Heavy

Apparently, I can do as much Jiu-Jitsu as I want these days, and my knees are okay with it, but as soon as I do some Judo, my knees are like "We will no longer bend without causing you pain!". Thank you, knees, I've been looking for more excuses to avoid throwing! My knees have felt fine for the past couple of weeks, then came Throwing Sunday in Ethridge class...and now the pain is back. This is really getting old. Or maybe it's just me that's getting old.

Other than the fact that my knees are acting up again, I thought throwing class actually went pretty well on Sunday. I was relaxed for most of it, except for one particular throw that Joe was doing. For some reason, I did not want to be thrown in that way, and my body kept involuntarily defending when he was trying to practice, so Amy just had him move on to a different throw. Even though we were using the crash mat, we were practicing the throws by landing on each other with full impact, and about the sixth time that Joe slammed into my ribs, I was very thankful that I did not marry a heavy man!

I like it because it doesn't put pressure on my knees.

It was cool that Amy had Joe practice his throws the "Judo way" (with traditional gi grips), because he is a Judoka, and she had me practice them the "Jiu-Jitsu way" (from the clinch), because I am a Jiu-Jitsuka (that way they would also work in no gi). Although I was a little disappointed because she said we could start by practicing our favorite throw, so I asked if I could do o soto gari, and then she said it had to be our favorite forward throw, and I was like "I don't have one, I hate them all equally!". Even so, I think my throwing is improving.

During randori at the end of class, Amy told us we had to win by ippon, and even though I didn't score anything on Joe, I was pretty happy with my defense. He threw me a few times, but I was able to adjust my position mid-throw so that I wouldn't land on my back, and so he wouldn't get control of me on the ground. Finally she gave him ippon credit for a throw, even though I turned to my side, because he executed it very well. Although Joe's not heavy, I still don't want him in top control on me, so I'm glad I was at least able to defend that!

"All your weight, it falls on me, it brings me down." -Collective Soul

Die with your gi on

I've had some of my Karate teachers tell me that training Jiu-Jitsu is too hard on the body, and that at some point as I age, I will have to give it up. It's possible they just said that as a devious ploy to try and get me to quit Jiu-Jitsu and come back to Karate full time, but a couple of them are also speaking as experienced Judoka, which I believe is the basis for their assessment.

I don't think there's any question that Jiu-Jitsu (and Judo) takes a toll. One of our Karate brown belts told me that she is shocked by how much Jiu-Jitsu/Judo training is ruining Sensei Ken's feet. When she said that, I thought of my own feet, which are covered with mat burn scars, and every single toe (except the two big piggies that went to market) are misshapen from being broken and/or dislocated multiple times. Then I thought of the story I'd heard about the Jiu-Jitsu player who broke one of his big toes so badly that they told him he wouldn't be able to train anymore unless it was amputated, so he told them to go ahead and cut it off. Yeah, that's how we roll!

R.I.P. Paul Owen-Sensei

When my Karate Sensei first told me I wouldn't be able to train Jiu-Jitsu for the long term, I think it made me feel like I had to learn as much as I could, as quickly as I could, before I ran out of time. Even my husband is convinced that I am going to end up a crippled old lady because of Jiu-Jitsu, but lately I've been thinking about how I can avoid that, and continue training for the rest of my life. I know it can be done.

We used to have a Judoka at our dojo, Paul Owen-Sensei, who started Judo when he was thirty-five years old (which is the same age I was when I started Karate), and he continued to train for over fifty years, up until his death a few years ago, when he was in his nineties. The legend around the dojo is that even at his advanced age, when Sensei Paul pinned you, it was impossible to get out, no matter how young, strong, or athletic you were. His many years of training had provided him with solid technique and supreme relaxation, which were extremely difficult for his opponents to overcome.

I've always felt like I was in a race to learn Jiu-Jitsu, and so I wanted to slam as much as I could before I got too old, but now I think the key to longevity might be to relax and slow down. I need to develop flawless technique that I can maintain as I age, and I have to adequately protect myself, in order to do the least amount of damage. Training harder might not work for me in the long term, but training smarter will.  If Sensei Paul could do it, so can I.

The Doggfather

There is only one person in our Jiu-Jitsu class who currently holds the rank of brown belt: Ray Petersen.  I call him The Doggfather, not only because he has swagger and he was born in the year of the dog.  He's also a black belt in Judo, which he has been training since he was a child, and even though he is about fifteen years younger than I am, he says his Judo training aged him faster, like in dog years!

Ray is a virtual encyclopedia of martial arts knowledge.  If you want to know the history of almost any art, how to say the name of a technique in six different languages, where the best place is to get a good deal on a gi, or who won the latest UFC fights: just ask Ray.  He has always shown an interest in my training, and he often offers help, even when he is just watching from another class.  Ray tells it like it is, but in a nice, respectful way.   Another one of his nicknames is Panda, and while pandas may seem all cute and cuddly, you should never forget that they are still bears!  Just roll with Ray if you don't believe me.
 
He taught most of Jiu-Jitsu class on Tuesday, and as the senior student in attendance, I got to be his practice dummy.  When class started, it was just the two of us and three white belts, and of course he had us work on some dreaded Judo, but I don't think there is anyone who I feel more comfortable doing Judo with than Ray (well, except maybe Ken), so I was glad to be his partner.  I love it when I get to run with the top dogs!

Lay it on the Line

Captain Judo has said that in the past there used to be a requirement to compete in order to advance in Judo. That actually makes sense to me, because there is a big difference between doing randori in class and testing your skills in competition. He also said that to make it to black belt, you had to win your matches. Now they have something called "service to Judo" in which a student who is unable to compete (or win) can still advance, based upon other things which they bring to the class.

IMHO I don't think you truly practice an art if you never compete in it. I don't think I would really understand my limitations if I didn't test myself against people from outside of my school, people who are not my friends, people whose training is not identical to mine. After practicing with the same students over a period of time, you learn their tendencies, and it can cause your training to fall into a rut. It can also give you a false sense of security.

I don't want to be given belts for "service" to my art, I want to earn them the old-fashioned way. I want to know that the skills I am learning are useful against people who train elsewhere. The first time I competed against an outside student in Jiu-Jitsu, it was truly shocking. Nowhere in my training had I experienced anything like it, and it really opened my mind. There is no question that I have learned much more because of competition.

Of course, the true test would be if I ever have to use my knowledge in a real self-defense situation, but that is something I hope will never happen. Competition may not be the same as a street fight, but it's the closest I am able to come.  Learning to remain calm under stress is one of my biggest goals, and that certainly makes competing more beneficial to me than not competing.

Don't Jump

I am not allowed to jump guard.  Since my Jiu-Jitsu coach Amy is also a Judoka, she is not a fan of jumping guard, and she doesn't want me to do it.  I have jumped guard a couple of times in competition, and she was not happy about it.  Amy doesn't even like it when I go for single or double leg takedowns, because "That's what everyone in Jiu-Jitsu does!".  She would much rather prefer to see me (and everyone else) try to sweep or throw.

Guard is my game, so jumping into it seems logical, and it's easy.  Jumping guard is probably all I would ever do if I was allowed to, so I'm actually glad Amy won't let me do it.  Otherwise, I would have never developed any takedowns.  About the only time I have not gotten the takedown points in competition is when my opponent jumped guard on me.

Throwing and sweeping are also part of our Karate curriculum, and many a sparring match has been won by our students taking their opponents down with foot sweeps (which are allowed in the State Games).  Shihan Roseberry likes to say "Why do I need to kick high?  If I want to kick you in the head, I'll just take you down first!". He started his training as a Judoka, and at 77 years of age he can still toss people across the mat.  I'm not sure what he would do if I tried to jump guard on him, but I can guarantee it would end badly for me.

Even if I didn't train at a school that emphasizes takedowns, I would still want them to be a part of my game.  Jumping guard is so much less satisfying than throwing someone down and establishing top position!  Not only do you get points, but you also set the tone.  In women's Jiu-Jitsu class, Amy often has us randori where we have thirty seconds to take our partners down and submit them, and if anyone tries to jump guard, she tazes us.  Okay, I was kidding about the tazing, she just shuns us.

One of the reasons I am at all interested in competing in Judo is because I want a chance to test out my throwing, and my defense, against an opponent who is not going to just jump guard.  If you try jumping guard in a Judo competition, you will get warned for illegal entry into mat work (right, Ken? ;).  I'm not sure what the Judo policy is on flying triangles, but if I could actually pull one of those off, I think Amy would approve!

State Games Weekend

My weekend was packed full of Cornhusker State Games fun! We kicked it off Friday night with the parade of athletes, and the opening ceremonies. Joe and I walked with the Martial Arts group in the parade, to hang out with the kids from the dojo who were there. A good number of people showed up to represent three of the four arts. When I lamented to nine year-old Steve that I was the only person there from Jiu-Jitsu, he patted me on the shoulder and said "Jiu-Jitsu is your thing." Lol! Yes it is, but it's not just mine!

I particularly enjoyed the torch lighting at the opening ceremonies this year. The mystery torch lighter was Erika Anschutz, a World Champion compound bow archer from Nebraska. She shot a flaming arrow 35 yards into a 5-foot diameter cauldron to light the torch! I thought it was appropriate, because this seems to be "the year of the archer".

Then on Saturday morning we showed up at 8am to help get the ball rolling on the Karate State Games. We were short-handed on volunteers, and we only ended up with enough people to run two rings, so it took a little longer than usual, but things ran smoothly. Even though it was pretty hot, and it was kind of a long day, everyone was understanding and patient, so I think it was an enjoyable day for all involved. I was proud of the kids from the dojo, they represented us well. I didn't even have to put away a single chair afterward, because most of the people there (kids, parents, coaches, from all of the schools) stayed to help clean up!

We started this morning at 8am as well, with the Judo State Games. That was actually a relief, because if they had not set up the chairs last night, we would've had to be there at 7am. It IS possible for me to be awake and arrive by then, but it is NOT possible for me to be pleasant at that hour! When I showed up with an iced coffee in hand, The Captain Sensei told me I was not welcome there because I didn't bring enough for everyone, and I told him that I would be more than happy to go home and go back to sleep!

The Judo Games also rocked! I believe they are in the lead, with a total of two more competitors than in Karate (however I predict that next Saturday, Jiu-Jitsu will beat them both!). Again I was proud of all of our students, and I enjoyed watching the competition from behind the table. There were some really nice ippons, and a few of them happened in under five seconds!  I especially loved seeing some of the kids out there with big smiles on their faces, truly enjoying themselves.

I did not compete in Judo, because Sensei told me I shouldn't. Since I'm not 100% due to injury, and my potential opponent was a white belt who outweighs me by over twenty pounds, he said it wasn't worth the risk (because "white belts are the ones who always hurt people." ;). Amy also did not compete, because she injured her shoulder while practicing yesterday (which is why you should NOT randori the day before a tournament!). Both of us were also busy working the entire time, so it was a relief to not have to worry about competing.

I couldn't get any pictures during the actual tournaments, because I didn't have time to think about it, but Joe did get a few during the opening ceremonies. It was a great weekend of Budo, and any time I get to spend a couple of days hanging out with Auntie Donna (who is a Judo mom, and my aunt-in-law) it's always a good time! Donna rescued us by showing up at the Karate tournament and helping run a table (even though she had never done it before, and she had no idea how to until I taught her). At Judo she was in charge of handing out belts, and she will be there next Saturday at the Jiu-Jitsu tournament to assist in whatever way she can. Volunteers like her are what make the State Games possible, and I want to thank each and every person who helps out in any way.

Do that judo voodoo that you do so well...

Our women's Jiu-Jitsu teacher Amy is also a brown belt in Judo, and she will be competing in the Judo State Games on Sunday (which I think is the real reason she wants me to compete, so I can suffer with her!). Last year when I competed in Judo, even though it was just an exhibition match, I was very concerned with not breaking any rules (and I did not!). I feel as though some Judoka expect Jiu-Jitsuka to be rule-breakers, so I didn't want to stand out in that way, but it was still completely obvious that I'm a Jiu-Jitsu player. After I competed some people asked me what I train. Not where, what.

I guess I did break one of the Judo etiquette rules when I turned my back to Ken after the match was over. I walked right by The Cap'n, and he grunted "You're supposed to walk backward!". Um yeah, I knew that, I'm just not good in reverse. I can't walk, skate, or drive backward!

Judo has too many rules for my taste, and if I do end up competing this year, there's at least a 50% chance I will break one of them. I haven't been thinking about Judo lately, and I can't even remember what half of the rules are. Amy doesn't really want to compete, she only entered because there was just one woman signed up in all ranks. That's the same reason she says she wants me to do it, the only other woman entered is a white belt, and she doesn't have a competitor as of yet.

They also don't have many volunteers to help with the Judo State Games this year, so I know I will be working in some capacity. David Willis, the director, was even asking if people could come and coach our students, because everyone who is available from Judo will probably be working. I don't think they want me to coach..."Now grab their legs! Crossface them!"

If you're a Roseberry's student who knows anything about Judo, you are welcome to come to the Judo State Games at the dojo on Sunday, July 22nd at 10am and help coach!  Or anyone who wants to can just come and watch, there's no spectator fee. You might even get a chance to see me get hansoku make (disqualified!). It's a slim chance, because even though I told Amy I would compete if they needed me to, my knee still isn't feeling great, so that's another thing to add to the list of reasons I don't want to do it. Amy is worried about losing her matches, but like Shihan always tells me "Just go out there and do what you do." (but try not to break any rules ;).

I should warn you, if you come to the Judo tournament, it will be hot. Hey, I have a great idea, let's have a Judo competition in a building without AC in the middle of July during the hottest part of the day, and see how many people pass out!   It amuses me when the spectators complain about the heat, it makes me want to say "Try putting on a heavy quilt and going out there and fighting in it!" I think the only reason Ken didn't destroy me last year was because it was a brazilian degrees that day, and he had already fought in several matches.  I'm pretty sure he was close to having a heat stroke. Either that, or he was taking it easy on me. "Cause he's a judo child, Lord knows he's a judo child..." 

So, what have we learned here today? Judo has too many rules, the dojo is too hot, Amy is too worried, and I am too much of a Jiu-Jitsuka to hide it.

Break

The Jiu-Jitsu State Games are coming up in less than two weeks, and I still haven't decided if I'm competing. I haven't talked about it, but I've been feeling low since my last competition in May. Even though it was the first time that I won all of my matches, and I got gold in gi and no gi, I still cried after I got home, and I don't know why. I think part of the reason might be that I've never really been a competitive person. Throughout my life I have sometimes let people win things, because they seemed to care more about it than I did. I guess I just don't like competing, even when I win.

I really never want to compete, but I usually force myself to do it, because I know it's a great learning tool, and I'm trying to get over my performance anxiety. Now I'm starting to wonder if the all of the stress is really worth it. I wonder if it's doing more harm than good.  I've competed in Karate at the State Games for the past seven years, and Jiu-Jitsu since it was introduced three years ago. Last year I even gave Judo a shot, but there was no one for me to fight, so I just ended up doing an exhibition match with Ken. The Judo tournament was the only one I enjoyed.

I have made the decision to not compete in Karate this year. It's coming up this Saturday, and there is no one signed up for me to compete against anyway. Judo is on Sunday, and there's a chance I might do it. I think our women's Jiu-Jitsu teacher Amy wants me to compete in Judo more than in Jiu-Jitsu, because there is a woman signed up in my division, and if I don't compete she might not have anyone to fight. I told Amy I will bring a gi and compete if they really need me to.

So, that just leaves Jiu-Jitsu. As of right now the only three women signed up are white belts, so there is no one in my division. If I sign up, we will probably be combined, which doesn't seem fair to them. I have until the day before the tournament to sign up, and I'll probably take until then to decide.

I feel as though I would rather just be able to enjoy all of the tournaments this year, from the sidelines, as a worker and spectator. When I compete I can't really relax or have any fun, because I am consumed by the stress. I don't like to give myself permission to not compete (because I don't want to let myself off that easily) but when I look at the facts, I realize that I have competed more than anyone else in our Jiu-Jitsu class (except for Danger, but who the hell could keep up with him?!) so I think I have earned a break.

"Tonight my head is spinning, I need something to pick me up. 

I've tried but nothing is working, I won't stop, I won't say I've had enough."

Tomoe nage!

Captain Judo

I've mentioned before about The Cap'n Sensei's relentless quest to turn me into a Judoka. A few years ago, I took Judo regularly for a short while, and ever since I stopped doing so, he has been trying everything he can think of to get me back. Bribes, threats, intimidation...he's tried them all!

There have been a few times when I thought he might have given up, but no, he was just figuring out new tactics. The other night when we were celebrating Shihan being promoted to 8th Dan in Judo, The Captain took the opportunity to inform me that this would be the perfect time for me to come to Judo, because they have three new women, and a couple of them are my size! He also reminded me that they have separated the adult and youth Judo classes now, so I wouldn't have to "work with any unruly kids". But Sensei, I am an unruly kid! You know that because you've had to tell Ken and I to "Knock it off, children!"

The thing is, I know I could always use more Judo training, but I don't want to give him the satisfaction! I'm (mostly) joking about that, I have a bunch of other excuses for not going. If he thinks his persistent pestering is going to wear me down, he's got another thing coming. Stubborn is my middle name! Okay, it's not. My middle name is really Imayseemcalmbutihavealreadykilledyouthreetimesinmymind.

It's funny that Joe also stopped going to Judo (and he trained it a lot longer than I did) but The Cap'n never says anything to him about going back! It might just be because he doesn't like Joe (^.^), but I suspect that he is really more interested in stealing me away from Jiu-Jitsu! Sorry Sensei, but that is never going to happen. I might visit every once in awhile, but Judo is not where my ♥ is. However, now that I know about those new women, I might just come back to Judo class after all...solely with the intention of talking them into trying Jiu-Jitsu ;)

Gotta Know the Rules

I don't believe that many Jiu-Jitsu players compete in Judo tournaments, because most of them require you to be a member of USJA or USJF. However, Nebraska's State Games has no such requirement, so it's open to all. Last summer when I competed, I was one of a handful of Jiu-Jitsuka. During the rules meeting, a couple of them were admonished for having illegal gis, and they were told that if they did not find proper gis they would not be allowed to compete.

While I am not at all happy with the way they were treated, the fact remains that if they had read the rules, they would have known that their gis would not be allowed. You can compete in pretty much any Jiu-Jitsu tournament wearing a Judo gi, but many Jiu-Jitsu gis are not legal in Judo tournaments. They have very specific rules concerning gis; down to the length of it, the number of patches and placement, the color (only blue or white), etc.

If you're planning to compete in any tournament, you should always read through all of the rules. Luckily those two Jiu-Jitsu guys were able to use loaner gis, so they didn't lose their chance to compete (and their entry fee) and over such a small thing as not being dressed right.

By the way, if you want to compete in the Ne State Games Karate competition, you can wear any gi you like. You can dress as a Power Ranger if you want, we don't care (although we may laugh at you). You don't even have to do Karate, you can do Kung Fu, or Taekwondo, or Crazy White Lady (that's my personal competition style), as long as you follow the rules. Like my dad used to say "Ignorance of the law is no excuse."

Falling

Ever since I started training, I've been afraid of being thrown. I have a tendency to grab onto my partner when they are trying to throw me (no matter how often I've been told not to). Sensei Incredible once tried to cure me of it by allowing himself to be pulled down on top of me when I bear-hugged him. You would think that having 200 pounds of Marine falling on me would have taken care of this bad habit, but it didn't.

For me, falling sideways is the worst. I first learned how to fall in Karate class, and when I went to Judo, I was told that I was doing side falls wrong. In Judo, you're supposed to land with your back leg behind your front leg, but in Karate we cross the back leg over the front. The reason for this is that Karate dudes are obsessed with protecting their junk! Leaving the back leg behind the front one exposes too much of that area for their comfort. I swear, 80% of the things we do in Karate involve either protecting or attacking the groin!

Anyway, I'm not worried about my groin, but breaking my wrist by sticking my arm out to catch myself during a side fall has done nothing to make me feel more confident with falling. I dread it even more now. I don't want to let this fear get the better of me, so I need to figure out how to get over it for good. I've been contemplating going to Judo class and just doing fall practice. My wrist isn't healed enough to do any kind of throwing yet, but I think practicing some falling might make me feel more comfortable when I can start throwing again.

I don't know, maybe it's a silly idea to go to Judo class just for falling, but I really want to train myself to stop grabbing onto people, or trying to catch myself when I'm being thrown. I obviously have not had enough practice to build up the muscle memory, or get over the fear yet. I figure the more I fall down, the better.

"Because falling's not the problem
When I'm falling I'm in peace
It's only when I hit the ground
It causes all the grief."

The Joy of Judo

Today was the most dreaded day of the month in women's Jiu-Jitsu class...Throwing Sunday. This is the day Amy forces us to do Judo. We whine about how much it sucks, and she reminds us of how much we suck, and therefore need more practice. She sometimes tells us that we need to keep doing a particular throw until we do a good one, and it never fails that after she says this our throws just keep getting progressively worse...and worse...and worse. Amy claims it took a year of Throwing Sundays just to teach me how to get thrown, let alone how to throw someone. I believe I may be the worst Judo student of all time.

So it came as quite a surprise today when we started off with a series of throws of our choice, and after most of mine all Amy had to say was "Looks good." Wha?! No "You need more hips. Get lower, more rotation. You suck at throwing more than anyone I have ever seen or could possibly imagine."? It was also a surprise when at the end of class she had Skyler and I do a best two out three throwing randori, and I scored two ippons to zero. The best part is I didn't try to plan or anticipate anything, I just did what the kuzushi told me to do.

However, I received no greater Judo-related shock this week than at the end of Jiu-Jitsu on Thursday when I told Cap'n Sensei that I felt like I had bull-dogged my partner a little bit to get him down and he said "So? In Jiu-Jitsu that's allowed, right? It doesn't matter how you get them down you still get the points, so it doesn't have to be perfect Judo. Your throw still looked good." I never thought I would hear a Judo Sensei (particularly that one) say any of those things. Especially the last part!

Slowly but surely, Amy's evil plan is working. Along with Conan's request for The Cap'n Sensei to share his vast knowledge with the Jiu-Jitsu class, the world of throwing doesn't seem quite so intimidating anymore. I think I'm even starting to get the hang of it's magic. I told you that resisting The Judo Borg was futile...if you won't go to their class, they will bring the Judo to you! Yet they aren't asking us to assimilate, they just want to help make our Jiu-Jitsu the best it can be.

Hot 'n Gold

My first Judo tournament, and I won the gold! Okay, I didn't really win it, I got it by default because no one else showed up to fight. My reputation must proceed me! I'm just kidding, I don't have a Judo reputation, and if I did, it would probably be bad.

So, I asked my big bro Ken Haddix to do an exhibition match with me (after he was already tired from his own matches, I'm not stupid!). It was a lot of fun, and he was sufficiently exhausted enough that I managed to pull off the win. Not by ippon, though, stubborn bastard.  Best of all, I never once got a warning or penalty for breaking any rules!  I can't say the same for my opponent, or my Judo mentor, Amy.  He was warned for illegal entry into mat work, and she got in trouble for grabbing legs.  Haha!  I have to give them a hard time, because they are Judoka, and should know better.

It was a good day, despite the 115+ heat index and no AC! I wasn't as nervous as usual, maybe because I was too hot to care, or maybe because the crowd was small and Donna promised she would make everyone close their eyes when I fought. She lied, but I'm still glad I competed. I've always wondered what it would feel like to put on a gi and do Judo on the surface of the sun! Now I can cross that off my bucket list.

The Judo Borg

I think I am quietly being assimilated. I recently admitted to Ray Peterson-Sensei that I don't hate judo anymore, and he says that's because he gave me the sixty throws challenge. As I started studying the throws, and putting the words and pictures together, I began to see patterns, and to have a better understanding of how the techniques work. In some ways judo became more interesting to me, and I was able to see and feel things that I hadn't before. As a result, I think my technique on the throws I already know has improved, and it's becoming easier for me to understand new throws when they are taught to me. All of this came about simply from changing my mindset about judo from a chore to a challenge.

I still can't do most of the throws, but I actually enjoy working on them now. I'm still not going to judo class, and I guess it's probably wrong for me to think of the throwing we do in jiu-jitsu class as judo, but I can't help it. Whatever you want to call it, I don't hate doing take-downs anymore. Except for wrestling take-downs, those suck! Just kidding (but my knees don't like some of them). Now that I know resistance is futile, I have a greater appreciation for how much having a strong understanding of the stand-up game can improve my grappling. Anyone can jump guard, but there's nothing like the feeling when you execute a great throw and hit the mat already in full control of your opponent. I don't hate it. Not a bit.

"We too are on a quest to better ourselves, evolving toward a state of perfection." -Borg Queen

Falling Down

Judo saved my life! Okay, maybe I wouldn't have died, but I could have easily broken something. Lincoln is a virtual sheet of ice right now, and the other day I slipped and fell on a patch of it. Luckily, all the break fall practice that I've done came in handy, and I was able to fall correctly. I ended up not getting hurt at all, except for a little bit of my pride. I had a cold, wet butt, but was otherwise unscathed.

My husband told me he heard that a large number of people die every year from complications related to falling. Perhaps not from the fall itself, but from the surgeries and infections, etc. that can occur after a bad fall. That's just one more reason martial arts training can be beneficial to you. Learning how to fall correctly can make the difference in many situations. I even heard a story from one of my Sempai about when he was in a motorcycle accident, and was thrown from his bike. He was able to tuck and roll, enduring only scratching and bruising. He walked away from something that could very well have killed, maimed, or paralyzed him.

Even if you don't train Judo, you should learn how to fall. It comes in handy if you ever compete in a Jiu-Jitsu tournament against someone who knows how to throw, or in a Karate tournament against someone who can sweep. Outside of the dojo, it is a skill that you can use for the rest of your life. If you've done a little break fall practice and think you're good, think again. Yes, it's pretty easy to grasp the concept and execute it, but just knowing how to fall does not build the muscle memory that you will need to be able to do it automatically. Just like all skills, it has to be practiced repeatedly for it to be effective when you need it the most.


So, get out there and fall down. On the mat. Then get back up and do it again. Repeat about 3,000 times. It may just save your life one day.

"If you get up one more time than you fall you will make it through." - Chinese Proverb

Sixty throws

I think I might have bitten off more than I can chew again.  I have a habit of saying I will do things without actually knowing if I am capable of doing them.  I accepted the job of running the Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan website without knowing the first thing about how to do so.  Luckily my daughter does, and she taught me the basics in record time.  I also wasn't sure if I could pull off creating the giant jiu-jitsu patch for the wall when I volunteered to do it, but between my husbands carpentry talents, and my own artistic skills, we managed to pull it off.

However, I think my current challenge is going to be a lot more difficult than either of those were.  Ray Peterson-Sensei said he would give me a poster of the major throws of judo if I promised to memorize all of them.  At first, I thought he just meant learn all of the names in Japanese, but then he said I also had to learn how to do them.  I still agreed.  Why?  I don't know, I guess I really wanted that poster!  I think I just have a hard time turning down a challenge.

Bear in mind that I am not a judoka, and I didn't think I really had any interest in becoming one.  Although I suppose if I successfully complete this task, I will be.  Looking at the chart, I believe I can name, and properly execute, about six of them so far.  Fifty-four more to go.  Wish me luck, I'm going to need it.