the more there is to go wrong.

Some of these pressure point demonstrations you see, where a person gets knocked out by a light touch on multiple points at the same time, how achievable is that going to actually be in a real situation? when both participants are moving around and punches are flying in at you, personally I’m very sceptical about that. Go for a pressure point, but give yourself an effective anatomical back up just incase.

For example, you can aim for Stomach 9, one of my favourites, if you miss, you’ve got the trachea. Or Small Intestine 16, another good one, if you miss then you’ve got the carotid.

Rely on them alone and you could be heading towards a world of trouble.

In a fight situation, would you rely on one punch, or would you be throwing a few until they went down?

---

Tags: Combat, JuJitsu, JuJitsu Techniques, Martial Arts, Pressure Points, Self Defense

Money In The Martial Arts

I guess I’m lucky, I started Martial Arts as a hobby, it turned into a way of life, I do have a full time job that pays the bills but still carry on teaching because I love the art, and enjoy passing on the knowledge, keeping it going and seeing my students develop.

Now I know some people have chosen to make a living from teaching and that I have no problem with, quite the opposite, I’d love to do the same, however, there are those out there who forget what it’s all about beyond the money and that I do have a problem with.

I’ll give you two examples of things I have seen in the last week alone that I have an issue with.

Firstly, a job advert I was passed, it was for a salesman, someone dedicated, and paid to go out there and sign people up to lessons on a monthly basis and get paid a salary for it!!!

Secondly, a kid who’d got a Black Belt in under a year!

Seriously, whats that all about then!!!

Maybe I’m too idealistic or rose tinted or naive, not sure but it just doesn’t seem right to me.

---

Tags: jiujitsu, judo, jujitsu, karate, martial art

Chokes vs Strangles

It’s seems odd to me still when I get people from different arts coming in and don’t know there is a difference between a choke and strangle.

Wrong on my part I know, you’re never going to know unless you are told, and why would you be told if you don’t do the things?

There are many arts that don’t strangle people, and many people just starting out who think it really odd that we do, though it is funny to see their faces when that all too familiar choking sound is forced from your Uke’s throat, there is that initial reaction where they jump back panicking and let go.

Anyway, the difference between a strangle and a choke.

A strangle cuts off the blood flow and a choke cuts off the air supply. Very simple really. Both have their benefits, both are effective and will take someone out in very short order if done correctly, but one thing to bear in mind, if you are choking someone then you will get a panic effect, it really is sharp and causes a sudden adrenalin rush to the person on the receiveing end, this gives them a sudden burst of strength, the bodies natural defense that if you’re not ready for it can cause you trouble.

A strangle is a more gradual thing and even though it’s not slow it feels like nothing until just before you pass out and you start to feel your eyes bulge, but you don’t get that same violent reaction.

---

Tags: jujitsu, jujitsu choke, jujitsu strangle, jujitsu technique, jujitsu training