In response, I jokingly said “Someday, the logo might appear in a grilled cheese sandwich and make national news. Miracles in our daily life!” Someone upstairs must have been listening, as the following image mysteriously appeared the next day:
RDA is blowing up!
]]>Here’s a new trailer for the latest DVD, “Art of the Wristlock.” Early reviews are in, and you can see what people in the Aikido crowd are saying on AikiWeb, as well as full reviews at Norcal BJJ and Murasaki BJJ.
]]>Also check out the other parts of his interview here and here.
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Our good friend Al Lowrimore shows how to represent. Check out his new website here.
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Huge congratulations to Brian Sortor for a very strong and dynamic blue belt demonstration. Endurance, heart, and warrior spirit were all on display as he cleanly showed the requirements. Well done Sensei Brian! You and your students should be proud of your performance!
]]>Be sure to go back to the original page to view in high quality.
]]>Music: ”Fortitude” by TJ Brodeur. Impressive effort by all the competitors, Anthony, TJ, Donald and James. I was proud of each of their performances. Every one had a submission, and each represented the Academy with skills, sportsmanship, and integrity. I love the way they look for the finish! James finished his opponent with a triangle, but we weren’t able to catch it on film. Next time. Special thanks to Rick, JC, and Susan for supporting the process.
TJ took Silver, and Donald received Gold after having to run his bracket twice. He earned it the old fashioned way: with heart and technique. Each of the competitors will also receive a DVD of their matches so they can review the footage and continue to grow. Bravo!!!
]]>David Camarillo showing how an armlock is done!
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The 2008 Oregon Open takes place this Saturday in Portland. The RDA competition team will consist of James Malone, Anthony Treas, TJ Brodeur, and Donald Bowerman, along with Rick Ellis filming the action. I will be reffing matches throughout the day, for both the gi and no gi competitions. Rules, registration forms, and everything else can be found at the Subleague.com website. The gi competition begins at 9 a.m, so if you’d like to support the boys, you have to be there early. We’ll be staying at the Marriot the night before. Gambatte! Good luck!
]]>It’s almost out! The Art of the Wristlock is a comprehensive overview of these often neglected, and misunderstood, joint locking techniques. Disc 1 covers the 7 basic techniques of Aikido (Ikkyo, Nikyo, Sankyo, Yonkyo, Gokyo, Shihonage, and Kotegaeshi), with a dedicated module for applying these techniques during groundfighting. Disc 2 is packed with information via 3 seminars held at Yosokan dojo in Monterey, California. Viewers will not be disappointed in the quality or volume of information presented!
It’s my hope that this will expand the technical palette of Aikido, BJJ, and traditional jujutsu practitioners. A higher quality video can be seen here. The DVD should be in the hands of those who pre-ordered in 3 weeks!
This clip features new music by our very own guitar hero, TJ Brodeur.
]]>Two autumns back, I left my job at a San Diego production company to do something different. Even though San Diego had been home for seven years, I felt like I had somehow fallen off the path. Something inside me yearned for that next step, and although the way was not clearly defined, I set out on it anyway.
The first year was largely spent writing, and rediscovering the basics of jiu jitsu. The EJJ was born, the blog established, and I launched an Academy where almost everyone was fresh. What I taught then, the way I managed sparring sessions so Academy members wouldn’t maim each other in the first 2 minutes of mat time, has all changed as skill levels continue to rise. The BJJ experience evolves as a student of the art, and rolls into a new chapter as an full time instructor.
Year 2 allowed me to shift my focus from the written word to the screen image. The experience of being part of this Academy is something I wanted to share with everyone who wished to participate. Keep the process of creating this environment open and transparent, as life unscripted is generally better content than what the mind conceives. Capture and compress powerful moments and rites of passage on video, and allow those glimpses of heart and technique to inspire others. Bring in an element of storytelling, and elevate this sophisticated discipline to a new artistic level in its presentation.
I’ve learned a great deal in launching this vision. The first 2 years are never easy in any long term venture. Not every attempt was successful. Traditional game plans that work for many, may not work for you. True black belts adapt.
I would like to thank each and every Academy member, here and abroad, online and off, for allowing me the opportunity to share this art, and a part of myself, with them. Many have helped me on this path, and there is no place I would rather be than walking this road with them. Arigato.
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