I don’t do well at describing.  I tend to stick with visual representations.  Here are two techniques we went over in class Tuesday.  I was bummed up and couldn’t participate so I took video.

The Hip Switch – Side Control to Mount reminds me a lot of the usefulness of Over-Under technique that was shown in two of my last posts “Over-Under Hip Throw” and “North South Arm Bar”.  I’m noticing that having a Over-Under setup leads to many different techniques.  As I’m typing this I just realized that the Butterfly Sweep we learned at the open house uses it too.  I especially like the Hip Switch technique because once you have it you have all the time in the world to work for the mount.  As Mark demonstrates you can’t upa out of it.

The Leg Pinch is a classic and can be found on page 190 of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu series) by Renzo Gracie.  If you don’t have this book and are starting out in BJJ or need to review this is the book to have.  I have documented most of the techniques for testing in my posts ”Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt Test Pedro Sauer” and “Pedro Sauer Purple Belt Test”.  I add more as I learn them and find them in the book.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

Last night I sat out with something pulled in my back.  I thought about staying home but I really wanted to be there.  I missed the comradery.  I missed my Jiu-Jitsu family and the fun I have with them each week.  I sat and watched.  I found myself tensing up during different parts of the training.  During the rolling I wanted to be in the action.  I wanted to call out submissions, sweeps, and escapes I saw that others didn’t.  It was about as good as a suspenseful movie!

Today I was asked to substitute for Miles and teach the free High School class.  We are going over sweeps.  I want to do some simple but effective sweeps.  I have a few in mind but any suggestions from my readers would be appreciated.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

I had a co-work and good friend join me Monday for a introduction to BJJ.  My friend had wrestled in high school.  Yes, he was out of shape from years of sitting at a computer but that was why he was interested in starting BJJ.  Just like me 2 years ago when I felt I had to make a change.

I teamed up with him for our drills.  One of the drills for that day was holding side control for 2 minutes, resting 1 minute, and then repeating after switching sides.  I realized during those drills how much I had changed in the last 2 years.  My friend put tremendous amounts of muscle into everything.  He strained and held his breath.  He felt rigid and stiff.  In two cycles of the first drill he was winded and tired.  He didn’t even start the next drill.  He thought he had pulled a muscle and was spent.

During that time with him I realized that control truly is the essence of Jiu-Jitsu.  As he fought with muscle I felt like water flowing around him.  I felt submissions from everywhere.  I held dominance.  If I had been in a street fight with him it would have been like child’s play to choke him out or hyper extend a arm.  I don’t say this to embarrass him, I say it to express my new understanding of what Jiu-Jitsu means to me.  I’m not longer worried so much about whither my BJJ is street or sport.  Its core is applicable everywhere.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

The Submission Master helps me keep my skills sharp when I can’t go to class.  It helps me work out new ideas I have.  It never complains or gets hurt.  One negative side affect though is its rough.  When working with the Submission Master for a extended amount of time remember to wear a rash guard.  If you don’t then try my solution to gi burn from my post "Gi Burn Be Gone".  It works great for me.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

We also went over a wrestling takedown called the "Snap Down".  I think it is more timing then anything.  It would be cool if while pressing your forehead into the opponents temple that you got a tap but I think that unlikely. 

This takedown fits more into sport BJJ.  I don’t think in a street fight I’d be in a situation like this.  This also seems to be for when someone just wants to grab on to you and isn’t sure what to do.  If you look at my post "Dojo Wars At West Side", you will see towards the end when everyone was tired this became the dance of choice.  If a few people knew the Snap Down they might have had a good chance to use it.

The key points I got from this are:

1. Applied pressure with the hand on the neck and the temple press causes discomfort and draw the opponents attention away from your true intent.
2. The snapping down motion as they step forward uses their own momentum to help throw them down.
3. The forearm on the neck along with your upper weight helps to pin them down and give you a chance to either go for the submission or move to a superior position.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

On Takedown Tuesday we dropped the gis and went nogi for the O-Goshi or Over-Under hip throw.  You can find a demonstration of the O-Goshi in Karo Parisyan’s book "Judo for Mixed Martial Arts: Advanced Throws, Takedowns, and Ground Fighting Techniques" (page 107).

During the lesson, two points were brought up.  First of all if you have your arms over-under on your opponent he also has it on you.  This means you can’t muck around, once you have the position you have to capitalize on it quickly or your opponent might.

The second point was foot placement.  You step over to the opposite foot.  You don’t need to make a large sweeping step.  If you step to far you will be off balance and your opponent will easily throw you onto your back.

Getting into a clinch and working for dominate position by pommelling (working to get under the opponents arm with yours) is common.  I think someone who gets proficient with the O-Goshi might find they get to use it quite often.  It severs well in both gi and nogi of course which makes it a excellent takedown for you arsenal.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

I haven’t been doing as good a job of recording Magic Monday classes.  I know that those who attend enjoy being able to go over the techniques again by viewing my videos.  Work as been demanding and I’ve missed the last few.

Here I am in my black Vulkan Pro Light with Chris.  I find that when I get North South I often don’t know anything to do other then look for a better position.  This arm bar that Chris shows on me is a excellent choice for a submission from North South.

It looks a lot easier then it is at first.  The sitting back into the arm bar doesn’t feel natural in my opinion with your leg bent.  As noted, rather loudly, in the video you have to get the "squeeze" with the legs to help tighten it.  My problem was I kept letting the arm out from under my arm.  I tried to lay back and do a more traditional looking arm bar.  But as usual with repetition it came more naturally and started working for me.  I’ve been getting North South more often.  I hope to use this the next time I do.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu.

If you read TaporDieCompany.com I’m sure you saw the announcement "West Side Grand Opening in Ogden".  If you haven’t then some of the notable names that will be there giving free seminars are:

1. UFC Fighter Damarques Johnson
2. Owner and Head Trainer of Absolute MMA – Rob Handley
3. And of course our own Mark Johnson!

It looks to be a fun day.  I’ll be there off and on.  Jeff of thekillerj.wordpress.com will be there as will Blake of blakesparks.wordpress.com.  Its going to be a great day.  Please join us.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

I haven’t been wearing ear protection when I roll or practice.  I haven’t up to this point got any thing more then a sore ear now and then.  Last week that changed with the "black beauty" you see in the picture.  It is in a shadow in the picture but it is still black enough to stand out.  I don’t know how I got it.  I know my ears got mauled at practice but nothing out of the ordinary.  I’m not vain but I don’t want cauliflower ears.  I wondered if I was going to have to do something like Georgette talks about in her post "How to Drain Your Cauliflowering Ear".  I asked around at practice the next chance I got.  After everyone getting a good look at it and pinching it to see if it was ballooning the consensus was it would be fine.  A few of the guys had experience with cauliflower ears that were much worse.  I was relieved.  I’ll have the black dot for a few months before it heals up.  My ear doesn’t hurt and there isn’t a bubble where the injury is.  I hope this helps my readers diagnose their own ear injuries.  I think its time to get some head gear.  So stay tuned for the review.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

At long last it has arrived.  I’ve had Andre Galvao’s book Drill to Win: 12 Months to Better Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on pre-order for what seems like eternity.  Just when I thought it would ship the publisher would move the date.  Finally the day came and now I have it in my hot little hands!

The first thing I noticed as I opened the package is the size of the book and the color.  Its huge and bright.  I wasn’t surprised when I opened it to see that it was well illustrated. 

The table of contents groups the drills by month, week, and then day.  Each week has a subtitle that explains the goal of that weeks drills.  For example: Month 5, Week 4 is dedicated to Turtle Escape drills.  This is very handy if you just want to find some drills specific to something you are working on.

The book takes into account diet too.  Month 1 is devoted just to that.  It makes sense considering that a well oiled machine is going to perform its best.  So for all of us who are slacking on the diet or just not eating right Andre gives us a good solid base line to get our motors revving.  Month 12 is the "Final Exam".  It is really a create-your-own-drill-routine-from-what-you-have-learned month.  It spans one page and has some FAQ’s.  So really, there are 10 months with a new drill each day.  That is more then enough drills for me.

I noticed that there are a few things required to do all the drills.  They are, a swiss ball, balance board, and partner.  Don’t worry there are solo drills galore!  It looks like you are doing solo drills until about Month 4.  By then you should have improved agility and be ready for the throwing and pulling guard that make up Month 4.  I think the book is well organize by the fact you don’t start throwing and pulling guard until you have a little better skill.

The pictures of each drill are step by step and are sized well.  I am a visual learner and would prefer a video but Andre’s progression is good along with the text explanation.  I’m sure if the book is as great a success as I think it will be the video’s will follow.  All in all, I am very impressed and excited to start my year of drills.  I think Drill to Win is going to be a new standard that every BJJ practitioner will want.  Andre you rock!

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu