Tiff Forbes

2021-02-11T14:14:20

It’s been a long road to get back on campus and if you’re anything like Monash’s Jiu-jitsu club, we know you’re itching to get back into the swing of things.

Surpassing their usual o-week start date, the Jiu-jitsu club are now in their fifth week back eagerly hosting events, try-outs and even a beginner’s course for those who want to dabble in some jiu-jitsu basics!

Having been online for the majority of 2020, the club managed to host regular online Q&A’s with senior instructors and conduct remote social events, including games nights and martial arts movie nights to foster the sense of community that we all know is so important to the club experience.

Club president Dan Prager said he hopes to continue on this upwards trajectory for 2021, now that restrictions have eased and the club is back on campus, with frequent social events and seminars.

“Already, we've had a pizza night in late January, and will have more social events throughout the year. Prior to 2020 we've done bowling, rock climbing, laser tag, movie nights (including pretty much every John Wick movie), escape rooms, and games nights. While most of our activity revolves around training, occasional competitions and martial arts seminars, the club has been particularly successful in fostering friendships that span current students and alumni who have continued to train and support the club, including most of our instructors.”

Aside from nurturing existing connections, the club’s other main focus for semester one is to make jiu-jitsu more accessible for students who may not have ever done the sport before, but would like to give it a go in both a fun and safe environment.

“We're offering a fantastic deal for students who want to learn Japanese jiu-jitsu and self-defence in a structured, supportive and fun atmosphere: $100 (instead of $150) as a special offer in semester one (including the lead-up to semester one and membership), training up to twice a week. Students can try out a class for free before signing up for the rest of the semester,” Dan said.

New member, Sandra Bateman has taken full advantage of the free try-out class, originally starting jiu-jitsu to learn something new. She now “enjoys attending the club as the trainers are friendly and welcoming. The skills taught during classes are practical and good to have because jiu-jitsu is great for self defense. It’s perfect for those who love good company and a well-rounded workout,” she said.

If you want to get involved, the club will be offering a three-class $30 beginner's pass for prospective students to get an introduction to jiu-jitsu before signing up for the whole semester.

During these classes you’ll go over the foundations of Jiu-jitsu:

– Learning to break-fall and roll safely, necessary in order to receive throws safely
– Throwing techniques (similar to Judo)
– Restraint and control techniques (similar to Aikido)
– Ground grappling (similar to Brazilian Jiu-jitsu)
– Escapes from common attacks
– Self-defence applications of all of the above

Register your expression of interest here.

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