Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles was in Abu Dhabi to just relax and watch the Abu Dhabi World Pro competition. When the sheik asked if he wanted to jump into the competition Cobrinha said yes, and jump in he did.
Cobrinha made it to the finals in the absolute division facing off against heavyweight Rodolfo Vieira. Vieira recently won both his weight-class and the open class at this year's Pan Ams. Watch the match here before it gets pulled.
Abu Dhabi World Pro 2011 - RODOLFO VIEIRA vs CHARLES RUBENS COBRINHA
- final black absoluto:
Cobrinha is a legend - I don't think he has had his guard passed in competition since he was a purple belt. Rodolfo is a much larger opponent and used that additional weight to good advantage in controlling the match. Of course, I would have liked for Cobrinha to pull a "David vs Goliath" and show the beauty of technique over size but Rodolfo is no slouch and had plenty of technique of his own.
So why is the title of this post "Cobrinha rocks at Abu Dhabi?" Because here was a guy who was essentially retired from competition just hanging around and when someone asks if he would just like to casually jump into arguably the toughest competition on the planet with no preparation or training camp he says "yes" and rocks his way into the finals of the absolute division! Win or lose that took some major lower abdominal fortitude.
The other cool thing is that Cobrinha says he has a renewed interest in competing so we will hopefully see him again.
I don't know much about Rodolfo Vieira, but he is now on the world's radar as the man to beat. I know I will be watching him much more closely. Props to Rodolfo on an epic win.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Origins of the Americana
Rolls Gracie became friends and trained with American wrestling coach Bob Anderson while in the US. Anderson later went to Brazil to train with Rolls and some of his students. Here is his recollection of how the technique we call the American was named...
He’d go, “oh, I like that!” Then he’d say, “what if they did this,” and then I’d show them this – it ended up that I showed them a lot of different techniques. But I didn’t come down there and go ‘ok, I’m going to show you the Americana armbar and I’m the guy that invented it’, it just grew out of what I knew and what he liked, and then he later – I didn’t even know – he called it the Americana because I was the American wrestler that came down and showed him the move and that’s how the Americana armbar got started. ~ Bob Anderson (remembering training with Rolls Gracie in Brazil)
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Steroids in BJJ
"I came here today to prove technique can beat steroids. They should start tests now." ~ Caio Terra over the P.A. during his interview after winning his Black Belt Division at the 2011 Pan-Ams
Caio Terra is awesome. You've seen some of his technique videos on here before. Getting on the mic and calling out the IBJJF and competitors on steroid use at this years Pan-Ams took some “man parts” you just can't get pharmacologically.
It has set off an interesting debate that has revealed a huge lack of basic knowledge (on both the pro and con side) about steroids and other PEDs. This post is an attempt at some basic education on the science of steroids and a brief discussion of the ethical issue.
The Science and the Upside
A steroid is a type of organic compound with a specific molecular arrangement. Hundreds of distinct steroids are found in plants, animals, and fungi. Naturally occurring steroids include estrogen, cortisol, progesterone, and testosterone.
When we are talking about steroids in sports we are really talking about anabolic steroids - drugs which mimic the effects of the male sex hormones testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Anabolic steroids are by far the most "detected" banned Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) in sports that conduct testing.
With proper training and nutrition they increase muscle mass via increased protein synthesis from amino acids, increased appetite, increased bone growth, and stimulation of bone marrow (increasing blood cell production). All these mechanisms stimulate the formation of muscle leading to increased size and strength.
They also significantly aid in exercise recovery by blocking the effects of the stress hormone cortisol on muscle tissue, so that catabolism (break-down) of muscle is greatly reduced. This allows an athlete to train longer and harder (and reap the benefits of that additional training) regardless of muscle gain.
The Science and the Downside
Most athletes are aware that steroids can have some negative side effects such as acne and unwanted hair growth. Many think the worst that can happen is male gynecomastia ("bitch tits"). However there are more severe health risks that can be produced by long-term use or excessive doses of anabolic steroids. These effects include harmful changes in cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, liver damage (mainly with oral steroids), increased risk of cardiovascular disease or coronary artery disease, and dangerous changes in the structure of the left ventricle of the heart (leading to hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, heart attacks, and sudden cardiac death). Paradoxically, steroids can increase libido (sex drive) while at the same time reducing sexual function, suppressing natural sex hormones and sperm production.
Women and children are highly sensitive to testosterone and can suffer unintended masculinization and health effects, even from small doses. Adolescents can have their natural maturation process stunted or overly accelerated and otherwise disrupted.
Psychological side-effects can include agitation/anxiety and mood disorders, increased aggression and violence, mania, and (far) less frequently psychosis and suicide. Long-term steroid use can cause deep psychological dependence and withdrawal issues (while physical withdrawal is similar to substances such as caffeine).
It should be noted that many of the physical side-effects and downsides are drug and dose/duration dependent. This leads us to the final scientific downside in that recreational/sportive use of steroids is rarely under medical supervision. Most users do not know the proper drug/dose/duration cycles for safe use (more is better is not the way to go), they are not being monitored by a physician (and often hide their use from their doctors), and since most steroids (being illegal) are acquired on the black market there are no safeguards that the drug is even what the seller purports it to be.
The Ethics
There are many BJJ athletes who argue that since everybody does it (or can do it if they want) then it should be OK. To these athletes I would like to point out that anabolic steroids are illegal in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and Brazil (just off the top of my head) and many more have specific legislation banning “doping” in sports. If it is illegal “under law” to use these substances in the country in which you compete it should be a de facto understanding that they're use in a sports setting is also proscribed. Let me put it another way, they shouldn't have to make a rule that I can't assault you with a knife during our match at a tournament – it is illegal (even though we could all do it). Where do we draw the line? Do we want Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to be a sport that laughs in the face of the rest of the sports world?
There are BJJ athletes who say it is a personal choice and therefore doesn't concern anyone but the individual. That might be fine if that individual never competes, but if he does – it no longer just affects him it affects everyone he has a match against. What a “personal choice” means to our sport when our champions use illegal substances by choice remains to be seen.
There are BJJ athletes who say it is safe and doesn't hurt anybody. If everyone was to be medically supervised the risks are greatly reduced. Unfortunately, the majority of recreational steroid users are getting their information from questionable sources (I doubt “Mr. Biceps” at the gym has an M.D. - in fairness to “Mr. Biceps” he may actually know more than the average M.D. about steroids but do you seriously want to bet your health on it?). The fact that adolescents who want to be like their heroes are in a risk group that can suffer irreversible harm from the misuse of steroids is a serious concern. Another interesting point is that very few people have any understanding of the psychological dependence steroids and other PEDs can cause. You go from being “jacked” and able to train for days – thinking you are "like unto a god" to watching all those gains slowly slip away during your off cycle and only being able to train like a mere mortal. Psychology is a huge factor in long-term abuse and over dosage with steroids.
There are BJJ athletes who say that it is too expensive to test and we can't stop it therefore we should just allow it. It may be too expensive to test every individual in every tournament, but there are plenty of testing protocols that could be put in place that would greatly reduce steroid use in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu without significantly increasing a promoter's overhead or a competitor's entry fee.
Conclusion
There is a lot at stake both in image and money with the title of Pan-Am or Mundial/Worlds champion (not in championship purses but in drawing students to academies and seminars). As long as that is true there will be issues about “what it takes to win.” At some point someone has to draw a line in the sand and say enough - Caio Terra just drew a line. Which side are you going to stand on? Where do steroids fit into a healthy BJJ lifestyle?
It has set off an interesting debate that has revealed a huge lack of basic knowledge (on both the pro and con side) about steroids and other PEDs. This post is an attempt at some basic education on the science of steroids and a brief discussion of the ethical issue.
The Science and the Upside
A steroid is a type of organic compound with a specific molecular arrangement. Hundreds of distinct steroids are found in plants, animals, and fungi. Naturally occurring steroids include estrogen, cortisol, progesterone, and testosterone.
When we are talking about steroids in sports we are really talking about anabolic steroids - drugs which mimic the effects of the male sex hormones testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Anabolic steroids are by far the most "detected" banned Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) in sports that conduct testing.
They also significantly aid in exercise recovery by blocking the effects of the stress hormone cortisol on muscle tissue, so that catabolism (break-down) of muscle is greatly reduced. This allows an athlete to train longer and harder (and reap the benefits of that additional training) regardless of muscle gain.
The Science and the Downside
Most athletes are aware that steroids can have some negative side effects such as acne and unwanted hair growth. Many think the worst that can happen is male gynecomastia ("bitch tits"). However there are more severe health risks that can be produced by long-term use or excessive doses of anabolic steroids. These effects include harmful changes in cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, liver damage (mainly with oral steroids), increased risk of cardiovascular disease or coronary artery disease, and dangerous changes in the structure of the left ventricle of the heart (leading to hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, heart attacks, and sudden cardiac death). Paradoxically, steroids can increase libido (sex drive) while at the same time reducing sexual function, suppressing natural sex hormones and sperm production.
Women and children are highly sensitive to testosterone and can suffer unintended masculinization and health effects, even from small doses. Adolescents can have their natural maturation process stunted or overly accelerated and otherwise disrupted.
Psychological side-effects can include agitation/anxiety and mood disorders, increased aggression and violence, mania, and (far) less frequently psychosis and suicide. Long-term steroid use can cause deep psychological dependence and withdrawal issues (while physical withdrawal is similar to substances such as caffeine).
It should be noted that many of the physical side-effects and downsides are drug and dose/duration dependent. This leads us to the final scientific downside in that recreational/sportive use of steroids is rarely under medical supervision. Most users do not know the proper drug/dose/duration cycles for safe use (more is better is not the way to go), they are not being monitored by a physician (and often hide their use from their doctors), and since most steroids (being illegal) are acquired on the black market there are no safeguards that the drug is even what the seller purports it to be.
The Ethics
There are many BJJ athletes who argue that since everybody does it (or can do it if they want) then it should be OK. To these athletes I would like to point out that anabolic steroids are illegal in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and Brazil (just off the top of my head) and many more have specific legislation banning “doping” in sports. If it is illegal “under law” to use these substances in the country in which you compete it should be a de facto understanding that they're use in a sports setting is also proscribed. Let me put it another way, they shouldn't have to make a rule that I can't assault you with a knife during our match at a tournament – it is illegal (even though we could all do it). Where do we draw the line? Do we want Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to be a sport that laughs in the face of the rest of the sports world?
There are BJJ athletes who say it is a personal choice and therefore doesn't concern anyone but the individual. That might be fine if that individual never competes, but if he does – it no longer just affects him it affects everyone he has a match against. What a “personal choice” means to our sport when our champions use illegal substances by choice remains to be seen.
There are BJJ athletes who say it is safe and doesn't hurt anybody. If everyone was to be medically supervised the risks are greatly reduced. Unfortunately, the majority of recreational steroid users are getting their information from questionable sources (I doubt “Mr. Biceps” at the gym has an M.D. - in fairness to “Mr. Biceps” he may actually know more than the average M.D. about steroids but do you seriously want to bet your health on it?). The fact that adolescents who want to be like their heroes are in a risk group that can suffer irreversible harm from the misuse of steroids is a serious concern. Another interesting point is that very few people have any understanding of the psychological dependence steroids and other PEDs can cause. You go from being “jacked” and able to train for days – thinking you are "like unto a god" to watching all those gains slowly slip away during your off cycle and only being able to train like a mere mortal. Psychology is a huge factor in long-term abuse and over dosage with steroids.
There are BJJ athletes who say that it is too expensive to test and we can't stop it therefore we should just allow it. It may be too expensive to test every individual in every tournament, but there are plenty of testing protocols that could be put in place that would greatly reduce steroid use in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu without significantly increasing a promoter's overhead or a competitor's entry fee.
Conclusion
There is a lot at stake both in image and money with the title of Pan-Am or Mundial/Worlds champion (not in championship purses but in drawing students to academies and seminars). As long as that is true there will be issues about “what it takes to win.” At some point someone has to draw a line in the sand and say enough - Caio Terra just drew a line. Which side are you going to stand on? Where do steroids fit into a healthy BJJ lifestyle?
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Does Jiu Jitsu Happen TO You or WITH You?
(Waxing philosophical in this post -
Some days I feel like jiu jitsu is happening to me. Other days I feel like I am happening to jiu jitsu. I want to get to the point where I feel like jiu jitsu is happening with me. Let me explain...)
When you first start out and step on the mats jiu jitsu is happening all around you. You grasp at it, try and get your body and mind to understand it, and watch it slip through your fingers time after time. When you roll you spend the majority of your time fighting against it trying to survive, like trying to tread water in a stormy sea. You feel like jiu jitsu is something that happens to you rather than something that happens with you.
Slowly you learn how to survive without fighting so much. Jiu jitsu is still happening all around you. Only now you know enough to want to bend it to your will. You examine and experiment with everything (techniques) and begin to recognize the flow of jiu jitsu. You can select the appropriate technique for many situations as they arise. You discover that pressure can force a change in the flow (effective but not efficient). Making YOUR jiu jitsu happen the way you want it to is still elusive. It seems so hard - you spend a lot of time and expend a lot of energy fighting to make it conform to where you want it to go (passes, sweeps and submissions). Jiu jitsu is no longer happening to you - YOU are now something that happens to Jiu jitsu.
At some point you start to realize that pressure is part of the flow and all this fighting to make YOUR jiu jitsu happen is wasteful. You become aware that jiu jitsu is happening all around you regardless of you making it happen. You start to see the ebb and flow of it and recognize where YOUR jiu jitsu is within it. In any given moment you can recognize where it is going and seize the advantage (timing and sensitivity) - you apply pressure economically to stay close to YOUR jiu jitsu, set up the pass and you are ready to attack sweeps and submissions as soon as they appear. Jiu jitsu happens and you are there with it.
As your sensitivity grows you begin to see how you can surf the flow of jiu jitsu. You are able to see four or five techniques into the future and can move through a series of techniques that takes you where you want to go. YOUR jiu jitsu is now very broad - there are very few places where you feel uncomfortable with the flow. With seemingly minimal effort you pass and can make sweep and submission opportunities appear when you want them to. Jiu jitsu is now something that happens with you.
(...When I am rolling lower belts, I generally feel like jiu jitsu is happening with me. When I am rolling at my level, I feel like I am always forcing it and I am happening to jiu jitsu. When I roll with upper belts, I feel like jiu jitsu is happening to me and there is not much I can do about it. How about you?)
Some days I feel like jiu jitsu is happening to me. Other days I feel like I am happening to jiu jitsu. I want to get to the point where I feel like jiu jitsu is happening with me. Let me explain...)
When you first start out and step on the mats jiu jitsu is happening all around you. You grasp at it, try and get your body and mind to understand it, and watch it slip through your fingers time after time. When you roll you spend the majority of your time fighting against it trying to survive, like trying to tread water in a stormy sea. You feel like jiu jitsu is something that happens to you rather than something that happens with you.
Slowly you learn how to survive without fighting so much. Jiu jitsu is still happening all around you. Only now you know enough to want to bend it to your will. You examine and experiment with everything (techniques) and begin to recognize the flow of jiu jitsu. You can select the appropriate technique for many situations as they arise. You discover that pressure can force a change in the flow (effective but not efficient). Making YOUR jiu jitsu happen the way you want it to is still elusive. It seems so hard - you spend a lot of time and expend a lot of energy fighting to make it conform to where you want it to go (passes, sweeps and submissions). Jiu jitsu is no longer happening to you - YOU are now something that happens to Jiu jitsu.
At some point you start to realize that pressure is part of the flow and all this fighting to make YOUR jiu jitsu happen is wasteful. You become aware that jiu jitsu is happening all around you regardless of you making it happen. You start to see the ebb and flow of it and recognize where YOUR jiu jitsu is within it. In any given moment you can recognize where it is going and seize the advantage (timing and sensitivity) - you apply pressure economically to stay close to YOUR jiu jitsu, set up the pass and you are ready to attack sweeps and submissions as soon as they appear. Jiu jitsu happens and you are there with it.
As your sensitivity grows you begin to see how you can surf the flow of jiu jitsu. You are able to see four or five techniques into the future and can move through a series of techniques that takes you where you want to go. YOUR jiu jitsu is now very broad - there are very few places where you feel uncomfortable with the flow. With seemingly minimal effort you pass and can make sweep and submission opportunities appear when you want them to. Jiu jitsu is now something that happens with you.
(...When I am rolling lower belts, I generally feel like jiu jitsu is happening with me. When I am rolling at my level, I feel like I am always forcing it and I am happening to jiu jitsu. When I roll with upper belts, I feel like jiu jitsu is happening to me and there is not much I can do about it. How about you?)
Friday, March 4, 2011
What Do I Really Know?
"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." ~Bruce Lee
We had a really good training session last night at Brentwood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. We started working from side control and went over the basic Americana/Straight Armbar/Kimura submission series. This is not the first time I've been through these submissions but each time we work them I definitely pick up new details as well as really internalize the "pieces" I already know. Every class I appreciate more and more the technical depth that Professor Jeremy brings to the mats.
This made me start thinking about what do I really know, and how well do I know it. Even though I enjoy learning a wide variety of techniques I am always struck by the fact that the more I roll and watch others roll (including tournament footage) I see the same things winning consistently. I firmly believe that mastery of a few techniques is much more valuable than a passing acquaintance with a large repertoire of techniques (even though they are nice to know).
I was recently watching some tournament footage and one match in particular sticks in my mind. In this match I caught myself cringing as one purple belt lost several good positions early in the match looking for some sort of complicated "gi wrap" kind of submissions even though he physically dominated his opponent. Even when he finally came back to "simpler" techniques like a triangle or bow and arrow choke he had holes in his technique that allowed his opponent to escape.
On the other hand, his opponent never panicked, kept working, and used solid fundamentals - good frames and hip movement along with solid positioning before advancing the one time he got on top - and then secured the win with a solid collar choke from the back.
There is an old adage in the military that states "in a stressful situation (i.e. coming under fire) a soldier will revert to his training." Carlson Gracie used to say something along the lines of - "Punch a jiu jitsu black belt in the face and he becomes a brown belt. Punch him again and he becomes a purple belt." Being able to maintain grace under fire is firmly rooted in being able to revert to knowing a few things really really well.
I want to expand on the things "I need to know" and understand them deeply. I want to truly master a few techniques and make them so intuitive that my mind can be removed from the "moment" and allowed to focus several moves ahead. I want them to become so solid that they are almost irresistible - like Roger Gracie's cross collar choke from mount.
Daniel Coyle, in his book The Talent Code, puts forward the assertion that it takes 10,000 hours of fully engaged deep practice to master a complicated skill (like jiu jitsu) so it might take me a little while :-)
We had a really good training session last night at Brentwood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. We started working from side control and went over the basic Americana/Straight Armbar/Kimura submission series. This is not the first time I've been through these submissions but each time we work them I definitely pick up new details as well as really internalize the "pieces" I already know. Every class I appreciate more and more the technical depth that Professor Jeremy brings to the mats.
This made me start thinking about what do I really know, and how well do I know it. Even though I enjoy learning a wide variety of techniques I am always struck by the fact that the more I roll and watch others roll (including tournament footage) I see the same things winning consistently. I firmly believe that mastery of a few techniques is much more valuable than a passing acquaintance with a large repertoire of techniques (even though they are nice to know).
I was recently watching some tournament footage and one match in particular sticks in my mind. In this match I caught myself cringing as one purple belt lost several good positions early in the match looking for some sort of complicated "gi wrap" kind of submissions even though he physically dominated his opponent. Even when he finally came back to "simpler" techniques like a triangle or bow and arrow choke he had holes in his technique that allowed his opponent to escape.
On the other hand, his opponent never panicked, kept working, and used solid fundamentals - good frames and hip movement along with solid positioning before advancing the one time he got on top - and then secured the win with a solid collar choke from the back.
There is an old adage in the military that states "in a stressful situation (i.e. coming under fire) a soldier will revert to his training." Carlson Gracie used to say something along the lines of - "Punch a jiu jitsu black belt in the face and he becomes a brown belt. Punch him again and he becomes a purple belt." Being able to maintain grace under fire is firmly rooted in being able to revert to knowing a few things really really well.
I want to expand on the things "I need to know" and understand them deeply. I want to truly master a few techniques and make them so intuitive that my mind can be removed from the "moment" and allowed to focus several moves ahead. I want them to become so solid that they are almost irresistible - like Roger Gracie's cross collar choke from mount.
Daniel Coyle, in his book The Talent Code, puts forward the assertion that it takes 10,000 hours of fully engaged deep practice to master a complicated skill (like jiu jitsu) so it might take me a little while :-)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Wrestling in BJJ - Takedown Defense (Part 2)
When your opponent shoots in for your legs in a wrestling style takedown attempt and you were not able to neutralize the attack with either grips or changing the angle, your last line of defense is the sprawl.
Often the sprawl doesn't get the respect it deserves. Some competitors prefer jumping and spinning at high speed and with great athleticism to get past their opponents attacking arms and try to go straight to the back or at least avoid the takedown by causing a scramble. I can't say that jumping all over an opponent and trying to grab lapels, belts, or ankles in order to score in some super-athletic unpredictable fashion or cause a scramble is bad, but you have to be a significantly better wrestler than your opponent to pull it off consistently. If you go this route a few key points to creating and winning scrambles would be to keep your hips up/underneath you, capture and keep some control over the far side of your opponent, and attack, attack, attack.
I prefer a more fundamental defense - the sprawl. I want to be able to win scrambles but I want a good sprawl first. Against a weak sprawl, a good wrestler is going to keep his head up, keep his hips underneath him, and drive, drive, drive into finishing the takedown.
Shooting your legs back and dropping your hips to the mat might seem as easy as falling down, but there is quite a bit of skill involved in a good sprawl. There are quite a few details for baseline D - legs back, hips low, hips in, stuff the head down or away, fight hands, work for grips, crossface, etc.. A good sprawl will keep your opponent off your legs/hips and a great sprawl will allow you to control your opponent and go on the offensive yourself.
This video shows a great sprawl drill. Things to watch for - how he continues to push back after the initial sprawl before popping back up to his feet. On the single leg version he gets the "attacked" leg down and back, then that hip, then both hips, and again continues to push back before returning to stance.
Often the sprawl doesn't get the respect it deserves. Some competitors prefer jumping and spinning at high speed and with great athleticism to get past their opponents attacking arms and try to go straight to the back or at least avoid the takedown by causing a scramble. I can't say that jumping all over an opponent and trying to grab lapels, belts, or ankles in order to score in some super-athletic unpredictable fashion or cause a scramble is bad, but you have to be a significantly better wrestler than your opponent to pull it off consistently. If you go this route a few key points to creating and winning scrambles would be to keep your hips up/underneath you, capture and keep some control over the far side of your opponent, and attack, attack, attack.
I prefer a more fundamental defense - the sprawl. I want to be able to win scrambles but I want a good sprawl first. Against a weak sprawl, a good wrestler is going to keep his head up, keep his hips underneath him, and drive, drive, drive into finishing the takedown.
Shooting your legs back and dropping your hips to the mat might seem as easy as falling down, but there is quite a bit of skill involved in a good sprawl. There are quite a few details for baseline D - legs back, hips low, hips in, stuff the head down or away, fight hands, work for grips, crossface, etc.. A good sprawl will keep your opponent off your legs/hips and a great sprawl will allow you to control your opponent and go on the offensive yourself.
This video shows a great sprawl drill. Things to watch for - how he continues to push back after the initial sprawl before popping back up to his feet. On the single leg version he gets the "attacked" leg down and back, then that hip, then both hips, and again continues to push back before returning to stance.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Wrestling in BJJ - Takedown Defense (Part 1)
This post is an effort to clarify and organize my thoughts on basic takedown defense (especially things I need to work on). It is not meant to be a definitive guide but hopefully some of you might find it useful. (And as always if you disagree or have additional detail please leave a comment.)
Takedown defense starts well before the shot. It starts with posture, positioning, and grip fighting.
Let me say that again - Takedown defense starts well before the shot. It starts with posture, positioning, and grip fighting.
Posture:
Head up. If your head is down and your shoulders get in front of your knees you are vulnerable to a snapdown, other leverage/control of your head, or an armdrag/collardrag. You want to stay low by bending your legs - if you bend your back to get low your entire torso is weak (think low=your hips below his hips not bending your back to get your shoulders below his shoulders).
You might notice Judo guys taking a fairly high stance compared to the description above. This is because the current competition Judo rule set encourages "throws" and essentially gives no points to "wrestling" single and double leg takedowns (although they are traditional techniques - Kata Garuma anyone?). So, they don't need to defend the legs the same way. As a BJJ competitor you still need to know how to defend throws (also mainly with your hips) but you will see a lot more attacks on your legs.
Positioning:
I prefer a slightly staggered stance, one foot a few inches ahead of the other, it provides better offensive mobility than completely square (it makes the double-leg more difficult and you know which single leg he is going to go after). Elbows in - if your elbows flare out it gives your opponent access to your body. Lead hand low to protect the lead leg - the back hand is the one that initiates grips - reaching with your lead hand leaves your lead leg vulnerable to an ankle pick, low single, or snatch single-leg (among others). Don't stay directly in front of your opponent, use footwork to create angles. Let me repeat that - don't stay directly in front of your opponent. You can neutralize a lot of his attacks if you can change the angle. You have to be light on your feet, weight on your toes not your heels (not on your tiptoes, think being able to slide a piece of paper under your heels). The way to have freedom of movement with a strong stance is to use short choppy steps, never cross your feet.
Grip Fighting:
Your hands, elbows, and head are your primary lines of defense. You can't let your opponent control any of them. Nuetral grips (simultaneous collar and sleeve grips) get you nowhere. You want to have "two hands on" your opponent to his zero or one (you want to be at least one grip ahead of your opponent). You want to always think "two hands on" if you want to attack or actively defend.
Everybody focuses on the collar grip but the collar is more defensive (it allows you to keep your opponent away from you). You want the sleeve. Most throws use the sleeve grip to initiate execution of the throw, but even more important I want control of his power hand. You can grab his same side sleeve directly, cross grip it and deliver it to your same side hand, or wait for him to reach and intercept it. (and there are a ton of setups that are too detailed to include here)
If your opponent gets a grip first, don't panic, work on breaking the grip. Once you break his grip make sure you keep control of that hand/sleeve and secure your own grip on that arm.
To break a collar grip, grab his gripping sleeve with your same side hand at the wrist rotate your palm down and pull down to take out the slack - your other hand comes across and aggressively pops/pushes his hand off the collar at the base of his palm/wrist while your same side hand pops/pulls his sleeve at about a 45 degree angle from your body. You don't have to yank your body and shoulder way back - this takes you out of stance and leaves you vulnerable.
To break a sleeve grip, point your thumb toward your chest/head and raise your elbow toward your opponents face (this takes the slack out) and then explosively pull your elbow back down and past your hip. Again, you don't have to pull that side of your body way back - keep your stance and a balanced posture.
(Next up in this series - The Sprawl)
Takedown defense starts well before the shot. It starts with posture, positioning, and grip fighting.
Let me say that again - Takedown defense starts well before the shot. It starts with posture, positioning, and grip fighting.
Posture:
 |
| A little extreme on the posture guys. |
You might notice Judo guys taking a fairly high stance compared to the description above. This is because the current competition Judo rule set encourages "throws" and essentially gives no points to "wrestling" single and double leg takedowns (although they are traditional techniques - Kata Garuma anyone?). So, they don't need to defend the legs the same way. As a BJJ competitor you still need to know how to defend throws (also mainly with your hips) but you will see a lot more attacks on your legs.
Positioning:
 |
| I like the stance on the right. |
Grip Fighting:
Everybody focuses on the collar grip but the collar is more defensive (it allows you to keep your opponent away from you). You want the sleeve. Most throws use the sleeve grip to initiate execution of the throw, but even more important I want control of his power hand. You can grab his same side sleeve directly, cross grip it and deliver it to your same side hand, or wait for him to reach and intercept it. (and there are a ton of setups that are too detailed to include here)
If your opponent gets a grip first, don't panic, work on breaking the grip. Once you break his grip make sure you keep control of that hand/sleeve and secure your own grip on that arm.
To break a collar grip, grab his gripping sleeve with your same side hand at the wrist rotate your palm down and pull down to take out the slack - your other hand comes across and aggressively pops/pushes his hand off the collar at the base of his palm/wrist while your same side hand pops/pulls his sleeve at about a 45 degree angle from your body. You don't have to yank your body and shoulder way back - this takes you out of stance and leaves you vulnerable.
To break a sleeve grip, point your thumb toward your chest/head and raise your elbow toward your opponents face (this takes the slack out) and then explosively pull your elbow back down and past your hip. Again, you don't have to pull that side of your body way back - keep your stance and a balanced posture.
(Next up in this series - The Sprawl)
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Quote of the Moment - Make the Most of Your Training
"Sometimes I let my opponent move to maximize my time in transitions. Other times I go straight for the finish when I feel a big challenge. Sometimes if I feel someone doesn't want to give the back, I'll fight very hard to make him make a mistake and give the back. Sometimes I might just train my squeeze for a session. Other times I'll work on my grips. My whole life I have learned how to make my own training by creating little challenges no matter who I am rolling with. This is very important."
~ Marcelo Garcia
~ Marcelo Garcia
Friday, February 4, 2011
Pan Am Training (humor)
We had another great night of Pan-Am training at Brentwood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Rounds and rounds of grip fighting, takedowns, sweeps, and submissions.
However the real party didn't start until we began to roll. Jeremy, who normally hides his sadistic streak, let it run wild by having us roll with RANDOM time limits - so you had no idea how to pace your game. And since this is Pan-Am training it was "all A Game all the time." I think he was envious of me rockin' my new Shoyoroll 7th Son Gi and looking so fly - because when I partnered up with the biggest meanest dude in the class he let the clock run....and run....and run....and run. And then we rolled some more. I survived (somewhat) and I'm not bitter or plotting my revenge or anything like that (honest).
It was a night of really special fun. But I do not know how much longer I can keep this up. I could not bend my body to fit into my car so I had to hang my upper half out the window in the sub-zero temperature. The drive home was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. When I absolutely had to stop, my body flopped forward into the steering wheel and subsequently the horn. That was probably a good thing as the people on the sidewalk then knew to get out of my way.( It is amazing how surprised people seem to be when somebody drives on the sidewalk - it happens all the time in the movies). When I finally got home I parked on top of something but I was too tired to see what it was. I hope it isn't a body.
The shower felt like I was being beaten with little demon ice picks. I could not hold onto the soap, but that was OK since I was already curled up in the fetal position on the floor - as my body spasmed and twitched I worked up a rather nice lather. I couldn't make my toothbrush reach my mouth but I managed to squirt some toothpaste onto the counter and since my tongue thankfully still worked simply licked it up and chewed - mmmm, minty fresh now.
After my evening ablutions, I suddenly had the urge to inspect the cleanliness of my carpet up close and personal. I do not think my internal organs are where they should be and my bones have also been rearranged. This makes rising more than three inches off the floor now that I am done with my inspection an impossibility. The bed is way too far from the floor to ever make it but I managed to crawl over to the desk and pull my laptop down and start typing this post with my middle right toe - it is taking a while, but I'm not going anywhere tonight.
If I start at sunrise, I may be able to crawl to the gym before training starts tomorrow night!
However the real party didn't start until we began to roll. Jeremy, who normally hides his sadistic streak, let it run wild by having us roll with RANDOM time limits - so you had no idea how to pace your game. And since this is Pan-Am training it was "all A Game all the time." I think he was envious of me rockin' my new Shoyoroll 7th Son Gi and looking so fly - because when I partnered up with the biggest meanest dude in the class he let the clock run....and run....and run....and run. And then we rolled some more. I survived (somewhat) and I'm not bitter or plotting my revenge or anything like that (honest).
It was a night of really special fun. But I do not know how much longer I can keep this up. I could not bend my body to fit into my car so I had to hang my upper half out the window in the sub-zero temperature. The drive home was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. When I absolutely had to stop, my body flopped forward into the steering wheel and subsequently the horn. That was probably a good thing as the people on the sidewalk then knew to get out of my way.( It is amazing how surprised people seem to be when somebody drives on the sidewalk - it happens all the time in the movies). When I finally got home I parked on top of something but I was too tired to see what it was. I hope it isn't a body.
The shower felt like I was being beaten with little demon ice picks. I could not hold onto the soap, but that was OK since I was already curled up in the fetal position on the floor - as my body spasmed and twitched I worked up a rather nice lather. I couldn't make my toothbrush reach my mouth but I managed to squirt some toothpaste onto the counter and since my tongue thankfully still worked simply licked it up and chewed - mmmm, minty fresh now.
After my evening ablutions, I suddenly had the urge to inspect the cleanliness of my carpet up close and personal. I do not think my internal organs are where they should be and my bones have also been rearranged. This makes rising more than three inches off the floor now that I am done with my inspection an impossibility. The bed is way too far from the floor to ever make it but I managed to crawl over to the desk and pull my laptop down and start typing this post with my middle right toe - it is taking a while, but I'm not going anywhere tonight.
If I start at sunrise, I may be able to crawl to the gym before training starts tomorrow night!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Strength and Conditioning for Jiu Jitsu - Friday's Midnight Workout
...boy you don't post for a week and people start thinking you're lazy. Just so you know I'm still training hard even when not posting - sometimes non-online life takes priority - here is Friday night's midnight workout.
Friday night real life kept me off the mats, but when all was settled down in the late evening I finally had a chance to get downstairs for a little Strength and Conditioning work.
After doing some shoulder pre-hab and joint mobility work for about 15 minutes we started with a light "jump" plyometric warmup:
3 rounds of 5 reps of straight jumps, skaters jumps, tuck jumps, and forward/back jumps.
Deadlifts:
1 x 3 135 lbs
1 x 3 185 lbs
1 x 3 205 lbs
1 x 3 225 lbs
1 x 3 245 lbs
1 x 3 255 lbs
The first 4 sets of deadlifts were alternated with sets of 5 bodyweight plyo pushups off a bench.
Acceleration Squats
1 x 5 135 lbs
2 x 5 185 lbs
Pullups
1 x 3 bodyweight
1 x 1 bodyweight + 50 lbs vest
1 x 3 bodyweight
1 x 1 bodyweight + 50 lbs vest
1 x 3 bodyweight
1 x 1 bodyweight + 50 lbs vest
1 x 3 bodyweight
Kettlbell Swings
2 x 10 (each arm) 40lbs
Single Arm/Single Leg Deadlift
3 x 5 (each leg) 45 lbs bar
For this exercise you bend at the waist lifting one leg behind you, reach down with the opposite hand to the middle of the bar and pull - returning to the upright position and back down on one leg. This is a balance/core/stretch movement - you don't have to think about loading much (if any) weight on the bar.
Finished with 20 minutes of Yoga at the stroke of midnight.
Yes that's right, while most people are out having a good time on Friday night I'm either on the mats or in the gym. I'm sick like that. Most of my friends no longer bother to ask me, "so what did you do this weekend?" (sigh).
Friday night real life kept me off the mats, but when all was settled down in the late evening I finally had a chance to get downstairs for a little Strength and Conditioning work.
After doing some shoulder pre-hab and joint mobility work for about 15 minutes we started with a light "jump" plyometric warmup:
3 rounds of 5 reps of straight jumps, skaters jumps, tuck jumps, and forward/back jumps.
Deadlifts:
1 x 3 135 lbs
1 x 3 185 lbs
1 x 3 205 lbs
1 x 3 225 lbs
1 x 3 245 lbs
1 x 3 255 lbs
The first 4 sets of deadlifts were alternated with sets of 5 bodyweight plyo pushups off a bench.
Acceleration Squats
1 x 5 135 lbs
2 x 5 185 lbs
Pullups
1 x 3 bodyweight
1 x 1 bodyweight + 50 lbs vest
1 x 3 bodyweight
1 x 1 bodyweight + 50 lbs vest
1 x 3 bodyweight
1 x 1 bodyweight + 50 lbs vest
1 x 3 bodyweight
Kettlbell Swings
2 x 10 (each arm) 40lbs
Single Arm/Single Leg Deadlift
3 x 5 (each leg) 45 lbs bar
For this exercise you bend at the waist lifting one leg behind you, reach down with the opposite hand to the middle of the bar and pull - returning to the upright position and back down on one leg. This is a balance/core/stretch movement - you don't have to think about loading much (if any) weight on the bar.
Finished with 20 minutes of Yoga at the stroke of midnight.
Yes that's right, while most people are out having a good time on Friday night I'm either on the mats or in the gym. I'm sick like that. Most of my friends no longer bother to ask me, "so what did you do this weekend?" (sigh).
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