Tricks, Tips and Tactics from the Sensei

Tricks, Tips, and Tactics

You come to class as often as possible, you practice once in a while once you get home. You are in class again and are asked to show/tell about a technique that was shown to you a few weeks ago, and you just stand there because you can't remember the technique. Does this sound familiar to you?

Don't feel bad, we all forget things over time. So what can you do to try to help keeping this from happening to you?

1. Practice ... practice ... practice ... no matter how good you are, if you do not practice it is going to be that much harder to remember. If you are unsure about the correct way to do anything, be sure to ask.
2. Keep a notebook. Write down the name of the technique and describe how to do the technique. Keep the notebook handy and make notes in as much as possible, review the information you have written from time to time. In todays computer age you can keep your notebook on your computer and copy it to a CD/DVD to archive it every once in a while. An added plus by using your computer, you can add digital pictures, and movies to your notebook to help show how a technique is done.

Half-Circle Ju-Jitsu

Half-Circle Ju-Jitsu~The difference is in the DETAILS!

Half-Circle Ju-Jitsu is a hybrid system of martial arts. It is known for its simple, easy to learn no-nonsense techniques. When it comes to combat effectiveness, Half-Circle Ju-Jitsu is second to none.

There are over seven hundred different styles of ju-jitsu in Japan alone. Ju-jitsu, ju-jutsu or jiu-jitsu, depending on which spelling you choose is considered a "Mother Art". It contains striking, throwing, choking, joint locking, pinning, and controlling techniques. From ancient ju-jitsu came several different branches of ju-jitsu as well as many separate systems of martial arts. Those include the striking art of karate, the throwing and pinning art of judo, and the locking and throwing art of Aikido.

• The origin of ju-jitsu, deceptively translated as the "gentle art," is unclear.
• Some historians trace ju-jitsu's roots to ancient Greece, and Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), and to Roman gladiators.
• Others believe that ju-jitsu developed in feudal Japan around 792 by way of India and China.
• We do know that ju-jitsu was formalized and most popular during the Edo Period of Japan (1603-1868). This was the era of the Samurai or "warrior class".
• The first recorded use of the word "ju-jitsu" was in 1532.
  
  

In more modern times, ju-jitsu seems to take a backseat to the more publicized martial arts systems such as karate and kung fu. Everything changed in 1993. That is the year that Rorion Gracie and Art Davie conceived the "Ultimate Fighting Championships". It was a pay-per-view television event that pitted martial art experts from different disciplines against each other to find out "which style was best". The UFC allowed fighters to compete in an octagon shaped cage with very few rules. The show became a huge hit. Royce Gracie, originally from Brazil, dominated the first years of the UFC with an 11-0 undefeated record against all comers. Royce beat much larger opponents with techniques that very few fighters had seen at that time.

Carlos Gracie had learned ju-jitsu from a Japanese champion named Esai Maeda. Maeda was a student of Jigaro Kano, the founder of judo.
In 1925 Carlos Gracie opened his first school in Brazil. He called his style "Gracie Ju-Jitsu". He ran this ad in a local paper:

"If you want your face beaten in and well smashed, your ___ kicked, and your arms broken, contact Carlos Gracie at this address......."

Thanks to the Gracie family and the popularity of mixed martial arts contests, ju-jitsu is now receiving the recognition it deserves.
Half-Circle Ju-Jitsu, while very similar to Brazilian ju-jitsu, has many distinctive differences. That is why we say, "The difference is in the details".
While Brazilian ju-jitsu practitioners often emphasize fighting flat on their backs, we prefer to take opponents to the ground while we remain standing or at least on top of them.

Half-Circle Ju-Jitsu is a perfect compliment to any other system of martial art such as karate, kung fu or even boxing.
It is also a great "stand alone" system and is a great choice for women or smaller men to use against larger and stronger opponents. Half-Circle Ju-Jitsu has been proven effective in martial arts competitions and is becoming increasingly popular with federal agents, SWAT team members and other law enforcement professionals.