# Welcome to a new Jujutsu Brown Belt!



## Makalakumu (Aug 10, 2010)

I've quietly been training in Dan Zan Ryu Jujutsu for the past couple of years in Hawaii.  Previously, I trained in this system for four years in Minnesota, but had to start over as a white belt at my Hawaiian Dojo.  My sensei has been advancing me slowly back up to my previous rank as I've learned how to do things Hawaiian Style.  

This weekend, at our annual summer camp, he promoted me to brown belt (my previous rank in the art) and I am proud of myself for starting over and humbling myself to relearn the system.  It's been an interesting journey and I've learned a lot along the way.


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## Sukerkin (Aug 10, 2010)

Well done, *Mauna*!  :applause:


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## Brian R. VanCise (Aug 10, 2010)

Congratulations!!!


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## Manny (Aug 10, 2010)

Congratulations and a humble person as you are is the best student, keep on the hard work, I can guarantee you will become an excelent black belt.

Manny


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## MJS (Aug 10, 2010)

Thats awesome!!  Congrats!!!!!:ultracool


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 10, 2010)

Congratulations


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## Makalakumu (Aug 10, 2010)

I really like this form of jujutsu.  It's gravity based, as in, you clinch, lock something in, and then throw, letting gravity do the dirty work for you.  You couldn't really do these things in competition because your opponent would be permanently injured, therefore our randori is pretty limited.  We grapple and do some stand-up, but it's not the focus as it is in other styles of jujutsu.  

This style has proven to be a good fit with my karate background.  A lot of the tuite and tegumi applications in our kata are represented in the two person kata that this system practices.  Some days, I feel like I am practicing the same art.  

Anyway, we'll see how long it takes for me to reach shodan.  I will be relearning an advanced list and learning and entirely new list of kappo, massage, and bone setting techniques.  Dan Zan Ryu is particularly known for these lists and this is one of the reasons I started taking the art.

I told sensei that this was one of the major reasons I wanted to join the dojo.  He started me at white belt and I waited for two years despite having a brown belt in the same system, but at a different dojo.  I'm still here and training and still serious about learning.


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## skeksi (Aug 22, 2010)

It's great that you were patient enough and willing to start back at white belt with this dojo. Your mastery as a brown belt now probably far exceeds the mastery you had before, yeah? Good job.


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