Uchi Komi

For years I have been unable to compete because of a damaged Knee and Hip and I miss it, since having a knee and hip replacement I feel 200% better and get the temptation to get back on and have a go is great The surgeons have told me that if I take a heavy blow to my knee I could become a cripple and as my wife says you have done your bit what have you to prove. Nothing but that urge is still there. So I have taken a leaf out of the Japanese Judoka Book where they old players go on and just do Uchi Komi, I do not think I am old but thought I will give this a try. So got my old mate 66 year old Alan Kontozi 2nd Dan to get his kit out and last night we had a 1/2 hour Uchi Komi moment. It was very satifying and I especially noticed how much my movements were restricted through muscles and joints not used to moving in such a way, bit more practise and at least I will be able to demonstrate moves again.

Word of advice to all young figthers "NEVER IGNORE AN INJURY AND ALWAYS MAKE SURE IT IS HEALED BEFORE YOU RETURN TO TRAINING" because if you do not it will come back to haunt you

Marin Clarke

Kenshiro Abbe

I have never been one of those who makes a God out of a Martial Art Instructor but occasionally you do get the odd Martial artist who catches your imagination. One of hem has to be Kenshiro Abbe 8^th Dan deceased both my parents were in his association and both received their Dan Grades from him. I met him several times but I was only 10 or 11 so did not take much notice he was just another Jap who was floating about in the early 1960’s. As I got older he was becoming a cult figure not with my parents I might add who treated him as a normal person who was extremely good at Judo.

The reason I tell this story is because someone sent me some old Film footage of him demonstrating some techniques and the Kaeshi Kata. He had some beautiful movement I especially enjoyed watching his hane goshi his hiza guruma was some what suspect but he had a good uke.

With Judo numbers dropping through the floor and with people refusing to compete I am wondering whether we need a Renaissance to Judo becoming a Martial Art again instead of a competitive jacket wrestling sport.

Do watch this Youtube clip it is well worth it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKXhK9OZltY

CombatSombo Competition

Normally I only put a few photo's on the web but our photographer Rob
Birchmore took some excellent Photo's will send the report when I get full
results English CombatSombo Wrestling Championships

https://picasaweb.google.com/102428263424782695829/BCSACombatWrestling2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCLyL0aWHpq_DEg#

Kiddies Cage fighting

As the crowd roars, cage fighters aged 8 and 9 do battle... even after one breaks down in tears (but police say they won't take action against it)

• Police will take no action against the organisers of 'barbaric' cage fighting
• Organisers defend event as 'perfectly legal'
• Jeremy Hunt condemns the contests

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2040005/Children-young-EIGHT-filmed-taking-cage-fighting.html#ixzz1Yg67givW

This is the headlines in the Daily Mail let’s be honest not the best way to promote a Sport or is it a Sport?

I have to agree with most of what is said about Cage Fighting in general in that it is “Hard, Tough, Barbaric and Spectacular” I personally have no great love for it but if grown men or women want to do it by all means lets them participate after all they are grown ups, I am told it is becoming more regulated and a lot safer which is only a good thing. Children NO they need to be protected till they are old enough to make their own decision.

The competition mentioned above I did watch and did not see any kicking and punching unlike others I have seen on the internet but to suggest, as some did, that this was no worse than kids doing Judo or Wrestling is absolute rubbish, many of the techniques I saw being applied neck cranks, arm/leg locks, strangles etc would never be allowed in either sports. Remember Judo and Wrestling have had nearly a Century of developing rules to make the sports safe eliminating the most dangerous of techniques.

The supporters of this Kiddy Bashing tell us is that is just like MMA this is supposed to means something a Mish Mash of Fighting Styles with no governing body or one set of rules. Well that has now finished SPORTS ACCORD which is the controlling Body of all World Sports has asked FILA (http://www.fila-wrestling.com/) International Federation for all Wrestling Styles, to take over MMA which is now called FILA Grappling MMA in GB the governing body is the British Wrestling Association and I would recommend everyone to join this legitimate organization.

Let’s be honest the reason they done this in a cage was to create an image that it was something different than the normal forms of grappling, a crowd puller hence a financial success.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt today condemned cage fighting among children as young as eight as 'barbaric' and expressed shocks over an apparent lack of restrictions on the activity.

I totally agree yet he along with his government allows the British Taekwondo Board of Control to teach children as young as 3 to kick and punch surely that is just as barbaric.

The fighting in a cage symbolizes wild animals fighting, caged because they a danger to the onlooker a spectacular not unlike Romans watching gladiators fight to the death. Do we really want this type of blood lust instilled in our children?

For those who not content with traditional Grappling sports develop your own system but make sure it is safe with codes of conduct and ethics. Yet I think Kids Cage Fighting will get bigger because there is money to made organizing events, starting clubs etc and you will always have parents trying to live through their children doing things they can not or will not do.

As for me I will stick to the traditional styles.

Martin Clarke Sambo Grandmaster 8^th Dan Judo

http://youtu.be/e4rTB0zhsNs

With Kicking and punching notice no head guards

http://youtu.be/2j6LuoPOvm8

More Sambo Techniques