Throwback Thursday Grappling Match

Life has really gotten in the way of Jiu-Jitsu and keeping up with the blog since last May.  Going through a home purchase and impending move right now.  I've been able to keep a decent training schedule but far from what I'd like with the IBJJF Dallas Open coming up in 8 weeks.  Oh and on top of all that our gym relocated from Plano to Frisco!

Hopefully things will settle down after next week. I have a Reilly Bodycomb seminar review coming up soon that I will share.  In the meantime here is a #TBT grappling match from back in 2011 when I was a blue belt.  It's always cool to go back and watch old matches to see how much you've progressed and of course to evaluate things to work on.  I probably played the most passive game ever at this particular tournament which was a first for me.  Things that I learned most in this match:

1. Passing the guard...I wasn't very good at it then.
2. Importance of breaking grips.
3. Properly defending/escaping the omoplata rather than rolling and losing reversal points.
4. Don't wear old, lightweight gi's that stretch.  The sleeves on this Koral gi were awful and was retired shortly after.

Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_jr7U2v6e8&list=UUu7YcolqIpkY9Yix2McdluA

Manny "Beats" Diaz Seminar Review

I've been really fortunate this year to attend a few excellent seminars that have been incredibly affordable; each of them costing less than $50 for three hours of training.  A good friend of mine, Collin Grayson, runs a Caio Terra affiliate in Rockwall, TX and was planning on hosting Gameness sponsored athlete Manny Diaz for a weekend.  For those not familiar with Manny he is a high level, world champion brown belt from Caio Terra's academy. What makes him a little different than the "average" high level competitor is that he doesn't train Jiu-Jitsu on a full-time basis like it's his primary job.  Manny is married, has children, and a regular job that has him traveling from time to time.  He's one of those few guys that is able to balance all of that stuff and somehow compete at the highest levels with success.

Not knowing what the focus of the seminar would be covering I felt like attending was a no-brainer.  We were lucky enough to host Manny and Collin for a Friday night rolling session at our own gym.  Knowing that Manny has a great top game I expected to get crushed the entire time but found that he has an excellent half guard game.  He was fairly playful during the rolls for the most part but had no problems tuning us up and doing what he wanted.  It was a really good experience to see what parts of our A game wouldn't work on him and he was helpful to point out things we could do differently.

The next day we met up at Collin's gym in Rockwall for the seminar.  I managed to get a few guys from my gym to attend as well.  Much to my surprise the first half of the seminar was focused on how he likes to play half guard, maintain distance control, keeping your opponent grounded in the half guard, and 3-4 sweeps from here.  I think most of us expected to see Manny's crushing top game but this was a welcomed surprise as half guard is one of my favorite positions.  To finish up this position he showed us some Williams Guard options and submissions from half which will work very well for my own game.

The second half of the seminar focused on breaking down and passing the uber popular De La Riva Guard. The techniques Manny showed from here were fairly new to me but seemed very good.  Manny likes to remove the DLR hook and use a knee up the middle to smash through the guard, taking his time to nullify any additional annoyances from the legs and controlling the hips before sliding through into side mount.  This is not a lot of fun as an uke much less during a normal rolling session...but it is super effective as evidenced in the video.  This was fairly reminiscent of the Sean Roberts means for passing we learned earlier this year but Manny brought even more pressure and control to the table.

Link for Mobile Users: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BWvDFUahmw)

At the end of the seminar Manny rolled individually with every person that stuck around with no breaks between rounds.  What a guy!  I can't recommend enough that if you have the opportunity to attend one of his seminars or simply train with him...do it!  He is very talented, an effective instructor, and a super nice guy. I heard a rumor (well not really) from Caio Terra that Manny plans to open up his own academy in the near future.  We wish him luck with that and at the IBJJF World Championships in a couple weeks!

Big thanks to Collin Grayson of CTA - Rockwall, TX for hosting the seminar.  If you are in his area please check out his gym.  http://ctarockwall.com/academy/

Art of Jiu-Jitsu Traveling Guide

I’ve been following the Mendes Brothers pretty closely the last couple years;  more specifically once they launched their online training site.  Being a lighter weight grappler (Feather) their style has been very appealing to my current game.  One of my training partners also has been using their training site the same amount of time and had mentioned interest in visiting their gym to train some time ago.  Fast forward to March 2014 and I was lucky enough to receive a planned and paid for trip to visit Costa Mesa and the Art of Jiu-Jitsu from my wife.  On top of this she was thoughtful enough to coordinate the trip with my training partner Martin. 

Just a few weeks later we flew out to Costa Mesa.  The gym had recommended we stay at the Ramada Inn in Costa Mesa which is less than a mile from the gym and reasonably priced.  You’re not staying at a high priced resort but it’s not a dump either.  It is more than adequate for those looking for something comfortable yet affordable.  The hotel has a heated pool and Jacuzzi which came in very handy during our stay.  There is a small bar and restaurant in the hotel which is nice for catching breakfast (no free meals).  You can eat there for about $12 for breakfast.   Before I go any further let me emphasize that the cost of living in California is higher than where we are from (Texas).   Unless you are living on fast food expect to spend $12-20 on most meals out.  That being said the hotel room does have a small fridge and there is a Sprouts grocery store nearby on the way to the gym.  If you want to save some money you could easily pick up some deli meats and make sandwiches to avoid eating out all the time. 

We opted to rent a car and I feel this is a must unless you have some other plans for transportation.  We didn’t notice cabs so unless you plan to rent a bicycle or something you are going to probably want a car.  Fortunately with the gym being close by you shouldn’t have to do a ton of driving unless you plan on sight-seeing a lot.  While we were there for four days we drove less than 40 miles and definitely got out to see the town.

 

Something you need to know about visiting the Art of Jiu-Jitsu is that you will more than likely have to attend the competition or advance classes unless you are a white belt.  I think the only other exceptions are for students visiting from affiliated academies. 

We arrived on Monday and used the first part of the day to get our car, hotel room, and a little shopping to pick up water, along with whatever we needed to be comfortable during our stay.  We made it to the evening advance class for our first training session.   Most people I know that have seen the gym from pictures and videos have described the look as “Jiu-Jitsu Heaven.”  I can honestly say that the pictures don’t do it justice.  It’s really well designed and laid out making it functional and aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.  The gym has two separate mat spaces which allows for two classes to be run simultaneously.  They are separated by the front desk and locker areas giving enough space to not make noise from either side a distraction. 

The students and staff at the gym was very friendly upon our arrival.  I imagine they are accustomed to visitors on a regular basis.  Class started very promptly and little time was wasted jumping straight into De La Riva drills as a warm-up.  We did 4-5 two minute rounds of pulling DLR guard and hitting a sweep of our choice.  After a complete round with a training partner we would find a new one until completing all the rounds.  For the technique portion we focused on removing the DLR hook (from a standing position) and using a knee slice to pass the guard on the non-DLR hook side.  From here the training partner (guard player on bottom) would catch half guard with a knee shield into the hip.  We then worked a couple submissions from here:  baseball bat choke and brabo choke option.  The other option was a leg drag pass.   The remaining portion of class consisted of 4 four minute rounds of grappling. 

My initial impressions were about what I expected.  The blue belts were like purple belts and the purple belts were like brown belts.  It was a really good class and we were pretty exhausted from the travel and time change.  It was much later for us with the two hour time difference by the time class was over.    

Tuesday we woke up, ate breakfast, and found a laundry mat between our hotel and the gym.  We opted to use the laundry mat rather than the gym’s gi washing facilities.  For $10 the gym will launder your gi which is a really convenient option.  The only problem is that they will run it through the dryer which is a problem for me as my gi’s can’t afford to shrink anymore since they are mostly competition fit and normally air dried.   It cost $3.75 to use their front loaded washer or $1.75 for a top loader.  They have dryers as well that are $0.25 for three minutes and you can add as much time as needed.  This was a cheaper and overall better option for us.  We had plenty of time to do it during the day. 

During our visit we ate at a few different places specific to the area.  We found a great taco dive called Sancho’s Tacos.  This was by far my favorite meal during the stay.  My buddy Martin had read all about Banzai Bowls and was dying to try it.  We had it twice during our stay and it was excellent and better than I expected.  We also tried Green Leaf which is a sandwich/soup/salad restaurant close to the gym and it was good.  Healthy food options and reasonably priced. 

Tuesday we attended the afternoon competition class.  Let me preface this by saying we expected it to be very tough.  This gym is loaded with guys that do nothing but compete and train for a living.  How they get by on a daily basis I have no idea but I can tell you that class is not for the weak of heart.  We showed up and were by far the oldest guys there; 37 and 45 respectively.  The format for that day was warm-up drills of take-downs for two minutes alternating, then a couple two minute rounds of pulling DLR guard and hitting a sweep of choice.  The bulk of the class consisted of 10 six minute rounds of rolling taking a 1 minute break in between rounds and one water break after five rounds.  After this we did 4 three minute rounds of situational DLR attempting to sweep or submit.  This was by far the most difficult class I’ve done since I started training Jiu-Jitsu.  Unless you are accustomed to training like that and in phenomenal shape it’s going to be pretty rough.   We had initially hoped to hit the nogi class later that evening but there was no way that was going to happen after the tough competition class.  We both took the remainder of the day off and relaxed. 

Fortunately for us the beach is nearby and there are a lot of things to get into.  The temperatures were in the 60’s during the early part of the day and warmed up to the mid 70’s.  The water temperature seemed too cold for us so we spent some time walking up and down the Newport Beach area which is only 10 minutes from our hotel. 

Wednesday we skipped the competition class so we’d be able to do the evening advanced class.  This gave us time to visit Huntington Beach which seemed a lot busier than Newport the previous two days and offered a lot more in the way of shopping.   I wasn’t about to go home empty handed.  There are a lot of nice shops fully stocked with RVCA, Volcom, and Hurley gear. 

That evening we had a great training session.  The warm-up consisted of two minute rounds of DLR sweeps and two minute rounds of DLR sweeps taking the back.  Rafa showed some examples of what he was looking for then turned us loose.  He emphasized being creative and using different methods for sweeping and taking the back.  The bulk of class was spent doing situational sparring for three minute rounds:  closed guard, half guard, side mount, and full mount.  After each round was completed we would switch to a new partner.  The end of class was spent doing 4 two minute rounds of attacking the back.  Two sets without hooks and two sets with one hook.  The focus was escaping the position or submitting from that particular position instead of transitioning to mount, side mount, or knee on belly. 

This was a great Jiu-Jitsu vacation.  I would have loved to do more classes but would have to be in much better shape to keep up.  I’m not sure that the competition classes are something I’d be in that kind of shape to do and manage to get in for an evening class.  I’m glad we did that class but in the future if we visit I’d probably stick to the evening classes.   My impressions after rolling with the students of this gym is that they are not only really good but they have a huge influence from the Mendes style game.  Very good DLR game and excellent knee slice through the half and RDLR guard.  I really appreciated the structure of the gym.  It was clear from the beginning that they have a strict curriculum that focuses on using the DLR guard to sweep and take the back…or defeat the DLR guard.  The warm-up drills were run as if everyone knew them already because in the advanced class everyone does.  The fundamental classes we saw focused heavily on the DLR guard and would be an intermediate to advanced class in most gyms.  The other thing I liked was they didn’t waste any time during training.  Class started promptly and there wasn’t an excessive amount of time spent explaining the techniques.  There was plenty of time dedicated towards drilling and rolling.

After talking to some of the students we came to find out that a good bunch of them have moved out to southern California just to train at with the Mendes Brothers.  Some commute up to 1.5 hours each way to train here.   There is no doubt that Rafa and Gui have had a huge impact on the skill of the students here but it’s also apparent that these students are constantly making each other better with their ridiculous work ethic.  I hope to visit this gym in the future and highly recommend it for anyone ranging from the serious, hobbyist Jiu-Jitsu student to the high level competitor.   

Mendes Bros Travel Guide

I’ve been following the Mendes Brothers pretty closely the last couple years; more specifically once they launched their online training site.  Being a lighter weight grappler (Feather) their style has been very appealing to me.  One of my training partners also has been using their training site the same amount of time and had mentioned interest in visiting their gym to train some time ago.  Fast forward to March 2014 and I was lucky enough to receive a planned and paid for trip to visit Costa Mesa and the Art of Jiu-Jitsu from my wife.  On top of this she was thoughtful enough to coordinate the trip with my training partner Martin. 

Just a few weeks later we flew out to Costa Mesa.  The gym had recommended we stay at the Ramada Inn in which is less than a mile from the gym and reasonably priced.  You’re not staying at a high priced resort but it’s not a dump either.  It is more than adequate for those looking for something comfortable, yet affordable.  The hotel has a heated pool and Jacuzzi which came in very handy during our stay.  There is a small bar and restaurant in the hotel which is nice for catching breakfast (no Continental breakfast here).  You can eat there for about $12 or less at breakfast.   Before I go any further let me emphasize that the cost of living in California is higher than where we are from (Texas).   Unless you are living on fast food expect to spend $12-20 on most meals out.  That being said the hotel room does have a small fridge and there is a Sprouts grocery store nearby on the way to the gym.  If you want to save some money you could easily pick up some deli meats, bread, etc. and make sandwiches to avoid eating out all the time.

Birthday gift (itinerary)

Flight into California

We opted to rent a car and I feel this is a must for transportation.  We didn’t notice cabs so unless you plan to rent a bicycle or something you are going to probably want a car.  Fortunately with the gym being close by you shouldn’t have to do a ton of driving unless you plan on sight-seeing a lot.  While we were there for four days we drove less than 40 miles and definitely got out to see the town. Something you need to know about visiting the Art of Jiu-Jitsu is that you will more than likely have to attend the competition or advance classes unless you are a white belt.  I think the only other exceptions are for students visiting from affiliated academies. 

We arrived on Monday and used the first part of the day to get our car, hotel room, and a little shopping to pick up water, along with whatever we needed to be comfortable during our stay.  We made it to the evening advance class for our first training session.   Most people I know that have seen the gym from pictures and videos have described the look as “Jiu-Jitsu Heaven.”  I can honestly say that the pictures don’t do it justice.  It’s really well designed and laid out making it functional and aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.  The gym has two separate mat areas which allows for two classes to be run simultaneously.  They are separated by the front desk and locker areas giving enough space to not make noise from either side a distraction. 

The students and staff at the gym were very friendly upon our arrival.  I imagine they are accustomed to visitors on a regular basis.  Class started promptly and little time was wasted jumping straight into De La Riva drills as a warm-up.  We did 4-5 two minute rounds of pulling DLR guard and hitting a sweep of our choice.  After a complete round with a training partner we would find a new one until completing all the rounds.  For the technique portion we focused on removing the DLR hook (from a standing position) and using a knee slice to pass the guard on the non-DLR hook side.  From here the training partner (guard player on bottom) would catch half guard with a knee shield into the hip (Z guard).  We then worked a couple submissions from here:  baseball bat choke and then a brabo choke option when they defended the previous choke.  The other option was a leg drag pass.   The remaining portion of class consisted of 4 four minute rounds of grappling. 

Me & Martin beat after first class (long day)

My initial impressions were about what I expected.  The blue belts were like purple belts and the purple belts were like brown belts.  It was a really good class and we were pretty exhausted from the travel and time change.  It was much later for us with the two hour time difference by the time class was over.   

Tuesday we woke up, ate breakfast, and found a laundry mat between our hotel and the gym.  We opted to use the laundry mat rather than the gym’s gi washing facilities.  For $10 the gym will launder your gi which is a really convenient option and is made available in 24 hours.  The only problem is that they will run it through the dryer which is a problem for me as my gi’s can’t afford to shrink anymore since they are mostly competition fit and normally air dried.   It cost $3.75 to use their front load washer or $1.75 for a top loader.  They have dryers as well that are $0.25 for three minutes and you can add as much time as needed.  This was a cheaper and overall better option for us.  We had plenty of time to do it during the day. 

Walter White & Jesse Pinkman also doing laundry

Alpine Cleaners
253 E 17th St
Costa Mesa, CA 92627

During our visit we ate at a few different places specific to the area.  We found a great taco dive called Sancho’s Tacos.  This was by far my favorite meal during the stay.

Sanchos Tacos #2
3014 W Balboa Blvd
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 723-8226

Sanchos Tacos #1
602 Pacific Coast Hwy
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(714) 536-9226

My buddy Martin had read all about Banzai Bowls and was dying to try it.  We had it twice during our stay and it was excellent and better than I expected.  You're likely to run into other Jiu-Jitsu people there.

Banzai Bowls
488 E 17th St
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 722-8329

We also tried Green Leaf which is a sandwich/soup/salad restaurant close to the gym and it was good.  Healthy food options and reasonably priced.   

Green Leaf Gourmet Chop Shop
234 E 17th St
Costa Mesa, CA
(949) 200-3950

After the Monday class we hit up Pitfire Artisan Pizza before they closed at 10pm.  Lots of local drafts on tap and tasty single serving sized pizzas around 10” with plenty of options to choose from.   They also have a lot of beer if you are into that. 

Pitfire Pizza

353 E. 17th St

Costa Mesa, CA 92627 

Tuesday we attended the afternoon competition class.  Let me preface this by saying we expected it to be very tough.  This gym is loaded with guys that do nothing but compete and train for a living.  How they get by on a daily basis I have no idea but I can tell you that class is not for the weak of heart.  We showed up and were by far the oldest guys there; 37 and 45 respectively.  The format for that day was warm-up drills of take-downs for two minutes alternating, then a couple two minute rounds of pulling DLR guard and hitting a sweep of choice.  The bulk of the class consisted of 10 six minute rounds of rolling taking a 1 minute break in between rounds and one water break after five rounds.  After this we did 4 three minute rounds of situational DLR attempting to sweep or submit.  This was by far the most difficult class I’ve done since I started training Jiu-Jitsu.  Unless you are accustomed to training like that and in phenomenal shape it’s going to be pretty rough.   What made it so tough was the students were in such good cardio shape and never stop attacking.  Also they are very good so you don’t get to take a lot of rounds off if you know what I mean.  We had initially hoped to hit the nogi class later that evening but there was no way that was going to happen after the tough competition class.  We both took the remainder of the day off and relaxed. 

Fortunately for us the beach was very close to the hotel and there are a lot of things to do.  The temperatures were in the 60’s during the early part of the day and warmed up to the mid 70’s.  The water temperature seemed too cold for us so we spent some time walking up and down the Newport Beach area which is only 10 minutes from our hotel. 

Wednesday we skipped the competition class so we'd be able to participate in the evening, advanced class.  This gave us time to visit Huntington Beach which seemed a lot busier than Newport the previous two days and offered a lot more in the way of shopping.  I wasn't about to go home empty handed.  There are a lot of nice shops fully stocked with brands like RVCA, Volcom, and Hurley gear.

Sushi for lunch

That evening we had a great training session.  The warm-up consisted of two minute rounds of DLR sweeps and two minute rounds of DLR sweeps taking the back.  Rafa showed some examples of what he was looking for then turned us loose.  He emphasized being creative and using different methods for sweeping and taking the back.  The bulk of class was spent doing situational sparring for three minute rounds:  closed guard, half guard, side mount, and full mount.  After each round was completed we would switch to a new partner.  The end of class was spent doing 4 two minute rounds of attacking the back with a seat belt grip.  Two sets without hooks and two sets with one hook.  The focus was escaping the position or submitting from that particular position instead of transitioning to mount, side mount, or knee on belly. 

This was a great Jiu-Jitsu vacation.  I would have loved to do more classes but would have to be in much better shape to keep up with the younger competitors there.  I’m not sure that the competition classes are something I’d be in that kind of shape to do and manage to get in for an evening class all in the same day.  I’m glad we did that class but in the future if we visit I’d probably stick to the evening classes.   My impressions after rolling with the students of this gym are that they are not only really good but they tend to play the Mendes style game.  Very good DLR game and excellent knee slice through the half and RDLR guard.  I really appreciated the structure of the gym.  It was clear from the beginning that they have a strict curriculum that focuses on using the DLR guard to sweep and take the back…or defeat the DLR guard.  

The warm-up drills were run as if everyone knew them already because in the advanced class everyone does.  The fundamental classes we saw focused heavily on the DLR guard and would be an intermediate to advanced class in most gyms.  The other thing I liked was they didn’t waste any time during training.  Class started promptly and there wasn’t an excessive amount of time spent explaining the techniques.  There was plenty of time dedicated towards drilling and rolling. The instructors always kept timers running to make sure that time wasn’t wasted in between rounds and water breaks.

After talking to some of the students we came to find out that a good bunch of them have moved out to southern California just to train at with the Mendes Brothers.  Some commute up to 1.5 hours each way to train here. There is no doubt that Rafa and Gui have had a huge impact on the skill of the students here but it’s also apparent that these students are constantly making each other better with their ridiculous work ethic.  I hope to visit this gym in the future and highly recommend it for anyone ranging from the serious, hobbyist Jiu-Jitsu student to the high level competitor.   

Budovideos recently released a new episode of Rolled Up featuring both Rafa & Gui Mendes. They discuss their gym, philosophy, structure, etc.  There are a couple really nice techniques shown at the end.

Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhps4AkeM0U

  

The Power of the Baseball Bat Choke

The Baseball Bat choke is a very power submission that can be pulled off from a variety of positions.  I personally like to use it from a dominant position such as knee on belly, setting the choke, then moving to a north-south position to finish.  Same goes for loop chokes...which really aren't all that different.  They can be set up from a dominant position or one in that would be considered inferior and be just as effective.  We are going to just focus on the Baseball Bat choke from the inferior position.  

There are also other ways to apply this choke in a very sneaky manner.  It can be used in such a way that you can trick your opponent into setting themselves deep into the choke.  The baseball bat choke grips are rather simple.  Imagine holding a baseball bat...this is the orientation that your hands would feed into the collar your opponent.  

This can be done from closed guard, open guard, half guard...you get the idea.  The choke can only be effective if you have managed to break the posture of your opponent.  Once the grips have been set deeply into the collar, you can allow your opponent to pass your guard (essentially setting the choke even deeper). Giving up the pass can give a false impression that they are safe.  It tends to work well on those that are very aggressive to pass guard and/or haven't been burned by this choke.  Of course if you cannot finish the choke because the grips were not set up properly you will have just conceded a guard pass and gave up precious position.  I like to think of this choke as a Hail Mary of chokes.  If you were down on points and needed a quick submission to win a match then this choke could come in very handy.  

As with many things in BJJ, high level competitors will have success with positions, sweeps, or submissions which tends to start popular trends in the grappling community.  The Baseball Bat choke is definitely one that has come up due to Magid Hage's success at the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials in San Diego (2013).

This particular match happened between Zak Maxwell and Magid Hage.  

(External Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvpOSN2PnW0)

Note that Zak's coach was yelling to watch for the choke well before he began to pass.  He does attempt the armbar counter but the choke is far too deep to hang out and finish.

Who would have ever expected Magid Hage to pull this off twice in the same tournament?!!!  Here he does it again with much more dramatic effect against Clark Gracie.

(External Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87s5aRdrY1w)

The other potential problems one can experience with applying such a choke is being armbarred. Committing your arms deep into the collar in this manner gives a huge opening for your opponent should the posture and choke not be set up properly, or maybe they are fully aware of what you are doing and counteract with good timing.  Ironically it is Magid Hage again here attempting the same choke but it backfired.  You can see at the 0:50 second mark he is already setting up his first grip from a semi-open guard position which is very unorthodox.  He seemingly allows himself to be swept from the butterfly hooks and the choke is on.  His opponent immediately rolls to his back and throws up an armbar and forces the tap after a short fight.  

 
(External Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn8C_goWRWs)

The first time I ever saw this choke was via this video which has some tournament footage and the breakdown of the technique.  They simply call it a Gator Choke here.

(External Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y79QjOJ4nZ8)

Last but not least, Magid Hage just released a short video on the baseball bat choke set up.  By this point we should all understand the basic hand positioning in the collar.  What's worth noting here is the the manner in which he sets up the choke.

(External Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RtV6pJppho)

How to Avoid being choked:
1.  Do NOT allow your opponent to get the collar grips
2.  If they get the grips DO NOT pass...break the grips
3.  If you allow #1 & 2 to happen POSTURE POSTURE POSTURE.
4.  Look to counter with an armbar

No matter what you call this choke it has its place in BJJ, particularly in a tournament setting...ESPECIALLY if you are down on points and need a sub to win.  Even if you don't use them in your arsenal of submissions it's good to be familiar enough with them to recognize the trap and know how to respond to the situation.  Don't be that guy or girl that sees the "easy pass" and is waking up confused on the mat.  

IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championships 2014 Preview

The IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2014 is less than a week away.  I realized I better start working on some sort of a preview because this event gets bigger every single year it seems.  As I looked at the divisions for the heavy hitters (Adult Male Black Belts) I noticed a lot of changes this year.  There are a handful of familiar faces that usually show up and dominate either sitting out the tournament this year or simply moving around within the weight classes.  I think we may start seeing a trend of the well-established black belt champions backing off these tournaments and looking for pay-days at shows like Metamoris.  I'll do my best to summarize each division.

Black Adult Rooster (11 competitors)
The biggest thing that stood out to me for this division is the lack of big names.  Both Caio Terra (1st place 2013) and Bruno Malfacine (2nd place 2013) are not present.  The three competitors that stand to be a threat in this division are Koji Shibamoto (Tri-Force), Fabbio Passos de Alencar (Alliance), and Milton Bastos (Brasa CTA).  That said if the brackets are set up like I expect them we will probably see Fabbio Passos & Koji Shibamoto in the finals.

My pick:  Fabbio Passos de Alencar (Alliance)  Currently IBJJF ranked #8 in the Rooster division

Black Adult Light Feather (7 competitors)
The biggest notable for this division is that there are no returning medal winners from 2013.  Gui Mendes is not participating this year and rumor has it that he has retired from most regular BJJ competitions outside of big (paying) events like Metamoris.  Rafael Freitas (Gracie Barra) has moved up from Rooster and should be a contender in this division.  The real exciting thing about this division is that it will be the first Pan Championships with the Miyao brothers competing at black belt.  Both Paulo & Joao Miyao will be my picks in the finals if the brackets are set up in that manner.

My pick: Paulo Miayo (PSLPB Cicero Costha)  Not currently IBJJF ranked in Light Feather division

Black Adult Feather (23 competitors)
Not only did Gui Mendes choose to not participate in this years Pan but Rafael Mendes (1st place 2013) chose to sit it out as well.  No Cobrinha (2nd place 2013) or Augusto "Tanquinho" Mendes (3rd place)!  So that being said the division will look a bit different by Sunday.  There is still plenty to look forward to in the division this year.  Justin Rader (Ribeiro JJ / Lovato), Gianni Grippo (Alliance) making his black belt debut, Osvaldo "Queixinho" Moizinho (Brasa CTA), Samir Chantre (Brasa CTA), and Mario Sergio Reis (Alliance) will be my favorites to have an impact this year.  Both Reis and "Queixinho" had a very ugly battle at last year's 2013 Worlds in the quarterfinal if my memory serves me correctly.  I'm personally pulling for "Queixinho" to win the division this year but think that if he runs into Rader he will have a difficult time.

My pick: Mario Sergio Reis (Alliance) Currently IBJJF ranked #8 in Feather division.  He has come up with 3rd place finishes at both Pan 2013 & Worlds 2013.  I think with the absence of the big three mentioned above it will pave the way for gold.  

Black Adult Light (23 competitors)
Unlike the previous divisions we will be treated to some "regulars" that tend to dominate every year.  All three returning medal owners from Pan 2013 will be present for Pan 2014.  Lucas Lepri (Alliance / 2nd place 2013), teammate Michael Langhi (Alliance / 1st place 2013), and Jonathan Torres (Atos / 3rd place 2013) will be looking to contend for the top spot.  Throw AJ Agazarm (Gracie Barra) into the division and we will have a somewhat predictable division I think but certainly some great matches.

My pick: I know the popular pick is always Langhi & Lepri to close out the division but I'm going out on a limb this year.  I think Jonathan Torres (Atos) finally gets his gold.  Currently IBJJF ranked #9 in the Light division.  I believe that his move to Atos has only made him better and will get him over the hump this year.  

Black Adult Middle (23 competitors)
This in my opinion is probably the most stacked division talent-wise.  There are so many potentials so it is very difficult to predict who is going to win this division.  The layout of the brackets will be pretty critical for some of these guys.  I'm just going to list the following competitors as ones to watch out for.  (Note the rankings are based on division rather than overall.  Some are ranked lower than you might expect due to weight class changes.)

Carlos Diego Ferreira (Atos) Currently IBJJF ranked #18
Clark Gracie (Gracie Elite) Currently IBJJF ranked #4 & 1st place 2013
Leandro Lo (PSLPB Cicero Costha) Currently IBJJF ranked #26
Otavio Sousa (Gracie Barra) Currently IBJJF ranked #2
Victor Estima (Gracie Barra) Currently IBJJF ranked #6
Victor Henrique Silva Oliveira (GF Team) Currently IBJJF ranked #3 & 3rd place 2013
Marcelo Mafra (CheckMat) Currently IBJJF ranked #13 & 2nd place 2013
Jordon Schultz (Atos) Not currently IBJJF ranked at black belt & making his debut

My pick: Vitor Henrique Silva Oliveira (GF Team)...the guy is simply a beast.

Black Adult Medium Heavy (21 competitors)
The big notables missing from this years tournament are Andre Galvao (1st place 2013) and Romulo Barral (3rd place 2013).  We do, however, have the 2nd place medalist in Gustavo Campos (Atos) returning to make a run for gold.  The other big competitors I see at the end of the brackets are DJ Jackson (TLI) and Keenan Cornelius (Atos).

My pick: Keenan Cornelius (Atos)...why?  The guy is just awesome.  He destroyed almost everyone at brown belt in major competitions and has not disappointed thus far against high level black belts.  In the absence of Galvao and Barral this one is just a no-brainer.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Keenan and Gustavo Campos in a close-out final.  

Black Adult Heavy (14 competitors)
Rodolfo Vieira historically has not competed at Pan's in case anyone is wondering; heck I even had to check and was disappointed to see that.  That said we are left with a few household names likely to be favorites. Roberto "Tussa" Alencar (Gracie Barra / 1st place 2013), Rafael Lovato (Ribeiro JJ / Lovato), and Lucas Leite (CheckMat / 3rd place 2013) are going to be the immediate favorites.  A new addition to the division is Yuri Simoes (Brasa CTA) who appears to have changed camps from CheckMat and also dropped down in weight.

My pick: Yuri Simoes (Brasa CTA).  

Black Adult Super Heavy (12 competitors)
The division this year is devoid of it's champion from 2013, Leo Nogueira (Alliance).  There aren't a lot of names that jump out at me as I tend to snooze a bit as the divisions get heavier.  Most notable contenders to win the division are Bernardo Faria (Alliance), James Puopolo (Ribeiro JJ / Lovato), and Andre Alberto Campos (Gracie Barra / 3rd place 2013).

My pick: Bernardo Faria (Alliance)...why? Because he usually wins with his dominant half-guard game.

Black Adult Ultra Heavy (10 competitors)

This has got to be the strangest division this year.  First of all, Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida (1st place 2013) and Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu (3rd place 2013) are not competing.  I'm sure all the viewers will be disappointed but the competitors will feel a bit of relief since "Buchecha" has been so dominant.  Here are my notables competing at Ultra Heavy this year.  Andre Galvao (Atos) has jumped up in weight considerably, Alexander Trans (CheckMat / 2nd place 2013)...and...Caio Terra (Brasa CTA) has decided to make the jump from Rooster.  This should be fairly interesting especially if we get to see Caio matched up with someone like Galvao.  Anyone who has followed Caio knows he has competed in the Open divisions and has had some success but not usually at this level.  I will definitely be glued to my computer screen when he competes this year.

Update:  I have on good word that Caio is not going to be competing due to health and will be pulling from the tournament.  This has not been formally announced as of yet.

My pick: Andre Galvao (Atos).  I think he will be too fast and technical for anyone in the division this year.  Of course I'd love to see Caio in the final but wouldn't be shocked if he got knocked out by the semi-finals if he makes it that far.  

The following are competitors to watch below black belt.

Black Adult Female Light Feather (3 competitors)
Very small divisions this year.

My pick: Nyjah Michea Easton (TLI)

Black Adult Female Feather (4 competitors)

My pick: Mackenzie Dern (Gracie Humaita)...I realize she is coming off a major knee surgery but hard to bet against her.  

Black Adult Female Light (4 competitors)

My pick: Beatriz Mesquita (Gracie Humaita)

Black Adult Female Middle (3 competitors)

My pick: Luiza Monteiro (PSLPB Cicero Costha)

Black Adult Female Medium Heavy (5 competitors)

My pick: Talita Nogueira (Gracie Elite)

Black Adult Female Heavy (2 competitors)
With a lack of a certain force named Gabbi Garcia I think we will see a new champion this year.

My pick: Tammy Griego (Gracie Barra)

Brown Adult Light Feather (18 competitors)
Michael Woolf Barnato (Gracie Elite) - My pick to win division.  2013 Worlds Purple Gold

Brown Adult Feather (27 competitors)
Jacob Sandoval (Alliance)
Marcio Andre (Nova Uniao) - My pick to win the division.  He won gold at both Pan & Worlds 2013 (Purple belt).

Brown Adult Light (29 competitors)
Michael Liera Jr. (Atos) - My pick to win the division.  He won gold at both Pan & Worlds 2013.
Luan de Carvalho Alves (Nova Uniao)

Brown Adult Middle (28 competitors)
Wellingon Luis Sebastiao (PSLPB Cicero Costha) - My pick to win division

Brown Adult Medium Heavy (23 competitors)
Manuel Diaz (Brasa CTA) - My pick to win division
Shiloh Roberts (Ribeiro JJ  / Lovato)

Brown Adult Heavy (9 competitors)
Timothy Spriggs (TLI) - My pick to win division

Purple Adult Feather (59 competitors)
Edwin Najmi (Gracie Barra) - My pick to win division.  The only issue I can see is he has to avoid the DQ. He has historically had terrible luck in past major comps getting DQ'd attacking ankle locks.
Matthew Fox (GF Team)

Purple Adult Light (64 competitors)
This is probably the most talented division at purple belt and loaded with a lot of guys.
Richard Slomba (Atos) - 2013 Worlds Purple Bronze
Rolando Samson (Atos) - If you don't know this kid you need to.  2013 Worlds Gi/Nogi Blue Belt Gold.
Brandon Russell (Lovato)
Dante Leon (Ribeiro JJ) - 2013 Pan Blue Belt Gold...defeated Rolando Samson to secure it last year.

I could see Dante Leon & Roland Samson in the final if the brackets play out.  For me it's pretty much a toss-up but I'll go with Rolando Samson only because I've seen more of him.  Both guys are pretty elite.

That's it for the 2013 preview.  I'll likely have a follow-up right after the event with plenty of matches for your viewing pleasure in case you miss the action.

Brackets have JUST been posted!
http://events.ibjjf.com/sportos/application/sheet/index.php?idevent=241

The schedule is subject to change but can be viewed here:
http://ibjjf.org/championships/pan-jiu-jitsu-championship-2014-pre-schedule/

The event can be streamed live via the IBJJF website rather than Budovideos this year.
http://www.ibjjftv.com/

Some Days you're the Nail & Some Days you're the Hammer

If you've been training for more than 6 months then you've probably heard this quote.  My coach is infamous for using it.  This posting is for the newbie white belt on up through the seasoned upper belt.  I think we have all been there.  One day we walk out of the gym feeling like a champ and the next day we walk out feeling like a chump.  What gives?  This is a common dilemma that most combat athletes will be faced with on a somewhat regular basis.  This happens at ALL levels.  Let's face it, no one likes to feel the latter but if you always walk out of the gym feeling like a champ you might need to re-evaluate your goals and where you are training.

The Champ
The champ as we will call it is the grappler that is probably the best guy in the gym.  He or she comes in and regularly dominates most if not all of their rolling sessions.  They have reached a level that their teammates cannot keep up with.  This person may be super talented, a harder worker, more experienced, or a combination of the above.  One might look at the champ as a level they want to attain and there's nothing wrong with goal setting but there can be some pitfalls with this situation.  The champ may have hit a plateau and not realize it.  If the champ walks out of the gym every day not having faced the adversity of defeat or struggles throughout their training sessions one must ask:  How much is this person progressing?

I have found that the largest amount of growth I have made throughout my time training Jiu-Jitsu to be most positively affected by not always being the best guy in the gym.  My personal hope is that I will have training partners that also want to improve and constantly push me.  I feel that this is essential to making progress in the sport.  The constant pressure of quality training partners pushes myself to evolve and find new ways to work through difficult situations.  Nobody likes to lose so having training partners that are also trying to evolve and outwork you is what you hope in order to keep you sharp.  A personal tip that I will share.  When I find that I am having a lot of success with a particular move against some of my training partners...I will show them what I'm doing.  Some might ask "why in the world would you do this?"  It's simple.  If I share that information then my training partners will understand what I'm doing and start formulating ideas on how to prevent or defeat that technique.  For me it's not about winning and counting taps.  I want to refine my game and for all I know this particular technique (while it may be working at the time) could definitely be better.

Last thing I will say about "the champ."  If you feel like this is you.  Ask yourself the following:

1. What can I do to change that?
2. Do I try different classes to vary my training partners?
3. Do I need to compete more?
4. Should I consider dropping in to train at some different academies?

The Chump
NOBODY likes this feeling.  I personally loathe it.  Now that being said leaving the gym feeling defeated should serve as a strong motivator for self-evaluation.

1. What went wrong?
2. What should I have done differently?
3. How do I address it?
4. How can I implement these changes into my game?

These are the types of questions that you should ask yourself after the feeling of defeat or bad training session.  This should not be limited to training but of course competition.  This serves as an excellent learning experience when you can find a solution to your problem.

Utilize your resources: talk to your coach, training partners, upper belts, online resources, etc. There is absolutely no reason to not attempt to address something that has exposed holes in your game.  If you goal is to get better then what better way to improve?  We spend a great deal of time training techniques in the gym on a daily basis to submit, sweep, take down our opponents...but how much time do you address the holes in your game?  That is how you truly get better...learning from your mistakes.  Also, don't get caught in the dilemma of only working with upper belts.  If you find yourself working with someone below your rank that is a fantastic opportunity to let go of the ego.  Put yourself in bad spots and work out of them.  This gives your partner a chance to work offense while you work your defensive game.

So next time you have a bad rolling session and leave the gym with your head down.  That's fine. Go home, lick your wounds, and get over it.  The next day start working on fixing those problems. Take them to open mat and work with reliable training partners.  Explain your goals and have a plan. Drill with low resistance.  Once you think you have it then ask your partner to start increasing the level of resistance.  Explore what kind of additional situations can arise with the new solutions.