Jon Bluming, martial arts master: biography, sporting achievements

The world of martial arts contains a huge number of directions and branches, each of which can have many different masters and teachers. Nevertheless, from ancient times to this day, special attention is always focused on such oriental combat as karate. Among the sensei's cohort, a special place belongs to the representative of the Netherlands, Jon Blooming. About his fate and life will be discussed in this article.

Brief biographical note

The future star of martial arts was born on February 6, 1933 in the city of Amsterdam. On the assurances of contemporaries, Jon Bluming is a living legend that has made a huge contribution to the development of budo. Although all his actions in this direction cause very different assessments: from praise to very harsh criticism. At the same time, it can be said with certainty that in any case his activity does not leave anyone indifferent.

Childhood and youth

The early years of our hero's life proceeded in terrible poverty and fell during the Second World War. Hardest of all, Jon and his sister independently provided their existence, and this at a time when many people were simply starving directly on the street.

At the age of 16, Blooming became a sailor, and a year later joined the US 38th Infantry Regiment and volunteered for the war zone in Korea. The Dutchman was repeatedly awarded for bravery and courage. Three times was wounded. But it was not in vain, because it was in this Asian country that he first came into contact with what would later bring him worldwide fame and glory - with martial arts.

Development

While on treatment at a Japanese hospital, Jon Blooming visited a judo tournament during the rest. Having received a lot of positive impressions from this ancient eastern martial art, the Dutchman returned to his homeland and began to train intensively in this direction. Thanks to his diligence and diligence, he was able to reach the black belt in 1954 quite quickly. After a while, he was able to become the captain of the Dutch national judo team. Together with her, he received the gold award of the European Championship.

The second was given for this kind of struggle by the Dutchman already in 1956. All the secrets of the art of Jon Blooming comprehended, training together with such stars as William Ruska and Chris Dolman. This diligence led to the fact that in 1957, a Japanese teacher named Tokyo Hirano personally handed the third dan to Yon. This success was not accidental, because the Dutchman was able to consistently in 26 minutes to defeat 75 opponents during the summer training camp in the Netherlands. In 1959, Blooming, after a series of victories at various major tournaments, decided to go to Japan.

Life in the Land of the Rising Sun

On the Japanese islands, the Dutchman was given the right to study martial arts with twenty-five of the country's best judoka. Soon enough, Blooming could make himself known here. He managed to become the third in the ranking, giving way to only two local wrestlers.

With a burning desire to get as much as possible of the fighting spirit of the Japanese, Jon, along with Don Dräger, becomes a member of the Kendo Association, where he simultaneously studies Bo-Jitsu and Jiu-Jitsu. It goes without saying that karate was also given attention, which for the Europeans was then something exotic.

The Way of the "Empty Hand"

Kyokushinkai-karate became for Blooming as a result of his whole life. His mentor was a great master named Masutatsu Oyama. After a short voyage home to Holland, Jon again returns to Japan and continues to strengthen his body and spirit in the Teng Yen dojo. In 1961 he received a second dan from the hands of a Japanese tutor. Quite quickly, the entire Japanese world of karatev learned about the giant from Europe, but no one showed a desire to fight it. Jon Blooming, whose height is two meters, inspired animal fear in the Japanese, who were short in their nature. It is largely because of this that the Dutchman did not pass the famous Oyama test called khyakunin-kumite, implying carrying out lightning-fast sparring with a hundred fighters in one day and without interruption. Jonu just did not find so many rivals.

Blooming, despite its impressive size, moved swiftly and beat hard. The well-known fact that Masutatsu even promised one hundred thousand dollars to someone who comes out on the mat and defeats Jon. But those who wanted it were found, because in those days the victory was achieved only by one way - by knockout.

Return to Holland

Oyama blessed Bluming for developing Kyokushinkai karate on the European continent. Jon returned to Holland and already in early 1962 established the European Karate Association.

January 15, 1965 Blooming became the owner of the sixth dan. Such a reward made him the only person at that moment who had such a high degree of martial arts outside of Japan.

Soon the first Kekushin tournament in Europe was held, which was held in Amsterdam. The first international meeting was held in 1967. It was attended by the Netherlands national team and the United Kingdom. The leaders of the teams were Jon Bluming and Steve Arnail.

Leaving the management position

In the early 1970s, Jon Blooming ("From the hooligan to 10 dan" - his autobiographical book) gradually leaves the leadership of his organization and generally moves away from the duties of a functionary. The Karate in the Old World was continued to be developed by his students.

Most people who know the master well and close know his extremely complex character, as well as his directness in statements, his inability to lie and flatter. Most likely, all these qualities and did not give the opportunity to Jon for a long time to occupy a leading position. The only thing that continued to work hard is sensei, so it's a kokusin-budokay. Over time, this small school was able to grow to a large organization. However, this work did not bear fruit immediately.

The Dutchman had a burning desire to combine the shock technique of karate with wrestling skills of judo, which he had the courage to talk with Oyama. It goes without saying that the Japanese did not share Jon's desire, and as a result, in 1980 Blooming opened a new trend - Kyokushin Budo Kai Kan. This combat system was equally effective and realistic.

Despite disagreements, Jon Bluming about Masutatsu Oyama always spoke extremely respectfully and never said a single bad word about his mentor.

As for some masters of kung fu, the Dutchman did not pay much. So, in particular, Jon Bluming about Bruce Lee was not very high opinion and considered him a complete addict. According to Sensei, Lee was quite a mediocre fighter, whose popularity came only due to films.

Few facts

So, describing the life of the great Dutch master, it is worth noting his regalia:

• Jon owns fourteen government awards.
• In the 1950s and 1960s, he was considered the most powerful and dangerous fighter on our planet.
• He starred in seven films. For the first time in the role of an actor, he experienced himself in the distant 1961, while working on the film "The Last Voyage."
• In 2009, sensei fully debunked the established opinion of the townsfolk and many experts that Oyama allegedly killed fifty bulls with his bare hands. Also, the Dutchman named absolutely unreliable information that Steve Arnail and Luke Hollander passed the test called khyakunin-kumite, and called it an ordinary, unrefined PR move.
• In perfect possession of a long and short pole.
• September 4, 1994 Bluming received the maximum possible degree in cakusin - 10th dan. This decision was made by his longtime teacher Kenji Kurosaki and five other most authoritative masters of Japan. It happened soon after the death of the legendary Masutatsu Oyama.

To date, Blooming regularly holds various seminars and dan-tests around the world. Sensei visited Russia several times. For his coaching age, he brought up a whole galaxy of great champions, which additionally characterizes him as a true teacher.