What's Been Going On

Well, it’s been a few days since I last had anything to say. Tonight, however, I have a little bit to say.


These last two weeks I’ve been working on improving some of my sutemi waza. This is always a difficult thing to do when you consider that I’m the highest ranked person participating in my club! So, the solution I’ve come up with is to use YouTube to help me get better.

What I do is video myself and my usual uke. I perform a series of throws, sometimes just one throw over and over again, other times a couple of different throws. Then I ask several rather reliable individuals to evaluate me. I do this through the JudoForum or by instant messaging.

It seems to work out. Now, I don’t always like the responses I get, but that’s what learning and becoming better gets you. If you ask people you trust to give honest feedback, expect honest, perhaps even brutally so, feedback. Once you get that feedback, apply it!

If you’re wondering what they are, I’ve put the YouTube videos below. (Oldest to newest, starting 12 April 2010 and running until 22 April 2010.)









Now, the other thing I’ve been working on is developing a kind of guide like the Gracies use in their Gracie Combatives program. This includes the lesson plans and the note taking section. I think that is one of the best developments they’ve done for martial arts. Say what you will about their marketing and legal strategies, they’ve got a great product for a great price!

It’s a difficult thing to create and I’m having a hard time with it, but it’ll work out in the end. Oh, and great thanks to Kristan for hopping on the bandwagon to help create the artwork for one of my other projects. She rocks!