I've often been asked in conversation whereby people seem to … not challenge but seek information as to the usage of Ju-Jitsu. They are interested in it's usage as opposed to some of the other martial arts … the good points … the bad points, so forth and so on. I believe that whoever studies Ju-Jitsu is missing a great point if they don't take away from their classes the initiative to use what they have learned and adapt it to their surroundings!
File away information & have a plan of escape!
For instance, its use could be used in a telephone booth if someone wanted to use it there. It would be an ideal situation whereby someone is right up close and personal … the person in the booth with you may attempt to grab, hit or choke you … it would be difficult for him or her to kick you. He may stomp on your foot or arch if he had enough brains … but aside from that, there's not too much room in there. However, there are many techniques that one could use other than just punching, kicking or throwing!
A person should always be aware of his or her surroundings … where he's at … his eye's should scan the place … it just take a couple a seconds. In that amount of time and within those few seconds you immediately file away the information if your in a place where there may be some problems that could arise … and they do arise where people are in tight quarters. Getting on or off a bus, in a subway, or perhaps an elevator, restroom and the like. Sadly to say, many individuals are not aware of their surroundings and get caught in situations, which should or could have been avoided! In Ju-Jitsu and Shobudo in particular, one becomes more aware and alert of their surroundings through constant training which becomes automatic without thought.
Take advantage of opportunities!
Places that serve alcoholic beverages are certainly a source of problem areas that would most likely present trouble! Dance halls, bars, sporting events … just to mention a few … so when ya first come into an establishment … just sort of take a peek around and see what ya have. From where your sitting or standing … get the layout of the place and have a planned escape route should something happen. Of course sitting in the center cannot be helped at times as you could be grabbed from behind. It's best to have the wall to your back … these are things you should be aware of!
Speaking of opportunities and fixtures within an establishment and what use you can make of them, is going to be to your advantage. Putting an armbar on someone after getting him to the floor with all the refinement and so forth, is good. It's also just as good to siege the moment of opportunity and run the guys arm through the railings of the fence within the club if it has one … get it up around the shoulder of the dude and rear back on it until the shoulder pops out of joint. That serves a good purpose … you can hold a person for a long time that way … of course you have to be careful who may jump you from the rear! In any case, you should be able to take the rest of the day off and be pleased that you did your good deed of the day!
When you get thinking about situations and how fights began, it's due many times because someone has a big mouth! Within it's limitations … sometimes its best to take a couple of sly remarks and just let it go … just let it go … don't let someone sucker you in to some type of confrontation over a very minor thing. The next thing will be the closeness of people … if you can stay away from crowds, so much the better. One thing for sure though … even though we are in close … Ju-Jitsu is far better prepared in handling a subject in close situations!
How many techniques can there be?
Disillusioned! A person that just goes into Ju-Jitsu and just learns the techniques per-se … is going to be surprised to find that the person does not always stay in the position that you would assume him to stay in. A classic response to a basic or initial technique may not work each time due to the fact that different people react differently to a given technique! This is due because of their physical makeup in strength, flexibility, height, weight and general response to pain … so on and so forth. Therefore, one learning Ju-Jitsu and also not applying it through controlled pain application will be much dismayed should he or she use it in a real situation. Its therefore important to in turn change the technique into something else and learn to flow from one principle into another principle or technique without thinking about it! So the adaptability to transit smoothly from one situation into another principle or technique and the versatility without thought or hesitation to complete or capture in another … this is the ultimate stage of Ju-Jitsu!
How many techniques can there be in the world? A technique is nothing little more than using or applying a joint in the opposite direction beyond its natural rotation and intended capabilities! When you go against and beyond the natural limitations of a given join, pain is created … this blocks out the thought process where strength is lost which results in some type of joint-locking technique or … KANSETSU-WAZA!
A lot of people are disappointed at their actions due mainly to two things. One being … not having enough experience to follow or transit smoothly from one technique into another and two … watching the persons hands, feet or whatever instead of there eyes! If your watching the eyes you see the hands and feet … and your not going to miss them by a long shot. When it comes to a knife technique and you're watching the knife … your going to be in deep trouble from the onset. That's exactly what the experienced knife fighter would like you to do … is start your eye balls popping back and forth into watching the knife. Suddenly you assume that the knife has passed from hand to hand … and it hasn't and you make the wrong counter to a false attack and then it ends up that you've been had!
I recently read an article concerning one's opinion that most confrontations or fights end up on the ground … something like 90% or so. I tend to agree that a lot do end up on the ground … which leads me to another thing in that some instructors tend to over look when it comes to ground work. Its not the best place to be in especially for someone inexperienced … and that's where your attacker would like for you to be. But, for that someone who is experienced in the use and knowledge of Kansetsu-Waza … ground work will be to your advantage because the same principles and techniques apply as in the standing position. In essence, once you're down there … you're there and for someone to hurt you, they must come to you!
Avoid the teeth & mouth
Most people when engaging in a fight think it's most important that one get punched in the mouth and face area to be defeated. Actually the worst place you can punch someone is in the mouth because you're going to be punching into one's teeth. By doing so, you're going to receive some type of damage … but more overly what you're going to have is an infected hand and the human mouth as I understand it, is highly infectious! Of the hundreds of techniques possible an advantage over punching in the mouth and one of my favorites, is using the backside of the hand or fingers, against a persons eyes. Being that teeth are harder than flesh, I found that the back of your hand is harder than someone's eye balls. I recommend that one toughen up the back of the hands, the fingers in particular! I used to with the back of my hand … slap the cement wall by flicking my fingers against it with a snapping motion simpler to the back knuckle strike or Uraken-Uchi … but with the fingers. I always figured that if I had to use the back of my fingers against a pair of eye balls … I would be delighted with the results that took place following it's execution!
As a last point before closing, there is very few places that Ju-Jitsu cannot
be used. Remember that a person has to come to you to be able for him to hurt
you. They might follow you and they may chase you … but when they catch
you may wish they had not! One of the ways to look upon Ju-Jitsu is that you
should use it to your advantage and take advantage of the mistakes of others.
To do this, sometimes you have to be very patient and sometimes take a brush
or hit in order to get things on schedule! Just remember that the techniques
that we do know and do learn can be adapted over to fit most any situation.
If a person is not getting this from Ju-Jitsu … then they're not taking
full advantage and they're missing the point and purpose! In any case, once
the event takes place … you will have a superior advantage by the hands
on training and knowledge of our specialty in Kansetsu -Waza!
Best Regard,
Vincent J. McGale
Rokudan
Shobudo BuJitsu JuJitsu