There are lots of parallels between your karate journey and my BJJ journey. The 90s in BJJ were a lot like the late 60s or early 70s in karate, without mainstream TV shows blowing up striking martial arts (Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and then a later generation during the 80s changed everything). BJJ changed with its first appearance on cable TV with the reality shot The Ultimate Fighter around 2005.
I have a buddy who runs a gym he founded in 1997, which is mind-blowing to me. Maybe 1/100th as many people were training jiu jitsu back then as compared to today, and that might even be generous. My own gym dates to 2006, and that is considered old by American jiu jitsu standards.
I was last student at my local Kugb club. Indeed I informed Kugb HQ that the company we utilised the space was relocating. Now I drive 80miles twice a week to train. I could switch affiliations to HDKI but I don't want to. Luckily the drive is worth it, my club has a 6th and 5th Dan teachers who are very good. Different emphasis and styles, but they compliment each other nicely. I guess Dojos come and go. Even Enoeda Sensei lost Marshall St, albeit he was very ill by then. Its cycle of life. Hopefully new clubs will open and keep spreading the faith.
Things change, time moves on. It's a pity we don't value the cultural capital of such places.
Many years back I used to go to Wigan Casino as part of the Northern Soul scene, now long gone. There was a documentary in which the presenter was lamenting the passing of the old Casino while he was walking across the demolition rubble on the old site in Wigan. I was thinking about that when I was writing about Mansfield.
Yes it's inevitable. Such is the way of things. I like bit northern soul too when mood takes me. Craig Charles does lot that on his radio show I think. Everything is transient. Humans. Planets. Stars. Galaxies. All just passing by..
This is too bad Tim . Our Derby club had a close relationship with the Mansfield club back in the day.
There are lots of parallels between your karate journey and my BJJ journey. The 90s in BJJ were a lot like the late 60s or early 70s in karate, without mainstream TV shows blowing up striking martial arts (Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and then a later generation during the 80s changed everything). BJJ changed with its first appearance on cable TV with the reality shot The Ultimate Fighter around 2005.
I have a buddy who runs a gym he founded in 1997, which is mind-blowing to me. Maybe 1/100th as many people were training jiu jitsu back then as compared to today, and that might even be generous. My own gym dates to 2006, and that is considered old by American jiu jitsu standards.
I was last student at my local Kugb club. Indeed I informed Kugb HQ that the company we utilised the space was relocating. Now I drive 80miles twice a week to train. I could switch affiliations to HDKI but I don't want to. Luckily the drive is worth it, my club has a 6th and 5th Dan teachers who are very good. Different emphasis and styles, but they compliment each other nicely. I guess Dojos come and go. Even Enoeda Sensei lost Marshall St, albeit he was very ill by then. Its cycle of life. Hopefully new clubs will open and keep spreading the faith.
Things change, time moves on. It's a pity we don't value the cultural capital of such places.
Many years back I used to go to Wigan Casino as part of the Northern Soul scene, now long gone. There was a documentary in which the presenter was lamenting the passing of the old Casino while he was walking across the demolition rubble on the old site in Wigan. I was thinking about that when I was writing about Mansfield.
Yes it's inevitable. Such is the way of things. I like bit northern soul too when mood takes me. Craig Charles does lot that on his radio show I think. Everything is transient. Humans. Planets. Stars. Galaxies. All just passing by..