Planet BJJ

Class #164



Roger Gracie Academy (BJJ), Nick Gregoriades, London, UK - 23/07/2008 - Advanced

I couldn't get to sleep last Sunday, so decided to get up and be productive. As I do rather strange things for fun, that resulted in my new BJJ Beginner FAQ. I'd appreciate any feedback (e.g., further good questions you think should be on there, broken links, informative threads/articles I could add in for further reading etc). Still adding things to it, but just about got in all the questions I wanted (last one I can think of is cross-training, for which I mainly use my Bullshido.txt file, especially my usual 'Welcome to Bullshido!' post with the stuff about 'if you're interested in striking/ if you're more interested in grappling').

Also didn't get to train yesterday, as the PhD has stepped up a gear (though I also got an extension, which is nice: the final deadline is now October 2010). That’s probably going to mean I'll be spending most of my Tuesdays PhDing, at least until I feel I've got on top of the thesis and have a solid chunk of the word count ready. If only it was as easy to pump out academic prose as it is to write several thousand word essays on a BJJ blog…

Nick G took class today, who brings something different to the table as an instructor. He runs one of the top BJJ blogs on the net, The Jiu-Jitsu Brotherhood: the same thoughtful style is evident in his teaching. It felt very much like reading one of his posts when he began the drilling, as he discussed his theory that there are two main types of position in BJJ: set positions, like side control, guard etc, and the scramble, where neither person has settled into a controlling posture. As he mentioned, this is common in nogi, but not often the focus of a lesson when wearing the gi.

To help develop this ability to scramble, Nick had us do a drill where we were effectively sparring, but the whole point was to simply keep moving: no submissions and no grips. That meant I found myself rolling over to my back, swinging my legs over, spinning around underneath etc. I tend to be slow and steady in sparring, as I like to feel secure and then work from a comfortable position, so this was a useful exercise for me.

We then did the same thing again, but this time with the difference that one of us had their eyes closed. That meant I now had to feel for my partner so I could work out where they were going, not to mention the practical reason that class was stuffed so I didn't want to slam into anyone. The 'seeing' partner basically ended up shepherding their training partner away from walls and other grappling pairs.

Technique tonight was an armbar from the back. I can imagine Nick G doing a good instructional video, as his method of demonstration was tailor-made for recording: methodical and clear, with several repetitions. We started from the back, with hooks in, your arms underneath theirs, while they defend against the choke. Your same side hand slips through their armpit to grab their same side wrist. Bring your other arm over the top to grip their wrist, then switch your hands. Your first hand now grabs the wrist of your other arm, meaning you've secured a figure-four hold.

Drop slightly towards their legs, shrimping out your legs. You are now in position to execute what Nick called the 'stamp and clamp'. With your far leg, 'stamp' on their same side hip to stop them turning towards you (as they'll be aiming to get back in your guard). Then bring your other leg across their waist, hooking across their hip: this is the 'clamp'.

Your free leg goes over their head, pushing them back (make sure you're holding them firmly with this leg, squeezing your knees together), while you push their arm up towards their head then down in a semi-circle. That should enable you to straighten out the limb and secure the armbar.

Specific sparring, unsurprisingly, was from the back. As I've mentioned before, this is easily my worst position. I find it very difficult to maintain any kind of control over my opponent when I've got their back, particularly with my legs. Back mount is supposed to be an incredibly dominant position, so I'm clearly doing something very wrong: however, I was trying to put into practice some tips I'd read on the Grapplers Guide (e.g., keeping your head low). I need to watch the video on back control from their too, as I don't think I've done that yet.

While I lasted slightly longer than I have previously, both Liam and Christina gradually worked their way free, the normal process being that I lost a hook, they kept moving to the side, then spun into my guard. With Liam I had a vague attempt at going for the armbar we had learned in class, but didn't manage to secure the stamp and clamp – I also went for the wrong side initially, which messed me up further. Still, reminds me I absolutely have to go for techniques we've learned in class more often when sparring.

The skin on the top joint of my fingers is still giving me trouble, so I've been taping it up recently. However, the specific sparring had dislodged all my tape, so I popped back to the changing room to reapply before my first free spar, with Christina. She has been working her guard a lot at the moment, which gave me a chance to try and implement some of the principles I've been failing to use in passing. Most importantly, that is standing up and driving my hips forward: I tried that tonight, but generally just put me in position to get swept over Christina (though I did at least manage to snatch half-guard as I was being swept a few times).

I also found that Nick's flow drill from earlier had an impact on my escapes. I never normally try to get to my knees, but it felt natural to do so today after all the rolling over my back in the earlier drill. Could be a useful thing to try at home with my gf, as she sometimes complains about the pressure BJJ drilling puts on her muscles (e.g., when passing): not a problem with that flow drill.

Christina and I were a little delayed in starting, because I was taping up my fingers, so had an extended spar spilling over across the next round. I then went with Tran, although that ended up (much to my benefit) being a bit of instruction on the flower sweep. Tran does it a little differently than the Grapplers Guide video I've been watching.

Tran's variation begins when your opponent is doing the usual stiff arm thing against your hips (as I mentioned that's where I've been having trouble). Pull their head down, underhook one arm, bringing your other arm over the top. Grab your hands together palm to palm for a gable grip, keeping your opponent tight. You can then walk your legs up their back for a high guard.

Next, bring the arm that came over the top of the arm under their armpit, aiming to grab their opposite collar: you've now secured a firm overhook. With the same side foot, push off their same side hip to rotate (not shrimp, but literally bring your upper toward their opposite knee). You should get your other leg right up into their armpit.

Finally, grab their pant leg on your armpit leg side, then push your leg down while simultaneously lifting their leg up. If you've got the leverage right, you should be able to roll them straight into mount.

Zaf mentioned something which sounded very handy when he saw me taping up my finger. At first I thought he was joking, as he said I could do with some new skin. Turns out New Skin is actually a type of liquid plaster, so I'll be sure to look into it: could be more effective – as well as more convenient – than my roll of zinc oxide tape.

Tomorrow Johannes should be popping down to RGA, so look forward to training with him again. No doubt the higher belts will also relish the chance to roll with a tough Swedish purple (I'm more interested in just seeing him again, and whether I've improved much since we last met at the first Belfast Throwdown. Looking forward to it. :)

I have gotten used to having Yeshua around. I am sad that he's leaving next week, ostensibly to go back to practice the dark arts of Steve72, brand new BJJ black belt and brand old pillar of evil.

Here's how the mornings usually work: I go to CrossFit ass early or just wake up at a normal hour (like when it's light outside). Either way, I get to the academy around 8am and dink around on the computer for a while. Eventually, about 8:30 or 9, Yeshua starts to show signs of life in the room he sleeps in. "Signs of life" = "thumping around behind the door, stretching, emerging, blinking several times, grunting a greeting, banging around in the bathroom and then getting to my favorite part of the morning."

My favorite part of the morning is when Yeshua sits at the academy computer, pulls Your Love by The Outfield up on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgfSzuFD8rw), and we listen/sing along to it 2 or 12 times. The video is awesome too, for a couple reasons. First, it is the epitome of 80s cheese. From the hair to the drippy paint motif, it is friggin' awesome.

Second, as Yeshua and Kuan figured out, the lead singer in the video bears more than a passing resemblance to Marcelo Garcia. Marcelo is frequently referred to as the Michael Jordan of grappling, so there is lots of justifiable hero worship within the grappling world where he is concerned. So of course I posted a thread on nhbgear.com joking that Marcelo had branched out professionally and had also managed to find a way to travel back in time (because of the hair).

Turns out that Kon, a poster to the forum, showed Marcelo and his wife the thread. Fortunately they laughed.

So now the latest part of the morning routine is to look at other 80s hair band videos to see if anybody else looks like a famous grappler so that Marcelo can put together a proper black belt band. We've looked at Winger, Warrant, and Whitesnake so far (all the Ws are strictly coincidental). No luck. Any suggestions?

This past weekend I passed the test to be promoted to Black Belt (Shodan) in Judo. After having accumulated enough points in competition I, and one of my teammates, had to go through the motions in front of a state promotion committee. We first had to demonstrate the first 9 throws of the Nage no kata (a choreographed ritual that has a total of 15 throws). Then the committee asked us to perform various pins, chokes, armlocks and throws. Lots and lots of throws (obviously). Throws by themselves, throws with set ups, throws in combinations, counter throws, throws to your weak side (left, in my case). The whole test took about an hour and a half (I think). It was hot, I was sweating buckets, and bodies were flying through the air. Below are some pics from the session.

So it looks like people have been to the CrossFit sites I mentioned. There is SO MUCH to learn when it comes to CF--Olympic lifts, squats, kettlebell movements, even jumping rope and jumping on top of a box--and just as in grappling, even when you think you know a move, you can always learn something new about it the next time you see it. This is especially true for me, since I don't know very many moves very well. I'm going to be completing the Level 1 certification this coming weekend at Brand X in Ramona, CA, and I'm really excited about it.

Unfortunately Hai's knee is injured, but he should be back on the mat soon. Go check out Elite MMA! They have a stable of students, including lots of upper belts who know their stuff, a huge mat space, and great facilities (there was makeup and lotion in the women's locker room!). Thanks to everyone there for a great time.

It was really fun to visit a new school again! It had been a while. I am incredibly happy at New Breed, my grappling home, but one of the many reasons I am so happy here is that they encourage people to visit other places. And those kinds of visits can be really energizing, a shot in the arm that helps you move forward.

More later. Right now I can barely type because part of the CrossFit workout this morning was AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in 5 minutes of pullups (I did 55, unassisted) and then pushups (I did 74, all from the toes). So my forearms are shot!

A few days ago I had a nice discussion with Mr Chuck Norris about the importance of 'values and ethics' in the martial arts training environment. It was my contention that as forward thinking martial artists, we want to embrace new developments emerging from the MMA trend but without the 'attitude' and 'lack of values' that seem to come with them. Chuck agreed wholeheartedly, as did several hundred black belts who were present - it seems that I am not alone in looking ahead to a time where we see a martial arts landscape that embraces a healthy marriage of MMA training and traditional martial arts values (respect, loyalty, integrity, etc).
In fact, I feel strongly that the most succesfull martial arts schools of the next decade will be those that embrace this very concept.
Today's public is a highly informed public. They know what MMA and BJJ are - and they are walking into their local martial arts schools expecting these things to be on offer. MMA has permeated our culture - and here I am talking about our non-martial arts public. You can walk into a fashion clothing store in an upscale American mall and buy Tapout shirts and other MMA branded clothing. It's everywhere. The world is changing rapidly - how martial arts school-owners respond to these changes will impact strongly on how well they survive in the future.
Interesting times.
JBW

Did anyone else watch the first season of Tapout?  Well, it looks like Versus is getting ready to air Season 2.



I have to say I'm looking forward to it. I'm not all that crazy about the WWE style promotion, the war paint or the generally obnoxious behavior. What I do enjoy is the highlight of a young fighter and the focus on that guy's training. There are a lot of very dedicated young men and women who train for MMA in various gyms throughout the country.

According to the press release:

In the season two premiere, the TapouT crew travels to San Luis Obispo, Calif. to ‘The PIT’ to see one of John Hackleman’s up-and-coming MMA fighters, Scott Lighty. Scott is accompanied by his best friend and training partner, Glover Teixeira and the crew quickly realizes the potential Glover has, and decides to sponsor both Scott and Glover who are fighting on the same card. UFC legend Chuck Liddell, who is both Scott and Glover’s trainer, makes a special guest appearance.

“MMA has exploded, and our Crew has been there since the beginning finding and supporting fighters,” said TapouT Founder Mask. “TapouT shows viewers what goes down on the road and lets fans be a part of the action. There are unbelievable fighters with incredible stories, as well as TapouT friends old and new, including MMA superstar Chuck Liddell and UFC President Dana White.”

New episodes of TapouT featuring the bad boys of MMA will premiere on VERSUS each Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET from July 30 through September 24. The full-length episodes will be available on VERSUS on Demand the Thursday prior to the network debut. For more information, including complete episode descriptions and complete schedule information, visit VERSUS.com.

I'll be setting the TiVo.

After a light couple of weeks of training, I finally got back in gear this past week and feel a lot better. I took the advice of several Crossfitters and have scaled back my training a lot with two rest days (Friday and Sunday). My schedule looks something like this then:

Monday: BJJ class with 30 min of drilling
Tuesday: Judo with weight training
Wednesday: BJJ class with 30 min of drilling
Thursday: BJJ class
Friday: light swim
Saturday: Yoga, BJJ, and maybe climbing, if I feel up to it
Sunday: some light yoga

Ross Emanit says that it’s good to do some sort of activity, even on rest days, but nothing too strenuous, so I thought I would just keep the swimming and yoga in on those days.

I’m also no longer cutting everything out of my diet and just counting calories now, making sure that I don’t pig out on my rest days, which tends to be the case. This week, I went back and did three classes (can’t move my head properly from the half-guard passing we’ve done this week). My first class, I almost passed out in somebody’s guard, but then by the second class, I was on form. Already lost a kilo in this one week, which was fantastic.

I’ve decided not to do as much Crossfit in my schedule, except for Olympic lifting. Mainly because it wears me out. I’ve taken Ross Emanit’s advice and just doing finishers after class is the best thing. At the moment, I am trying to write out a good training schedule in the lead up to Scandinavian Open at the end of October and Asian Open at the end of November, where I will then incorporate intensive Crossfit cardio workouts into my schedule and taper them just before Asian Open (the important event). Any suggestions, please let me know.

[If anyone reached this page because they were searching for the requirements to reach blue belt, or how long it takes - rather than a review of Roy Dean's DVD - then the short answer is you need between one and two years of regular training (I started in Nov 2006 and got my blue in Feb 2008, after 131.5 hours of BJJ), along with the ability to hold your own against the other blue belts. That varies depending on the club, but from what I've seen it appears to be generally applicable. Competing will normally result in quicker promotion.]

Once again, Roy Dean very kindly sent me a copy of his latest DVD, so I was happy to have the opportunity to give it a review. There have been clips of the potential footage on YouTube for some time (see Roy Dean's video page). Having seen those examples, I was excited to get hold of the finished product. I've been a firm believer in the importance of basics since I started in November 2006: judging from what I'd heard and read, this double DVD set was going to be perfect for developing those fundamentals.

As ever, this is going to be long, so for those with a shorter attention span: Blue Belt Requirements is a superb summary of the fundamental techniques and principles of Brazilian jiu jitsu. Roy Dean is both eloquent and thorough, carefully walking you through each technique, emphasising important details, before repeating the movement from multiple angles. If you're a beginner, this should be one of the first instructionals you pick up. For more advanced students, the basics are never going to lose their importance, so I'd still recommend getting hold of the DVD (although I say that as a beginner myself, having only been a blue belt for a meagre four months at this point). You can buy Blue Belt Requirements from Roy Dean's site, here.

If you're still with me, I'll get started on my full review. The first of the two DVDs (eighty-eight minutes) starts with a seven minute welcome, where Roy Dean runs through his perspective on BJJ, split further into sections (e.g., Reinventing Effectiveness, The Benefits etc). There are lots of interesting topics raised in the course of the discussion, which begins with some basic advice (such as urging the viewer to keep turning up to class, especially as the initial few months can be tough), along with something mentioned by Roy Harris in his open guard seminar on the previous DVD release. That is the importance of using your legs: like his instructor, Dean emphasises how this is one of the major advances required before you can reach purple belt level.

Escapes (the menu is much swisher than the straightforward list of Seminars: Year One, now with animated clips signifying each section) come in three parts: mount escapes (09:33 minutes long, five techniques), sidemount escapes (07:42, three techniques with three follow-ups for coming to your knees) and sweeps (10:05, five techniques, leading into possible submissions). Again, these are further subdivided into chapters, although there isn't a specific menu for them. Still, arguably its easy enough to flick through with the buttons on your remote, or if like me you often use your laptop to watch DVDs, you can select the relevant chapter by right-clicking to bring up a menu, then select the relevant option.

The techniques are recognisable from the YouTube videos Dean released, but in developing DVD versions, Roy Dean has been considerably more thorough, with obvious attention to structure. After a useful theoretical introduction for the section as a whole, he goes through the same process for each technique. First, a demonstration noting details as he goes along, then most importantly, the same technique from multiple angles, occasionally with a further discussion at the end.

I was especially interested in the foot drag, as that's my favourite escape from the mount, but I've never been shown it in class (I saw Johannes do it at the first Belfast Throwdown). Normally when I've done it, I'm snatching at half-guard, so it was great to see the refined approach Dean takes, ending up in full guard instead: somewhere I'd much rather be.

Even better, the final mount escape is a variation on that, where you lift their foot up rather than stepping over to trap. I can think of several times when I've been trying to escape from Tran's (experienced blue belt I regularly roll with) very tight mount, and only been able to flail at his foot. This gives me something useful to work on.

In a later segment, Dean's addition of potential submissions from various sweeps is a great touch: if you've seen the Alaska seminar mainly about the kimura, featured on Seminars: Year One, you'll recognise the way he moves through the sit-up sweep. This time, however, there are multiple angles and much improved camerawork, which makes all the difference. I was especially glad to see the flower sweep, as that is something I've had trouble with for a long time now. Dean even provides a solo drill you can do at home to get used to the leg motion. I've been relying on the sit-up sweep in sparring, so watching this section reminds me to revisit the flower, as well as the scissor and knee push (I used to have success with these in the beginners class, but I don't think I've ever managed to catch a fellow blue).

Submissions, once again, is divided into three: chokes (18:53, four from guard, five from mount), armlocks (13:38, three from guard, four from mount, plus a sensitivity drill) and leglocks (09:47, four techniques, plus entry and footwork). There are a number of schools, the one I attend included, that do not permit leglocks at white belt: Dean makes it clear that, while it is good to be aware of the technique, white belts should not be trying leglocks in sparring. It is easy to cause serious damage before your victim realises they're injured, so safety and control is especially important when dealing with leglocks. Dean emphasises this when demonstrating the kneebar.

As with his previous release, it is the details that make Roy Dean's instruction so good. He frequently points out little adjustments that can make or break the technique, as well as useful follow-ups. For example, on the spinning armbar from mount, Dean notes that he prefers to post on his partner's armpits and shoulders (so with the thumb and fingers on either side) rather than fully on the chest. That enables him to switch to one hand if his opponent bridges in one direction or the other.

One minor criticism I have is that the absence of a chapter menu for these subsections is missed more than with the three escape segments, due to the greater length of chokes (nine techniques) and armlocks (seven techniques and a drill) in particular. Organisation of technique is always a difficult choice, and it would appear that Dean has tried to be broad, keeping that rule of three going through his main sections. In the Seminars: Year One DVD, there was careful division by technique, which I think might have been of benefit on this new DVD as well, especially the longer submission section.

Guard passing is all in a single eleven minute chunk, covering my favoured tailbone guard break, then passing both over and under the leg. I was very much looking forward to this part of the DVD, as it’s a major weakness in my game. The section is well-suited for my purposes, as I often try to pass from my knees, which is the area Dean focuses upon. He also shows some responses to an opponent who blocks your hips with his hand. I was surprised that Dean did not go through standing passes as well, which I thought was normally the first pass shown in class. However, he does show it later on during the BJJ guidelines segment on the second DVD.

The instruction is, once again, very detailed, with Dean pointing out common mistakes and dangers to be avoided, such as the typical error of not tucking in your elbows, thereby leaving yourself open to getting triangled. Hopefully in the future he will release a DVD with an extended guard passing segment, or perhaps even one devoted purely to that skill set.

The second DVD (sixty-nine minutes) is a little different, as here Dean covers two elements of his syllabus which might not immediately spring to mind when most people think of BJJ: ukemi and takedowns. Of course, BJJ grew out of judo, but many schools have little emphasis on throws. Where I train, we regularly drill them, often incorporating hip throws and double legs into the warm-up, but groundwork (which in judo would be called newaza) is still very much the mainstay of the lesson.

Ukemi, a term Dean presumably uses due to his aikido and judo background, is an essential skill for learning throws: it translates as something like 'falling skills', I think. The segment is six and a half minutes long, going through the various types of breakfall: forward and backward rolls, followed by breakfalls. As Roy Dean also points out, ukemi is practical beyond martial arts. If you come flying off your bike, knowing how to fall suddenly becomes very applicable.

The next section is just under thirteen minutes of takedowns. It is worth noting here again that Roy Dean is a judo blackbelt, so he is well versed in throws. Along with judo tachiwaza techniques, he also includes wrestling takedowns, like the high crotch and double leg. In addition, Dean goes through the basic pummelling drill, all very useful if you're looking to compete. Reminds me once again I should really give judo another try, which I haven't gone back to since getting injured early on in my third ever class.

Around eight minutes is given over to BJJ guidelines, which I expected to be an extended bit of thoughtful musing on advice for beginners. However, it proved to be more directly practical than that. For example, Dean covers grips both for passing guard and when you have someone in your guard, or offensive strategy like using the shoulder to drive their arm to the mat in order to set up a submission from side control.

There is an important concept for people new to the sport mentioned right at the end, which is that you need to relax. Almost every beginner gets very excitable during sparring, expending lots of energy. New students would be well advised to follow Roy Dean's simple advice: slow down. As he puts it, the answer is not a bigger gas tank, but improved fuel economy.

The DVD finishes with a section entitled demonstrations, including three examples of blue belt tests (which viewers may again recognise from YouTube), some BJJ combinations, three minutes of footage from the 2001 US Open and finally a trailer for Seminars: Year One.

You'll see the techniques from earlier in the DVD shown in the blue belt tests, along with a number of others, such as the escape from mount where you bump them forward with your knees, press your arms stiffly into their hips, lift and go to butterfly guard. That reminded me that the YouTube versions of Dean's instructional demonstrations contained some techniques not repeated on the DVD counterpart (and conversely, numerous new details and techniques on the DVD). Instead, you'll get to see his students applying them as part of their examination.

Its also nice to see some of the faces from the other DVD cropping up, like Jimmy DaSilva, who gets his purple belt in the extra on Seminars: Year One (I think he's still a blue during the tests here). There are nice touches like brief interviews, such as Dennis Doi (whose drilling partner I think I recognise from the previous DVD as well) talking about how he started BJJ a year ago in November 2006 (same time as me), and wanted to get the blue before he turned 49 the following February (which, slightly ironically, is the month I got my blue here in London).

The most useful thing about these tests is the sparring, as that gives the viewer a chance to see all the preceding techniques of the DVD in action. To a certain extent, that is also the case with the US Open clip too, but as its from 2001 and therefore not originally intended (I assume) as part of a professional DVD production, the picture quality is reduced. It does, however, show the contrast between the pressure of competition and sparring in class, when that drive to win is not so apparent (and indeed should not be, as in class, it should always be about learning, not 'winning' or 'losing').

BJJ combinations lasts seven and a half minutes, featuring not only Jimmy DaSilva's new beard, but also a series of technique flows. Like the summer seminar on Seminars: Year One, there is no dialogue, so as you'd expect from the section header, it’s demonstration rather than instruction. However, they're going slowly enough on some of them that its possible to follow, like an open guard pass to an armbar, or side control escape counter to armbar then triangle.

All in all, that's a lot of solid instruction for $44.95. You can buy the DVD from Roy Dean's site, here, or if you need further tempting, then check out Dean's videos on YouTube. E.g., this trailer for Blue Belt Requirements:

I saw The Pyjama Game recommended over on the European Fight Network by J-Sho, which caught my interest as that thread mentioned the book discussed early judo history. As I've noted a couple of times in my blog, I've been compiling a long history post (currently just UFCs), so any further sources are always welcome. Glancing over the content page on the book's website, I was sold: this looked perfect.

Mark Law, the book's author, is an experienced journalist who has worked for The Times and The Daily Telegraph. To those who have read E.J. Harrison's classic The Fighting Spirit of Japan, Law's book feels very much like a modern equivalent (and indeed quotes from Harrison's work). The Pyjama Game has that same middle-class, journalistic perspective, featuring an appealing mix of professional polish with personal enthusiasm for the topic, along with a willingness to delve deeply into the historical and cultural background.

Law states that he began studying judo at the age of fifty, whereupon the book draws some parallels to the obvious comparison, Robert Twigger's Angry White Pyjamas. Not only are the titles similar (Twigger also provides the positive review quoted on the cover), but both open with that same carefully humble apology for athletic ineptitude, making it clear to the reader that the author had never previously taken any interest in sports. Martial arts were something new, something strange, something frighteningly physical.

At least initially. As the author proceeds along his remembered journey, the perspective quickly changes from a bewildered outsider to an eager participant. Law goes through the typical experiences on the judo mat: the sounds, the people, the grading, the tournament, randori. This is engaging, immersive and quite informative to a non-judoka like myself. Yet as interesting as these details are, the main reason I bought this book was for the historical summaries. Judo's beginnings are traced, from the battlefields of feudal Japan through to the study of Dr Jigoro Kano, outlining his vast contribution to combat sports and martial arts in general, then moving on to the adventures of Yukio Tani and the foundation of the Budokwai.

There is also more recent history, with a focus on various judoka related to pivotal events in the development of the sport, or sometimes more specifically to judo in the United Kingdom. These add a rich texture to the book: Percy Sukine teaching judo from his makeshift dojo in a German PoW camp; Dickie Bowen puffing nervously on a cigarette at the first world championships; Masahiko Kimura getting out of bed to perform a series of push-ups shortly after major surgery.

In addition, Law runs the reader through some of the famous champions of the sport, like Yasuhiro Yamashita and Ryoko Tamura-Tani. Alongside them are the big names in British judo, like Neil Adams, Karen Briggs and Brian Jacks. The discussion of women's judo was the most interesting of these chapters, during which Law contrasts two very successful coaches of female judoka: Britain's Roy Inman and the enormous figure of Cuba's Ronaldo Veitia Valdevie.

Amusingly, Helio Gracie is first referred to as "a Brazilian judoka", which may or may not have been tongue-in-cheek. Either way, it raised a smile, given the associations that immediately produces for anyone who has ever perused JudoForum or similar sites (which I'd assume includes Law himself, as he references JudoInfo.com), where the tired 'Judo vs BJJ' debate has been dragged out ad nauseam. In the chapter entitled 'When Judo Steps Into The Cage', which I was especially looking forward to (my instructor, Roger Gracie, enters the picture at this point), Law goes further, holding up Royce Gracie's success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a victory for judo:

The strikers – boxers and karate men – were shown to be extremely vulnerable to the grapplers, and judo proved itself in two ways. The winner of the first Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993, and on two subsequent occasions, was Royce Gracie – the man whom Hidehiko Yoshida, the judoka, was later to beat in their first encounter and hold to a draw in their second. Moreover, the origins of Gracie's jujitsu technique lay in the judo which Maeda had brought to Brazil in the 1920s. Gracie thus owed his victories substantially to early Kodokan judo; in essence Gracie jujitsu was judo. These events confirmed judoka in their belief that their discipline was constructed around immutable principles that could handle a whole spectrum of threats. Even here, in prize-money fuelled contests against the world's hardest men, exponents of 'the gentle way' could more than hold their own. (p226-227)

BJJ is undeniably an outgrowth of judo, but I find it a bit of a stretch to actually claim Gracie's wins as proof of judo's viability in the cage. Law rather has his cake and eats it here, as not only does he point out Royce's loss to Yoshida as an example of judo succeeding in mixed martial arts, but Royce's wins somehow also signify the triumph of judo. This is especially jarring as a judoka was in fact present in the early UFCs: Christophe Leninger, an accomplished judo competitor, lost to Ken Shamrock in UFC III and Guy Mezger in UFC XIII (though he did rack up some wins in other promotions, eventually achieving a 3-4 record).

That's a minor point, however, as the link between judo and BJJ is very strong, even if it is a bit excessive to imply they are interchangeable. Law's book is a consistently entertaining read, buoyed by his journalistic experience (including footnotes and sources, something all too often missing from martial arts books), which I can happily recommend to any martial artists, particularly those of us in the grappling styles. If Angry White Pyjamas is a disgruntled teen having an entertaining bitch about a disciplinarian teacher, then The Pyjama Game is a jovial, slightly bookish grandfather, pulling out anecdotes from a long and eventful life.

Mastering Jujitsu was written by Renzo Gracie and John Danaher, and I would assume that the latter's professional background as a Professor of Philosophy is the main reason the text is unusually eloquent for a martial arts book. Both men are well qualified for the task of writing a martial arts instructional book, as both hold high ranks in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Renzo Gracie is a legendary figure in the sport, having also competed many times in mixed martial arts. John Danaher is one of Gracie's black belts, and a well-regarded instructor in his own right, teaching out of Renzo's New York academy.

Their book begins with a modified version of the introduction to Renzo's previous book, Theory and Technique. This opening segment contains a brief outline of the sport, discussing the origins of jujitsu (the breadth of this investigation is probably one of the reasons the title is 'Mastering Jujitsu' rather than 'Mastering Brazilian Jiu Jitsu'), also musing on the most plausible historical explanation for the development of martial arts in general. There is an extended section on Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, and in particular his groundbreaking innovations in training methodology. That theme of what Matt Thornton has called 'aliveness' (see his blog for more details on the concept) continues throughout the book, convincingly arguing the benefits of non-compliant training in a sport setting.

I've been careful with purchasing any supplemental material for my BJJ training: I'm conscious of not wanting to get ahead of myself. After a few months of BJJ, Mastering Jujitsu was perfect for me, providing good holiday reading for a long holiday I took to the Caribbean. Rather than trying to cover as many techniques as possible, Danaher and Gracie approach a small selection of fundamental tactics and strategies, detailing the principles through a text-heavy approach (there are a few black and white photos for each technique, but the description relies largely upon words). This follows on smoothly from the academically inflected historical summary, that same tone examining the basic techniques of mixed martial arts.

Due to this theoretically based perspective, I think Mastering Jujitsu works well as an introduction to the sport, doing a magnificent job of explaining the main principles and history. Its always a great pleasure to learn more about something you enjoy - I listen to podcasts for the same reason. I find that personalising a sport through the acquisition of background knowledge acts as wonderful motivation, which is exactly the function Mastering Jujitsu has served for me.

Danaher and Gracie do not only discuss the recognisable ground positions of Brazilian jiu jitsu, but also look at striking, as well as takedowns, footwork etc: again, this goes some way towards explaining the use of 'jujitsu' rather than 'Brazilian jiu jitsu' in the book's title. Mastering Jujitsu features a brief section on 'jujitsu for self defence' at the end, as well as discussion of competition and common issues in training, like conditioning and injuries. There are even case studies for each of the technical sections: for example, Royce Gracie is discussed in relation to winning from the guard position, or Randy Couture when looking at effective use of the clinch. The choice of fighters for the case studies is of course affected by the publication date, which was back in 2003.

If you've just started Brazilian jiu jitsu, or are thinking of taking it up, then this is the first book I would recommend you purchase. Instructional books and DVDs should be used as supplemental material by a student already training under a competent instructor: it would be inadvisable to attempt to purely learn Brazilian jiu jitsu from a book. It is also a good idea to avoid getting buried in books and DVDs as soon as you start BJJ, as at that stage, your time is better spent concentrating on class and getting used to the grappling environment by regular sparring.

Therefore, most books are best left until later on in your training. Mastering Jujitsu is one of the very few I would have no qualms about recommending to beginners, as it provides an excellent introduction to the sport in general, rather than a long list of specific techniques.

This is the second instructional book I added to my library, getting it as a christmas present in 2007. I had heard glowing reviews of Ed Beneville on the net, so wanted to get his highly acclaimed Passing the Guard (written with Tim Cartmell), but that was no longer available when I was looking around for books to add to my wish list. The Guard was still in stock, but only from second hand book websites: Beneville's books always seem to sell out fairly quickly. Fortunately for me, there is going to be an updated version of Passing the Guard at some point this year, and I think The Guard will also be revamped later on.

As this is an earlier book, The Guard is slightly less high quality than the glossy Strategic Guard, and doesn't feature the condensed technique charts at the end of each section. Nevertheless, The Guard remains an excellent discussion of techniques from the guard position, geared more towards offence than the largely defensive Strategic Guard.

It also contains the same well constructed flow of illustration, accompanying each picture with concise textual description. Key points of leverage and motion are often circled on the colour photographs, which is helpful for emphasising the positioning of your hands and feet - a beginner unsure of what to look for might otherwise miss those important details. Techniques are shown from multiple angles, and where space allows, simultaneously run across the page: this can be as many as three different perspectives on the full sequence.

I wrote earlier that Mastering Jujitsu is the first book I would recommend to a beginner: The Guard is probably the second. Unlike Mastering Jujitsu, this is a full-on instructional volume, without the extended historical and theoretical sections of Renzo's release. However, like Mastering Jujitsu, Beneville's book caters to beginners, as exemplified by the opening exercises demonstrating the correct usage of shrimping. That entails both forwards and backwards, driving off one leg or two, as well as progressing to related leg drills against a wall (handy for open guard). The drills are not shown in isolation, as Beneville includes further illustration detailing their application. Aptly, this chapter is called 'Fundamentals', and is perfect for somebody new to the sport, or functions as a thorough reminder for those at a more advanced level.

The starting point for Strategic Guard can be found in chapter two, 'Guard Pass Counters', but the rest of the volume is largely concerned with offence. Beneville includes sections on chokes and armbars, as well as how to attack certain positions, like when your opponent is stalling in your guard. The Guard tends to build through a position, such as moving from a kimura to a hip bump, followed by options if your partner defends the sweep.

This approach culminates in the chapter 'Flowing Attack', where Beneville goes through several well-known combinations, such as triangle to armbar, on to omoplata if your opponent defends both of those, then back to armbar and finally returning to a triangle, putting you back in the starting position. This is a significant difference to the principles and strategy led Mastering Jujitsu, as numerous techniques within The Guard rely on specific positions and reactions from your partner.

As with Mastering Jujitsu, this is a book that will benefit every BJJ beginner. Once you have been training for a few months and have read Mastering Jujitsu, this volume will provide an effective supplement to what you've learned in class. The solo drills at the start, promoting good fundamentals, are especially useful: these solid basics will continue to serve you well as you progress through BJJ.

Class #163



Roger Gracie Academy (BJJ), Jude Samuel, London, UK - 17/07/2008 - Advanced

I got back from my trip to Barmouth in Wales yesterday, which surprisingly did manage to squeeze out a few sunny days at the beach. Harlech Castle was cool, as that hit two of my biggest pleasures, fantasy and history, as to a lesser extent Powis Castle did later on. King Arthur's Labyrinth was rather cheesy, as it consisted of about five wax set pieces with a narrator booming out of some nearby speakers, but was at least in an atmospheric underground setting, built up out of an old slate mine.

That extended stay over on the Welsh coast meant that it was just one session this week. The main focus of tonight's lesson was passing half guard, emphasising the importance of getting the underhook and then gable gripping under your partner's head.

Jude's first half guard pass started by underhooking the arm opposite to their trapped leg, bringing your other arm underneath their head. Clasp your hands palm to palm, securing what is known as the gable grip. Once you've got that, crush your weight down, getting chest to chest, shoving your trapped leg side shoulder forcefully into their chin. This should make them very uncomfortable, and therefore enable you to use your free foot to push on their same side leg. Press straight down, and don't lean forward: if you need extra leverage, put extra pressure on their chin instead. Free your leg, then bring the knee through to either mount or side control.

The second half guard pass develops off the first. You've got into position and are crushing with your shoulder, pushing on their leg to try and free your trapped limb. To relieve the pressure, they bring their underhooked forearm in front of your face and push up. This could provide them with space to start working an escape, so to keep the pressure on, switch your head to the other side. Now press your skull into their skull, which both isolates their head movement and is also rather unpleasant. As with the shoulder pressure previously, you can use this pressure on their head to distract them sufficiently to free your leg. If you're having trouble getting your leg free, you can also kick out their bottom leg and slip through to side control.

Specific sparring from half guard was tough on top. I was with Paxton, who I always find a challenging sparring partner. I had real difficulty securing that underhook, meaning that Paxton would frequently be able to slide his knee through to full guard. Even when I did get the underhook, I still couldn't maintain enough pressure to stop Paxton recovering guard. As ever, need to work on keeping my weight down on my partner.

Underneath, things were easier, as this time I was able to recover full guard (although with Paxton's level of success when our role's were reversed). Securing my own underhook and trying to duck under his arm were both useful in avoiding the passes we'd just been shown, although Paxton did at one point manage to use his head in a similarly effective fashion to what Jude had demonstrated. Good to be aware of that, as now I know to make sure to stop my partner getting their head into position.

On top in guard, I found myself in my seemingly inevitable defensive mode. I'm steadily trying to move towards standing up and driving my hips forward, but today I was finding it difficult to work into a solid base from which I could go to my feet. Frequently Paxton was dragging my arm to one side and then attempting chokes, so I had to defend that before I could think about standing up. Raising up my same side leg, as Tran had advised, worked well, but it was all defensive: I wasn't able to launch any kind of offence of my own.

Underneath, things went worse. I have said in the past that closed guard is my strongest position, but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. I'm finding that my partner will often stiff arm both my hips, meaning that I can't raise up, then gradually stand and walk through my open guard. I did at least manage to use my legs more, rather than straining away with my arms, and I also found myself shifting to a sort of butterfly guard at several points, with Waqi's gorillatine vaguely in mind. However, I wasn't able to secure it properly, so eventually got passed each time I tried it.

I also attempted to use my legs to bring Paxton down towards me, so I could think about the scissor sweep I've been wanting to work, but that didn't quite go according to plan. I did get Paxton's torso forward, but couldn't lock up his arm, so while I tried to switch to an elevator sweep, he stood up, then went through my open guard.

I think working the armdrag may pay dividends for me: a fellow small guy asked Kid Peligro about the guard on the Fightworks Podcast #125, where Peligro's advice was to armdrag and take the back. I'm terrible at back control, but using the armdrag to at least get my partner onto their side could be a useful tactic to try. I'll have to look into armdragging, and also review the Grapplers Guide videos on grips and back control.

Free sparring started with Christina (glad to see her back, as haven't trained with her in a few weeks), where we took it fairly easy, with Christina taking on an instructor role. She coached me through some guard passes, giving me advice on driving my hips forward and standing up as soon as possible in guard. From that spar, I think my posture needs improvement in guard too: I can defend against chokes ok, but that has meant I've been getting too comfortable with leaning forward in guard. Good posture involves a straight back and looking up, so I need to concentrate on achieving that positioning.

Finally, I had a roll with Bruno, a high level purple whose relaxed rolling style makes him a good sparring partner. He was taking it pretty light, which given the large skill discrepancy makes sense. I tried to put into practice what I'd learned from Christina (which also fits with an earlier discussion with Paxton from a while back), driving my hips forward, but not yet getting it quite right. Something I need to keep doggedly attempting until I start to make some improvements.

I was more comfortable defending underneath, as usual, particularly after I almost got flung straight into one of those flashy armbars where you get flipped up by your opponent's leg and dropped straight into position. I could see what was coming, so scampered round to escape, but goes to show the difference between a low level blue like me and a high level purple like Bruno: he can throw in playful stuff like that with impunity.

I'll be training again next week, but not sure whether or not I'll do the Tuesday. As I'd expected, there's a hefty bit of PhD coming up, so it would be good to devote my Tuesday to that instead. Depends if Johannes makes it on both Tuesday and Thursday as he'd planned, or opts for just Thursday (RGA is a pricey place to drop in, after all, at £18 for a single session. If you've come from Renzo's, or somewhere with a similarly close connection to the Roger Gracie Academy, its normally cheaper, but Johannes is a Brasa guy).

Hopefully he does make it to at least one, as it would be cool to train with him again. Always nice to meet up with fellow Bullshido people. :)

Nice. The underlining turned out to appear bold in the blog. Much easier to read. It's like I did it on purpose.

I also forgot to wish Cindy Hales a happy birthday, which is the same day as mine. Some of you may remember that 2 years ago I visited her academy in Seattle, where she proceeded to spank me up and down the mat for about a half hour and then kindly explain how she did it. She may make it down to LA at some point, in which case she has promised to come to New Breed and do it some more. (She watched Johnny compete at the PacSub tournament in Hawaii recently and was understandably impressed, and he invited her to come train.) Happy belated birthday to Cindy!

I am writing up a response to the question about CrossFit: what it is and why I do it. In the meantime, I suggest you check out http://www.crossfit.com, http://www.petranekfitness.com, and http://beccalosangeles.com/. The first website is the home page for CrossFit. The second is the home page for my CrossFit affiliate school, which is run by Andy Petranek and Becca Borawski. The third is Becca's page. Becca is my friend and one of my CrossFit coaches, and she knows far more about it than I do, both how to teach it and how to do it. And I owe so much of my progress to her, Andy, and all the instructors at PF. So I will (eventually) explain my experiences with CrossFit, but for more comprehensive information about it, check out those sites. And Becca, if you want to comment, especially if I mischaracterize anything, I would welcome it!

I've also been thinking about what goes through my mind when I compete, which is another meaty topic; Elyse asked me about it. Again, I will write about my own experiences, but would also be interested in what others have to say. There is a lot of "ohshitoshitohshitoshitohshit," but there is more than that too. So that's in the works.

In the meantime, I'm on the road again! Well, hitting the sky again. I had been feeling the traveling itch a bit, and I'll be getting lots of chances to scratch it this summer and fall. Right now I'm in LAX waiting for my flight to Houston, where I'll be visiting some civilian college friends. Over and above the obvious coolness of getting to spend time with these people, who know me so well and have come along for the wild ride of my past two years, there are a couple things that are sure to make this trip notable.

In chronological order:

1. Because of work and baby obligations, no one will be available to pick me up at the airport when I arrive this afternoon. So they are sending the company limo service. I have been in limos before, and I know how to behave in them, but I haven't ridden in one since I started dressing like a homeless person, believing that a duffel bag decorated with giant red fists is "luggage," AND packing said duffel bag with board shorts, rash guards, gis, and power bars. So I hope I don't scare the driver too much. He will be waiting for me with a big sign bearing my name. (I will give him a $100 tip if he also has a sign saying Spinal Pap.)

2. I am planning to visit CrossFit Katy (TX). They do a workout in the park (as does Becca--check out the PF website for details), so I have put in a call to the instructor to see if I can drop by for the 5:30am class tomorrow. The baby will apparently be up anyway. It will be 3:30 in the morning according to my body clock, but no matter. We'll get to nap when the baby naps.

3. I am planning to visit Elite MMA in Houston on Sat to train with Hai Nguyen and Eric Williams. I received several very good suggestions for places to train while I'm in town (thanks to everyone for those), and Elite turns out to be closest to where I'll be staying. I have been in touch with Hai already and am REALLY excited to train there. It will be just like the old days.

4. It's probably going to be hot as an oven in Houston. An oven with a steam mechanism. I HATE heat, especially wet heat, so I will be miserable outdoors. That part I'm not looking forward to too much.

But I am WAY excited for the limo!! Oh, and to see my friends (good save, Val).

More later.