There is never a stoopid question?

Many of the early respondents to my survey have stated that they actually enjoyed answering the questions because they provided a venue for expressing thoughts they had been pondering for quite some time. I mentioned previously that it is at the juncture of my personal experience and academic curiosity that this study finds its origins. The list of questions that appears on the survey was compiled when I began meditating on what intrigued me about BJJ and the apparent contradictions I thought were intrinsic to the art. I did this informally at first. It seemed more like a 'wish list' than a set of questions that would one day make their appearance on a survey.

The list of questions that eventually resulted was ridiculously long - at one point the list swelled to over 100! Eventually, through a pain staking process I pared my questions down to about 25. I say 'pain staking' for the simple reason that my intention is capture the BJJ experience in all of its nuances and I felt that taking out any query would neglect some essential angle. At the same time, however, I wanted to avoid asking too many questions which would inevitably precipitate respondents to prematurely abandon the survey. 

As it stands, some of my friends have complained that the survey asked them to think too much about themselves and their BJJ involvement. But this, I have tried to explain, is exactly the point. That is, I'm not asking whether the salesperson at you local Bestbuy was courteous. Rather, the questions tend to lead participants back to themselves and provide a means through which to reflect on themselves and their art. And, more to the point, BJJ experience is the cornerstone of my project which prompts participants for introspection - a difficult and time consuming task, no doubt!

So, again, thank you to all those who have taken the time to provide me with a piece of your BJJ self. It is most appreciated. It is warming to me that many have enjoyed taking the survey and are excited to hear about the results - no pressure!

Fightworks Podcast

A big thank you to Caleb Queern from the Fightworks podcast for having me on the show (#154) today and providing a forum for the promotion of this study. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous at the beginning, but Caleb's cool interviewing style allowed me to settle in after only a short while.

If you are unaware of the Fightworks podcast go check it out now. Caleb and his sometimes co-host Dan have done an amazing job promoting BJJ and providing content that feeds our (or maybe just my) BJJ addition. The show caters to BJJ players at all different levels with an array of guests that span the gamut from BJJ legend Rickson (no last name necessary) to a researcher interested in the art as an object of study to a medical practitioner who answers questions on concerns unique to this community (i.e. on cauliflower ear, MRSA (staff), and the physiology of chokes). Do yourself a favour by heading over to the Fightworks podcast and download the latest episode. Once you've done this you will no doubt want more and more. Subscribing to the show on iTunes will provide you with the opportunity to download many of the past shows (over 150 shows in total!).

Thanks again for having me on the show, Caleb!

Starting where you are

Being uncomfortably aware that my academic friends had overlooked BJJ as an object of study I recently set out to do something about this neglect. Being trained as a sociologist I am infinitely curious about the things that surround my daily life. My partner, for example, is also a sociologist (that's how we met!) who teaches at a near by college. Her research delves into the wonderful world of mothering in different and differing contexts (through affluence, multiple births, poverty, abuse, without a partner & etc.). When she became a mother herself (we have two wonderful boys - I now realize that I'm revealing a whole lot more about myself than I intended in only my second blog entry - is this normal or just weird?), motherhood came more into view as a subject of research. She has her own blog (mymommyis...)(I only hope I can be as poignant and witty as she) and an established research agenda that considers the nuances of mothering.

To date, my research has highlighted the social relations endemic to youth crime in society. My wife and I engaged in labour of love which produced a book entitled Youth, Crime and Society: Issues of Power and Justice. Try not to read too much into this interest in youth crime given what I said earlier about sociologists being interested in things that surround them! My life has taken me in very interesting directions and to exceptionally rich experiences. One of them, among many others (being a Dad is kinda cool!), was working at a youth detention centre in Winnipeg Manitoba. As a result, my sociological imagination was piqued and I began examining the nuances of youth crime in earnest.

I had no intention of studying BJJ from a scholarly perspective when I first became involved. It was merely a means through which to get in shape and an avenue to get a better understanding of myself. I would never have guessed then that BJJ would not only become a passion, but an object/subject of study. 

Then again, if sociologists typically start where they are, should I really be surprised?

A Place to Start...

This blog will chronicle my experiences conducting a study of those involved in BJJ. Why do people get involved in BJJ? How to they understand BJJ? From my rather limited vantage it seems that the BJJ community is a passionate and dedicated one. Yet, so much of what enriches those involved slips beyond the public's purview. This study will attempt to underscore and explore BJJ practitioners' rich experiences of training, competing and learning. I am interested in how they make sense of their struggles and triumphs.

To understand this wonderful art, you must experience it. Watching countless matches is no substitute for sweating, struggling and even bleeding on the mat. It is impossible to know what leverage, economy of motion or posture mean to BJJ players until you have been deftly swept by a well seasoned veteran. For my part, I am a  blue belt under Sylvio Behring and after several years of training 4-6 times a week am just now beginning to 'get it'. 

To my knowledge, this will be one of the first scholarly investigations of BJJ. Of course, some notable individuals have discussed BJJ in their work (i.e. David Mayeda and David Ching's wonderful book, Fighting for Acceptance). 

My intention is to contribute to the BJJ community through an organic study of BJJ that will: 

1. increase public and scholarly awareness of BJJ

2. increase public understanding and appreciation of the art

3. demonstrate the significance of BJJ to our larger culture and what the rapid diffusion of the art throughout the last 2 decades tells us about ourselves

Anyone interested in participating can click on the following links which will take them to a survey. The survey will take between 10 and 30 minutes to complete.

Males click here.

Females click here.

Please send me an email at bjjstudy@gmail.com if you prefer to tell me about your experiences in person or over the phone.