Lesley Jackson manages to catch up with new contributor and 10th Dan Jiu Jitsu expert Gene Roos to find out more about his teaching and writing. Gene is the author of a series of illustrated Jiu Jitsu manuals and DVDs including ‘Deadly Attacks’ and ‘Aikijujitsu.’
Gene has an extensive background in the martial arts, which started in 1956 after being sent to Judo classes by his father when Gene was chased by a group of teenagers one evening. Gene says that, “my father told me I needed to know how to defend myself,” and this he did when he gained his Shodan (1st Dan) black belt in 1958. To do this, Gene explains, “the only way to obtain a black belt in Judo was through competition,” which he did successfully when he won the Southwest Championships in Austen, Texas in March 1958. He was awarded his black belt by Roy ‘Pop’ Moore, one of the most famous Judoka to have come from America.
From Gene’s illustrious start in Judo, he then went on to gain his 4th Dan in 1987 but during this long time dedicated to Judo, his interest was also caught by Jiu Jitsu through one of his Japanese sensei’s, also an instructor in Jiu Jitsu. As Gene comments, “I preferred developing my interests in Jiu Jitsu because the bell curve for Judo injuries increases significantly as you age.” Alongside his own personal training Gene was teaching Judo; however, “after a surge of interest in Karate in the 1970s, the enrolment of Judo students and their interest was decreasing.” Due to the heavy emphasis on competition Gene found that, “after losing matches, numerous Judo students would leave and therefore, retaining Jiu Jitsu students was easier.”
Studying Jiu Jitstu
Gene has studied a wide range of Jiu Jitsu styles under some of the best and most experienced instructors in the United States. These include Harold Brosious, a 10th Dan and founder of Ketsugo Jiu Jitsu, whom Gene compliments as, “one of the best combat Jiu Jitsu instructors I have seen. His understanding of applying defences that are simple and effective are superior.” Among the other wide range of instructors Gene has studied with, “who vary from teaching academic, art through to combat techniques,” there is also Dennis Palumbo, “one of the highest ranked Hakkoryo Jiu Jitsu instructors in the world, who provided additional dimensions to my understanding of the application of Jiu Jitsu.”
During his busy half decade involved in the martial arts, Gene has also had a long career in the American Federal Government, from which he is now retired. Nowadays he teaches part-time in his dojo at Metairie, Louisiana and includes the Jiu Jitsu styles of Ketsugo, Hakkoryu and Aiki Jiu Jitsu in his syllabus. As part of Gene’s instruction strategy, he likes to, “teach fast and effective self defence that is combat worthy.” He also mentions the KISS theory, which is, “Keep It Simple Student, as the probability of a complicated technique working combat is small.” To do this Gene explains that you need, “to understand how the technique works rather than memorising it. Traditional techniques are a good starting point; however, variations may prove to be more effective.”
Teaching and Writing
In addition to teaching in his dojo, Gene is a successful author who also makes DVDs to go with his books. As someone who gives a lot of seminars in Jiu Jitsu, Gene found that, “Jiu Jitsu students will be shown many techniques but after a number of weeks, only remember a few. Therefore, if you video the seminar and then transfer sequel images of each technique on paper, the student will be able to retain every technique.” As Gene comments about learning, “when you pour water over a sponge, after it is saturated, the rest is not absorbed.” However, with the DVD and book to help the student to remember, none of the valuable teaching will be forgotten. Gene is currently completing the filming of his book ‘Favourite Advanced Techniques’ to go alongside his already long list of publications.
A short documentary on the martial art of Jiu Jitsu
Interviews 
Lesley Jackson manages to catch up with new contributor and 10th Dan 
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