Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Where am I?

About two months ago I joined the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club that started on campus where I work. Grappling martial arts are not my favourite; I prefer striking arts. Nevertheless, my first exposure to the martial arts was to grappling. My father used to do a hybrid martial art; a mixture of Karate, Judo, and Aikido. When I was still in elementary school our father taught us children Judo. My first martial art memories are of countless forward rolls and break falls. So even though I prefer striking arts, like Taekwon-Do, grappling is probably my earliest foundation.

Although grappling arts are not my first choice, I’ve been missing it of late, so when I learned of the BJJ club on campus I immediately set out to find out more. I eventually joined (being the only foreigner, and only faculty-member, i.e. non-student). At the end of September we had a training session with another university’s club. We all came together at the BJJ-club in Apgujeong. It was a three hour session, from 3pm until 6pm.

My work load is too busy to attend the BJJ training regularly. I go once a week. I also train in Hapkido once a week, and go to Taekwon-Do twice a week. This is the only exercise I get in at present. I try to go to the gym on Sundays but there is usually something that comes up, so I end up going to the gym maybe once a month.