2013 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships Preview

The 2013 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships is just one week away!  Here is the schedule of divisions for the event.

World 2013 - Pre schedule

Thursday:

White Adult Male (Weight divisions)
White Adult Female (Weight divisions)
White Master (Weight divisions)
White Senior (Weight divisions)
Blue Adult Male (Weight divisions)

Friday:
Blue Adult Male (Open Class)
Blue Adult Female (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Purple Adult Male (Weight divisions)
Purple Adult Female (Weight divisions)
Brown Adult Male (Weight divisions)

Saturday:
White Juvenile Male (Weight divisions)
White Juvenile Female (Weight divisions)
Blue Juvenile Male (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Blue Juvenile Female (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Purple Adult Male (Open Class)
Purple Adult Female (Open Class)
Brown Adult Male (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Brown Adult Female (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Black Adult Male (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Black Adult Female (Weight divisions and Open Class)

Sunday:
Black Adult Male
Black Adult Female

*This pre-schedule just inform the days of each division will be run, not necessarily in this order. The complete schedule with the times and the order of each division will start will be released on May 25th.

Preview & Predictions:

Black Belt (Rooster) Reigning 2012 Champion - Bruno Malfacine (Alliance)
Caio Terra had originally registered for Light Feather but after realizing that his weight was too low for the division he has since moved back down to Rooster.  We are likely to see another Bruno Malfacine / Caio Terra final this year.  Malfacine won a very close ref decision last year at the Mundials and Caio most recently won their meeting at Pan in the Spring.  Should they meet again in the finals expect to see another close battle.  Watch for Fabio Passos (Alliance) to try and exact some revenge should he meet up with Caio again.  They battled to a very close ref decision at Pan 2013 earlier this year.

Black Belt (Light Feather)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Gui Mendes (Atos)
With Caio no longer in this division our desire to see a new challenge for Gui will have to wait a little bit longer as Caio's made it clear he wants to move up in weight.  It's good to see that Ary Farias is back in the division this year and there's a good chance we see Atos closing out in the final.  Laercio Fernandes (Alliance) lost a very competitive final against Gui Mendes at Pan 2013 so he will no doubt be a factor again at Light Feather.  Watch for Carlos Vieira Holanda (CheckMat) to be another guy to watch.

Black Belt (Feather)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Rafael Mendes (Atos)
History tells you not only that we should see Cobrinha and Rafa Mendes in the final but that Mendes will win.  Last year Mendes not only defeated Cobrinha but he did so in epic fashion finishing a nasty armbar at Pan.  Their other more recent matches have ended with Rafa winning very close matches via points or ref decisions.  I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that we see Tanquinho (Soul Fighters) and Rafa Mendes in the final this year.  Tanquinho recently defeated Cobrinha at Abu Dhabi so he will have confidence at this years Mundials.

Black Belt (Light)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Leandro Lo (PSLPB Cicero Costha)
Lightweight is stacked with a lot of talent this year.  Lucas Lepri (Alliance), Michael Langhi (Alliance), Jonathan Torres (Atos), Roberto Satoshi (Atos) just to name a handful of competitors that could easily land in the finals.  It's really difficult to bet against Leandro Lo to repeat this year. I'm excited to see how the brackets will be set up for this division.

Black Belt (Middle)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Otavio Souza (Gracie Barra)
Again, another division loaded with talent and it's hard to pick the final without seeing how the brackets lay out.  Clark Gracie (Gracie JJ) will be an early favorite having disposed of Marcelo Mafra (CheckMat) at Pan 2013.  You can't count out the likes of Lucas Rocha (Gracie Barra), Davi Ramos (Atos), Claudio Calasans (Atos), Victor Estima (Gracie Barra), and DJ Jackson (TLI).

Black Belt (Medium-Heavy)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Romulo Barral (Gracie Barra)
Often injured Romulo Barral claims he will be ready for the tournament but one has to wonder if his knee will hold up.  I hope he stays healthy to be a factor but anything is possible.  Watch for Braulio Estima (Gracie Barra), Abmar Barbosa (Drysdale BJJ), Tarsis Humphreys (Alliance), and of course Andre Galvao (Atos) to be the favorites to go deep in the brackets.

Black Belt (Heavy)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Rodolfo Vieira (GF Team)
There are some interesting potential match-ups this year at Heavy.  Rafael Lovato (Ribeiro BJJ), Xande Ribeiro (Ribeiro BJJ), Rodolfo Vieira (GT Team) will be heavily favored.  Rico Bastos (Nova Uniao) is an underdog that is likely to show up at the end of the brackets having lost very close matches to both Xande at Masters/Seniors 2012, and against Lovato at the Houston Open 2013.

Black Belt (Super Heavy)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Leonardo Nogueira (Alliance)
It may sound like old hat but we may see another final close out between Bernardo Farias (Alliance) and Leo Nogueira (Alliance).  I hope that they will be pushed hard by the likes of Bruno Bastos (Nova Uniao), Joao Assis (CheckMat), and Leonardo Leite (Alliance).

Black Belt (Ultra Heavy)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida
I think that there will be some very good matches at Ultra heavy this year.  We will get to see who can attempt to knock the seemingly unbeatable Buchecha off his throne.  When was the last time this guy lost?!  Watch for Alexander Trans (CheckMat), Rodrigo Cavaca (CheckMat), Orlando Sanchez (Gracie Barra), Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu (Fight Sports), and Gabriel Garcia (Ralph Gracie) to try their best.  Should be an exciting division to watch.

Previously Budovideos has provided the online stream broadcast.  This year's Mundials will be broadcast on www.ibjjftv.com

Update!!!
The Brackets are now available here:
http://ifightinpajamas.blogspot.com/2013/05/2013-ibjjf-world-championship-brackets.html

Bull Terrier Master Series #1 Gi Review

Bull Terrier is a Japanese brand of kimonos that I have had very little exposure to until recently.  They are well known for sponsoring athletes such as the Mendes Brothers, Cobrinha, and Roberto "Satoshi" De Souza just to name a few.  They are well known for their flashy gi's that make a bold statement.  Bull Terrier does offer a variety of gi's from flashy to toned down for those that aren't looking to make a fashion statement on the mats.  I do particularly like the look of some of their bling gi's such as the Mushin #2 and New Star but opted for something with less flash...the Master Series #1.  The gi featured in this review is an A1.

Design
I feel like Bull Terrier has done a great job with the design of the Master Series #1 gi.  It is pretty straight forward in terms of design.  It is a solid colored gi that features white contrast stitching throughout.  There are very few patches on this gi and instead Bull Terrier has implemented some accented embroidery.  There are a handful of small bats embroidered on the front right panel of the kimono along with the Master Series logos embroidered on each shoulder of the sleeves.  In addition to this there are a couple small Bull Terrier Master Series patches stitched onto the bottom of the jacket and behind the collar.  There is no fancy taping insides the cuffs of the sleeves or tattooed designs inside the jacket.  The inner portion of the jacket does feature some tasteful red taping along the bottom.  The skirt openings of the jacket feature white vents which look good and accent the jacket well.  The pants are equally as simplistic in design.  The top of the trousers feature a small patch and the similar bats embroidered on the opposite side.  Contrast stitching is used on the pants consistent with the jacket.

Construction
This is a pretty light gi weighing approximately 2.4 pounds!  It is made of 100% cotton and did I mention it's light?!  The stitching throughout this gi is very good.  It is very difficult to hide spotty craftsmanship when using contrast stitching.  I have inspected this gi from top to bottom and can't find any problems in that area.  The jacket features a one piece back and the armpits have reinforcement inside.  The collar seems to be rubberized and quite sturdy.  It's not too thick or thin.  I would say it's about average in terms of thickness.

The pants feel to be a lightweight canvas that is again 100% cotton. They are not overly stiff and have a nice feel to them.  The craftsmanship is excellent.  The cuffs of the pants are similar to the jacket; there is no taping here.  While some might prefer the look of taping I can honestly say I'm okay without it.  Sometimes the taping can be abrasive and simply not worth the accent that it provides.  The pants sport reinforced knee pads that are adequately long and provide a small amount of cushion.  They could be a little thicker in my opinion.  The pants are held up with a flat drawstring and a peculiar single loop in the middle of the pants which I found strange.  This requires the drawstring to be tied near your left hip.  I don't feel that it's particularly difficult to tie the pants but feel that the pants would be better served with a more traditional loop system in place.

Fit
Being 5'7", 150lbs I opted for an A1.  I knew this was going to be a little risky as my measurements put me more comfortably into an A2 but I really didn't want an overly large gi.  After trying the gi on right out of the bag it was clear I wouldn't be running this gi through the dryer anytime soon.  My first impressions were that the jacket is a bit stiff.  The skirt and sleeves are noticeably short and would definitely fail an IBJJF inspection.  That said the jacket is super light and comfortable for being so stiff.  The pants are super comfortable and a little short.  They are far from baggy which I really like.  I dislike baggy pants and these trousers feel like they were tailored for me specifically.

Destined to fail an inspection

Rolling Impressions
I can't say enough good things about how this gi fits and perform while training.  The gi is super light. As light as this gi is it doesn't seem to suffer from some of the issues other lightweight gi's experience such as stretching in the sleeves.  Due to the lightweight cotton it never feels overly weighed down with sweat during long training sessions.  I suppose my only complaints about the gi is that it's just a tad too small.  The short length of the skirt does require adjustment somewhat frequently but it isn't too bothersome.  The excellent fit of the pants prevents opponents from being able to find easy grips which I really like.  I feel like I can move around stealthily in this gi without my opponents getting an easy handle on either the jacket or pants.


Measurements
As previously noted, this is an A1 sized gi and I found it to be very snug to small fit on myself.  That said I have only washed it on cold and allowed it to hang dry in my house.  I have thrown it in the dryer a couple times on air dry only with a dryer sheet to try and soften up the jacket.

Closing Thoughts
I love this gi for training due to it's lightweight feel and fit.  I do wish the gi was a tad larger making it IBJJF legal but that is ultimately my fault.  From what I have read others feel that these gi's tend to run a bit small.  I do have to wonder how an A2 would have fared and will likely go with the larger size in the future.  I enjoy the basic look of the blue and white contrast stitching.  I feel like this is a great looking gi without going over the top with lots of patches and excessive embroidery.  I look forward to trying some other Bull Terrier gi's in 2013 and hope to find one that fits me a bit better so I can use them in competitions.

Strength & Cardio Conditioning for Grappling

There is a lot of debate as to the type and amount of strength conditioning one should focus on while prepping for a tournament.  I'm not a strength/conditioning coach but I will share what has worked for me.  I have trained at a CrossFit gym and have experienced the positives and negatives of incorporating such training into a grappling schedule. When I did CrossFit I found that it was too randomized and left me super sore.  So sore that sometimes it was hurting my Jiu-Jitsu training.  I'm not an anti-CF advocate but feel it can be VERY useful if tailored for your needs.  I think that the most important thing is that whatever program you choose doesn't hamper what you're doing on the mats.  Don't train to the point that you can't move the next day.  You have to find the happy medium so that you don't run into diminishing returns.  I like to utilize a CrossFit approach but choose movements that are compound.  Here is a sample workout I used recently for the IBJJF Open in Houston.

15 minutes for time
10 kettle bell power cleans per arm
10 swings per arm sledgehammer tire
10 tire flips
10 burpees

I like workouts like this that push your body and lungs.  I strive to do a couple workouts like this per week while prepping for a tournament.  You might be capable of more but to me the idea is to push yourself hard but not to failure.

A couple more workouts I used recently for the IBJJF Dallas Open:

For time
50 burpees
50 sit-ups
40 burpees
40 sit-ups
30 burpees
30 sit-ups
20 burpees
20 sit-ups
10 burpees
10 sit-ups

15 minutes for time
bear crawl or gorilla walk down the length of the mat and back
20 sit-ups
20 burpees

Rolling vs Drilling
I think it is vital that a good percentage of training should be dedicated towards rolling.  I also think it's important to vary your rolling partners.  Everyone knows that once you figure out someones game things change a lot.  If you are regularly beating up the same one or two guys it's probably not going to help a lot once you go up against someone better in competition and they inevitably put you in a bad position you cannot escape from.  That being said it's a good idea to push yourself against a variety of opponents with varying levels of skill.

Another important thing is to push your cardio during rolls.  If you are constantly tapping out due to fatigue what is going to happen when you are tired during a tournament?  Regularly quitting on yourself is not likely to yield positive results.  There is a large degree of mental fortitude that must be gained in training.  Some call it heart but it's priceless when you have to find an additional gear to gut out a win.

I believe that there is a delicate balance between rolling versus drilling.  If you do not allow enough time to learn and develop a technique it's going to be difficult to pull off during a live roll.  I spend countless hours drilling.  Truth be told I drill far more than I roll.  I drill a technique until I'm blue in the face and make sure that I fully understand how it works.  Once I have a grasp of the technique I will experiment with it and ask my training partner to defend 50% and play more with the positions.  The idea is to slowly ramp up the resistance.  Once I feel as though a technique is well understood I will set a timer and drill that move or sequence of moves for 5 minutes straight.  I  believe it is vital to build muscle memory when the body is tired.  I read a great article over on DSTRYRsg.com "Drill to Win" and it has changed my perspective on drilling.  How can you expect your body to react and pull off techniques that you primarily drill when you are fresh?  Building muscle memory and the sensitivity to execute a technique while tired is vital to translate well for competition.  It may not sound like a lot of work to work a De La Riva guard pass to back mount repeatedly for 5 minutes but it can be exhausting.  This is another way that I work on my cardio.

Related Articles:
http://ifightinpajamas.blogspot.com/2013/03/whats-your-motivation-to-compete.html

Don't be Duped into Buying a Fake Jiu-Jitsu Gi

There is always somewhere out there looking to make a buck and cash in on unsuspecting buyers in the web marketplace.  Most notably eBay seems to be chock full of scam artists and you need to be careful when shopping online.  Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a growing sport and due to that a lot of people are finding ways to make money.  Sometimes unauthentic versions of popular gi's are produced and sold for a considerable profit on e-commerce sites such as eBay.  There are some things you need to watch out for to avoid being duped into buying a fake.

We will examine one of the most often copied gi's to date...Lucky Gi.  Lucky Gi is a relatively small outfit that aren't regularly available for purchase.  Scott from OTM www.onthemat.com and www.myluckygi.com has been producing Lucky Gi's for some time now.  They are not cheap by any stretch running around $250 or more depending on the particular model.  I have seen these gi's in person and they are very high quality.  The newer models featuring Bamboo fabric are REALLY nice and one I hope to add to my collection soon.

Getting back on track...eBay just seems to be littered with cheap Chinese copies of the older model gi that was made popular back in 2007-2008.  Believe it or not there are copies of this gi still floating around.   Many ads will claim that they were "extras, a blemished item / factory seconds," or something as simple as "Brand New Lucky Gi."  I recently came across an ad that seemed too good to be true.  It claimed it was a Real Lucky Gi with tags.  Most of the ads for these fakes don't go as far as to say that because such a claim is quite easy to argue against.  Real Lucky Gi's for these models were produced in Pakistan.

Here is the ad in question.

Something the seller did that was a bit clever was crop out "MADE IN CHINA" on the Lucky Gi tag inside the jacket (bottom left picture).  That wasn't a coincidence.  Something else worth noting is that the weight of the jacket wasn't even correct.  It was a pearl weave jacket as opposed to a gold weave which was specific to the older, authentic Lucky Gi's.  The pants lacked any real padding in the knees which is another tell tale sign of a fake.  Note that the newer Lucky Gi's feature a 520 Light weight Platinum weave jacket.

So what are some things to check for to avoid a fake?

1. Is the gi new?  If so ask for receipts to verify it.  
2. Do they offer a Buy It Now option?  If the gi is new and the Buy It Now option is cheaper than what it would cost to buy it brand new you have to wonder if it's too good to be true. 
3. If the gi is new and missing tags it might be a fake.  
4. If it claims to be Factory Seconds it might be a fake.
5. Use common sense and don't make any rushed decisions.
6. If you do decide to bid on an eBay item I HIGHLY recommend using a credit card as method for payment as opposed to a checking account.  You have a much better chance at disputing the sale of something and recovering your money should something come up.  
7. This may seem super obvious but make sure to check the sellers feedback.  You'd be surprised how often some of the eBay sellers have sold the same fake gi and even used the same pictures in each ad.  That's pretty blatant if they have sold various sizes of the same gi on numerous occasions.  
8. If you see something questionable ask the seller questions.  If they don't provide sufficient answers pass on it.  You can also post on message forums such as Sherdog.com (grappling forum, and equipment forums) to get opinions from other people. 
9. Fakes notoriously will be missing something that the authentic version had.  For example, I have read that some of the fake 7th Son Shoyoroll gi's were missing the typical SYR taping on the inside and Rasta tape on the bottom seam.  Familiarize yourself with the small details of the gi you are interested in and compare it against the one for sale.  If they can't prove it's the real deal simply pass on it.  
10. Buy from reputable sellers.  This includes both personal sellers and online merchants.  

If you purchased a gi on eBay that is a fake you are in luck.  Fortunately eBay is set up to give the buyers a good amount of recourse and leverage when dealing with bad situations like this.

1. First I would recommend contacting the seller and discuss with them your dissatisfaction with the product in a calm, non-threatening manner. 
2. Ask that the item be refunded and keep a paper trail of everything through the eBay messaging system.  
3. DO use signature/delivery confirmation to cover yourself in the event they claim you never sent the item back.  
4. If the seller is non-compliant then you're going to have to report them to eBay and file a complaint with your credit card company/PayPal.  

Some people may not care if the gi they purchase is authentic or not.  I for one do care and absolutely hate scammers.  Use good judgement when dealing with individuals on the Internet.  Sometimes trying to cut corners and save some money may cost you more in the long run.

Related Links:
http://myluckygi.com/rash-of-fake-lucky-gis-on-ebay/

Awesome Armbar & Kimura Defense

Let's be honest...who hasn't been caught in a kimura lock on bottom and not just grabbed their belt hanging on for dear life?  It has happened to me enough times and I don't believe anyone has ever showed me the proper methods for escaping this terrible position.  To make matters worse it can easily be transitioned into an armbar.  I ran across this very detailed video by Rodrigo Pagani, a black belt under Saulo Ribiero.  He shows excellent detail how to escape both of these terrible situations.

Not sure why the video won't embed but follow the link for the video.  Well worth your time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=i6Vakv5EL2A#!

Taping Busted Fingers

If you spend a lot of time training in the gi (like me) then you've likely suffered some injuries to your fingers/joints.  The grip game can be brutal at times and can even lead to time off the mat if bad enough.  A training partner showed me this video recently and I found it to be incredibly useful.  I'm one of those people that tapes their busted fingers and toes in a very inefficient manner which usually results in the tape falling off after 30 minutes of training.  

Link for mobile users: http://youtu.be/xaNdxHisd4k

You can purchase tape that is already cut in narrow rolls or simply just cut it yourself.

http://tapeyourfingers.com/

2013 IBJJF Pans (Post Thoughts)

The IBJJF 2013 Pan Championship has come and gone.  This year was bigger than ever spanning over the course of five days.  While the Pan may not be considered the most coveted tournament it seems to be the most attended each year which begs the question..."Why is it NOT the most coveted title?"  There were a few big names missing from the black belt brackets this year as some are heavily focused on other tournaments such as the Abu Dhabi Pro.  Such names as Lovato, Rodolfo, Farias, & Marcelo Garcia just to name a few did not compete this year.  As usual, Budovideos did an excellent job of providing streaming coverage which aerial mat views and selectable mats.  The commentary was top notch as well with the likes of Budo Jake, Shawn Williams, and guests like Kurt Osiander popping in.

In Black Belt action:
Caio Terra defeated Bruno Malficine (points)
Guilherme Mendes defeated Laercio Fernandes (points)
Rafael Mendes defeated Cobrinha (points)
Michael Langhi closed out with teammate Lucas Lepri
Clark Gracie defeated Marcelo Mafra in epic fashion (submission)
Andre Galvao defeated Gustavo Campos
Roberto Alencar "Tussa" defeated Nivaldo Lima (points)
Leo Nogueira defeated Gabriel Vella
Marcus Almeida "Buchecha" defeated Alexander Trans

Open Weight
Marcus Almeida "Buchecha" defeated Andre Galvao (points)

In Brown Belt action:
Joao Miyao took gold in Light Feather
Paulo Miyao took gold defeating Gianni Grippo by choke at Feather
Rafael Henrique Pereira defeated reigning Pan champ AJ Agazarm
Keenan Cornelius took double gold in his weight and the open

Noteworthy:

• Michael Liera Jr (Atos Purple belt) is one to watch as he is becoming very dominant.  He took double gold in his weight and the open.  We will continue to see big things from him.  
• Marcio Andre (Nova Uniao Purple belt) followed up his 2012 Worlds title with a gold at Pan.  He will probably be promoted to brown before the next Worlds tournament.
• Say what you want about the Miyao Bros and Gianni Grippo but their De la Riva/Berimbolo game looked very dominant all day Sunday.  
• Keenan looked as dominant as ever quieting critics that the TLI drama and move to Atos might disrupt his concentration.  
• Rafael Pereira's win over AJ Agazarm at Brown Light came as a big surprise since Rafael's performance in the Brown Belt Kumite was less than stellar.  
• Sean Roberts (Ralph Gracie) got his wish and faced Leandro Lo in the 2nd round of his weight class where he was dominated 43-0 before being submitted by Lo.  You have to give Sean credit for competing at the Pan after receiving his black belt just a week prior.  
• The Great Kurt Osiander took gold in his respective division.
• Cobrinha loses another close final to Rafa Mendes.  I do feel Rafa outworked him at the end of the match getting the decision.  One has to think that Cobrinha will have to truly beat Rafa by points or sub if he is going to get over the hump.  Ref decisions have not been good to him.  
• I was happy to see Caio Terra break out of his funk against Bruno Malficine.  Bruno looked unstoppable on Sunday and Caio executed a brilliant game plan scoring late in the match threatening with a calf slicer at the end.  Caio seemed calm and collected throughout the entire match.  
• Clark Gracie was impressive with his aggressive omoplatas all day.  Good to see him capture gold.  One of the best finals on Sunday.  See the video below.
• I can't say enough good things about Buchecha.  Many people hate watching the bigger guys compete because they can be boring. You never seem to get this with Buchecha.  He moves with the speed and technique of a Lightweight.  The absolute final between him and Galvao was epic.  

Clark Gracie vs Marcelo Mafra (Medium Final)

Buchecha vs Andre Galvao (Open Final)

AJ Agazarm vs Rafael Henrique Pereira (Light Final)

Caio Terra vs Bruno Malficine (Rooster Final)

                          

                                    Paulo Miyao vs Gianni Grippo (Feather Final)

Keenan Cornelius vs J. Miyao (Brown Belt Open Semi-Final)

Black Belt Finals HL's

Academy Results

Novice:

1 - Gracie Barra - 46
2 - Lotus Club Jiu-Jitsu - 34
3 - Gracie Elite Team - 31 

Adult Male:

1 - Alliance - 85
2 - Atos Jiu-Jitsu - 83
3 - Gracie Elite Team - 36 

Adult Female:

1 - Alliance - 43
2 - Gracie Humaita - 31
3 - Atos Jiu-Jitsu - 30 

Juvenile:

1 - Gracie Elite Team - 39
2 - Alliance - 36
3 - Gracie Barra - 19 

Master and Senior:

1 - Gracie Barra - 199
2 - Alliance - 142
3 - Gracie Elite Team - 129 

All results can be found here: https://www.ibjjfdb.com/Campeonato/PublicResults?

CampeonatoId=162&CultureInfo=en-US