Friday, June 09, 2006

Technique Class

Well tonight at technique class I really got to see how much I have improved since I started. We had about 5 brand new students start tonight so you know what that means...I go to work on techniques I know but haven't been able to apply successfully against more experienced opponents. I got quite a few armbars in during the guard passing drill plus I got to actually help people in class. Its nice to be able to offer others in the class some information instead of always being on the receiving end of the information. It appears the classes will continue to grow in size also due to the fact that the school has been advertising on Spike TV during UFC and The Ultimate Fighter reality show. I view this as a good and bad thing. The good, more students means a larger variety of people to train with. The bad, less one on one coaching from Rodrigo which is very important as there are so many small details to each move that must all be executed perfectly for success and without him watching I may not learn the technique properly.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

This is too funny not to post.



Askaninja.com interview with the Ninja.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Analysis of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Part 3) from BJJ.org

When it comes to submissions, there are several different types: chokes and strangulations, joint lock and pressure/compression points. My favorite is joint locks. I've spent several years studying them. Here's my take on joint locks:

There are seven (7) reasons why joint locks appear to be ineffective at times:

1. bad mechanics
2. abnormal range of motion
3. high tolerance to pain
4. under the influence of a drug
5. mentally deranged
6. previous injury or surgery
7. any combination of the above

Poor mechanics is the number reason why joint locks seem ineffective at times. It is the number one problem I see at grappling tournaments.

Learning the mechanics of a joint locks should be the foundation of submission grappling. If a person doesn't know the correct mechanics of a specific joint lock, he/she must make up for this lack of knowledge by introducing speed, strength and power into the equation. This is why so many people struggle with grappling. If they knew the mechanics of the lock they were trying to employ, they would know where to precisely place their strength. They would know how to use the leverage that mechanics would give them. Instead, they struggle with poor mechanics and their opponent escapes the lock.

Good mechanics will give a person the ability to apply most of the body weight and all of their upper body strength onto one joint. If you weigh 150lbs., you should be able to apply at least 150lbs. of pressure onto one joint. Now with that kind of weight and pressure, how many people do you know that can support 150lbs. on one joint? Now if you change the angle of pressure on the joint, how many people do you think can do that?

Joint locks can also seem ineffective because the opponent or assailant has an abnormal range of motion in a specific joint. For example, I know of a few people whose elbows bend backwards, way beyond the normal, straight 180 degrees. I met a woman whose arm bent backwards to almost a 90 degree angle. It was impossible to arm lock her with the normal juji gatame. I met a guy who could sit on the ground with his legs straight out in front of him, his butt and the back of his knees were touching the ground, and he could touch the soles of his feet on the ground without bending his legs. I've met several people who could bend their wrists backward and touch the palms of their hands to the inside of their forearms.

These people require that you have not only have a working knowledge of good mechanics, but you also need to know how to change the angles on their joints. Otherwise, you will not make them tap on the joint that has the abnormal range of motion.


The number three reason why joint locks can seem ineffective is that the opponent or assailant has a high tolerance to pain. I have applied joint locks with correct mechanics to a few people who could withstand a lot of pain. Some simply refused to tap until they heard something pop. So when I encountered a new student or seminar attendee who wouldn't tap to an arm lock or wrist lock, I always resorted to the carotid restraint. I knew I wouldn't hurt them because they will go unconscious if they don't tap. Many have gone unconscious, but none have ever been hurt. High tolerance to pain is something you will encounter from time to time. So don't be alarmed. Some people are just kinda weird that way! (I am that way with biting. I have an extremely high tolerance to pain when it comes to someone biting my arms or legs. However, put me in a good arm or leg locks and I will tap like an experienced conga player! )

The number four reason why joint locks can seem ineffective is the opponent or assailant is under the influence of a drug. Certain drugs cause the nervous system to ignore the signals they receive from certain receptors. They don't feel pain. You crack their arm and they smile at you. You break their knee and they begin to sing the National Anthem. It's time to put your new Nike cross trainers into action and get the hell outta Dodge!

The number five reason why joint locks can seem ineffective is the opponent or assailant is mentally deranged. Same thing as those on drugs. Same response. I encountered a few people like this as a police officer and they were extremely difficult to deal with. There are a number of homeless people like this. They have lived on the streets for years and not much bothers them. Be careful.

The number six reason why joint locks can seem ineffective is the opponent or assailant has a previous injury or surgery. This is very common as well. I have known a few people that have had previous surgeries or injuries and had no, or very little feeling on one side of their body. so when you put them into an arm lock for the first time, they just look at you. When their arm cracks so loud that everyone in class hears it, you better get them some immediate medical attention, even if they say, "I'm OK."

The last reason why joint locks can seem ineffective is any combination of the above six reasons.

When applying joint locks, take the above information into consideration. Check your mechanics first. If your mechanics are OK, take a look at the opponent's joint. If it looks like it would normally hurt, you probably have someone on your hands that fit into one of the above descriptions.

As you can probably tell, I am very big proponent of developing proper mechanics. I stress mechanics a lot in my BJJ classes. Why? Because it makes accomplishing your objectives much easier. You won't have to mix speed, power, strength and explosiveness into the matrix as often.

A game of inches

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a game of inches. Last night at our technique class I was struggling with a movement we were working on. I just couldnt seem to get it pulled off smoothly. The teacher watched me perform the movement and instantly saw my problem. It was simply a matter of my hip placement being off less than two inches. Those two inches meant the difference between failure and success against a resisting opponent. The whole movement felt effortless with the small correction. I was trying to use a lot of power to get through the move instead of technique and in BJJ its all about technique against a bigger stronger opponent.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Analysis of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Part 2) from BJJ.org

Physical Attributes for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Attributes are those qualities that fuel your techniques. They give meaning and substance to your techniques. Physical attributes like speed, power, strength, explosiveness, body mechanics, timing, sensitivity, awareness, accuracy, footwork, distancing, agility, line familiarization, flexibility, balance, coordination and endurance are what bring life and vibrancy to your techniques.

There are several physical attributes that play a major role in the development of your overall skill in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The first two that come to mind are sensitivity and timing. These are the two most important attributes to develop and maintain over the years.

Let's first talk about sensitivity. Sensitivity could best be described as having the ability to feel and read pressure. During a grappling match, there is a constant barrage of pushing and pulling motions every millisecond. If one were to repeatedly engage force against force, they would soon tire. The competitor with the most strength, power and endurance would more than likely win the match. (That is, taking into account that the two competitors are equally skilled.) However, if one person had the attribute of sensitivity working for them, they would immediately recognize a pushing motions on the part of their opponent and use this motion (pressure) against him by pulling him off balance. Sensitivity is a great attribute to develop. You can use and develop it you entire life.

Sensitivity has helped me so much in my own grappling experience. I have used it many times against much larger and stronger opponents. For example, I have a student who is a body builder. He stands 6'2" tall and weighs a hefty 325 lbs. (by comparison, I am 6'2" and weigh 205 lbs.) He bench presses 500 lbs and bicep curls 120 lbs with what appears to be the greatest of ease. Now, he has been a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu student of mine for a year. You know and I know that there is no way in hell that I am going to overpower him. So how is it that I man-handle him like a little baby? How is it that I toss him to and fro with an arm lock here and a leg lock there? Well, I'll tell you. It is a combination of technical skills mixed with the attribute of sensitivity. Now give him another year or two of training under me and he will become a nightmare.

Some may ask, "How did you develop such a high degree of sensitivity?" Well, I spent most of my grappling time (9 years) with my eyes closed. Whenever I grappled with someone who was not as experienced as I was, I used it as an opportunity to train sensitivity. This was a safe, fun and easy way to develop my sense of feel. I would grapple people my own skill level with my eyes closed as a barometer to feel how much energy I was using to control them or escape from certain positions. Plus, when I'd grapple my instructor, I would close my eyes to feel the subtlety of certain moves he would apply. Black belts have a different kind of pressure that is unique to them. As a result of this kind of training, I can now grapple with just about anyone and feel their intentions. (Please don't put any extra meanings into my words. I am not saying I am the world's best grappler, or anything like that. I am just making a point about the development of sensitivity in my own personal training.)


Now let's talk about timing. Timing can best be described as the ability to know when to perform a specific technique at the appropriate time. It goes way beyond just knowing a technique. Timing means you know when to employ a technique. It means you have the ability to see a very small, fast approaching window of opportunity to employ a specific technique and you confidently take that opportunity to boldly employ the technique like you were destined to take it. That is great timing.

Let me give you an example of poor timing. Most of us know the scissors sweep from the guard. However, we sometimes don't see the window of opportunity to employ it. And if we do see it, it seems to either be approaching so frickin' fast that it feels like we will never quite get the opportunity to perform the technique, or we see it after it has already past. Maybe we get it once in awhile, but it always seems so difficult to perform, and we end up expending so much energy doing it. Does this sound familiar? Well, it's not because we don't know how to perform the technique. It's because we don't know when to perform it, or we haven't taken the time necessary to develop the timing needed to employ the technique. Either way, poor timing is the culprit.

Usually, a lack of timing boils down to one of three things: One, your instructor has not taught you properly in the timing and use of a specific technique, or two, he did teach it to you and you didn't pay attention while he was teaching, or three, he did teach you and you haven't taken the time to properly train and develop the timing you need to employ the technique. Regardless of whose fault it is, you need to take the time to develop a sense of timing with that specific technique. You need to do the hundreds of repetitions necessary to make this technique your own. Doing so will make it an ace up your sleeve. One that you will employ again and again with the greatest of ease.

When you combine the attribute of sensitivity with the attribute of timing, you get an explosive combination. Sensitivity and timing will almost always beat speed, power and strength. (That is, unless you have a strong opponent who is knowledgeable, cautious and defensive, and doesn't want to fight, but rather, he wants to see how long he can last with you; you may not make him tap.) Now combine sensitivity, timing, speed, power, strength and endurance along with a good coach, good instruction in solid, fundamental skills, and what do you get? You get an animal!

Now keep this in mind, there are a lot of strong people out there. There are a lot of fast people out there. And, there are a lot of people who have very high levels of endurance. However, these attributes tend to be associated with youth. As you get older, you will find that more people are stronger than you, faster than you, and have a helluva lot more endurance than you have ever had. However, if you consistently develop and maintain a high level of sensitivity and timing, you will be able to compete with them for quite some time after your prime.

Sensitivity and timing are much easier to maintain than other attributes.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Video


Gracie Jiu Jitsu Documentary

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Analysis (Part1) from BJJ.org

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is built upon two pillars of truth: 1) Space and 2) Weight. Once you understand these two principles and learn how to use them to your advantage, they will turbo charge your defensive and offensive game. To your opponent, you will feel heavier when you are on top of them. To your opponent, you will feel slippery when you are underneath them.

Let's first address space. When you find yourself in a superior position, you need to be as close to your opponent as possible. Give them no space to perform any kind of escape! When I say no space, I mean no space with your entire body. Not just your upper body, but also your lower body. Not just with the left side of your body, but with both the left and right sides of your body. I want you to place your body on top of their body like a wet towel. You should be so close to your opponent that you should feel like one of his intercostal muscles.

To maintain an extreme tightness, you need to maintain a constant pulling motion with your arms. You also need to drive with your feet and apply downward pressure with your chest by arching your back.

When you find yourself in the inferior position, you need to create as much space as possible. When I say create space, I mean you should create space at the hips and the head. Move your hips away from their hips, then move your upper torso away from their upper torso. Remember this rule of thumb: He who controls the hips, controls the game.

To create space, you first need to push with your hands, forearms, knees and/or feet. Next, you need to move your hips away from the opponent's hips. The closer your hips are to him the more control he will have over them.


Now that we have briefly covered the concept of space, let's take a look at weight.

When you find yourself in a superior position, you need to keep your weight centered upon the opponent's upper torso. If you give your opponent the chance to dump your weight off to one side, he may escape. So keep your weight centered on his upper torso.

To keep your weight centered on his upper torso, maintain a constant pulling motion with your arms. Keep your head down and keep your chest pressing into his.

When you find yourself in an inferior position, you need to dump the opponent's weight off of the center of your chest. You have five directions in which you can dump his weight:

1. up (towards the ceiling)
2. down (towards your feet)
3. left
4. right
5. overhead (towards the top of your head)

To dump the weight off of your upper torso, you need to use your hands, forearms and/or biceps to push their weight in one of the five directions mentioned above.

Sparring

So I sparred Thursday night and got submitted over and over and over again. Sparring when your new at Brazilian jiu jitsu is all about escaping from inferior positions while avoiding submissions. It was a two hour long sparring session and I lasted about 45 min. It was mostly blue belts at the sparring session so I was using every bit of energy I had while they were just sitting back and letting me do all the work. It is really amazing how little energy the blue belts use against a novice like myself. They are masters of balance and the know the second I am off mine and take advantage with a sweep or if my elbows ever got too far from my sides I get armbarred. They let very few mistakes get by.