Sensei Baj Bharj

I started my career in martial arts when I was 13 studying the art of Kung-fu fei lung Kwan, which means elephant style. I got to blue sash within a period of 3 years which is half way to black sash. At 16 years old I started to become bored doing kata’s, however I really enjoyed the sparring which helped me with my flexibility, speed and accuracy of attacks. After 2 to 3 months break from Kung-fu I found it extremely difficult to return and the longer I left it the more I did not want to return.

At 18 I went to Hatfield Polytechnic to study and was away from home for 3 years and did no training apart from eating, drinking and chatting up birds. At 21 I returned to Swindon and wanted to start Martial arts again but this time I was determined to train seriously and achieve a black belt. I looked around at many different clubs and styles and was very impressed with Ju-jitsu it was physical, practical and most important enjoyable. I started training at 22 years of age and now after 27 years, aged 49 am still training seriously in the same art. I met up with Steve Cole whom I partnered and we have graded together from white to 6th Dan, a regular, reliable partner is very important in any martial art and is one of the key success factors.

Our Instructor left the UK when we were both purple belts at which time we took over the running of the club, we use to travel up to London to learn our next syllabus. Sensei Terry Parker our Instructor has been very helpful and supportive and without him and his senior members Steve and I would not have progressed to the grade we are today.

Partnership is the key to all success, Steve and I have no ego between ourselves, we trust each other with our lives which is one of the major contributions towards the success of Swindon Ju-jitsu club.

8 years ago I was made redundant and could not source a job with the UK so decided to become an Expatriate in Saudi Arabia, I worked out there for 2.5 years and taught ju-jitsu out there to a wide range of different nationalities it was great fun. Early this year I return to the UK and could not find a job in Swindon so moved to Shrewsbury and am currently working there. I teach at Fitness first once a week and weight train twice a week. The key thing for me is where ever I go I always make sure I continue with ju-jitsu training as I enjoy it so much it has become a part of my life and I will never give it up. Although I have not trained with my partner Steve Cole continuously for the past 8 years at Swindon Ju-jitsu club we have kept in touch and train whenever it is feasibly possible.

Any martial art is a life time study, it’s a journey of 100 miles by foot and I believe at 6th Dan, training for 37 years I have only taken a couple of steps into the 100 mile journey. There is so much to learn it’s unbelievable.