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), and hold the rank of provisional Master (shodan ho equivalent). My principal instructor in Hung Kuen is Chris Bailey, Kyoshi (6th dan equivalent in Hung Kuen, and 6th dan in Jiu-jitsu and 7th dan in Classical Judo). I originally learned the basics from the late Kancho Bradshaw in the mid-1990s.

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 ...