New video of Teruo Chinen

Right now, I'm in my infectious disease class watching a boring video about the man who discovered the vaccine for small pox. I want to write about the tournament; however, I want to post a video about Sensei Chinen's dojo instead because I want to close that window in my internet browser.



I'm posting this because this it a good reminder for me what it was like training in Chinen's dojo. I recognize the participants doing moving attack. I haven't went through that in a few years now. I forget the stance kata, the fukukatas, and moving attack. That's the problem when one doesn't do kata. I hardly practice Gekisai Dai Ichi and Ni, Saifa, and Seiyunchin. I don't want to forget these kata though. I've spent way too much time trying to perfect them especially Saifa. However, I have forgotten a middle part of Saifa.

Chinen's dojo is very, very traditional. One good thing that I learned from that dojo is to bow in and out from the training floor. I also did that in Gene Villa's dojo. I do that sometimes in Paul Tom's dojo too. I've seen a few higher belts do that in his dojo. I only do what others do in different dojos. So, I've gotten out of the habit of bowing in and out.

Chinen doesn't explain very well. He expected us to copy his movement. I love Sensei Villa because he explained why we did things. In Chinen's dojo, whenever we kicked or punched, we would count in Japanese. I still remember how to count to ten. I've realized that I'm not big on watching other people train. I did that a lot in Chinen's and Roberto's dojo. At least, I was able to sit down and move around in Roberto's dojo. Chinen would have had my head cut off if I did that. Ha, ha. I still have those fond memories training in the Chinen's dojo. I loved it.

If I went to that dojo to train with the knowledge I have now, I wouldn't have trained there. He doesn't teach any techniques that could really work on a full resisting partner. I think it's really funny that Sensei Chinen says that he teaches self defense. I knew that was crap even when I was training there. I think its really funny that he says that they are a peaceful people in the video. That makes me laugh because they weren't peaceful at all when I trained. All of the black belts had huge egos especially Sempai John.

Sensei Chinen promotes people to black belt way too fast. I saw Sempai Diana and Sempai Eric have their black belt now. It's really weird seeing that many black belts because there isn't many in BJJ. I also saw Sempai Scott, Sempai Linda, and a few other from different dojos in the video. I'm realizing that it's a very good thing when a dojo kicks me out because both times, I found a place with a much better qualified instructor.