Expert martial artist to visit

Bloomington residents will be able to practice Small Circle Jujitsu on Saturday with the best of the best, at Stone Belt Gymnasium located at 2815 E. 10th St. near the Tenth Street and 45-46 Bypass.\nProfessor Leon Jay, son of Wally Jay, the creator of Small Circle Jujitsu, lives near London, and comes to the Midwest about once a year to teach classes about the use of pressure points.\n“Leon Jay is very good at teaching things in a new way,” said Jennifer Ashburn, who plans to attend Jay’s session. “Almost every martial artist will have their favorite techniques and teach them over and over again. He’s very good at expanding at what we already do and make them more affective.”\nAlong with Jay, Will Higginbotham will also be teaching along with David Rhodes,who owns Ryukyu Kyusho Martial Arts. Higginbotham is a professor at Butler University and teaches classes on pressure points and self-defense to beginning students. Rhodes will be teaching about drills and techniques of Small Circle Jujitsu.\n“I will be teaching concepts related to the art of Small Circle Jujitsu and how pressure points in the body can be used to enhance the control of the body,” Higginbotham said. “If you’re not a real physical person, pressure points can lower the playing field.\nJay has taught sessions in Bloomington about five times and his father has taught here once, Rhodes said.\n“Leon Jay teaches a little bit of everything,” Ashburn said. “He teaches very practical joint locks. Joint locks are essentitially bending things in a way they shouldn’t be bent. For a wrist lock, you bend the wrist so you will hopefully buckle at the knees.”\nTickets cost $40 in advance for Rhodes and Higginbotham and another $40 for Jay, or participants can buy a package for all three presenters for $70. At the door, ticket prices will increase by $10. IU students pay $30 for Rhodes and Higginbotham or Jay or they can receive a package for $50.\nOn Saturday, Rhodes will teach at 9 a.m., Higginbotham will teach at 10:30 a.m. and Leon Jay will teach at 1 p.m. DVDs and T-shirts will be available to buy and guests are welcome to bring their cameras and anything they might like Jay to sign.\nTo order tickets in advance, contact Rhodes at ryukyukyusho@hotmail.com or visit his Web site at www.ryukyu-kyusho.com.