Here We Go Again... Bluming Sensei at Seattle Ju-Jutsu Club
April 14-15 2001

Contributed by Kevin Lam & Kaizen*

The path we decided to take on the weekend of April 14th & 15th, 2001 was not the typical journey for most aikidoka. We would travel through stylistic boarders into the world of Kodokan Judo and Kyokushin Kai Karate. We were to have the rare privilege to train with a man who most people have only read, or heard stories about. We would get the unique opportunity to see and train with a legendary modern Budoka we have only seen in historical photographs. So when the opportunity presented itself we jumped at the chance to attend a seminar by Jon Bluming Sensei the president of the International Budo Kai Kan.

For those of you unfamiliar with Bluming Sensei, he is a Kyokushin Kai Karate 10th Dan who studied directly under Mas Oyama Sensei, and Kenji Kurosaki Sensei. Bluming Sensei is also a Kodokan Judo 9th Dan who studied directly under Kyuzo Mifune Sensei and the teaching staff of the Kenshusei classes at the Kodokan. Other Sensei that Bluming Sensei studied with includes Donn Draeger Sensei, and Ichitaro Kuroda Sensei.

As a Dutch 3rd Dan in Judo Jon Bluming Sensei went to study in Japan from 1959 - 1961. There he laid the foundation for a life long career in martial arts by studying endlessly with many of the best Sensei and practitioners of Japanese Budo. The names of the famous Budoka he has trained with over the years are too numerous to list in this small article. For those of you who are interested in learning more about the history of Bluming Sensei, I suggest you go to the EJMAS.COM website were you can read articles and obtain a copy of the book The History of Jon Bluming: From Street Punk to Tenth Dan.

As we arrived at the Seattle Ju-Jutsu Club dojo which is located in the back of an old warehouse we knew that this was going to be a unique weekend seminar. The small rustic tatame dojo was precisely the kind of place I have found in the past to be the most fun. Nothing fancy or elaborate, just a good place for a small dedicated group of students to come and train.

The first thing that has to be most notable about Bluming Sensei is his sheer size. It's no wonder that he has been called "The Beast of Amsterdam". Even at age sixty-eight he is still a large and formidable man. But once you begin to spend any time around Bluming Sensei it is clear that his charismatic and energetic personality stand out more than anything else. He has a way of telling stories that creates great visualizations for the listener. In addition he has a blunt straight forwardness that may be a bit shocking for some. We couldn't help but notice that this is the first seminar that we attended in which there was a warning to the participants about the frequent outspoken nature of the instructor who was rarely politically correct. In truth I found his honesty to be refreshing and at times entertaining. We never had a moment where we wondered what he really thought about something or someone.

Bluming Sensei began the seminar by first explaining that what he teaches is a full circle of unarmed fighting. It is neither Kodokan Judo nor Kyokushin Kai Karate. Instead he teaches one-third karate and kickboxing, one third of throwing consisting of seven techniques, and one third of Newaza or groundwork. Bluming Sensei explained how he believed that you had to keep honesty in your technique or it was just a bunch of waving arms and legs. First you must see if you are really in range to do the technique, then can you do it with real power and effectiveness. Finally what are your openings as you execute the technique? Bluming Sensei made it clear that he strongly disliked technique being practiced in a way that does not have honest potential inside of it.

We started by working our way through various striking and blocking drills. It was interesting to see how students of the seminar reacted to the impact that was involved even with light contact. Bluming Sensei was clearly giving people what he considered to be harmless taps. But it was obvious to those observing that the strikes and blocks had plenty of potential for severe damage.

The striking techniques that we practiced emphasized a progression that allowed us to go through different ranges and close the distance to our uke. We practiced a maegeri (front snap kick) to the groin or a Thai kick to the thigh for our farthest range. Bluming Sensei showed us how the Thai kick could effectively be use at three ranges of attack. We learned how to change the extension and point of impact in our kick in order to adjust to the spacing of uke. We practiced striking to the head with the hands both open and in a fist for a medium range attack. Then we got into elbow strikes once we were in close to uke. Bluming Sensei stressed the need to use a pulsing rhythm in our techniques to make them more effective. He also discussed the need to stay loose and use the power generated by our hips.

The second stage of Bluming Sensei's system would take us into an entanglement that allowed us to throw uke. Only seven throwing techniques are taught in his system. They will be very straightforward for anyone who has a Judo background. These throws include:

• Ukigoshi
• Ogoshi
• Haraigoshi
• Osotogari
• Ipponseoinage
• Kosotogari
• Deashigake

For the third stage in the circle we worked on the Newaza or groundwork portion of Bluming Senseis system by practicing pinning and locking flow drills. This was very useful in that we not only learned the individual locks and pins to be used. But we also learned some simple progressions of the various techniques.

We practiced the components needed to strike, enter and throw, then finish with a pin or lock. Put together we learned to progress through the full circle of Bluming Senseis system.

As Bluming Sensei demonstrated his techniques and explained his philosophy he continually used stories of his experiences to get you to understand how he came about developing his methods and how he actually applied them. This type of teaching allowed us to learn about the specific techniques, but also the history and nature of the man who was teaching. His stories included humor and heart felt intensity that will be remembered.

A most unique component of the seminar were the budoka who trained at the seminar. This seminar contained one of the most eclectic groups of people we have trained with. With only twenty-six people who participated in the training, there were practitioners of Kyokushin Kai Karate, Kodokan Judo, Gojo Ryu, Yabe Ryu Jujutsu, Danzan Ryu Jujutsu, Brazilian Jujutsu, Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu, and Aikido. One of the things that Bluming Sensei stressed during the seminar is his hope that Budoka could stop bickering and set aside political and stylistic differences. To learn and train together giving each other support as fellow martial artists. In his efforts to support this type of collaboration between Budoka, Bluming Sensei announced the establishment of a branch of the Kyokushin Budo Kai Kan here in the northwest. Members of the advisory board would include Joseph Svinth Sensei, Neil Yamamoto Sensei, and Kregg Jorgenson Sensei. Judging from the spectrum of Budoka in attendance and the successful training that took place at the seminar, I think it's fair to say that Bluming Sensei's wish had already begun to be accomplished.

Another noteworthy event at the seminar was the presentation of the Forgotten Hero Award to Jon Bluming Sensei by Kregg Jorgenson a senior editor with Behind the Lines magazine. Bluming Sensei was the first recipient of this award. Only five medals like this will be issued each year.

During the Korean War Jon Bluming Sensei served in a Battalion of the Dutch Army that was attached to the US Second Infantry Division. At seventeen years old Jon Bluming Sensei was a Private who served two tours of combat; the wounds he received in combat would earn him three Purple Hearts and the Combat Infantryman's Badge. It should be noted that the Dutch soldiers were involved in some of the heaviest fighting in and around Hoengsong and Wonju. Near Outpost Erie, Bluming Sensei and another Dutch soldier, Hans Crebas, recovered wounded GIs that had been ambushed. They had carried them from the ambush site back across the deadly No-Man's Land. An American General and a Korean General observed the rescue; they had asked the two men their names so that they could be put in for medals. Unfortunately their Outpost was hit with over 1,0000 rounds of incoming mortar and artillery the very next day. Jon Bluming Sensei was wounded and evacuated to Japan. As a result he never received the well earned medal.

The presentation of this award was something that was obviously very touching to Bluming Sensei. The fact that someone still remembers after all this time must have been very meaningful. It seemed like the recognition for his bravery and selflessness was long over due.

The Forgotten Hero Award was conceived to recognize the heroes who earned medals but have never received them for one reason or another. The next recipient of the award will be Riley Cox for his actions as a Ranger during the Vietnam War. Mr. Cox is currently being considered for the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Nearly everything about this seminar was very different than the typical Aikido seminar. For precisely that reason we found it to be a very enjoyable and valuable experience. If you have never attended a seminar outside of your own style or even organization, do so! Getting exposure to a quality Sensei is always beneficial to your development. It does not matter if they have the same Shihan as you, or even if they do the same type of movements as you. There is knowledge and experience there with lessons to be learned. We truly hope that Bluming Sensei's wish can be realized so that martial artists can stop focusing on the differences and pay more attention to the similarities and simply work to make each other better. If that isn't a lesson in Aikido we don't know what is.

This seminar was co-sponsored by Electronic Journals of Martial Arts and Sciences (EJMAS) and the Seattle Ju-Jutsu Club. For those of you who are unfamiliar with EJMAS, it is a collection of electronic journals that can be found at http://ejmas.com. It is filled with excellent articles that offer a wealth of information. EJMAS is organized by Joseph Svinth. We highly recommend that you check out this resource on the web.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Seattle Ju-Jutsu Club dojo, it is at 3605 34th Ave. S. in Seattle just off Rainier Ave southeast of the International District. Aaron Fields Sensei is the chief instructor at the Seattle Ju-Jutsu Club now in its 3rd year. Fields Sensei primarily teaches Yabe Ryu Jujutsu and Judo. He has also studied and includes in his teaching Mongolian wrestling that he learned in Mongolia.

Special thanks must be given to Joseph Svinth Sensei and Neil Yamamoto Sensei for all their efforts in organizing this unique seminar. In addition thanks and appreciation must also be given for the invite and all their generosity and hospitality which made possible the gathering of the facts for this article. Thanks to Kregg Jorgenson for his assistance in gathering all the information on the military background. We must also extend thanks to Arron Fields Sensei for his hospitality. We hope to have the opportunity to visit his dojo again in the future. It was great to meet all of the different practitioners at the seminar, hopefully our paths will cross again. Of course our utmost gratitude must be extended to Jon Bluming Sensei for his willingness to travel so far and share his experience and hopes with us here in Seattle.

The opinions and views shared in this article are solely those of the authors. None of the statements are the views of Bu Jin Design, Aikido Schools of Ueshiba, Aikido Eastside, EJMAS, Seattle Ju-Jutsu Club, Arron Fields Sensei, Joseph Svinth Sensei, Neil Yamamoto Sensei, the International Budo Kai Kan, or Jon Bluming Sensei. Any mistakes or misinterpretations are the sole responsibility of the authors.