What can you learn from a video course? Well what can you learn from a book? The idea of a video course was something I played with tested and worked on in comparative but independent study. Ideally speaking you will get nothing out of the course which you will not be able to put into the course...
First off, Omoto Ryu Jujutsu is not so much a fixed art. It was taught differently under Sensei Martin then it was under Sensei Omoto. One focused on Kata (non-resistant training between Tori & Uke) and the other on Randori (free sparring). The Course starts out with baby steps and then throws you into the deep end of the pool...
10th Kyu: Focuses on Atemi, Taisabaki, Ukemi, Kamae & Taiso building up your body and requires a physical fitness test to begin this course...
9th Kyu: Focuses more on Atemi-waza punching and kicking techniques & Taisabaki body positioning... as well as closing the gab to get into infighting range.
8th Kyu: Focuses more on Atemi-waza for infighting knees and elbows, as well as defensive use for the knees and elbows. As fell as a much more difficult PFT (Physical Fitness Test)
7th Kyu: You learn to penetrate the guard move from striking range, to infighting range and then begin to study basic stand up grappling, choke holds, throws and joint-locks.
6th Kyu: This knowledge is expanded on and one now includes ground fighting and Ne-waza (ground techniques) for the standing joint locks and chokes.
5th Kyu: By now everything is a matter of pressure testing and simulated self-defense situations. Mixed with meditations, philosophy and strategy... Here a student is incouraged to begin to develop their own fighting styles and is competent at all three basic ranges of fighting; Striking, Infighting & Ground fighting.
4th Kyu: One polishes their jujutsu techniques adding handgun disarms and begins to get into the area of intonjutsu, hiding and escaping, basic survival skills like navigation by the sun or stars, making one's own compass, making shelter, trapping food and similar.
3rd Kyu: Again involves area of study such as handgun and knife disarms. Yogen, making pyrotechnic devices and formula, herbal medicines and so on. As well as expanding on one's jujutsu/taijutsu skills and training.
2nd Kyu: Draws us into the first two of the fundamental weapons shuriken and bojutsu. Here the student learns striking with the bo, jo, & hanbo as well as grappling and throwing weapons.
1st Kyu: Addresses the other two fundamental weapons, of tanto (knife) and kusari (chain). Expanded weapon disarms and the five element philosophy in regard to psychological manipulation and emotional weaknesses.
1st Dan: This is a very special rank only given at the end of the 3 day Boot Camp and a 24 hour, 25 mile survival evasion course. But one learns an expanded Kyusho Chart, the use of the Katana in Kenjutsu, Yarijutsu spear work and Kyujutsu the art of archery. Including principles of leadership and espionage.
So while this course is still in the works, the 8th Kyu will be ready by mid April, with the 7th Kyu out soon after... The basic principle is teach and demonstrate at the level I want to student to learn. It is one thing to copy route form via a DVD course and gain rank by remembering these forms. It is quite the other to teach principles and concepts as segments of a movement and polish them as the rank becomes higher... It is vitally more important, a student, for example, develop explosive power at the 9th Kyu stage of training and have imperfect form, then its to try to develop perfect form and not be able to generate the power explosively.
What you will get in this course is listed in a small part above... But what you take from is what you put in with hard work and desire to gain momentum for your own personal growth. The grade of Kyu literally means boy, these are the ranks and lessons of childhood in the tradition. At the grade of Dan literally meaning Man, one is considered an adult in the tradition. Here one moves beyond "basic techniques" just as an adult already knows the basic skills of childhood, tying one's shoes, reading, writing, math and history and is now seeking to apply that knowledge to one's life...
In time, I plan to develop a teaching course available to Shodan and higher belts. A 1st or 2nd Dan could promote students to the grade of 1st Kyu (and licensed as Assistant Instructors). At 3rd Dan they would be able to rank to 1st Dan running their own Boot camps and licensed instructors. 4th Dan would be licensed as Senior Instructors. Godan or 5th Dan would have full transmission of the art would be Masters or Master Instructors. But, all of this begins with hard work and firm resolve to practice and train alone... motivating yourself to be better and try harder then you did before.
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