Tim Cartmell Interview

Here’s a link to an interview with one of my favourite martial artists Tim Cartmell by Budo videos;

http://www.budovideos.com/online/shows/rolledup/rolled-up-episode-27-tim-cartmell/

Please accept my apologies for my languid approach in bringing this to your attention. It’s been around for a while and although I saw (and enjoyed) it when it first appeared I failed to bring it to the attention of my readers here at that time.

A still taken from the interview

The interview covers his passion for & approach to, both Chinese martial arts and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Of the many nuggets worth mining in this half hour of screen-time I particularly enjoyed the insights into modern martial arts training by a long standing teacher of traditional arts.

Here’s a link to an overview on Tim Cartmell’s background in martial arts (c.1998);

http://www.shenwu.com/background.htm

…and his more recent Brazilian Jiu Jitsu history (which is also very impressive) you can catch a very short overview of, at the website for his current teaching position (at ACE Jiu Jitsu) here;

http://acejiujitsu.com/JiuJitsu/Instructors.aspx

Taken from a series called ‘Rolled up’ the video does have an emphasis on his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (including some clips on technique instruction), however I wanted to post this because I sincerely felt it worth the time of those training the Chinese martial arts as well.

I hope you enjoy.

Daoist Sage

Sometimes I think I might be a secret Daoist Sage. Secret, even to me. The Daoist writings that I’ve encountered have often been expressed with a profound simplicity. Don’t get me wrong, by ‘simple’ I do not mean lacking in depth, more… layered complexity perhaps. A simple, pure thought or idea that has profound & far reaching meaning.

This method enabled the legendary Daoist sages to wear a cloak of false idiocy with which they could shield themselves from the enquiries of the common folk only casually determined to pursue an answer. For me I wonder if it’s just that I’m simply an idiot or if I experience moments of profound wisdom in simple form.

Throughout my training I have had numerous moments of enlightenment (specifically regarding my martial arts training - Nirvana will have to wait!) that with hindsight seem profoundly obvious, simple perhaps. On occasion I’ll return from a session with my coach where I broke new ground and relay my thinking to the wife who will look at me with a ‘Really? How did you not see that before?’ kind of look (and sometimes phrase). It’s became such a reoccurring theme that I can now often recognize it before I speak to her and spare myself a scoffing glance with some restraint in sharing.


So should we share our breakthroughs or await enquiries? The latter might give us a profound illusion of sage-like wisdom (should the question relate to something we have already been enlightened on) whereas sharing upon realisation may reduce the quality of our company to others. Personally I feel this would prohibit my fleshing out the eureka moments as I find vocalizing thoughts helps me work through them but I must say that knowing that my long-suffering wife and friends are not into my passion for martial arts but are still able to give a sympathetic ear to my wandering ponderings makes me appreciate them all the more.