Conditioning...

So after class two days ago, I felt pretty sore in a couple of areas. As well, during my rolls, I could easily identify where my weak points were. So of course, I make note of these deficiencies and put together a plan of action. How do I patch up the holes?

Now I have the benefit of working with some pretty good classmates who roll with technique as opposed to strength, weight, and power. So my tweaking stems from a technical point of view instead of a brute force approach.

Two very specific areas I am working on: creating space and hip mobility.

Creating Space

In almost any situation where you are on the bottom, having the ability to make space is essential to make a good escape. Generally, using arm strength to shift your opponent up, down, left, right, etc. is a very important step to enact the second part of an escape or position shift; hip escape, getting a knee in to replace guard, or to pummel from bottom.

My deficiency: strength. My plan: plyometric push ups added to my workout routine.

• 3 sets of 20 with elbows in tight push ups with a hop at the extension.
  
• 3 sets of 20 spiderman push ups.
  
• 3 sets of 20 burpies.
  

Hip Mobility

Hip mobility is essential for ground game. Strong and flexible hips will get you out of a plethora of difficult bottom situations. If you can't get onto your side, or get your hips out, or even to flip onto your belly; your opponent can play control all day long. So having good hip mobility will make you a problem for the other guy.

My deficiency: weak and inflexible hips. My plan: hip strength and conditioning drills added to my workout routine.

• 3 sets of 10 (left and right) upas.
  
• 3 sets of 10 (left and right) hip escapes - full motion.
  

So after a couple of weeks training again, I am feeling my game come back. My gas is coming back. My strength is coming back. And my instincts are coming back. Once I get my body back in order, I can concentrate on the finer points of technique. One step a time. But it feels great to be back in the mix.

Ous.

Respect the Arm Bar...

You know it is coming. The pieces are in place and you know the tap is inevitable. And when a black belt has it keyed in, get ready to tap fast and do not expect muscle out. Respect the arm bar.

I am nursing a little bit of a hyper extension today after class last night. I rolled with my professor; it was actually like rolling with a ghost because he kept disappearing only to reappear in a dominant position with a submission set up. He took top mount while I was on my side and grabbed my top hand, setting up the sit back arm bar.

I thought on his way back I could turn into him and drop my elbow to the floor. The problem was, he did not sit back, he sat straight down and there was no space to pull out. And with that, the arm bar was locked in and my attempt to muscle out against his strength caused the extension. I respect his control, because it could have been a lot worse if it were anyone else. Respect.

There have been times when I have rolled with a less experienced classmate and had a submission on, but they persist in attempting an escape. I have two options in this situation; let it go or teach a lesson. I, depending on the situation, will most likely let the submission go to avoid causing an injury. But there are times where I will give it a little pressure and bring the submission to the brink, until I get the tap.

My advice to anyone in a potentially bad situation in class; you gotta show some respect for the techniques taught and tap when they are laid on tight. Otherwise you risk the throbbing discomfort of your mistake.

Ous.

Relax, It's Jiu Jitsu

Just training over the past while and taking in the benefits of escaping from my current reality. It is nice to just do it sometimes, with out analisys; Jiu Jitsu is fun.

I have been playing a different game over the past few weeks in order to help me find my style and my game. Professor told my my greatest challenge would be to relax and let the BJJ do the work. He quoted Rickson Gracie; "Flow with the go."

So that is what I have been doing, flowing with the go. It is fun rolling with white belts who are bigger than me, stronger than me, and younger than me with this relax mind set. Sweeps, transitions, and submissions seem to flow easily when I just let go of my strength and let the Jiu Jitsu take over.

As for rolling with the Purple Belts, I have found a new level of getting my ass kicked. I could resort to playing my strength, but I understand now that doing that would hurt my progression. So I will play the game and get better. But even though I am getting my ass kicked, I see that I am doing it to myself; falling into traps set out for me. And that kind of rolling will only lead to correcting mistakes.

I love my training right now; it is more important than ever. And my perspectives are constantly changing for the better. I imagine a time when I truly flow with the go and let my game replace my strength.

Ous!

Organic vs. Military

Funny how a hour discussion with my Professor can turn my entire plan on its head. I have a pretty good idea of one or two escapes and controls for each position I encounter; the white belt curriculum embedded a lot of that in my head. Originally my idea for putting together my game plan was to come up with my one or two favorite techniques for each position and drill them ruthlessly until they were second nature. However, there is a problem with this...

Do I want to play Soccer like Germany or like Brazil?

They do call it Brazillian Jiu Jitsu and not German Jiu Jitsu, right? So my philosophy has been altered about what my steps are in putting together my game plan. I have found that my best learning comes from actual rolling where moves and flow are very unpredictable. Depending on the match, it is sometimes not that difficult to set the condition for submission. There are sometimes too many variables to establish one technique for one position. So if I pigeon hole myself with only one or two possibilities, I lose so many more options. And that will get me tapped.

However, if my focus is getting to a place where I have control and options, the game is much more in my favor. This makes most sense after Professor showed me a couple of pages from Eddie Bravo's latest book. Where as before my goal was an entire move and only one move, now it will be to put myself in the ball park and work out my submission from there.

Another thing he mentioned which I find very valuable is to not be so rigid when rolling at this level. He dropped that famous "Be like water" quote from Bruce Lee, and strengthened his message even further. So where does that leave me? Still learning and doing my thing. But concentrating more on training and less on "Kataizing" my game. This will also make for less work and better results I think.

Ous.

Back to the Beginning

Here is where things get interesting. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gained popularity in 1992 due to Royce Gracie in Ultimate Fighting Championship 1, so by my calculation, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has been slowly snow balling for the past 15 years. It has been evolving and evolving with new techniques, flavours, and curriculum being added to it. I must also mention the effect of Mixed Martial Arts on the evolution of BJJ as crafty people have actually learned how to punch the face from within closed guard. The fundamentals remain, but there is a frothy layer of new school bubbling up and a record pace.

Here comes the fun part, how do I choose what I want to work on, need to work on, and how can I improve my game. I am a kid in a candy store about to get a stomach ache. This, I think, is the first step in putting together my ground game plan. Here is what I am going to do:

1. Type out each position in a spread sheet; closed guard bottom, closed guard top, half guard bottom, half guard top, side control bottom, side control top, mount bottom, mount top, and north south bottom.
2. For each position on the spread sheet, write out my favorite and most successful techniques for each.
3. Add techniques that I think may work to each category.
4. Work out a flow in my mind of if technique 1 fails, go to technique 2, etc... There should be a simple flow laid out as well as an escape or back to square 1 plan as well.
   
5. Go over the plan with my Professor.

Once I have the base of my plan drawn up, it will be my own personal Blue Belt curriculum. Of course, I will study everything that is put in front of me to build my fundamentals, but with the goal of taking only the stuff that will improve my game plan. *If you try to catch too many rabbits, you may not catch any.

As I get the first draft completed, I will post it here for everyone to take a look at. After that, I will put together my Step 2; how to train and work my plan. Putting it down on paper is only a guide to follow, work has to be done. I will post my step by steps on that as well. I estimate that there will be 23 techniques in all for every position listed above, not including variations or transitions. But we will see...

Ous.

Killing Habits

One of the greatest challenges I am finding in building up my game is deleting all the bad habits I carried into class with me when I started over a year and a half ago. These bad habits not only slow down my progress, but they also get me into trouble some times. I need to forget what I know, let it all go, and re-build from the ground up.

This may sound silly, but the stuff my Professor teaches actually works. It is solid, effective, and if deployed properly, will work 90% of the time. I question why I, in certain situations, try something completely different. The simplest solution was taught to me, but slips my mind when given the opportunity. Perhaps that is the key to proper progression; letting go of all the previous habits and replacing them with new and better ones.

Last night we were working on control and a pass from half guard. Get position, pull the lapel, pass the lapel under arm of opponent, arm over head grab, shift weight to floor (all the way on the side floor), sneak bottom knee inside, and peel away the top foot going to full mount or side control. It was slick and I used it right after in randori (roll time). It worked. But it made me think of all the things I would have normally done, most of which could have got me in trouble (swept or put in full guard).

So, that is why I mention it here. I need to let go of my bad habits and put into full effect all the good stuff I have learned. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (or my current version of it...) can be so messy. My goal is to clean house.

I have also started working more on my game plan and will be meeting Professor Friday for a private lesson to go over it. I will post it up for everyone to take a look at, as well as how I decided on the elements as I continue to write.

Ous.

Game Plan on the Fly

Sometimes you have no other choice than to abandon your standard game plan when facing opponents of a larger size or superior skill. Some attacks or defenses will simply not work and you have to adjust accordingly.

In recent history, say the past year or so, every class I am paired with opponents who outweigh me by 30 to 50 pounds married to more experience. I do not learn much in the 5 minutes of attack defend, but the hours spent on reflection has taught me much. And my game has improved vastly because of this as well as my strength and conditioning. Of course my opponents have improved as well, so the results of each match has not altered much, but is closing in on parity. Time will do this as everyone improves.

I have learned when fighting a stronger and larger opponent, it is far more difficult apply different arm bars where strength is required. Try an Americana from top half guard against a guy who outweighs you by 50+ pounds who can most likely beat Sylvester Stallone in an arm wrestling match... You get the point. So how do you form a game plan on the fly?

At this place in history in my training, 16+ months of training, I have more and more tools in my arsenal. Enough understanding that I can more than likely do most of what my Professor tells me to do as he observes from the side lines. But all this understanding must lead to the formulation of what may work and what will most likely not work on an opponent that I size up before a match.

For a smaller opponent - Use your weight and work to hold top positions, avoiding sweeps and escapes. Strength has to match up well against speed. Shutting down mobility should lead to victory.

For same size opponents - All things being equal in size, initiative must be used to stay in control of attack. Once in defensive mode, the game is much harder to play. Getting and keeping control is the path to victory.

For a larger opponent - Where is the weakness? How could you work to gas an opponent with big muscles? Is it easier to leg or foot lock a tall opponent? How can you take away their size advantage; perhaps working on getting to the back? Is it easier to choke a big guy than to arm bar?

Experience is teaching me that it only takes time to figure out what works and what does not. As long as I stay on the mat and spend time on seemingly more productive routes to success, the faster I will achieve my goals. If I take a step back, eliminate all the useless stuff like emotion, appearance, and hesitation and then focus on options, the game becomes much more fun and fluid. And, of course, having Professor point out errors in judgement and style helps immensly over time.

Next time you face off against a tougher opponent, picture a better fighter than yourself, say Marcelo Garcia, and ask what would he do in the match? Then try it out.

Ous.

Litany Against Fear

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

Frank Herbert

Rear Naked Bed Making

There are right ways and wrong ways of applying different submissions, but I want to first talk about making your bed. Anyone can make a bed, although I suspect most fighters, to the disappointment of spouses and perhaps parents, are not very good at it. I know that I get an ear full every once and a while from my wife when I don't straighten the sheets.

When making a bed it is essential to do it the same way each time, step by step. First remove all loose materials from the under sheet. Then straighten up the pillows so they are in proper order and not sticking up or out. Then pull the top sheet or blanket over the bed and pillows. Then tuck in the sheet under the pillows for presentation's sake. And then swipe out any bumps. The bed is done and looks nice too.

Having a nicely made bed will impress your spouse, significant other, or parents regardless if you care or not. It may take some time in the beginning to get a process down, but the more you do it, the faster you will get. Just take a look at a maid in a hotel; 3 minutes to make bed so tight and neat, it looks military. Step by step practice leads to increase speed and accuracy in getting the job done right.

The same goes for a submission techniques. I failed to apply a rear naked choke this week that I usually can put on and pretty tight. I was in perfect position for the submission. In an attempt to put it on quickly, I missed one step that allowed my opponent to peel it off because I did not get my second hand in low enough behind his head; hidden below the bottom part of his skull to act as a door stop. And because I did not get the second hand in tight enough, I could not use my head to layer on my attack defense. And the whole technique fell apart like a house of cards; especially since my opponent was very strong.

Speed does not matter if you want to make a bed properly. The same rule should apply when attempting a solid submission. Sacrificing speed for sloppy execution harms the perfection of the technique and leads to bad habits over time. Go as fast as you can without missing steps. You may miss the application due to a defense, but step by step will eventually lead to speed, accuracy, and a successful submission.

Ous.

Checkmate or Stalemate

I had the opportunity to watch a class on Wednesday due to a thing. I rarely get to watch my team mates roll as I am usually "in the shit" and seeing where most of the guys are in terms of skill is pretty cool. I have to mention Victor because this guy has improved immensely since he started with his brother in January this year. He uses the fundamentals well and once he learns to sew things up tighter, he will be a force. He also has some really sneaky knees...

Anyway, I saw something in the rolling portion of class that I did not expect and I will comment because I have been there before and have learned to move past it. I saw a part of match where fighter (a) got caught in bottom mount. Fighter (b) held it and was ready to launch an attack and waited for fighter (a) to make an escape attempt. Fighter (a) knew what was coming and refused to attempt an escape. It seemed like forever where fighter (a) just lay there while fighter (b) held position and waited.

When fighter (a) was asked why he did not attempt an escape, he replied, "because I know what fighter (b) is going to do". They ended up breaking the stalemate and started over in a different position which I could not understand. This was a missed opportunity to learn for both fighters. I wish I could have seen fighter (a) at least attempt the escape so fighter (b) could have done his thing. But I question why fighter (a) knowing what fighter (b) wanted to do could not put together a plan. As well, there are a few options to escape from bottom mount that fighter (a) has used on me more than once, all of which were effective to a least create space and get out from under there or end up in half guard. It surprised me that he did not use escape techniques in this situation even though his opponent was larger. Maybe I missed something...

I wrote about this a few months ago talking about 2 specific times I could not escape, but could not get tapped either. Once when Mikey had my back locked in an Anaconda or Back Triangle really tight and I did not know how to defend my neck while breaking the lock. And once when Gabre had my arm trapped in closed guard real tight and I, again, could not escape while defending the cross choke grip he was attempting. In both instances it is my opinion that I was check mated, even though there was no submission. I now have some idea how to deal with both these situations because I looked for answers. But with the fight I just mentioned, the bottom fighter had viable options already.

I am happy that I am still a white belt and will continue to keep my mind open like a white belt. If I play all defensive all the time just to avoid getting tapped, I will hit a ceiling and plateau in my ability. Sometimes it is better to get tapped just to see how it happened, why it happened, and work on a solution for the next time it may happen.

Grappling, like chess, has so many pieces and so many variables. I would rather lose to a checkmate than force a stalemate if it meant I got better for the next time. Will ego be my biggest opponent as I progress? I hope not because then that and everyone else will kick my ass.

Ous.

Fourth Stripe Grading

Everyone starts at the bottom. Everyone must work hard to progress. Nothing is free.

I have given much thought to my last post regarding BJJ gradings. To sum up, I was under the impression that building a game from the ground up, based on situations experienced, would lead to a better game. Organic Jiu Jitsu. Of course, if you are constantly getting caught in triangle, you will learn the defense. And that was the basis of my perspective last week.

I spent some time discussing that perspective with my Professor and he, as with everything in the realm of BJJ, improved my vision. There were two specific discussions that I want to share, as presented by someone who has been there and done that. These two "Perspectives from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt" should be important for everyone who trains in BJJ.

The First Perspective

Driving back from the Marcelo Garcia seminar a couple weeks ago, my Professor shared some of his insights regarding his game when rolling with me. I was interested in finding out how he was able to take control so easily in almost every situation; the little and almost unnoticable things. His words were simple and profound. He said, "I know what your options are." He knows what my options are is because he taught me what my options are.

The Second Perspective

In a private lesson last week, Professor and I spent the first half hour just talking, specifically regarding my BJJ Gradings post. It was time to defend my perspective to my teacher. The discussion was around curriculum. He said, "Do University students go to class and simply choose to learn what ever they want? No. They follow a curriculum based on someone who knows what is important and what is not. That way success is structured and measurable, and ensures the student leaves with the right tools to be proficient in their profession. In our case, the profession is fighting in BJJ."

Tonight I passed one of the hardest gradings mentally I have had to face so far in BJJ; my fourth stripe. The curriculum was not easy and there was a lot to cover; 2 pages of techniques in my case for the stripe. In order to progress in our BJJ club, you need to really understand your stuff and train hard. Rather than discuss what I did or how I did in the grading, I want to discuss how my Professor's two perspectives came into play in altering my thoughts on BJJ Gradings today.

At this stage in my training, I have been introduced to a lot of techniques that cover almost every basic situation found when rolling. As I continue to train, I will know more and more what my opponent's options are. I will constantly re-discover what works because it comes from someone who has done their homework and shares the secrets. Curriculum gives us the path. Gradings ensure we stay on the path. And I am very lucky to have my Professor as a guide to keep my game, and my mental development in check.

Ous!

P.S. Thanks Sam for being my training partner for the grading.

A Part of His Game

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to go the Marcelo Garcia Gi seminar at the Combat Fitness Gym in Toronto. First I want to say that I have always been blown away by watching Marcelo work his game. It is like some out of this earth turbo jitsu that only conforms to the most basic of bjj elements. The rest of his game is a sort of a counter jiu jitsu that allows him to walk past and step over what other people train over and over. It defies, no, redefines logic.

The seminar only lasted 3 hours and it was done in a progressive style; first do this, practice. Now add this. Practice. Now do this, because this could happen. Practice. This really helped drive home the fundamentals which in my opinion were the "Atari" or "Joystick" grip which he uses to save his fingers from thrashing, a "Leg Control" sweep to awkwardly put an opponent off balance, and the "Arm Drag" to steal an opponent's back.

It was clear that the techniques presented were effective; check out Marcelo's record. But what really surprised me was the simplicity. His game plan is awesome because it is so simple once broken down.

After the seminar I took another look at a video I put up in February, re-posted below, to see if what we learned was present in his matches. The first match I watched in the video was the entire seminar. The arm drag, the "Leg Control" sweep, the taking of the back, and the finish. Awesome!

And as for meeting Marcelo, he is just a happy nice guy. You would never know he was a World Champion from talking to him. And when I found out he is only 23 years old, I was in shock. I suppose age has nothing to do with mastery of an art. Thank you Marcelo!

Ous.

P.S. If Marcelo Garcia comes to your town, go to the seminar. Do not miss it!

The Game is Not a Game

The past two classes I took a look at how I was rolling from a different point of view. Sure, rolling is fun and challenging and keeping it light helps all of us improve. But I considered for a moment why sometimes rolling must be taken much more seriously.

Sometimes we seek a defensive position to relax and gather strength to escape or recover from an intense play. But I have never been happy at anytime gathering recovering from a weaker position; bottom mount, bottom side control, even close guard (although neutral). I would much rather fight to an offensive position and recover there. Knee on belly, full mount, or side control are much easier places to catch your wind and get your head back in the game.

Here is why this is important for me and should be for everyone.

Imagine for a moment that your opponent could throw punches and drop knees on you. How effective would recovering be from bottom mount with a heavy hitter sitting on top of you. Not very. And just because we train in BJJ should not give us a false sense of confidence in the real world. If it came down to it, getting hit in the face may throw us off our finely tuned grappling game in a real fight.

So from now on, if I am stuck in a bad place, I will imagine that my opponent has the option to hit me. And that will be a good motivation to escape. Unless, of course, I have them tied up. And if I am on top, I will imagine how many times I can drop a bomb on my opponent; without doing so of course. Because I am a nice guy... ;) That, I think, will add a realism and urgency to my game and make me a better fighter.

Ous.

P.S. Marcelo Garcia seminar this Sunday!!!

Managing Expectations

It is a good idea to understand where you are in your training, because setting up certain, not all, expectations will allow you to fight at a higher level. If you train every class and give it your all, you can expect that after a few months, you are in pretty good shape. That expectation will allow you to fight a little harder when you roll, without the need to mentally save your energy for the next fight, or the next, or the next. You expect your body to perform.

Now that the physical element has been managed, at least pushed aside from your main focus, you can tackle your mobility. Your drilling of certain moves will allow you to understand what you can do well and what you need to work on. If you have a good escape, say Upa (or bump from bottom mount), then you can expect that to work for you most of the time. That expectation will lead to confidence in that situation so you can concentrate on what comes next after the escape.

Expectations that you have a full tank of gas and a vehicle with some mobility is a re-assuring thing when rolling. Even if you lack a little confidence, we all do sometimes, we at least know that some bases are covered.

The next is the submission game. Similar to mobility, it is good to know that you can rely on certain things that will help you finish your opponent. After practicing and practicing, you know what you like to use. And it offers comfort to know that if you can get to a certain place, you can deal your submission.

I really enjoy figuring this stuff out. I expect my body to function well for the rolling part of class. I expect that I will be able to be mobile. I expect that certain defenses will work. I expect that certain offences will work. This can only be achieved through constant practice and training. The balance, as with all things, is essential for improvement. Lastly, I expect to have fun when rolling when my expectations are wrong because that leads to even more improvment.

Ous.

P.S. The expectations you have for yourself can sometimes be read by others... ;)

Talk is Cheap

You have to do the work. ;)

Ous.

Developing My Game Plan

Like most the people I train with, and those who I speak with regarding Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; we all consume vast amounts of subject material. There is no shortage of training videos, articles, step by step pictures, books, etc... You could spend all day, every day checking this stuff out. But how much would sink in? For me a least, not much.

There comes a time when you have to think about YOUR game and not the BJJ Superstars' you see on TV. In our school, we have a curriculum we follow for our development and advancement; I spoke about it in an earlier article. That curriculum provides the techniques for various situations, but as I am continually discovering, it does a whole lot more.

A move is just a move. But when broken down into specific parts, it demonstrates crucial mechanics for many other movements, transitions, and situations. No advanced move can be performed without the solid fundamentals found in the basic move.

So that takes me to the point. There is a lot of stuff out there to consume and a basic curriculum to be followed in class. Now that I am coming to my one year anniversary in BJJ, I am ready to start taking these two things and putting together my own personal game plan. Of course, right now, I have my favourite techniques which I have some success with when rolling. But I think it is time to take it to the next level.

My plan is this; put the plan to paper. I will write down my favourite two or three techiques from each position. I will review these techniques in the "randori" or rolling part of class as best I can. I can then add notes to my successes and failures as I remember them. I can make adjusments as I go and ask my seniors for advice and assistance.

Once I have a better understanding of my base, I can tie everything together for my "game plan". The best part is I can add or subtract and shift around. This way I do not limit myself.

I think this way, I can focus on what is important and not use a shot gun approach and hit everything I see or read about. If I try to catch too many rabbits at one time, I will not catch any.

Ous.

P.S. I may even put this online so you can see what I am up to.

Eye on the Prize

How often do you actually look when fighting on the ground? I mean really use your eyes and try to see what is going on? As a product of the Nintendo generation, I thought my hand eye coordination was pretty good. Well, as it turns out, my hand eye coordination is not that good when put under fatigue, stress, and duress of a roll.

Sure, I rely on feeling what is going on as it is happening. But is that enough? Sometimes "as it is happening" is too late. And not only that, if you do not have the ability to use your eyes, you are probably in a bad position; being able to effectively "see" means you are most likely in a good position with good posture. And as Martha Stewart learned from her fights in prison, seeing what is coming "is a good thing".

But is it enough to simply be able to "see"? Seeing is only one part of a sequence of internal events that must take place in order to apply your will. First you must "see". Then you must "interpret". Then you must "respond" to what you have seen. The more you can see, and the more time you have for interpretation (unless you are a fast thinker or have lots of body memory), the better your response should be.

Using your eyes is just another tool that, I think, can be developed in addition to body memory. (Body memory is interpretation without seeing). Interpretation comes from skills developed in class and materials consumed off the mat like videos, pictures, articles, etc.

So, if you are put in a position where you can't see, try to get back to a place where you can. Because, again, if you are in a place where you can see what is going on, you will have a much easier time determining where you are supposed to be going.

Ous.

One Hundred Pound Quarter

The distribution of weight by means of mobility, position, and balance is essential for control of top position and understanding how to escape from bottom. Last night we worked an effective pass from butterfly guard. But it was only effective if certain conditions were created; proper weight distribution was a major key to controlling the transition.

A quarter is pretty easy to pick up off the ground. But what if that quarter weighed over a hundred pounds? Not as easy. And what if that hundred plus pound quarter was sitting squarely on your chest as you tried to do a sit up?

When rolling with some of the guys in my class and especially Professor, it feels like they have a roll of hundred pound quarters and they are constantly placing them on my "sit up" points. I have found that anticipating where they want to weigh me down helps me shimmy out of the way. It has also helps to try to keep control of my hips, stay on my side, and keep my elbows and knees between my opponent and I as much as possible.

As for my hundred pound quarters, I am still learning how to invest. But I have some pretty good advisors and difficult lessons seem to sink deep.

Ous.

Pins and Needles

In order to isolate specific advantage in any position, it is essential to use "Pins" or "Needles" as tools to do so.

A "Pin" would be considered locking down any element of an opponent; getting heavy on a part of an opponent so they can not move. Even using their weight or part of their body to stop their desired motion like pinning their shoulder to the ground, arm across their chest, head to one direction. One pin I find especially effective is using my shin on the inside of an opponent's thigh when passing guard, because they have trouble lifting their leg, and a measure of pain is delivered.

A "Needle" would be considered using pain as a persuader to open up, move in a specific direction, or as in last class, motivate a tap. An elbow on the side of the neck, a knee on belly (also a good pin), or any pressure applied to a nerve are good "needles". And no-one likes needles, so they are effective tools to not only motivate a desired response, but also shift an opponent's concentration away from offence to defense.

It is not the same when a fighter moves because he wants to move, and another when he moves because he has to.

Joe Frazier,
1944

I think is as important, now that I am finally understanding the game, to not only focus on specific techniques, but also the small little "why" and "how" stuff. Every class when I get caught with something, I do my best to remember how it happened and correct it in my mind for next class. One thing, over and over. I find it less likely I am caught with the same thing again, well, it does not get applied as easy if it does happen.

Ous.

P.S. Someone who always has cool little and effective tips is the Blue belt Jason from our class. Two weeks ago he spent some time with a few of us after class explaining different ways to break someone's resistance to an arm bar. Slick bio-mechanical stuff from his personal experience. These little things are golden.

Don't Sleep On It

Our past Wednesday class was devoted to a senior belt grading where our blue belts and purple belt graded. I have to admit, it was more like a demonstration than a grading to the white belt line watching. Basically those who graded were asked to demonstrate technique after technique in different situations from memory. It appeared to me that 80% of what I saw was based directly on the white belt curriculum. The other 20% was some pure candy. My personal favourite was Tommy's Turtle Choke. Slick!

From watching the grading, it made me realize how important it is to have a series of techniques dedicated to memory and be able to draw upon them when needed. Earlier this week I wrote about thinking faster; essential. But it is more than that; acting faster and just going for it is even more important.

"G", one of my seniors and solid fighter, expressed the importance of building a strong base technique, or two, or three for each situation that could be drawn upon easily. That base of techniques will provide a strong launch pad for future applied curriculum. That, tied in with Professor's "attack, attack, attack" mentality would make for a pretty good fight plan against any opponent. But more than those two elements, hesitation must be reduced or eliminated to be effective.

If an opponent gets an advantageous position and I stop to think about how to escape; that hesitation will be the opportunity my opponent needs to submit me. So I must act fast and hope for the best. The only challenges for me with this "act quick" mind set is that the game speed will increase, I have to fight to curb clumsy or gross movements, and build my stamina to compensate for the lack of stationary position time.

So, at this point in my game, my biggest opponent is myself. How do I want to roll? How will I go about improving my game. I think, because I am getting to a good place in my training, if I can concentrate on indentifying one personal error and correct it the next time I roll, I will keep getting better and better faster. There are hundreds of classes to come, so I have lots of time and opportunity to improve...

Ous.

P.S. Always be quick to seize opportunity.