Kevin O'Hagan | Articles

Combat Jujutsu

Move with the Times and Keep it Real
The growth of the Bristol Goshin Jutsu Combat Academy

Kevin O’Hagan’s Bristol Goshin Jutsu Combat Academy’s group of clubs have now been established and running for 20 years. Within that time Kevin has seen a lot of changes in the martial Arts world and many people come and go.

The clubs were first called the ‘Bristol Self-Defence Academy’ where, Kevin and his early partner Brian Barker were teaching purely Self Defence and close quarter combat. This was a learning time for the club as Kevin and Brian were experimenting and experiencing different arts and systems.

Eventually through time the BGJCA was born. Today it teaches a three-tier system to cater for everybody’s needs. Kevin is a great believer in not putting all his eggs in one basket. He comments, I’ve seen too many changes to believe Martial Arts will stay the same forever. You have got to move with the times and be flexible in your teaching an outlook.’

The recently developed ‘Impact gym’ caters for the ever-growing trend of MMA and NHB fighting. Kevin and his seniors were some of the first to participate in this extreme and exciting sport when it came to the South West of England. Before this they had dabbled in other types of contest like Ju Jutsu Kumite, submission and Gi grappling but the MMA appealed to their style. I have always believed in pressure testing your art. I was mixing Ju Jutsu and Kickboxing together as far back as the early 80’s. I progressed into the Geoff Thompson ‘Animal day’ like sessions and then finally on to MMA. It has been a learning experience for us, coming from a non-sport background, we had to learn to adapt to rules, develop certain strategies in ring or cage craft. Its not just about whether you can have a fight, at the highest levels you have to train like a professional athlete says Kevin.

The Impact Gym is still developing, trying to bring a new batch of young talent through which takes time. Kevin has had fighters come through from amateurs to professional level and last competed himself in the cage at 43. ‘There is still much to learn but with good coaches like Rob Cannon and Matt Sperring with me we are establishing MMA in Bristol, along with other good professional clubs like Mark Woodards ‘Roughhouse gym’ in Gloucester, Ian Rossiters BJJA/MMA in Weston Super Mare and Pete Milers gym in Backwell, we are all working hard to put MMA on the map in a big way in the South West of England and we’re getting there.

Combat Ju Jutsu is still a big love of Kevin’s. He holds a 6th Dan Master’s certificate in the system and teaches three classes a week. I have people with me who do not wish to compete but want to follow a structured system and gain belt grades, this they can do through the Combat Ju Jutsu. I have no prejudices against what people want to learn, if I can help them I will. My only stipulation is that they do pressure test their technique in some shape or form regularly to keep it real. We work in the classes drill, scenario based technique and impact work all built around our syllabus. I have some great technicians like Phil Davis and Pete Dunn who are good coaches in this side of things Within the Combat Ju Jutsu Kevin also teaches modern and makeshift weaponry, weapon defences, combat grappling, extreme conditioning and nerve and pressure point fighting.

The third tier is the self-protection side of things. Kevin has been involved in this for many years and is a senior instructor with both the British Combat Association and the Self-Defence Federation. He has taught a wide variety of people from corporate businesses, health professionals, schools, security, forces and police groups to children, disabled groups and senior citizens. He says Self protection is for everybody. It’s not just about a few tips or techniques, it’s about altering the way you live to be safer. I prefer to develop people’s awareness and avoidance skills than having to show them how to break out of a stranglehold. This is what a good Self Protection programme is all about, pro-active methods rather than re-active.

Kevin runs seminars or personal training or conflict management, personal safety, aggression management and self-defence. In recent times he has joined up with Mark Hewitt whose company, Personal Protection Services, run a top class professional service across the whole of Wales and the South/South west of England. Kevin comments, “Mark is first class and his company is offering valuable and potentially life saving advice, I hope to do more work with him. In this day and age everybody needs advice and guidance on leading a safer life”. Anybody looking for first class instruction in any of these aspects of the combat arts are welcome to contact Kevin and come and train or book a seminar or course. With 30 years experience under his belt, Kevin and the BGJCA have a lot to offer. In closing Kevin says, I still love the arts, whether it be training, competing, coaching or instructing. I get a great deal of satisfaction from seeing the end product of a lot of hard work, it makes it all worth while. I have met and trained with some smashing people over the years and learnt much. I like to pass my knowledge on to others, especially those who show commitment, determination and the right attitude. Anybody is welcome to train with me, I have no politics, prejudices or hidden agenda, what you see is what you get. I am an instructor but I am also still a student. I am not sitting on some lofty self-imposed pedestal.

The Bristol Goshin Jutsu Combat Academy has seen good and bad times, lean and busy times but now in the Bristol area it is known for its hard working, professional and established reputation. To keep growing you must step out of your comfort zone.

The origins of Ju Jutsu lie in the feudal Samurai of ancient Japan. Ju Jutsu was a battlefield art of armed and unarmed combat and its effectiveness was tested in actual welfare. The combat Ju Jutsu taught by Kevin O’Hagan is a fusion of many different Ju Jutsu systems that he has learnt over the years and it is aimed at effectiveness in today’s society. It includes the upright fighting skills of punching, kicking and open hand blended with close quarter knees, elbows, head butts and upright grappling. Throws and takedowns are practiced as to are joint breaks, submissions, locks and immobilization’s. There is an array of chokes, strangle, neck cranks and headlocks, ground fighting and grappling. Plus extreme combat techniques of biting, gouging, nerve attacks and pressure points. The system also deals with weapon attacks and use of modern weaponry and makeshift weaponry. It has a comprehensive grading syllabus from white to black belt.

Back to Articles