I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately on various disciplines of martial arts, in order to pick one to complement the Krav Maga training I’ve been doing.

As an intermediate level belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, I’d already decided that this one was “probably not for me” as I preferred a discipline relying more on technique rather than force.

Judo was the one that most caught my eye.  Even its translation, “the gentle way”, embodies what I’m looking for — a soft martial art.  Rather than focusing on strength and force, judo incorporates joint locks and manipulations, grappling techniques — where, rather than using your own strength, you use your opponent’s strength against them.  Judo techniques became the foundation for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Last night my Krav Maga instructor and I were discussing the incorporation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques in Krav, and he  told me that although I viewed my size as a disadvantage, I had an advantage:  a lower, more stable center of gravity.  I like his glass-half full approach to my shortcomings.

So, in my research of Judo, I came across a quote by Kyozu Mifune, someone regarded as “the greatest judo technician” (after the founder).

He said:

“Judo rests on flexible action of mind and body. The word flexible however never means weakness but something more like adaptability and openmindedness. Gentleness always overcomes strength.”

I like this.  I mean think about it, flexible is not weak.  On the contrary, it is those who stand rigid and tall that will first be blown down in a storm.  We make alloys in order to counteract the brittleness of certain independent metals. When you learn to fall in martial arts, you learn to not only “break your fall” but incorporate the actual movement of falling into continuous motion.  (Rolls, throws, etc.)  You don’t just fall flat and lay there, you need to be flexible.  Flexibility of mind, that is another story; in fact its probably even harder to achieve than flexibility of body.  Adapting to situations, admitting you are wrong, accepting that there is always someone who knows more and can teach you something.

But like every muscle in your body, the mind can adapt and grow too — use it or lose it.

Other blogs of interest:  Mental Plasticity