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Archive for the ‘Jiu Jitsu’ Category

Blue Belt Week 76, May 31, 2013 Sparring A Larger Opponent

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , on May 28, 2013| Leave a Comment »

As the big guy, 6-5, slim, 240/250 lbs, and I slapped hands, me, 5-11, 170 lbs, we got into the clinch grip. My mind was racing. My first thought was that I had to win the throwing match. I absolutely didn’t want to be on the bottom. Right after we slapped hands, and we were in the clinch, I did a fast ochie gari. Hip to hip with my leg hooked deep. Like a slow falling tree after being chopped down, he went falling and I got into his guard immediately.

Once I was in his guard, I didn’t feel good about posturing up so I grabbed his gi with both hands around his chest area and got low. I couldn’t pass his guard. So, I decided not to work any move, I wanted him to make a move as well as burn energy, so I observed and tried to maintain my position. He didn’t like not moving so he was bucking me. He grabbed at my hands. I had to break his grip. He tried crushing me with his legs. Eventually, he managed to trap one of my legs so I let go of the two-handed front grip and grabbed his right shoulder with a tight two-handed clamp behind his back. Then, I worked my leg up, waterfall, as I pushed his leg away, I mounted.

After I passed the guard, I didn’t waste time getting up in his arm pits with my knees, a high mount. He grabbed both his elbows as a protective move from the arm bar. I decided not to try an arm bar since he could roll on me or I would have to get aggressive in trying to free an arm. Then I heard someone shout, Time!

Over all, I felt good. I knew for fact that I wasn’t going to survive if it became a power match. Instead of muscle and aggression, I took my time, no clock, played conservative, and survived.

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Blue Belt Week 75, May 24, 2013

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , , on May 24, 2013| Leave a Comment »

In the advanced grappling class,  we worked on escapes from the side mount into the guard position.  Simple and effective. I’m all about defense.  Yet again, I trained with another Russian student, the seventh one.  My experience with Russian students is that I can see why Russia has been a super power for more than a 1000 years just by its people, tough, intelligent, dominate.  Russia sees sharing power with other nations as weakness.  Russia is a nation and people that demand respect with no compromise.  very interesting and mysterious group.

To really progress to the next level, I need to increase my flexibility in my hips and back so that I can do more moves.  Also, I have to work on timing.  I am about half way there with flexibility and nowhere near ready with timing.   I added a new speed exercise, basically, a front leg lift until toes rest on a chair seat.  You will need a chair.  Lay on your back while holding the legs of a chair from the front side. quickly lift your legs, this is a speed drill, until your toes rest on the top of the chair then back to the floor. I will try to do a set of 10 a day.

In the throwing class, we learned a defense throw against a wrestler that has gotten your back from the standing position. I learned that while standing having someone’s back is not a safe position. Incredible simple throw against the wrestler.

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Blue Belt Week 74, May 17, 2013

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , on May 18, 2013| 1 Comment »

For the record, I am all about technique, and trying to execute technique perfectly.  Also, I am working on in my study of jiu jitsu to be patient, self-aware, and calm under stress.  I fully believe in the Gracie Jiu Jitsu techniques and my instructors.

On Tuesday, in the advanced grappling class, I was frustrated. We were learning defense from the bottom; however, my class partner was focused more on sparring. This was the sixth Russian student that I have worked out with at the dojo. I was choked out about six times. I couldn’t careless.  At one point during the class, I advised my partner that I wanted to focus on technique and to take it easy. He didn’t respond.  At one point, I was getting baited into sparring back. Professor Pedro Jr. didn’t like what he was seeing.  The truth, I found the arm and hand positions difficult and even more so while being aggressively choked.   I didn’t fully learn the lesson and I doubt my partner did as well.

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Blue Belt Week 73, May 10, 2013

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , , , , on May 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »

With proper hip throwing technique, I consistently lifted a 260 lbs off the floor at least five times and I didn’t injury myself.  Because of all the intense stretching, iyengar yoga,  I have been doing outside of bjj twice a week, the stretching is now paying off in reducing injuries. I also have a lot less back pain.  A general observation is that I noticed that when I go beyond three times a week of jiu jitsu practice, my body starts getting chewed up or injured.

This month, we are working on jiu jitsu ground defense.  We learned keeping the elbows in and the hands cupped under the chin. If you’re not taking advanced grappling, your sparring game will develop slowly.

On Friday, A dermatologist took two biopsies, one from my face and one from forehead. a little smaller than a quarter-inch square.  Sort of shocked by it all. I tan easy.  The results will be in next week.

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Blue Belt Week 72, May 3, 2013 The Throwing Class Isn’t Just Throwing!

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , on May 5, 2013| 1 Comment »

Shocker! The throwing class has great defenses against wrestling take downs.  Apparently, the throwing class wasn’t just throwing.  A few months ago I was talking smack in the locker room with a purple belt about the throwing class. I told the guy, Don, I didn’t see the need for the throwing class because the fundamentals class was all that I needed.  At least that was what I wrongly thought.   I stayed for the throwing class on Tuesday, which was taught by Ramon Sanchez, ex Cuban National judo olympian.  Ramon taught us some useful judo defense techniques against the single leg and double leg take downs that impressed me. Students that go to throwing have an advantage over those that don’t go. 

During the randori part of the throwing class. I changed it up with the partners.  I got this idea from a judo blog.  After the throw, my partner and I would spar for a pin.  The object in judo was to throw the opponent completely in the air.  Ippon. That was not my objective.  My object was to land in the mounted position, knee on belly, or close to it. I remembered three throws, my 210 lb opponent landed on the floor and rolled away from me.  I didn’t have control, but that was a good move for an escape but not a submission.  The second guy was smaller. I landed in the side mount but got the pin.  Third, knee on belly, knees into arm pits, the ideal situation.

Tuesday was an amazing day of training in the advance grappling class as well, taught by Professor Pedro jr.  Part of the training, I had Walter as my training partner,  an ex Brazilian mma fighter and jiu jitsu black belt since 1994.   Great training and instruction.   Tuesday was the last day of attacks from the side mount. I learned an arm lock that I later saw on the show, The Shield.

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Blue Belt Week 70, April 19, 2013

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , on April 19, 2013| 1 Comment »

I’m a bit delusional about my abilities. However, I keep having a reoccurring thought, ” Extreme training will give extreme results.” I think that statement is generally true. Not sure where I heard that.

Here’s the rundown. I went to fundamentals class on Monday. It was good to review the move, throw back from the guard. It is when the opponent, while in your guard, decides to stand up. When they do this, unhook the legs, hips on the floor, grab their ankles, and push then down with the knees. I think that would be useful in a fight. We then worked on a sleeve choke.

On Tuesday, I went to advanced grappling taught by Professor Pedro. I would say that doing a Kimora and an Americana is slowly becoming a habit. We learned a new arm bar, new to me, from the side mount. I had a good partner and extra help from Black belt, so I think it will be remembered.

This weekend was a seminar with Rickson Gracie at headquarters. Regretfully, I wasn’t able to attend. That reminds me to rewatch the documentary movie featuring Rickson “, Choked.” Every student of BBJ should watch it. The documentary was on YouTube the last time I checked. Bbj cult film.

Longevity. High Dosages of Omega Three Fish Oil. I am basically experimenting on myself. I would like for my mind to be more stable, hopefully repaired. I have been reading the healing power of the brain if it has the right materials, omega 3, fish oil. So, I increased my dosage from 1 gram to 10 grams a day. Since I started, I feel better mentally.

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Blue Belt Week 69, April 12, 2013

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , on April 12, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Tuesday grappling class went well. We worked on submissions. Professor Pedro showed us the Clock choke, a.ka. the baseball bat choke.

On Wednesday, aside from Jiu Jitsu, I went to a mixed intermediate advanced yoga class. We did some advanced back bend which I wasn’t ready to do. I setup wrong. Just like in Jiu Jitsu I need to communicate better that I was not ready for this. Etc.

Come Thursday, full body shutdown. Last week, I bought a new mattress and I haven’t slept well. My back was sore but in my middle back. REALIZATION, I’m pushing myself to much. Go go go. never stop mentality. I’m not honoring my body, it needs to rest, no working out or hard labor at least one or two days during the week. I spent the day on my back feeling run down. Ice. hot pad. inversion table. I was looking forward today but tired and slightly injured could result in nothing productive.

Self development. A few months ago, I became aware that I constantly complain about other people. Non stop. My mind was over run by negativity all the time. So, I read a few articles and listened to a few videos on how to stop complaining. Nothing fully addressed the problem. So, I took this info and created a mantra, a kind of mental program to reprogram my mind. I know that may sound werid. This is what you do. When you first wake up, Say the following 108 times or the first time you get in your car. While reciting the mantra, think about the people you find fault with. This is the mantra: ” I will not find fault with others. Instead I will focus on solutions and gratitude.” I have the idea that after saying this mantra once a day for three weeks, it will become a habit.

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Blue Belt Week 68, April 2, 2013. Fear Can Stop Your Development

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , on April 6, 2013| Leave a Comment »

It has been along time since I sparred. I had avoided sparring because of injury and an over competitiveness, actually, a fear of losing. I had played a bad game. What mattered was that I was in the game. I had my butt kicked by a teen, apparently he trained at the dojo through the kid program, a South Beach bouncer, an ex division one college wrestler, and another ex division three college wrestler. I had been arm barred six times and choked a few times. I’m obviously doing something wrong and repeatedly. My goal was to survive, not to take this serious, this was a game, and I was taking it easy by conserving energy. I was getting mounted and my opponent would get up in my arm pits at least four times. There were two arm bars where they sat on my chest. I kept trying to pass the guard without breaking the guard legs. That didn’t work at all. I was getting pinned and smoothered. I tried not to panic and remained calm. When it was over, I wasn’t injured and my ego was less competitive so I would call this a good day.

I did the advanced class before sparring. We did reflex striking defense drills. Professor Gui explained ” It is a miss conception that Jiu Jitsu is only grappling. Stay far. Use the side kick. Hopefully with your back to a wall.” I know going to the floor in a bar sometimes there is broken glass on the floor, and concrete is definitely not my first choice. I lucked out and partner with a judo black belt whose a brown belt in jiu jitsu. Also, he had some boxing skills. We worked on striking defense, something I needed to work on and a throw. We did some unscheduled randori. I was thrown left, right, and center. We both wanted to do some judo. I liked working out with opponents that have skills. That will make my skill level develop quickly. The combination of this class and sparring, I felt that I’m beginning to really learn how to fight, not that I need to learn.
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Blue Belt Week 67, March 28, 2013 Using Body Weight

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , on March 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »

For this month, the most important lesson I learned from the advanced grappling class was to use your own body weight to pin your opponent. I learned that when I wrestled in high school, but, could have done it more. Professor Pedro wanted this drilled into our minds. He called it, melting on to your opponent.

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Blue Belt Week 66, March 22, 2013

Posted in Jiu Jitsu, tagged , , , , on March 22, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Rectitude, Courage, Benevolence, Politeness, Honesty, Honor, and Loyalty

Rectitude, Courage, Benevolence, Politeness, Honesty, Honor, and Loyalty

Do you know the Seven Principles Of A True Warrior? The seven principles are on a wall at headquarters.  I almost have them memorized word for word.  With some discipline, I found an easy method to memorize them.   Here is how:  Learn one sentence at a time by saying the word and repeating the definition 108 times out loud. For example, say out loud, “Rectitude: Doing what is right without regard to the consequences.”  The next day, ” Courage: Inner strength to resist opposition.” 108 times. The next day, ” Benevolence: Disposition to do good.” 108 times. “Politeness/Propriety: Proper consideration and courtesy to others.” The next day,  ” Honesty/sincerity: Genuine integrity in character and action.”  ” Honor: profound respect and ethical conduct.” Finally,” Loyalty: faithful in allegiance.”  By the end of the week, you will have memorized the seven principles word for word.   Once, learned try to say the principles once a week to keep it fresh in the mind.  This is something I don’t want to forget.  Jiu Jitsu is away to leave behind the old bad you, and create a new good better you; well, that is what I want my training to be. 

October was the last time I attended an Advance class. Half the class were brown belts.  I felt like the waterboy. I kept quiet while they chatted before class. They have known each other for years. I made the mistake of pairing up with a fellow blue belt who was trying to learn the lesson for the first time.  In the fundamental’s class, I know what is going on but in the advance class, I am the waterboy.  I was struggling to learn a spinning armbar from the guard.  Next advance class, I will try to pair up with a brown belt.   There are a lot of lessons to be learned in Advanced.  Wow, another mountain to climb.  This was lesson 33.  I know that jiu jitsu is mostly experience and very little book learning; however,  I need a notebook.

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