Welcome to Martial Arts and Modern Life

Hello, and welcome to my blog about martial arts and life.

I intend to write a lot about the martial arts, not in isolation, but primarily how lessons learned in the training hall can be applied to other aspects of life, including:

• Getting along with others (at school or work, as part of a family, and raising a family)
• Ways to learn and ways to teach
• Transferability of skills from one area to another
  
• Drawing on cultural traditions other than one's own
• Creativity and Imagination
  

Plus anything else that seems a) interesting, and b) at least tangentially related to the martial arts.

Disclaimer
I will not be attempting to teach martial arts online, because it is dangerous without proper instruction. I will accept no liability for any harm sustained (or inflicted) by anyone after reading my blog.

On the other hand ...
If you want to learn martial arts find a good class. If you live in Melbourne, Australia I may be able to make some recommendations.

Even better, come to my class!

My motivations for starting this blog ...

• To organise my thoughts on martial arts (and life)
• To have some fun with my digital camera
• Through postings, and discussions to promote
  
• My martial arts class to prospective students
• My martial arts organization
  
• The study of martial arts as a path to personal improvement and the betterment of society.

My Martial Arts Cred
I started learning Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and Classical Judo in 1993, and have been training consistently in these martial arts ever since. I started teaching my own class in 2005, and had been acting as an assistant instructor for several years before that. I hold black-belts in Judo (3rd dan) and Jiu-Jitsu (2nd dan).

My main instructors (in increasing order of rank) are Tony Papenfuss, Renshi (4th dan black-belt), and Adam Bradshaw, Kaicho (8th dan).  Until his passing in 2010 I was also a direct student of Barry Bradshaw, Kancho (10th dan).

I have taught Jiu-Jitsu and Classical Judo to many young adults, teenagers, and older adults, some of whom had previously trained in other martial arts (mainly Taekwondo and Karate, also some other Jiu-jitsu styles, and Olympic Judo).

In addition to my continuing study of Jiu-Jitsu and Classical Judo, since 2002 I have also been learning Hung Kuen Chinese Boxing (a form of Kung Fu) principally from Chris Bailey, Kyoshi (6th dan equivalent in Hung Kuen, and 6th dan in Jiu-jitsu and 7th dan in Classical Judo) and previously from the late Kancho Bradshaw (9th dan equivalent in Hung Kuen), in which I am diligently working through the student grades.

In the past I have learned some of the basics of Ken-jitsu (Japanese sword-fighting), and would like to do more of that in the future.

 I am interested in other martial arts and have dabbled -- i.e. taken a few classes or attended seminars -- in Aikido, Aiki-jiu-jitsu, Capoeira, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Judo-do, Karate, knife-fighting, Krav Maga, Olympic Judo, Sambo, stick-fighting, Chen style and Yang style Taijiquan (Tai Chi).

What I Ask From You

• Your questions and comments
  
• If you live in Melbourne, Australia, contact me about checking out my class (or a co-affiliated class)
  
• Spread the word ...