Fitness Kickboxing -- Take a good look at our colorful web slide show of fitness training with a street-smart edge.

Small Circle strong and growing in Bermuda

Sensei Harvey earned his black belt with Sensei Melaugh and is Bermuda's first Small Circle Jujitsu black belt. He visits our school frequently.

"Our membership is strong and growing because we have strong, motivated, goal-oriented members," Harvey said from his successful school in Hamilton, Bermuda. "I would like to give a special thank you to Sensei Ed Melaugh for teaching me Small Circle Jujitsu, taking me under his wing and showing me the 'real' way to teach and learn martial arts."

McAllister, Schmeer earn black belt ranking

Dave Schmeer and Ray McAllister

State engineer Dave Schmeer of West Bridgwater and high school student Ray McAllister of Woburn are the school's newest black belts.

They earned that ranking, and faced waves of ukes, volunteer attackers, in two hours of intense testing at the school.

Wayne McAllister, Ray's father, was one of eight black belts among more than 20 ukes. Wayne was one of Sensei Melaugh's first students when the school opened in 1990.

"I'm proud of them both," Melaugh said. "Dave and Ray are determined, smart and they don't quit. Ray has been with me since he was four and a half, coming up through Golden Eagles and Super Samurai. Dave is tough; he persevered for seven years, coming here twice a week even though he lives 40 miles away."

Another reason to celebrate

Schmeer, 29, has been studying with Melaugh for seven years. He and Kelly Ann Azevedo of Newburyport, a fourth-year psychology student at the University of New Hampshire, are planning a July wedding at St. Anthony's church in Taunton. Continued here, with photos 03/08

 

Dave Schmeer went from this . . .

. . . To this

Podcast basics:
Breaking balance

With just a download, you can have audio training highlights by Sensei Melaugh on your computer, Ipod or other mp3 player. Here's the first in a series -- breaking an attacker's balance. That's an essential element in Melaugh's street-smart self-protection system.

DOWNLOAD

Dave Schmeer helps Brian Plunkett teach

Black belt shares cross-training tips

Brian Plunkett of Marblehead is a third-degree Small Circle Jujitsu black belt, partner at a Boston law firm and a long-time martial artist with Sensei Melaugh.

"I never get enough time in class," he writes. "Over the years, I have had to come up with other ways to try to stay in good-enough shape to be as effective as possible in Small Circle Jujitsu and to give myself the best chance at self-defense."

Here is how he does it.

Jujitsu mom offers birthday parties

Jane Hodgeland, whose sons Tucker and Hunter are Golden Eagles students, has teamed with two other women to offer princess-themed birthday parties for kids.

Their group is called Princesses and Pollywogs and handles parties from start to finish. They plan to expand, but operate now in the Woburn area. You can read more at the web site www.princessesandpollywogs.

Student Spotlight focuses on green belt Todd Mazzeo

Todd Mazzeo of Gloucester

We've begun a new feature at JujitsuDefense.Com that will highlight students at the New England Small Circle Jujitsu Academy.

Student Spotlight will give you a look at the varied, often-fascinating things that our students are doing outside the school.

And, sometimes, you might see the influence -- direct or subtle -- of a student's Small Circle Jujitsu training.

Our first Student Spotlight focuses on Todd Mazzeo of Gloucester. The 39-year-old father of three recently earned his green-belt skill ranking. And he has become a celebrity of sorts as the striking guy on the Zamboni machine at a busy school hockey rink on the North Shore.

Promotions: youths achieve new jujitsu-skill ranking

Congratulations to these young Small Circle Jujitsu students who have earned new, higher skill ranking. Sensei Melaugh announced the following February promotions:

Golden Eagles

Tucker Hodgeland of Woburn, white/yellow
Tyler Sweeney of Lynnfield, white/orange
Kristopher Mollung of Medford, white/purple
Alex Alvalle of Woburn, white/green

Ray Pavone of Woburn, white/ blue
Hunter Hodgeland of Woburn, white/ blue
Rick Eckberg of Woburn, white/ blue

Super Samurai

Allyson Mollung of Medford, orange/purple
Tom Elliot of Lexington, orange/purple
Sophia Post of Lynnfield, yellow/orange
Mack Post of Lynnfield orange
Tyler Movessian of Woburn purple/green

Father and son are among jujitsu students

Rob Stevens of Tewksbury and his son, Nick, are among the new students at the New England Small Circle Jujitsu Academy.

Tyler Movessian was named Youth Student of the Month. He is a 10-year-old Super Samurai and a member of the school's Black Belt club.

Stevens, a Tewksbury police officer, has begun adult-jujitsu training and Nick is a Golden Eagles youth-jujitsu student.

Other new adult-jujitsu students are: Mark Erickson of Woburn, Tom Gallagher of Goffstown, NH, Allen Halvorsen of Lexington, Steve Spry of Winchester and Andrew Thompson of Dunstable.

Travis Waldron of Woburn, 14, has moved from Super Samurai to adult jujitsu. Travis' mom, Zena Waldron, is a green-belt adult student.

Rhiannon O'Donnell of North Andover, whose father, Tom O'Donnell, is an adult-jujitsu student, joins the ranks of Super Samurai. Cameron Piazza of Woburn, 9, is a new Super Samurai. And Tucker Hodgeland of Woburn, 5, has joined his brother, Hunter, 7, as a Golden Eagle.

More training space

Demolition of a storage room at the back of our training area will provide more workout space.

The building owner has agreed to remove anything now in the 22 by 14 foot room at the left rear of the gym.

"This should be good news for students. The walls will come down and we'll put more mats in the new, cleaned-up area," said Sensei Melaugh.

Football edge on Long Island, Warrior Sports Conditioning here

Martial–arts teacher Mark Tuthill, a frequent visitor to the New England Small Circle Jujitsu Academy, has expanded from the mat to the football field.

Tuthill, who earned his Small Circle Jujitsu black belts under Sensei Ed Melaugh, still has a thriving martial-arts school in East Hampton, N.Y. But he is "coach" Tuthill to high-school and college football-team members who want his Centerline Football to help athletes get an extra edge.

The players already know football. Tuthill's coaching takes that training and game play beyond conventional with advanced martial-arts concepts targeted for football. His football web site is centerlinefootball.com.

Closer to home, Sensei Melaugh is bringing sophisticated martial–arts concepts to non–martial–arts sports in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

His Warrior Sports Performance program trains local athletes, including high-level lacross players, in a warrior mindset and winning techniques unavailable in conventional coaching situations. Coaches and athletes may call him at 781 932 9366 for complete information.

SummerCamp '07 pictures — Our three-day summer martial-arts training camp was great fun and great learning. You can see photos of some of the people at camp here .

Youth–student awards

These young students have received awards for perfect attendance.

September

Super Samurai — Tyler Movesessian

October

Golden Eagles — Alex Alealle

Super Samurai — Jake Skiffington, Nic Skiffington and Tyler Movesessian.

Jujitsu promotions announced

POWER STOP -- Nashua police Sgt. Frank Sullivan stops Todd Mazzeo with effective close. Instructor Mike Welch observes.

Adult promotions

Frank Sullivan of Nashua NH to orange belt. Jerry Driscoll of Dorchester to yellow belt. John Floramo of Malden, Mukendi Kasongo of Woburn and Dean Skiffington of Malden to yellow belt.

Golden Eagles

James Walsh of Burlington to purple belt.

New students

Don Cummings of Malden, Tom O'Donnell of Andover and Bassam Salim and David Salim of Burlington.

And we're glad to have Jim Lewin back at the school. He left a while ago to work in Atlanta, but has returned to the north and the New England Small Circle Jujitsu Academy. Sensei Ed said he felt good when Lewin told him, "Nobody does it like you."

Junior Black-Belt Club inductees

Brothers David Blois Jr. and Tim Blois of Billerica, Nick D'Ermo of Burlington, Alex Salzer of Woburn, Liam Waldron of Woburn and James Welch of Burlington.

Five top, tough students earn coveted black belts

George Chen (right) repels volunteer attackers, including a menacing John Quave of Winchester, in black-belt testing.

Five brown-belt students stood up to attackers and intense skill and knowledge testing to earn ranking as Small Circle Jujitsu black belts.

Four of the new black-belts received congratulations and new belts from Sensei Ed Melaugh after some three hours of testing at the school Dec. 16. Other students, including more-experienced black belts, assisted as ukes, volunteer attackers.

The fifth, student George Chen of Waltham, 30, formerly of Bedford, successfully faced tough testing and attacks Jan. 6.

In addition to Chen, they are: Dave Blois, 39, of Billerica, Jim Pasquale, 51, of Wilmington, Joe Rosberg, 43, of Burlington and Nuri Shakir, 27, of Nashua, NH.

Most of the new black belts have studied for five or six years in preparation for this test.

"I've been in martial arts for 16 years and with Sensei Ed for seven years," Pasquale said. MORE PHOTOS

Bad-weather closings

The school is usually open as scheduled, but if the weather is especially rough, call the school at 781 932 9366 to make sure we're open.

News of bad-weather closings will also be displayed at the top of this JujitsuDefense.Com main page. And if the Woburn school system closes for foul weather, we will most likely also be closed.

From tragedy comes drug fight

Most students at the New England Small Circle Jujitsu Academy know fellow student Chuck Rosa as strong and imposing -- with the grace, kindness and gentle demeanor of a man who doesn't have to prove anything.

Chuck Rosa

They might not know the heartbreaking events that left this father of six to mourn the drug-related deaths of two sons.

From tragedy has come Rosa's quiet determination to fight, in his way, the addictions that take young lives. One way he's fighting is as instructor, mentor and cook at Seacoast Youth Services, an after-school center in Seabrook, NH.

His center team took first place in a recent chili cook-off held to benefit a local toy bank for kids.

The Salem News told of Rosa's participation in a vigil highlighting the drug scourge that continues to bring down young men and women in Salem and Peabody, Massachusetts. The story is here.

Martial-arts and fitness board

You can reach it by clicking here. The lively board is open to all and students can trade information about techniques, events and general martial-arts topics.

Black-belt promotions last April

Determined Steve Rita fends off Larry Ruisi

After years of study, 17 advanced students earned black belt or higher ranking.

Boston-area students - and students from Chicago, Bermuda, and New York - faced strenuous testing by Sensei Ed Melaugh April 29 at the New England Small Circle Jujitsu Academy.

Many others, from lower-ranked to black belts, assisted as Ukes, volunteers who attacked again and again to test the candidates' skills.

The rankings are led by veteran Small Circle Jujitsu student Chuck Boeri of Burlington. He earned a sophisticated sixth-degree black belt.

Mark Tuthill of East Hampton, N.Y., earned a fourth-degree black belt. Tuthill is head instructor at Mark Tuthill's Martial Arts Center and Long Island Small Circle Jujitsu in East Hampton, N.Y

Third-degree black belt rankings were earned by Paul Skiffington of Tewskbury, Larry Ruisi of Medford, John Carlson of Burlington, Joe Zuccola of Wilmington, Rick Alford of Burlington and Steve Rita of Seabrook, N.H. Alford operates the Eastern Small Circle Jujitsu Academy in Wakefield.

Photo by Chuck Boeri

New first-degree black belts and Sensei Melaugh.

Second-degree black belt rankings went to Barry Brennan of Long Island, N.Y., Erik Kondo of Lexington, Tony Peters of Long Island, N.Y. and John Virga of Long Island, N.Y. Brennan, Peters and Virga are students of Mark Tuthill.

First-degree black belt, the first black-belt rank, was earned by Jim Cazeau of Chicago, Illinois, Shawn Harvey of Hamilton, Bermuda, Josh Johnson of Lynnfield, Steve Iannetti of Lynn and Mike Welch of Medford. Johnson and Iannetti are students of Rick Alford.

Shawn Harvey is Melaugh's first international black belt. He is the founder of the Bermuda Small Circle Jujitsu Academy and is Bermuda's first Small Circle Jujitsu black belt. Jim Cazeau is Melaugh's first Chicago black belt.

Street-smart training tapes, DVDs available

With titles ranging from drills and fundamentals to knife defense, you can order comprehensive how-to training videotapes and DVDs from Sensei Ed Melaugh.

The practical street self-protection videos were filmed with some of Melaugh's experienced black belts and other outstanding martial-arts figures.

For example, the knife-defense video shows and explains street-practical ways of dealing with a knife mugging.

"We're showing students how to take the power. I show how to recognize the weaknesses of the attacker, how to take him down, and how to get out safely," Melaugh said.

The take-down video, which works with the Drills and Fundamentals tapes or DVDs, is produced along similar lines.

"It's when you get in tight with somebody and use your legs and feet to sweep and hook them down."

DVDs and tapes cost $39.95 each, plus shipping and handling. Melaugh made the training videos with black belts Sandy Lasa, Paul Skiffington and Rick Alford and other experienced martial0-arts figures.

Some of the DVDs and tape titles are:

• Practical Street Self-Protection — Fundamentals.

• Practical Street Self-Protection — Drills.

• Practical Street Self-Protection — Take Downs.

• Practical Street Self-Protection — Knife Defense.

DVDs and videotapes are available at the school or by mail for $39.95 each, plus shipping & handling.

"They supplement regular training with advanced concepts and techniques," Melaugh said. "They also reinforce what students have learned in class and help fine-tune street skills."

Students can work on particular skill sets until they are completely comfortable.

The training-media order form is here.

VISIT— Sensei Melaugh is flanked by Peter Bobo, left, Shawn Harvey and Dave Rhodes.

Jujitsu instructors and students from Bermuda, Indiana and Tennessee made the trip to the New England Small Circle Jujitsu Academy to study with Sensei Ed Melaugh.

Visitors Shawn Harvey of Hamilton, Bermuda, and Dave Rhodes of Bloomington, Indiana, have studied with Melaugh and brought Small Circle Jujitsu to students on their home turf. Peter Bobo of Nashville, Tennessee, has organized students in the Nashville suburbs to learn Small Circle.

Melaugh has taught and tested at the three locations for several years.

"They were here for more training, to bring it back to their home towns. They came to learn more and we learned from them too," Melaugh said. "They traveled thousands of miles for this knowledge."

"We're trying to develop people around the country -- and out of the country -- to learn and teach Small Circle Jujitsu. It's a developmental program.

"I want to be able to share what I've learned and then have them share it with new students. I'm doing it here, of course, but there's a whole world that's starting to look at Small Circle Jujitsu and realize how practical it is for street self protection."

 

Ten top teachers in camp video You can get the terrific how-to video from SummerCamp98. It offers step-by-step self-defense instruction from ten of the best. Summercamp gives you holds, takedowns and techniques from Small Circle Jujitsu® founder Prof. Wally Jay and Prof. Lee Eichelberger, Sensei Ed Melaugh and Sensei Ron Ogi. You'll also learn from guest instructors Dave Castoldi, Evan Pantazi, Chris Peterson, Rob Gale, Clare Sullivan and Stan Miller.   Click on the photo to see details of this special training video.

Why train? Some students train with Sensei Melaugh to stay in good health or in good shape. Others want the empowerment of Melaugh's street-wise jujitsu and practical street self protection. BRIDGE — Sensei Ed Melaugh reads a threatening motion and comes to a bridge position to shut down the bicept lines of an opponent. Some have enrolled their sons and daughters for the self discipline, concentration and sense of accomplishment. And others want it all. We asked two students — Monhdil Jose and Mary MtPleasant — to put the “why” of training here into words. Mary MtPleasant “I'm a woman and I go places by myself,” said Mary MtPleasant, 27. “You never know if you're going to need to defend yourself. And I also get to stay in shape.” A University of Pennsylvania grad, MtPleasant is an IBM software specialist who recently earned her orange belt in Small Circle Jujitsu. She also works out in Fitness Kickboxing classes. “While I'm keeping in shape, I'm learning a useful skill — how to defend myself,” said the Billerica resident. Monhdil Jose Monhdil Jose Monhdil Jose is a Marine Corps reservist and union carpenter. He and his wife, Shelley Bell, live in Tewksbury. The 25-year-old has impressive physical strength, a fact noted by other students. “I work with concrete,” he says, and laughs. “I guess it's genetics.” But why train here? “This is the only [martial] art that comes close to street fighting,” Jose said. “A lot of the other arts are just boxing and kicking from a distance. Here you get up close and personal so you're one on one. I was doing other sports and they weren't getting me anywhere. I was doing soccer but I wasn't feeling the vibe, or whatever you call it. “In here, I get a workout and I feel much better when I go home all sore. It feels good. And being in the Marine Corps, it helps me a lot too.”

Fitness Kickboxing in the news Click here to see the newspaper story that outlined the healthy, heart-pumping, body-toning benefits of Fitness Kickboxing classes at the New England Small Circle JuJitsu Academy.

FITNESS THREE -- Ready for their Fitness Kickboxing class are, from left, Michele DeAngelo of Stoneham, Marie Downie of Woburn and Christina Theokas of Reading. [Click on this photo for a larger version.]

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A membership message from Sensei Ed Melaugh

This web page is provided for students and friends of the New England Small Circle JuJitsu® Academy and for other practitioners of Small Circle Jujitsu®. We also welcome visitors from different martial-arts disciplines and people who want a look at our self-defense training.

Please sign our guest book, below, so we can keep you up to date and provide the services you need.

This is also a window for people who have heard of the good things that our students are doing and who want to know more. You can click here for details of our trial enrollment program.

I have found that martial-arts training, especially Small Circle Jujitsu training, teaches self respect and respect for others. In addition to valuable self-defense skills, it teaches self discipline and concentration. For many of our students, that translates into improved scholarship, school grades and on-the-job performance.

-- Ed Melaugh

Summer Camp 2003 -- You can see photos of many of the students who took part in this great weekend by clicking here. Summer Camp 2004 --Click here for a look at the setting for Summer Camp '04, Summer Camp 2005 -- Photos from our Summer Martial Arts Training Camp are here. Master Ron Ogi of Honolulu, featured instructor, added his own pictures. Jujitsu web highlights Interview. To learn what makes Small Circle Jujitsu training special, click on the button at left to see a killer interview with Sensei Ed Melaugh. Affiliates. We're officially affiliated with these fine martial-arts organizations. Click blue button for details. Links. Click this button for a selection of other fine martial-arts web sites.

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© New England Small Circle JuJitsu Academy. “Self defense that makes sense” and “Ed Melaugh's Jujitsu” are copyright © 2002, 2008 by Ed Melaugh.

   

Updated 5/06/08 Web marketing and communications by Dan Sheridan. Unless otherwise noted, photos are copyright by Dan Sheridan. Click here to report access, content or technical problems.