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Helio Gracie’s Self Defense Experience and 2nd Blue Belt Stripe

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , on October 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »

2nd Stripe and 2012 The Gracie Tournament Experience

The Tournament was mostly higher belts and no white belts.  This tournament  has some similarities to kata, but more practical in regards to immediate self-defense.  There were half as many people from the year before. With higher belts, it means harder competition.  No one from last year made it into the third round except for a youth contestant.  No one was able do the Haymaker defense correctly.   A purple belt won the event.

First off, I had a great time; even though I failed in my goal to get past the 1st round, but I did get another stripe.  Sadly, with my second stripe, I can visibly see the passing of time.

As per my January goals, I wanted to make it into the second round. I think I was close.  Unfortunately, they don’t give out the evaluation; however,  I will request  feed back. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Before the match, purple belt, Robert, gave some quick tips.  Take your time in the move.  This would allow me to be more thoughtful in the all the details.  Make sure not to throw anyone which would be an automatic point deduction.  On the other hand, Oggie, another purple belt I trained with, went full speed.  Oggie made it into the third round.  Some of the black belt judges were the guys that had taught us the techniques.

Final message, Pedro and Gui both emphasized the importance of not changing the self-defense teachings of Master Helio Gracie.  This means by not changing the teachings of Helio, Helio Gracie Jiu Jitsu will be preserved for the next generation.  I couldn’t agree more.

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Blue Belt Week 41, September 30, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , on September 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »

It’s around 10:30 am.  The tournament starts at 2:oo pm.  I admit I have some butterflies, that is normal.  At this point, I am trying not to think about all the moves which could cause panic.  I’m trying to relax and be flexible. I ate a big breakfast.  I’m feeling good.  I hope I can maintain a positive attitude.

Upon signing up, I learned that there are 10 self defenses moves taught only in the advanced class which I hadn’t been attending.  There isn’t enough time to learn them.   I got off track on my training ambitions.  I had thought all the moves were taught in the fundamentals classes; however, I do know 80% of the moves which is enough to get me through the first round.  I am trying to look at this as a self evaluation.   If I make it to the second round, great, if I don’t, great.  It is a good experience.

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Blue Belt Week 40, September 21, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , on September 24, 2012| 1 Comment »

Wow..Next week, September 30, 2012, is the Gracie Challenge, a Sunday.  My reaction when I saw the challenge date was I am not ready. How can I post pone this?  I can’t.   Once I gathered myself, I took a look at the web page and read about what this test is about.  The last challenge, I didn’t have a clear picture.   In the article, three things jumped out at me, strikes, headlocks, and collar grabs.  I narrowed down the stand up test moves.  I didn’t do any of this the year before. I was dead last.  I am also reviewing old tapes of Helio Gracie since I can’t really afford the private lesson at this time and try to review potential test moves during the fundamental review part.   I started writing down all the moves and classifying them. I am going to give it my best.  If I can advance to the second round then I will have accomplished my goal.

This week, I focused on others.  This allowed me to view the fundamental moves better.  I discovered two mistakes.  one on the closed double collar grab and another on the mounted elbow escape.

Being able to measure the distance is critical in self-defense.  I am having trouble with measuring the distance.  I am hoping this challenge will help me improve upon it.

I was a bit moody.  Some days I am friendly. Some days I am the lone wolf. I don’t want to be the lone wolf.   I really hate that about myself.  I wish I was up beat all the time. Whatever I am experiencing real or un real, I am going to keep coming back.

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Blue Belt Week 39, September 14, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , , , on September 15, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Gracie Jiu Jitsu doesn’t like direct fist strikes.  A jab is okay, but not really what jiu jitsu is about.   Basically, direct knuckle fist strikes, are something you only see in boxing and cowboy movies.  In reality, a fist strike is an easy way to break your own hand.   Bare knuckle boxing has a  lot of hand injuries that is a reason boxers wear gloves.

A better alternative to the front knuckle fist strike is the slap.  This week we relearned the violent hand strike to the ear.   If the hand slap to the ear is done correctly, it will rupture the ear drum.   The attacker would require surgery and be unable to walk very well because the sense of balance is part of the inner ear.  I wouldn’t want to carry around the guilty of causing such an injury to someone like that.  I didn’t like learning this and would avoid it all together in a conflict. It is too severe, causing someone a life long disability.

There are tough people all over the world.  I especially like the Maori people of New Zealand for their toughness.  I believe they are descendants of the Polynesians.  In Star Wars, Polynesians are the elite human fighters of the future.  In the movie, Once Were Warriors, there is a bar fight scene which is fresh in my mind.  Jake, an ex street fighter, knocks out a muscle bound ex convict in seconds.  For Jake’s attack to work, the attack is dependent upon speed and power with an element of surprise.  See link. When I first saw this at the movies, I found the fight scene shocking, the violence of it. I want everyone to be aware of this kind of attack.

Once Were Warriors – Jake The Mus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB3C6KP6pGY

I like Jake’s comment at the end, ” Too much weights and not enough speed work.”  Once jake connected, he had already won the fight.   I didn’t see any bouncers in the bar.  Seems what happens in the bar, stays in the bar.  I wonder if that is how it really is or part of the script.

I like the following video where the New Zealand Rugby team ties their warrior past with the present in a pre fight battle ritual called Haka. Note, rugby is much tougher than American football, which is my opinion.

All Black’s Haka, Battle Ritual

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRRLgKkcYso

I think this is intimidating.    The adrenaline is free flowing after watching this video. Super cool pre battle ritual.

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Blue Belt Week 38, September 7, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , on September 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Everytime I get ready to open the door to Valente Brother’s studio, I think of a comment Professor Pedro made , ” Would you rather vacation for two weeks in Fuji or come to Jiu Jitsu for two weeks of your vacation?   Professor Pedro’s answer, ” I would rather spend two-weeks studying Jiu Jitsu.  a beach is boring.”   I feel the same way.

There is no guarantee of victory even with all of our Gracie  jiu jitsu training.    I admit that I used to go around thinking I was invincible and overly assertive, not at all a smart way to be.  There are a lot of tough people walking about  that can fight.  I have a wild side, so  I am not someone who tests half way. I would challenge the worst that I could find to test my knowledge.  Bikers..boxers.. I now realise that a fight could result in serious injury to myself even if I won.   What was I thinking???  I have come to my senses.  I happily don’t seek trouble.  If trouble unfortunately finds me,  then I will deal with it.  I bet a lot of white belts think they are invincible when they are absolutely not.   By studying Gracie Jiu Jitsu, it has brought me a lot of peace for which I am very grateful.

A strong man could dead lift a smaller opponent  from the guard position and body slam them.  I have been dead lift from the guard position.  It is possible.   Don’t think a triangle move is a safety net.  Every move has a counter move.  How alert to the counter is up to you?  Note, I find the following video disturbing.  I don’t like watching this video.  Note, this move has been banned in the MMA but is perfectly legal in a street fight.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs Ricardo Arona insane knockout

What is the point of practicing without a finishing move???   I do this for myself but I think the new white belt also appreciate it.  Whenever I review, I try to do a side mount to the full with a finishing move.  I am trying to simulate a real life fight.  Same with a throw, I do the take down, or throw,  then I do a finishing move.  I am trying to set up my opponent for the finishing move, always.  A finishing move is the last technique to end the fight.

To master any technique, you have practice it 10,000 times.

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Blue Belt Week 37, August 31, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , on September 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Once again, it was brought up how important the side kick is in maintaining the distance.  It is not a powerful kick but strong enough to damage someone’s knee.  Honestly, I don’t like my side kick defense which means I need to work on my side kick.  When I was in college, I had an incident where a spoiled Taiwanese student kicked me in the knee when I approached him, the same side kick we are learning now.  I admit that I deserved this.  It was painful and I immediately stopped.

Next week is the fundamental lesson 10, the Pre fight.  It is my favorite lesson and the most practical.  By talking to a hostile person in the right way and the right approach, it can defuse an argument.   Already, this lesson has helped me in dealing with an angry person.  Another thing I like about  this lesson is the focus on defense against fist strikes.

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Blue Belt Week 36, August 24, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , , , on August 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Have you seen the show, Breaking Bad???  Breaking Bad is one of my favorites.  I find the main character, Walter White, very interesting.  Walter White doesn’t know any martial art; however, he has incredible survival instincts and a brilliant mind. When Walter is confronted by life threatening situations, he survives. I think there is a life lesson here.  In a conflict, along with a little  luck, the most alert mind and the right choices wins the fight.  Life is really about minute to minute choices.

Getting back to the Gracie Jiu Jitsu practice, during independent review time, I try to review the fight sequence;  like a story, a beginning, a middle, and an end.  Ironically, the same steps you would take in writing a story or an article.   I think a fuller explanation helps in the learning process.  Thus, there should be a quick pre fight explanation, the fundamental move, and the consequence of the action.

My fear of practicing incorrectly and  passing my mistake onto a white belt almost occurred this week; however, a higher ranking belt saw this mistake as it occurred and stepped in.  I had my hands positioned wrong on a choke hold.  I missed this important detail.   We were learning  the collar tag choke.  When the hand reaches in, then the other to the collar tag, both index fingers should be touching.  I didn’t do that.  I couldn’t see the instructors hand grip very well.  My mistake was just going with my thumb.

Again, I have been trying to avoid this, I paired up with a guy that had 75 lbs over me.   I’m around 165 lbs and my practice partner was around 240 lbs. We were practicing a throw, standing arm lock choke from behind.   He was having trouble controlling his body, over weight.  He threw me over his shoulder.  I immediately learned a much bigger body mass, has a lot more momentum.  I shot threw the air. In this scenario, if I am getting thrown by a heavy weight, I should just relax and worry about my fall technique.

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Blue Belt Week 35, August 17, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , on August 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Commitment. I can’t think of my commitment to jiu jitsu beyond the next class. When I do think to far ahead, I worry that I may not be able to do it for the next seven years. I’m going to be honest, this is tough. I get frustrated because life isn’t a straight line. There are other commitments, family and work. I really wanted to go to jiu jitsu this week but because of my kids, last week of summer vacation, no summer camp, and illiness of my daughter, I had to stay home.

When I am there, at the dojo, I leave all my problems in the parking lot, and focus on the practice. For that hour I’m there, I am thankful to not think of bills, bad relationships, debt, and other issues. Since I work at home, I have an opportunity to chat. Before, I was spending a lot of time in isolation.

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Blue Belt Week 34, August 10, 2012

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , on August 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »

In the practice of Gracie Jiu Jitsu, there is always something to work upon. Always!  Since I joined, I was able to learn the frame-work of the fundamentals of self-defense but I am lacking the complete details in the moves.   There are lots and lots of details.  As a blue belt, if I were to leave and not return to the study of Gracie Jiu Jitsu, I do have the basic self-defense lessons in my subconscious mind.  Even though I am a blue belt, I don’t feel that I have mastered the lessons. So, at least until October, I am focused on fundamentals of self-defense, no sparring nor randori; well, maybe a little randori, a.k.a., throwing class sparring.

The hardest part in my Gracie Jiu Jitsu study is showing up.  I still have a lot of social anxiety; however, I have made some friends which has steadied  my nerves a bit.  I am trying to talk more. Open up.  Since I joined, I have worked out with a lot different people.  As a general rule, in any conflict, I want to have a relaxed mind and body.  I am the first to admit that to have a relaxed mind and body in a conflict is not an easy task. One of the reasons I study Jiu Jitsu is to help me control my emotions.

Before I started studying Gracie Jiu Jitsu, I did intense spinning classes, but when the expert teachers resigned, the gym hired instructors of not the same level.   I didn’t want to do spinning anymore.  A few weeks ago, I noticed there was a bike rack at the dojo. I was able to get my bike working after not riding my bike for a year and a half.  The Floridian humidity and Atlantic Ocean salty air did its damage on my bike.  So, riding my rusted out bike to class has satisfied my desire for spinning classes. I’m getting exercise and saving gas money.

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Blue Belt Week 33, August 3, 2012 Closing The Distance

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , on August 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

It’s review time, Wednesday. I’m working on closing the distance, getting safely from a boxing match to clinching my opponent, except I’m the attacker, a boxer.  I slowly circled the opponent with my fists up.    After a few warm ups,  I warned my practice partner that I was really attempting a strike.  He said, ” Do it.”  I saw his chin up.  With my right arm and fist, I lunged forward while throwing the punch at his chin.  I completely missed him.  In a second, I felt my opponent crash into me.   Next, I’m falling to the mat.  We drilled closing the distance, me, as the attacker, ten more times.  All the same result. I asked my opponent, ” How do you know I’m getting ready to throw the punch?”  He responded, ” First, empty your mind.  Then, look at everything, don’t focus on one area.”   He then showed me that I was slightly moving my right shoulder just before I threw the punch.

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