Rugby Jiujitsu!

-- Jonna B.

My teammates and I have an addiction lately.  It's a game alright, but we are so serious with it that we keep track of our scores, think of strategies to beat our opponent, then talk about it the day after!  This is what RUGBY JIUJITSU is all about.

I don't know if this is being done in other gyms (let me know if you do!).  This was started by my purple belt teammate who used to train with Yamasaki in the US.  Again, I don't know if he got this from his former team, or if he was just too creative to formulate a little game to enjoy BJJ more.  Here's what you need:

two medicine balls, preferably of different colors

+

some BJJ skills

The Rules:

1. Form two teams, taking opposite (or diagonal) corners as the home base.  Make sure to distribute the skill level, weight and gender of the team members to ensure fairness.
2. Each team gets a medicine ball.  We use the 5kg medicine balls, which is just right for the game.
3. The goal of each team is to "steal" the ball of the other team and bring it to the home base.  If both were able to steal each other's ball, whoever gets to the home base first is the winner of the round.
4. For you to get the ball, you have to submit members from the other team along the way.  For safety of everyone on the mat, we don't allow leg locks; just arm locks and chokes.  Members can gang up on someone from the other team.
5. The person who gets submitted is out for that round.  As the game progresses and as more people are sent out of the round, the game becomes more aggressive and exciting.
6. We do best of 3 rounds, or sometimes just do one round a night (we only do it on Mondays) but we make sure that the score is recorded on the board.
7. IMPORTANT NOTE:  All players can only walk on their knees, roll, cartwheel or shrimp.  They are not allowed to walk or run.

When my coach saw it for the first time, he sighed and joked, "This is why you need a black belt in the gym!"  But eventually he gave in to our whims and allowed us to play one night while he was there!  (NOTE:  We usually do it when he is not around -- when the cat is away, the mouse will play!)