Training MMA in Tokyo.
Today I'm going to talk about something i actually understand, something I like to believe to be a part of my life.
It's the sport I play, called "MMA" or mixed martial arts. I'm no professional, neither a "contender",
I'm not even good! By all accounts and calculations I, like 80% of all people who train MMA is very much "average".
What is "MMA"?
Many of you might know of Karate, or Kickboxing.
You may also know wrestling, boxing or judo.
MMA - (mixed martial arts) as the name indicates is a "free-for-all" combat sport.
I beg you not to get it confused with "no holds bared". It is safe and there are rules.
It is regulated and sanctioned by various athletic commissions,In Japan it is typically called "Shooto" or Shoot Boxing.
In the USA or Canada many people know of through the "UFC".
Similar to boxing, two well trained very well prepare athletes or equal size, experience and skill face one another inside a ring or cage.
(the cage is to make it look more spectacular). Matches are typically divided into 5, 3 five min. rounds and a winner
is declared by either knockout, submission, or the judges decision.
Tokyo in fact has the most number of well organized "Shooto" tournaments and organizations of all levels in the world.
They are often televised live.
Upon first examination most people rightfully assume that these are just two violent idiots
trying to prove how much of a "man" they are. They slam one other up against a cage or ropes of the ring,
throw knees into one another's bellies, kick at each others thighs and try to dislocate their opponent shoulders, elbows ankles or even knees.
It seems violent, but nothing could be farther from the truth.
The MMA world is a small one made up of gentlemen, This is especially true in Tokyo.
Everyone knows each other and you are always one or two people from knowing the world champion of one weight division of another.
Some of the nicest, most well behaved, gentlest of gentlemen I know are very good MMA "fighters".
They are not violent people and I don't know a single one who has ever gotten into, let alone provoked a "street fight".
"Street fighting" is violent, it's unpredictable - a very different thing.
There are a variety of reasons why I enjoy training as well as playing MMA in Tokyo.
First of all there are hundreds of boxing, judo, Muay-Thai, and Brazilian Jui-Jitsu Gyms throughout Tokyo.
Most are quite well run, clean and accessible. Training in martial arts in Japan is quite different from in Canada.
In Canada people take a more "philosophical" or theoretical approach to them.
In Japan people train and sweat heard - its a better work out.
I also think it would be an impossibility to separate Japan from stories of warfare, shoguns, ninja's, samurai's and the like.
When I'm gasping for breath, getting punched or thrown around I can definitely appreciate the discipline it took for the average samurai to prepare for battle.
And as a gaijin, or foreigner in Japan - its easy to relate this type of training to European knights, who - although less glorified as the samurai,
must have also gone through very similar preparations for battle. I guess its a "guy thing". (though I do train with several women as well)
I get to meet other "dudes" or "sportsmen" (as we like to call ourselves) who - because of their jobs,
I would never otherwise get to meet. Come to think about it there's something very special, very primordial or archaic as well
calming to building a relationship with another human being through sheer physical punishment.
MMA is obviously very good for self defense and ever better for you health.
Tokyo provides me with the variety of gyms I need to learn MMA.
When I'm tired of having trained Muay-Thai under a former Limpini Stadium (world) champion in Nakano.
I'll switch my focus over to Brazilian Jui-Jitsu (a type of wrestling) and get my but kicked by the guys in Ikebukuro.
Most of them are either purple, brown or black belts and a heck of a lot better than me! This provides me with the drive and training needed to get better.
When I'm bored of this I'll box at a small gym along the Seibu Line. Perhaps once a week I'll then test out my "all around" skills against at another
"full contact" MMA sparing club near Nerima.
Each gym in Tokyo has its own "feel" or "micro-culture" and each gym provides something that others couldn't.
Word of warning, never ever, ever be fooled by how humble some of the people you meet while training are.
I can remember training Muay Thai with a guy over in Nakano for a couple of months,
only later to find out he was ranked second place in "UFC" middle weight division.
If any of you take an interest in martial arts such as Karate or Judo, I say this;
Be like Nike and "Just Do It", you seriously may never again have as many high quality Dojo's to choose from in your entire life.
In fact I can promise you that Tokyo IS THE BEST city in the world to train martial arts in.
I've made some good friends and every gym/dojo I've been to has been open to train with foreigners.
Leave you're ego at the door, work hard, behave well...and you'll be just fine.
Some of the difficulties you might run into as a foreigner training martial arts in Japan, might be;
1). A dojo isn't McDonalds and you shouldn't expect "customer service" from them.
Believe me wether your a foreigner or Japanese, they can at anytime kick you out of the gym if they feel
your not making a good enough effort while in the gym.
2). The language barrier might be a bit difficult, but there's usually someone who can speak english
*(I've found training BJJ to be the most difficult for someone who can't speak Japanese, it's just so darn intricate....
that's why after a year and some months I'm still a white belt.
Also, if you been in a Japan for only a short while you might notice people in Tokyo are very private.
You shouldn't expect everyone to open up to you immediately, it will take a couple of month, perhaps even a year -
but I can guarantee that once you've "proven yourself" you'll be allowed back in anytime in the future.
Dropping in everyone once a blue moon to dojo that you've once trained at shouldn't cost you anything either,
maybe a small present for the head coach, but thats about it.
I've included a list of a couple of places to train at
Paraestra - Japan's largest MMA and Brazilian Jui-Jitsu Gym - there are locations everywhere.
For the same price you can train at any location.
Kodokan - World Judo Head Quarters.
Senchai Muay-Thai Gym Nakano - Head Coach was a Limpini Stadium World Champion.
Highly ranked UFC fighters have train here.
Taka-Dano-Baba - has a large empty "Tatami Room" to practice on.
For 3 or 400 yen you and your buddies can freely use the weight room as well.
