A quote from Beau Young, son of Nat Young, ASP World Longboard Champion 2000 and 2003:
Later on, walking across the sand back to the van after an evening session in cobalt blue water over sifted flour sand, I ask Beau what he thinks the main difference between longboarders and shortboarders is.
“The difference of growing up a longboarder is that there is a lot more emphasis on family and friendship. Of community, of belonging. Shortboarders grow up so alone. Aggressive, with little or no thought of sharing. Only two things can come of that. Trophies and loneliness. Just ask Kelly Slater.”
I let that hang there.
He went on. “Plus, longboarding gives you a better relationship with the wave, and a better relationship with a wave will give you a better relationship with a woman. It’s more tango than mosh pit. A woman sees you longboard and she knows you can move with something, not just up against it.”
“In Deep, The Collected Surf Writings”, Matt George
As an Australian, I have spent many happy hours surfing in the ocean, the primordial amniotic fluid from which all life arose, on various types of surfboards and other surf craft, or bodysurfing. You can try to overpower the wave, or try to harmoniously channel the energy it gives you. Sometimes the wave denies you the luxury of choice.
I think there is a way, or ways, to train Jiu-jitsu and improve, without having to train only for competitions and always looking to dominate or impose your will on an opponent, but by treating it as a shared learning experience. More of the “gentle” or “soft” art it professes to be.
As a metaphor, the undercurrent of sexuality running through the quote is probably best not explored in the context of Jiu-Jitsu. That could get weird.
But the attitude of moving with the forces around you and not against them, taking what your training partner gives you rather than imposing your will on them, might be worth thinking about. Bringing a bit more of a Zen or yoga sensibility into your Jiu-jitsu practice, perhaps.
I was a hippie for a while in my teens and early twenties, and practiced Kung Fu. Later I became more of a punk and transitioned into Jiu-jitsu. Both sensibilities, hippie and punk, are about freedom.
As I continue to ride the energies of time and space, approaching my eighth decade on this planet, I seem to be getting back towards Zen sensibilities and the original promises of martial arts from the Shaolin temple, Kung Fu movies, and all that. Hippie stuff. The way many older surfers seem to enjoy longboards, at least, now and then.
Integration or regression? Time will tell, I guess.
It’s just a ride
Bill Hicks
A well put argument.