I remember a few years back when we first started "Open Mat" on Fridays. Before, we used to take a class now and then, and just grapple for the entire class time. We were only having classes two times a week and there were only about four or five of us who would come regularly. As the years passed, we gained more students, added more class times, and diversified our training.
Whenever we have a big turn out for a class, I'm always grateful that our program has survived the ups and downs of attendance. I have to say that we have a great group right now and I hope it continues.
You can almost always count on me being in class...I have to be there. But I do remember being the student and sometimes feeling like I didn't want to come to class, and it usually wasn't because I had anything important going on. Most times I'd haul myself down to the Dojo though. I can honestly say, however, that I never regretted coming to class. I was always glad that I worked up the motivation to get there. After a while, I realized I was coming to class to see my friends just as much as I was there to learn Jiu-Jitsu.
Don't get me wrong, I completely understand that everyone has a busy schedule. I always appreciate it when you find the time to make it to class.
My point is that there's a brotherhood among Jiu-Jitsu practitioners the world over. Around here, there are relatively only a handful of people that can truly say they know Jiu-Jitsu. But the bonds within that group can never be broken. The friendships that are made on the mat will last a life time. You might not see that person for years, but as soon as you get a call from them or meet up again, it's as if you just saw them yesterday. You just pick up right where you left off.
The other thing I encountered during my travels was when I was in Playa del Carmen, Mexico a couple of years ago. I met this guy and we got to talking, and before too long, we figured out we both did Jiu-Jitsu. That guy was ready to give me the shirt off his back!
So, keep up the hard work and see you on the mat.
7/25/08
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5 comments:
Good write up Sensei, and I couldn't agree more. It's great to see the class growing and everyone getting better each week. I appreciate your sacrifices and preparation you put into teaching us Conan. There is a brotherhood and I enjoy being part of such a select fraternity who practice the art of jujitsu.
Andy
I also appreciate this writing. The nature of our jj group is truly based on commitment to the art and friendship and not competition, not on who is at the top of the food chain. I truly appreciate this aspect of our dojo. I don't see any egos. All are committed to working together in our efforts (lifelong efforts to be more accurate) to master the complex puzzle that is jiu jitsu. I truly love and appreciate the atmosphere we have here. This is the reason that when a new person comes I try to be very very polite so that they will return. I think for a beginning student, it can be very intimidating-feeling helpless, when in reality, we are all (except Shihan and Conan) helpless. This is because I don't think you can ever obtain a perfect understanding of everything in the art. I'm sure there is always more to learn-hence it becomes a lifelong journey . . . a journey that is traveled together (you cannot progress without training partners!).
Brent
Through the times I've been in and out of the dojo my experiance has always been the same....Tradition. Ages ago when Darin was the instructor he would always tell me, "Just keep showing up". He told me that almost every class. I would go through the slumps of, "I've been coming for how long and I'm still getting smoked". Well, Darins good, and I wasen't. Phil had made that same comment to me a couple weeks ago, "I feel like my defense is good but my offense isn't there." I told him,"Just keep coming." I think that's the natural evolution for everyone, you learn to defend first, then the offense follows. Long story short Darin took me in just because I kept showing up and getting my butt kicked. He's probably the one reason I always kept coming back. Well, him and Zach. I'll never forget those days....
When I came to my first class just a couple weeks ago, I immediately felt accepted by everyone at the Dojo. Everyone gave me advice and was very kind and patient with me when doing drills and rolling. I greatly enjoy coming to the Dojo almost every day to learn the art of jiu jitsu and meet new friends. I just recently moved to Lincoln and I am beginning a new chapter in my life and it has been great to have a place like Sho Rei to go to.Thank you Conan and all of the members of the dojo.
You're welcome, Dave. And thank you. You're one of us now.
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