OK, so you're a martial arts enthusiast but all that's on offer at University are boring subjects like History or Astro-physics or Business studies. How you wish there was a degree in martial arts...
Dream no longer! Anglia Ruskin University is now offering a degree in judo accredited by the European Judo Union (EJU). But before you pack your gi clutching a single ticket to Cambridge you should know that Bob Challis, course leader, says that this degree will be open to only world class coaches, he says "We’ll have around 30 to 40 judo coaches from around the world here at Anglia Ruskin University. The degree will require coaches of the highest level."
In response to Cat's amazing post on dance and martial arts; movement and contact improvisation I'd like to share a video:
It's slow motion kendo illustrating how two bodies can interact with timing and power in relation to an opponent's body movement (intended and actual).
The music is beautiful but not the main feature I was 'struck' with here. Even though these men (this is the men's final) are a metre or more apart they feel each other's energy and movement impeccably. Check out Koiso's 'men' strike against Inage: like a wave rising up, feeling Inage not taking the bait and continuing on to 'men'.
Uchimura's kote on Teramoto is also sublime. Here he feels the air with his shinai, tempting Teramoto to raise which he does for a men strike. Uchimura then closes distance fast for kote.
I was taught in both kendo and Western Fencing to touch blades with your opponent in order to feel the energy, or indeed to fool your adversary into striking or parrying in a particular way. These guys seem to have extended that out and are doing a similar thing without even touching blades. They're simply using the air around the blades! This interaction is much more subtle than sticky hands but I think just as relevant as a form of 'contact improvisation' where two energies interact and work around each other.
Well, the commentator certainly found this kick "impresionante" but what I found interesting was that the guy was falling over and still had the presence of mind (or was it just an intense, drilled, fighting mind) to kick as he went down...
Incredibly shabby handwork! These guys were within hand striking distance but didn't even look like they'd be prepared to swat a passing fly, let alone hit each other with their hands. They didn't seem to block with their arms either. It has to be said though that I have trained with the University Tae Kwon Do squad and those guys are really sharp with their legs: rapid and strong so *if* you can get past their legs and through their leg guard you can be effective, if not you get thumped on the way in.
But you know what, I'm not going to churn out all the old chestnuts about Tae Kwon Do because it seems that many other martial artists look down upon it anyway, so I don't need to.
Surely though, all 'games' (or disciplines if you prefer) have rules? You wouldn't pick the ball up in football would you?
More on Aaron Cook, British Tae Kwon Do Olympic 2012 hopeful, here:
The soles were gone, the sides ripped and my feet finally felt flat and unsupported running in them. Goodbye faithful Karrimor trail shoes... Into the bin you go...
