About Me

Martial Art Events – KD Events LLC

The following is a resharing of the webpage copy about the martial art event company for whom I am an event coordinator, KD Events LLC.

KD Events LLC was formed in 2023 by Robert and Matthew Van Valkenburgh, along with their friend Dwayne Bowie, as a means of creating more local competition opportunities for Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai practitioners in the DMV (DC, MD, VA, and DE). Specifically, KD Events LLC focuses on events for niche sub-communities within Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai who are otherwise underserved by larger, more traditional events.

Events run by KD Events LLC:

  • Liquid Swords NoGi Sub Only: nogi submission only jiu-jitsu superfights 
  • Muay Thai Development League: technical sparring scrimmages for youth, teen, and adult Muay Thai practitioners
  • Older Grappler: gi and nogi sparring scrimmages for older jiu-jitsu practitioners 40+
  • Shrimp Roll BJJ: gi and nogi sparring scrimmages for youth jiu-jitsu practitioners age 5-15 years old
  • The Gentle Woman: gi and nogi sparring scrimmages for female jiu-jitsu practitioners

These events are not intended to replace or compete with the larger events that already exist in our area, but to fill the gaps between them and to provide training opportunities for the Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai subcultures that are unintentionally neglected or ignored by these larger promotions. 

For example, many older Jiu-Jitsu practitioners are hesitant to compete in traditional Jiu-Jitsu tournaments for fear of having to face someone much younger than them because of a lack of registrations in their age group. Older Grappler solves this problem by offering scrimmages and open mats for Jiu-Jitsu practitioners over the age of 40. The Gentle Woman serves the same purpose for the female Jiu-Jitsu community. 

The Muay Thai Development League exists to give up-and-coming Muay Thai athletes a safe outlet through which they can gain competitive experience, either for the purpose of working up to becoming a professional fighter, or simply to test themselves outside of the comfort of their academy. Shrimp Roll Youth Jiu-Jitsu Scrimmages serves a similar purpose for youth Jiu-Jitsu practitioners who may have never competed before or are looking to gain more experience competing without the pressure and cost of a larger tournament. 

Liquid Swords NoGi Sub Only is a nogi submission only jiu-jitsu superfight series where local athletes can showcase their skills in front of an audience. This is a spectator event featuring local talent and local vendors, and is intended to be a fun experience for everyone involved. The main purpose of Liquid Swords NoGi Sub Only is to provide jiu-jitsu athletes with more local nogi competition opportunities in the DMV where the majority of tournaments prioritize gi jiu-jitsu. 

To find out more about KD Events LLC or to check out our upcoming events, CLICK HERE

Robert Van Valkenburgh

On Martial Arts – Jiu-Jitsu

The following is a resharing of the webpage copy about my martial art journey that led me to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kogen Dojo

The martial arts have always been more than a physical practice for self defense or sport for me. They are a spiritual, philosophical, and moral path. It is not that the martial arts are particularly special in this way. There are many paths that are as, or more, well suited for personal development as the martial arts. Ultimately, one gets out of a practice what he or she puts into it. This is simply the path I have chosen, or that was chosen for me. 

I began practicing martial arts as a way to resolve the conflict that exists inside me, with the hope that this would also help me resolve conflict with others. What I found was this and much more. 

Martial arts have given me not only a physical and mental operating system for problem solving and conflict resolution, but also a community, a sense of purpose and belonging, and a means of expressing myself creatively. 

Additionally, the martial arts have reignited my passion for learning and for the arts in general, something I somehow lost on the way to adulthood. Finally, through martial arts I have discovered that I love teaching, sharing the knowledge and skills that have been shared with me, and using my experience to help others discover their personal power and confidence. 

All of this to say, the martial arts have given me a lot. It is a debt I can never repay. I have had amazing teachers, training partners, and mentors. I can only hope to be the same for others, something I try to do through Kogen Dojo in Severna Park and Annapolis, MD where I teach and train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I hope to see you on the mats someday. 

Robert Van Valkenburgh

On Writing – Holistic Budo

The following is a resharing of the webpage copy about my other blog ‘Holistic Budo: The Way of the Gentle Warrior’

Holistic Budo originally started as an attempt to tell stories about my martial art journey and how it has shaped and informed the person I am today. Hence, the name Holistic (the interconnectedness of things) Budo (martial arts), or how my whole life and person has been positively affected and influenced by my martial art practice. 

As the years progressed, however, I began to understand that the lessons learned in martial arts and the lessons learned in life are not separate. In this way, the concept of Holistic Budo became a self-fulfilling truth. This led to the tagline: As in life, so too in budo. As in budo, so too in life. 

Many blog posts later, Holistic Budo is now a sort of personal, daily meditation wherein I write advice on how to live a more open-hearted, compassionate, and creative life. This advice is mostly written to myself, as I need it as much as anyone, but it is also written to my daughter’s future self in the event that I am no longer around to guide her directly. As long as my writing exists, she will have a way to look to me for guidance should she so desire. 

You can read Holistic Budo HERE. If you find value in my writing, please leave a comment letting me know what you think or what your personal experience is with the topic of a given post. I write for myself, but I share my writing so that others may benefit from it as well. It is good to know that what I am putting into the world is making a connection and that I am not alone. 

Robert Van Valkenburgh

Journey of Imperfection

One of the most difficult things about writing is knowing where to start. A blog is no different. 

As creatives, we tend to have high standards for ourselves and for the work that we share with the world. We want our art to be perfect before we put it out there for others to interact with. 

The truth is, however, perfect does not exist. Perfect is a lie we tell ourselves in order to hide. It is a shield we use to cover up our vulnerabilities in an attempt to keep them hidden away from the world. 

But the best art is fueled by vulnerability. It is formed from the broken pieces. It is shaped by the hurt, the pain, and the confusion of being a sensitive human in an often insensitive world. 

This is not to say that art is sad. On the contrary, art is hopeful, uplifting, and inspiring. Art is transformative. It connects us soul-to-soul and tells us that we are not alone. 

And in that spirit, I write my first blog post.* My goal with this blog is to embrace both my imperfection and the imperfection of the world around me, and to simply write. 

Unlike my other projects which have specific external focuses (foci?), each representing a different part of who I am, this blog and this site is just about me. I will use it to tell stories, share my ideas and opinions, and to wax philosophical as whim dictates. 

My main goal here is to follow my muse wherever she leads and to share what I find with anyone who is willing to join me on this journey of imperfection. I am not asking permission, I have no one to answer to besides my own conscience, and there are no rules other than that I remain true to that which calls to me. 

And so I will write… 

Regards,

Robert Van Valkenburgh

*I have been posting to my other blog, Holistic Budo, for several years, but this site serves a different purpose for me than Holistic Budo has. While Holistic Budo is largely advice written to myself, my writing here will be largely about myself, my experiences, and my observations.