I had my first judo class in a long time tonight and it was taught by one of the old Taiwanese guys — one of the few left. Chances are some of you may know a guy or two like him: strong as an ox, nothing the least artificial about them, good-hearted, perhaps not too sophisticated, but total masters of what they do. He had his art coming out of his pores. I took one look at him and could tell he was skilled. He wasn’t built like your typical 65 year-old nor did he move like one. Physically very powerful looking with a big grin on his face.
He reminds me of a carpenter I worked for right out of high school. He was three times older than me, but fully capable of things that I could never do. I remember the day he broke a pair of pliers with his grip. Maybe they were old pliers. I don’t know. But he gripped them so hard they broke and I never will forget that.
That used to be common in the past where I was from. I remember shaking hands with old farmers back home and they almost broke my hand without even knowing it.
We just don’t have that any more. Our generation just doesn’t have that. We aren’t cut from the same cloth. Having him personally teach me tonight, I could feel the physical difference, the different quality, between him and I. Our bodies were different. Will I be that skilled at his age? Maybe but I doubt it’ll be of the same type.
So hats off to those old guys out there. Train with them and learn from them while you can. Because once they’re gone, we ain’t gonna get that quality back.
9 responses so far ↓
1 MarkC // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:51 pm
A good story. And quite different from the one you wrote a year or so ago about the dangers of learning from older teachers.
What has happened in the past year to alter your opinion?
2 Dave Chesser // Jun 4, 2008 at 12:03 am
Well, I didn’t really say there were dangers from learning from older teachers back then. I was highlighting (ok, complaining about) some other things.
But suffice it to say this was a judo teacher — not a taiji teacher. His art is very different from taiji. It’s a lot more physical and “hands on” if you see what I mean. He even ended the class with me and my friend counting how many push ups he could do. It was a lot.
3 kenneth fish // Jun 4, 2008 at 12:53 am
Dave:
Is Anderson Lin still around (lin rongjiao)? He was an incredible judo guy - nearly everyone who was anyone learned with him. If he’s still around, say hello from me - if not, then he will be missed.
Ken
4 neijia // Jun 4, 2008 at 1:43 am
What a great story.
5 wayne hansen // Jun 4, 2008 at 5:39 am
my father inlaw was an upolsterer,u felt the power of 40 years of stretching leather into place if he would grab hold of u.
father chau a mok gar practicioner worked at the markets selling potatoes his grip was like a vice from years of handling and baging potatoes.
when his son wanted to teach me he told me to give up my job in industrial law and come and work at the markets.
the year i spent lifting 2000 odd 20 kilo boxes of bananas a day was invaluable in learning the easiest way to control and deliver power.
my next job as a wharfie[longshoreman] had me handling every type of diverse object and weight while at the same time my awareness was tested with many situations that were life threatening.
a few years ago i was teaching philipino knife fighting.one of my students was a surgeon the other a chef it was interesting to see how the surgeon went for the vital organs,while the chef disected the joints.
in a day and age where most of us sit and drive and work smart the value of work as exercise and training is sadly missing for so many of us.
with regard the pliers i remember georgie barns the wrestler telling me about another wrestler who he claimed had double tendons and would break pliers for a joke in hardware stores on tour,the other thing they liked to do was go to all u can eat places and send them broke.
6 meow // Jun 4, 2008 at 10:29 am
while this is true to a degree, we have world records being broken almost every generation.
7 rakushun // Jun 4, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Congratulations Dave on starting judo again! It’s a lot of fun, and I have restarted my judo training as well, sooner than I originally planned but I couldn’t resist the itch.
I also have an old judo instructor similar to the one you described, built like a fireplug and someone I want watching my back in a dark alley. He is tough as nails and has picked up some nasty tricks which are not quite legal in competition but are very good for self defense. Although I respect and admire his physical prowess, it is not something I seek for myself. I have forgone strength training and am now relying on a technique only focus.
Luckily for my goals, the main sensei (that’s built more like hippo) of my dojo, who got his 1st dan black belt from Mifune, follows a more traditional route that emphasize the principle of ju (soft/flexible). So in my judo training I can refrain from heaving and straining, and instead try to focus on staying relax, reading my opponents intentions, trying to make my opponent and I one, and lead him where he wants to go.
So what are the benefits that I am seeing that I got from taijiquan training, which I took a break from judo to pursue? I can actually use an upright stance! Before, I relied on a leaning stance to properly defend against the strong guys. Now, using an upright stance, with relaxed arms to feel my opponent’s intent, and proper footwork I can stay relatively safe.
I’m now more difficult to throw, once again due to the points above on the upright stance. I will get a better sense if this remains true once I get more randori time clocked.
My endurance is much better now then before and not because of my cardio; I use to do a lot more cardio training before than I do now. It’s due to being relaxed and not spend energy trying to muscle my partner around.
No more need for grip fighting (which can be a pain), a soft grip is sufficient. All of these benefits from taijiquan has made my judo training much funnier.
In closing, I wish you the best of luck in your judo Dave, and keep us posted.
8 Joseph T. Oliva Arriola // Jun 6, 2008 at 12:11 am
Once a year or so, I check in on “my teacher”. He is in his mid-eighties and in poor health. Yet, he still talks about his exploits as if they had happened yesterday. Sadly, his body can no longer perform…
When he was in his sixties I used to brag about the fact that he could still best the 20-something that walked in his doors. My teacher enjoyed the “fight” whether it be physical, intellectual or spiritual. (His teacher killed many times in the ring.)
Five years ago, one of my students went to “party” that paid homage to my teacher. She had never met him before and like the others who had heard “his legend” she wanted to be able to say that she had been in his midst.
When she came to my class she reported what she had seen. “He is in his eighties and still he is a wonder to see. He was incredible.”
She had filmed his demonstration and as such I was able to watch it.
I was truly saddened by what I had witnessed. His skills were gone…
I told my student, you have “lied to yourself”. You have let your emotions distort your judgement of the “Grandmaster’s current state of ability”.”
It saddened me to see the “chi” gone from my teacher’s body. He was but a shell of his former glory. Yet, as a “warrior” I must be clear in my estimation of “any potential opponent” even my teacher.
We cannot be fooled by title, style, linage, legend or hypnosis. Yet, we must develop the “eye” to see “true ability”. (I say this knowing that one day my “chi” will also escape the imminent tattering of my body)
Until then, we continue to battle and learn for the next battle.
Sincerely
Joseph T. Oliva Arriola
9 Hermann // Jun 6, 2008 at 6:59 am
Yes, I had the same experience. But my master knew it himself, so he said: “If you want to see me, come and walk with me. If you need to train, you better go to ….”
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