'Let's don't think that we can learn this in 20 days'

My plans to terminate this blog are not going according to plan.

This blog accumulating the information and telling the story of Jan de Jong has and is attracting contributions from those who knew him and/or trained under him. The latest is a membership card from JDJ's school in Rotterdam in 1946.

Would love a current photo, and even a 1940s photo, of Leede 60, Rotterdam Zuid.

 The left hand side says: Please bring this card with you every first lesson of the month.

The right hand side says: The development of jiu jitsu has taken 20 decades. So lets don’t think that we can learn this in 20 days.

The card is dated 1946 and is number 69. 

The card is for Kees (Cees) Kranendonk. The Nationale Veteranen Commissie Budo in Holland published a eulogy for Kees on their Facebook page as he passed away this month. It would appear that he was still active in judo in Holland. Nearly 75 years in jujutsu and judo starting with JDJ right after WWII ended. JDJ would be chuffed.

 This photo is apparently a young Piet Hesselink who JDJ handed his school over to when he left Holland for Indonesia. Hesselink was reputedly the first shodan that JDJ graded.

This photo is reproduced for atmospherics about the time period we are discussing. It is of JDJ and Rienier Hulsk who he trained with when he arrived in Holland in 1940 before teaching for him and ultimately branching out with his own school.

One of the photos in the set with JDJ and RH has been reproduced in Naverteld verleden: Jiujitsu in het verzet in Nederland 1940-1945 (Retold past: Jiujitsu in the 1940-1945 resistance) by J.H.G. Smits. Most of the information in that book about JDJ was taken from this blog.

Secucing and Killing Nazis: Hannie, Truus, and Freddie

For those following this blog, you'd have read the series of posts on the three Dutch female teenagers who were part of the Dutch Resistance during WWII. They are now the subject of a book.

You will recognise all of the information in this news article on the book and its subject matter.

According to the authors home page, it is the best seller ever on Amazon in Dutch history.

And of course there is a Facebook page.

Ave Atque Vale Wim Zwiers

My previous post was about shutting down this blog. That is still my intention. The delay has been in part due to avoidance and in part, mundanely, old-man wise, I don't know how to do so without losing the content.

I don't want to lose the content because I've found that people are interested in this work and are referencing it. I posted how part of my Jan de Jong story was included in a book about jujutsu in Holland during WWII. Someone else recently contacted me about my source of information about Hannie Schaft, the girl with the red hair, and her two teenage accomplices in the Dutch resistance. Apparently I have sourced more material than is currently available in any one source. Others have kindly contacted me to express their gratitude for developing and informing on the story of Jan de Jong.

However, another milestone has occurred this week that needs to be recorded and acknowledged as part of the Jan de Jong story. I was informed that Wim Zwiers passed away.

Wim was a friend of Jan de Jong's from WWII. He designed an ex libris (see above) for Jan de Jong which then went on to become the logo for his school. Please follow this link to my post about Wim and this logo.

Wim and Jan de Jong told me the story of how they met during WWII. Wim went to complain about the noise coming from a party that Jan de Jong was hosting. Jan de Jong responded by folding him up in a bed that folded into the wall and wouldn't let him out until he agreed to join the party. He agreed and they became life long friends after that.

I met Wim with Jan de Jong on one of our teaching tours throughout Western Europe. It was a highlight of my trip. He was an amazing artist, a down-to-earth character, an incredible intellect. Just check our some of his work on this link.

His lounge room was an amazing collection of art. Some of his, but some from others who had created and gifted them to him in memory of his departed wife. All of the art had a story and meaning, and I was fortunate enough for Wim to share with me those stories and meanings.

Wim showed me how he created his ex libris. They are etched on a copper plate before they are printed on a paper by an old hand-cranked printing press. They are limited quantities as the printing process eventually wears down the copper plate. A fascinating aspect of this process is that he had to etch the copper plate in reverse, a mirror image. The etching he was working on when he was giving me the tour of his studio was a commissioned work of a person's deceased cat, however, he was using pointillism to etch the image.

I was fortunate to be gifted a work by Wim which now sits proudly on our wall and which is included at the top of this post.

Ave atque vale, I salute you and farewell, Wim Zwiers.

Good Night, And Good Luck

This will be my last post on this blog.

I will share some rare photos from the past and then I will close it down.

The drama associated with attempting to document and preserve the Jan de Jong story, history, and legacy is taking too heavy a toll on my mental health.

Thank you for those who've supported me through this journey.

The best part of this journey has been connecting and reconnecting with those from Jan de Jong's past. Of particular note is Harry Hartman who trained with Jan de Jong in the 50s and who kindly forwarded his memorabilia from those times to me which I then gifted to Hans de Jong.

There are some who are continuing on in the best tradition laid down by Jan de Jong. Some are attempting some exciting things that builds on Jan de Jong's revolutionary work. Others are using his name to gain credibility and not necessarily continuing on in that best tradition. It is no longer my problem.

I am still white belt so this grading is Apr-June 1983. On the grading table is Ian Lloyd, Debbie Clarke, and Greg Palmer. All among the best instructors in the Jan de Jong Self Defence School. The sign above them is the old school name. The name had been changed to the Jan de Jong Self Defence School but I've been informed that this sign was brought out on grading days. I confess I do not remember that.

A young Debbie Clarke and Paul Connolly. Same time. Not a grey hair in sight. Behind them are the dodgy makiwara boards that virtually nobody used.

I am being gratuitous here because this is another photo of Greg Palmer. My mentor, teacher, eventual training partner, and very dear friend. Gone but not forgotten.

Young Deb with Jan de Jong, 'the Boss', and I confess I do not remember who the chap is on the left.

Only those who attended the 996 Hay Street dojo will remember this corridor. Fond memories.

Well, that is it. For those who are teaching and using Jan de Jong's name it is up to you to tell his story. I am done.

Good night, and good luck.

John Coles

The standard you walk past is the standard you accept

It would appear that a reminder is needed about who Jan de Jong was and what he stood for.

In 1991, the AJJA executive again approached Jan de Jong to develop a Dan ... grading system for AJJA members. The aim of the AJJA Dan grading system is to:

• enable progression to higher grades for those whose grading system do not provide such opportunities;
• enable continues learning for those who have reached the end of their own grading system;
• give credibility to higher grades; and/or
• standardise the qualifications of ju jitsu instructors within the AJJA.

Peter Clarke, a senior instructor with Jan de Jong, developed a system based on Jan de Jong's ju jitsu grading system but which does not seek to impose this system of ju jitsu onto other schools.

THAT is who Jan de Jong was. THAT is what his name should stand for. Unfortunately, there are those who are using his family name in total contradiction of who he was and what he stood for.

JDJ was vehemently opposed to black belts being dolled out like smarties (or M&Ms for the rest of the world). That was his platform when accepting the post of president of the AJJA. And yet today ... and all with the de Jong family name endorsement. JDJ would be turning in his grave, and those are the words of senior students and instructors of the original Jan de Jong Self Defence School. I of course endorse those sentiments.

JDJ was right. These actions devalue the worth of a black belt in the JDJ tradition. A JDJ black belt means something. What does it mean when it's awarded with his family name's endorsement but not in the truest traditions of JDJ.

This is the tip of the iceberg in a day that is the saddest in the JDJ tradition. Moral courage is most definitely lacking in some of the schools that link themselves with the JDJ tradition. I am ashamed and embarrassed how a member of the JDJ tradition abused a longtime friend of JDJ in public at the national AJJA conference with no defence whatsoever by JDJ tradition members or the AJJA. How a young female visitor was made to feel threatened and was in tears and nobody from the JDJ tradition or the AJJA stood up and said 'no.' I take this personally and feel ashamed and embarrassed for myself, JDJ, and all those that follow in the truest tradition of the man.

'The standard you walk past is the standard you accept.' I did not walk past. This is a standard that I do not, and I know JDJ would not, accept. I know that moral courage means standing alone. I stand proudly alone in standing up against this in the finest tradition of JDJ and say, 'no', 'this is not acceptable.'

PS: In an example of how far we have fallen, I have been threatened with violence by no less than two members of the JDJ tradition for doing so in relation to these matters.

Naverteld verleden: Jiujitsu in het verzet in Nederland 1940-1945

Naverteld verleden: Jiujitsu in het verzet in Nederland 1940-1945 (Retold past: Jiujitsu in the 1940-1945 resistance) by J.H.G. Smits

A chapter is devoted to Jan de Jong in Smits' book about jujutsu in Holland during WWII and its role in the Resistance.

The information and photographs reproduced in that book have been sourced from this blog and with my permission. The source, this blog, and my contribution has been acknowledged in Smits' book.

It is a source of satisfaction that I can contribute and add to Shihan Jan de Jong OAM 9th dan's memory and that others recognise and appreciate that contribution and addition.

I received many expression of gratitude and interest in that work in response to my previous post on de Jong's shodan grading evolution.

I would like to leave the readers with a quote from The Name of the Rose: 'Books are not made to be believed, but to be subjected to inquiry.'

My work is not meant to be definitive and should be subject to (informed and thoughtful) inquiry in order to challenge the foundations of the work and possibly to add to the body of knowledge that it seeks to contribute to.

Jan de Jong's Shodan Grading

I recently had reason to study the Jan de Jong grading system and it proved quite enlightening.

Sensei Greg Palmer (my mentor) often said that in most Japanese martial arts systems, shodan was where you were considered to be a student but in JDJ's system, shoden was a 'master' grading. Greg was of course correct, however, my research now supports and adds substance to that contention.

The traditional 'rank' system in the Japanese martial arts is the menkyo kaiden system. Menkyo kaiden means teaching license and the licenses were awarded at the discretion of the soke of the system.

Jigoro Kano introduced the dan ranking system in 1883 when he awarded dan grades to two of his senior students. There were no formal examinations and they were awarded at  Kano's discretion. While the new dan ranking system retained the discretionary nature of the menkyo kaiden system, it did not signify mastery as the latter system did.

Kano was a professional educator and based on his professional experience he later introduced formal requirements and examinations into his Kodokan Judo grading system. It is not known when Kano introduced the formalised requirements and examinations for gradings in Kodokan Judo.

JDJ was graded sandan by his instructor, S. Saito 8th dan, in the 1930s. Folk lore has it that this grading was the final 'technical grading' in the system, however, there were no formal requirements nor examinations. The awarding was at the discretion of Saito. It was a Kano dan-menkyo kaiden system.

The first grading system for JDJ is seen in his seven kyu grades being taught in 1950. Where he was introduced to a formal examination system for his grades is unknown. It could have been while training with judoka in Holland during WWII. It could have been through the study of martial arts books that he commenced collecting during the same period. Either way, the JDJ grading system consisted of seven kyu gradings in 1950.

In 1978, JDJ introduced the mon system at the front end of his system and significantly modified ikkyu (blac & white). This is what JDJ had to say about that modification to his grading system when he answered Mike Clarke's question whether it was a good idea to change the system to suit students:


Yes, I know what you're saying, but you know you can learn all the time. And if the results are better one way than the other, why carry on in a way that gives poorer results? I'll give you an example. In 1978 a Major Greg Mawkes MBE asked me if I would go and teach the army self-defence. I said okay and soon afterwards found myself teaching members of the SAS and the Commandos. Shortly after I had started to do this the Major and I had a discussion about things. He told me that he thought the method of fighting was really good and he was pleased with that. But he said the men were having some difficulty understanding it all. I said this was the usual way of things and that my students were the same. He then explained the army did not have unlimited time to spend on this and that what he needed was quick results.

So it was at that point I had to think things through and see what I cold come up with. I looked at the usual way the army taught things and decided I would alter the way I was teaching and come more in line with the army way of doing things. Well, do you know, the people started to pick things up much faster than before, and they could do the techniques much better than before! So I had a talk with my Instructors and said I thought that we should change things so that we were teaching everyone like this. And at that time we changed the way we taught the students. ... And since then things have been much better.

In 1978, JDJ had a grading system to 1st kyu with no yudansha (black belts) in his school other than himself. His instructors were graded ikkyu with only JDJ being yudansha. That would be unthinkable in this day and age, however, he built a school of over 1000 students with no person/instructor being yudansha other than himself.

JDJ visited Europe in the late 70s and was invited to return by the WJJF. During that visit he saw that all of the schools had yudansha teaching students. JDJ did not. (a) He realised that his instructors would not be respected if they were not yudansha, and (b) he saw that his instructors were the equal of or better than the European higher graded instructors. So JDJ set about developing a shodan grading so that he could (a) appropriately recognise the expertise of his instructors, and (b) so that he could be accompanied by yudansha when he returned to Europe to teach. The first shodans were awarded in 1981 and JDJ's first European teaching tour was conducted in 1982 where he was accompanied by a number of his newly awarded yudansha.

What has to be understood is that JDJ did not develop his shodan as part of a dan grading system.  There was no thought of developing a dan grading system. The shodan grade was developed as a standalone grading. It was the top of the mountain. It was a teachers grade; a masters grade.

The Japanese marital arts grading system has shodan signifying a mastery of the basics of the system. Sandan (3rd dan) or godan (5th dan) is where the attainment of teacher or mastery was signified. JDJ's shodan was the equivalent of sandan or godan in most (all) other Japanese martial arts systems.

This is but the commencement of an understanding of the JDJ grading system. A study of the system will conclude that it was developed piecemeal by someone who had little or no experience or knowledge of the Japanese grading system approach. Consequently, the resultant grading system is disjointed, laborious, inefficient, and not 'benchmarked' with the Japanese martial arts grading system approach. For all of that, it is a remarkable achievement.

JDJ developed his grading system with no experience of a grading system with formal examinations and requirements. No knowledge of the Japanese grading system approach. He developed it while in occupied Holland during WWII, in Indonesia post WWII, and in Perth, Western Australia, where there were no examples to follow even if other schools would be willing to share their grading system with him. There was no internet to obtain precedents. Imagine if you had to develop a grading system under those circumstances.

What are the implications of this understanding of JDJ's shodan? One is that it could be argued that all of the former instructors who graded ikkyu and all students who did likewise are the equivalent rank of at at least shodan in other schools. Those graded shodan the equivalent of at least sandan in other schools.

Another implication is that if the JDJ dan grading system was to be benchmarked with other Japanese martial arts grading systems, that the formal gradings currently in ikkyu and shodan should be spread over three-five dan grades. There is only one offshoot of the original JDJ school that is currently doing just that so that the fall in line with current practice. Some of the other offshoots are compounding the problems inherent in the dan grading system by adding more and more grades.

Jan de Jong Pt 7: Yoshiaki Unno

Yoshiaki Unno is a fascinating off-shoot from the Jan de Jong story. The photograph to the right is a rare photograph of a young Unno presenting Branco Bratich with his 1st dan certificate in Yoseikan karate in March 1976 (more on Bratich below).

After De Jong returned from Japan in 1969-70, he asked Minoru Mochizuki to send an instructor to Perth. Mochizuki sent Unno who was a personal student of his, and a seriously credentialed martial artist. He's been credited with 6th or 7th dan Yoseikan aikido, 6th dan Yoseikan karate, 6th dan jujutsu, 5th dan kobodo, 5th dan iaido, 4th dan Nihon den kempo (Takushoku University), 4th dan Shotokan karate, and 2nd dan judo.

Unno was born in February 1950 and arrived in Perth in 1974. He is known for teaching aikido and karate for De Jong, however, some students of those classes have said he taught an eclectic mix of martial arts in the Yoseikan Budo tradition.

Bratich provides further information on the Unno story in an article published in Bujutsu International (Jan/Feb 2006) and which is available on his website (http://www.yoseikan-ryu.net/downloads/bujutsu_branco.pdf).

Sensei Unno taught six days a week for Jan de Jong. Wherever Sensei Unno taught, Branco was there to assist and learn. It was under Unno Sensei that Branco first studied kobudo and aikido and dabbled in judo.

Unno was to teach for De Jong for two years. During that time, De Jong and his son, Hans, trained with him six days a week from 7am to 9am. Hans refers to Unno as his aikido teacher on his website: http://www.hansdejong.biz/aikido4.htm.

Bratich (8th dan) has built Yoseikan-ryu Karate Australia into an Australia wide organisation. He opened his first club in 1978. His introduction to karate started in 1973 at Jujutsu Kan, Perth (De Jong's school). The article states that his initial interest was in karate closely followed by jujutsu. It also states that in later years he realised that the jujutsu training made it easier for him to understand and appreciate the 'bunkai' of kata.

After two years training, Jan de Jong, founder of Jujutsu Kan, approached Branco about teaching karate and Branco accepted becoming increasingly aware of his great enjoyment of teaching karate even though he felt his knowledge was limited.

What karate? I asked Bratich was it Shotokan karate or was it pencak silat. He said it was pencak silat although De Jong called it karate. You can see on the old signage of the 996 Hay Street School photograph in my blog 'The Perth Years' advertising teaching jujutsu, karate, aikido, and self defence.

Bratich also informed me that a visiting Indonesian instructor said what De Jong was teaching was not pencak silat. I'd heard that said before myself. He was teaching pencak silat, it's just that it 'looked' different. In Budo Masters: Paths to a Far Mountain by Michael Clarke, De Jong is quoted as saying with regards to teaching pencak silat: 'I found I that I had to modify things a little for Australian students ... so I changed the way I taught to suit them, and by doing so I got them to understand what I was trying to teach' (2000: 135-136) De Jong told me this same thing. Rather than Westernising pencak silat, I think of it as Japanising it which, paradoxically, made it more acceptable to the Western audience. I did most of my formative pencak silat training outside of De Jong's school, particularly with Richard de Bordes in London (some of the toughest training I have ever done). Their pencak silat was trained in the 'Indonesian way'. In the latter part of the 1990s, De Jong started to reintoduce this style into his pencak silat. Even though I was lowly graded in his pencak silat I was invited into the instructors class because, among other things, I was more familiar with this method than anyone in the school. I refer anyone interested in pencak silat to the Dutch book, Pencak Silat: De Indonesische Vechtsport by Joep Caverle & Franc Van Heel.

It was in the latter part of 1976 that Sensei Unno opened his own Yoseikan Budo dojo in William St Perth. It was a small dojo. The training was still rigorous. It was surprising that any student would let them self be subjected to the brutal kumite training that was done in those days.

Unno also taught aikido at the University of Western Australia as John Langley (7th dan)(http://www.ioaikido.com.au/resource/aboutSensei.html) explains:

Sensei Yoshiaki Unno taught Yoseikan Budo. He held the Grades of 7th dan aikido, 7th dan karate, 6th dan kobudo (weapons), 4th dan bojutsu and 2nd dan judo. He also taught kenjutsu. His Sensei was Kancho Minoru Mochizuki (10th dan) as Yoseikan Budo Hombu Dojo, Shizuoka City, Japan. After several years, Sensei Yoshiaki Unno left UWA.

Many aikido instructors in Perth reference training under Unno in their biographies. Both De Jong and Unno have had a significant influence on the martial arts scene in Perth.

I didn't know much about Unno until I undertook research for my originally conceived book. I only had the opportunity of meeting him once, and that was sheer coincidence. A friend of a friend, totally unrelated to the martial arts, invited me to a Christmas breakfast a couple of years ago. Lo and behold I was introduced to Unno who was a guest at the same breakfast. Unfortunately I did not get to have the depth of conversation I'd have liked. He passed away in June 2006.

[Appreciation is extended to Branco Bratich for his permission to reproduce his photograph and for his information on his time with Jan de Jong]

Ave atque vale Matsuri

Unfortunately, I discovered today that another of the Jan de Jong icons had passed away - the Matsuri restaurant.

It was a tradition after the instructors class on Friday nights to go out to dinner. For many years that involved walking down Hay Street to the Matsuri restaurant. A Japanese restaurant with prices that defied inflation and food that was very good.

They had one poor serving habit though. They'd serve the trays with the hot miso soup (great miso soup) closest to the customer. First Debbie Clarke, the first female Jan de Jong yudansha, wore the soup in her lap. I was next. Steaming miso soup, not loose jeans, groin - not a pleasant combination. It was an odd scene when entering the men's toilet seeing me in my underpants drying my groin and jeans under the hand dryer. However, not before I'd patted down my burning groin with cold water.

All instructors of JDJ were introduced to both Japanese and Indonesian cuisine. It was difficult to find an Indonesian restaurant in Perth within a reasonable distance of the school, but on the odd occasion, for a short period of time, we sometimes did. I made my speech at the Garuda Inda (or was it Indonesia) when I was awarded sandan. I of course ordered rendang.

Love my rendang. Even from dodgy foodhalls. When I was traveling with JDJ through Java, Indonesia, I ordered rendang in a restaurant in a village that we were traveling through. As we were leaving, JDJ pointed out that there were a lot of dogs around which was unusual for Java. He then pointed out that this region was known for eating dog, and that I'd had dog rendang the night before, which he had neglected to tell me at the time of ordering.

At the Matsuri, my favourite dish was katsu curry. It's a classic example of Japanese culture. The Japanese adopted deep frying and curry from the Portuguese and adapted it to their tastes. Adopt and adapt, a classic trait of the Japanese. They adopted the gun from the Europeans and then adapted it and in the process made it more effective and efficient than the Europeans (see Noel Perrin, Giving Up The Gun).

My favourite entree was octopus in lime vinegar with seaweed. That was usurped by the thin slivers or raw beef in lime vinegar with chunks of garlic. Both magnificent and with a common theme - vinegar. Put vinegar on most things and I'd eat it. They also used to serve as a side dish these most magnificent pickled vegetables. Pickling of course involves vinegar.

Ave atque vale Matsuri. I will miss you.

Ken Tai Ichi no Kata and The Core of All Learning

The second chapter in my proposed The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques concerns the 'core of all learning.' The core of all learning is the identification of similarities and differences. Yoseikan's ken tai ichi no kata is a classic example of the core of all learning being adopted in the marital arts.

Ken tai ichi no kata (form of sword and body as one) is a kata that is designed to illustrate the similarities between sword and unarmed defences. The lesson is far more complete if the similarities and differences between sword and unarmed defences are identified through the kata.

It's not just the similarities and differences between the sword and unarmed defences that produce the lessons in ken tai ichi no that produces the knowledge, its also the identification of similarities and differences between the different defences in each class of defence.

For instance, what are the similarities and differences between the kamae (combat engagement position) of each of the sword defences? One is seigan kamae which is a totally defensive position where the tip of the blade is pointed at the opponent's throat or eyes whereas the other four are not. Tactically, this means that the attack in the case of the seigan kamae involves either moving around the sword or moving the sword off the line of attack. With all the other kamae, the attack can be straight down the line. A tacical lesson is learnt through the identification of similarities and differences between the different kamae adopted by the defender.

One difference between the armed and unarmed versions of this kata that is emphasised in Shihan Jan de Jong's adoption of the kata is the use of unbalancing techniques/tactics with the unarmed defences which is not possible with the armed versions. Some of the senior instructors at the Jan de Jong Self Defence School attempted to 'shoe-horn' an explanation in suggesting that the 'brushing blocks' with the sword would slightly unbalance the opponent forward. A basic understanding of biomechanics dispels that shoe-horned explanation.

This lesson is then capable of being applied to other arenas. There are aikido schools that adopt the same position, including the hand position, as holding a sword when unarmed. Why would you position your hands as if holding a sword when you are not holding a sword, a hard, metal, sharp, pointy weapon with an extended reach? This then leads to questions regarding what Donn Dreager referred to as the difference between the focus on self-protection (jutsu forms) and self-perfection (do forms).

Extending this lesson further, why would you adopt the fighting style of an animal when you are not that animal and do not possess their weapons. Drunken monkey or sober monkey - monkey's cannot form a fist. The human ape is the only ape capable of forming a fist due to the evolution of their fingers which were no longer needed for climbing trees. A study that I've referred to before explains how the human hand evolved in order to support prehension and percussion applications. It is one of the things that set us apart from the other apes and put us at the top of the food chain. Why lose that combative advantage for a theoretical principle?

One of de Jong's pet peeves was those martial arts that fashion themselves after animal forms. If you're training a tiger style martial art, as many do, are you going to take an opponent to the ground by biting their rump?

Happoken no Kata

Shihan Jan de Jong included Happoken no Kata in his jujutsu grading system. The kata is taken straight from Yoseikan Budo. A very good demonstration of this kata is posted on YouTube.

In my The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques, I devote a chapter to the 'core of all learning.' The core of all learning is the identification of similarities and differences. How is the JDJ HnK similar and different to the Yoseikan HnK?

They are similar in that they use the same blocks and strikes, however, they are different in that JDJ uses a staggered stance (zenkutsu dachi) while Yoseikan uses a parallel stance. Insights and understanding arise when analysing those differences.

The first technique is a middle block against a punch from the side. There is no evasive body movement used in the Yoseikan kata, therefore, the purpose of the block is to avoid injurious contact with the body from the attack.

JDJ's initial teaching was to step to the side with the leg closest to the attacker into zenkutsu dachi and block. This means moving across the attack and moving the attacking arm with the block around 45 degrees. An inefficient process at best.

Some of the senior instructors were not happy with this stepping motion and moving across the attack and changed the movement such that the back leg steps in front before turning into zenkutsu dachi and executing the block. This movement is now an evasive body movement as it moves the body off the line of attack, however ... what is the purpose of block? It's not to avoid injurious contact with the body because the evasive body movement took care of that problem.

This is an issue that I continually address in the chapter on blocking techniques in The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques. If a blocking technique of any description is used in conjunction with an evasive body movement, the question always has to be asked: 'What is the purpose of the blocking technique?' It's not to avoid injurious contact with the body because the evasive body movement takes care of that problem.

There are answers to that question. Nakayama provides six possibilities in blocking in Dynamic Karate. One is to use the block as an 'attacking block' or a strike. Another is to physically unbalance the opponent. Interestingly enough, none of the blocking possibilities involves preventing injurious contact with the body. Btw, none of those possibilities would appear to explain this block in these circumstances.

Yoseiken's second block involves the performer turning 90 degrees to execute a low block in response to a punch from behind. JDJ's second block involves the performer turning 180 degrees to the rear, once again stepping across in front of the attack and moving the attackers arm 45 degrees to the side. Also a criticised move but one that no attempt was made to rectify.  There was talk of stepping across with the front leg and turning 180 degrees into zenkutsu dachi, however, the same question re evasive body movements and blocks used in conjunction would then also be applicable.

This low block is followed by a step forward and low punch. This involves stepping into the opponent, unless the opponent stepped backward of course, which would be the only time in the kata that this is assumed.

Why did JDJ change the stance from a parallel stance to a staggered stance? It's because a staggered stance is stronger in terms of stability than a parallel stance when applying and receiving forces from the front. This is a well known fact and is why the staggered stance is the most common stance adopted in fighting activities.

Does this mean the Yoseikan stance is 'weaker' in this situation? Is it less stable and more susceptible to destablising/unbalancing forces (see the chapter on stances and balance/unbalancing in The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques). Yes and no.

Note the stance adopted in the last four techniques in the  YouTube video. This stance and its use is more representative of pasang used by some pencak silat (see right).

Pasang is a wide parallel stance facing the opponent. It is used to gain more stability when friction is less in muddy inland Indonesia. By adopting a wide stance, an evasive body movement is accomplished by moving the body weight over one or the other legs and turning the upper body. Turning the upper body when striking increases range and adds more mass behind the strike. The chapter on injury science and striking techniques in The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques demonstrates that the damage potential of a strike increases in the martial arts by the experienced practitioner knowing how to put more mass behind the strike.

The question then becomes for all the schools currently teaching JDJ's HnK, what do they do with this analysis?

They can keep teaching JDJ's teaching unquestioningly. A not uncommon approach.

They can attempt to shoehorn an explanation if the question is ever raised, as was the case when I raised these questions with senior instructors while I was a student at the school.

They can change the techniques/movements ... there-in lies a valuable lesson.

If you change anything in a technique, defence, or kata, you should always re-evaluate the entire technique, defence, or kata in order to see that it continues to 'make sense.'

Another option is to adopt the original Yoseikan kata with the added understanding and insights provided this analysis with the aid of the theory presented in The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques, which then expands the use of this kata as a teaching tool.

7th Kyu Nage Waza - First Draft

You will recall my previous post described Shihan Jan de Jong's jujutsu grading system as a first draft. I have also argued that it behoves those who now teach that grading system to study that grading system in order to refine it and to deal with possible errors contained within it.

The 7th Kyu (Red Belt) grading includes a section where the grading candidate has to demonstrate four throwing techniques: (nage waza): hip throw (o goshi nage), shoulder throw (ippon seio nage), minor inner reaping (ko uchi gari), and minor outer reaping (ko soto gari; see image with Shihan Hans de Jong executing on myself).

The Shodan revision grading (kime no kata) requires the grading candidate to select and demonstrate, among other things, five different throwing techniques (nage waza) and five different takedown techniques (taoshi waza) for each of five different wrist/forearm holds.

Chapter two in my The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques is about the core of all learning. The core of all learning is the identification of similarities and differences. Nage waza and taoshi waza are similar in that they are techniques which cause the opponent to fall to the ground. How are they different? The lack of understanding about the differences between these two types of similar but different techniques is explored in another chapter in TSBAFT.

When I was preparing to engage in this grading, I asked my instructors what the difference was between throwing techniques and takedown techniques. I was met with silence from all of them except one. He said that a throwing technique involves both of the opponent's feet being forced to leave the ground whereas with takedown techniques do not. This, as I explain in the abovementioned chapter, is the definitive distinction between these two types of techniques, which I demonstrate in mechanical terms.

When, as a prospective yudansha (black belt holder), I applied that theory to the abovementioned 7th Kyu grading, ko uchi gari and ko soto gari would be classified as takedowns rather than throws. When I raised this issue/question with my instructors, I was told that if the technique is performed correctly then both of the opponent's feet will leave the ground. If that is the case, then not one person in the entire history of the Jan de Jong jujutsu grading system has performed those techniques correctly.

That explanation is a classic case of 'shoehorning.' Forcing one thing to fit another, even though it doesn't fit.

These techniques, the way they are performed in the Jan de Jong jujutsu grading system, are technically takedown techiques/taoshi waza. Having come to that (technically correct) understanding, the next question is, what do we do about it?

One option is to continue to teach the grading system as it was handed down by JDJ (the first draft). An option that is mostly being pursued, albeit with the absence of a knowledge of the error.

Another option is to correct the error, however, so much valuable learning is lost in doing so if the error is not incorporated into the learning some way.

How did JDJ make this error? Firstly, there is no definitive distinction, until my book, distinguishing between throwing techniques and takedown techniques (which makes the abovementioned shodan grading an interesting exercise). Secondly, judo includes those techniques in their list of nage waza, specifically ashi waza (leg techniques). Did judo make the same mistake? Firstly, judo was the leader in classifying martial arts techniques. Secondly, judo includes a category for nage waza but none for taoshi waza. This begs the question - does judo teach taoshi waza? As I demonstrate in my book, judo does teach taoshi waza but do not recognise it as a separate class of techniques, instead classifying all techniques that cause an opponent to fall to the ground as nage waza.

Depending on how judo teaches these techniques, they can be either a throw or takedown as the images above show. The direction of the unbalancing determines whether the technique is a throw or a takedown, as I explain in my book, and the direction of unbalancing and the intended effect of the applied forces are fundamental to the execution of this (and all) techniques, hence, this understanding is no mere academic exercise.

What would you do with this identified error in Jan de Jong's jujutsu grading system?

Jan de Jong's Grading System First Draft

I have completed researching and writing The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques. I am currently in the process of completing the first draft of Fear and Fight: Understanding Our Natural and Learned Responses to a Threat. One thing that I have learned that no matter the amount of research, the first draft is always too long and lacking in focus.

Shihan Jan de Jong developed his jujutsu (and aikido and pencak silat) grading system. It was a first draft, and consequently, it is too long and lacking in focus. JDJ was the embodiment of the spirit of kaizen, continuous improvement. It behoves the instructors that follow on from JDJ to reflect on JDJ's work and improve on his grading system; that is providing that they can.

The namesake school continues to teach JDJ's grading system without any major modifications/improvements. I have been informed that they dropped the grading that examined sword use basics, which makes no sense at all. The basis of effective teaching is to teach basics and then progress from there. That is the underlying methodology of the mon grades that JDJ introduced was to introduced the basics before the student attempted the kyu or dan grades. How effective that was is another issue, however, it conformed to the modern, effective way of teaching as JDJ acknowledged in an interview. JDJ modified/improved his grading system accordingly, which the current incumbents have retreated from in this instance.

Another instructor has done away with the mon grades (see 'interview' above) altogether in order, as he says, to return to the original Tsutsumi (Hozan?) Ryu system. This modification is based on an incomplete understanding of the development of the JDJ jujutsu grading system as all of the grades above the first four kyu grades are heavily influenced by JDJ's Yoseikan exposure.

One instructor has significantly modified JDJ's grading system, changing it totally. While I might challenge the basis of the modification(s), I have to applaud his adoption of JDJ's kaizen spirit with regards to the grading system.

Another instructor has implemented an idea that JDJ had been contemplating for at least three years prior to his passing, even though said instructor was not privy to JDJ's contemplations. He has introduced two streams, a practitioners stream and an instructors stream. Not all yudansha will go on teach and therefore, why should they be required to undertake the instructor's gradings. This is something that JDJ wrestled with for a number of years prior to his passing. An issue that we discussed on many occasions without any resolution. JDJ would be very interested in this instructors efforts, which are in the best tradition of JDJ's kaizen spirit.

The original JDJ jujutsu grading system is a first draft. It is a lumbering, behemoth. The current instructors teaching JDJ's jujutsu grading system can continue teaching JDJ's first draft or they can use what JDJ attempted to provide his instructors' with - insight. The insight will provide for redrafts, until finally a sophisticated, efficient, succinct, and focused grading system is developed.

De Jong Built the Tracks; I Built the Train

In the brilliant Under the Tuscan Sun, Martini tells Francis: 

Signora, between Austria and Italy, there is a section of the Alps called the Semmering. It is an impossibly steep, very high part of the mountains. They built a train track over these Alps to connect Vienna and Venice. They built these tracks even before there was a train in existence that could make the trip. They built it because they knew some day, the train would come.

De Jong developed some grading before the knowledge existed that 'could make the trip.' The knowledge now exists in my The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques.

The first shodan grading is a revision grading. The candidate has to select and demonstrate five joint-locking techniques and five different takedown techniques from five different hand holds. They then have to select and demonstrate five different throwing techniques for hand, hip, and leg throws from any attack. Next is demonstrating three different joint-locking techniques and three different takedown techniques from five selected moving attacks.

How do you choose throwing techniques and takedown techniques if there is no definitive distinction between those two types of techniques? How do you examine a candidates selection if there is no definitive distionction? I audit the martial arts literature in this regard in TSCAFT and demonstrate that there is no definitive distinction in the martial arts. There is now in TSCAFT.

In TSCAFT, I explain how joint-locking techniques are techniques where forces are applied to cause an opponent's joint to move towards or beyond the limits of its range of motion. Why do you want to apply forces to move a joint towards or beyond the limits of its range of motion? The answer to that question is many and varied, including to be used as takedown techniques.

You could select and demonstrate the twenty five kansetsu waza and when called upon to demonstrate the twenty five selected taoshi waza, you could say that you've already done so if you selected astutely in the first case. :)

The kansetsu waza and taoshi waza had to be demonstrated from five different hand holds, however, the nage waza were classified as hand throws, hip throws, and leg throws. Why the difference? It's because the nage waza classification comes straight from the Kodokan Judo classification of techniques and KJ does recognise taoshi waza. All techniques that cause an opponent to fall to the ground are classified as nage waza.

The KJ nage waza classification is flawed. It's a great first attempt but it is flawed. You could have fun challenging the examiners by including techniques in other classes than the KJ classification and make a strong argument for the inclusion.

You could include inner and outer footsweep (ko uchi and soto gari) in both the taoshi waza and nage waza sections of the grading. :) Why? Because technically they are takedown techniques as performed in JDJ's school, however, in KJ they are classified as nage waza and they are technically throwing techniques.

You could then point out that in the seventh kyu (red belt) grading, these two techniques are included in the throwing techniques demonstration section, but in fact the way they are demonstrated they are technically takedowns.

JDJ specifically identified joint-locking techniques as takedowns in the last section of the grading, however, nobody included joint-locking techniques in their selected takedowns in the previous section of the grading. He had an intuitive understanding of the difference between throws and takedowns but it was not developed, articulated or applied.

It is a brilliant grading, one that provides insights, with the aid of the technical knowledge that is presented in TSBAFT. JDJ most definitely did build the tracks before there was a train capable of traveling on them. I've built that train. There is a lot to be learned from this gradings, but a lot more to be learned by its flaws and historical inconsistencies.