"Ain't No Circuit Like the IBJJF Circuit

'Cause the IBJJF Circuit don't stop ..."

If you're a West Coast, IBJJF circuit jiu-jitsu athlete, then the first event on your calendar is only a little over a month away.

The registration deadline for the San Francisco International Open is February 1st.

Results for the 2013 championships are here. Brazilian Top Team took top honors, with Yemaso Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Ralph Gracie finishing second and third respectively.

Among the black belts competing were Caio Terra, the Mendes brothers, Gracie Barra's Lucas Rocha and Magid Hage, and open division winner, Gustavo Dias Elias.

Results for the inaugural 2012 event are here.

Especially for Northwest jiu-jitsu athletes, note that while the first event of the Revolution series for 2014 has yet to be scheduled, it is likely to be after the San Francisco International Open. With the Pan scheduled for mid-March, the San Francisco Open and a probable mid-February to early March Revolution date, should provide excellent preparation opportunities for those competitors looking to make a splash at this year's event in Irvine.

Buy One, Get One

A little over three years ago, I posted a modest piece of snark about the lack of commercial incentives to support otherwise mandatory consumption of a particular product during a time when such incentives were, if not ubiquitous, then at least quite common.

Sad to say that little has changed in the time since.

Me and My Big Blue (Belt) Self

Very much looking forward to some time off over the winter holiday stretch (Xmas through New Years). It will be a working week and a half in some senses; I've got my first major report due for Contact in about a month and I don't see getting it done without a little labor over the holidays. But some days beneath the desert sun will no doubt do me some good as I gear up for what I hope will be a far more active 2014 than 2013.

I'm just now fully realizing how much adjusting to the new job has affected my ability and inclination to train. It's no surprise that after four and a half years of doing things one way, it was going to take some adjustment time before I could start comfortably doing things another way.

I've been sorting through goals over the past few days, things I want to accomplish in 2014. No point in spilling beans here when I've got some percolating to do in Sonora. But it is fair to say that "fewer, better" and training with my "Blue Belt Self" in mind will be themes for the coming year.

Training Day: Wednesday

Self-defense/Standing: None

Ground: Wedge guard open from the knees / Double unders pass / Pass choke / Asymmetrical choke / Specific training: Submit from Closed Guard Pass Guard

Live Training: None

Scale: 166.5

Training Day: Wednesday

Self-defense/Standing: Jump to closed guard from standing

Ground: Jump to closed guard from standing / Pendulum sweep with leg / Armbar from defense of Pendulum sweep with leg / Specific training: Guard Pass Guard (12 minutes)

Live Training: Robert (six minutes)

Scale: 165.6 lbs

BJJ Scout: The Nicolini Guard, Parts 1 and 2

Found myself talking a little bit about the Nicolini guard with Coach Tom the other morning. A singularly great breakdown of the multiple gold-medal winning game of Michelle Nicolini is below, courtesy of BJJ Scout.

Berardi

3 sets. 6 reps. Variable rest.

Deadlift high pull

Upright row

Thruster

BUDR

Deadlift high pull

Front lunge

Side lunge

Reverse lunge

Calf raise / Shrug

Fragilee

One of the trickier things about getting older in jiu-jitsu is how much more risk-averse you become. 

Even though I started training relatively late at 38, it wasn't until recently that I actually found myself consciously thinking about the potential for injury every time I train live. 

I've never really suffered from any major injury (i.e., anything that required medical intervention) -  a labrium tear here, a popped rib there - other than my eye, which is more of a freak thing than something that the average person training should ever worry about. But now, I find myself calculating risk with every move I make when sparring.

Admittedly, I never played a wild and crazy jiu-jitsu game. So the adjustment is more psychological than physical. But it is a real adjustment, and it feels like the kind of switch that, once flipped, won't flip back.

Training Day: Monday

Self-Defense/Standing: Punch block to safe clinch. Safe clinch to hip throw. Hip throw to knee on belly with wrist control.

Ground: Pull feet sweep (feet on hips). Pendulum sweep with and without leg.

Live Training: Prof Carlos, Prof Maeda (eight minutes each).

Scale: 170.0 lbs

Matwork

"This is my mat.


There are many like it.


But this one is mine.


Without me, my mat is nothing.


Without my mat, I am nothing ..."

This Week in BJJ: Los Bros Mendes

More Must-See-TV from the good folks at Budo Videos.

Gracie Barra Seattle, December 2013