Great session last night at our second year anniversary. Working on controlling an opponent across the back and along the front with elbow pick-ups, face slaps and clinches. It’s always important to have good control, making sure you are in a strong position while your opponent is weakened with their balance or structure broken. Then we moved on to adding in guillotines, body locks and reverse takedowns using pressure points. One of many ways to apply painful locks in stand-up fighting without having to resort to trying to catch an arm. Finally we added in the odd punch, elbow or knee for good measure, to add insult to injury.

The next stage was throwing it all in a 2-on-1 sparring situation…with emphasis on positioning and strategy. It’s always important to keep one in the middle and use them as your shield and weapon. Usually resigning themselves to being passive in this situation, you can use one person to your advantage…blocking, locking, tying them up and battering them in the process. 2-on-1 is an advanced but very useful way of training, learning how to cope with the inevitable multiple opponents. It’s something a lot of good fighters struggle with because it’s far more about footwork and position than it is about pure skill. When I did my black belt in Tae Kwon Do I saw a lot of guys try to fight both opponents (and inevitably lose), rather than employing tactics to minimise effort and maximise effect.

Whatever your level this is really great way to train: challenging, tiring and exhilarating as your skills, fitness and concentration are all tested. We try to practise it even at a junior level in Bushin to give you an early feel of how you might react in a multiple opponent street situation. Also, it’s damn good fun!

We rounded off the evening with a visit to our favourite Brazilian restaurant. A fight we all lost to the endless attack of meat skewers. Despite the best efforts of some of the seniors, its one fighting situation we are yet to win!

Bushin was officially launched on 15th October 2009, as a culmination of over 25 years hard work in the arts. It has been a rip-roaring success so far. In fact it has grown quicker than any club I’ve run before and well ahead of my initial expectations with nearly 35 full members plus a whole pile of beginners. Thank you all for your help and support so far. I look forward to continuing the success further with you all!

7.30pm, Thursday October 13th: To celebrate the second year anniversary of Bushin, we will do what we do best – fighting and eating! We will be kicking off with a special session with some advanced Bushin techniques to work up an appetite. Afterwards, by popular demand, we will be going to our favourite Brazilian restaurant around the corner: http://www.rodiziopreto.co.uk/ Please join us!

As with any anniversary do, we shall end the meal with cake! Fiona (The Fugitive) has picked out this one: http://www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk/s143_White-and-Dark-Chocolate-Mousse.aspx. If everyone who is going along chucks £2-3 into the pot we can get a nice cake to round off the eating fest too, but the size will depend on how many people are going and how much we raise together beforehand.

If you want to go for the meal, please let Jason know either in class or via the Facebook event then he can get a table booked closer to the date.

See you then!

Reminder – sparring seminar this Thursday. 7.30-9pm in Studio 1. I shall be spending the whole lesson on teaching sparring tactics such as the JKD methods of attack, distance, timing and of course tricks of the trade learnt over the last few decades in competing. We shall be using all the kit we can to get a feel for different contact, varying rules and of course performing under pressure.

Come and join us!

Congratulations to those that grading this weekend. A small grading this time with many out of action, injured or just enjoying themselves. A great job all round and proof that quality is better than quantity!