I got a question the other day from one of the Academy's white belt
students. He said that it seems like I am the only instructor that teaches
throws and asked why I taught throws. There are a lot of ways that I
could answer the question, but the sake of time I just said that I teach the
Academy curriculum first and that I also teach related judo throws from which
the curriculum originated. I went on to say that if they watched videos
of Master Helio Gracie from several decades ago he is doing throws. Judo
throws. He was listed at a 7th dan with the Kodokan and was even asked to
teach there.
I have seen video of Royce Gracie competing in judo tournaments. I have seen jiujitsu competitions with Royler Gracie doing judo takedowns. So many people either don't know or refuse to admit that the Gracie style of jiujitsu has its origins in old school judo, which itself is a style or offshoot of Japanese jujitsu. Japanese jujitsu didn't skip judo and suddenly become Gracie jiujitsu. In the evolution of competition jiujitsu, however, lots of the judo has been lost and/or discarded for a preference to either just sit on ones butt, jump to guard, or to do a few simple wrestling style takedowns that don't rely on the gi.
So, I am teaching judo-style throws because it is jiujitsu. They are not different arts, just different aspects of the same art, to me. Sport jiujitsu and sport judo have cause a rift and divergence from one another that is becoming all too defined. The techniques were not meant to be two different arts altogether, just different aspects of the same complete art. Throws were good enough for Master Helio, it was good enough for the few black belts he awarded, so it is good enough for me.
The next reason is that the stand-up game is more practical for actual self-defense, which I thought was the primary purpose of jiujitsu. Very rarely do actual physical confrontations begin from the ground. So I teach how to get someone effectively from the standing to the ground phase of a fight. If you can effectively throw someone, that alone can finish a fight, or efficiently set you up for a relatively easy follow-on submission. Not only that but teaching the throws also teaches you how to defend yourself from throws, and how to fall properly to avoid getting hurt if and when you are taken down. Master Rickson Gracie is known to discuss what he calls "invisible jiujitsu." After having attended two classes where he discussed that and demonstrated techniques of this invisible jiujitsu, I didn't see what the big deal was. I had seen it before quite a bit...in judo. The use of the hip to check a throw or shifting weight to block other throws is not mysterious to the judo player.
Finally, at least for this post, two of the top brown belts in our Academy also are brown belts in judo. One of our purple belt instructors holds a brown belt in judo. I have heard that The Professor has a black belt specifically in judo aside form his jiujitsu credentials and also competed in judo. I personally have been a blue belt in judo for many years but I neither compete nor will I take an exam for brown belt due to my own reasons unrelated to skill and knowledge of judo. With that said, when some of the top students in the club are advanced judo players it is hard to not believe that one skill set compliments the other. They are not unrelated arts. They are more like two sides to the same coin.
I have seen video of Royce Gracie competing in judo tournaments. I have seen jiujitsu competitions with Royler Gracie doing judo takedowns. So many people either don't know or refuse to admit that the Gracie style of jiujitsu has its origins in old school judo, which itself is a style or offshoot of Japanese jujitsu. Japanese jujitsu didn't skip judo and suddenly become Gracie jiujitsu. In the evolution of competition jiujitsu, however, lots of the judo has been lost and/or discarded for a preference to either just sit on ones butt, jump to guard, or to do a few simple wrestling style takedowns that don't rely on the gi.
So, I am teaching judo-style throws because it is jiujitsu. They are not different arts, just different aspects of the same art, to me. Sport jiujitsu and sport judo have cause a rift and divergence from one another that is becoming all too defined. The techniques were not meant to be two different arts altogether, just different aspects of the same complete art. Throws were good enough for Master Helio, it was good enough for the few black belts he awarded, so it is good enough for me.
The next reason is that the stand-up game is more practical for actual self-defense, which I thought was the primary purpose of jiujitsu. Very rarely do actual physical confrontations begin from the ground. So I teach how to get someone effectively from the standing to the ground phase of a fight. If you can effectively throw someone, that alone can finish a fight, or efficiently set you up for a relatively easy follow-on submission. Not only that but teaching the throws also teaches you how to defend yourself from throws, and how to fall properly to avoid getting hurt if and when you are taken down. Master Rickson Gracie is known to discuss what he calls "invisible jiujitsu." After having attended two classes where he discussed that and demonstrated techniques of this invisible jiujitsu, I didn't see what the big deal was. I had seen it before quite a bit...in judo. The use of the hip to check a throw or shifting weight to block other throws is not mysterious to the judo player.
Finally, at least for this post, two of the top brown belts in our Academy also are brown belts in judo. One of our purple belt instructors holds a brown belt in judo. I have heard that The Professor has a black belt specifically in judo aside form his jiujitsu credentials and also competed in judo. I personally have been a blue belt in judo for many years but I neither compete nor will I take an exam for brown belt due to my own reasons unrelated to skill and knowledge of judo. With that said, when some of the top students in the club are advanced judo players it is hard to not believe that one skill set compliments the other. They are not unrelated arts. They are more like two sides to the same coin.
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