Aikido

Led by: Huw David

Alright everyone.  So you've been taking martial arts that happliy engaged in smashing / grappling each other until someone passed out, tapped out or got knocked out.  Believe it or not, there isn't one person in this gym who hasn't complained at one point or another of some ailment or pain that was going to take them out of the training loop for a while.  After some number of accidents, it suddenly dawns that something has to change or you're not going to be able to do these things forever.

Enter Aikido.  To date, this art which is now being offered on Thursdays from 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM at Buckley Jiu-Jitsu is the only art we offer that has never had one injury.  Not one.  The reason is simple.  Aikido is an art that shows great concern for one's partner.  Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba who's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.  Aikido is performed by going with the motion of the attacker and redirecting them (generally toward the floor) using throws and/or joint locks.  That said; it can be performed by almost anyone so you don't have to worry about your size, strength or athletic ability.

Boxing

Led by: Dave "The Cannon" Kilgannon

 Although many fights end up on the ground, nearly all start on the feet, trading punches.  A good striker has a distinct advantage in any fight, whether on the street or in the ring, so we brought in this savage lookin' dude to help give you that advantage.  Brian Lidstone will hit you with some hard-core boxing to help you develop the skills and power you'll need to make you a serious contender.  Be prepared: this isn't boxercise - it's the real deal.  Sparring features large in this class.  The class is a 90 minute conditioning and skills extravaganza, complete with at least half an hour of sparring so you can put your new moves into action.

Check out the schedule page to see when Brian will be blazing away next, then e-mail info@buckleymma.ca  and let us know that you're interested in stepping into the ring!

If you want more information about the history of Boxing, here's the Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing  

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Led by: Geoff Sharman , Scott Lewis

Reality check everyone.  Many fights are going to end up on the ground.  Despite every fighter's best efforts, a trip to the ground can spell disaster if they have no submission skills or defence.  Enter Geoff Sharman.  Geoff has played both sides of the fence in his fight career as a striker and grappler.  He packs a Black belt in Tae Kwon Do, 5 years of Muay Thai experience and multiple wins on the provincial circuit in striking competition.  However, after a 5 year tour on the hard side of the mats with Esfiha in London Ontario and a meteoric rise to purple belt in short order by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu standards, Geoff's skills have set him apart.

With his experiences as both a striker and grappler, Geoff is able to bridge the gap and take fighters through a comprehensive tour of how they should carry themselves in both MMA and grappling contests.  His refreshingly easy going attitude when it comes to Jits gained him exceptional popularity on the mats at Buckley Jiu-Jitsu over the summer of 2008.  It's one thing to be able to twist an opponent into a pretzel with little effort but quite another to take a humble pill, talk your opponent through what's going on and apply techniques in a safe and controlled manner.

If BJJ is your thing, check out the schedule page to see when Geoff will be rolling next, then e-mail info@buckleymma.ca and let us know that you're interested in stepping on the mat!

If you want more information about the history of BJJ, here's the Wiki:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bjj

Canadian Jiu-Jitsu

Led by: Sensei Patrick Buckley

Whether you are looking to learn some seriously effective self-defence or want to train in the most devastating cage-fighting techniques, jiu-jitsu is your all around best choice.  It encompasses stand-up tactics, take-downs and ground fighting, ensuring that you have the skills you need no matter where the fight takes you.  Our roots may go back 2000 years, but what we teach today is a modern and adaptable art employed by police forces and military tactical units the world over.

In Canadian Jiu-Jitsu we use a belt rank system to break the syllabus into an easy to follow structure. Similar to other arts, all students start as white belts, and then progress through a specific set of techniques through the various belt colours. Advancement through the belt ranks is clearly defined and spelled out - gradings are held regularly, and you will always know the specific criteria you need to meet in order to earn your next belt.

What is jiu-jitsu?

We’re not going to give you some song and dance about how jiu-jitsu was the art of the samurai 2000 years ago. First of all, jiu-jitsu was not codified as a fighting art until the 1800s, and second of all – is it really relevant to you today how the Japanese warriors fought millennia ago? We have the utmost respect for the culture that spawned so many of today’s most effective marital arts and gave us the traditions and teachings that we value today; but make no mistake, modern jiu-jitsu as it is practiced and taught today has changed a lot since the warriors of feudal Japan spawned the art. So, what IS jiu-jitsu?

Jiu-jitsu is a modern, effective martial art encompassing stand up fighting, striking and blocks, takedowns, grappling and submissions.

What is Canadian Jiu-Jitsu?

Sounds like we just made that up, doesn’t it? Well, if you are interested in lineage, here’s the deal…

The art we teach is known elsewhere as Juko Ryu Jiu-Jitsu. We don’t use that term for two primary reasons; one, Juko Ryu is used as a copy written term by a group that we have no affiliation with, and two, the art we practice has been modified from the traditional Japanese art to make it more user friendly rather than adhering to the rigid style simply for the sake of tradition, and therefore it would be misleading to refer to it by the old name. For example, when blocking we use an inside hooking trap block (also called an S block) which allows the defender to simultaneously block a strike and grab the arm of the attacker, as opposed to the traditional forearm block taught in Juko Ryu. You’ll also see a different hand position – we use a boxers stance with hands up guarding the head, in favour of the traditional shoulder-height forehand and chambered punch stance you might be more familiar with. We also generally prefer to use English terminology for most syllabus movements, so what in traditional jiu-jitsu might be called a tomonage, we refer to as a stomach throw. You'll find lots of traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu in what we teach, with a few tweaks to ensure the moves are relevant and useful today.

For more info on the history of jiu-jitsu, check out the Wiki : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jujutsu

Conditioning & Nutrition

Led by: Dan Sammit

Dan designs comprehensive, custom programs to help you:

·  Decrease stress
·  Shed unwanted pounds
·  Get fit and strong
·  Prevent/alleviate injuries
·  Improve athletic performance (sport specific)

Available by appointment for private, small group sessions, seminars and classes

For more information or to request a booking, please email us at info@buckleymma.ca.

Kickboxing

Led by: Carol Onate

Do you find it hard to motivate yourself to take time to work out during the day?  Are you tired of being gouged by personal trainers in health clubs promising returns but producing the same routine again and again?  Perhaps it's time to stop paying and start playing!  Buckley MMA is now offering daytime training slots in our custom designed kickboxing class. 

Historically, cardio kickboxing classes involve a lot of poppy music and jumping around punching the air.  What happened to the bags?  The pads?  The actual kickboxing skill?  We kind of had the same question.  To answer the dilemma, we've brought in Carol Onate who has trained in kickboxing with the head of the Canadian Amateur Sport Kickboxing association and asked her to to build a program for men and women that would deliver the benefits of kickboxing without the physical damage normally associated with combat sport.  So don't worry, you'll be throwing strikes, not eating them.  The kickboxing class is always a solid workout involving cardio, skills and drills along with various aerobic/anaerobic and plyometric elements.  With progression in the class, one can burn anywhere from 600-800 calories in the hour.

So if you're 14 years old and up, athletic or not, if you've got time and calories to burn between 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM on Mondays or Wednesdays; this is the course for you.

Kids Jiu-Jitsu

Led by: Sensei Andre Nunes , Sensei Patricia Vandermeer , Sensei Patrick Buckley

Martial Arts in general are great activities for kids - they promote healthy physical activity and give kids an outlet for their stress and excess energy. And there certainly are a lot of options out there. Not all arts are right for all kids, though, so it pays to do a little research and try a few options before you commit your child.

Jiu-jitsu is a grappling art, which means it's heavy on wrestling around on the floor, with fewer kicks and punches. As parents of young kids ourselves, we find this is a great activity for children - kids love to roughhouse, so most of them are natural grapplers. We also feel that Jiu-Jitsu is the most applicable art for self-defence purposes, if that is your concern - whether a child is facing a bully or just their exuberant big brother, they are likely to find themselves pinned to the floor or with arms trapped, so being comfortable escaping from those situations is a valuable tool. It's also unlikely that a child will develop sufficient strength to deter a larger person with kicks or punches, never mind knowing when it is acceptable to use them and to what force. Instead, we teach kids how to use their opponents body weight against them, with techniques that require less physical strength.

In some martial arts, the kids spend most of their time standing in rows, kicking or punching the air. Because jiu-jitsu requires partners, it's a very social activity - the kids are always working in pairs or small groups, and helping each other learn. We foster a co-operative learning atmosphere, that lets each child progress at their own pace.

Our teaching philosophy is a refreshing change from other schools as well. If you check the yellow pages you'll find tons of schools ready to teach your child 'discipline', 'respect' and 'self-control'. Those are important lessons, but we think the most critical lesson we can offer your child is that exercise is fun, and should be done regularly. Studies have shown that active children grow in to active adults, so getting your kids in the habit of exercise by giving them an activity they enjoy (rather than endure) will pay off in better health for the rest of their lives.

And you can't beat our top quality instruction - your child won't be taught by some 12 year old black belt here! Sensei Patrick teaches each kids class personally, bringing his 5th Degree Black Belt, Bachelors Degree in Psychology, and his own experiences as a dad to the class.

The Buckley Jiu-Jitsu kids class is a fun and friendly introduction to martial arts for kids. Please bring your child in for a free trial class and see if the Buckley way suits your child. We welcome comparison shopping.

Contact Sensei Patrick at info@buckleymma.ca for more information about the Buckley Jiu-Jitsu Kids Class.

The Federal Child Fitness Tax Credit

For each child under the age of 16, parents can claim up to $500 of non-refundable tax credit. And all Buckley Jiu-Jitsu passes and membership programs are eligible for this deduction! Keep your receipts that clearly show the child's name so you can take full advantage of this great program!

For more information, go to http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/whatsnew/fitness-e.html

MMA

Led by: Sensei Patricia Vandermeer , Sensei Patrick Buckley

You can take all the martial arts you want but how are you going to find out just how good your fight game is until you put it to the acid test? Whether you only have eyes for street applicable self defence or combative sport is your game, this class will cover the basics for newbies up to advanced tactics for veterans. We'll cover ranging, striking, closing the distance, close quarter clinching, take downs and defences as well as ground & pound and submissions. No fighting enthusiast will want to miss this class! A strong emphasis is placed on sparring so a full sparring gear kit will be required (head gear, mouth guard, 6 - 8 oz MMA gloves, groin protection and shin/instep gear). If you already have your own kit, you're good to go. If not, check out our fully stocked pro shop for fight-tested gear that works!

If MMA is your game, we've got even more to offer you...

How would you like to roll with some UFC fighters? There is usually a big name fighter in the GTA every few months, and we love to go and hit the mats with the pros. Seminars are usually 3 or so hours long and include a photo opportunity with the fighter, and prices vary. Make sure you sign up for our newsletter and we'll keep you up to date on upcoming events. Check out these pics of some of our guys at recent seminars...

...and e-mail info@buckleymma.ca to find out when the next MMA star is heading our way.

Muay Thai

Led by: Brian Lidstone , Brian Naidu

Muay Thai is a particularly effective form of kickboxing developed over the centuries in Thailand. It is known as the Art of Eight Limbs, for it's extensive use of elbows and knees in addition to the usual hands and shins. Muay Thai is so effective it has become one of the go-to arts for serious fighters who want to develop their striking game. And if you think you've worked out hard before, think again. Cardio and strength conditioning takes a primary place in a Muay Thai class, so if fitness is your goal, you've found the right class!

Our Muay Thai class is designed to get you as close to the traditional pure form of the Thai art as you can get without jumping on a 26 hour plane ride. Striking power is stressed over speed and form will be perfected. Don't be intimidated - beginners are welcome, our two Brians (mandatory naming of Brian to teach this class) will have you using your arms and legs like deadly weapons in no time.

Check out the schedule page to see when our Thai team is holding court, then e-mail info@buckleymma.ca and let us know when to expect you!

And if you want more information about the history of Muay Thai, here's the Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muay_thai