PDF - Rashed Lights

Journey to Black Belt
Lessons For Life
Omar L. Rashed
Copyright © 2015 by Omar L. Rashed
Rashed Lights Ways
SAMPLE
“There are many martial arts books on the market. Most are presented in a textbook form, and concentrate on the techniques of the art.
Others are books that reflect on the journey that led the author to
accomplish their goal of obtaining a black belt, or whatever goal they
have set for themselves. Omar's book is also about his journey, but
unlike most, he is still on the path and the destination is still ahead.
This book chronicles his journey as he trains in the martial arts and
the lessons learned along the way. As Omar continues his training, he
will learn new lessons, and he will gain a better understanding of
those lessons already learned. Training in the martial arts is not a
journey with a final destination, but one that continues for a lifetime.
Omar is someone who looks on life as a classroom and himself as an
eternal student. This shows in how he has approached his martial arts
training.
If you are a junior student of the martial arts, you will relate to much
of what you find in this book. It shows that many of the struggles
and difficulties in learning a martial art is not confined to a single person, but is shared by others who are also on the same journey.
Knowing that and how he coped with various issues along the way
will be helpful and encouraging to the new student. For those that
have been training for years and have their own students, you'll also
be able to relate to this book. Not only will you recognize similarities
in his experiences to your own as a student, but as someone who
teaches others, you'll gain insight into the mind of a student, something many of us tend to forget.”
— Robert Carver, Shichidan (7th Degree Black Belt), U.S.
Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF), Heiwashinkai Jujutsu
“Omar’s journey from White Belt to Black Belt and, hopefully, beyond, is a travelogue well worth reading. I’ve been studying Japanese
Jujutsu for the past 15 years now and as I read it I found myself
wanting to get back on the mat all over again.
Jujutsu is an encompassing art. It contains Judo, Aikido, Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu, as well as elements of Karate and weapons both modern and
medieval. One of its hallmarks is efficiency—never opposing force
with force, and always seeking to use the strongest attacks against the
opponent’s greatest weakness.
Omar captures the essence of the beginner’s mind quite handily.
Many authors have written stories of their martial arts adventures
from the perspective of many years’ experience, and much is lost or
filtered through time and mastery. Here we are introduced to the raw
journey, with all its attendant bumps and bruises.
This is not necessarily a how-to manual, although the avid student
will find much here that will aid their lessons. There are no shortcuts
to mastery, as it’s the miles and not the arrival that forges greatness.
After reading this book, you will most likely want to start your own
journey. To paraphrase an ancient Chinese saying: ‘The best time to
start learning jujutsu was 20 years ago. The second best time is now’.”
— David Michael Wilson, Sandan (3rd Degree Black
Belt), Heiwashinkai Jujutsu
“With so much terror in our world, it didn’t surprise me that Omar
Rashed would choose Jujutsu as a path to protecting himself and his
family. His book Journey to Black Belt: Lessons for Life illustrates 22 maxims he’s learned along the way.
What surprised me was the wisdom for living outside of the dojo.
Each paragraph is filled with insight easily applied to everyday life.
The journey begins with Omar’s explanation of learning how to fall.
“You cannot learn to protect your balance if you cannot learn to yield
it. To know what you have, you have to know what it’s like to lose it
and let go.” Omar’s humble, humorous, and insightful words speak
to the heart. Halfway through the book he says, “Courage is the
bridge that lets you step with knowledge and fear. After you trust,
fear isn’t beaten, it simply vanishes.”
If you want an interesting read, filled with ancient wisdom, and a
path to security and serenity, this is the book for you.”
— Ky Burke, Author of Bringing Up Brilliance: Transforming a
Child’s Struggle into Success
“As a martial artist and one who maintains a black belt and has
trained personally with Omar, it is with that respect I say that Omar
has an understanding of the journey he travels, much like allowing
the person who ‘knows the way’ to drive the car. A black belt is
forged in the journey, and maintaining a black belt is a journey in it-
self. One could easily describe the journey to black belt as a ‘journey
to the starting line.’
Omar clearly depicts this in his maxims as he explains the lessons
he’s learned. From the perspective of a martial artist, his explanations
of our techniques and secrets could not be put into better phrasing
and words. This is an excellent work for those who seek an understanding of the art as they begin their journey, or for those farther
along the journey who wish to have a book to compliment what they
already have learned.
— M. K. Ward, Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt), Shinsei
Hapkido; Yonkyu (4th Level - Blue Belt), Akayama Ryu
Jujutsu
“Omar, I found your book to be an interesting and informative read
as it pertains to one student’s view while on the path to seeking enlightenment through the study of Judo and Jujutsu. Only time will tell
if the Maxims hold true and retain the same interpretation as you advance in training, experience, and rank. Perhaps a future book with a
review/revision of the Maxims for future practitioners will be required as you continue your journey on the path.”
— Mark Burton, Shichidan (7th Degree Black Belt),
Akayama Ryu Jujutsu
“Journey to Black Belt is an intriguing look at a young man’s immersion
in Jujutsu and his progress both physically and psychologically toward
earning a Black belt. Mr. Rashed has the good fortune to train with
knowledgeable and highly competent instructors, and he shares this
experience with the reader.”
— Mark Barlow, Hachidan (8th Degree Black Belt),
Akayama Ryu Jujutsu
“The book is very good! It’s very inspiring. I liked reading your perspective from some of the classes you attended and the lessons you
learned from them. It’s very interesting getting into the mindset of
another martial artist, because I definitely related with you many
times throughout the book. I felt honored to be mentioned! Thank
you for including me on your martial arts journey!”
— Stephanie Aultman, Sandan (3rd Degree Black Belt),
Tae Kwon Do
“Journey to Black Belt: Lessons For Life is a good beginning step in the
martial arts path. It’s a good tool to give you basic knowledge about
the sport Judo and Jujutsu! It really reminded me of my first steps.
The pictures help people read and see it - even better!”
— Zach Wills, Nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt), Akayama
Ryu Jujutsu
“In his new book, Omar brings to life his own stories of training battles with clear language, wit, and good humor, conveying and inspiring not only the skillful art of Judo and Jujitsu, but the lifelong practice of wisdom, balance, and authenticity. Omar provides food for
thought, asking us to ponder what it means to be strong, to be a warrior, and to be noble. He somehow manages to retain much of the
traditional language of Judo and Jujutsu while remaining conversational and welcoming in tone.
Even for someone who has no experience with martial arts, such as
myself, the book was filled with moments of truth and clarity, moments when the words fell straight into my heart, inviting me to
pause and simply appreciate their inspiration and nourishment.
Omar speaks to us, the reader, always as a student himself – a trainee
on the path of learning – rather than a supposed expert. Thus, his
words are fresh and empowering. We are not being spoken down to,
but spoken to as a brothers and sisters.”
— Arjuna Jayawardena, writer, meditation practitioner,
and life balance coach
“Most books, especially on the subject of martial arts, are written by
the experts. Or those who believe they are experts. What I appreciated most about Omar’s book, was the vantage point from which it
was written. From one person on their “journey” to another. Passing
on bits of wisdom while they are still raw, while the lessons are still
being learned gives the book a more earnest and humbled feel, and
makes for a different reading experience altogether.
I’ve been training with Omar for a couple of years on and off, he is
extremely serious and committed to learning the “art” of jujutsu. To
implementing the principles into all facets of life, not just on the mat.
Omar’s book is a clear reminder that truly studying Judo/Jujutsu is
more than just showing up to the gym a couple times a week, it is a
journey. Journey to Black Belt: Lessons For Life.
— James Bordelon, Yonkyu (4th Level - Green Belt),
Heiwashinkai Jujutsu
“An inspiring and creative book. Omar's powerful description of his
martial arts journey will help you on your journey, whatever that
journey might be.”
— Eboo Patel, author of Sacred Ground and Acts of Faith
WARNING
This book is presented only as a means of preserving a unique aspect of the heritage of the martial arts. Neither Rashed Lights Press nor the author make any representation, warranty, or guarantee that the techniques described or illustrated in this
book will be safe or effective in any self-defense situation or otherwise. You may be
injured if you apply or train in the techniques illustrated in this book, and neither
Rashed Lights Press nor the author is responsible for any such injury that may result. It is essential that you consult a physician/health professional regarding
whether or not to attempt any technique described in this book. Specific selfdefense responses illustrated in this book may not be justified in any particular situation in view of all of the circumstances or under applicable federal, state, or local
law. Neither Rashed Lights Press nor the author make any representation or warranty regarding the legality or appropriateness of any technique in this book.
Dedication
To students on their path,
To teachers up ahead,
To yearners with a wish,
For people to be led.
May the lessons of those before
Help prepare you for what’s in store.
May the strength and martial way
Help you find the peace to stay.
Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Contents
Preface
Introduction
Setting Out on the Journey
How to Benefit From These Maxims, From
Wherever You Begin.
JJ Maxim #1
One Who Has Balance Does Not Fall.
Yours, Then Take Theirs.
Keep
JJ Maxim #2
One Who Underestimates His Foe is Beaten
By Him.
JJ Maxim #3
Whole Body is Strong; Pieces Are Weak.
JJ Maxim #4
Make Your Foe’s Power His Weakness.
JJ Maxim #5
Whole Body is One, So Moves As One.
JJ Maxim #6
Fear of the Foe Grants Him Victory Before
the Match Begins.
JJ Maxim #7
You Know More Than You Think You Do.
Do What You Know.
JJ Maxim #8
Keep T-Rex Arms. No Limbs Left Behind.
JJ Maxim #9
Relax. The
Because He
Knows.
JJ Maxim #10
Relaxed One Performs Best
Does Not Forget What He
Relax. The One In Peace Trusts His Wisdom,
So Does Not Make Careless, Impatient
Mistakes.
JJ Maxim #11
Everything Has Its Proper Time.
Rush, Nor Lag.
Do Not
JJ Maxim #12
Remember Yin and Yang.
JJ Maxim #13
Uke is Responsible for Uke.
JJ Maxim #14
Do Not Play the Game on Your Foe’s rules.
Use Your Strengths and Play By Yours.
JJ Maxim #15
Know Your Tools; Know How to Use Them;
Know Their Proper Time; “Use Them Well.”
JJ Maxim #16
You Know Better, You Can Do Better, So
Do Better 
JJ Maxim #17
When you do not know what to do, relax.
Then, guidance, knowledge, and wisdom will
be given. Trust. Apply, and you will succeed.
JJ Maxim #18
Use Unbendable Arms. Grip With Spaghetti
Arms, Complete With Gorilla Arms.
JJ Maxim #19
Big Arms.
JJ Maxim #20
Commit.
JJ Maxim #21
Connect. Fit. Throw.
JJ Maxim #22
One Movement. Start Continue Finish.
Epilogue
The Journey Continues.
Glossary
References
Message From the Author
Bonus #1: Writing Playlists
About the Author
Rashed Lights Ways — Who We Are
Preface
Many martial artists write a book about their path to getting a
black belt. They generally do it after. There is immense value
in reflecting on a journey taken, and great understanding from
one who has accomplished a great feat.
For those still on the path, however, reading their reflections can be disconcerting. And it can feel a little rose-tinted.
The fact is hindsight is 20/20. And it is different to struggle
with learning a new lesson (when you still haven’t figured it
out), as opposed to after the fact.
We talk in martial arts traditions about beginner’s mind –
the ability to understand and explain something to someone
who doesn’t know. It’s easy to have a conversation about advanced calculus if you’ve both been doing it for 20 years. If
you’re teaching someone who doesn’t know, it’s not so easy.
That is why I am writing this book.
I am writing this book while in the process, to help those
on the path understand from someone still on theirs.
At the beginning of the formulation of the judo/jujutsu
Maxims, I was in my first days of white belt (7th Kyu – the
very first stage) in jujutsu. At present time, I am orange belt
(5th Kyu – two belts earned). As I continue to write, I hope to
have risen higher in understanding and technique (with belt to
reflect enhanced understanding). In the conclusion, I will
mention which techniques and belt level I have acquired at the
end.
I started writing these maxims when I started training in
the Heiwashinkai Jujutsu under Robert Carver, Shichidan
(7th Dan – Black Belt) in Baton Rouge, LA. Before arriving in
Baton Rouge, I had trained at various arts.
As a child, I trained in Tae Kwon Do. At my age and concentration level, it was mostly aerobics/play. But it instilled an
interest and love of martial arts training.
As a teenager, I trained in Kendo, Japanese fencing, and
swordsmanship, in Columbia, MD. My family moved after
four months of study, gaining preliminary grasp of moving
from center, the slide-step, and proper overhead strike and
coordination. It also assisted in deflecting and blocking incom-
ing sword strikes. Getting over the fear of being hit (also
known as “flinch reflex”) was a part of this process.
As an undergraduate at Rutgers University, I studied Aikikai Aikido in Princeton, NJ. There, I built many of the fundamentals, such as movement (rolling, falling, moving from
center), hand-strikes, joint locks, and training exercises. Most
of all, the core idea of redirecting force (instead of directly opposing it) was firmly instilled.
After completing graduate studies in Ann Arbor, Michigan,
I returned to New Jersey and trained in Kokikai Aikido on
the Rutgers University campus, where I graduated and taught
(and currently teach online courses). Kokikai reflected the
third era of aikido, which has a greater focus on low impact
and gentler techniques to use on an incoming attacker.
These maxims were written to be used. I used these maxims to concretize and remember lessons learned. In fact, before beginning class, I would read them off of my cell phone
to get into the appropriate frame of mind to begin practice.
I decided to share them – and flush out the stories that
helped create them – as I talked with others about the benefits
of maxims and the fact that there are not many written from
the perspective of a student.
I hope this serves you well.
With peace on your path of martial arts body, mind, and
spirit training.
– Omar L. Rashed
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
June 10, 2015
Journey to Black Belt
Introduction
Judo is a sport. Like other sports, such as wrestling, Judo has
rules: qualifications and disqualifications, weight brackets, and
referees. And it has a way to score a point – a win. A win in
judo could be throwing the opponent on their back, demonstrating power and control. If the judo match goes to the
ground, a win could be holding a pin for twenty seconds, or
by making the opponent tap out – submit – with a choke, arm
bar, lock, etc. After winning, the match is over, the threat is
done. We stand up, bow, and move on with life.
Jujutsu is a samurai war art. Jujutsu ends when the other
person has joints locked to submission, bones broken, knee
caps dislocated, or they’ve been choked, permanently disabled,
or killed. Jujutsu prepares a person for a fight with no rules.
Five against one. Three with weapons – knives, swords, clubs,
beer bottles, whatever – against an unarmed opponent. Three
against one holding your spouse or child hostage. Someone
verbally accosting and demeaning you as they punch, kick, and
smash you, adding insult to injury and injury to insult. A win
in jujutsu is survival and protecting the ones you’re protecting.
Winning in judo is different than winning in jujutsu, but
they have one thing in common: getting back up.
Life has many battles. Some are refereed, others are freefor-all. After all, “All is fair in love and war.” The battles of
life reflect the battles of judo and jujutsu.
Just like life, the martial arts path is not about one battle; it
is about many. Win or lose, a battle will teach you a valuable
lesson. Learning, reflecting, and implementing each lesson
strengthens a person to do better the next round.
Lessons learned can be applied in all aspects of life: in
physical fights and the everyday battles of life.
On my martial arts journey, I’ve had my share of battles.
These are maxims I’ve developed in my training. Points to remember, lessons learned (and still learning), and the stories
that taught me. “JJ Maxim” applies to both judo and jujutsu.
Photos are included to help visualize techniques. They were
taken “as is” and demonstrate my attempt at techniques, not
Introduction
perfect execution. Competition legal judo techniques are performed in Judogi (judo uniform). Those that would be illegal
(including strikes, small joint locks, etc.) are in plain clothes, as
they would be used on the street, not competition. Photos depict the technique, not the person described in text.
We do not have to re-invent the wheel. This book offers
the wisdom of lessons to learn from the experiences of others,
so you don’t have to feel the brunt of pain, learning them firsthand.
We do not have to walk this journey alone. While each person’s journey is their own, there are companions, resources,
and guides upon your path. We help each other on our walk.
I hope you benefit from reading and applying these lessons
in the battles of life you face.
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Journey to Black Belt
Setting Out on the Journey
How to Benefit From These Maxims,
From Wherever You Begin.
“Not all those who wander are lost.”1
My commitment to martial arts has been constant. Progress
on the path, however, was delayed.
There have been many road blocks and detours on my
martial arts path. For one reason or another, whether relocating, life transitions, or other obligations, there were interruptions. A black belt seemed impossible because even an orange
one was for so long.
I began training often, but either I or my training place
hadn’t stayed in one place long enough to test. My skill and
knowledge grew slowly yet surely, but was hard to recognize.
It gives a whole new meaning to “undocumented.”
I sincerely believe in finding light amid the darkness, and
making lemonade from the lemons life leaves you. With the
numerous starts and stops, I picked up a few techniques of
remembering, inculcating, and using the many similar but different concepts of various martial arts.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and many
thin threads, tied together strongly, build an unbreakable rope.
Funnily enough, it’s true with learning and remembering martial arts as much as doing it.
I generally root my understanding in language. A writer and
poet will use his strengths; language is one of mine. In particular, I use stories of the language. The world is built and understood in stories, and as any salesperson can attest, there is so
much more conveyed in a good story than in exposition, description, explanation, and arguing.
Sometimes, Japanese techniques don’t translate directly.
And sometimes people use words without understanding
them. This is true in English, too. “She literally cried a river” is
not possible, literally.
My personal favorite is from a student writing in a university class forum, “We need to stop self-defecating and talking
down to ourselves.”
In the realm of martial arts, understanding not only what
the term actually means, but how and why it came to be, helps
Setting Out on the Journey
you to develop. Sometimes, different schools of Japanese arts
use different words for the same thing or concept. If you
know this, then learning is made easier.
When you’re in the dojo (training hall), you’ll often hear
someone say, “We’re practicing this technique. Grab uke and
do this,” or “Control uke when you throw.” You might infer
that uke means enemy. Or that it means training partner. This
is inaccurate, as clarified by David Sensei.
David Sensei is the senior student under Robert Sensei.
When we first met, David was a Nidan (2nd Degree Black
Belt). He has been known for never missing class unless out of
the state, the most senior in time training with Robert Sensei,
and committed above and beyond to training newer students.
When I first began training at Heiwashinkai, I was familiar with the term uke from prior Aikido training. David asked
me if I knew what uke meant, so I told him “attacker.” He
provided much needed refinement.
In reality, uke directly translates to “receiver”; the one who
receives the energy of your throw (and ends up losing the
round). The tradition is the initiating aggressor loses. The person who starts throwing the punch is uke, and the tori (defender) is the one who counters, practices the technique, and
puts uke on the ground. The uke ends up receiving the blunt of
the attack. And the uke ends up losing.
By understanding the true meaning of uke (receiver) it is
then a short leap to understand what a closely related word,
ukemi, means. Loosely it translates as break falling – how to
fall safely. But literally, David Sensei clarified, it translates to
the “art of receiving.” Receiving what? The energy of an attack. The difference between “break falling” and “art of receiving” is subtle but powerful for a student.
The essence of remembering and understanding foreign
concepts, whether they are different languages, unfamiliar subjects, or complex topics, is to build bridges between what you
already know and are familiar with and the new piece of information. Building bridges or associations. For me, it boils
down to the question: Why?
When I hear a new term, I first ask for the translation. Often that is sufficient – Kubi Nage means Neck Throw. If
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Journey to Black Belt
How to Benefit From These Maxims
you’ve seen the throw, you don’t need to ask why. You throw
someone by their neck.
Sometimes, like ukemi or uke, above, it’s not readily apparent. So ask why? What does break falling have to do with receiving?
‘Why?’ is the question that connects with original source.
Ultimately, it is about reconnecting with the culture, group, or
society that created the word, the concept, and the understanding. It is for this reason that reconnecting with Japanese
culture is useful for accessing the depths of Japanese martial
arts. Everything is revealed in a culture – a context – and understanding that source culture will help us place the concepts
into our own world.
It is not just the truth of the words, but the situation which
revealed that truth, which makes the words powerful. And
beneficial. That’s why, for each Maxim (words), the story of
how it came to be understood (context) comes with it.
One final point. There are some things bridges should not
be built on. You don’t build a bridge on a damaged foundation, a sagging structure, or a rotting tree. To have a healthy
tree, you need to prune the dead limbs. If there are things in
your martial arts understanding that are inaccurate, try to be
open to emptying your cup to fill it with refreshing drink.
Prune dead branches to allow a vibrant tree to grow forth.
Many masters say while working up to the black belt, you
are not focused on learning; you are focused on UN-learning
the bad habits, ideas, and misconceptions you might have.
Then, from black belt forward, you are learning fresh and
building upon a solid foundation. I can’t attest to it – I’m still
on my journey – but I will say, I have had to un-learn quite a
few things.
Lessons For Life
| 7
JJ Maxim #1
One Who Has Balance Does Not Fall.
Keep Yours, Then Take Theirs.
The key to martial arts is balance. The one with balance wins.
The one who loses it, loses. The first day of jujutsu training
starts with learning how to fall safely. If you can’t take a fall
and survive, you can’t get back up. A lot of people think martial arts is about being able to beat up somebody. Everybody
can beat up somebody else – particularly if the target is outstrengthened, outnumbered, or outclassed. But true strength is
not in being able to beat up people. It’s being able to fall and
get back up.
Learning to fall is one of the most difficult things to do. It’s
not so difficult because of the mechanics. Basically, you spread
the impact of a fall across your body. More surface area hitting
the ground at the same time, less impact and pain to each part.
In a straight back fall, you are allowing yourself to sit or squat,
then you roll backwards and slap the ground loudly. And tuck
your chin. Always tuck your chin.
The hard part is learning to let go. To trust your sensei,
who is teaching and telling you that it won’t hurt, when your
brain advises you otherwise. Your brain is telling you “Hey,
don’t do it bro, it’s going to hurt; How do you know he knows
what he’s talking about? Think about it!” The problem is
thinking too much. It clearly looks (and sounds) painful.
That’s a loud crash you hear when you see someone practicing
back falls. “And I’m supposed to trust that won’t hurt?”
Learning is a humbling experience. One in which the student has to let go, trust, and rely on the advice of another person. It involves even more trust – and risk – in a physical fitness or martial arts environment. What’s the worst that can
happen if a teacher teaches bad grammar? A bad sentence.
The worst that happens if you have a bad trainer or misstep is
your body breaking. A bad life sentence.
The essence of every judo or jujutsu technique is Kuzushi
(Off-balancing), Tsukuri (Fitting), and Kake (Execution).
You cannot throw someone if they have their balance. They
won’t fall down if they don’t have to. On the mat, in children’s
(and sometimes adult) class, you hear them complain, “He
One Who Has Balance Does Not Fall
wouldn’t fall [when I did the technique]!” Well, you didn’t take
his balance.
A technique will not work if balance is not taken.
Learning to fall, ironically, is the perfect teacher of keeping
balance. You cannot learn to protect your balance if you cannot learn how to yield it. To know what you have, you have to
know what it’s like to lose it. And let it go.
When we break fall, we aren’t just “throwing” our bodies
away – dumping a dump truck. We are carefully, consciously
yielding our balance and bringing ourselves safely to the floor
to get back up again.
In the dojo, we learn to fall safely. We learn to trust our
sensei, our peers, and to work together. We need to take care
of training partners in the dojo so we can continue to train.
And we practice small yielding of balance, power, and pain so
we can learn to be comfortable with discomfort. The dojo is a
safe haven – safer than learning to fight in a real fight in the
real world, for sure.
The spirit of redirecting force is central to jujutsu. It starts
in the definition and characteristics of “attacker” and “defender.” Attackers lose. Defenders win.
In any practice session, uke is the person who initiates the
attack and receives the technique (ends up losing, falling to the
floor). Tori is the one who is attacked, responds, and ends up
winning (throwing, pinning, etc. the attacker).
The one who begins an attack is charging like a bull. They
have already given up their balance to initiate an act of aggression. The target still has balance. If he maintains it, he will
succeed.
And this is the first maxim – “One Who Has Balance Does
Not Fall. Keep Yours, Then Take Theirs.”
This story of learning the magnitude of this maxim is ongoing. I haven’t mastered it yet, nor can I claim to. But I can
share a story that illustrates the point the first time it clicked.
Kuzushi or No Kuzushi: There is no ‘Too Much’
O Soto Gari – Major Outer Reaping Throw – is the tech-
nique in which I began to understand balance. It is performed
by breaking uke’s balance to the back left corner. Kumi Kata
(standard grip)2 is holding your partner with your left hand on
Lessons For Life
| 9
JJ Maxim #1
their elbow and your right hand on their lapel.
[L] Kumi Kata (Standard Grip) | Kuzushi (Off Balancing) [R]
To begin O Soto Gari, you step with your left foot and bend
your left knee. While stepping, you push your left hand (gripping uke’s elbow) forward and down, hovering just above your
own left knee. At the same time, you push your right hand
back and behind his neck. All those movements go towards
the back left corner behind him.
At this point, his balance is broken. All of his weight will
shift to his right foot (his left, from your perspective). They
say “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Well, we have effectively put all of his eggs in the basket we’re about to break.
We put his weight on the leg we’re about to take.
O Soto Gari – Major Outer Reaping Throw: Kake (Execution)
10 |
Journey to Black Belt
One Who Has Balance Does Not Fall
With your right leg, you make a big reap. Reaping is a farming term, something we don’t do much these days. Honestly, I
can’t even say I truly understand it from a farming perspective.
However, imagine a pendulum. It swings back and forth; slow,
steady, strong. Now, imagine the little bird desk toy that bops,
sucks in a bit of the water, flows around, and then bops again.
The reap motion is like a pendulum. You reap when you
draw your leg forward and then make a grand arc with your
leg, pulling uke’s leg from under him. It’s a grand motion – not
a chop or a kick, and not a hack or a jerking motion. It’s long,
steady, and strong. It literally lifts uke’s leg off the floor.
All his weight is on that leg. Now that leg is in the air. What
happens when you don’t have any weight on the earth? You
fall. And down uke goes.
The person performing O Soto Gari looks like the bird toy.
You are balancing all of your weight on one leg (your left), and
reaping with your right, and your toes make that flowing and
bopping motion. Your foot starts past uke and behind his leg,
and flows behind, continuing in its motion, lifting up uke and
keeps going. When you finish, uke has already hit the ground,
and your foot is still in the sky.
[L] Start Kake [Rear View]
|
Finish Kake [Rear View] [R]
After warm-ups, Robert Sensei begins with the basic three
techniques before the day’s lesson. O Soto Gari is one. On this
particular occasion, I was practicing O Soto Gari with my training partner, Big Ben.
Big Ben is a nice guy. When we first met, he was an orange
belt; I was a white belt. He was a high school sophomore
Lessons For Life
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JJ Maxim #1
about to enter his junior year. I could sense he was kind of a
nerd (we can sense our own). He was really nice, didn’t want
to hurt others, and was considerably taller and stronger, but
didn’t carry the air of a bully; more the air of a kind teddy
bear. He didn’t see himself as a force of destruction, though
he had the body type to be if he tried. Instead, he was more a
protector of his fellow nerds who got picked on.
I witnessed it working with him for the first time:
We bow, and grab each other in standard grip.
I step deep behind him to the left, bend my knee past my
toes, push his elbow past my knee. Big Ben steps backwards, catching himself on his left leg, plants it strong. I
start falling over.
“It looks like I had too much Kuzushi.”
I exaggerated the left hand and left leg movements. These
are the components of kuzushi (off-balancing) in O Soto Gari. I
took a huge step with my left leg and bent my knees too far,
so Big Ben started to fall backwards before I did my reap. He
caught himself on his right leg. And I started to fall over without someone to reap.
Robert Sensei heard what I said and approached. He said,
“Omar, there is no such thing as too much Kuzushi. It’s either
the right amount, or it isn’t Kuzushi.”
I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Star
Wars: Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back. Yoda, training
young Luke Skywalker says, “Do or do not: There is no try.”3
The force was strong with Sensei and not with this lowly
Padawan. But it made sense. It’s not Kuzushi if it’s not taking
their balance. If the movement is so big and you lose your
own balance, it’s of no benefit.
A few things to point out. First, the counter for O Soto Gari
is O Soto Gari. When I perform O Soto Gari, all of my weight is
put on my left leg and I reap with my right. Uke’s right leg
(from his perspective) is what I’m trying to reap. But if he regains his balance and plants his left foot, he can counter-reap
my right leg; breaking my balance as I tried to do to him with
his arms, and counter reaping with his right leg.
12 |
Journey to Black Belt
One Who Has Balance Does Not Fall
Second, in this lesson, I started to fall over performing the
technique on Big Ben because I was waiting for someone to
reap. I was basing my balance on having an uke be where I
wanted him to be, but I didn’t make him go where I needed
him to be.
If you’re going to throw someone, you can’t base your own
balance on them standing. The goal is to put them on the
floor. We call that “leaning on uke” (or “hanging on”, as the
case may be). You can’t rely on holding onto someone for balance whose balance you’re trying to take. Otherwise you fall
along with them. Or worse; you fall and they don’t.
A saying repeated in the dojo often is, “head goes down,
foot goes up.” When we perform O Soto Gari, that’s what we
do. Maintaining our balance, we win that match. Funny
enough, the person who loses the match also goes in that direction. His head goes down, feet (one or both) fly up in the
air, and down he falls. What’s the difference? One had his balance; one had it taken.
Same Lesson, Different Venue
The lesson of leaning on uke was revisited when I was
more experienced.
In a lesson at David Sensei’s dojo in Ocean Springs, MS, I
was working with a new white belt student, Jessie, as an orange belt.
We were practicing Ko Soto Gari – Minor Outside Reaping throw. In O Soto Gari, you put all the weight on uke’s foot,
then take that foot away with a powerful, overwhelming reap.
In Ko Soto Gari, on the other hand, you catch that same foot
with your other foot, and you catch it in motion, before it’s
strong.
Instead of putting all the eggs in one basket and smashing
it with Thor’s sledgehammer, you use timing and a well-placed
foot jab to catch uke’s balance before he’s strong on that foot.
It’s the essence of the Rogue in old school Dungeons &
Dragons; catching someone off balance with a precise, swift
blow. You don’t have to be a humongous, strong knight to
win a fight.
To time the foot reap, there are two options: either reap
just before planting firmly or just as he’s lifting it up. When
Lessons For Life
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JJ Maxim #1
you perform Ko Soto Gari, the leg you reap with is on the same
side as the leg of your opponent you’re reaping. If I use my
left foot to do the technique, I’ll be doing it on uke’s right leg
(the one on the left, from my perspective). Because this is a
technique of agility and timing, it isn’t thigh to thigh. Rather,
it’s a swift kick/sweep of the bottom of your foot through the
back of his heel. Wherever you see uke’s toes pointing, you
start your kick at his heel and move it forwards through his
toes.
1. Begin Kumi Kata (Standard Grip)
2. Sukuri (Fitting)
3. Ko Soto Gari – Minor Outer Reaping Throw: Kake
(Execution)
When you are reaping or sweeping an opponent’s foot, you
have to use one of your legs to complete the technique.
You’ve only got one, therefore, to keep your own balance. If
14 |
Journey to Black Belt
One Who Has Balance Does Not Fall
you are hanging on to your uke, then you won’t take their balance. If you try to, you yourself will fall right along with them.
As silly as it may sound, to have balance you have to have
balance.
The most important part of this is – when you’re maintaining balance, you have to be strong enough to hold on, stand
on your own two feet (or one), and ensure inner balance –
within your own person. You have to have enough inner
strength and hold onto yourself and whatever you rely on to
keep yourself up. After you are balanced, you can try to take
another’s. But if you lose your own balance, you fall.
The one with more experience usually demonstrates first,
allowing the novice to see how to do it, feel it done, and experience the fall. This helps them learn and do it, especially if
they’re trying it for the first time.
This is what it looked like when Jessie and I practiced. I
was first:
We bow, and grab each other in standard grip.
I step in close to the left, right foot catches up; I drop
my left hand down, push my right hand through his lapel
over his shoulder. Jessie’s balance is broken, back is bent. I
sweep his right foot with my left foot, follow through with
both hands to the ground. He falls, I stand.
“That’s Ko Soto Gari,” I said.
Then, it was Jessie’s turn:
We bow, and grab each other in standard grip.
Jessie steps in close to the left, right foot lags behind. He
lowers his left hand down, nudges his right hand to my lapel
over my shoulder. My balance is not broken; I’m strong on
both feet. He sweeps my right foot with his left foot, but
doesn’t follow through with his hands. I remain standing; he
starts to tip over.
Jessie was
Gari on me.
wouldn’t fall,
doesn’t work.
hanging on as he was trying to execute Ko Soto
He was relying on me to hold him up so he
while trying to reap my foot. It didn’t work. It
I’m not a terribly big person, nor is he. But ei-
Lessons For Life
| 15
JJ Maxim #1
ther way, holding on for dear life, you don’t have the posturing and balance to take someone else’s.
The goal of all judo and jujutsu training is to learn to keep
your balance. And that is most important – keeping your own
balance in all circumstances. Taking away someone else’s
doesn’t help if you’ve completely lost yours. And when balance must be yielded, as in a break fall or roll, it is yielded to
be regained.
At the beginning and the end, falling isn’t failure; not getting back up is. If ever you do slip, then fall, roll, and rise
again.
Balance. If You Slip, Roll and Rise Again.
16 |
Journey to Black Belt
JJ Maxim #2
One Who Underestimates His Foe is Beaten By
Him.
“Pride cometh before a fall.” Definitely.
You fall when you lose balance. Underestimating your foe
means having unreasonable expectations of your own skill and
unreasonably low expectations of your foe’s. This tips the balance. Balance is truth, not false, no matter what it says. If you
are leaning in one direction, being honest about it will help
you regain the balance. Re-calibrating it. But if you operate
from a lie, you’ll end up disappointed.
This is very true in judo. “The fool thinks he knows much;
the wise man knows he knows little.” White belts think they’re
better than everyone.
Granted, when I started taking jujutsu in Baton Rouge, I
had several years of sporadic martial arts under my belt. Tae
Kwon Do for a few years as a child, Kendo, Japanese fencing,
for 6 months as a teen, and two styles of Aikido for 1 year.
The fact remains, because of travel and other reasons, I never
ranked in any of those arts.
But, as we say, book learning and studying is great, but
mental understanding is very different than experiential understanding. David Sensei always says that jujutsu is a touch and
feel art. That’s why you don’t always have to see to be very
good at it. Your muscle memory, body practice, and feeling of
the energy and body of the opponent mean you can do what
you need to do. Sometimes, eyes get in the way.
You have to play the game. You can study how to do a
throw and understand it conceptually, but still not be able to
do it. It’s the difference between knowing how to do a one finger push up, and being able to do it consistently.
The problem of a white belt is thinking what you know
how to do is sufficient for you to be able to do it.
And that’s why you play the game. That’s why you train at
the dojo every week. To make sure that the lofty knowledge
you have and have heard can be put to the test and put into
practice. And refined along the way.
This evening, we were practicing standing joint locks as
counters against an incoming strike. In jujutsu technique prac-
JJ Maxim #2
tice, the person who initiates the fight often starts with an
atemi (strike). The one who starts the fight always ends up on
the floor. The uke (receiver) of the throw that ends the match
threw the first strike. The person who is attacked, called tori
(defender), will respond with the technique. Tori generally initiates the counter with their own atemi, which starts kuzushi
(off-balancing), then tsukuri (fitting) to ensure the technique
will work, and then technique kake (execution).
A lot of people who practice jujutsu don’t put their all in it.
Some are scared they’ll hurt their uke – which is something I
had to unlearn quickly. Others just half-ass it.
I, a white belt, came in throwing full energy, and it took
Little Ben by surprise. Little Ben was a yellow belt (when I was
white belt). Unlike Big Ben, he was, well, little. Even smaller
than me, which is saying something, and clearly not physically
stronger. He was a high school junior when we met.
We’re practicing Wake Gatame – Elbow Lock. To do this
technique, uke will start by grabbing your chest or lapel. You
use the “magic triangle” with our two hands, thumbs forming
the base and the other fingers outlining the two sides. The triangle surrounds uke’s grabbing wrist, and you roll his wrist,
hand, and arm over using your whole body. You straighten his
arm, vice grip it with your armpit and elbow, clamping his arm
to your chest. You lift his hand up, and put your body weight
down through his locked elbow. It doesn’t take much to lock
and make him go to the floor. If you use your full body
weight, it would snap his arm.
To get to Wake Gatame on the grabbing wrist, we practiced with uke grabbing with the left hand and punching with
the right. Little Ben let me start; he threw the first punch:
We bow, standing arm’s length from each other. Striking
distance.
Little Ben steps at me, holds my collar with his left hand
and throws a light hook punch with his right hand to my
head.
I sidestep right off the line, raise my left hand to guard
my head, clear his punch. I hammer-fist strike his neck with
my left hand; recover my left hand on his wrist. Put my
18 |
Journey to Black Belt
One Who Underestimates His Foe is Beaten By Him
right hand on his wrist to finish the magic triangle. I roll his
wrist, hand, and arm over using my whole body and step
forward through him with my right foot. We’re side to side,
his arm stretched out straight in front of me, his back bent
over. I vice grip his elbow with my armpit, pin his arm to
my chest with my elbow. I lift his hand up, put my body
weight down through his locked elbow. I drop him to the
floor; he taps.
Little Ben came in half-assed. He’s probably trying to be
nice to the new white belt. He grabbed my collar gently with
his left hand and threw a light Yokomen Uchi – Hook Punch
(AKA John Wayne punch) with his right.
“You’re pretty good for a white belt!” Little Ben said.
“Thanks, I’ve done this before.” Smug grin on my face.
1. Uke Punches
2. Tori Strikes Back
3. Tori “Magic Triangle”
4.Tori rolls wrist over
Lessons For Life
| 19
JJ Maxim #2
5. Wake Gatame – Elbow Lock: Kake (Execution).
After this, we did one of my first matches of jujutsu Ne
Waza (ground fighting). Same partners.
I didn’t know much about it at the time. I knew I heard
everyone say, “When they push, you pull; when they pull, you
push.”
In ground fighting, you have to stay on your knees – you
cannot rise to a full stand. Your objective is to pin the opponent for 15 or 20 seconds, or to choke, arm bar, or otherwise
submit your opponent – make them tap out.
When Robert Sensei called “Hajime!” (“Begin!”), the
round began:
We sit back-to-back, legs outstretched.
We hear the call “Begin!”
We sit up and spin around on our knees, arms up and
ready to go. I charge like a bull, plowing with battering ram
arms outstretched. He grabs the stiff arm, pulls me down
and around; I fall on my back. He wraps his arm around my
neck and pins me. He applies a choke.
I’ve never been choked before. I tap.
“Ouch.”
He held me in Kesa Gatame – Scarf Hold Pin. Tori doing this
20 |
Journey to Black Belt
One Who Underestimates His Foe is Beaten By Him
hold will put concentrated weight on uke’s chest, wrapping his
arm around uke’s neck (like a scarf) and apply pressure. Tori
buries his head low off the side and keeps one leg close to
uke’s head, the other solid and pushing off the ground around
midsection. Tori keeps his weight low and solid, pinning uke to
the ground.
Kesa Gatame – Scarf Hold Pin [2 Views]
I demonstrated my “superiority” first. I underestimated my
foe. I was beaten by him. My ego and arrogance ended up being my Kuzushi (off-balancing). And so I fell. I lost the match.
Pride cometh before a fall. Indeed. In deed.
Keep Humble or Be Humbled
Lessons For Life
| 21
JJ Maxim #3
Whole Body is Strong; Pieces Are Weak.
Judo does not involve strikes. No punches, kicks, etc., are allowed in competition, so they are not taught.
Jujutsu does involve strikes. However, as opposed to Muay
Thai, traditional Okinawan Karate, or other martial arts,
strikes are tangential to throws, pins, or other techniques.
When someone punches or kicks you, jujutsu teaches how to
move and use that energy for another safe movement for
yourself, stopping the threat to oneself, and inflicting various
levels of pain to the person attacking you. In terms of teaching, strike teaching in jujutsu is not so much for precise form
as it is for a realistic punch to react to.
Jujutsu does teach proper technique, both for punches and
kicks, but they are not practiced as heavily (at least not in the
dojos I’ve trained in).
Beyond the finer points of a punch, like where you strike,
with what part of your fist you strike, etc., there is one overwhelmingly simple, yet overwhelmingly overlooked truth: a
real punch uses your whole body.
As an example of this principle, we often talked about flailing arms. Imagine a man throwing his arms, but not his body,
around at someone. Like the stereotypical ‘chick fight’/slap
fight. Now imagine someone stepping forward and using their
entire body to connect their fist with someone else’s face. Big
difference.
As a demonstration of this principle for newer students, I
would simply show it. I would ask a question: “Does this feel
like a threat?” Then punch straight armed, full strength, within
distance of their head so it would connect, but not move my
body at all. And they would move, and say, “Yeah.” And then
I’d go back, step forward and throw the same punch, but with
my entire body. And ask again. “Does this feel like a threat?”
The response would be “Yeah! Now I got you.” They felt the
difference.
Using your whole body in jujutsu is using everything you
have, instead of pieces. Each body part works together in jujutsu. It’s how a person of my lowly stature – 5’5” on a good
day, 130 lbs., can throw someone the size of Ray – 6’4”, 300
Whole Body is Strong; Pieces Are Weak
lbs.
People have often reported that when a jujutsu technique is
really perfect, it seems like magic. That whatever tori (defender) has done doesn’t seem like they did anything. I’ve seen the
same; somehow, someone goes flying and is timed, perfectly
conditioned, balanced, that it looks like they didn’t do anything, yet uke (receiver) goes flying, hits the ground, and both
tori and uke feel it. Interestingly, sometimes neither tori nor uke
know how it happened so well, and are amazed by it working
that well.
The “magic” of jujutsu is not magic; it is balance and coordination moving through time. Moving each independent,
separate body part in a coordinated motion, with perfect timing, perfect coordination, and towards the same goal while in
different directions. When all the pieces of your body work
together well, it seems to the ordinary world as magic. But it’s
simply the power of collaboration of parts.
“United we stand, divided we fall” is truth. Especially so in
jujutsu. “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” The
body is a house and must work together.
Using your whole body in life means making sure that everything you do counts, and is coordinated in sync to deliver.
There was a discussion in a school board meeting recently in
which they said, “This charter school is not doing anything we
don’t already do, so doesn’t warrant funding.” The reality,
then and now, is that it is not what you do, but how.
“Do not count your deeds; weigh them.” Weighing deeds is
about how you make what you do count. Whatever you do,
make it count.
The difference between a mediocre teacher and an effective
teacher is not the number of diplomas, the years they’ve
taught, or the individual actions they do (counted). Effective
teachers give assignments; so do mediocre ones. Effective
teachers talk to students; so do mediocre ones. Comparing
what you count, they’re equal.
But the difference is their overwhelming commitment to
teaching and giving everything they have (weight). The weights
are not equal. Instead of thinking, “This is enough” to get bare
minimums, they say, “How can I give my all?”
In our Heiwashinkai Student Manual, one of my favorLessons For Life
| 23
JJ Maxim #3
ite sections is the Student/Instructor Relationship. The first
principle for teachers says: “1. Never tire of teaching. A good
instructor can teach anywhere, anytime, and is always ready to
answer questions.” Paralleled, the first principle for students
says: “1. Never tire of learning. A good student can learn anywhere, anytime. This is the secret of knowledge.”
Personally, as I am still on my journey to black belt, and in
fact, even after I “arrive,” I will always see myself as a perpetual student and teacher, at the same time. My profession is
teaching – a professor – and yet I continue to learn. One of
the fallacies of undergrad and graduate students is that learning ends with the diploma. It’s not true; rather, if it is true,
you’ve missed the boat. A day you haven’t learned is a day you
haven’t lived.
Bringing it back to where we started, the difference between a mediocre punch and a real good punch is putting your
whole body, your whole spirit, everything you have into it.
On the mat, we talk about being a real uke. If you throw a
half-assed punch, you’re not giving tori much to work with in
terms of reacting and responding to a punch. If we are practicing Wake Gatame – Elbow Lock – from a punch, it is difficult to get real experience with no energy behind it. A real
threat will actually be responded to with real energy.
I want to share three examples from techniques performed
related to this point: 1) being a good uke, 2) pieces of body
being too weak to do the job, and 3) whole body being
stronger than imagined.
Being a Good Uke
Being a good uke means throwing a real punch with real
energy, force, and feeling. It’s giving the person who’s learning
or practicing the technique an ability to respond to something
realistic, and giving them something to work with.
We were in the middle of jujutsu randori (free practice).
Randori is similar to sparring. In judo, it reflects a judo match.
Two people, both defending and attacking at the same time.
In jujutsu randori, there is one designated “defender” who is
being attacked, and either one, two, or at higher levels, up to
five designated attackers. The designated attackers throw a
24 |
Journey to Black Belt
Whole Body is Strong; Pieces Are Weak
punch, kick, or whatever, and the defender must counter.
Good jujutsu calls for each attack to be countered with 1)
atemi – a strike; 2) a throw, joint lock, foot sweep, etc.; and 3)
a formal pin.
Robert Sensei had called for round robin Jujutsu randori.
We lined up, with one person facing the line. The first in line
would attack, and the defender would counter. Then the next
in line would go and attack, until the last person attacks. Bow,
then the defender goes to the back of the line, and the next
guy comes up. The cycle continues.
It was one of my first jujutsu randori in this dojo. As a newbie white belt, the expectation isn’t very high. Big Ben is defender.
The person in front of me attacked Big Ben. He threw a
punch, Big Ben threw him; he recovered, and went to the back
of the line. It was my turn:
I’m up. “It’s show time!”
I run up to Big Ben. Punch his gut. Pull air with my left
hand, surging right fist and foot forward. Startled, he catches it. But he cannot move it. He takes two steps back. And
let go. Dazed and confused. Deer in the headlights.
I looked up to Robert Sensei. “Should I try again?”
He nodded.
And I went again. This time, Big Ben was ready:
I throw my straight punch. He steps outside with his left
foot, wraps his left wrist outside my right fist. He pivots 180
degrees, pulls my right fist down, drops his left hand low.
Beginning of off-balancing.
He draws my fist to his belt, puts his right thumb between my pinky and ring finger knuckles, the rest of his fingers grip the side of my hand. He twists.
Pain. I drop, take a break fall. And scurry off to the back
of the line.
He applied Kote Gaeshi – Turning Wrist Lock.
Lessons For Life
| 25
JJ Maxim #3
1. Uke Punches
2. Tori Tenkan
3. Begin Kote Gaeshi
4. Applies Kote Gaeshi
5. Kote Gaeshi – Turning Wrist Lock. Kake (Execution).
26 |
Journey to Black Belt
Whole Body is Strong; Pieces Are Weak
To move off the line and avoid my strike, Ben did a
Tenkan (pivot). A tenkan can be 180 degrees, more, or less.
The way you practice in the dojo is the way you perform in
the arena. Whether a judo competition or a street fight, proper
technique and training is everything.
That’s why it’s crucial to give your all.
Not just as a defender doing the technique, but as an uke,
giving the tori something to do the technique on. We are training partners, helping each other learn our art. We have to be
kind and helpful.
Kind doesn’t mean holding back. Holding back is meanness. Holding back means not helping your partner learn for
the big day.
Just like football players don’t go easy with their team mates while training, you’re not doing any kindness by holding
back. To learn proper technique, to learn to handle pain in an
unrestrained circumstance (like a street fight), you have to give
and deliver real pain in training. You exercise control, both for
your learning and for your partner’s safety. But control is different than pansying around.
Pieces Too Weak For the Job
Pieces of the body are too weak to get the job done. You
have to use your whole body. When moving and lifting heavy
objects, you’re advised to bend your knees and lift with your
whole body, not just your back. Your back will give out. Your
legs tied to your center won’t.
The same is true of a punch. Watch boxers, MMA, Muay
Thai, or any other professional fighters, and see. They don’t
throw their arm; they throw their body behind their fist. The
fist is an extension. An extremity. The limb. The power comes
from the body; the end of that power is the fist. Or foot. Or
elbow. Or knee.
The whole body gives power. What you impact with is a
detail.
The power of a train comes from the engine. It’s generating that force. Whether at the very front or the very back, the
power comes from the engine. Make sure you’re pushing forward with your engine, not with an appendage, to have a
Lessons For Life
| 27
JJ Maxim #3
strong strike. Otherwise, what happened to me next will happen to you.
Uchi-Komi (repetition fitting practice) is a drill practice
with one set uke, one set tori, and one established, agreed upon
technique. It’s to practice a technique you know with many
repetitions quickly, but with proper form. New techniques
take time and energy to figure out the dynamics; this is practicing what you already know.
I was practicing Uchi-Komi with Rhett. Rhett is a tall, thin,
strong, limber Black Belt. As I was practicing the techniques
with him, I was pulling with my left hand, pushing with my
right, and moving my legs, just like I was supposed to. And
you know what? It didn’t. Do. Anything.
The man didn’t move. He just stood there.
Have you ever picked up a 100 lb. sack of rice, flour, or potatoes? He felt heavier than 3 of them, though he probably
weighed 180 lbs. He wasn’t giving any energy. He wasn’t resisting. He wasn’t doing ANYTHING.
Jujutsu and judo excel in using the energy given. When energy is thrown at you, proper technique amplifies and projects
it to ultimate limits.
When nothing is given, proper technique allows the
throws, kicks, or whatever to actually be done.
With no energy given, and bad form/technique, you know
what happens? Nothing.
My limbs – each piece – are too weak to carry and throw a
man like Rhett.
“Dead weight” is heavier than picking someone up because
they’re actually helping you, whether standing or sitting.
“Dead man walking” is given new meaning when practicing
with Rhett. He was as heavy as deadweight, yet walking alive.
David Sensei watched me practicing with Rhett. I was fuming – nothing was working – and muttering “Why can’t I
throw this guy?”
Always offering a profound, unexpected answer, David informed me; “He’s not resisting you or fighting against you;
he’s giving you nothing.”
It reminds me of the way to know whether someone is in
their ego or in a place of enlightenment. “Fight or Flight” is
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Journey to Black Belt
Whole Body is Strong; Pieces Are Weak
the human defense mechanism. It keeps us in survival mode,
to protect us from the saber tooth tiger of old. In a modern
cubicle world, it is not quite as useful, yet still in full force.
There are three engagements of ego: First, attack. Second,
defense – resistance. Third, withdrawal. Withdrawal from a
position of anger, spite, resentment, or the like.
True enlightenment is similar, yet markedly different, than
withdrawal. It’s non-reaction. Giving nothing, just as Rhett
did.
Ironically, it is frustrating when someone is in ego to encounter someone in enlightenment. The enlightened keeps his
peace; the ego gets all the more infuriated. Similarly, someone
trying to engage with force against someone who is nonreactive gets upset, and makes technique more important and
the throw more difficult.
I’ve been told that in Judaism, there is no concept of hell as
a punishing place. Those who are evil end up in non-existence.
That is the ultimate punishment – not feeling pain, but ceasing
to exist. True or otherwise, as a martial artist, I can appreciate
how frustrating and uncomfortable it can be when someone
engages with you with nothingness.
“One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.”4
Whole Stronger Than Ever Imagined
Proving the point, on point. The most exceptional success
I have had up to this point in my jujutsu practice was throwing
Ray.
If I could imagine David and Goliath of the Abrahamic
traditions, I could imagine Ray as Goliath. 6’4”, a good 300
lbs., towering over everyone. Now, he’s kind and gentle – not
a tyrant or something. But me, a measly 5’5” (5’6” on a good
day), 130 lbs., it’s funny looking at us standing next to each
other, let alone on the mat.
After pairing up for practice one day, he and I were the
odd balls out, so got matched. The Odd Couple, if ever there
was an odd pair of training partners. I had heard of a technique called “The Giant Slayer.” Ray was one of the one’s
who taught me about it. I figured I’d give it a go.
The giant slayer starts with a double handed take down.
Lessons For Life
| 29
JJ Maxim #3
You step in to the opponent, right foot to opponent’s right
foot, crossing the divide. You put your hands behind and just
below their knee caps. You cup your hand and pull towards
your own center in a circle up, digging your head on one side
of their hips. And bulldoze through. You push your entire
body forward, and a big circle through with your hands against
their knee caps lifts them kindly off the ground and rapidly
into the floor as you barrel through.
1. Begin
2. Kuzushi (Off-balncing)
3. Double Take Down: Kake (Execution)
That’s nice theory. What about practice?
We were about to find out:
30 |
Journey to Black Belt
Whole Body is Strong; Pieces Are Weak
We bow, and grab each other in standard grip. My arm
fully extends just to reach his lapel.
I step in to Ray, right foot to his right foot, crossing the
divide. I pull up, then pull down hard and let go with both
hands. I drop low, football tackle position; put my blade
hands behind his knee caps; dig my head to the left on his
hips. Blade hands cut through, pulling towards my center in
a circle up; I push forward with my feet; topple the top of
the giant back and pull his legs forward from under him.
Ray descends, hits the mat as I barrel through.
Talk about whole body being strong!
That is a double take down: very effective. But how does it
evolve to the Giant Slayer?
1. Kuzushi
3. Begin Roll
Lessons For Life
2. Take Down
Giant Slayer
4. Continue Roll
| 31
JJ Maxim #3
“The bigger they are, the harder they fall.” Especially true
when working with gravity and your natural momentum.
While bringing them down to the ground (or if the double
handed take down doesn’t bring them down all the way), with
your head pushed past their hips, you do a forward roll.
They’re going for a ride.
Down goes Ray, the Goliath in the life of little Omar. It
truly was a sight to be seen.
Throw a real punch. Be a real tori. Be a real threat.
32 |
Journey to Black Belt
JJ Maxim #4
Make Your Foe’s Power His Weakness.
Jujutsu literally translates to “The Art of Gentleness,” but an
alternative meaning would be “Art of Flexibility.” Flexibility in
handling energy and utilizing whatever is given (or not given)
by way of energy coming at you. It teaches economy of effort.
You don’t need a battering ram to open a door. You don’t
need a bulldozer to pull a weed. You need enough energy, and
not to waste it.
Energy can also be directed and redirected as needed.
The biggest, strongest person is not the one who wins a
fight in jujutsu. The one who can be flexible, yield, keep their
balance, and take their foes, is.
The adage says, “The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”
This is definitely true in jujutsu, especially when people come
like a tank.
‘Make Your Foe’s Power His Weakness’ means beat him by
using it, not resisting or directly fighting it.
(End of current sample)
Purchase the full book at:
http://www.rashedlightsways.com/black-belt/
Enjoy!
Find more from Omar L. Rashed and Rashed Lights Ways
at:
http://www.RashedLightsWays.com
References
1
J. R. R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring (1954).
Quote Accessed from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_that_is_gold_does_not_glitter. Available from
http://www.amazon.com/The-Fellowship-Ring-Being-First/dp/0547928211
2
Kumi Kata – To be linked together as a pair. Often referred to as the basic
grip used in judo and jujutsu. The use of the word “kata” in this phrase indicates
something as a pair. From http://www.welcomematjudoclub.com/JAPANESETERMINOLOGY.html
3
Luke Skywalker and Yoda
http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0000015/quotes
4
Three Dog Night “One is the Loneliest Number” (1969). Information
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_(Harry_Nilsson_song) Video with Lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5ab8BOu4LE
Rashed Lights Ways — Who We Are
———
Light of light shines bright
Guides those with sight, wanes their plight
Keeps steadfast on right
———
“Grant me a light with which I may walk among the people, be guided in the shadows, and seek illumination in doubt and uncertainty.”
We believe in You.
Our Approach at Rashed Lights Ways is to help you and your light
shine.
We invest in You to understand your dreams and goals.
We help you save, say, and share your stories. We polish so the world
can see You and your words shine.
“There is enough light for one who wants to see.”
We see your light. We help others see it, too.
We Choose to do all we do to help all to find light.
In finding light, and sharing light, we build brighter lights – light upon light.
When all can see, a Bright place this world will be.
We built a house of light, for light, with light.
To make this house a home, it just needs residents – those who live,
stay, and play.
With Peace and Blessings,
— Omar L. Rashed
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