Jon Bluming
Encyclopedia
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6swNZ5hycJohannes Cornelius Bluming (born February 6, 1933) is a Dutch
instructor of Judo
, Kyokushin
Karate
, and mixed martial arts
. He was the coach of two-time Olympic champion Willem Ruska.
Born in Amsterdam
, he was 16 when he applied for the Marines and was accepted to the bootcamp in Doorn
in July 1949, in the summer of 1950, the Korean War
started, and he applied as a volunteer in the van Heutz regiment. When he was wounded, he was transported to a Japan
ese hospital in Tokyo
. There he saw Judo
for the first time when he visited the Kodokan
in March 1951. When he saw a demonstration by an elderly man, he knew that this martial art would change his life for good.
after only 12 months. In 1955, he received his second dan, and in 1956 he was the first Dutchman to become a Kodokan member, promoted by Ichiro Abe, then 6th dan in La Baulle France; he was then captain of the Tung Jen team, winning the European championships in Bellevue, Amsterdam in September 1956. In 1957, he received his third dan from Tokyo Hirano at a Dutch summer camp when he threw 75 judoka from 4th kyu up to 4th dan in 26 minutes even though he had broken the big toe of his right foot.
Later, he broke his right knee and went into surgery. In 1957, he was invited to train a police dojo in Berlin
, Germany
and at a private judo club for several months. The money he earned there was invested to go to Canada
. He went to the Canadian embassy, threw his medals on the table, and asked for a chance to go to Canada. His wish was fulfilled, and in January 1958 he arrived in Halifax
, Nova Scotia
, Canada
. He was hosted by an old friend and introduced the next day to Dalhousie University
. There he started his career as a professional judo teacher and gave lessons for two dollars an hour. He also founded the Maritimes Judo Association and became a lifetime honorary member.
Back in Tokyo
, he started under the guidance of Donn F. Draeger
. Weight training for judo and karate allowed him to finally achieve the desired transformation to heavyweight at a solid 102 kg from his previous 79 kg. He also kept his middleweight speed during the time in which Draeger taught him.
In May 1960, he defeated the Japanese champion Kaminaga with a strangulation hold. During the Olympic
training summer of 1960, he finally threw Isao Inokuma, his very close friend and training partner, after an hour-long fight with Uchi mata makikomi. He also received his 4th dan from Kodokan in competition. In April 1959, Dreager asked him to go with him to the police dojo
and train under the famous 10th dan Shimizu and Kuroda in bōjutsu
, kendo
, and iaijutsu
. During the all-Japan police championships (Kendo), they were asked to give a demonstration of bojutsu and earned a standing ovation and a third dan in both disciplines from the Japan Kendo federation. Bluming did another examination for Ichitaro Kuroda in iaijutsu
and got his third dan from the JKF.
In 1961, Bluming was invited to make a gonin gake (a match against 5 third dans) instead of Inokuma who was in hospital with a bad back injury. Draeger said to him, “Do it, that’s good for your name,” and it was. He won in less than 4 seconds in each match.
and was unbeaten in Judo and Karate, went back to teach his old friends, make some new ones, and participate in the world championships in Paris (Dec 1961). It went very differently than planned.
Bluming became coach of the Dutch Amateur Judo Association. He made his name throughout Holland and Europe solely because of his fight against the Judo Union of Anton Geesink
, who told tales to the press about Bluming but refused several times to meet Bluming on the tatami
. Bluming, under false accusations, was not allowed to participate in the Paris competitions. The press was amazed, especially when Bluming was introduced to the black belts of the NAJA as the new coach in the first week of December 1961 in Bloemendaal
. He made a match against all comers, some 80 judoka from 1st dan to 4th dan, and threw them all within about four seconds in full view of the press.
Reporters wrote the next day that Holland would be first and second in Paris and that Bluming must be allowed to fight. This did not help, and Bluming watched the victory of Anton Geesink
in Paris. It made him so miserable that he stopped competing and focused only on teaching instead.
In his career as a teacher he has coached several champions, such as:
Bluming traveled throughout Europe and founded the European Kyokushin
kai kan. The first karate union in Europe was founded by Bluming in January 1962. The first-ever karate championships were held in Krasnapolsky Hotel Amsterdam in 1965. The first international match was held against the team of Steve Arneil (a student of Oyama and Bluming in 1967) and was won by the Budōkai dojo.
karate
from the Kyokushinkaikan Honbu by Mas Oyama. The karate world, which was not big in those days, was shocked. Oyama put a classical samurai end to that spectacle and told the karate world that they could fight Bluming man-to-man without any rules in a boxing ring. The one who could beat Bluming that way would win $100,000 from Oyama, who would stop karate and take away Bluming's 6th dan.
In the period after this, Bluming delivered a lot of teachers who sometimes went their own way. One example is Loek Hollander
, who was at odds with Bluming. The animosity reached such a level in Japan and Europe that the Japanese organization eventually sided with Loek Hollander. The Dutch Karate Organisation (NKA), an initiative of Bluming, grew larger under Hollander and split in the 1980s when several teachers left Hollander due to "irreconcilable differences".
In January 1989, Bluming received his 9th dan in Kyokushin karate from Japan. The same year he also got his 9th dan in Judo from Japan; he was the only one in the world who had both of the highest grades in martial arts from the Japanese organizations. In November 1989, he received a visit from Akira Maeda
, 8th dan of the Budōkai. He told Bluming that Mas Oyama had sent him to talk to Bluming and that he wanted Bluming back in the Honbu and to make him President of the World Karate Kyokushinkai-kan. He wanted Bluming to teach the karateka of the Honbu who were keen on fighting professionally in all-round karate, especially in the fight organization “RINGS JAPAN“, of which Maeda was then President. Bluming said that he would do so only if Loek Hollander
was out of the Honbu. Maeda said that Mas Oyama was aware of the problems but for several reasons could not agree with that.
In April 1994, Bluming received word that Mas Oyama had died suddenly. Devastated, he went to Tokyo
to pay his respect and say goodbye to his teacher.
On September 4, he received a fax from Kenji Kurosaki that he was awarded with the grade of his teacher Mas Oyama and received his 10th dan signed by 5 big organizations of Budō
in Japan.
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6swNZ5hycJohannes Cornelius Bluming (born February 6, 1933) is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
instructor of Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, Kyokushin
Kyokushin
is a style of stand-up, full contact karate, founded in 1964 by Korean-Japanese karate master, who was born under the name Choi Young-Eui . Kyokushinkai is Japanese for "the society of the ultimate truth". Kyokushin is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline and hard training...
Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
, and mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
. He was the coach of two-time Olympic champion Willem Ruska.
Born in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, he was 16 when he applied for the Marines and was accepted to the bootcamp in Doorn
Doorn
Doorn is a town in the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. On 1 January 2008 the town had 10,052 inhabitants.-History:...
in July 1949, in the summer of 1950, the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
started, and he applied as a volunteer in the van Heutz regiment. When he was wounded, he was transported to a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese hospital in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. There he saw Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
for the first time when he visited the Kodokan
Kodokan
, or the Kodokan Institute, is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. Literally, kō means "to lecture" or "to spread information," dō means "the way," and kan is "a public building or hall," together translating roughly as "a place for the study or promotion of the way." The Kodokan was...
in March 1951. When he saw a demonstration by an elderly man, he knew that this martial art would change his life for good.
Martial arts career
Back in Holland in November 1953, he came upon the Tung Jen Judo Club. His teacher, "Grandpa" Schutte (then 4th dan Tokyo Hirano), gave him his first danDan (rank)
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
after only 12 months. In 1955, he received his second dan, and in 1956 he was the first Dutchman to become a Kodokan member, promoted by Ichiro Abe, then 6th dan in La Baulle France; he was then captain of the Tung Jen team, winning the European championships in Bellevue, Amsterdam in September 1956. In 1957, he received his third dan from Tokyo Hirano at a Dutch summer camp when he threw 75 judoka from 4th kyu up to 4th dan in 26 minutes even though he had broken the big toe of his right foot.
Later, he broke his right knee and went into surgery. In 1957, he was invited to train a police dojo in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and at a private judo club for several months. The money he earned there was invested to go to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He went to the Canadian embassy, threw his medals on the table, and asked for a chance to go to Canada. His wish was fulfilled, and in January 1958 he arrived in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was hosted by an old friend and introduced the next day to Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
. There he started his career as a professional judo teacher and gave lessons for two dollars an hour. He also founded the Maritimes Judo Association and became a lifetime honorary member.
Back in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, he started under the guidance of Donn F. Draeger
Donn F. Draeger
Donald 'Donn' Frederick Draeger was an expert practitioner of Asian martial arts, an author of several martial arts books, and a United States Marine...
. Weight training for judo and karate allowed him to finally achieve the desired transformation to heavyweight at a solid 102 kg from his previous 79 kg. He also kept his middleweight speed during the time in which Draeger taught him.
In May 1960, he defeated the Japanese champion Kaminaga with a strangulation hold. During the Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
training summer of 1960, he finally threw Isao Inokuma, his very close friend and training partner, after an hour-long fight with Uchi mata makikomi. He also received his 4th dan from Kodokan in competition. In April 1959, Dreager asked him to go with him to the police dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
and train under the famous 10th dan Shimizu and Kuroda in bōjutsu
Bojutsu
, translated from Japanese as "staff technique", is the martial art of using a staff weapon called bō which simply means "staff". Staffs are perhaps one of the earliest weapons used by humankind. They have been in use for thousands of years in Eastern Asia. Some techniques involve slashing,...
, kendo
Kendo
, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
, and iaijutsu
Iaijutsu
, the art of drawing the Japanese sword. One of Japanese martial disciplines in education of the classical warrior .-Etymology:"Iaijutsu" was known before the Tokugawa period but it is unclear exactly when the term "iaijutsu" first came into use, or when exactly drawing the katana from its...
. During the all-Japan police championships (Kendo), they were asked to give a demonstration of bojutsu and earned a standing ovation and a third dan in both disciplines from the Japan Kendo federation. Bluming did another examination for Ichitaro Kuroda in iaijutsu
Iaijutsu
, the art of drawing the Japanese sword. One of Japanese martial disciplines in education of the classical warrior .-Etymology:"Iaijutsu" was known before the Tokugawa period but it is unclear exactly when the term "iaijutsu" first came into use, or when exactly drawing the katana from its...
and got his third dan from the JKF.
In 1961, Bluming was invited to make a gonin gake (a match against 5 third dans) instead of Inokuma who was in hospital with a bad back injury. Draeger said to him, “Do it, that’s good for your name,” and it was. He won in less than 4 seconds in each match.
Back to Holland
Bluming received a letter from Holland in which Opa Schutte asked him to come back and teach at the old dojo and the Amateurs Association for a year on contract. Bluming, who by then had a reputation in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and was unbeaten in Judo and Karate, went back to teach his old friends, make some new ones, and participate in the world championships in Paris (Dec 1961). It went very differently than planned.
Bluming became coach of the Dutch Amateur Judo Association. He made his name throughout Holland and Europe solely because of his fight against the Judo Union of Anton Geesink
Anton Geesink
Antonius "Anton" Johannes Geesink was a Dutch 10th-dan judoka from Utrecht. He was a three-time World Judo Champion , Olympic Gold Medalist and won 21 European championships...
, who told tales to the press about Bluming but refused several times to meet Bluming on the tatami
Tatami
A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core , with a covering of woven soft rush straw, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width...
. Bluming, under false accusations, was not allowed to participate in the Paris competitions. The press was amazed, especially when Bluming was introduced to the black belts of the NAJA as the new coach in the first week of December 1961 in Bloemendaal
Bloemendaal
Bloemendaal is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. According to the Dutch Central Statistical Bureau, Bloemendaal is the wealthiest place in the Netherlands.-Population centres :...
. He made a match against all comers, some 80 judoka from 1st dan to 4th dan, and threw them all within about four seconds in full view of the press.
Reporters wrote the next day that Holland would be first and second in Paris and that Bluming must be allowed to fight. This did not help, and Bluming watched the victory of Anton Geesink
Anton Geesink
Antonius "Anton" Johannes Geesink was a Dutch 10th-dan judoka from Utrecht. He was a three-time World Judo Champion , Olympic Gold Medalist and won 21 European championships...
in Paris. It made him so miserable that he stopped competing and focused only on teaching instead.
In his career as a teacher he has coached several champions, such as:
- Chris Dolman (four-time world champion),
- Willem Ruska (double Olympic champion in 19721972 Summer OlympicsThe 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
) - Ottie Roethof (world champion in soft style karate and the team world champion, three times world champ judoJudois a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
), - Semmy SchiltSemmy SchiltSemmy Schilt , also known as Sem Schilt, is a Dutch Ashihara karateka, kickboxer, mixed martial artist and four time K-1 World GP champion. He is the first and only fighter in K-1 history to win the championship three times in a row, and also shares the record with Ernesto Hoost for most GPs won,...
(at the top in K-1K-1K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
and free fight winner three times in the daido juku and three time King of Pancrase), - Robert Kool (1964 New York Cosmopolitan heavy weight champion)
- The students of his students like Jan PlasJan PlasJan Plas was a Dutch kickboxing trainer and founder of the Mejiro Gym in Amsterdam. He is considered to be one of the fathers of kickboxing in the Netherlands.Plas began his career in martial arts in karate, learning Kyokushin from Jon Bluming...
(who fought well against Ernesto HoostErnesto HoostErnesto Fritz "Mr. Perfect" Hoost is a Dutch former kickboxer and four-time K-1 World Champion. He made his debut in 1993 at the K-1 World Grand Prix 1993, where he came just one win short of the world title...
and Peter AertsPeter AertsPeter "The Dutch Lumberjack" Aerts is a Dutch super heavyweight kickboxer. He is a three-time K-1 World Grand Prix and Muay Thai World Champion. Aerts is best known for his powerful strikes and high kicks.- Biography :...
), Peter Adelaar and Jan Kallenbach.
Bluming traveled throughout Europe and founded the European Kyokushin
Kyokushin
is a style of stand-up, full contact karate, founded in 1964 by Korean-Japanese karate master, who was born under the name Choi Young-Eui . Kyokushinkai is Japanese for "the society of the ultimate truth". Kyokushin is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline and hard training...
kai kan. The first karate union in Europe was founded by Bluming in January 1962. The first-ever karate championships were held in Krasnapolsky Hotel Amsterdam in 1965. The first international match was held against the team of Steve Arneil (a student of Oyama and Bluming in 1967) and was won by the Budōkai dojo.
Kyokushin Kai Karate
On January 15, 1965, Bluming was the first foreigner awarded the 6th dan in KyokushinKyokushin
is a style of stand-up, full contact karate, founded in 1964 by Korean-Japanese karate master, who was born under the name Choi Young-Eui . Kyokushinkai is Japanese for "the society of the ultimate truth". Kyokushin is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline and hard training...
karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
from the Kyokushinkaikan Honbu by Mas Oyama. The karate world, which was not big in those days, was shocked. Oyama put a classical samurai end to that spectacle and told the karate world that they could fight Bluming man-to-man without any rules in a boxing ring. The one who could beat Bluming that way would win $100,000 from Oyama, who would stop karate and take away Bluming's 6th dan.
In the period after this, Bluming delivered a lot of teachers who sometimes went their own way. One example is Loek Hollander
Loek Hollander
Loek Hollander is a prominent Dutch karate practitioner. He began training Kyokushin Karate in the Netherlands in 1962. Hollander earned his 1st dan ranking in 1965.Hollander was the fourth person ever to complete the 100-man kumite in 1967...
, who was at odds with Bluming. The animosity reached such a level in Japan and Europe that the Japanese organization eventually sided with Loek Hollander. The Dutch Karate Organisation (NKA), an initiative of Bluming, grew larger under Hollander and split in the 1980s when several teachers left Hollander due to "irreconcilable differences".
In January 1989, Bluming received his 9th dan in Kyokushin karate from Japan. The same year he also got his 9th dan in Judo from Japan; he was the only one in the world who had both of the highest grades in martial arts from the Japanese organizations. In November 1989, he received a visit from Akira Maeda
Akira Maeda
is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, also known as Kwik-kik-Lee for his time on the British Wrestling show World of Sport. He helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling during the late 1980s....
, 8th dan of the Budōkai. He told Bluming that Mas Oyama had sent him to talk to Bluming and that he wanted Bluming back in the Honbu and to make him President of the World Karate Kyokushinkai-kan. He wanted Bluming to teach the karateka of the Honbu who were keen on fighting professionally in all-round karate, especially in the fight organization “RINGS JAPAN“, of which Maeda was then President. Bluming said that he would do so only if Loek Hollander
Loek Hollander
Loek Hollander is a prominent Dutch karate practitioner. He began training Kyokushin Karate in the Netherlands in 1962. Hollander earned his 1st dan ranking in 1965.Hollander was the fourth person ever to complete the 100-man kumite in 1967...
was out of the Honbu. Maeda said that Mas Oyama was aware of the problems but for several reasons could not agree with that.
In April 1994, Bluming received word that Mas Oyama had died suddenly. Devastated, he went to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to pay his respect and say goodbye to his teacher.
On September 4, he received a fax from Kenji Kurosaki that he was awarded with the grade of his teacher Mas Oyama and received his 10th dan signed by 5 big organizations of Budō
Budo
is a Japanese term describing martial arts. In English, it is used almost exclusively in reference to Japanese martial arts.-Etymology:Budō is a compound of the root bu , meaning war or martial; and dō , meaning path or way. Specifically, dō is derived from the Buddhist Sanskrit mārga...
in Japan.