2015 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championships (Preview)

2015 IBJJF Worlds here we come!  This year features a new method of determining WHO can participate at the black belt level.  Competitors were required to compete throughout the year in IBJJF event in order to accumulate enough points in order to qualify for the Worlds Championship tournament.  This has prevented the typical monster-sized divisions at black belt and should ensure that those competing deserve to be there.  Prior to this pretty much anyone could enter the tournament at black belt so I think it's a good thing for this particular event.

So you want to watch this live?  Well you are in luck because it's being streamed here:
http://www.ibjjftv.com/

I will warn people that I personally have had problems watching some streaming events (2015 Pan & EBI III specifically).  Upon the checkout process I would receive an error stating "invalid country specified."  Unfortunately I could never get an answer from Budovideos or the IBJJF.  I was able to determine that the company that is handling transactions for these events are based in Europe.  My bank was basically kicking back the charges unbeknownst to me.  So that being said if you have any problems ordering the event you may need to contact your bank or credit card company to inform them that it is not a fraudulent charge.

With that out of the way let's get on to the good stuff!

As usual I will list some of the brown belt divisions that I have a vested interest in for the 2015 World Championships preview.  I think it's silly to ignore the non-black belt divisions as were are looking (or should be) at the future crop of talented black belts for years to come.

Brown / Adult Male / Light Feather (34 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Ram Ananda (Alliance) / 2nd place: Windson Ramos Silva (CheckMat)

There are a handful names that stand out for me: Michael Musumeci Jr (ATT), Michael Woolf Barnato (Ralph Gracie), Darson Hemmings (Ribeiro JJ), Jacob Sandoval (Alliance).  Do not sleep on Gustavo Fonseca (Atos) either but the first three are my favorites to make it to the podium.

My pick: Michael Musumeci Jr (ATT)...and I predict a black belt promotion in short order.


Brown / Adult Male / Feather (49 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Marcio Andre (Nova Uniao) / 2nd place: Isaac Doederlein (Alliance)

Cobrinha talent Isaac Doederlein (Alliance) is my immediate favorite in this division.  Rick Slomba of Atos is a personal favorite that I think will do some damage but for me this one is easy. Doederlein is ready for the next level.

My pick: Isaac Doederlein (Alliance)

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WbdLLO43qc)

Brown / Adult Male / Light (60 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Michael Liera Jr. (Atos)

Romulo Barral protege Edwin Najmi (Gracie Barra) will likely be everyone's favorite in this division. Don't sleep on Brandon Russell (Lovato) is a solid competitor to keep an eye on.


Brown / Adult Male / Super Heavy (17 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Erberth Santos (TLI)

My pick: Jared Lynn Dopp (Lovato JJ)


Black / Adult Male / Rooster (9 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Bruno Malfacine (Alliance) / 2nd place: J. Miyao (PSLPB)

This year reigning champ Malfacine return to defend his title but for the second year in a row we won't be treated to Caio Terra in competition.  The usual names are present though: Fabbio Passos (Alliance), Rafael Freitas (Gracie Barra), Joao Miyao (PSLPB Cicero Costha), Koji Shibamoto (Tri-Force).  I would expect to see a rematch of Malfacine x Miyao in the final.  Last year's battle was very close and I'd expect no less.  Miyao has been much more active over the last year so I have to give him the edge.

My pick: Joao Miyao (PSLPB Cicero Costha)


Black / Adult Male / Light Feather (16 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Gui Mendes (Atos) / 2nd place: P. Miyao (PSLPB)

In case you haven't heard in recent news, Gui Mendes has announced that he is retiring from competition so we will not see him in the tournament.  The big names that jump out this year are as follows: Samir Chantre (Brasa CTA), Carlos Vieira Holanda (CheckMat), Paulo Miyao (PSLPB), Daniel Beleza (SAS Team USA), and Vitor Paschoal (Brasa CTA).  Depending on how the brackets are set up I would favor seeing Samir Chantre x P. Miyao (PSLPB) in the final.

My pick: P. Miyao (PSLPB)


Black / Adult Male / Feather (16 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Rafael Medes (Atos) / 2nd place: Cobrinha (Alliance)

Well I will say that Cobrinha was kind of a last minute competitor to show up into the division so I'm really excited to see a very stacked division this year at Feather.  Gianni Grippo (Alliance) has shown that he has the chops to compete at the highest of levels coming off gold at Abu Dhabi among other titles over the last 9 months at black belt.  He has had some wars with P. Miyao and Osvaldo Moizinho aka Queixinho who is also competing at Feather.  Mario Reis (Alliance) will most certainly be a favorite to medal.  The seemingly never againg Megaton Dias (Gracie Humaita) will be present to show these young guys he still has what it takes to compete at 47.  It's very difficult to say who will make it to the final and I'm excited to see how the brackets are set up for this one.

My pick: Rafa Mendes (Atos)


Black / Adult Male / Light (20 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Lucas Lepri (Alliance) / 2nd place: Jonathan Torres (Atos)

I am very interested in the Light division this year.  We are usually treated to a Michael Langhi & Lucas Lepri (Alliance) close out in the finals.  Just a few weeks ago Nova Uniao black belt Luan Carvalho Alves edged out Michael Langhi at the Brasiliero's in the semi-finals and went on to take gold in that tournament.  That said I expect Luan to be a contender at this years Worlds in the Light division.  *EDIT: Apparently Luan will not be competing as it appears he may be having visa issues to travel for the competition.* Enter newer black belts Michael Liera Jr. (Atos) and Andris Brunovskis (Atos); don't sleep on Rodrigo Caporal (Atos) or last year's silver medalist Jonathan Torres (Atos).  Atos has a very strong presence in the division and will make some noise.  I'm excited to see how Liera will do being a newer black belt.

My pick: Lucas Lepri (Alliance)


Black / Adult Male / Middle (22 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Leandro Lo (PSLPB) / 2nd place: Otavio Sousa (Gracie Barra)

I feel very certain the returning middle weights are pleased to see that Lo has moved up to Medium Heavy for this year's tournament.  This is an incredibly stacked division.  2014 silver medalist Otavio Sousa (GB) returns and is likely the immediate favorite.  Sinistro (Alliance), new Marcelo Garcia black belts Jonathan Satava & Marcos Tinoco (Alliance) will have their hands full but should be exciting to watch.  Tanner Rice (Amazonas), Atos standout Claudio Calasans, Murilo Santana (Barbosa JJ), Marcel Mafra (CheckMat), Victor Estima (Gracie Barra), Magid Hage (Gracie Barra), and last but not least Victor Oliveira (GF Team) round out an impressive line-up.

My pick: Victor Estima (Gracie Barra)


Black / Adult Male / Medium Heavy (20 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Braulio Estima (Gracie Barra) / 2nd place: Romulo Barral (Gracie Barra)

Well neither 2014 finalists will be competing this year.  Braulio is out due to suspension for failing PED testing last year and Barral is focused primarily on ADCC this year.  That's okay though because we will be treated to Leandro Lo (PSLPB) stepping up a weight class which I doubt will be a problem for him.  He is usually in the finals of the Open Weight class every tournament so barring injury he has to be a heavy favorite.  Marcelo Garcia black belt Matheus Diniz is going to be someone to keep a close eye on.  Gustavo Campos and Pedro Mello both of Atos will be likely forces.   Depending on how the brackets are set up I expect to see Lo x Campos in the final.

My pick: Leandro Lo (PSLPB)


Black / Adult Male / Heavy (19 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Felipe Pena (Gracie Barra) / 2nd place: Andre Galvao (Atos)

Again we won't be treated to defending champ "Preguinca", Galvao, OR Rafael Lovato (2014 bronze medalist).  Don't fret because Keenan Cornelius (Atos) has moved up a weight class!  Additionally we have Jackson Sousa (CheckMat), Lucas Leite (CheckMat), Manny Diaz (Soul Fighters), and Timothy Spriggs (TLI).  Oh...and don't sleep on Xande Ribeiro (Ribeiro JJ).  Keenan had a really disappointing 2014 Worlds when he lost to Diego Gamonal (BTT) over a (in my opinion) controversial knee reap.  Keenan will for sure be looking to redeem himself and collect his first World's title at black belt.

My pick: Keenan Cornelius (Atos)


Black / Adult Male / Super Heavy (9 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Rodolfo Vieira (GF Team) / 2nd place: Bernardo Faria (Alliance)

Rodolfo won't be competing this year as he's been focused on MMA so make way for a new champ this year at Super Heavy.  Bernardo Faria (Alliance) has to be the favorite as he is usually coming up short against the monster Rodolfo.  Yri Simoes (Brasa CTA) will certainly look to improve from last year's bronze, Roberto "Tussa" Alencar (Gracie Barra) will likely find his way onto the podium.  Joao Gabriel Rocha (Soul Fighters), James Puopolo (Ribeiro JJ), and Erberth Santos (Guigo BJJ) will all be factors in a traditionally small division.

My pick: Bernardo Faria (Alliance)


Black / Adult Male / Ultra Heavy (13 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Marcus "Buchecha" Almedia (CheckMat) / 2nd place: Alexander Trans (UAE JJ)

As luck, or bad luck would have it depending on who you are...Buchecha is BACK!  Rodrigo Cavaca (Zenith BJJ), Alexander Trans (UAE), and 2014 bronze medalist Ricardo Evangelista (GF Team) are my favorites to watch in this division.

My pick: Buchecha (CheckMat)


Black / Adult Male / Open Weight Prediction
2014 Champ: Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida (CheckMat) / 2nd place: Rodolfo Vieira (GT Team)

Of course we can only imagine who will be participating in the open.  2014 runners up include Keenan & Faria.  We can obviously eliminate Rodolfo this year.  If Buchecha is able to enter the absolute then without a doubt he will be the favorite to repeat as I don't see many people being able to dethrone him.

My pick: Marcus "Buchecha" Almedia (CheckMat)

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmV17RsCUiU)

Black / Adult Female / Light Feather (4 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Gezary Bandeira (ATT)

In a tiny division we have the 2014 champ returning.  I'm not going to lie...I don't know the other competitors so my choice is easy here.

My pick: Gezary Bandeira (ATT)


Black / Adult Female / Feather (8 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Michelle Nicolini (CheckMat) / 2nd place: Tammi Musumeci (ATT)

Who can forget this match from 2014?  The final saw Nicolini with a come from behind victory and destroying Tammi's arm.  This was easily the most exciting final of last year's tournament.  Both competitors are back for 2015 but so is red-hot Mackenzie Dern (Gracie Humaita) who just seems unbeatable.  Dern is coming off gold at her weight in Abu Dhabi and not only a close win over Gabi Garcia (Alliance) but gold in the open class at Abu Dhabi.  Dern even beat Nicolini on points earlier in the same tournament.

My pick: Mackenzie Dern (Gracie Humaita)

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChWzHzvpBs4)

Black / Adult Female / Light (10 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Beatriz Mesquita (Gracie Humaita) / 2nd place: Luiza Monteiro (PSLPB)

All of the medalists from 2014 outside of Luiza (moved up to Middle) are back this year and will be challenged by Angelica Galvao (Atos), and Nyjah Easton (TLI).

My pick: Beatriz Mesquita (Gracie Humaita)


Black / Adult Female / Middle (8 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Janni Larson (CheckMat)

Reigning champ Janni Larson (CheckMat) isn't returning this year to defend her title but the division gets an instant new challenge in Luiza Monteiro Costa (PSLPB).  Look for Ida Hansson (CheckMat) and Sijara Eubanks (TLI) to be making it to the podium.

My pick: Luiza Monteiro (PSLPB)


Black / Adult Female / Medium Heavy (5 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Ana Cordeiro (Gracie Barra) / 2nd place: Hannette Staack (Soul Fighters)

Hannette Staack (Soul Fighters) won't be competing this year.  Something notable is that 2014 Heavy champ Andresa Correa (Alliance) has dropped down a weight class. Outside of that my knowledge of the competitors is pretty limited.

My pick: Andresa Correa (Alliance)


Black / Adult Female / Heavy (4 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Andresa Correa (Alliance)

2014 Champ Correa has dropped down a weight class which should make way for the Marcelo Garcia talent Dominyka Obelenyte (Alliance).  Tammy Greigo (Gracie Barra) is the only big challenge I see for her this year.

My pick: Dominyka Obelenyte (Alliance)


Black / Adult Female / Super Heavy (5 Competitors)
2014 Champ: Venla Luukkonen (Hilti BJJ)

With the reigning champ returning to a small division I'm not going to make any bold predictions here.  No Gabi Garcia this year.

My pick: Venla Luukkonen (Hilti BJJ)


Black / Adult Female / Open Weight Prediction
2014 Champ: Beatriz Mesquita (Gracie Humaita) / 2nd place: Michelle Nicolini (CheckMat)

Since Gabi Garcia is not competing this year (again) we are likely to see a more competitive field.  I feel like this will be a great tournament for Dominyka Obelenyte (Alliance).

My pick: Dominyka Obelenyte (Alliance)


Links:
IBJJF Site: http://ibjjf.org/championship/world-jiu-jitsu-championship/
Schedule: http://ibjjf.org/championships/world-jiu-jitsu-championship-2015-pre-schedule-update/
Brackets: http://events.ibjjf.com/sportos/application/sheet/index.php?idevent=319&dayofevent=1
Divisions: http://static.ibjjfdb.com/Campeonato/000415/en-US/RegistrationsByCategoryAndAcademy.pdf
How to watch live: http://www.ibjjftv.com/

Gui Mendes retirement announcement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpQ68uHZK1E&feature=share

Luan Carvalho (Nova União) x Michael Langhi (Alliance) 2015 Brasileiro (Semifinal)

Unless you are very plugged into the tournaments going on in Brazil right now last weekend featured the 2015 Brasileiro tournament which is kind of a big deal.  Unfortunately unless you were there or have been able to see some of the posted matches it's a bit difficult to stay on top of the results.  One match that jumped out at me as very impressive is that of fairly new Black Belt Luan Carvalho (Nova Uniao) over Alliance powerhouse Michael Langhi!  Note this was a semifinal and a real nail biter but most did not expect this result.  Luan would go on to win the division and I can imagine this is the biggest win of his career.  I would definitely keep an eye on this prospect in the Leve (Light) division at future events!

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBx2Aaacfmc)

2015 Brasileiro Results:
http://static.ibjjfdb.com/Campeonato/000380/pt-BR/Resultados.pdf

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/luancarvalhobjj
http://thebjjmentalcoach.com/
http://www.novauniao.com/
http://www.pridefightwear.com.br/loja/index.php

Gustavo Dantas Seminar Review

Our gym was fortunate enough to host Gustavo Dantas in December 2014.  We are affiliated with Robson Moura so during that time we have developed a relationship with many of the current and former Nova Uniao gyms throughout the country.  Gustavo is the President of Nova Uniao USA with his gym based in Tempe, Arizona.  Gustavo is a 4th degree black belt under Andre Pederneiras.

The content covered in this seminar was very good.  Rather than show a series of moves from a particular guard or position Gustavo focused heavily on concepts.  We began with his most successful closed guard sweep, the "Roleta sweep."  After spending some time breaking down the move and the timing of how to execute it properly we switched things up a bit.  Gustavo spent some time showing proper posture in the guard when trying to stand up.  A lot of emphasis was placed on doing this properly and how if the posture was not very good it would be easily exposed by the Roleta sweep.  This method of teaching really made it an "ah ha" moment because while we were learning the Roleta sweep it really drove home the importance of good posture when trying to break the closed guard.

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PvwLZHBR7U)

The other concept we covered worth mentioning was chaining the guard breaks into passes without much delay.  Obviously hanging out in the open guard is not going to be favorable for the guard passer.  Gustavo showed us a slick way to control the pants sleeves and prevent spider guard bicep control.  I had not seen this particular variation.  Importance was placed on being purposeful with your grips and not hesitating to initiate the guard pass.  A good deal of time was spent working situational guard passing with the guard player trying to defend.

One thing I liked was during specific moments throughout the seminar Gustavo would queue up matches online that we could review and he would point out specific examples of executing techniques in competition.  He has a very analytic approach to teaching which is very refreshing.

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo7Rtc6X4wU)

Something some people may not know about Gustavo is that he is a Certified Mental & Life Coach and excellent public speaker.  He has developed  a DVD series:  The BJJ Mental Coach "Inner Discovery for Outer Success."  Gustavo described how he himself experienced a lot of performance anxiety competing in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in the past.  Through this series he is trying to help others achieve their goals by taking a more mental approach to competition.  I personally purchased the DVD set and watched a good portion of it however I have not completed it so I will review it at a later date.  After hearing his speech at the seminar about the program and some of the free videos he has put out on his YouTube channel I felt like I could benefit from it both for Jiu-Jitsu and in my personal life.  A lot of the concepts discussed do not have to only apply to the sport.

If you get a chance I highly recommend checking out some of his BJJ Mental Coach videos and see if you can benefit from them.  To wrap things up, the seminar was great.  I'm a huge fan of Gustavo Dantas, his analytic teaching style and wish he was more local to us.  If you get a chance to drop in at his gym in Tempe, Arizona or attend one of his seminars I highly recommend it.  There is also an excellent three part series he participated in on Budovideos Rolled Up from late 2014 that I have linked at the bottom of the article.

Links:
http://thebjjmentalcoach.com/
http://gdjiujitsu.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwNh1vy8QSg

Flashback Friday Match: Andre Pederneiras vs Rumina Sato (MMA)

I generally don't post MMA fights on the blog but felt like there should be exceptions particularly when it involves someone that has had a massive impact on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  If you don't know Andre Pederneiras (also known as "Dede") then you probably know some of the high level grapplers or MMA fighters he has had a hand in training.  

Notable black belts and MMA fighters:

1. Robson Moura

2. BJ Penn

3. Renan Barao

4. Jose Aldo

5. Gustavo Dantas

6. Vitor Ribeiro

7. John Lewis

8. Marcus Aurelio

9. Renato Verissimo

10. Thales Leites

Andre Pederneiras was originally award his black belt by Carlson Gracie when he was 22 years old. After starting his own gym he became frustrated with his teams inability to be competitive for team points at tournaments.  His team was almost always outnumbered by the likes of Gracie Barra and Carlson Gracie Team.  Andre befriended Wendell Alexander, another black belt, in a similar situation.  Together they formed Nova Uniao which means "new union."  Andre began to focus on MMA and compiled a professional record of 1 win, 1 loss, & 2 draws.  Eventually Andre turned his focus towards training MMA fighters leaving Wendell Alexander in charge of the Jiu-Jitsu side of Nova Uniao.  

Here is a great fight between Andre Pederneiras and Rumina Sato at Vale Tudo Japan 1998 which was Andre's professional debut in MMA.  Very good fight with a spectacular ending.  

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B2BKsEsG04#t=365)

Source Credits:

www.bjjheroes.com

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Andre-Pederneiras-227

My Brown Belt Promotion

So I'm a little late on this blog post but figured better late than never.  At least I'll be able to go back and appreciate the fact that I documented it in some way.  I started training in February 2008 at the age of 30 under JD Shelley (North Dallas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) which at the time was still Alliance affiliated.  We are currently Novia Uniao affiliated with Robson Moura.  JD was the second American black belt under Romer "Jacare" Cavalcanti and in our area was one of the few great instructors for quite some time.  Of course the sport has grown a lot but he still remains as one of the top BJJ instructors in my opinion.  I have stayed with him since then, received my blue belt in the early fall of 2009.  From there I became an assistant instructor helping with kids and adult beginner classes.  I feel that teaching has helped to keep me sharp and honest.  I'm constantly looking for ways to better my Jiu-Jitsu not only for myself in competition inside and outside the gym but to be a better instructor.

I have a family, a full-time job, etc.  I do my best to maintain a good level of training and teaching on a weekly basis while keeping my family life in order.  I probably average about four training days per week plus whatever teaching that comes up.  I have been very consistent with training never taking more than 30 days off the mats with injuries.  I wouldn't call myself a tournament rat but I have done my fair share.  I compete when I can but probably average 2-3 competitions per year since I received my purple belt in December 2011.  I did far more comps as a white and blue belt.  I'm not a superstar...I'm just a regular guy that never quit and does the best that I can to seek new information to take my BJJ to the next level.  I've had my fair share of victories in comps and plenty of embarrassing moments to go along with it.

Fast forward to November 2013 and the day came.  We had a very large (planned) promotion ceremony at our gym.  No one really knew who was due for what so there was some element of surprise. When I got called up to the front for my promotion I honestly didn't have any real expectations.  I had been a purple for just shy of two years and only had a couple stripes on my belt.  Well, when JD pulled out a brown belt I was pretty elated.  Very exciting moment that doesn't come without some burden of pressure.  If you make it to blue belt then you know what I'm talking about.  Junior belts are always looking for an opportunity to kick your ass and show they are ready for that next level.  They say to take ego out of the equation when rolling or training but who wants to get embarrassed by a junior belt really?  This attitude is what keeps us on our toes and constantly trying to take our skills to the next level.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0wwwcbk8go)

I've been very blessed to have some consistent training partners (my level through black belt) that started around the same time as me and are still here to this day constantly striving to be better.  I also am very fortunate to have a loving wife that is super supportive.  She's always been willing to travel with me to tournaments and let me train late at night to make sure I get a good level of training on a regular basis. Without her this would have been much more difficult.  

Cole, Lindsey, & Me

Me & Martin (my best training partner was promoted to purple)

A Guide to BJJ Seminars

When I first started training Jiu-Jitsu I felt that training with a variety of high level guys would no doubt enhance my progression in the sport.  As a white belt I managed to attend a few seminars and even though the amount of knowledge I gained was minimal it was definitely a fun experience. After five years of experience I can honestly say that the average person probably doesn't stand to gain as much from seminars until you've reached an intermediate level (blue belt).  I don't think that should discourage newer grapplers from attending seminars but one should keep things in perspective.  In my experience seminars are usually three hours and tend to be a little overwhelming on the amount of information.

List of high level grapplers I have trained with (in no particular order):

1. Marcelo Garcia
2. Robson Moura
3. Bruno Bastos
4. Rico Bastos
5. Romero Jacare Cavlacanti
6. Jamil Kelly
7. Robert Drysdale
8. Reilly Bodycomb
9. Caio Terra (next month)

How can you get the most out of a seminar?
I can't stress the importance to take notes either during the seminar or immediately afterwards.  Most seminars cover a lot (sometimes too much) and details will get lost if you don't take notes.  Recently after a Robson Moura seminar a training partner and myself recorded ourselves drilling all of the techniques so that we could go back and review it.  This is far better than just taking notes.

Link for mobile users: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsIjKVs5gSs

Link for mobile users: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oOhjbtTcvI

Something else to consider regarding seminars is scheduling a private lesson with the instructor. One on one instruction is really hard to beat and one of the best way to take your grappling to the next level.  Seminars are often packed with over thirty students on the mat and it's hard to replicate the kind of individualized attention you can get during a private lesson.

Another consideration is will they allow video?  In my experience, most do not want video taken during seminars but it never hurts to ask.  Don't be a jerk and just assume they won't care and create an awkward situation.  Politely ask the host of the seminar ahead of time and/or the person giving the seminar.  They may allow it but ask that you not make it public.

Which ones should I attend?
Early on during my training in Jiu-Jitsu I would attend every seminar I possibly could with a high level superstar.  I didn't necessarily know what the content would be and just tried to absorb whatever it was that they were teaching.  Through my progression I've learned that as you become more advanced it is much easier to learn new concepts or find ways to implement them into your game.  I am fairly picky about what seminars I will attend these days.  I ask myself will they offer something that fits my game?  Do they offer something that is lacking in my game?  If the answer is yes then that is a great motivator to attend and gain new knowledge.  Would I be better off just scheduling a private with the individual?

Another type of seminar that isn't typical but can be very beneficial are training camps.  Many high level schools will hold training camps that may last a few days or even a week.  These are often put together prior to a major event such as the IBJJF Pan or Worlds tournaments.  This is not only a great opportunity to work with multiple high level black belts but can also help you get ready if you plan to compete at those tournaments.  This can go a long way to teach you how to prepare for tournaments in general if your gym doesn't have a program dedicated to tournament preparation.

In the Spring we had Bruno and Rico Bastos at our gym for a seminar leading up to the Pan 2013 tournament.  It was the first of that type I attended and it was a great experience.  The techniques focused on passing the open guard and how to deal with the dreaded 50/50 guard that so many competitors like to use these days.  The training was grueling compared to most seminars as the repetitions were very high paced and focused on developing muscle memory under tough situations. There was lots of rolling at the end of the seminar to end the day.  This was one of the best seminars I have attended to date.

Here are a couple clips from the Bruno & Rico Bastos Pan Camp seminar.

50/50 Guard Pass

Spider Guard Pass

Which ones should I avoid?
One of the first seminars I had the chance to attend when I got into Jiu-Jitsu was an Eddie Bravo/10th Planet seminar.  I didn't know much at this point in time, did some research, and quickly realized that this was a pretty specialized system that I didn't intend to focus on.  I skipped it and certainly glad that I did.  This is a pretty extreme example but you need to consider the content that will be covered during a seminar if at all possible.  Imagine a multiple time World Champion is in town teaching the 50/50 guard and you're not a fan?  Why attend it if you don't want to learn that aspect of Jiu-Jitsu?  Will you learn something?  Most definitely but don't throw your hard earned money somewhere you won't find good value.

I highly recommend researching and looking for reviews from other people that may have attended a particular seminar.  There are plenty of valuable resources such as Sherdog's Grappling forum: http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f12/ to ask questions and receive feedback.  Sometimes we get enamored with the success or style of grappler only to find out that their seminars are lackluster or they simply aren't the greatest instructors.  I've heard plenty of horror stories of instructors that show up, have everyone do cardio for 30 minutes, show some techniques, and just not really show a lot of fire or interest in being there.  These are the type of seminars I try to avoid.

Whatever your training preferences may be I think there are great opportunities to learn from training with a wide range of people.  This can be accomplished by attending seminars, dropping in at other gyms, or even switching up the training schedule at your own gym.  Getting to train with a variety of training partners and even instructors can help elevate your game to another level.