Attribute Oriented Jiu-Jitsu: Leveraging Length

Did a wingspan measurement this evening after doing some research on bicep/tricep hypertrophy strategies. Turns out that at 65" tall, I have a pretty outsized reach at 71". 

This has me thinking about some additional adjustments to my post-pandemic jiu-jitsu game. With regard to submissions, I'm a lot more interested in arm triangles than I used to be and am looking forward to spending a little time studying Ryan Hall's work in this regard.

There are also some interesting implications for passing. I've been inclined lately toward a tripod-float-smash hybrid / Demian Maia + Murilo Santana / wide base game. I don't see myself departing from that anytime soon. But the idea that I might have the attributes to incorporate a torreando-style passing attack a la Leandro Lo is pretty attractive. I'd been very interested in Lo back in the fall of 2019, but focused more on the ferocity of his attack than its technical merits. May be time to bring his beat back.

Gordon, Roids, and the Rest of 'Em

One of the benefits of becoming a bodybuilding fan during the pandemic has been learning a lot more about performance enhancing substances than ever. Among the curators of this exhibition has been "Derek" a guy who runs a supplement company and YouTube channel called "More Plates More Dates."

Derek provides a ton of information on steroids and other performance enhancers, and uses self-described "clickbait" videos on celebrity transformation to help bring folks into his more scientific content. I've watched his video takes on everyone from actor/comedian Kumail Nanjiani to UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. And now, apparently by popular request, he's turned his sights on "The King" - Gordon Ryan.

Life Lessons from BJJ, Betting the Markets, and Ben Franklin

"There's a Trick with a Knife I'm Learning to Do": Mount Triangle Edition

Fly Like an Eagle: BJJ Scout on Nurmagomedov

This video has been available for a long time. But I'm only now getting around to studying it. Shame on me.

The Eagle's Final Flight: Gracie Breakdown

 

The Book

I've had the idea for a book on American Jiu-Jitsu for a long time. A lot of people talk about "American Jiu-Jitsu" but I've yet to hear anyone that gets at the heart of what American Jiu-Jitsu really is, what's so ironic about it, and why the top American Jiu-Jitsu schools embody it and continue to turn out some of the country's - and the world's - greatest jiu-jitsu artists because of it.

It's also an incredible story about America, and the different types of Americans we've come to spend a lot of time talking about these days. I've always hesitated to talk about it because I've thought it was such an obviously fascinating topic that someone with more time and talent than I've got would scoop it up in a second.

Failing that, the project will probably have to wait until I retire in another 15-odd years. Nevertheless, a large part of my return to the mat in 2021 is predicated on taking advantage of what American Jiu-Jitsu - or more accurately, the American approach to Jiu-Jitsu - can do to elevate my performance on the mat.

Photo by Thought Catalog from Pexels

World’s Greatest Grappler Meets World’s Greatest Grappling Dummy?

During my white and blue belt days, I built a bunch of different “dummies” in order to practice different moves on my own. I built my first grappling dummy out of a trenchcoat, some old pillows and towels, and an old gi.

And since grappling dummies can be task-specific as well as ridiculously expensive, I built another for practicing open guard sweeps (the backside of a ladderback chair, some rope, another old gi), and another for practicing half guard/half butterfly/full butterfly transitions (padded legs of another weighted down chair with especially wide legs).

So the necessity of spending money on a grappling dummy has been well lost on me. At least until this weekend. Check out grappling HOFer Marcelo Garcia training with a Favuke.

At $130 for the synthetic leather version and another 10 months before I’m likely back on the mat, I’m thinking about putting this thing on my Xmas list.

Ryan Rolling, Guard Passing

Part of my strategy for avoiding a totally catastrophic technical performance upon my return to the mat eons from now involves not a small measure of walking in place and staring at videos like this.

Danaher on Heel Hooks in the IBJJF and the Two Jiu-Jitsus

 

That John Danaher would praise the IBJJF's decision to allow heel hooks in no-gi competition is no surprise. But what is especially pleasing to the heart and mind is the way he distinguishes gi or "classical" jiu-jitsu from no-gi or what I'll call "modern" jiu-jitsu not just in this context, but in the broader sense of what historically has been the fundamental structure of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

I believe the IBJJF were wise to limit the rule change to no gi competition. Heel hooks in a gi would be too easy due to the friction of pants and the power of gripping the pants to enter ashi garami holds. It would rapidly devolve into a game of whoever gets to the legs first would probably win and much of the classical upper body skill set could be lost. By splitting the game you have one part of Jiu jitsu representing the classical ideal of positional advancement to the upper body pins and submissions that is safe for all levels, weights and age categories and the other emphasizing the notion of limb isolation and control leading to submission over the whole body. 

Read the rest.

What If Rickson is God? What If Gordon is Right?

 

I've enjoyed the Myth of Rickson Gracie as much as any other jiu-jitsu practitioner of my era (started training in 2005). But what has always interested me more than the Myth of Rickson Gracie - or the Reality of Rickson Gracie, for that matter - is the Theory of Rickson Gracie.

The Myth of Rickson Gracie is that he outperforms everyone he trains with. That he is "better" than everyone else. The Reality of Rickson Gracie is likely something a little different.

The Theory asks a more important question for me - and for anyone trying to become more efficient and effective with their jiu-jitsu: What would it take for the Myth to be the Reality? 

What would it require from a jiu-jitsu practitioner to be able to best all-comers, and without any particular exposure to any potential adversary's game? Even more challenging would be to isolate this jiu-jitsu practitioner, largely, from jiu-jitsu's innovations and thus render them even less familiar with the contemporary changes to the art.

I have no idea if such a person is conceivable. And that too is beside the point. The question is: what would it take to create such a person? What would that person have to be capable of? 

Listening to a recent interview with current no-gi pound-for-pound great Gordon Ryan, I was reminded of this Theory of Rickson Gracie idea that I've been noodling for more than a decade. Ryan, in addition to being an incredible grappler, is also a notorious trash-talker who insists repeatedly and without hesitation that he wins because most of his opponents "suck" at jiu-jitsu.

To be clear, Ryan is trash-talking. But I don't think he's kidding, either. And given his technical dominance and high finishing rate rarely seen even among jiu-jitsu's best, I'm inclined to wonder just a little bit: what if he's "right"? Or, more to the point, in what way could Gordon Ryan be correct in his assessment of the jiu-jitsu of at least some (okay, almost all) of his opponents?

I've long thought that I had an answer for the Theory of Rickson Gracie. And hearing today's interview with Ryan, in some ways, not only reaffirms my Theory of Rickson, but is now reinforced by a Theory of Gordon, as well.

Who's Number One - Ryan v Diniz Review: He Who Heel Hooks; Geo Martinez on Predictability

If there were any doubt that we are still in the Heel Hook Era of No Gi jiu-jitsu, then this weekend's FloGrappling Who's Number One event was a stern reminder that, as far as the obsession with this technique goes, the only way out is through.

Three of the event's feature contests: Nicky Ryan vs. Tony Ramos, Craig Jones vs Roberto Jimenez, and Gordon Ryan vs. Matheus Diniz, ended with heel hook submissions. And while only the first two submissions came quickly (within seconds in the case of Ryan "versus" Ramos), the heel hook submission in the Ryan "versus" Diniz headliner was as easy to anticipate as the seasons.

At this point, it is not even worth arguing that it would have been more interesting for both Ryan brothers to forgo heel hooks in their matches to make them more competitive. But while Diniz was a worthy, if overmatched opponent, for the older Ryan, Ramos had no reason whatsoever being on the mat with the younger Ryan. A potential rematch between Nicky and Tye Ruotolo would make for a far more compelling match up for the Danaher Death Squad's youngest superstar.

The most interesting match of the event for me was Geo Martinez taking on Paulo Miyao. I'll confess both to being especially interested in featherweights (being one) and in Geo, whose EBI final against Eddie Cummings is among my favorite contests in years. But it was very impressive to watch Geo avoid Paulo's entanglements, remain aggressive on top, and even attack for what was probably the match-winning guillotine attempt.

What caught my ear in the post-match interview was Geo's emphasis on being familiar with Paulo's game, with the "predictability" of that game, he said. That's no knock on Paulo. To have a "style" is, in a sense, to be "predictable." What was impressive was Geo's ability to not just read the predictions, but to run them down relentlessly, en route to an impressive victory against a top opponent.

"A Leg Pummeling System to Pass the Guard"

 Holy Mother of God. I'm becoming a Gordon Ryan fan boy. #TalesfromtheLockdown

Fighting Words: Early Bird Edition

I've just realized that the man who is doing the most to destroy gi jiu-jitsu is also an apparently passionate supporter of the current president. I've enjoyed watching him over the years - the martial artist, not the president - and have felt increasingly uneasy about his mission to make gi jiu-jitsu almost totally unwatchable. 

Like being an Eddie Bravo fan, I've had to do some deft picking and choosing from what's worthwhile for me in his game and what's better left alone - though I'll admit to having just learned - twice over - that one of my favorite moves of "his" is something BJ Penn was doing decades ago ...

So I'll further confess that seeing him go almost obsequiously MAGA over the past few months has been uncomfortable, if enlightening. I'm not going to pretend there is any correlation between being a Trump supporter and thinking that the strategic insight into the heart of jiu-jitsu lies in what we wear when we do jiu-jitsu. But, truth told, knowledge of the former makes me feel a bit freer at expressing my bewilderment at the latter.

Pick Your Poison: Endless Leglocks or Lapel Entanglement

Scylla or Charybdis? A no gi universe dominated by leg locks or a gi world defined by lapel entanglement?

Get Down Get Down

Almost a year ago this time I had a real jiu-jitsu moment of transcendence reading about Renzo Gracie black belt John Danaher. I've spent some of my more constructive time during the COVID-19 pandemic watching his back control/attack series, and am just now looking into his upcoming takedown instructional.

One thing I'm very heartened by is his embrace of the ankle pick, a takedown I've long been a fan of. Same thing with the collar drag, though a fear of getting eye-poked has made me more wary of that takedown than I'd like to be. Fundamentally, it is a great opportunity to understand Danaher's thinking in terms of what works FOR JIU-JITSU, rather than as a generic takedown in a given sport. I always feel that the process that Danaher shares is more than half the value of the instruction he provides.

How to Be a Jiu-Jitsu Phenom

I've now heard two of the most successful American-based jiu-jitsu coaches - Lloyd Irvin and John Danaher - spell it out. Here's Danaher on Joe Rogan's podcast.

... my students could put opponents who trained much much longer than they had into a niche area which my students has so much knowledge of, so much training in that isolated niche domain, that they could take someone who had trained three, four times longer than themselves and have more knowledge in that one domain than their much more experienced opponent did. 

Happy Fifteenth!

Today marks 15 years as a student of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. 

To say that this is not the way I would have expected to celebrate a decade and a half in jiu-jitsu is a massive understatement. But here we are: with a global pandemic that has gyms only partially open and even then only for those with the nerve to risk infection by joining their fellow potential virus-carriers indoors. 

Combining my knee injury - coming up on the first anniversary of that if I remember correctly - with this lockdown, I've trained jiu-jitsu approximately 12 times since September 1, 2019. Ordinarily, including the lockdown, I would have notched 39 sessions; September - February is business travel season for me (or "was"). In terms of sparring minutes, which is how I want to track training once I am able to get back on the mat, I got in a total of 208 minutes over that September 2019 - present time frame. Ideally, that would have been more than 675 minutes.

To think back in March at how willing I was to sacrifice the summer if only we could be back to something approaching normality by now! Hard not to feel more than a little annoyance at those who have made this circumstance harder, rather than easier, with their immaturity, willful ignorance, and selfishness. 

I'd hoped to be back on the mat in time to celebrate my 15th anniversary in jiu-jitsu. Now, I feel like it's going to be longer, maybe much longer, and there's not a lot to celebrate in that.

Guard Passing, Gordon Ryan Style

Came across an incredible breakdown of Gordon Ryan's guard passing game the other day. Fascinating to see how he combines some of the passing strategies of guys like Leandro Lo and Demian Maia to create a very straight forward passing attack that does what so few guard passers do: eliminate hip mobility. Very impressed by the work of this "interpreter" from RVV BJJ.

Note that this is the first of a 17-part (!) study of Gordon Ryan's guard passing attack. I plan to spend the balance of 2020 watching every minute of it.

2002: Roger Gracie v. Demian Maia

Two of my favorite jiu-jitsu artists going head-to-head!

What to Do When You Can't Do Anything

The irony of being forced off the mat one week after announcing my triumphant return is not lost on me.

Credit to Bernardo Faria and John Danaher for putting this out there for those of us who will be seriously sidelined for the next few weeks - at least.

“If you can get strong in these three areas: body movement skills, strength and conditioning, and increasing your knowledge, you’re gonna find that when it’s time to come back you do very, very well on the mats, You’ll find there’s no drop off whatsoever. In fact, you may actually do better in some regards because you’re moving better, your physical body is as good as it ever was, and you know things you didn’t know before. And because you’ve got better movement skills, you can embody that knowledge into skill in a much faster rate than you could previously.”

"... And baby, you better believe it!"

A lot to like about my first time back on the mat in more than a month. The off-mat cardio and TONS of jiu-jitsu film study (BJJ Scout's analysis of Demian Maia's and Murilo Santana's passing game) deserve a lot of credit for making tonight feel like such a successful return in terms of my performance during Live Training with a pair of tough purple belt partners.

The other thing to like is the reception from the students. It's subtler - and more direct at the same time. Most importantly, it's appreciated. And it's a big reason why I keep coming back to help and train week after week, month after month, year after year.

Ten Years Gone

Rumble Readiness

When Will I Know I'm Ready to Compete?

Why You Need to Compete If You're Unconfident

Is It A Waste of Money to Compete in BJJ and Lose? (My $1500 Failure)

Four Tips to Deal with BJJ Tournament Anxiety

What is a Good Mindset for BJJ Competition?

Why Your First BJJ Tournament is Not About Winning

All of Me

Eight Years a Black Belt

I celebrated my eighth year as a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu last week. Actually "celebrated" is a bit rich. My training has been on a rocky road since the final day of August when I sprained my MCL during a Saturday roll. 

In some ways, it was the expected outcome after a year of outperformance - both at work and at the gym, if not as much on the mat as I'd like. It's no wonder I caught my first flu in decades in early July and the longest head cold I've ever had throughout the month of September. The 4-5x/week weightlifting for much of 2019 and the relentless dieting - yeah, an injury was pretty much what the doctor ordered.

Looking back on my log, what a fucking autumn. I didn't train at all in September or October (admittedly there were two business trips and a vacation during that stretch, as well). All things considered, not a big deal and not a bad way to recover from the August 31 injury. I came back and trained on the 7th of November and had a great session - including some stand-up. Unfortunately, I let myself get paired up too heavy the following Tuesday and ended up tweaking my knee again. I trained Thursday - or tried to - but it just wasn't working.

So the current plan is to stay off the mat for the month of December, and then slowly work my way back into training in January. I'm popping Curcumin and Cissus like they are Tic Tacs. I'm going to work on losing some weight, ideally getting down to 145 before heading to the desert for a week after Christmas. For strength training, I'm doing 10x3 for December and will probably run something like that for the five weeks leading up to my trip to Berlin in early February. The goal right now is to get leaner and stronger for longer.

Another goal is to really put in some dedicated time helping some of our newest blue belts make their way. A couple of guys I've worked with quite a bit this year - a year when the only class I've actually taught was a kid's class - and I'll admit that their appreciation of my effort to help is one of the things that keeps me coming to class when I'm not at my best - which has been more often than I'd like this year.

This late in the year it's strange to think about how 2019 unfolded - how different it turned out to be from 2018, and how clear it was early on that this would be a different kind of year. I'm kind of glad to see it go, in a few ways, and looking forward to better things in 2020.

Operation Blueberry

My Own Private Danaher

"Every student begins the game with a certain set of attributes. Some are blessed with flexibility, strength, fitness, intelligence, determination etc, etc. Possession of these determines the speed and ease with which you acquire the skills of Jiu-Jitsu.

Remember, though, that some attributes can negate others. So for example, very gifted athletes often lack staying power, just because most things come easily to them. When they find themselves being repeatedly defeated by smaller, weaker training partners, they drift away. In the end, the speed with which you acquire skills is not important, just that you get there in the end.

So I theorize that the most important attribute in Jiu-Jitsu is staying power. You must train consistently for a long time and your game will develop in accordance with your natural attributes.”

Going High / Going Low

Joel Jamieson makes an interesting point in an old article of his I stumbled across this weekend: High Low Training & MMA:

"Whether you’re a veteran of the sport trying to prolong your career or just training for fun and fitness, if you value your performance as well as your health, your goal should always be to maximize your skill development while minimizing the amount of stress and damage done to your body along the way. Anyone can go into the gym everyday out and train their guts out, but the real key to achieving your goals is to find a way to train smarter rather than harder."

Jamieson says that too many combat sports athletes spend too much time in the middle zone of conditioning: too hard to easily recover from, too light to force new adaptations in strength, explosiveness, or endurance. He suggests instead splitting the training week into two max effort days, three light days, and two days off.

One thing that stands out compared to how I've been training all year is that I have four or even six max effort days a week (including the time I did 4 day a week BB training earlier this year). Even the schedule I'm looking at for the rest of this year: two days of jiu-jitsu and two days of strength training, gives me four days on intensive work.

My guess is that Jamieson would encourage me to do my strength work on my jiu-jitsu days, ideally, I suspect, in the early morning, to give me the chance to recover ahead of jiu-jitsu training that evening. To say that's something I'd never considered is an understatement. But as I recover from my second bout of ill health since July, I'm wondering if it might be worth it to make a change.

Off Season Goals - Recovery/Rebound Training and Tempo Intervals

One of my goals in the off-season is to increase strength and conditioning. After spending much of 2019 adding muscle via hypertrophy programs like Christian Thibaudeau's 20 Weeks to Hollywood Muscle and his Best Damn High Volume Workout for Naturals, I'm close to the body comp I want. Now the goal is to train this new muscle, and trim another inch off the waistline to get in the neighborhood of 140.

Reviewing some of my favorite conditioning resources, I've been spending some time researching Joel Jamieson's Tempo Intervals. He uses them primarily as a recovery tool. They consist of 5-10 rounds of 10-12 seconds of work (at an RPE of about 7) followed by 60 seconds of active rest.

The Ultimate Recovery-Boosting Interval - 8 Weeks Out

There are a lot of different things you can do for the work sessions: running, rowing, Prowler pushing, stationary cycling, jumping rope, etc. What's interesting is that he says that for combat athletes, bag or pad work is great for the work sessions, but feels that "it’s not very easy to do this type of interval using grappling drills unfortunately."

I disagree - and wonder if Joel is just not as familiar with the ground game as he is with standup striking (his background is as a strength coach, despite is more recent work as a S&C guy for former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson). Especially given that you only do the work for 10-12 seconds.

A few examples that I've tried include: hipscapes (as work or active rest), technical lifts, double leg entries, reverse pivot entries, wrestling sitouts ...

Right now I'm trying to figure out where best to place these workouts. Joel suggests 1-2 a week. If I end up doing strength training on Monday and Friday, and jiu-jitsu training on Tuesday and Thursday, (and the occasional Saturday), then Sunday looks like a good place to put at least one of them. Maybe Thursday morning the other. That would give me a full day off on Wednesday and the opportunity to rev my system back up before returning to the mats Thursday night.