Although small circle jujitsu appears to be slowly dying, I think there needs to be a more definitive account as to why it is BS. I have found some tidbits on the internet but nothing that really explains everything.
I’ll provide both public facts that anyone can look up on the internet as well as my experience.
For those short on time, just consider the following:
- Ed claims on his website that “Sensei Melaugh was promoted by Professor Jay to Ninth Degree Black Belt 1/23/16 in Small Circle Jujitsu”
But…Wally Jay died in 2011.
On the old forum someone suggested it might be a typo with the date, but the Wayback Machine shows that this “Ninth Degree Black Belt” wasn’t on his website prior to January 2016, so it could not have been a typo.
- A search on Smoothcomp for “small” or “scjj” or “small circle jujitsu” turns up no dojo that teaches small circle jujitsu. Smoothcomp is a database that tracks pretty much all grappling tournaments including the popular NAGA tournaments as well.
I can understand a jujitsu studio not doing MMA tournaments, but to not even participate in grappling tournaments…?
- Small circle jujitsu movements require “sensitivity” (https://smallcirclejujitsu.evolutionxma.com/the-principles/).
However, the fight or flight reponse we all experience under stress such as violence results in a loss of “fine motor control.”
If you watch any videos of small circle jujitsu, you will see just how complex the movements are. They not only require considerable sensitivity to your opponents movements, they depend on “pain compliance.” Pain compliance in general is questionable with an opponent also experiencing an adrenaline dump and / or the effects of drugs or alcohol.
To say nothing of fighters who have continued fighting with a broken finger, wrist, or arm.
- Despite being in business since 1990, he has a whole 3 reviews on Google, none of them particularly compelling:
- one from his own wife
- one that just says “I’ve been to many martial arts schools”
- one that mentions the not so insignificant fact that students don’t compete and Ed has no fighting record or experience in the military or law enforcement:
"The school is supposedly all about “street practical self defense” but they do not compete in MMA or grappling tournaments such as NAGA.
Ed is dedicated and knows his jujitsu but he has no actual fighting experience or military or law enforcement experience."
I studied at his dojo as a kid (ages 10-16) many years ago.
At 16, I had, shall we say, a learning experience when I got into a fight and lost so badly that I had to be taken away in an ambulance. I was a bloody mess and my 6 years of jujitsu training was useless in defending what is probably the most common scenario you can face - a barrage of punches. The punches were powerful enough such that I lost a front tooth and had to replace two more front teeth.
I returned to training one last time after I healed sufficiently despite my experience because like a lot of gullible people I completely blamed myself for losing the fight. Ed was not at all sympathetic or encouraging and basically shamed me for getting into a fight. That was the last time I went to class. Ed often referred to his students as “family” but he never reached out to me when I didn’t come back despite having studied with him for over 6 years.
Needless to say, this experience destroyed my confidence and made me a social outcast in high school as well. I ended up running away from home in part from the social problems this caused for me. And while I ultimately returned to school, I ended up dropping out despite being a good student.
Replacing teeth is extremely expensive and time consuming. I did not fully repair the dental damage from this experience until I was approximately 30 years old. It cost about $20,000 as well which played a big role in having to file bankruptcy as a young adult as well.
We often read in the abstract about how bad training can get students hurt or killed but you rarely hear from these actual people whose martial arts failed them or what “hurt” actually means. It can cause a domino effect in all aspects of life that takes many years to fix.
It’s so nice to see a forum (and its predecessor Forums - Bullshido - The Art of Fighting BS) dedicated to fighting the BS in martial arts.
I hope anyone thinking of signing up for any dojo teaching circle jujitsu will come across this thread. I paid a lot in money and blood to find out what others shouldn’t have to.
I don’t study martial arts anymore but I’ll keep an eye on this thread and answer any questions should anyone have any.
Below are important screenshots just in case they are ever removed from the internet.
