Friday, January 06, 2023
For two years, my journey into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu felt like a slow crawl. Training once a week with my karate brother John Manley kept the techniques in my head, but my body was losing the battle. Between 2022 and 2023, I endured twelve outpatient surgeries for internal bleeding. There were weeks where I couldn’t even stand on the mats; I taught my karate classes from a chair, watching my students move while I remained anchored by recovery.
I was beginning to think that BJJ might be a bridge too far for a 47-year veteran with a surgically repaired body. That was until my son, Curtis, called with an idea that would change the trajectory of my training.
The New Room
Curtis had heard about a new Jiu-Jitsu school in the area. The “selling point” was a bit of local legend: a massive State Trooper we knew had gone there, only to have his metaphorical “butt kicked” by the coach’s 16-year-old daughter. Curtis wanted to see it for himself. I told him, “If the doctor releases me, I’m in.”
In October 2022, we walked onto those mats with a combined 72 years of martial arts experience, yet we were immediately met with a “baptism by fire.” This wasn’t the methodical, familiar pace I was used to. It felt like these practitioners were trying to kill us—and for someone just released for “light activity,” it was a shock to the system.
The High School Connection
Despite the intensity, something clicked. Curtis signed up, and he signed up my granddaughter as well. I followed suit, moving from a once-a-week struggle to a three-night-a-week routine.
The coach, Bryce Leming, was a familiar face—someone my sons had gone to high school with, someone who had been in my home years ago. Whether out of respect for the “old sensei” or a genuine challenge to see what I had left, Bryce took an interest. He began training with me on Sundays, pushing me beyond the limits I had set for myself during my surgeries.
The Return of Comradery
Any progress I have made in this new chapter is purely through Bryce’s efforts and the environment Josh has built at the club. Even with the owner, Josh, sidelined by knee surgery, the culture on the mats is undeniable.
I am in better shape now than I have been in years. But more importantly, I’ve found something I haven’t felt since the “Old Komakai” days: true comradery. There is a unique bond formed when you are pushed to your physical limit by people who respect your history but refuse to go easy on you because of it.
Conclusion: Still on the Mat
I am no longer the man in the chair. I am a student again, getting pushed, getting better, and rediscovering the fire that started back in 1977. In the martial arts, we often say the belt doesn’t matter—but the sweat, the recovery, and the people who stand beside you on the mat? That is where the “Do” (the Way) truly lives.
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