Let’s get real! While many love to watch and admire the techniques used in the Ultimate Fighting Championships and other no-holds-barred cage matches, only a relatively small percentage of the population want to take that kind of physical abuse and dangers of training in that manner because most people have to go to school or work the next day, take care of their families and generally like the way their faces look and want to keep them that way. However, now anyone can learn the UFC, MMa and BJJ techniques without the normally associated danger of injuries, physical abuse and cauliflower ears with the relatively new and “CIVILIZED mixed martial ART” – Go Jiu Bujitsu.
What is Go Jiu Bujitsu?
Go Jiu Bujitsu (“The Way of Hard and Soft Martial Arts”) is a unique and effective American-made hybrid and truly mixed martial ART system that appeals equally to traditionalists, mixed martial artists and students of self-defense. It consists of a unique and effective blend of traditional martial arts, no nonsense self-defense, as well as military and law enforcement techniques. The most unique aspect of Go Jiu Bujitsu is its’ blending and utilization of equal components of traditional Shotokan Karate, traditional Jiu-Jitsu and traditional Judo in the white belt through black belt levels.
“Civilized”
The style’s founder, Dōshu Mark J. Colangelo views the barbaric nature of cage/noholds-barred full-contact fighting as a spectator sport similar to watching the Roman gladiators in the arena. “The UFC, NHB and many so-called MMa’s demonstrate strong, well conditioned fighters that may utilize martial art techniques, yet the MMa’s generally lack the essential characteristics of a martial “art” – specifically the respect, humility, structure and philosophy normally associated with budo” said Colangelo. “Don’t get me wrong, I love to watch what I call Full-Contact Cage Fights. However, my purpose with Go Jiu Bujitsu is to provide a challenging, yet fun and safe mixed martial art which makes those techniques a reality for just about anyone. GJB is a combination of three traditional martial arts along with the structure, hierarchy, philosophy, respect, and other aspects of budo that makes Go Jiu Bujitsu a true ‘CIVILIZED mixed martial ART’, he concluded.
Any One Can Do It
Because of GJB’s traditional martial arts format, structure and curriculum, as well as the fact that it combines the best of Shotokan, Jujitsu and Judo, GJB is a TRUE mixed martial ART. The style is appropriate for men, women and children because all students learn in a challenging yet safe manner where a healthy respect for the dangers and reallife applications of the techniques is emphasized. GJB students and engaged couple, Juan Macias (age 34) and Erika Sierra (age 25) both say, “Even though we love watching the UFC, we never believed we could learn those techniques and become mixed martial artists until we found Go Jiu Bujitsu. Now we can punch, kick, throw and
grapple. It’s awesome!” “Since the macho, testosterone-driven barbaric aspects of socalled MMa’s has been removed, the UFC, NHB and martial arts techniques become a reality for just about any one. With GJB any one can become a TRUE mixed martial ARTIST” Colangelo added.
The Shotokan/Karate Component
Go Jiu Bujitsu includes traditional Shotokan up to the black belt level and involves: the traditional stances, blocks and kicks; the kata’s Taikyoku Shodan, Heian’s 1-5 and Bassai Dai; Bunkai (kata applications); Kihon’s (basic combinations); San-Bon Kumite and Ippon Kumite (three and one step sparring); and free-sparring. The traditional hardstyle karate techniques and principles emphasize various hand strikes, blocks and kicks for long and short distance fighting ranges, as well as knee and elbow strikes for more in-close fighting.
The Judo Component
Go Jiu Bujitsu includes traditional Judo up to the black belt level and involves: the traditional Judo fundamentals of kazushi (unbalancing), posture, and body control (tai sabaki); various types of walking, movement and grips; and places an emphasis on various throws. The Judo aspect of Go Jiu Bujitsu incorporates: 5 hold-downs
(gatame’s); 6 lower leg reaps (gari’s) or sweeps; 4 hip throws/drops (goshi’s/otoshi’s); 4 sacrifice throws; 3 shoulder throws (seoi-nage’s); as well as Judo-style randori.
The Jiu Jitsu Component
Go Jiu Bujitsu also includes traditional Japanese/“Brazilian” Jiu Jitsu up to the black belt level and involves: the positions – mount, guard, half-guard, open-guard, northsouth, rear mount and knee-on-stomach; 8 chokes including the triangle, shoulder, single-wing, naked and cross lapel; 6 plus arm-locks; 6 plus guard escapes; 4 modified scarf-hold escapes; numerous mount escapes; as well as numerous mount attacks, guard sweeps, open guard attacks/sweeps and guard attacks (such as the Guillotine and Kimura). This aspect covers the ground grappling principles and techniques involving joint manipulations and locks, chokes and submissions including Jiu Jitsu style randori.
The Military and Law Enforcement Component
Go Jiu Bujitsu also incorporates various military and law enforcement techniques in the weapons defense requirements of the art. Prior to black belt, GJB students must also obtain basic proficiency in defense and disarms in regards to the club/stick, the knife and the gun.
Classes and Competition
Observing any single class of GJB, one might get the impression that it is a Judo, Jujitsu, Shotokan or MMA dojo depending on the focus of that particular class. Students get progressively more and more proficient at Judo randori, Karate sparring and Jujitsu “rolling” to the point that all three are combined into true mixed martial arts matches between true mixed martial Artists. GJB student, Albert Reeve, age 14, says, “I’m learning Karate, Judo and Jujitsu. Go Jiu Bujitsu is way cool!” GJB students are encouraged to and have been very successful in all types of competition including Judo, Karate, Jujitsu and MMa. “The style allows the students more options to pursue their strengths in different competitions, while the curriculum requires them to achieve strong foundations in all three component styles that make up GJB”, said Colangelo.
“Flow Drills”
“Flow Drills” 1-12 are a creation of Go Jiu Bujitsu, as well as a distinct and unique component of this martial art. The “Flow Drills” 1-12 of Go Jiu Bujitsu incorporate the various ne waza (grappling techniques) in a progressive manner for each kyu rank up to black belt. The “Flow Drills” are, in essence, ne waza/grappling technique katas. Each of these “Flow Drills” utilizes a number of static individual grappling techniques and organizes them into a dynamic and practical learning sequence from which the students may more readily learn to “flow” from one technique to the next. The “Flow Drills” allow students to simultaneously learn: the fundamentals of specific grappling techniques; attacks from various positions; defenses from various positions; the strengths and weaknesses of various positions and techniques; how to defend against specific techniques; how to spot or create openings for various techniques; as well as, more readily ease the transition from learning the static ne waza techniques to open/free-style ne waza randori (ground/grappling technique sparring).
Philosophy
Colangelo said, “Through Go Jiu Bujitsu, I will create competent, well-rounded mixed martial artists, and hope to positively impact and transform the lives of the arts’ practitioners by enabling them to ‘learn to make the seemingly impossible into a reality’ (GJB’s slogan) in their study of martial arts, as well as in all aspect of their lives”. While the Go Jiu Bujitsu logo has an ‘octagon’ perimeter, it represents the arts’ 8 Code of Ethics. The logo also has the unique placement of a fist and a heart within the yin-yang symbol representing the fist of strength and perseverance, balanced by the heart of love and compassion. These are examples of what Colangelo says demonstrates what he means by a “civilized mixed martial art”. A good example of this is demonstrated by 58 year old GJB student Brad Lines, who commented, “I’ve been training in Go Jiu Bujitsu for about two years, and at my age I never imagined getting into a mixed martial art, especially one that involves the best of three martial arts and that teaches them in both a safe and traditional manner. I am not only doing it, I’m loving it as well!”
The Principles, Traditional Techniques & Fighting Ranges of GJB Go Jiu Bujitsu combines: the principles and traditional hand strikes, kicks, blocks, stances and kata of Shotokan Karate; the principles and traditional rolls, falls, throws, joint manipulations/locks, chokes, submissions and fluidity of Japanese/“Brazilian” Jujitsu and Judo; the principles and traditional punching techniques and movements of Boxing; as well as many effective Military and Law Enforcement control techniques and weapons defense tactics.
Go Jiu Bujitsu has it all, covering the five spatial ranges of fighting: long and short distance fighting techniques with hard blocks, strikes, and kicks; more in-close fighting techniques with soft/deflecting blocks, trapping and sticking techniques, and elbow and knee strikes; standing grappling techniques consisting of joint manipulations and locks, throws, chokes and submissions; and, ground grappling techniques involving joint manipulations and locks, chokes and submissions. Go Jiu Bujitsu also incorporates transition training; movements that exist between fighting ranges.
Colangelo’s Background
Go Jiu Bujitsu’s founder, Dōshu (Master of the Way) Mark J.Colangelo, spent 30+ years of hard, dedicated martial arts training, as well as taught martial arts 28 years before embarking on the monumental endeavor of creating a martial art. Some of his achievements include: a 6th Dan in Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu; a 6th Dan in USJA JuJitsu and a 3rd Dan in Judo under Professor Ernie Cates (founder of Neko Ryu, USJA National Jujitsu Board of Examiners, & 8th Dan Kodokan Judo) and/or Grandmaster Moose Cates (current Soke of Neko Ryu); a 5th Dan in a modified Shotokan Karate style and a Black Belt in that systems eclectic Soft-Style under the style’s founder. Colangelo said, “In March ’94 I opened a full-time professional dojo and have taught full-time to this very day. I gave up the practice of law in order to pursue my love and passion for training and teaching martial arts because I saw what profound effects it has on the lives of both children and adults.”
International Recognition
In May 2007 Colangelo received the “Founder’s Award” for Go Jiu Bujitsu from and was inducted into the the World Head of family Sokeship Council (WHFSC). The WHFSC is composed entirely of Grandmasters from around the world representing either a style that they legitimately inherited or created, including international martial arts magazine regulars such as Professor’s Wally Jay and Ernie Cates and Grandmasters Stephen K. Hayes; John Pellegrini, Gary Dill and Council Founder Grandmaster Frank E. Sanchez.
Conclusion
Go Jiu Bujitsu is effective, challenging and fun for: athletes, non-athletes, men, women, teenagers, and children. Everyone is encouraged and learns to do their best as the techniques exist to work around most physical limitations. Go Jiu Bujitsu promotes physical fitness, flexibility and overall well-being. Colangelo concluded that, “In the end, it’s those that create, take action, lead and produce consistent and long-term results that make the real difference in the lives of others”. While no one can predict the future of this new mixed martial art, one thing is for sure, Dōshu Colangelo is a pioneer and innovator with the courage, confidence and passion enough to create a truly mixed martial art for everyone – and a “Civilized mixed martial Art” at that.
For more information go to www.gojiubujitsu.com.
