Bedford Judo

Bedford Open Judo Championships

Saturday October 1^st 2011

IBF Black belt Russell Dodds recently started a new Judo club and to give this new club a boost he organised a Judo event in the Town of Bedford. His new club has been a run away success and operates on a Saturday morning; it has been a few years since Bedford has held a competition.

I am not going to write a report on the tournament I shall this leave to Russell to write one for the IBF site and Drew for the Young Judo Club but I would like to make a couple of observation

First it was very well attended and organised even though the venue was a bit on the small size but this due to the success of the competition. When Russell first approached me about running an event we both expect about 40 Judoka, this was about the norm for comps lately in Kent, and we did not expect 80 Judoka. Most importantly there were different players competing from as far field as Scotland. This made the competition interesting to watch as regular medal winners were being eliminated or being pushed down the medal table, this was a good thing as some of my own Clubs Judoka was becoming stale and complacent.

It was also good to see all the IBF Bedford getting together to make the competition a success, this particular section of the IBF is a very young group and have plenty of enthusiasm but there one old timer who I was glad to see that was Steve Jacob who has had some problems recently but has now returned minus his pony tail.

IBF Bedford has supported Kent Judo for over thirty years now it is time for Kent to support them especially as most Kent Judoka does not want competition. Plus Bedford is better positioned being in the middle of the country and travelling any where today is no longer cheap, so if we all help bear the cost Judo Competitions may not collapse altogether

I think the rule changes to Judo have had a detrimental effect  especially the down grading of Ippon to what 10 years ago would have been Yuko, this has made the competitions quicker but will deter novices in competing. Those in power, who administer these rules, administer for World Class athletes not for the ordinary Judoka. This weekend I saw many novices and beginners competing who were on the mat for just under a minute some had travelled from Kent and Scotland to give up a day, travel for about 5 hours and pay petrol for a couple of fights which in total lasted 1 minute 30 seconds will not encourage people. If the Judo hierarchy, will not do anything then the ordinary Judoka must, because these people sit in their ivory towers pontificating and earning good money from Judo, reminds me of Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burns

Here are two ideas  which will encourage new Judoka 1) make obtaining an Ippon harder this will lengthen the matches or leave Ippon as it is but have three to win the bout 2) Stop oseakomi being an outright win, I have seen literally thousand of youngsters enter there first competition only to be pushed over held down match finished in 35 seconds and they paid up to £20 for that.

If you want to try something different come to my Junior Points scoring competition in December. To finish well done Russell and Bedford you are helping to keep Judo alive

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

Summer Camp is finished and I am back home

Back home from Summer Camp, pleased to be in my own bed, once again over indulged put on 6 lbs and my diabetes was up to 12, will soon have them down take me about a week. Feel totally whacked out and did not do a lot, some say it is an age thing but I believe its because you are on a high all the week.
Summer Camp is like being in a Bubble away from reality, you are with people you want to be with doing something you all enjoy and want to do, where else i life can you say that? You meet old friends and make new ones. For the first couple of days after camp you feel deflated and in a period of Anti Climax but then reality kicks in and of we go again.

Many have said you have never real experience the Martial Arts until you have spent a week at Camp quite agree and this is my 45th year

http://www.budo-ibf.co.uk/ibf_summer_camp_2011.htm

Weather in USA

It is the end of Summer Camp maybe not successful in numbers but in spirit and quality of players a good week. All week we have moaned about the bad weather but sometimes I feel lucky to live in England when you consider the weather conditions in the USA. I hope all my Friends in the USA are safe and I send out my prayers to them.

Want to read the report on the Summer Camp go to www.britishsambo.co.uk and open the IBF web site

Martin being attacked

Photo's of the past

From my Photo Album

Various IBF

https://picasaweb.google.com/102428263424782695829/VariousIBF?authkey=Gv1sRgCMawn9-19KXX6wE#

Young Judo Club

https://picasaweb.google.com/102428263424782695829/SwaleMartialArtsClubYoungJudoClub?authkey=Gv1sRgCIfshceYp66HHg#

Past Summer Camp

https://picasaweb.google.com/102428263424782695829/SummerCampThroughTheYears?authkey=Gv1sRgCNH4-rHN0ObVzwE#

Summer Camp 2011

IBF SUMMER CAMP 2011

Well August is here again and once again it is time for the Annual IBF Summer Camp in fact this is our 45th year it was first started by Nobby Clarke 6^th Dan Deceased using the old St Mary’s Bay Schools Journey Centre, then the ACF camp St Mary’s bay Romney Marsh which was to be our home till 2006 when that was demolished to the newly built ACF Camp Dibgate St Martins Plain Folkestone. Nobby ran the camp till 1988 when illness prevented him carrying on his son Martin took over, the camp is still known as Nobby’s camp event though Martin has run it for more years, but then that is what a legend is all about.

As the years moved on we saw massive improvements in the facilities and the equipment used, plus the camp expanded from a Judo programme to Martial Arts and Combat Disciplines. Sadly the interest in these courses has slowly died, at the height of Summer Camp in the late 1970’s Nobby would run for 4 weeks with two junior weeks and two Senior weeks over that period he would have 600 players not just from GB but from all over the world, this year we were down to one week and 18 course members. Some say it is time to throw in the towel but my answer to that is NO what we need to do is change the way we run the run the course and what we do.

Those involved in Combat Disciplines today are not the hardy breed of yesteryear, they no longer want be thrown around the mat. There are two distinct types who want to do Combat disciplines

1)      Is the traditionalist who still want carry the tradition of hundred of years, enjoys the discipline, courtesy, realises that what they do is a Martial Art  and always appreciate the need for such things as Kata and realise that competition is just a part of what they do.

2)      Then there is the Modern concept made popular by Cage Fighting and Shoot Wrestling this has led to various off shoots involving different forms of Submission Wrestling some with stinking some without, this has been widely called MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) a very discredit name which has nothing to with Martial Arts. The correct term for grappling without strikes is FILA Grappling and with strikes FILA Combat, both are about grappling and beating your opponent nothing more, unlike Traditional Combat there is very little throwing involved and this is one of the reasons it has become very popular. There are no standard clothing just Beach style shorts and a T shirts. FILA Styles are recognised by the the government body the British Wrestling Association. MMA has no governing body has no government recognition or will have.

So if Camp is to survive we need to cater for both and that is what we plan, next years camp will be divided into three, 5 day residential course August 20 til 24th, will be Martial Arts, same venue but different area Summer Sambo Camp and another area Summer Grappling Week featuring FILA Grappling Styles (also known as MMA). If we have sufficient interest we will run a Judo Instructors, Sambo Instructors and BCSA Submission Wrestling instructors’ courses.

The Martial Arts weekend will be for 11 years and above and Adults in fact we want to actively encourage juniors to attend, the grappling weekend will be more intense so the minimum age will be 15. The price will be kept low just £200 this will include all tuition fees, dormitory accommodation and breakfast and evening meal plus will give discount for block bookings.

SUMMER CAMP WILL SURVIVE

10th Dan at 98

98-year-old woman earns top judo black belt rank

•  

A 98-year-old woman standing just 4'11" has achieved one of the highest honours in the world of martial arts after being promoted to tenth dan black belt in judo.
Sensei Keiko Fukuda, a Japanese-born American, is just the fourth person on the planet who currently holds the distinction, and only the 15th person in history to be awarded the honours. The other three people who are currently tenth dan 'judoka' are all men living in Japan.
Fukuda, who took up the sport in 1935 and still teaches judo three times a week at a women's dojo in San Francisco, was thrilled with her promotion.
"All my life this has been my dream," said the woman who is the last surviving student of judo's founder, Kano Jiguro.
Fukuda is not exaggerating. She eschewed traditional Japanese arts such as calligraphy and tea ceremonies - not to mention her marriage - when she took up the sport in her 20s, she then spent 30 years stuck as a fifth dan black belt due to a regulation prohibiting women from being promoted beyond that level.
She managed to break down that rule in 1972 and was the first woman to become a sixth dan black belt and has since continued to climb the ranks and inspire her students with her personal motto: "Be gentle, kind and beautiful, yet firm and strong, both mentally and physically

BJA sent me a letter

The BJA recently sent me and their BJA members a letter  stating  “Some changes in direction and personnel to address some specific issues and promote a clearer focus on the delivery of our objectives” this sound like there is some under lying problem within the BJA Administration, I do not know what maybe someone can enlighten me.

What did strike me they continue you to say that their membership is steadily increasing? Why is that clubs are closing, Competitions are being cancelled and most clubs have seen in a drop in membership is the membership coming from the School Kids who just pay £5 and do Judo for 6 weeks?

The Hey Day of Judo was the 1970’s and 1980’s I believe they had a couple of paid staff now they have 80. They say their turnover is up to £7m a year most of it coming from government funding presumably this being paid on staff and Olympic Squad members.

With the amount of money being spent on the Olympic Team we should expect at least 8 medals but will this lead to more people doing Judo I doubt it. One would have thought with the Olympics being so close all sports would be on the increase yet figures show there is a 20% decline in Sport participation.

I have said for years Judo needs to re brand itself for example

1)      Coloured Gi’s with advertisement

2)      Judo Boots like Sambo Boots

3)      Change the rules so a complete Novice can understand them with 10 minutes

4)      Introduce rounds

5)      Give Kata a bigger presence because this makes Judo different to all other grappling styles

6)      Introduce more all association championships

7)      Get referees out of Blazers they look to officious

8)      Have more Judo shows like Boxing shows where you have  say 6 matches with people watching from tables where they are being served a meal, this will create Judo celebrities

9)      How much would it cost to have a Judo TV channel maybe the £7 million would be better spent there

I have said before some are saying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will be more popular then Judo in a few years, if they were properly organised in GB they would be bigger now. My main love is Sambo but sadly this has not had the impact in the UK I had hoped but the throughout the rest of the world participation has been astronomical

I am already organising Jacket Wrestling Competitions to attract all Jacket Wrestlers, why doesn’t the BJA do the same maybe have an All Style Judo Competition change the rules slightly i.e. allow more then hold, award points how your opponent lands and extra for technical skill just an idea, some one steal it if they like

Martin Clarke 8^th Dan

Did I invent CombatSombo

Very often people asked did you invent the CombatSombo system and the answer would be yes but sometime I am asked did you invent a new Martial Art and the answer would be NO

Let me enlarge on this for example someone invented the Wheel this in all probability was a solid wooden disc and then someone came along and invent Spokes he may invented a spokes wheel but he did not invent the wheel, then came the Metal Rim that went round the wheel which was most probably called a tyre, then came a rubber tyre and so on all were improvements to the Wheel but they did not re-invent the Wheel.

This is what I done with my CombatSombo I had studied Judo, Sambo Jiu Jitsu and played with various Japanese weapons, Aikido, Karate and Kickboxing and felt there was a better way of teaching a Combat System. Maybe Teaching is not the right word maybe performing and using a better Combat System is better way to explain it, a system designed for me.

I started Judo when I was five up until I was 23 that was my only interest mainly because in those early days that’s all there was occasionally, when I was young, I was taken to Acton Town Hall to watch demonstrations given by various foreign guys who done different stuff in Judogi’s. These were of course Japanese masters, when you were 11 years old that did not mean a lot to me only that we fought them in some war. These were of course experts in Karate, Aikido, Kendo, Jodo, Bo, Sai and Iaido etc. So from about 1961 onwards after Judo a few of the members would go on to practise these other arts and some went on form clubs.

You will notice I never mentioned Jiu Jitsu well it seemed in those days Jiu Jitsu had a bit of a bad reputation and Japanese masters would stick to the more Classical Martial Arts and you will notice all were Japanese Systems. My introduction to Jiu Jitsu was when the Founder of the International Budo Federation Peter Schonewille 9^th Dan also known as the Flying Dutchman attended the famous St Mary’s bay Summer Camp organised by my father Nobby. Peter held Black belts not just Japanese arts but in Korean and Chinese style, he was actually taught by the founder of Tae Kwon, Do Choi Hong Hi plus he also had trained in Japan. His style of Jiu Jitsu relied a lot on wrist locks etc a rough version of Aikido I gained a few grades in this and then stopped, in later years I trained in other styles and eventually moved up the grades to 6^th Dan.

During the very early 1970’s I decide to try Olympic free Style Wrestling found this extremely hard and totally different to grappling with a Jacket, I won a few medals in this and also found it helped my Judo, although the Judo snobs thought I was committing  a sacrilege doing it. They were to be even more upset when the British Wrestling Association started running Sambo events (it was called Cambo in those days go to my web to read why). This was to change my whole concept of Jacket Grappling and in a lot of ways change my life.

You may think I am rambling but I forgot to say in my younger days I done Door Work and most of the time I worked with Judoka, Wrestlers and Boxers, occasionally KarateKa, (Kickboxing had not been invented then or had Cage Fighting) when there was a fight those who done striking were great at knocking people out and in those days nobody really cared but they had difficulty removing people or restraining people. As time went by Dance Promoters were become worried about being shut down because the Doorman were to violent, when I supplied Doorman they were practically 100% Grapplers and with todays laws it is near impossible to hit someone and to be honest why should you.

So I relooked at what I was doing and tried Jiu Jitsu but in those days Jiu Jitsuka was only taught in a Rote Fashion i.e. your opponent does this attack and you defend with this technique, like one step sparring. Then it occurred to me the reason Grapplers with or without jacket were better on the door they actually fought each other every time they trained, they knew how to reacted in fight situation OK so there’s was competitive not fighting but they knew how to react.

So now I knew where to go my new system would teach very much like grappling i.e. learn a throw and perfect it. Then I would look how many ways I could use this technique as a self defense it worked, the only drawback it would not suit everyone as part of the system would be you had to grapple. You could not rely just on a pre determined set of scenarios very much what Jiu Jitsu was teaching, although I notice a lot of Jiu Jitsu styles have realised that as well.

So how else could I change my style?

1)      No  fancy moves, as you moved up the grades in some styles I had learnt you would have perform many different moves to get to one end

2)      I could never get on with the complicated Wrist Locks, so these would be at a minimum use of these techniques

3)      Would teach strikes only so that one could learn how to defend against them

4)      Would only teach weapon techniques as a means to learn how to defend against them

5)      No Kata. Nothing against Kata but as I wanted this as a grappling self defence system, I could not see the logic of it

6)      My system would have to have a Philosophy

7)      My system would have to be educational, not just something that teaches you to be barbaric to another human being

Finally what name should I give to it? MartinClarkeCombat would be some what pretentious, Combat must be included and with the Americans changing the name of Sambo to Sombo and with the fact that Sambo loosely translated meant self defence without weapons why not put the two together COMBATSOMBO. The name I would register and the rest as they say is History.

It would be a mistake to say CombatSombo is for everyone it is not but that is the joy of Martial Arts it is finding that suits your own needs and enjoyment. You can learn more by going to www.combatsombo.co.uk

Gary Kirkham

With participation in Judo and Sport in decline generally it is nice to sometimes reminisce about the past and the good times and occasionally something jogs your memory. Sadly this memory Jog was not a pleasant one as I have just heard of the death of a former pupil of mine Gary Kirkham who was only in his Mid Forties. Gary was one of a large family all of whom were doing Judo back in the 1970’s when the Young Judo Club Sittingbourne boasted 600 members. The breed of youngsters then was totally different then today’s youth (the majority but not all) they were prepare to travel, train several times a week and most importantly compete throughout GB and Europe. Competitions were not 50 0r 60 competitors they were in there hundreds, my Father Nobby organised a Junior Judo Tournament at the Stour Centre Ashford in the 1970’s which attracted 1200 competitors those were the days. Gary would often be in a weight group of 50 plus, his Mum must have boxes of medals her kids have won. I have not seen Gary for some years but I have very fond memories of him an excellent fighter but sadly he lost the ultimate fight. Gary rest in peace and when you get chance to talk to God ask him to help us get more kids to do Judo. My thoughts and prayers go out to Mum Nadine and the rest of the family

Martin Clarke

World Judo Federation a New World Body

http://www.worldjudofederation.org/

This is a new World Body which seems to be in opposition to the International Judo Federation. I am not surprised that another organisation has been formed consdiering the balls up the IJF has made to the rules of Judo and other aspects of the Way. Maybe this new body will rejuvinate Judo in GB who knows what I do know I watching from the sidelines and not getting involved

Economy-Riots-Bar B Q

"The Economy of the World are in down turn Stock Market rices drop fear of Crash"
This is what you hearing from the Press Panic stations but in reality stock and share are only paper, the only intrinsic value is when they sold or purchased. So if you do neither you are no worse of. It is like buying a House for say £200,000 and its value drops to £150,000 If you do not intend to move or sell you are no worse of and no better off. So what hits ordinary Joe Bloggs is when the Bank Rate goes up, Wages come down and prices go up, the latter two is normally about greed. Well that's my take on it.

Riots in Tottenham these are gangsters most being being black it has nothing to do with it, there are enough white gangsters scum in other cities who would do the same. Now I hope the Police look through all the TV coverage and pick out those involved and lets hope the Judges send out a message buy giving them heavy sentences. Already the Lefty Liberals are starting to make excuses and blame the Police and lets be honest they are the one who decide what British Justice is.

Any way had a few old friend round for Bar B Q Saturday night had a great time well away from it all Cheers Trevor and Kendall, Keith and Wendy, Norman and Maggies special thanks to wife Val Oh must not forget Granddaughter Connie who popped round on her 13th Birthday

Frankfurt Judo IBF 1977

This was IBF Multi Nation Frankfurt 1977 Below British Team this was of the best Tournament the IBF had run. Sorry to say I had just won a place in the BJA National Squad and was banned from attending the event Some excellent players in the team doubt if many are still practising some are now dead. Details sent by Chris Dawson 6th Dan who still runs a club up North I believe he won Gold in this event

Thanks for the memories

Child Abuse and Martial Arts

Ihave wrote several articles showing my concern about children under 5 doing kicking and puncing arts but nobody would listen accept SportEngland SO WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT CHILD ABUSE

Dear Martin




Thank you for your recent email about ‘Kiddie Cage Fighting’.



We have shared your concerns with the Child Protection in Sport Unit (part of the NSPCC) who are one of our National Partners who support National Governing Bodies of Sport we fund and recognised sports with matters relating to safeguarding and child protection.



The NSPCC have expressed their concerns about this type of activity happening (they refer to is as ‘mixed martial arts’) and following a documentary which was shown on Channel 4 a couple of years ago entitled ‘Strictly Baby Fighting’ issued the below statement to all press and media / LAs which is still relevant and one which we in Sport England endorse:



Mixed martial arts is not recognised as a sport by any of the UK Sports Councils or the Department of Culture Media and Sport. It has no single governing body that the Sports Councils can intervene with or that the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) can engage in dialogue with to raise the serious issues highlighted by this programme.



There are a number of sports and recreation activities that children and young people are involved in that fall outside of the regulated Governing Body structure. This can often mean that standards fall short of that which we would expect to see in place, and may encourage practice that can compromise the welfare and safety of young people. In the absence of regulation by a Governing Body local interventions are the only means of raising the standards of operation of these activities. All Sport England County Sports Partnerships and many Governing Bodies of sport operate club accreditation programmes that promote and recognise best practice in providing sport for children and young people. Information on this can be found at www.clubmark.org.uk and on the CPSU’s website at www.thecpsu.org.uk .



Specific concerns in relation to safeguarding should be referred to local Children's Social Care services. There may also be the opportunity for local interventions by Local Safeguarding Children Boards.



Local Education Welfare Services have a responsibility under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and 1963 and the Children (Performances) Regulations 1968, to investigate and monitor employment undertaken by young people of compulsory school age. The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that it is safe and legal, and that it does not damage or interrupt their education. This would apply to children taking part in a “professional” fight (i.e. where spectators have paid to watch).



The Licensing Act 2003 requires authorisation for regulated entertainment or of entertainment facilities to be obtained, and this would include an indoor sporting event or boxing or wrestling entertainment. Before granting the license the applicant will be required to demonstrate how they are promoting the four objectives of the Act, which includes the protection of children from harm.



Local letting policies have been established in a small number of local authority leisure services to promote best practice in the provision of sporting activities for children and young people. Within the safeguarding policies of these leisure services departments provision can be made for clubs and associations seeking to use facilities to demonstrate minimum standards in relation to safeguarding. Where non-affiliated or unregulated sports clubs seek to hire facilities this approach to letting can be an effective means of introducing minimum operating standards, raising standards of practice, and addressing some of the worst aspects of youth sport highlighted in the programme.



Should you have any further questions / concerns about this please contact Jayne Molyneux, our Strategic Lead Children at jayne.molynuex@sportengland.org or Young People or the CPSU (via the website address above).



We are still looking into your previous email regarding children in martial arts and will respond as soon as possible.



Best wishes

Richard

Richard Clarkson

Senior Grants Manager
SportEngland

Creating sporting opportunities in every community

Sport England, 3rd Floor Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, London WC1B 4SE










4 Year Old Black Belt




DISGUSTING



Yes it was reported in a National Newspaper that Erin Parfoot was graded to Black Belt at 4 after starting Tae Kwon Do at the age of 2 ½ .



Now a Black belt is a level of Competence issued by an organisation and yes different organisations have different criteria, So you can have Black belts of different standards but this Black Belt is taking it a step to far, over the last 20 years we have seen a major increase in children being awarded Black belts much to the dismay of sensible Martial Arts Practitioners. Some organisations offer there junior members offer a Junior Black Belt, this practice was started 40 years ago by an organisation called the Kent Junior Judo Association who could grade a 15 year old to Junior Black belt the recipient wore a Black belt with a green stripe through the middle on reaching 16 they would automatically become a Senior Green this in its self was quite a good idea but note the age. Judo out of all the Martial Arts seem to have a more uniform approach to Dan Grades status even though there several different organisation, most will not grade to Dan Grade below 15 years of age and most combine Competition and Traditional Theoretical knowledge to obtain the grade.



So why grade Baby’s and children to Black belt? Money and Power is the answer. Instructors can make a considerable amount of money from Kids Gradings and Kids Classes, how many more students will this baby’s instructor Gareth Davies get because of this grading and at 24 he is a Black Belt Examiner? But above of all it is about power, a large majority on becoming Black belts suddenly become aware that they stand out from the crowd because they have achieved what the public think is the ultimate Martial Arts accolade, suddenly people look up to them and what is worse most believe their own hype. Now they start to have power either within there own organisation or they create one of there own, if they are with a reputable organisation they will have constraints and control placed upon them. Yet many believe they have the answer to everything and create a new association and a new style. How many times have you read of someone creating the Ultimate Martial Art! Suddenly someone who was a 1st Dan a few years ago suddenly becomes an 8th Dan Master and of course they go on some well known names course have their photo taken with them, some time later they publish the photo saying they have trained with so and so to give kudos to their style. Now if they say they are 8th Dan PingBangdo Karate a style they evented that is what they are but if they say they are graded in a traditional style like Shotokan then they can be checked. My own style of CombatSombo which I introduced nearly 30 years ago was just a different approach to a Martial Arts Self Defence System I wanted a system which suited my Jacket Wrestling background i.e. Judo, Free Style Wrestling and Sambo, although I created a grading system I never gave myself a grade, how could I who would award it so if asked what grade CombatSombo am I the answer would be the FOUNDER



Sometimes these new Styles group together to form a Coop, large numbers again give them KUDOS and they think respectability. Yet the way to respectability is high technical ability and high moral standards.



So back to this 4 year old baby doing Tae Kwon Do, my own feeling taking children this young is a form of child abuse, at the age of 2 ½ the child can barely walk let alone do hard physical exercise and what of the damage the parents and Instructor are doing to the child? The child body is far from developed its bones are still soft as is the rest of the body, so things like excessive stretching can be dangerous and lead to early arthritis (this has been a problem with young gymnasts), striking and kicking pads can be dangerous to hands and joints and competition against other children can be dangerous beyond belief.



To teach any child to Kick and punch someone is morally indefensible when a child is young they do not understand wrong from right, who can say this 4 year old doesn’t start school and in an argument with another child knocks them out and may kills them with a kick and do not say that can not happen! those of us who taught in schools knew the playground can be a dangerous place at the best of time. In law the Criminal Age of Responsibility is 10 so should anyone be teaching children to Kick and Punch? To make some excuse that it is self defence is not realistic, the only way to subdue your attacker by kicking and punching is to inflict a mass of pain and damage to there body that is why grappling is a far better introduction for children who want to learn Combat and how can a child or a baby defend themselves against an adult. I have copied a letter sent to me by the late Great Geof Gleeson some 25 years ago, please read it and tell me the Martial Arts have advanced?



A Lot of Karate, Tae Kwon Do styles etc are far more sensible concentrating on Kata where the student is taught the discipline of self control and perfection of techniques rather then learning how knock someone’s teeth out. The most experienced Striking art in the world is boxing and the Amateur Boxing Association has a minimum age of 11 before they can box so why is this baby being taught Tae Kwon Do?



So you think what we need is Government intervention and we a Governing Body for Martial Arts which will be a legal requirement for all those that teach. NO as these have been tried in the past and just become Dictatorships, the Martial arts needs room to move, invent and adjust, because martial arts continual change just imagine if there had been a Government body 30 years ago with absolute Power there would be no Kickboxing, no Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, no Vale Tudo, no Cage Fighting etc. New Martial Arts will come to the fore that is the nature of the beast what we need is more information. Do not just attack an a rival because they have moved on to your patch and make it personal, tell your local paper, Council, MP, Church Hall, Schools etc and ask does this new club have:



1) Pi, PA, and PL Insurance



2) Who taught them and where can they be checked out



3) How long have they been practising



4) Have they a Coaching Award



5) Have they got a CRB check



6) Have they got the right equipment



Other things to watch out for, grading very young kids to Black belt, is the instructor there all the time or does he get a student to teach, are they trying the hard sell like knocking at doors and wanting people to sign up before they have even seen a class in action, after a few months do they appoint a Student to instructor level and the present instructor moves on.



If you had an established club for years people can check on you my Young Judo Club was started in 1957, new people should be given the chance but there is a lot of Con Men out there all claiming to Martial Arts Masters so beware







Martin Clarke 8th Dan Judo 6th Jiu Jitsu Grandmaster Sambo Founder CombatSombo System



World Masters Judo Champion, World Silver medallist Jiu Jitsu and Sambo

Judo Kata Course & Sambo Instructors Course

Judo Kata Course

Congratulations to all those who took part in the weekends nage no kata course at The Warriors Grappling Academy in Sittingbourne. Both Lawrence Sandum (Black Belts Martial Arts Academy, Chelmsford) and George Loscombe (Sittingbourne) passed thier dan grade theory for this kata, and at the grading afterwards, Andy Smith, Ben Franks (Sittingbourne) and Robin French (Chelmsford) obtained their 2nd kyu (blue belts). William Hanna (Spitfire, Folkestone) was awared his 3rd. kyu (green) & Mark Ball (also Folkestone) his 4th. kyu (orange.)

Grading officers: John Clarke 5th. dan & Colin Carrott 4th. dan.

Points scoring Judo

Young Judo Club

Points Scoring Judo Championship

For

Boys and Girls 5, 6, 7 – Boys and Girls 8, 9, 10, 11 – Boys and Girls 12, 13, 14

Swallows Leisure Centre, Sittingbourne, Kent

Sunday December 4^th 2011

Dear Judoka

There has been a massive decrease in children doing Judo Tournaments in recent years and some of the reason for this is the new IJF rules which seem to hinder the development of technique. So the YJC has looked at other Jacket Wrestling sports and have come up with a simpler set of rules that encourage youngster to try lots of different techniques.

Ippon will remain the only difference is you have to throw someone on their back and remain standing; this eliminates what some call A Lucky Throw. The other scores will be 1 point, 2 points, 3 points and 4 points, the better the throw the higher the points and all points add up, if you can score 12 clear points over you opponent you win if not you fight to the end of time and who ever has the biggest lead will win. As for hold downs (OseaKomi) that will stay, but will only give you 4 points this allows children the chance to develop their throwing skills.

With regard to weight categories this will be done by getting all the weights a week before the event and matching them, you will still be weigh in just in case you weight changes in the week.

Let me know if you are interested because we need to do something to rejuvenate Junior Judo. Entry form will sent round nearer the date

Martin Clarke

USWF Shoot Fighting

USWF Shoot Fighting Inc, Owner-Steve Nelson
After going back and forth to Japan wrestling, one of my best friends from high school talked me into starting the USWF. Felix Rios (my high school team mate) helped me start and run the USWF. He was my right hand man and the USWF owes a great deal of its success to Felix. Without his help and confidence, the USWF would not have ever begun. Felix is still a fight referee and stays very involved in the fight game.
My first USWF show was August 2, 1996. It was an amateur shoot wrestling event just meaning no money. After USWF 1, the fighters competing wanted paid. I didn’t blame them. I was receiving the gate. I had great athletes on USWF 1
such as Ron Trip who is the only person to ever beat
Rickson Gracie who was 300-1 according to history data.
Heath Herring and Paul Jones, both future UFC fighters. Paul Jones who ended up 21-1, his only loss was to Chuck Liddell. Herring was ranked #2 in Pride at one point in time. It was only fair to take shoot wrestling to a professional level.
I received written permission from the president of the Texas Boxing Commission Dick Cole on September 4th,1996 to hold shoot wrestling events under a professional wrestling license. Dan Severn was a friend of mine and had just won the Ultimate Ultimate Fighting Championship. Dan Severn and Royce Gracie were the biggest names in the fight business at the time.
I brought in Dan Severn for USWF 2 on November2, 1996. The USWF became the biggest shoot wrestling/shoot fighting company in America. I never expected the success but was grateful to UFC. Without the UFC there would have never been a Dan Severn to help bring the USWF company name to the attention of the fight fans.
The terms shoot wrestling and shoot fighting had been inter-changeable all over the world since the beginning of the sport. I named the company the
Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation Inc, and advertised as USWF Shoot Fighting.
Texas professional mixed martial arts was started with the USWF in 1996 but shoot wrestling didn't get sanctioned as MMA under the boxing commission until a few years later.

I honestly started the promotion purely to make a little extra money. There was not any ego involved I was just a struggling teacher/coach that wanted to make some extra income through the fight industry.
I wrestled since I was nine years old including college for Oklahoma State University. I was a black belt judo player and had won three world medals in Sombo.
A Bronze in the 1987 World Cup, a Silver in the 1991 World Championships and also a Silver in the 1994 World Championships. I wanted to be involved with fighting at the professional level.
Amarillo had a lot of other men living in the Texas Panhandle that were college All-Americans and many former great high school wrestlers. I believed if I could talk some of the local heroes into fighting, I just may get lucky and draw a crowd.

The USWF is truly a company of the people. Amarillo fans feel they still own shoot fighting and wish the USWF come back. Amarillo had minor league hockey and baseball but nothing had audience attendance like the USWF. Amarillo fans treated the fighters like professionals and were always very excited to see USWF fighters at special appearances and of course the arena. I built the USWF to be a company with class and didn’t allow any kind of disrespectful language or cursing on the microphone at events or during radio interviews. I never wanted myself or my fighters that reflected as if fighters that didn’t like each other. The USWF represented shoot fighting as a sport and not a fight company which employed belligerent out casts. The USWF had a lot of young kids that looked up to us and I felt every fighter had an obligation to be a role model for the company.
I had no problems getting fighters. The USWF had athletes wanting to fight to Amarillo from all over the U.S and Japan. It was purely a respect the USWF earned by the way Felix Rios and I handled business, treated people, and how hard the fighters fought every time they stepped into the ring. It was a respect helped by reporters that came from around the world to see USWF events. These rpeorters could easily see the influence the my fighters had on the public.
The person most responsible for letting the world know what the USWF was about was boxing and MMA reporter
Eddie Goldman. Eddie told the world everything he knew about the USWF and the great town of Amarillo. I will always be grateful to Eddie for reporting to the world what he saw in the USWF and Amarillo, Texas.
It made a giant difference in my career and many
Other USWF competitors.

I never could get a TV deal for the USWF. We only advertised on the radio, newspapers, and put up posters. We did many interviews and special appearances but those were the only outlets we had to bring those big crowds in to our events. I remember trying to get several TV syndicates to come watch us after sending them a USWF VHS. All of their answers were the same, “your company is too violent for television”. I found it hard to believe no sports channel could see the potential that I saw in the USWF being on television.
I currently enjoy all the new fight promotions and what they have done for grapplers. Amateur boxers have always had a place to go when they were ready to turn pro and make a fare salary doing what they love. Fortunately now amateur wrestlers, sombo, judo, jujitsu and other grappling sports have a place to go and make money with their skills as professionals.
Some very good UFC fighters had their first fight with the USWF including:
Evan Tanner former UFC Champion-(deceased) who was a true friend of mine and hero of the people.
Paul Jones, Heath Herring, Frank Trigg                            Paul ”The Head Hunter” Buentello, Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia
And Eric “Big Head” Davila
Other famous fighters that competed in the USWF were
Dan “The Beast” Severn-3 Time UFC Champion
Don ”The Predator” Frye-UFC Champion, Ralph Gracie,
Ali Elias, and Ron Trip --defeated Rickson Gracie who was 300-1as an amateur.
I know the USWF helped groom all these fighters but they are where they are because of their own determination, work ethic, and more than anything, perseverance.
Some people ask me do I have a favorite USWF fight and all I can say is there are several fights I consider my favorite. I will say being a fighter, promoter, agent, and coach too many of these fighters taught me respect for all different kinds of people
History of USWF ownership.
The first 16 USWF events were promoted and owned by
Steve Nelson.
Evan Tanner was going to take over the USWF and ran USWF 17-18 but then Evan decided to fight for the UFC full time. Evan realized he could not promote the USWF and fight to his full potential at the same time.
Steve Nelson agreed to take back ownership of the USWF.
Steve Nelson (a high school head wrestling coach and teacher) then sold the Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation corporation name and equipment to his high school assistant coach Lisa Hunt. (Lisa was also a world champion professional shoot fighter in the USWF)
Lisa Hunt promoted USWF 19 then changed the name of the corporation to International Fighting Alliance Inc.
Under the International Fighting Alliance Inc, she ran one more show.
For information on  USWF 17 and 18 you would need to contact Jeff Tanner of Amarillo, Texas.
For information on USWF 19 and IFA 1 you would need to contact Lisa Hunt.
Steve Nelson currently owns three corporations including:
USWF Shoot Fighting Inc,
Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation Inc,
and USWF Inc.

Kiddies Cage Fighting is it Child Abuse

Some weeks ago I wrote an article about a 4 year old getting his Black Belt; I went on to write how dangerous it was for children under 5 to any Martial Art especially those that involved Punching and Kicking. Teaching this to the very young, I felt, was a form of Child Abuse my article got very little response with one exception “That it is down to the Governing Body to decide was is a fit age to start Martial Arts” that is a cop out what if the Governing Body does not have the expertise and what if the Martial Art has no overall governing body? Interesting enough much is being done and said about “CLUB MARK” being the way forward for sports, they make a great deal about Health & Safety, Child protection, Codes of Conduct but they give Club Mark to club who have under 5 (pre school) doing Martial Arts?

In last weeks Sunday Mirror the middle pages were given over to “Kiddie Cage Fighters” where Children as young as 4 are taught to beat the living daylights out of each other you can find the article at

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20110703/ai_n57772933/pg_2/?tag=content;col1

Below is an article from a USA paper The Telegraph you can find my own article http://combatarts.blogspot.com/2011/05/4-year-old-black-belt-disgusting-yes-it.html I even found an organisation who would teach 1 year olds http://combatarts.blogspot.com/2011/06/one-year-old-being-taught-tae-kwon-do.html

Violent 'cage fighting' craze reaches children

Parents of young cage fighters insist the sport is not dangerous and that it teaches children to respect their peers

By Tom Leonard in New York

4:54PM GMT 28 Mar 2008

Children as young as six are taking up the controversial sport of "cage fighting", alarming medical experts and sports officials.

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The violent sport, also known as "ultimate fighting" , combines martial arts, wrestling and boxing but with few rules often looks like little more than a brawl.

The Republican presidential nominee, John McCain, has described it as "human cockfighting" but the popularity of the sport, which usually takes place in a cage, has spread to young American children.

Egged on by parents who regard it as character-building, the children fight two minute bouts in small cages. They are required to wear head gear and padding.

From the Web

They can kick, punch and grapple with each other but are not allowed to use elbow blows or hit to the head when the opponent is on the ground.

Experts say the child version of the sport is growing along with the popularity of the adult equivalent, now showing on cable television and even in a new film, Never Back Down.

Last month, CBS became the first of the big television networks to announce a deal to broadcast prime-time fights. Regardless of any psychological harm, medical experts believe young bodies cannot withstand the pounding.

"It's dangerous from a physical standpoint," said Dr Lisa Thorton, a paediatrician with the University of Chicago Hospitals.

"It can cause significant injuries to the neck and bones, and if they're being taught that fighting is a way to solve problems that is obviously very negative for any child."

Joe Miller, administrator of the Oklahoma Professional Boxing Commission, said cage fighting used a lot of arm and leg twists to force opponents into submission. "There's too much potential for damage to growing joints," he said.

However, parents of young cage fighters insist the sport is not dangerous and – like conventional martial arts – teaches children to respect their peers.

Jennifer Swinehart, whose sons – aged 10 and 14 – are members of the Garage Boys Fight Crew in Joplin, Missouri, said: "It's wonderful. They build such good character and good friendships, and that's what you need to further yourself in life."

Tommy Bloomer, father of two more of the Garage Boys, said the sport was no more dangerous than youth wrestling.

He said: "We're not training them for dog fighting. As a parent, I'd much rather have my kids here learning how to defend themselves and getting positive reinforcement than out on the streets."