First off, Bryan– we need an MMA/Martial Arts Category…

…

I took my yellow shirt test in the McCollough Fighting Systems last night. The test was 1.5 hours of intensity. During the first hour I was asked to throw nearly 100 kicks, about 450 punches, demonstrate all the submissions I knew, and then do them all under 2 minutes. (1.32 minutes, thank you!)

I thought the test was done. I felt done anyhow. Then I was informed that I had to do ground fighting for 15 minutes with new opponents rotating in every 2-3 minutes.

I got through it. I’m still gassed today.

I went home fascinated by the role of the OO-KEY. That’s my attempt to transliterate the Japanesse word. If I spelled it wrong, shoot me. The ookey plays the role of the servant. When someone is learning a submission move they need a live body who is willing to lie on their back and let somebody choke you, or bend your arm in weird unnatural positions. There’s a bit of a danger in getting hurt. When you let someone practice an arm-bar on you and they don’t know when to stop– well you could have your elbow dislocated.

And the ookies are ideally the fighters with the most experience. They have the most potential to moderate the training and keep everything safe.

The ookey is the mentors by being a servant and and making himself vulnerable to injury.

It makes me think of the hymn in Phillipians 2 about Jesus’ humbling himself, making himself a man, so he could serve and teach others.

Thanks Jesus, creator and ookey. I don’t think I’ve ever called you that. I mean it reverently.. also it sounds weird when I say it out loud.