training shooto in japan

Originally, I wanted to train Muay Thai but having found the gym I was told about to be a little suspect and bloody expensive I chose to go my second choice and train at a place that teaches, as a work mate put it "submission fighting". Having only a little knowledge of MMA through my limited exposure to the UFC I was totally unaware of what I was going to get involved in and what this submission fighting was.

Having only been in Japan for a month or so now, my Japanese was very limited and I was a little worried as to how I was going to communicate with the guys if they couldn't speak any English. As I walked up the flight of stairs onto the first floor and into the gym I was greeted by all in the gym by an casual "ussss". The gym as I put it was little more than small converted office space. The linoleum floor had been covered by thick padded vinyl matting and the walls covered with thick tatame covered padding. A large punching bag was leaned up against a wall and there was a shelf with gloves and padding. Apart from that the room was bare bar a few posters of the byms fighters adorning the walls.

In my best attempt at broken Japanese I asked if this was paraestra and how much it would cost to join up. The guys there at the time didn't speak a lot of English but I managed to find out that it would cost me 10,000 yen to join up and 10,000 per month for six days worth of training. Having no other words in my Japanese vocabulary I did a lot of smiling which was returned and I was offered a seat to watch the class.

The class started casually at 7pm with guys trickling in after that well up 8pm. Each person was greeted with an "ussss" as they entered. All involved geared up either on the mats or in the closet/change room and proceeded to warm up. As I watched these guys shadow box I was intrigued by the lack of structure the class had as opposed to the more traditional arts where the students all face the teacher and are all in rank and file. Guided only by a timer which was set for 4 minute rounds with a one minute break inbetween, these guys shadow boxed and train thai pads for the first hour or so of the class.

At this time I was lucky enough to meet a Japanese bloke who had spent the last two years in New York so his English was pretty much perfect. He informed me that the gym trained in two styles: BJJ and shooto and that the head instructor was away in Brazil competing BJJ.

"Shooto, what's that?? is it Karate??". "Just watch and see" was the reply I got.

At around 8pm the guys started sparring and it was here that I got my first live taste of MMA. I watched almost entranced as two guys padded up went hell for leather at, throwing everything they had in their arsenal (bar elbows) at each other. This was intense, I had trained Wing Chun and had sparred before but never at the intensity these guys were going at it. Instantly I was hooked. I sat and watched the remainder of the class which finished at 10pm and was approached by a few of the guys there. Intrigued by the fact that although I looked Japanese, I was from Australia I awkwardly carried on conversations with some of the guys. The atmosphere was very friendly and I also got to watch the instructor of this particular nights class have a few rounds on the pads. An awesome sight.

At this time I also found out that a majority of the guys train to become pro shooto fighters. The instructor that night a young guy 19 years old no less was an amatuer shooto fighter and had won his last four fights by knockout. He also told me he didn't like to grapple and relied purely on his punching skill... I left the gym that night inspired to train.

My first actual class the following week was somewhat of a disappointment as they put me in a corner and made me go through basic punches and kicks. I did it in earnest biding my time and to show that I was willing to train hard. At 8pm once again the sparring class started and I sparred with the same bloke I had spoken to the week before and we went at it at a slow pace. He also began showing me some take down techniques and some BJJ moves. I had never done any of these moves before and they were new to me but the guys were all eager and willing enough to train with me. Inbetween the rounds or whenever I was tired I would chat or watch the countless number of videos they had of shooto and pride fights.

In the beginning, the guys and two girls were a little shy and unreceptive to me but as time went on I was welcomed and accepted by all there. I eventually met the owner and head trainer of the gym Hiroshi Tsuruya, a retired Class A pro shooto fighter and BJJ player. An extremely nice guy that never let language get in the way of teaching. I also met some of the other instructors, Shibuya-san: a BJJ purist and Ryota Matsune, current Bantam weight Class A Shooto World Champ.

Classes were held 6 days a week with Hiroshi Tsuruya taking the BJJ classes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Ryota Matsune taking classes Monday and Wednesday in grappling and striking. Friday classes were for striking. All classes started at 7pm and after 8pm were open to whatever you wanted to do til 10pm. Gi training or no-gi were allowed all days.

I trained there for four months before having to return back to australia. It was the best four months of martial arts experience I've ever had and I've made friends I will never forget (regardless of language). What the gym lacks in facilities (well its matted and there are pads what more could you ask for really) it makes up for in heart. There were always guys there willing to train hard or soft and there were no ego's whatsoever. You pushed yourself and you trained at your own pace the perfect learning environment.