Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed being offered Jiu-Jitsu training

chinto

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cool for exercise, I would say something else on top of it minimum for self defense use.. but cool!
 

Steve

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cool for exercise, I would say something else on top of it minimum for self defense use.. but cool!
In a story like this, where battle tested warriors are convalescing with BJJ to gain strength, dexterity and relieve stress after losing a limb or limbs, what sort of self defense training do you think would be appropriate?
 

chinto

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In a story like this, where battle tested warriors are convalescing with BJJ to gain strength, dexterity and relieve stress after losing a limb or limbs, what sort of self defense training do you think would be appropriate?

I think it is a great thing that they are training in it. I just think that they may need more then that.. as to the adjunct training I would say Most of the arts that are based on staying on their feet.. and we have in our dojo and instructor who is short a leg, I think he is one of the very best in the dojo and one of the last any one should try on the street! but like I said, great thing for strength, that kind of work out is very intensive for much of the body.

on the street you do not want to go to the ground if you can help it... they do not ever seem to come in singles, so when your working on the ground his buddy is trying to kick your head in or your kidneys or ribs, or stick a blade in you .. all bad things.

by the way I know some of the soldiers and sailors who have been there in the sand box, and most do not have as much unarmed combat training as most starting police. sad but on the other hand understandable, they are there to use their weapons not unarmed combat.

A lot of people who loose a limb do doubt that they can do somethings. I think BJJ and something like jujutsu ( samurai type ) or Karate or Kali or any number of systems that are very very street effective would be good to. Some of them provably have training in one of them already, and getting them back into that system's training along with the BJJ might be a very good psychological and moral builder in combination with the Bjj.
 

Steve

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You missed my point. I'm not going to argue whether or not BJJ is good for self defense. I am not interested in debating the point in general, but specifically in this thread. What I'm asking is, in this context, why do you think a comment about self defense training is appropriate or relevant? In other words, these are warriors who have been injured in battle and are recovering from grievous injury that includes loss of limb. Do you honestly believe that they're at all interested in self defense training? That they laying in bed thinking, "Man. I wish I knew how to defend myself better."

As an aside, it struck me as morbidly humorous that you're talking about how it's better to stay on one's feet for self defense when many of these soldiers no longer have feet.
 

teekin

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The Point is that BJJ teaches you how to move in 3D again, how to predict the motion of objects in 3D space, it helps brain mapping for those of us with traumatic brain injuries. For amputies it will teach them how to move that limb, for someone with dimished phisical capabilities in a limb due to reconstruction, like me, it teaches you how to move that limb in new ways and allows for brain mapping of that new way.

There are some new drugs out that will help this process. I have started to take one. I will look at adding a second one in about 2 weeks. Oddly Katate Kata is also good for developing new brain mapping.
 

JohnEdward

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I think it is great. BJJ being the ground, offers an opportunity to train for some types of leg amputees, whereas, other martial arts may not. And wrestling offers the same advantages over other martial arts as well.
 

chinto

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no I do not think they are saying " I need to learn more self defense", more that most special operations personal, and many combat arms personal as well as other MOS's take a style they see as good for self defense before they are in the military or while they are in the military. (most special ops take one while in the military )
so having them in a system that they have some training already in is a good thing for several reasons. one it should show them they still can do that activity, and two its something they more often then not enjoyed a lot before the injury. So its one more building block on the road back to recovery with that added bit of perhaps a comfort zone included in it.

oh I am not saying BJJ is not a good thing, Just that a lot of people who have experience in martial arts have it in other styles. some of them may find that a comfort zpne to be in a familiar art, and there is nothing to say that you can not add it if it seems helpful. neurological injury's are very individual from what little I know of them. the same mechanism of injury may have two very different effects post trauma on two different people. One may be markedly more injured then even the man next to him. so anything that does help is a great thing. I would say that the impute of neurologists and some of the rehabilitation specialists is going to be a huge factor in what should be included.. either way it will be good exercise and should over time improve mobility and a lot of things.
 

chinto

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In a story like this, where battle tested warriors are convalescing with BJJ to gain strength, dexterity and relieve stress after losing a limb or limbs, what sort of self defense training do you think would be appropriate?

many have training in a martial art. going back to that art if possible, as they provably enjoyed it would be a good thing. It would be a comfort zone to some as well. But it all depends on extent of injury and things too. if they were say one of the jujitsu's like diato ryu, or Karate, or kali, or what ever art they did before would be a good choice. not saying BJJ is not good, just that most provably did not train in it before.
 

Steve

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many have training in a martial art. going back to that art if possible, as they provably enjoyed it would be a good thing. It would be a comfort zone to some as well. But it all depends on extent of injury and things too. if they were say one of the jujitsu's like diato ryu, or Karate, or kali, or what ever art they did before would be a good choice. not saying BJJ is not good, just that most provably did not train in it before.

So, you're critical of this program? I don't get it. Are you suggesting that, despite the positive results, that BJJ wasn't a good choice? Are you aware that BJJ is a part of army combatives and mcmap, and that it's actually very likely that the soldiers have some foundation in BJJ?
 

oftheherd1

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The Point is that BJJ teaches you how to move in 3D again, how to predict the motion of objects in 3D space, it helps brain mapping for those of us with traumatic brain injuries. For amputies it will teach them how to move that limb, for someone with dimished phisical capabilities in a limb due to reconstruction, like me, it teaches you how to move that limb in new ways and allows for brain mapping of that new way.

There are some new drugs out that will help this process. I have started to take one. I will look at adding a second one in about 2 weeks. Oddly Katate Kata is also good for developing new brain mapping.

Stay with it, stay strong, and good fortune. I sense the first two are part of your make up.
 

Tez3

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So, you're critical of this program? I don't get it. Are you suggesting that, despite the positive results, that BJJ wasn't a good choice? Are you aware that BJJ is a part of army combatives and mcmap, and that it's actually very likely that the soldiers have some foundation in BJJ?

I see your point totally and I do think chinto has missed it I'm afraid. We have various sports here for the battle wounded, all sorts of things from horse riding to sking, sailing, all the wheel chair sports (including dancing) and anything anyone can think to adapt, it's still a learning process. The point is that we can offer at least one martial art to wounded personnel to start their journey on. SD comes low on the list of priorities at the start of this for them, too many other problems to deal with for amputees first. I doubt all the wounded are going into this one style, it will be each to their own fancy but the fact that we have some who are getting something out of the training is wonderful.
 

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