Rolling With the Boat

UNITED STATES

05.10.2023

Story by Seaman Thierry Tamonte 

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)   

“When I first got here, one of the first things I had to do was find a place to train,” said Cryptologic Technician (Technical) Petty Officer 1st Class Dwight Moffitt, IKE’s jiu-jitsu club coordinator. “I asked guys at the seaside gym ‘hey man, do you know anybody here who rolls?’” In jiu-jitsu, rolling is an all-encompassing term for sparring or drilling at varying degrees of intensity. Moffitt heard that some guys practiced at the seaside gym and the next day, he found someone to train with. After sparring, they wondered if they could get a group together that would want to practice regularly.
“I tell him ‘okay, next time, spread the word,’” said Moffitt. “The next day, ten people showed up, and I knew, ‘Okay, this is becoming something.’”
Jiu-jitsu is a martial art that employs holds, throws, and paralyzing blows to subdue opponents. The style practiced in the club is a no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jutsu style. A gi is a traditional uniform used in the practice of jiu-jitsu, but a no-gi style allows participants to practice in appropriate workout clothes and to focus on anatomical grips on an opponent instead of on grapples having to do with the uniform.
Moffitt started the jiu-jitsu club on the IKE for his love of the sport, and for what it’s brought to his life. His willingness to create the club has given shipmates like Aviation Support Equipment Technician 2nd Class David Locke the ability to continue their own practice in the martial art and access its benefits.
Locke started looking to get back into something physical after practicing non-seasonal folk wrestling for ten years.
“I started jiu-jitsu on my last ship,” said Locke. “It got me out of a lot of bad times.”
Locke recalled a specific time when practicing jiu-jitsu after work had helped him.
“In my last division there were people that I didn’t really get along or vibe with,” said Locke. “There was this guy in my last shop who would insult me–just say the meanest things to me.”
Locke knew he could turn to jiu-jitsu after work.
“It’s a really good way–in a safe environment–not to express, or, take out your anger; but to complete that stressor in a sense,” said Locke, speaking of some of the mental benefits he’s received in the course of his practice. “And [when] we had a mini tournament on the ship, I took that energy after work and went pretty far in the tournament and had a lot of fun.”
Granite Bay Jiu-Jitsu, an organization recognized by the jiu-jitsu association, states that part of the stress reduction jiu-jitsu can create is due to all the exercise elements and intensity combining into the right dosage of physically taxing acticity.
The jiu-jitsu club is open to all hands who want to practice the sport, and Moffitt and Locke encourage anyone to come practice.
“Don’t be scared to come in and at least try it out, for anyone that’s looking to even give it a chance,” said Locke. “Nobody’s going to get hurt. Nobody’s gonna get injured. We take very high precaution in everything we do, and we teach the proper way to do certain techniques so nobody gets hurt. And even if there’s any slight inkling that somebody’s going to get hurt, there are people standing by to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
The club meets during underways from 1800 to 1900 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

• Date Taken: 05.10.2023
• Date Posted: 05.10.2023 15:08
• Story ID: 444471
• Location: US