The Miyao Brothers are COMING!

Unless you've been living under a rock there has been much chatter on social media groups about the two phenomenal Japanese/Brazilian twins finally making their move to the United States.  A new gym in New York City known as Unity Jiu-Jitsu is very close to opening their academy.  From what I have gathered Murilo Santana will be running the gym and of course the bolo twins of Joao and Paulo Miyao will be training and possibly teaching to some degree.  It sounds like the intent of this move is for them to re-focus their training in the Big Apple and capture some World Championships at the Black Belt level.  They have spent a great deal of training during their time in Jiu-Jitsu under the banner of Cicero Costha which is also well known for developing the talents of Leandro Lo.




Pretty exciting stuff right?!  If you don't know where these talented brothers come from then take a minute to watch this excellent piece by BJJ Hacks which focuses on training at Cicero Costha gym.  I know quite a few local competitors that have recently visited the Sao Paulo gym for some training. It's a different world training in Brazil I can promise you that much.

Link for mobile users:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20040Wr2ng0 )

Murilo Santana vs Lucas Leite (Nogi Worlds 2013)

Link for mobile users:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1cZt8hWMZ0&feature=youtu.be)

New York City is just packed with some talented schools you could takes weeks of vacation to visit all of them.  Off the top of my head there is Marcelo Garcia Academy, Renzo Gracie, Vitor Shaolin, and the addition of Unity Jiu-Jitsu is just amazing as there are all fairly close in proximity.  There are many other schools already in the area...you just can't go wrong picking a school or selecting a few to drop-in for some training.  I could easily exhaust my vacation days for 2015 trying any of these schools and not get to nearly all of them.  

Links:

https://unityjiujitsu.com/

https://www.facebook.com/unitybjj/info?tab=overview

http://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/murilo-santana-facts-and-bio

http://bjjhacks.com/

Anthony Bourdain on Cooking and Jiu-Jitsu (Charlie Rose 12-2-14)

Do you know who Anthony Bourdain is?  If you don't you probably need to know.  Everyone loves food and he is a food NERD.  He's as nerdy about food as most of us are about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He had a well known show on the Travel Channel about culinary and cultural adventures known as No Reservations & The Layover.  From here he gained national notice and his talents moved over to CNN where he currently hosts Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.  In a nut-shell...he travels all over, specifically NOT tourist attractions looking for delicious, "unknown" places to eat excellent food.  He is not limited to visiting places within our United States.  He visits exotic countries leaving few stones un-turned.

So some may be asking...why in the heck is this being posted on a Jiu-Jitsu blog site?  Well he has a passion for Jiu-Jitsu like most of us.  The only difference is he is a well known celebrity and I find it really cool to see how far Jiu-Jitsu reaches out and has an impact on the lives of people outside of the normal population.

To a degree I can relate to Bourdain as I myself started training Jiu-Jitsu at an older age (30) and have a lot of respect for his approach to training and enjoying the sport.  From what I have seen and read about Bourdain he is really down to earth and has very little ego on the mats.  Like many of us he sees it as a challenge to help better himself and of course he enjoys the learning aspect of it.

I don't have any particular desire to see our sport be adopted by the majority of people...I think that it feels more special when you can relate to the minority of people that share the passion...so seeing someone on occasion that seems to be the last person you might expect to also share that passion makes it a little extra special.

Ironically, Anthony Bourdain's wife, Ottavia, is the one responsible for exposing him to Jiu-Jitsu.
I highly recommend reading more about their relationship with Jiu-Jitsu here: http://www.sbnation.com/2014/1/22/5334360/anthony-bourdain-interview-mma-jiu-jitsu-training  (EXCELLENT INTERVIEW)

His wife, Ottavia, regularly competes and is very dedicated to Jiu-Jitsu.  Serves her right.  She needs some hobbies while her husband is traveling the world working on his tv show!

Anthony Bourdain & his wife Ottavia

Ready to get a little jealous?  Bourdain with his star power obviously has opportunities to train with some high level grapplers.  I regularly see him sporting Shoyoroll gear and recently saw pictures of him training with Cyborg!

For those interested in seeing what Bourdain is up to be it his travels, food, or Jiu-Jitsu exploits I HIGHLY recommend following him on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AnthonyBourdain?fref=ts

I had known about his passion for Jiu-Jitsu for a while and seeing this recent video of Bourdain on the Charlie Rose show motivated me to put a small piece together to share with those that might not be aware of him.

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

Related Links:
http://www.sbnation.com/2014/1/22/5334360/anthony-bourdain-interview-mma-jiu-jitsu-training
http://www.cnn.com/video/shows/anthony-bourdain-parts-unknown/
https://www.facebook.com/AnthonyBourdain?fref=ts
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdd2PR4LCndEIOoQsN_aLMQ

Get to Know: Collin Grayson (Caio Terra Association)

I had the opportunity to meet Collin Grayson shortly after I started training Jiu-Jitsu in early 2008. He was hosting Marcelo Garcia for a seminar and I was lucky enough to attend...even if I could barely tie my own belt.  Fast forward to 2014 and Collin is still teaching Jiu-Jitsu in both Rockwall and Irving under the Caio Terra Association.  

When did you start training?

-January 28, 2002

When did you receive your Black Belt and from whom?

-I received my Black Belt on December 28, 2011 from Jose Reyes

What should a new student focus on?

-Having fun first and foremost.  Experiencing the culture of jiu-jitsu, seeing how it changes people, meeting new friends, setting new goals, acquiring a mentor, etc.  That is what creates a lifelong BJJ’er – not the techniques.  The techniques are simply a means to an end.

What would you change about how you approached training Jiu-Jitsu if you had to go back and start all over again?

-Drill more.  Recognize that rolling/training is merely the output of the input.

How important is competition for development?

-I think it develops character and is good for self-evaluation.  Not necessary for developing good technique though.  Hard work and honest partners can create that.

Collin Grayson (CTA) vs Kelly Rundle (Alliance)

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4Fs4wXQ1gY)

How do you feel about students cross-training at other gyms?

-Learn whatever you can!  Just be sure to share it!

How do you feel about supplementing training with other forms of physical activity such as lifting weights, crossfit, running, swimming, etc? 

-If you want to be good at Jiu-Jitsu, train Jiu-Jitsu.

Do you feel like the BJJ is becoming watered down due to the ease of people uploading instructional videos on sites like YouTube?

-Not watered down, but the evolution of BJJ has changed dramatically.  Advanced techniques are being hit at a much lower belt level

What are your thoughts on rolling versus drilling?

-Rolling should be secondary, drilling helps to develop the tools you use when rolling.

Do you use supplements?   How do you stay healthy? 

-Fish Oil, Flax Oil, Glucosamine & Chondroitin

What do you recommend for training preparation?

-Stretching, eating a light meal 90 mins prior, and having a teaspoon of honey 10 minutes prior

Do you think training wrestling and judo is important?  

-At least enough to defend against it

As an instructor, what does your training consist of trying to balance teaching vs training?  Give an example of a typical week of training for you. 

-Teach 7 classes per week – try to drill and roll as much as possible without taking away from the students instruction.  Also cross-train at other gyms when possible.

Do you continue to study new (modern) Jiu-Jitsu and how do you go about that?  Do you train with other black belts in other gyms, affiliations, etc? 

-Yes – via www.caioterra.com.  Study new techniques and drill them with BB Mark Stites on the weekends.

What is the worst injury you have experienced while training? 

-Torn MCL

Is there anything interesting you would like to say about yourself or any opinions you have on the current state of BJJ?

-I think it’s awesome…there will never be a set of rules that please everyone.  As BJJ evolves, the rules will as well.  The constant evolution is what keeps it fresh, interesting, and fun!

Collin Grayson recently promoted his first Black Belt and
longtime friend Mark Stites who also teaches at the Rockwall location. 

Not only is Collin an excellent instructor but he's also well known for bringing in some of the best talent for seminars throughout the year.  If you have a chance to drop in and train with his group I highly recommend it.  As mentioned earlier, Collin operates out of both Rockwall and Irving, TX. His locations can be found at:

811 E. Yellow Jacket Ln

Rockwall, TX 75087 

(Located inside  of Ridge Pointe Athletic Club)

612 South Valley Ranch Parkway

Irving, TX 75063

(George Prevalsky's Boxing & Muay Thai Boxing Club)

Related Links:

http://ctarockwall.com/

http://caioterra.com/

http://ifightinpajamas.blogspot.com/2013/08/caio-terra-seminar-review.html

http://ifightinpajamas.blogspot.com/2012/06/interview-with-caio-terra.html

Robson Moura Brown Belt Requirement 2.0 DVD Review

This is the purple to brown belt requirements DVD and his second offering of a similar series now dubbed 2.0.  The DVD features Robson Moura and his black belt Jeff Mitchell.  The beginning of the video is worth a minute to watch and reflect on Robson's opinion about being a brown belt and working on the transition to black belt.

"To me brown belt is one step to be a black belt and you must be able to put all the pieces and combinations together.  You don't want to be a black belt and continue making the same mistakes.  At brown belt level you really have to begin putting everything all together.  At brown belt you really have to fix all the gaps, the problems to make everything flow and be ready for the black belt level."

Let me preface by saying that this instructional isn't the typical, here's a move, then another, then another.  Robson and Jeff both discuss options and commonly encountered issues with nearly all the moves which gives it a natural feel and provides a nice flow.

1a. Combination Attacks in Full (Closed Guard)

In this section Robson shows one of his favorite ways to set up the omoplata.  He likes to utilize a same side sleeve grip for the targeted shoulder and pivots his body in order to create the lock on the shoulder.  Here he shows some nice details on how to break down his opponent and finish the shoulder lock.

He moves on to show an alternative back-take option when he cannot break his opponent's posture from the omoplata position and finishes with a choke.

There is a third option (armbar) when your opponent tries to use the typical shoulder roll to relieve the shoulder lock pressure that is also very sneaky.

2a. Countering Stand-Up Full Guard Pass

I really like this series which features the opponent standing up while in the closed guard.  Rather than forcing to keep the guard closed Robson uses a slick transition by over-hooking the outside leg (similar to an ankle lock) and moving into X-guard.  From the X-guard position Robson shows a sweep based on posture control landing in knee on belly/side mount.  An armbar option is also shown as he finishes the sweep.

2b. Countering Stand-Up Full Guard Pass (continued)

Robson shows two additional sweep options when he cannot control his opponents posture via the lapel.

3a. Spider Guard Front Side Pass

Robson begins showing how to deal with the spider guard while his opponent has a lasso and bicep control.  He likes to utilize a low base with forward pressure to remove the bicep grip.  He transitions with a knee over pass to finish.  This is a great pass for those that prefer to  pass low and/or on the knees.

3b. Spider Guard Backside Pass

Robson focuses on smashing the legs together in a leg drag fashion.  This is a variation I have not seen before.  It appears to create a nice opportunity to take the back of the opponent.  He is essentially faking a guard pass to the conventional side and switching to the opposite side to complete the movement.

4a. Foot Locks

If you have seen Robson's 93 Guard then this will look familiar.  Robson begins in the half guard and utilizes his 93 Guard to sweep his opponent.  From here he attacks for an ankle lock on the sweeping side rather than coming up to complete the pass/sweep.

4b. Foot Locks (continued)

Straight ankle lock escapes are covered utilizing lapel control, clearing the leg and sitting up into a dominant position courtesy of Jeff Mitchell.

4c. Foot Locks (continued)

Robson adds one of his preferred methods of escaping the ankle lock.

5a. Countering Single Leg to Back Take

This is an excellent opportunity to take back of opponent attacking a single leg while they are ground on the knees.  It is particularly effective if you cannot sprawl hard enough to remove the grip on your leg.

5b. Countering Single Leg to Back Take (continued)

Working from the same position Robson shows a shoulder roll that lands his opponent in an omoplata.

5c. Countering Single Leg to Back Take (continued)

Further exploring options from the single leg attempt Robson shows a darce choke.  Lots of details are shown when it is difficult to get the arm deep enough to finish the darce.  When this happens there is a great ezekiel choke opportunity that Robson covers.

To finish things up they have included a nice collection of bloopers that they encountered while shooting the video of techniques which is always amusing.  That about sums up the content on this disk.  It is not the largest instructional DVD in my library but what it does show is all very good material a lot of which I have never seen before.  Nothing too flashy rather technique that seems reasonable for most BJJ practitioners to pull off with some practice.  I think that this is a well valued DVD instructional at it's price point of $35 I and feel that most people blue belt to black belt would appreciate the content.

DVD's & gear can be purchased here:

http://store.robsonmoura.com/category_s/1517.htm
http://robsonmoura.com/rmnu/

Get to Know: Bruno Bastos

This is a new section of the blog I am starting that is intended to bring fans of Jiu-Jitsu a little closer to some interesting and talented people in the sport and help promote them.  Our first feature will focus on Bruno Bastos originally from Rio de Janeiro.  Bruno and his family live out in Midland, TX and run a very successful gym along with affiliates located just east in the Dallas area.  Bruno Bastos has had a positive impact bringing his brand of Jiu-Jitsu to our State and can regularly be seen on the podium at most of the larger IBJJF events.  In addition to competing he has developed many World Champions at various ranks. 

When did you start training?

-I started training young. I was 10 years old.

When did you receive your Black Belt and from whom?

-I received my Black Belt from Professor Wendell Alexander when I was 20 years old. It came after I beat 3 black belts in a Grappling Tournament. Unforgettable!

What do you feel a new student should focus on? 

-Focus on simple moves that can be use with Gi, without Gi and Self Defense situation. That's how I start my students from every age.

What would you change about how you approached training Jiu-Jitsu if you had to go back and start all over again?

-I wouldn't change anything. All the Professors that I had in my life made me become successful because of the way I learn from them. It wasn't easy but it was worth for sure!

How important is competition for development?

-Very important because Life is all about competition with take a look. You're competing for everything. It's very important understand wins, loses and how to be competitive in a competitive World.

How do you feel about students cross-training at other gyms?

-I'm not a fan maybe because I learned on the old school way but I never tell me students to don't do it because end of the day, they will prove to other that my job is well done and from that I'm able to receive visitors who can become my students once learn from me.

How do you feel about supplementing training with other forms of physical activity such as lifting weights, crossfit, running, swimming, etc?

-You must do extra work if you want to have athlete life style. So it's important for sure. But if that's not your goal(be an athlete), than I believe it isn't necessary. Sure better shape you have, easier gonna be the process, but lot people don't have time because of work, college, family, etc...

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBNjk91cKoA)

Do you feel like BJJ is becoming watered down due to the ease of people uploading instructional videos on sites like YouTube?

-Not at all. I think videos are very welcome for Professors, Coaches and Students. You can use that to study Jiu-Jitsu BUT remember that you must training to learn and that you gonna find some trash fancy moves online.

What are your thoughts on rolling versus drilling?

-For me there is no rolling versus drilling since both are very important on the learning process. People talk about this just to get attention on my point of view.

Do you use supplements?  How do you stay healthy?

-I use when I train very hard for competitions so it helps me to recovery during the day once I still have conditioning, classes to teach and the most important: Take care my family. So that said, I try to balance my diet but not been paranoid at all. After 24 years of Jiu-Jitsu (most of them just training, dieting and competing), I deserve enjoy food the way I want lol

What do you recommend for training preparation?

-Weight Lifting and Cardio done with good Personal Trainer. The training going to be done for YOU. Everyone is different, so I don't like conditioning classes for athletes. Again: I'm talking about athletes! If you're not athlete, than any extra work that you do, like Crossfit, running, etc...going to help you.

Bruno breaks down fundamental 50/50 guard pass 

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Saahp1lFzb4)

Do you think wrestling and judo are important? 

-That's necessary on my point of view for you be complete. In my school you have all that and from high level Coaches for Judo & Wrestling that are competing Jiu-Jitsu(successfully), so they understand the transitions between sports, plus they have excellent resume on their own sports.

As an instructor, what does your training consist of trying to balance teaching versus training?

-Training Jiu-Jitsu 3x week minimum and the same for Conditioning. Closer to big tournaments I have good team that helps on my classes so I can train myself more the way it should be done to keep the good results.

Do you continue to study new (modern) Jiu-Jitsu and how do you go about that?  Do you train with other black belts at other gyms, affiliations, etc?

-I study everything about Jiu-Jitsu: New and Old as well. People forget things... If you come to my school, you'll find myself playing berimbolo, warm guard, 50/50, etc believe or not...haha! And gonna see as well the old school style of pressure with no room for the opponent with basic moves and submissions.  I do have some friends in other affiliations but when I have chance to train out of my school, I train with old teammates mostly like Vitor Shaolin, Robson Moura, Marcelo Pereira, Gustavo Dantas here in the States. When I go to Brasil, outside of my Association, I've training few times with old friends like Professor Alexandre Gigi Paiva, Leo Leite, Elan Santiago and Fernando Terere.

What is the worst injury you have experienced while training?

-Nothing in training but full separation of my shoulder while I was competing against Cyborg Abreu at the 2012 IBJJF Dallas Open. It was bad and I was winning... but everything has a reason right?  I was out for almost 4 months.

Is there anything interesting you would like to say about yourself or any opinions you have on the current state of Jiu-Jitsu?

-About myself I believe that I'm just hard worker and because of this I could get good recognition. About the current state of BJJ, it's growing a lot still(with LOT room to keep that process). One very important thing now is that the black belts gonna have to qualify in order to compete at IBJJF Worlds. It's necessary and very positive step for the sport.

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llcxdm5QV4k)

Now for my personal connection with Bruno.  The gym I train out of is a Robson Moura affiliated gym.  Because of their friendship and ties to Nova Uniao we were fortunate enough to have training opportunities with Bruno and his students. He regularly brings in talented people to train like Marcio Andre, Claudia Gadelha, Horlando Monteiro, Luan Carvalho, Daniel "Jacare" Almedia, and of course his talented brother, Rico Bastos.  You can regularly see UFC fighters dropping in for training at BJJ Bastos Midland the likes of Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal and Paul Buentello.  If you have the opportunity to train with Bruno I highly recommend it.  

Links:

http://www.bastosbjjmidland.com/

http://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/bruno-bastos

https://www.facebook.com/bruno.bastos.353

http://ifightinpajamas.blogspot.com/2013/07/who-have-you-trained-with.html

De-Worming the Worm Guard

The rising popularity of the Worm Guard has made the Jiu-Jitsu world take notice.  We can thank Keenan Cornelius for the boom in competitors utilizing this guard in competitions.  Thankfully we are finally starting to see some technique videos popping up showing how to prevent, pass, and even counter this tricky guard.  I am a firm believer that you don't have to be a fan of any particular guard but it is important to understand it enough to be able to defend against it.  That being said, studying the offensive side of this guard will help you understand defense even more than just working on the counters.  

While that quote is so true...in the event that you DO ALLOW your opponent to establish the lapel control they need to set up the worm guard you need to be familiar with methods to regain that lapel control and focus on passing the guard.  

Isaac Doederlein, Cobrinha brown belt, shows a really cool way to neutralize the Worm Guard and turn it into a back-tack opportunity.  

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2bM1GksF94)

Here, multi-time World Champion Rodolfo Vieira shows how to pass the worm guard with a pressure pass type of approach.

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6dUxlhbO_8)

I would be remiss to not post BJJ Scout's videos here.  He does some excellent work!  There are a variety of counters and concepts in these two videos.  

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

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSh0OfdSkWE)

I have found that the worm guard is 100% dependent on lapel grip control.  Because of this it seems that the most effective way (at least for me) to defend against it is to address the grips. This is particularly true if the grips have been established and your base has been compromised or threatened...they have progressed if you will deep into the guard.  I have spent more time playing with the offensive side of this guard but recently started working on defense/counters.  My advice so far is:

1. Defend the lapel!

2. In the event the lapel control is established...focus on your base!

3. Try and square up to your opponent as much as possible to eliminate the angle they need to sweep

4. Dominate/control their own lapel and use it against them to remove THEIR grip on your lapel.  

Watch Keenan Roll with 7 Black Belts (No Rest)

So Keenan is in Denmark for a seminar (BJJ Globetrotters Fall Camp) this week...that's right there are 151 people in attendance!  I once attended a Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti seminar once and thought that was a big seminar.  I'm not sure what the BJJ culture is like in Denmark but clearly they know a superstar when he visits. After watching the first couple of rolls I can relate to how those black belts must feel.  I've had the pleasure of being dismantled by really good grapplers like Robson Moura and Sean Roberts.  It's kind of like a regular human vs a superstar.  A good reminder of the difference between a regular, everyday grappler and a professional.  Who doesn't dream about being able to effortlessly handle black belts like this?

(Link for mobile users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXjPKwU1hZs) 

Visit Keenan's website to purchase his 5 disk DVD set: http://keenan-cornelius.com/

You can also see what he offers for free on his YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRgkTBcGRHlRQUVsxoesKBA