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A Beginner’s Primer for Starting Martial Arts Lessons in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a modern style that has its roots in Japanese Jiu Jitsu. Its started to take shape when, in 1914, the Japanese champion, Esai Maeda came to Brazil and taught a young man named Carlos Gracie the secrets of his Jiu Jitsu technique as a favor to his father. Carlos taught what he had learnt to his four brothers who, in 1925, went on to open their own school of jiu jitsu in Brazil.

One of these brothers was Helio Gracie, weighing only 135 pounds he began to change and modify techniques so that even someone of small frame could defeat a larger opponent with the use of positioning and leverage. Helio challenged top Jiu Jitsu fighters and other martial artists to ‘test’ his new techniques and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu began to evolve.

Royce Gracie, the son of Helio, brought BJJ to the surface when he demonstrated his family technique for the world to see when he won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship…with ease.

Now, BJJ has evolved even more and is widely recognized as the most efficient method of ground grappling available.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING YOUR FIRST FEW BJJ CLASSES

In taking BJJ classes you will learn a highly advanced system of ground fighting that is effective in the ring or on the street. As well as being an effective fighting system, BJJ is also a great sport and after getting a grip on the basics you will find yourself enjoying sparring more and more. As BJJ utilizes your full body, you also get one of the best workouts ever!

Most classes start with a good warm up, stretching and some bodyweight exercises to make sure your body is ‘primed’ for training. At first you will learn basic positioning before learning any submissions. You have to learn to control your opponent in a variety of situations. Once you have mastered a few basic positions then you will start to learn the basic arm locks, chokes and leg locks that are the essence of jiu jitsu.

After drilling some techniques, then its time to put them to the test! Starting from set positions, you will fight for a certain goal; it might be to escape the position, or to apply a certain lock. Whatever it is, this type of ‘live’ training is vital to improving your game.

Finally, most classes finish with a few rounds of sparring or ‘rolling’ as we like to call it. To start with you will be very rigid and feel like a fish out of water on the ground, but don’t worry! This happens to us all! It takes time to get relaxed on the ground and build up the skill and ability to control someone properly and apply submissions. Sparring gets more and more enjoyable as you learn more and more, it’s not really fighting, but a learning process that can be very fun, but hard work at the same time.

WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL I NEED TO TRAIN IN JIU-JITSU?

To start with you will need very little equipment, but I suggest you bring a towel and some water. Its also a good idea to wear a groin protector and gum shield just in case.

You can train in jogging bottoms and a t-shirt, although there are custom designed shorts and tops for grappling you will not need these right away.

Traditionally BJJ is done with the Gi or Kimono (Judo uniform) but our club concentrates on training without the Gi or ‘no gi’ as we call it. This is because our training is more geared towards mixed martial arts competition which does not use the gi. But if you would like to train with the Gi then this is fine, as everyone has their own preference.

Apart from that just make sure you remove all jewelry and inform your instructor and training partners of any injuries you have.

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About the author: Danny Mitchell is a BJJ instructor under Chris Haueter who is the head of Combat Base USA. Danny is an active MMA fighter and runs his own gym, training students in Boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and no-gi BJJ in Doncaster, England, UK. To contact Danny, visit http://www.thorne-mmagym.com or email cbdoncaster@hotmail.co.uk.

How to Buy a Whole Set of Kettlebells for Under $200

If you haven’t heard of kettlebells by now, you’ve probably been living under a rock somewhere in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness. Kettlebells have been around for a long time, and they were a standard piece of training equipment for old-time strongmen. In addition, Okinawan and Chinese martial artists have been using similar equipment for years to develop core power and grip strength.

More recently, they’ve come into popularity with martial artists and fighters, probably due to the fact that you can get a heck of a workout with them in much less time. Also, they are great for functional resistance training, a mainstay of any good martial arts conditioning program. (If you want to know more about kettlebells, check out the following links: Pavel Tsatsouline’s website and Steve Maxwell kettlebell info.)

Now, the main problem most people have with using kettlebells for strength training is the fact that you have to drop some serious cash on kettelbells to get a decent set. Why? Because traditional kettlebell designs don’t allow for weight adjustment, so once you outgrow your first kettlebell you either increase your reps or buy a new pair.

Well, not anymore. This Christmas the wife bought me my new favorite piece of training equipment - adjustable kettlebells.

Now, hang on because I know what you’re thinking. Adjustable kettlebells are shaped all wrong, the balance is off, they use awkward plate-loading systems, and so on.

That’s what I thought too until I set my eyes on this piece of equipment. They’re a major improvement over any adjustable kettlebell design I’ve seen, because they look, feel, and swing just like a regular kettlebell… except you can adjust the weight from 30 to 70 lbs.

So, you basically get a complete set of quality standard kettlebells that don’t take up half your gym floor, and for about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost.

Here’s the link where you can check them out for yourself:

Adjustable Kettlebells

A List of All Martial Arts

You asked for it, and we delivered. The following is an extensive list of all major types of martial arts styles, categorized with a brief description of each art.

Japanese and Okinawan Karate Styles:

• Goju-ryu - “Goju” means “hard/soft”. Okinawan karate system emphasizing body toughening and deep breathing.
• Shotokan - Means “house of Shoto”, a pen name for Funakoshi Gichin, the founder. Japanese style emphasizing deep stances and strong, fast, linear attacks.
• Shito-ryu - A sophisticated style with an expansive repertoire of kata from both the Naha and Shuri styles.
• Isshin-ryu - An effective style characterized by its logical organization of self-defense skills. Its trademark is a vertical fist punch.
• Wado-ryu - Softer style of karate that is a blend of karate and ju jutsu.
• Kyokushin-kai - The knockdown style of karate created by its famous founder, Mas Oyama. Known for producing hard core fighters and for amazing feats of stamina and breaking skills.

Other Japanese and Okinawan Styles:

• Traditional Ju-jutsu - Ju jutsu means “soft art”. General term for various locking and throwing arts that originated as a means of unarmed combat for samurai in armor. Forerunner of judo and Brazilian jiu jitsu.
• Judo - Means “soft way”. Jacketed grappling method emphasizing throws and sweeps. mostly using the uniform. Forerunner of Brazilian jiu jitsu.
• Aikido - Means “way of harmonious energy”. A soft locking and throwing art that is very defensive in nature.
• Kendo - “Way of the sword”, the Japanese method of fencing using flexible bamboo or composite weapons while wearing a modern version of samurai armor.
• Iaijutsu/Kenjutsu - Iaijutsu is the art of drawing and cutting with the sword, while Kenjutsu is literally “the art of the sword”. Beginners start off using wooden swords, called bokken, while advanced practitioners use live blades.
• Ninjutsu - A good semi-literal translation of the term “ninjutsu” would be “the art of survival”. Sometimes referred to as “ninpo”, “budo taijitsu”, etc., practitioners study schools of martial art that are said to be the same techniques practiced by espionage agents in old feudal Japan.

Korean Styles of Martial Arts:

• Tae Kwon Do - Tae Kwon Do means “the way of smashing with the hands and feet.” It is a Korean martial art that originated in the mid-20th century after several martial arts “kwans”, or schools, banded together under the name of tae kwon do to create a martial art that was to be Korea’s national martial art.
• Moo Duk Kwan -
• Tang Soo Do - A hard and soft style, deriving its hardness in part from Korean arts and its soft flowing movements from the northern Chinese arts. Tang Soo Do is a composite style, being 60% Korean, 30% northern Chinese and 10% southern Chinese.
• Hapkido - Means “the way of coordinated power.” It is also a Korean martial art, founded by the late Yong Shul Choi. Grandmaster Choi apparently had some knowledge of the indigenous martial arts of Korea, and combined that knowledge with aiki-jujitsu techniques he learned in Japan.
• Yudo
• Kuk Sool Won
• Tae Kyon
• Kwon Bup

Chinese Martial Art Styles:

• Shaolin, Southern - Strong style of kung fu from the Southern provinces of China emphasizing powerful stances and strong low kicks.
• Shaolin, Northern
• Shaolin, Tien Shan Pai - Tien Shan Pai (“Heaven Mountain Style”), founded by the late Master Wang, Jyue Jen.
• Wushu
• Wing chun/Ving tsun - A Chinese martial art noted for in-close fighting, trapping, and rapid-fire punching skills.
• Tai ji quan
• Ba qua
• Hsing yi
• Hung Gar - Hung Gar is an external, hard and powerful Southern Shaolin style of Kung Fu. It is also known as Hung Kuen, Hung Fist and Fu Hok Pai (Tiger/Crane Style).

Kenpo:

• American Kenpo
• Chinese Kenpo - A hard yet flowing and circular style characterized by rapid-fire hand strikes and an emphasis on self-defense.
• Kosho-ryu Kempo
• Kajukenbo
• Kempo-jitsu - Off-shoot martial art that follows in the Kajukenbo lineage.

Kickboxing Styles:

• Muay Thai kickboxing
• French Savate
• Sanda/San Shou
• Jeet Kune Do - A philosophy and training methodology that was founded by the late Bruce Lee. The literal translation of the term Jeet Kune Do is, “Way of the Intercepting Fist”.

Other Martial Art Styles:

• Capoeira
• Brazilian jiu-jitsu - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a modern style that has its roots in Japanese Jiu Jitsu. It favors standing and ground grappling, and is favored by many mixed martial arts fighters for it’s intricate and varied submission holds and choking techniques.
• Filipino martial arts
• Krav Maga and Israeli martial arts -
• Mixed Martial Arts
• Reality-Based Self-Defense
• Russian Sambo
• Boxing
• Submission Wrestling
• Bando
• Silat

Can you think of other types of martial arts styles to add to our list? Send me your ideas here…

A Family Approach to Mixed Martial Arts?

Schulenburg Family Mixed Martial Arts is one of the first schools in the country licensed to teach the Pro-Star Martial Arts curriculum that has been developed by Masters John Graden and Joe Brignoli of the Martial Arts Teachers Association. You can find out more about them and their programs at martialartsteachers.com  As founding members of Pro-Star, we’re really excited about the intensity and focus of this program and recommend it highly to anyone considering starting Mixed Martial Arts.

Mixed Martial Arts can trace it’s history back to the early 1900’s (catch wrestling, vale tudo) when boxers and karateka from various schools in Europe, Japan and the Pacific Rim competed in contests with the idea of proving not only the best fighters but the best school of martial arts. The Gracie Family has held contests in Brazil since the 1920’s and Japan has also sponsored mixed martial arts competitions for the last 40 years.

The Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), created in 1993, really brought Mixed Martial Arts to the broader public for the first time. The early contests - “no-holds-barred” spectacles - were too violent for the general public and it took some reorganization of the contests (including a few rules!) to make them the popular attraction they have since become. These days “cage contests” including UFC, Pride, King of the Cage, Gladiator Challenge, etc. are common and watched by millions.

Early Mixed Martial Arts fighters usually brought their specialty to a fight, whether it was boxing or wrestling, Jujitsu or Kung Fu. These days, the specialists are gone and the modern Mixed Martial artist has trained in both Standup Fighting (kicks, strikes) and Ground Fighting (holds, submissions). A good Mixed Martial Arts program combines both Kickboxing techniques with Grappling skills - along with judo, boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai ideas - to create a well rounded fighter with the abilities to successfully compete in any venue.

Mixed Martial Arts is a versatile style, able to readily adapt it’s limited rules to the no rules situations that are required in self-defense on the streets.

We teach a three year program culminating in a Black Belt. Unlike traditional karate schools, we are NOT self-paced. Testing is mandatory every two months and students know that their ultimate success is based on being prepared, with a working knowledge of the required skills.

Our first year focuses primarily on kickboxing skills, the second year brings in a lot of grappling techniques and the third year is really about putting it all together. In contrast to the “skills and drills” of the first two years, year 3 focuses on sparring, putting together the standup and ground fighting games with an emphasis on position and strategy.

Mixed Martial Arts has a reputation as being dangerous, a nasty bit of street fighting with no rules. With that history, it is essential to always emphasize safety. Learning control in striking and kicking, learning to pace submissions - and knowing how to tap-out - are reviewed in every class. Gloves, hand wraps, foot pads, shin guards and mouth guards are required for each student and helmets and rib guards are available in class.

We wear traditional karate uniforms but encourage T-shirts as well, particular in years 2 and 3. In addition to our “skills and drills”, we also use general and specific conditioning exercises for both warm-up and cool down. Our classes are 50 minutes in length and will leave you sweating.

Our basic MMA course is $100 per month and students are encouraged to attend a minimum of 2 classes per week. The uniform is included if a student signs up for a 6 month course and basic gear is added to those signing up for a year. We have family discounts as well as seasonal specials - and classes are always open to parental observation.

We are a family school and while we readily admit to creating some fierce, competent fighters, we truly emphasize that we focus on fun and fitness. We’re not trying to create the next world champion cage fighter - we would rather create better people. Being a leader, learning how to speak in public, knowing when and how to take charge, being aware of what goes on around you in the real world - that’s what we’re all about!

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About the Author: Master Kurt Schulenburg has a 4th Degree Black Belt in the traditional Martial Art of Tang Soo Do. He has also studied Judo and Tae Kwon Do, and is currently a Black Belt Instructor of the Mixed Martial Arts in Woodstock, Illinois. Mr. Schulenburg is a Certified MATA Trainer as well as a Pro-Star Mixed Martial Arts Founding Member.

Starting Martial Arts with Hapkido

Hapkido means “The Way of Coordinated Energy.” Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? What makes this Korean martial art unique is that it focuses on not only advanced kicking techniques, but joint locks and throws as well.

Hapkido was founded by Yong Shul Choi who had studied Daito-Ryu Aikijutsu in Japan. For this reason, Hapkido is often compared to Jiu Jitsu and even Aikido. Many times when I tell people that I study Hapkido and they often come back and say “Aikido?” Although the styles do share some similarities, the main difference between the two is the philosophy on self-defense. Unlike Aikido, Hapkido is not all defense; in fact, Hapkido can be very offensive.

Hapkido has three basic principles.

1) Circular Motion- If you move in a circle you can often get away from any frontal attack.

2) The Water Principle - Just like a river flowing you learn to adapt and when one technique is not working you simply flow into another technique.

3) Adapt to the Opponent - Hapkido techniques are often determined by the attacker’s assault.

So what can you expect when you join a Hapkido class? Well like any martial arts class your warm-ups and stretching are vital and Hapkido is no different. During your warm-ups, you will likely learn breathing exercises and the importance of Ki (internal energy). In fact Ki will be emphasized throughout your training, as it is emphasized in the performance of your techniques as well as your breathing.

This class also has kicking and punching drills. Many of the drills are geared to assist you in your balance, something that is needed in proper self-defense. You will learn how to fall and also to roll. (I can not express enough how important it is to learn to fall. In my professional life I have used falling techniques to prevent injury from a simple fall to the ground.) And of course, you’ll learn joint locks and throwing techniques with partners.

People often ask me if you learn forms in Hapkido. At the advanced level you might learn forms. Traditionally you do not. The forms learned are designed as patterns of movements to assist you in your balance and reaction, as opposed to the flashier forms taught for competition in other styles.

Sparring also varies depending on the school. Although we sparred in my Hapkido dojang, competition was not emphasized and it was a personal preference whether you entered competition. Sparring is important to test a person’s reaction under pressure, and teaches you to react properly when you get hit, and to see an opening and exploit it?

I competed in Sparring for many years before I went to the Hapkido Dojang. If you have a fear of sparring let me break it down for you this way. Sparring is a game not a fight. You are not fighting. You are simply a player in that game. Sparring is about strategy, just like chess. If you think of it that way you can release a lot of the fear and anxiety.

Lastly, weapons are often taught at the advanced level. Sometimes you might see a sword but mostly you will see a staff or cane in weapons training.

How long does it take to earn a black belt in Hapkido? Hapkido is an elaborate style. You are tested on your kicks, joint locks, throws, and self-defense techniques. So it can take you anywhere from three to five years to earn your Black Belt. As in any system you should enjoy each belt and have fun on your journey to Black Belt.

Why take Hapkido? It is truly a self-defense art. Every technique you learn, the kicks, the punches, the joint locks, the throws are used from a practical self-defense stand point. But the best thing about Hapkido is that you do not have to be the largest student or strongest student. I am 165 pounds and I can get away easily from a larger person using Hapkido techniques and strategies.

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR JOURNEY!

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About the Author: Mr. Lee Barnard has Black Belts in Shin-Toshi Karate and Tae Kwon Do. He is an advanced student of Won Moo Hapkido and currently teaches martial arts in Eagle Mountain, Utah. He was a former Police Officer for over 15-years. He has authored articles and one book for the martial arts and law enforcement genre. He can be reached at (805) 341-2579 or lkbarnard@gmail.com. Visit his website at www.jaguarsportkarate.net

How to Choose a Martial Arts School

When you’re looking for a good martial arts school, it can be a little overwhelming. For one, there are a ton of martial arts styles to choose from, so if you live in a big city, you may have more choices than you know what to do with.

If you live in a smaller town, you might not have as many choices where style is concerned, but that still doesn’t rule out the fact that you need to try as many schools as possible before you make a final decision where you’ll train.

So, here are some tips to follow on how to shop for a martial arts school:

1. Start with the end in mind. In other words, decide what your goal is for taking martial arts, so you’ll be able to pick a style and school that offers what you’re looking for. Do you want to get in better shape, to learn self-defense, to compete, or to earn a black belt someday? Do you want to learn how to high-kick and do cool-looking stunts, or to fight like an ultimate fighter? Do you want to learn weapons or to use your hands and feet? Do you want to grapple, to strike, or both? All these things will have a major influence on your decisions as you go about choosing a school. Write them down and keep taking notes as you go through the entire process.
2. Before you shop, do your research. Browsing through the “Styles” section of this website is a good place to start. And, if you have friends who train, ask them about the styles they practice, and find out what they like and don’t like about their style and school.
3. Remember, choosing a school is like buying shoes; that is, you never just buy the first pair that looks good. Instead, you try them on first to see if they even fit. Then, you look at a few more pairs to compare all your options. Once you’ve tried several different shoes on for size, you settle on the ones you like best. Same goes for choosing a martial arts school - never choose until you’ve checked out all your options!
4. Make sure you get a “return policy”. That means if they don’t offer a trial period that allows you to back out of your membership, then go to another school.
5. Never join a school that pressures you to sign a contract on the first day. If a school uses “hard-sell” tactics, that’s a good indication they are more focused on recruiting new students than taking care of the ones they already have. Try to find a school that allows you plenty of time to decide whether you like what they offer before they ask for a commitment of time and money.
6. Never join for more than 6 months on your initial membership. Why? Because you might change your mind about what you want after a few months of training, and you need to keep your options open in case that happens. Most schools offer a six-month membership for beginners, and while it may be tempting to sign up for a longer term to get a discount, you’re probably better off paying a little extra at first in case you decide you want to train somewhere else.

So, there you have it - simple guidelines to help you when you’re choosing a martial arts school. Good luck with your search, and happy shopping!

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About the Author: Mike Massie has been teaching the martial arts for over twenty years, and is a well-known and outspoken advocate on the topic of ethical martial arts school management. He resides in Austin, Texas and runs a full-time martial arts studio in nearby Hutto, TX.

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