World Jujitsu Federation - Not real Jujitsu

**maddog** · Posted On: 3/16/2007 7:06am

This is the site of the World Jujitsu Federation.

http://members.aol.com/wjjf523/index2.php

From the little research I have done with some of it's members and some Koryu people I know this is little more than a money making scheme for it's founder Robert Clarke. If you believe the crap his students are told Clarke studied for six months every year, for 20 years, in Japan with a Koryu school (Hontai Yoshin Ryu I believe). He then based his syllabus on what he learnt there.

My Koryu contacts claim that Clarke got banned from that school for falsifying grades. If you look at any of their sylabus work you will see little in it like traditional Juijitsu. It is really a collection of poorly thought out techniques made up by Clarke himself.

Now down to the money making side of things. The school runs franchising. The schools are given specific areas to prevent then treading on each others toes. They heavily recruit kids who have to wear the WJF Gi as sold by Clarke. They then have to buy a new badge prior to every grading at a cost of £5. You are only entitled to grade if you have the right badges and attendance at the class. Ability does not come into it.

When their students approach black belt they then start to use weapons (again you can guess who sells these.) Lets just say that their sword and other weapons based work is terrible. I have even seen them try to draw swords with a reverse grip and with the cutting edge of the weapon towards the body. This simply does not work and is dangerous. Most of the students might as well be swinging baseball bats instead of swords.

Has anyone else had dealings with this group?

**Red Sauce** · Posted On: 3/16/2007 7:41am

Welcome to Bullshido. You don't appear to have read the stickies, and thus not having looked at the search function.
It has been somewhat brought to our attention before
http://www.bullshido.net/forums/show...highlight=WJJF

Now, can you introduce yourself? Are you an ex-student? Current Student, what?

Alarming from the "Course" link on the site you gave link to.

Format of the Correspondence Course

This is the first course of its nature in Ju Jitsu. It covers all you will need to know about the progress from complete novice to Black Belt.
Elementary Instructor - comprises modules which progress from White Belt to Green Belt
Intermediate Instructor - comprises modules which progress from Blue Belt to Brown Belt
Advanced Instructor - comprises modules which progress from Brown Belt to Black Belt

The courses will be taught through a series of videos, however these can be supplemented with Robert Clark's books: 'The Official White to Green Manual', 'The Official Blue to Brown Manual' and 'The Official Black belt manual', all of which can be purchased from the WJJF for £14.99 (or for American customers $25.00 plus $5.00 post and packaging).

Are you familier with this?

**Das Moose** · Posted On: 3/16/2007 7:45am

Ah. Yes, in my experience the WJJF is pretty BS. I actually did end up going to one of their classes at one point; I rolled with a 30 year old man who was a black belt and I actually ended up being pretty even with him as a 16 year old with a few months of judo. But yeah, the classes suck.

**maddog** · Posted On: 3/16/2007 8:32am

I did attend a few of their classes, but they really sucked. The adults were mostly parents who wanted to spend a little bonding time with their kids who also attended.

The correspondance course is new on me, but a bujinkan mate of mine told me that hatsumi used to run a similar thing and awarded dan grades upto 4th dan based on video clips.:5eek:

**Schwarde** · Posted On: 4/26/2007 7:20am

In my experience the WJJF has its place. I take my son to a local WJJF school. They don't worry about Gi's or badges too much - although regular attendance is a pre-requisite for grading (which it should be IMO).
Their training is pretty poor - the higher graded teens really suck at striking and blocking and some of the adults (including one or two first dans) would get their asses handed to them pretty quickly outside of the club. That said there's a couple of really useful fighters (not amateur or pro, but more than capable of looking after themselves).
What they are good at is making classes fun and interesting for young kids. They spend a lot of time and resources on ensuring that there is appropriate supervision and child protection policies in place and that anyone coaching children has been certified to do so and the appropriate back ground checks have been carried out.
My son was 5 when he started attending - he's developing discipline, self-confidence and a passion for martial arts. It's a great introduction for him. As soon as he hits 8 I'll have him whisked away and into a style/club that trains "alive", but for now WJJF are doing a great job of introducing him to martial arts and keeping him interested (not an easy task with any 6 year old)

**MrMcFu** · Posted On: 4/26/2007 7:43am

Originally Posted by Schwarde

In my experience the WJJF has its place. I take my son to a local WJJF school. They don't worry about Gi's or badges too much - although regular attendance is a pre-requisite for grading (which it should be IMO).
Their training is pretty poor - the higher graded teens really suck at striking and blocking and some of the adults (including one or two first dans) would get their asses handed to them pretty quickly outside of the club. That said there's a couple of really useful fighters (not amateur or pro, but more than capable of looking after themselves).
What they are good at is making classes fun and interesting for young kids. They spend a lot of time and resources on ensuring that there is appropriate supervision and child protection policies in place and that anyone coaching children has been certified to do so and the appropriate back ground checks have been carried out.
My son was 5 when he started attending - he's developing discipline, self-confidence and a passion for martial arts. It's a great introduction for him. As soon as he hits 8 I'll have him whisked away and into a style/club that trains "alive", but for now WJJF are doing a great job of introducing him to martial arts and keeping him interested (not an easy task with any 6 year old)

So you are using it as a day care.

**Bran Lydster** · Posted On: 4/26/2007 8:16am

The world jujitsu federation has been going for a long time, Bob Clarke was a 9th dan the last time I heard anything about him and had his main dojo in Fazakerly Liverpool, I have a video of him demonstrating grade requirements somewhere. its on VHS so I will try to get my video capture software to work and post some clips of it.

About 20 years ago Tai Jutsu International the Jujitsu group I was with, headed by Jack McKeown was under the umbrella of WJJF we later moved to be with the AMA here in the UK.

The British Ju Jitsu Association was the governing body for Jujitsu in the UK and was headed by Bob Clarke and Dicky Morris who were also the top guys in the WJJF at the time.

The BJJA system was originally Juko Ryu a gendai Jujitsu system originated by Morris and Clarke supposedly based on Hontai Yoshin Ryu. Inoue of Hontai Yoshin Ryu had done some seminars in the UK if I remember correctly.

When Tai Jutsu International attended courses with the WJJF Clarke seperated us from the other Jujitsu groups, I can only assume it was because we sparred and trained with resistance quite naturally after a few repetitions of the technique being taught to us to test the technique. This led to us having a bad reputation in BJJA/WJJF circles if I remember correctly.

Most of the WJJF/BJJA system was generic throws and wristlocks with some open handed karate/kempo style block then strike methods as entries for the techniques.

**Schwarde** · Posted On: 4/26/2007 11:16am

Originally Posted by MrMcFu

So you are using it as a day care.

Yeah .. that's what I said... dumbass

***Omega Supreme*** · Posted On: 4/26/2007 11:27am

Originally Posted by Schwarde

Yeah .. that's what I said... dumbass

Really? Would you mind pointing out in your little blurb there where the **** you used the word "day care?" I couldn't find it.....let me double check....nope, still couldn't find it....You're a fucking riot dude, I'm going to love seeing where your brain dead kid ends up when he's 8. (They really should give licenses out to be a parent)

**Schwarde** · Posted On: 4/26/2007 12:07pm

Originally Posted by Omega the Merciless

Really? Would you mind pointing out in your little blurb there where the **** you used the word "day care?" I couldn't find it.....let me double check....nope, still couldn't find it....You're a fucking riot dude, I'm going to love seeing where your brain dead kid ends up when he's 8. (They really should give licenses out to be a parent)

Out of line man. Call me what you want - leave my kid out of it. you're a parent you know better