And We Merely Players ...
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Movement is Technique
Griff of Edmonds BJJ reminded me of what an incredible resource Global Training Report is. I was over there earlier and came across an interesting observation on the relationship between "technique" and "movement". It fits very much into the jiu jitsu Renaissance I am trying to launch in my own private little Firenze.
Movement Versus Technique: Why Rickson Gracie, B.J. Penn, Marcelo Garcia and Marco Barbosa are Good at Jiu-Jitsu
Movement Versus Technique: Why Rickson Gracie, B.J. Penn, Marcelo Garcia and Marco Barbosa are Good at Jiu-Jitsu
He simple kept repeating “movement is more important than technique”; and, of course, his definition of movement is also quite comprehensive. In any case, he passed, pinned, and tapped me and everyone else multiple times using a surprisingly small number of actual techniques. The minute adjustments and transitions he employed to pass, stay on top, escape in those rare situations where he was put in danger, and finish, were the key.
Numbered Five
The first thing is my weight. I'm ten pounds heavier than I need to be. It's not a massive amount. But given where I am and what I'm trying to accomplish, I need my walking around range to be 150-155, not 160-165.
Second is building a better cardio base. Here, I'm starting with the basics from Joel Jamison's Ultimate MMA Conditioning: Cardiac Output/High Intensity Continuous Training/Tempo Training. Output 3x/week, and once each for HICT and Tempo training.
Third? C-I-L-L my half-guard in order to save it. I've been debating whether or not to abandon the half guard for the past few months. I've concluded, fortunately, that would be an insane thing to do. What I need to do - what I will do - is increase the transitions from half to butterfly half to deep half to X to single X to tripod and so on.
This is also about passing. Develop strategies to draw out the guard you want to pass and then pass it. Ideally, for me, this means forcing guys to play half guard against me, where I should have an edge.
For the training portion, the goal isn't to sweep so much as it is to be able to transition to different guards as a way of dealing with the threat of pass. Attack just enough to illicit a response, and then use a guard transition rather than a "recounter" per se, to set up another attack.
The fourth goal is simply to be faster. Each of the first three goals will contribute to this, but it is worth making a conscious effort to increase the pace. I don't need - or want - to be moving at breakneck speed. But keeping the aerobic/alactic rhythm will go a long way toward helping my jiu jitsu become more effective.
The fifth and final goal is to train more. That doesn't mean training five days a week. It doesn't mean training full class and Live Training every time I go to the academy. What it does mean is developing a training program that allows me to focus on areas that I want to work on as frequently as possible. More often than not, this will mean only two classes a week, with two Live Training sessions - and maybe only one of those sessions being especially rigorous. Hell, it might mean driving over to the academy, putting on my gi and rolling around on the side mats by myself doing matwork drills. Whatever.
On the health front, what was a very sore back a few days ago has revealed itself to be a continuation of the groin injury I'd been working around for several weeks. I'm sitting on ice and not-stretching with the hope that Memorial Day will see me back on the mat.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Faria v. Barral: BJJ World Cup Italy 2011
If you heard about the controversial match between Bernardo Faria and Romulo Barral at the BJJ Pro Cup, and wondered what the fuss what about, see it for yourself here
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
September 2005 - January 2011
The point of competing is to win. Whatever other good competition provides to the soul or to the fighting spirit or whatever, there is nothing to be gained by losing sight of the reason why competition exists: to determine a better through fair contest.
In the same way that history is written by the victors, so is the manual on competition. And from an aspirational point of view, that's certainly how it should be. After all, who wants to listen to the Seattle Mariners' plan to win the World Series, or to an American soccer player talking about what it takes to win the World Cup?
But at the same time, what does a victor have to say to the vanquished? From a certain perspective, what does a Marcelo Garcia, the most consummate champion in jiu jitsu in many respects, really have to say to someone like myself, who has been an exceptionally poor competitor for years, on the topic of competition?
I once had a teammate ask me after a recent loss - a teammate who does not compete - if I had the right attitude about the loss. He wasn't there to see the bug-meets-windshield nature of my performance that particular Saturday, and I grant that it was an innocent enough question. But I'll admit that there was a part of me that wanted to say, "I don't know. What's the appropriate attitude to have when you haven't won a competitive match in years?"
I actually found myself chuckling a little bit reading a recent GracieMag about overcoming adversity. To be sure, the suffering of someone like Pablo Papovitch - who lost family in the terrible floods in Brazil this spring and was on the cover of the issue - is of another order of magnitude beyond what any of us ever experiece on the mat. But as the issue went on to relate stories of how widely-recognized jiu jitsu champions dealt with their first loss in nearly three years or a referee's blown call or how - after winning in every tournament since white belt - they suddenly faced their first loss - I didn't exactly feel compelled to bring out the Stradivarius.
I remember watching some History Channel program or something about how hapless the European knights of the Middle Ages were against the faster, more agile Mongols, who invaded much of Eastern Europe in the first half of the 1200s. Nothing describes my jiu jitsu better than that right now. I am slow, defensive and easily overwhelmed by jiu jitsu that has any movement to it whatsoever. I am chain mail and broad sword in a world increasingly populated with composite bows and fast horses.
This is what I've made my priority to fix, what competition, per se, no longer plays much of a role in. From my way of looking at it, I need to bring a real Renaissance to my jiu jitsu, starting as close to scratch as I can get without breaking the skin, in order to become the kind of black belt I want to be if and when that day finally comes.
In the same way that history is written by the victors, so is the manual on competition. And from an aspirational point of view, that's certainly how it should be. After all, who wants to listen to the Seattle Mariners' plan to win the World Series, or to an American soccer player talking about what it takes to win the World Cup?
But at the same time, what does a victor have to say to the vanquished? From a certain perspective, what does a Marcelo Garcia, the most consummate champion in jiu jitsu in many respects, really have to say to someone like myself, who has been an exceptionally poor competitor for years, on the topic of competition?
I once had a teammate ask me after a recent loss - a teammate who does not compete - if I had the right attitude about the loss. He wasn't there to see the bug-meets-windshield nature of my performance that particular Saturday, and I grant that it was an innocent enough question. But I'll admit that there was a part of me that wanted to say, "I don't know. What's the appropriate attitude to have when you haven't won a competitive match in years?"
I actually found myself chuckling a little bit reading a recent GracieMag about overcoming adversity. To be sure, the suffering of someone like Pablo Papovitch - who lost family in the terrible floods in Brazil this spring and was on the cover of the issue - is of another order of magnitude beyond what any of us ever experiece on the mat. But as the issue went on to relate stories of how widely-recognized jiu jitsu champions dealt with their first loss in nearly three years or a referee's blown call or how - after winning in every tournament since white belt - they suddenly faced their first loss - I didn't exactly feel compelled to bring out the Stradivarius.
I remember watching some History Channel program or something about how hapless the European knights of the Middle Ages were against the faster, more agile Mongols, who invaded much of Eastern Europe in the first half of the 1200s. Nothing describes my jiu jitsu better than that right now. I am slow, defensive and easily overwhelmed by jiu jitsu that has any movement to it whatsoever. I am chain mail and broad sword in a world increasingly populated with composite bows and fast horses.
This is what I've made my priority to fix, what competition, per se, no longer plays much of a role in. From my way of looking at it, I need to bring a real Renaissance to my jiu jitsu, starting as close to scratch as I can get without breaking the skin, in order to become the kind of black belt I want to be if and when that day finally comes.
Master and Commander: Helio Sparring with Rickson
Not the music I would have selected. But that's what the volume control is for.
That said, how cool is this?
That said, how cool is this?
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
No Machida Moment for This Natural
Like most fighters - if you'll forgive the expression - my record was better early in my competitive career than it was late. In fact, once you get beyond the superstars - the Anderson Silvas, the GSPs - a lot of fighters' records look like that as an early edge gives way to a brief period of either competitiveness or, at best, superiority, and then - for all but a very few - the decline.
So I wondered when I'd have my Machida moment, the one tournament match that would unequivocally make clear that my time on the competitive tatame was pretty much over. As it turns out, I'll be afforded no such drama. Out with a whimper, rather than a bang, I go.
So I wondered when I'd have my Machida moment, the one tournament match that would unequivocally make clear that my time on the competitive tatame was pretty much over. As it turns out, I'll be afforded no such drama. Out with a whimper, rather than a bang, I go.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Training Day: Monday
The main reason why I started keeping a four-week moving average of my weekly training was to deal with situations like this when I feel like my game is very much out of sorts and arbitrary.
By being able to look down at my calendar and see that I'm barely averaging more than 2x a week - and that including a few whole weeks without training over the past few months - I get one of the more helpful reality checks against the fear that I'm not developing the way I want to.
Prof. Rodrigo was making the point to one of the guys tonight, someone I've had the opportunity to train with for the past couple of days and gave me plenty of trouble from the half guard. Rodrigo was saying that missing whole weeks was a real killer and that even if you train 3 or 4 times a week, if you miss a week, it is almost like you are starting over again.
I felt as if he could have been talking to me. It's been a bumpy spring, with its set of distractions. And many of the training goals I'd set for this training year are now pretty much mathematically impossible. There may be an argument that I'd started to get too focused on the numbers and less of the quality of those numbers. But that was also during a time when it seemed like it was a lot easier to get training in.
It certainly helps to have great teammates. Every night I'm reminded of that and it is a reminder of how, once you get in the car and get headed toward the academy, you always know that things are well on their way toward getting better.
It's like a small slice of that great quote from Saulo Ribeiro, that the competition begins the moment you open your eyes the day of the tournament. You're on your way to a different place, and it is both blessing and obligation to make of it what you will.
161.3 on the scale post-train, everything but the coat. A perfectly fine way to start Fight Week (TM). The backache that usually only arrives on Saturday mornings after oversleeping on our lousy mattress arrived mid-morning today and while I was able to train around it, it doesn't seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere, either. If I'm halfway decent tomorrow, a Tuesday Live Training and a Wednesday regular session might do it for this week.
By being able to look down at my calendar and see that I'm barely averaging more than 2x a week - and that including a few whole weeks without training over the past few months - I get one of the more helpful reality checks against the fear that I'm not developing the way I want to.
Prof. Rodrigo was making the point to one of the guys tonight, someone I've had the opportunity to train with for the past couple of days and gave me plenty of trouble from the half guard. Rodrigo was saying that missing whole weeks was a real killer and that even if you train 3 or 4 times a week, if you miss a week, it is almost like you are starting over again.
I felt as if he could have been talking to me. It's been a bumpy spring, with its set of distractions. And many of the training goals I'd set for this training year are now pretty much mathematically impossible. There may be an argument that I'd started to get too focused on the numbers and less of the quality of those numbers. But that was also during a time when it seemed like it was a lot easier to get training in.
It certainly helps to have great teammates. Every night I'm reminded of that and it is a reminder of how, once you get in the car and get headed toward the academy, you always know that things are well on their way toward getting better.
It's like a small slice of that great quote from Saulo Ribeiro, that the competition begins the moment you open your eyes the day of the tournament. You're on your way to a different place, and it is both blessing and obligation to make of it what you will.
161.3 on the scale post-train, everything but the coat. A perfectly fine way to start Fight Week (TM). The backache that usually only arrives on Saturday mornings after oversleeping on our lousy mattress arrived mid-morning today and while I was able to train around it, it doesn't seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere, either. If I'm halfway decent tomorrow, a Tuesday Live Training and a Wednesday regular session might do it for this week.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Training Day: Saturday
Prof Jesse led the class and Live Training session. I arrived at the tail end of the class, and got to work a nice takedown/guard-submission drill that Jesse had everyone doing. It was a great warmup for the Live Training that followed.
Jesse had us working in small group shark tanks. I felt so-so at first, but then felt like I was really breaking down quickly after the second round. Due to the structure of the drill, I spent a good amount of time on the bottom or "in the tank", which was certainly good training. But I really felt inefficient and reactive much of the time.
It was definitely great to get a Saturday in, especially now that I'm going to have to figure out a way to get access back to my Friday training sessions - sessions that used to be a great anchor to my training week. But things as The Asteroid seem almost always in some sort of flux or another, so I'm not convinced I'll have any training scheduled clarity any time soon.
In any event, I've got to figure it out. I hate the idea of stumbling around in my jiu jitsu, and that's how I've felt with this on-again, off-again training over the past couple of months. That I'm weaving this patchwork en route to the Revolution is no great thrill. But it that may make this event a week from now the first one in a long time that I've been able to put in the proper perspective.
Jesse had us working in small group shark tanks. I felt so-so at first, but then felt like I was really breaking down quickly after the second round. Due to the structure of the drill, I spent a good amount of time on the bottom or "in the tank", which was certainly good training. But I really felt inefficient and reactive much of the time.
It was definitely great to get a Saturday in, especially now that I'm going to have to figure out a way to get access back to my Friday training sessions - sessions that used to be a great anchor to my training week. But things as The Asteroid seem almost always in some sort of flux or another, so I'm not convinced I'll have any training scheduled clarity any time soon.
In any event, I've got to figure it out. I hate the idea of stumbling around in my jiu jitsu, and that's how I've felt with this on-again, off-again training over the past couple of months. That I'm weaving this patchwork en route to the Revolution is no great thrill. But it that may make this event a week from now the first one in a long time that I've been able to put in the proper perspective.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Training Day: Wednesday
A real savage training tonight. After warmups we started with a little standup drilling, working on the entry for the fireman's carry. From there, we drilled half-guard sweeps, the Xande and the Shaolin, from Monday night. I was having a little trouble getting the momentum right for the Xande, not waiting for it, mostly. And the Shaolin felt a little better than it did on Monday. I felt less like I was bodysurfing into position and a bit more like a controlled roll.
A lot of half guard specific and I really felt like I underperformed. Fatigue came on very fast after just a few rounds of passing and on the bottom my game seemed to fall apart. Compared to the way my guard game was last Saturday, things looked pretty rough - and all the more dismayingly so given that half guard is my bread and butter.
Live Training was better. I don't feel about the half guard the way I used to now that I am opening things up a little bit. But I don't want to lose complete touch with it. In competition, it will still be a go to position - especially if I can keep near the front of the pack in the deep half guard arms race.
161.2 on the scale post-train. A little heavier than I'd like, but that makes weight.
A lot of half guard specific and I really felt like I underperformed. Fatigue came on very fast after just a few rounds of passing and on the bottom my game seemed to fall apart. Compared to the way my guard game was last Saturday, things looked pretty rough - and all the more dismayingly so given that half guard is my bread and butter.
Live Training was better. I don't feel about the half guard the way I used to now that I am opening things up a little bit. But I don't want to lose complete touch with it. In competition, it will still be a go to position - especially if I can keep near the front of the pack in the deep half guard arms race.
161.2 on the scale post-train. A little heavier than I'd like, but that makes weight.
Monday, May 09, 2011
Training Day: Monday
Felt great to get back on the mat tonight. I actually didn't feel too off my game - in part because I'd been watching so much jiu jitsu over the past few days and working on Burien Top Team 2.0: Beyond the Half Guard. Of course, the irony of tonight's training was that I learned a total of three new sweeps for the half guard - all of which look like they can be incorporated fairly seamlessly into what I've been doing out of meia-guarda.
Tonight Prof. Rodrigo showed us the Xande half guard sweep and the Shaolin sweep from half guard. They really work very well together, starting with the knee shield and then feeling for the movement that will tell you whether to go forward with the Xande or backward with the Shaolin.
Good training tonight overall - especially after being off the mat for a week. That's probably a testament to having done this jiu jitsu thing for a little while now. I know it's always been a weird feeling to get to train with a black belt who hasn't trained in a while or is only training 2x a week and to feel no significant slack in their game, no advantage I might have gained after a couple of months of furious 4x/week training. In that way, jiu jitsu is a lot like swimming or music or fluency in a language other than your native one: once it becomes a part of you, it's a part of you. And that's nothing that a week here - or a month or even a year there - is going to change.
159.6 on the scale post-train. No doubt some of that is "cold virus assisted". But I wouldn't mind hanging around under 160 for a fortnight.
Tonight Prof. Rodrigo showed us the Xande half guard sweep and the Shaolin sweep from half guard. They really work very well together, starting with the knee shield and then feeling for the movement that will tell you whether to go forward with the Xande or backward with the Shaolin.
Good training tonight overall - especially after being off the mat for a week. That's probably a testament to having done this jiu jitsu thing for a little while now. I know it's always been a weird feeling to get to train with a black belt who hasn't trained in a while or is only training 2x a week and to feel no significant slack in their game, no advantage I might have gained after a couple of months of furious 4x/week training. In that way, jiu jitsu is a lot like swimming or music or fluency in a language other than your native one: once it becomes a part of you, it's a part of you. And that's nothing that a week here - or a month or even a year there - is going to change.
159.6 on the scale post-train. No doubt some of that is "cold virus assisted". But I wouldn't mind hanging around under 160 for a fortnight.
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Mundial Season
The best seats for the 2011 Mundial not in the state of California are right here:
More info and how to buy here.
And here's a look at how they finished last year:
More info and how to buy here.
And here's a look at how they finished last year:
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Spring and All
It's been one heckuva spring. I get injured the weekend before the March revolution. Then I'm told that I need to move to Jersey to keep my job. Then I'm told that I can keep my job, continue working remotely, and even get the raise I asked for - but that all of my staff is going to be let go. And then after a month of being a Department of One (TM), waiting patiently for That Paper, and trying to prep for the May revolution, I catch a cold three weeks out and miss a full week of training.
Coming into this week, my four-week training average was 2.5. I figured that four sessions this week - and over the next two weeks - would bring that number up to a respectable 3.5 or so heading into the competition. As it stands, with this week being another zero, the best I can hope for is a 3.0 by the Friday after the Friday after tomorrow.
Historically, the late spring and early summer tends to be a great time for training. And even with the awful April, I think I'll still have a halfway decent quarter (May/June/July - my calendar training year begins in August).
Other than getting some rest and all the usual cold-recovery strategies, I'm trying to focus in on what I'll need to train specifically next week and the week after in order to put on a halfway decent performance on the 21st. There have been some solid breakthroughs in recent weeks, especially with my cross and instep guards which really came into their own last Saturday. But there is still much tightening work to do with regard to guard passing and I need to drill some takedowns (read: half guard pulls) to avoid leaving any gaps that could show up as chasms in two weeks' time.
Coming into this week, my four-week training average was 2.5. I figured that four sessions this week - and over the next two weeks - would bring that number up to a respectable 3.5 or so heading into the competition. As it stands, with this week being another zero, the best I can hope for is a 3.0 by the Friday after the Friday after tomorrow.
Historically, the late spring and early summer tends to be a great time for training. And even with the awful April, I think I'll still have a halfway decent quarter (May/June/July - my calendar training year begins in August).
Other than getting some rest and all the usual cold-recovery strategies, I'm trying to focus in on what I'll need to train specifically next week and the week after in order to put on a halfway decent performance on the 21st. There have been some solid breakthroughs in recent weeks, especially with my cross and instep guards which really came into their own last Saturday. But there is still much tightening work to do with regard to guard passing and I need to drill some takedowns (read: half guard pulls) to avoid leaving any gaps that could show up as chasms in two weeks' time.
Monday, May 02, 2011
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Why I Listen to/Read Lloyd Irvin
Here's your assignment.
Ok, check this out, I recently had my students focus on this because at some point you have to become a Master at your go to moves. Most people will become really good at their go to moves "over time" but I've been focused on cutting that time to a mere fraction of the normal time it takes most people.
Over the years I've proven it with my students and at first I proved it with myself as my own test subject.
As a motivation for my students you've probably heard that at tournaments I have what I call 'Money Moves', these are moves that if my students pull off they get paid. Like the UFC bonues but I was doing it before Dana White. :-)
For example, The Kimura Kid made $450 at the pan ams for his submissions.
When I want my guys to focus on X choke from the mount I'll make that a money move for a tournament and during the training I only allow the X choke from the mount(if they get to the mount).
I also will do position specific LIVE drills from the mount to force them to work on it.
SO WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?
Here's my Sunday assignment for you, I want you to pick one sweep and one choke from positions that you get to the most and only use those 2 moves for the next week, if you like it I want you to push it out for 2 weeks.
So your assignment right now is to write down what your one sweep will be and what your one choke will be.
Then think about the positions that you need to get to for the move and which of your teammates you're able to attain these positions on.
Then make sure that you get to work with them, you can also ask your instructor if you can get paired up with them because you want to work on a specific technique set and they are the best partner for you.
That's it. Saturday afternoon let me know how the week went.
Have fun.
Lloyd Irvin aka The Grappling Renegade
Forever The King Of Leglocks
Ok, check this out, I recently had my students focus on this because at some point you have to become a Master at your go to moves. Most people will become really good at their go to moves "over time" but I've been focused on cutting that time to a mere fraction of the normal time it takes most people.
Over the years I've proven it with my students and at first I proved it with myself as my own test subject.
As a motivation for my students you've probably heard that at tournaments I have what I call 'Money Moves', these are moves that if my students pull off they get paid. Like the UFC bonues but I was doing it before Dana White. :-)
For example, The Kimura Kid made $450 at the pan ams for his submissions.
When I want my guys to focus on X choke from the mount I'll make that a money move for a tournament and during the training I only allow the X choke from the mount(if they get to the mount).
I also will do position specific LIVE drills from the mount to force them to work on it.
SO WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?
Here's my Sunday assignment for you, I want you to pick one sweep and one choke from positions that you get to the most and only use those 2 moves for the next week, if you like it I want you to push it out for 2 weeks.
So your assignment right now is to write down what your one sweep will be and what your one choke will be.
Then think about the positions that you need to get to for the move and which of your teammates you're able to attain these positions on.
Then make sure that you get to work with them, you can also ask your instructor if you can get paired up with them because you want to work on a specific technique set and they are the best partner for you.
That's it. Saturday afternoon let me know how the week went.
Have fun.
Lloyd Irvin aka The Grappling Renegade
Forever The King Of Leglocks
Friday, April 29, 2011
Training Day: Friday
Guard passing heaven at Gracie Barra Seattle.
Today's installment with Prof. Carlos continued on the theme of open guard passes, starting with standing inside control and using the "guard split" (one leg up, one leg on the mat) to set up passing opportunities. There were variations for with and without double sleeve control.
For shorthand - and to remember them better - they were The Fold, The Hug, The Sitout and The Backflip. The one pass that seemed the most complicated and hard to do, The Sitout, is actually turning into one of my favorites of the group - especially on my good side.
I especially like one thing both Profs Rodrigo and Carlos are doing with very specific sparring. Forcing us to work specifically on the guard passes that we have just learned really helps in grain them more - and keep specific training from devolving into just another opportunity to train what you already know. I know I've had that tendency far too oftem and this added bit of structure is a lot of help.
162.4 on the scale post-train. I didn't get a chance to spar, which probably would have knocked off another pound to keep me under weight. With any luck, I'll more than make up for it tomorrow.
Today's installment with Prof. Carlos continued on the theme of open guard passes, starting with standing inside control and using the "guard split" (one leg up, one leg on the mat) to set up passing opportunities. There were variations for with and without double sleeve control.
For shorthand - and to remember them better - they were The Fold, The Hug, The Sitout and The Backflip. The one pass that seemed the most complicated and hard to do, The Sitout, is actually turning into one of my favorites of the group - especially on my good side.
I especially like one thing both Profs Rodrigo and Carlos are doing with very specific sparring. Forcing us to work specifically on the guard passes that we have just learned really helps in grain them more - and keep specific training from devolving into just another opportunity to train what you already know. I know I've had that tendency far too oftem and this added bit of structure is a lot of help.
162.4 on the scale post-train. I didn't get a chance to spar, which probably would have knocked off another pound to keep me under weight. With any luck, I'll more than make up for it tomorrow.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Guard Passing Drills
There have always been days when I've felt like the orixas of jiu jitsu were looking out for me. Catching this video this evening - and being reminded of these great drills I can add to my skills conditioning - is just another example of that as far as I'm concerned.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Training Day: Wednesday
Another great session this week. It's still all about the guard passes, which is great as far as I'm concerned, tonight working against the spider guard (another version of Rodrigo's folding pass v.s. the DLR and a pass I call the Jack Pass) as well as a refresher on the Fowler pass from Monday.
As I've said, I love the fact that I'm getting to spend so much focused time on guard passing. So much of jiu jitsu is about developing sensibilities, and there's no better way to develop sensibilities than do repetitions, drill, over and over again. There are a lot of other considerations, I suppose. You don't want "bore" anyone. But the fact of the matter is that there's really only one way to get better, and training lately has been especially geared toward that very purpose.
The armbars from mount/armbar escape to side control was a nice late drill, and then to finish up with something fast paced like the arm drag drill - just a perfect class.
Live training was about 30+ minutes with Danny, Lance (2x) and a purple belt from Bellevue, Darrin. Great challenges all - and different looks. My game wasn't flowing as automatically as I'd like, even from half guard. But there were some good moments, including my first ever Glover #2 deep half pass to the back (I didn't get the back-take, but it was the first time I'd ever really gone after that move in live training), that are worth carrying forward.
One thing I've noticed rolling with black belts over the past week (Profs. Rodrigo and Carlos, Casey and Lance) is that I end up pulling out of my gi all sorts of techniques that I never use otherwise, but have been desperate to integrate into my game. That deep half move is one example. The single X is another. And even though I'm rarely successful, the fact that these moves come rocketing out of my subconscious when I'm under the stress of a black belt trying to pass my guard.
Most of the time I just get passed. But every now and then, something I'm not expecting happens and it's the second or the third attempt at the pass that works instead of the first. And sometimes defending until the second or third pass is accomplishment enough.
161.2 on the scale, post-train. Steady as we go. Off the mat tomorrow. Back on Friday and Saturday if I'm lucky.
As I've said, I love the fact that I'm getting to spend so much focused time on guard passing. So much of jiu jitsu is about developing sensibilities, and there's no better way to develop sensibilities than do repetitions, drill, over and over again. There are a lot of other considerations, I suppose. You don't want "bore" anyone. But the fact of the matter is that there's really only one way to get better, and training lately has been especially geared toward that very purpose.
The armbars from mount/armbar escape to side control was a nice late drill, and then to finish up with something fast paced like the arm drag drill - just a perfect class.
Live training was about 30+ minutes with Danny, Lance (2x) and a purple belt from Bellevue, Darrin. Great challenges all - and different looks. My game wasn't flowing as automatically as I'd like, even from half guard. But there were some good moments, including my first ever Glover #2 deep half pass to the back (I didn't get the back-take, but it was the first time I'd ever really gone after that move in live training), that are worth carrying forward.
One thing I've noticed rolling with black belts over the past week (Profs. Rodrigo and Carlos, Casey and Lance) is that I end up pulling out of my gi all sorts of techniques that I never use otherwise, but have been desperate to integrate into my game. That deep half move is one example. The single X is another. And even though I'm rarely successful, the fact that these moves come rocketing out of my subconscious when I'm under the stress of a black belt trying to pass my guard.
Most of the time I just get passed. But every now and then, something I'm not expecting happens and it's the second or the third attempt at the pass that works instead of the first. And sometimes defending until the second or third pass is accomplishment enough.
161.2 on the scale, post-train. Steady as we go. Off the mat tomorrow. Back on Friday and Saturday if I'm lucky.
Rafa Mendes = Kobe Bryant?
Posted a link to this on my Facebook page (what?!), but I wanted to make sure anyone who is visiting the blog gets a chance to check it out.
Rafael Mendes: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Rafael Mendes: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Those of you who do a bare minimum of online research on Rafael Mendes will discover that at the age of 19, he became a World Pro champion and won perhaps the most prestigious title in submission grappling, the ADCC. Those of you who do some more digging, watch videos and talk to Brazilian jiu-jitsu aficionados near you will discover that a surprising number of people dislike him. They really dislike him. Talk of "ruining jiu-jitsu" and the name "Cobrinha" will probably feature heavily in their commentary. That dislike should no longer matter and here's why.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Get In Your Game
"Instead of creating new moves to deal with exotic situations, use your already known familiar techniques that are part of your game."
--Marcelo Garcia
--Marcelo Garcia
Monday, April 25, 2011
Training Day: Monday
A nice session all around. Even though it was a combined "Fundamentals/Advanced" class in the first hour due to some illnesses among the other instructors, I have to admit that there was something in the mix that was almost perfect.
A little self-defense, then a pair of guard passes (double unders and a pass I've called the Fowler), then a little time to train them semi-live. Given my focus right now, this was a great way to start the week.
There were a lot of things that I wanted to do that I did tonight. The best in a long time in that regard. I got to work the backstep pass against the half guard, the Marcelo pass series from standing (#1 and #2, but no #3), even a little bit of the Fowler in one instance. For some reason, I go totally dyslexic when it comes to the basic grab the sleeve 'n' stand guard open and pass, and never get the foot forward and grip side coordinated right. But tonight was a very good, "first night" kind of training session. The trick will be following up over the balance of the week (and weeks, and months).
To that end, I am overjoyed that GB Seattle is having a special training this Saturday with folks from Lake Stevens and a local MMA school bringing guys over. The interschool is a chance for those who want to get in some tournament-type atmospheres ahead of the May Revolution. But it looks like the real opportunity for some top quality training is going to be on South Hanford this Saturday morning and early afternoon and I couldn't be looking forward to it more.
Training with Prof. Rodrigo and Casey, the goal is movement. Nothing is more important. I agree with Pete Roberts in that fun post from BJJ Weekly that "movement" is the real final frontier as far as jiu jitsu is concerned. At the advanced level, maybe at the "black belt" level, that's the key to everything else that follows.
I remember Lance telling me about something that Prof. Christiano told him, the idea of not stopping until you are in an advantageous position. It sounds simple, even obvious. But the practical implications in everything from attitudes toward conditioning to tactics and strategy are immense. And when you combine that with something very insightful Ryan Hall said about Marcelo Garcia, you have a jiu jitsu that becomes increasingly coherent, or at least potentially so.
Great encouragement during the advanced session late in Live Training. I think I was in the 160 bpm range by the time I was done (I know for sure I was clocking between 148 and 152 after my first round). But it was really nice to get to train with two exceptional black belts. And if I can keep at it, I'm more and more convinced that I'll be glad that I did.
162.1 on the scale, post-train. Not bad at all one month out, especially for a Monday.
A little self-defense, then a pair of guard passes (double unders and a pass I've called the Fowler), then a little time to train them semi-live. Given my focus right now, this was a great way to start the week.
There were a lot of things that I wanted to do that I did tonight. The best in a long time in that regard. I got to work the backstep pass against the half guard, the Marcelo pass series from standing (#1 and #2, but no #3), even a little bit of the Fowler in one instance. For some reason, I go totally dyslexic when it comes to the basic grab the sleeve 'n' stand guard open and pass, and never get the foot forward and grip side coordinated right. But tonight was a very good, "first night" kind of training session. The trick will be following up over the balance of the week (and weeks, and months).
To that end, I am overjoyed that GB Seattle is having a special training this Saturday with folks from Lake Stevens and a local MMA school bringing guys over. The interschool is a chance for those who want to get in some tournament-type atmospheres ahead of the May Revolution. But it looks like the real opportunity for some top quality training is going to be on South Hanford this Saturday morning and early afternoon and I couldn't be looking forward to it more.
Training with Prof. Rodrigo and Casey, the goal is movement. Nothing is more important. I agree with Pete Roberts in that fun post from BJJ Weekly that "movement" is the real final frontier as far as jiu jitsu is concerned. At the advanced level, maybe at the "black belt" level, that's the key to everything else that follows.
I remember Lance telling me about something that Prof. Christiano told him, the idea of not stopping until you are in an advantageous position. It sounds simple, even obvious. But the practical implications in everything from attitudes toward conditioning to tactics and strategy are immense. And when you combine that with something very insightful Ryan Hall said about Marcelo Garcia, you have a jiu jitsu that becomes increasingly coherent, or at least potentially so.
Great encouragement during the advanced session late in Live Training. I think I was in the 160 bpm range by the time I was done (I know for sure I was clocking between 148 and 152 after my first round). But it was really nice to get to train with two exceptional black belts. And if I can keep at it, I'm more and more convinced that I'll be glad that I did.
162.1 on the scale, post-train. Not bad at all one month out, especially for a Monday.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
4 Weeks Out
With a month to go before the May Revolution, now's the time to hammer into place what's going to be my gameplan, and to hammer out of place any weaknesses that I can forsee that might get in my way.
Interestingly, all three of my training sessions the last time I was on the mat (Wednesday, ugh!) played a role in defining each of the three critical areas I need to address.
Sauleh: Here there were two things that stood out. First, and practically speaking, I'm still without a coherent approach to attacking the full guard, and am too hesitant when it comes to attacking the half guard with the passes I know well.
There's a lot embedded in the first point. But the bottom line is that I need to embrace toreano passing 100% as the foundation of my dealing with the full/open guard. Toreano passing is tournament tested at the highest levels and will help me deal with the most problematic part of guard passing for me: the legs.
The hesitancy issue is the hesitancy issue. That's just a matter of smashing through ego and inhibition and just getting to it. That and a little focus to train specifically what I need to train when the opportunity comes up.
The second thing training with Sauleh was just a matter of intensity. It is easy to get into a lazy rhythm of training - even when the technical edge is not large. But this is the road to a slow and lazy jiu jitsu and sooner or later, someone will come along and expose it. Better now then four weeks down the line.
Glenn: I've long known that I have a great half guard on one side, and a virtually non-existent half guard on the other. I've also not done anything to fix that problem. And when someone has done a good job of putting or keeping me on my worse side, then they've pretty much got the drop on me.
I don't need to be as good in southpaw half as I am in orthodox half. But I need a nice trio of interrelated moves that work for me when I do wind up in southpaw half guard - whether they are the same as on the orthodox side or not.
Prof. Carlos: The big lesson here was having an objective with the guard. Prof. Carlos has the fastest attack of anyone I train with, in large part because he is one of the few higher belts who will challenge your guard from standing.
It was an education to see elements of real jiu jitsu emerge from time to time, moves like the single X that I've never really trained, in the midst of my scrambling to try and avoid the inevitable pass. And it served as a reminder that there is more jiu jitsu locked up in my superego than there is being demonstrated on the mat at any given time.
That said, as the saying goes, "have a point." I've been migrating from the half guard over the past few weeks, feeling a little limited in its ability to attack relative to a more open sitting guard a la Marcelo Garcia. There will always be a little half in my world. But I think a key to getting where I want to be in terms of having a truly effective jiu jitsu from bottom to top lies somewhere other than the half guard that's gotten me from blue belt to where I'm at these days.
Interestingly, all three of my training sessions the last time I was on the mat (Wednesday, ugh!) played a role in defining each of the three critical areas I need to address.
Sauleh: Here there were two things that stood out. First, and practically speaking, I'm still without a coherent approach to attacking the full guard, and am too hesitant when it comes to attacking the half guard with the passes I know well.
There's a lot embedded in the first point. But the bottom line is that I need to embrace toreano passing 100% as the foundation of my dealing with the full/open guard. Toreano passing is tournament tested at the highest levels and will help me deal with the most problematic part of guard passing for me: the legs.
The hesitancy issue is the hesitancy issue. That's just a matter of smashing through ego and inhibition and just getting to it. That and a little focus to train specifically what I need to train when the opportunity comes up.
The second thing training with Sauleh was just a matter of intensity. It is easy to get into a lazy rhythm of training - even when the technical edge is not large. But this is the road to a slow and lazy jiu jitsu and sooner or later, someone will come along and expose it. Better now then four weeks down the line.
Glenn: I've long known that I have a great half guard on one side, and a virtually non-existent half guard on the other. I've also not done anything to fix that problem. And when someone has done a good job of putting or keeping me on my worse side, then they've pretty much got the drop on me.
I don't need to be as good in southpaw half as I am in orthodox half. But I need a nice trio of interrelated moves that work for me when I do wind up in southpaw half guard - whether they are the same as on the orthodox side or not.
Prof. Carlos: The big lesson here was having an objective with the guard. Prof. Carlos has the fastest attack of anyone I train with, in large part because he is one of the few higher belts who will challenge your guard from standing.
It was an education to see elements of real jiu jitsu emerge from time to time, moves like the single X that I've never really trained, in the midst of my scrambling to try and avoid the inevitable pass. And it served as a reminder that there is more jiu jitsu locked up in my superego than there is being demonstrated on the mat at any given time.
That said, as the saying goes, "have a point." I've been migrating from the half guard over the past few weeks, feeling a little limited in its ability to attack relative to a more open sitting guard a la Marcelo Garcia. There will always be a little half in my world. But I think a key to getting where I want to be in terms of having a truly effective jiu jitsu from bottom to top lies somewhere other than the half guard that's gotten me from blue belt to where I'm at these days.
Friday, April 22, 2011
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