meerkatsu

Apparel and Artist showcase: Mike Sixx, House of Daggers

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:31:00 +0000

ARTIST PROFILE: MIKE SIXX, HOUSE OF DAGGERS
Mike Sixx is an artist and BJJer who has just started his own clothing label, House of Daggers, based loosely around grappling and jiu jitsu themes. I talked to Mike about his background and plans for House of Daggers. (You can also see a couple of his t-shirts below that he sent me.)

Q: Hey Mike, let's begin by telling the readers about your art background/education/influences please?
A: I started drawing at a young age, always scribbling on homework and school notes. I remember getting into trouble in class once while I was drawing and supposed to be paying attention. Just so happens I was listening the entire time, and repeated everything the teacher was lecturing about. He didn't think it was funny. Used to spend a lot of time in my fathers screen printing shop after school. Watching, learning.

My Sophomore year I went to a High School for Art. Ended up hating it, ended up being really remedial. Few years later found my self graduating College with a Degree in Graphic Design.

Influences .. hmm.. All my life and to this day my biggest influences have been things I surrounded myself with. Skateboarding was huge. I wanted to be an Artist for Powell Peralta when I was a kid so badly that I used to draw and send them Art asking how I could become an artist. I just got stickers in return. LOL

My other influences range from Graffiti, Movies, Designer toys and the music I listen to.

Q: And tell the readers about your BJJ/grappling training, rank, school, tournament highlights etc?
I 've been into BJJ/Grappling for a total of 3 years now. I started in Tampa with Rob Khan at Gracie Tampa. I made the decision to move to South Florida in 2009. After floating around trying to find a school that suited my needs; I finally found myself with my current team at Alliance/Marcelo Garcia. My instructors are the original guys who trained under him in a garage until he opened his own academy here in South Florida. Amazing group of guys. As for comp, I've only competed once locally. If I'm not training, I'm usually embarked in some mission of Art. Hoping to compete a little more this year.

Q: What is House of Daggers?
I like to think of it as the Streets meet the mats. A cerebral collection of Art, Passion, Jiu Jitsu, Life Lessons, all mixed with a little bit of "DILLIGAF" attitude. If you know the acronym you're already on board. I want to break free of this "Everything has to have a Black Belt and Triangle shape" mentality people have for their clothing. I want to make people think (even laugh in some cases) about what their wearing. It's Art with an edge. And edge my followers will hopefully recognize and appreciate. You see someone out with a Daggers shirt on, you'll know. I like to think of HOD as being the Black Sheep or Underdogs who succeed. Kinda like the Rudy. God that was a horrible movie.

Q: How much does jiu jitsu influence your art and how much does creativity feed into your jiu jitsu?
Since 2006 House of Daggers was many things and because of Jiu Jitsu it's now finally off the ground and in it's infancy stages. If it wasn't for my passion for Jiu Jitsu I don't think I'd be at even this stage. It's an all around creative process. I'll be in the gym and hear something or think of something and get home and sketch it out, or jot it down in my Black book. Believe it or not I've been break dancing all my life. Creativity is KING on the dance floor. For me it's just as important for House of Daggers to be that leader and Creative as it is for me on the Mats. I find myself doing things often that others can't grasp or do. I owe it to the ability to flow and make stuff up on the fly. In all Three worlds, Jiu Jitsu, Dance, and Art you've got to know when and how to move.

Q: What plans for the future do you have for yourself as an artist and for HOD?
As an Artist I try to learn at least one thing I every time I sit down to do Art. Be it on the computer or hand drawing something out. My artistic integrity is important to me and that is echoed through HOD. Sky's the limit I guess. I joke about it a lot, but in all seriousness I'm going after a big name company in the Jiu Jitsu world. I think there should be a rival, or Black Sheep of sorts. I'm hoping later in 2012 I'll release the first of many Exclusive Limited Edition/Numbered Kimono runs. I plan on doing a regular stream of them, so people aren't left waiting 8-9 months for a new release. They'll follow the same HOD design philosophy through a quality product. I'm already starting the year off right by bringing on a pretty big name to the HOD team. Multiple title winner, accolades galore. This guys a pocket sized beast! I'll be making the announcement soon.

Further information:
Website: http://www.houseofdaggersclothing.com/
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/pages/House-of-Daggers-Limited-Supply-Co/207243722670095?sk=info

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Gi Preview: Red Dragon by Strike Fightwear

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:09:00 +0000

This gi incorporates original art created by me for Strike Fightwear who kindly hired my services. This report is not a gi review. It is a showcase of the art I created for the gi. The photos show the pre-production samples, the final gi will be available to buy from Strike Fightwear around late March, April 2012. A full in depth review on the gi itself will be available from me and a couple of impartial gi reviewers soon.

Here are some more photos...

The gi jacket will be pearlweave fabric with canvas collar material covering synthetic core. There will be a choice of two gi colours - white or black.

The shoulder patches are woven synthetic patches, not tucked under the collar so if you want to remove them, it should be easy with a seam ripper. Though why you would want to remove them is beyond me!!

There is a small embroidered dragon head on the back near the neck. I originally wanted to make it a MASSIVE rear logo, but I reconsidered, since a lot of people like to reserve this space for their academy patch.

Trousers will be canvas cotton, not sure what weight yet, but canvas is pretty darn tough and hard wearing. Rope drawstring - my personal request - and red contrast stitching and trim.

Each leg has a woven patch on the side of the leg, the chinese letters read: Red Dragon.

As you can see, I reprise a lot of the two main dragon drawings I did all over the gi, which was a lot of fun. The patch above could easily be a beer bottle label or other product, I think it is quite funky! The dragon above will actually be a t-shirt too.

Just some technical points with the pre-production samples I noticed...the sleeves are lined with canvas tape, hooray! Some of the synthetic woven tapes are scratchy on me, but canvas tapes, whilst not so blingy, are very tough and soft on the skin. There is also an interesting extra amount of reinforcement within the seams of the crotch and gusset:

As you can imagine, I'm pretty excited about this product. Here's the template I used to show all the bits and bobs on the gi:

Hope you enjoyed the preview. To stay updated on the progress of this gi and its availability, check the Strike Fightwear Facebook page.

Disclosure: I was paid a fixed fee for the design of this gi.

Design: Competidor T-shirt and Wallpaper

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:51:00 +0000

Competidor Brand are a new company based on the island of Guam. They approached me for some product design ideas and I came up with OctJitsu Man and OctoDragon (the Competidor guys love octopuses apparently!)

Anyway, I drew these up in exchange for their new Guardian BJJ gi and a bunch of other merchandise. I'll be reviewing the gi in a later post on this blog.

The t-shirts are available now from their website.

On my Meerkatsu Art blog, I'll discuss the art direction and image concepts in more detail. In the meantime, here are is the T-shirt photographed up close:

WALLPAPER

This wallpaper came out of some unused concepts for Competidor t-shirts. I combined them all into one artwork which you can have as a desktop wallpaper background.

1600x1200 version here: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7034/6735815003_d7ae39287b_o.jpg

3200x2400 version here: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7001/6735814283_9ac993fcbf_o.jpg

:)

Apparel Showcase: iMMACULATE

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:35:00 +0000

Continuing my series of blog posts where I introduce new fightwear companies and showcase some of their products.

iMMACULATE are a UK based fightwear range that describe themselves as 'much more than just another fight-wear company.' I chatted to iMMACULATE owner Miad Najafi, a brown belt BJJ instructor under Alliance BJJ about his new company and what he hopes to achieve with the brand.

MEERKATSU: Why did you select Dale as an artist on your Mastery t-shirt (above)? Does he train MMA himself or you just like his style?

MIAD NAJAFI: Dale Grimshaw was shortlisted very early on in my research for art and artists. He has a work that is coincidently called "8 of Swords". Straight away I loved the work and his style, and thought it had a dynamic, powerful and organic character about it, so I contacted him and he was keen to do a piece. It cost me a lot of money, but I am very pleased with the final work. I think he has dabbled in some martial arts, but not MMA or BJJ specifically.

Q: Will there be any other artworks from him or other artists?

A: Chris Greaves was also commissioned for some work and he did the artwork for both Pride and Prowess designs. I would love to use them both for future designs and collections.

Q: MMA involves hitting people to hurt them - explain why you think it needs a more 'positive' image? And indeed how would you argue against the notion that any sport that involves hitting people to hurt them always be viewed (by those who do not train in the sport) as anything other than 'thuggish' and 'excessive aggression'?

A: Well, thats a very good question, certainly MMA can be a violent sport, and I am not in denial of the very real and physical facets of the sport. But being a fighter is much more than just hurting people, there is an art and a science that is learnt and and implemented with the ultimate aim of mastery of ones opponent.

I felt that most brands on the market focussed on the obvious aggressive aspect of combat sport, and didn't relay the commitment, knowledge, control, finesse and physical prowess needed to compete at a high level. In fact I felt many MMA clothing brands perpetuated the myth that MMA is a some kind of tough man contest which it certainly isn't! You can't be just a regular tough guy and compete in combat sports at a decent level, anyone who thinks so, will come unstuck pretty quickly!

Generally, I have tried to avoid eastern terminology, but to summarise there is a Ying and Yang (no Seymour Yang pun intended) element to fighting and I want to relay that to the fan base.

Q: Do you have/plan to sponsor any fighters, if so who?

A: Certainly we will be sponsoring fighters, but it would have to be someone who fits in with the deeper ideals of iMMACULATE as a brand.

Q: Where can I buy your products?

A: We have only launched in December 2011, and are working on getting a stronger presence on the High Street, we have a few outlets stocking iMMACULATE, but much, much more to come! Buying online is your best option www.immaculateclothing.com, we are also offering FREE Worldwide Shipping for the rest of January, so get your orders in!

Q: do you see your brand appealing to non-MMA audience?

A: Absolutely, Its vital that our designs are appealing to people outside of MMA. Initial comments have been extremely positive, not just from people within the combat sports industry, but also by people who work in fashion and media. iMMACULATE is casual wear that's inspired by combat sports, they are almost too nice to be worn to simply train in! Its great hearing that fighters, fans and martial artists like the garments enough to wear them out for dinner with their partners or to a bar etc. Thats exactly what I set out to create!

Q: What plans do you have for iMMACULATE for the future?

A: There are many ideas being thrown around, everyone has an opinion of where I can take iMMACULATE long term. But at present its all about getting the products and brand message out there, I want as many people as possible seeing iMMACULATE garments in the "flesh" to really get an idea of the quality, fit and feel of the products. Naturally the brand will mature and evolve with time, but long term I am aiming high and intend for iMMACULATE to be the brand that really captured the combat sports athletes character, while at the same time creating beautiful designs. Ideally, iMMACULATE will be an international brand with a solid presence in MMA and other combat sports.

Q: Your t-shirts are a little dearer than most MMA t-shirts - why is this specifically?

A: A lot of work has been put into the designs, artwork and branding, even to the point of getting measurements from combat sports practitioners to create a genuinely made to measure fit. I've set out to create a premium brand, and that certainly has its price. Many T-shirts are being sold within the industry priced around £25-£30, often its no more than a bog standard T shirt with a poor print job, I don't feel that iMMACULATE products are particularly more expensive. Again, I am sure that when customers see the garments in hand, they will appreciate the work thats gone into them, and they will certainly get what they pay for!

FURTHER INFORMATION: Check out the Immaculate Facebook Page for updates.

DISCOUNT CODE: meerkatsu2012 for 15% off webstore price, currently FREE shipping is also available.

T-shirt: 'Skullorantula' aka Guarda Aranha

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:29:00 +0000

I'm super pumped about this, my latest tee design. I call the character 'Skullorantula' and the words on the bottom say 'Guarda Aranha' which is Portuguese for spider guard.

I co-funded this alongside webstore Grapplers Delight. You can buy it from their website for £22.95 - free postage within the UK, extra for overseas. We only made 50 in either navy blue or maroon. I chose those two colours because the base tee shows through so the belt rank colour shows through. I also got a couple black and brown belt versions printed as special gifts for my instructors. Sorry white belts!

I hired the excellent t-shirt printers Advertees to make these up and requested they print using soft inks - a process known as discharge printing - so the print texture is nice and soft, not plasticky.

You can read more about the story behind this image on my Meerkatsu Art Blog here. Now go buy! Before they run out!

Swedish Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:26:00 +0000

I was asked by Swedish grappling blog GRAPPLINGBLOGGEN.SE for an interview, you can read it here:
http://grapplingbloggen.se/?p=9143
(the English version follows directly after the Swedish language version.)

In the interview, I discuss the ins and outs of reviewing BJJ products and all things Meerkatsu in general. Enjoy!

.

Gi Review: Ronin Brand Gold Class and Insignia gis

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 10:44:00 +0000

Summary
Two very different gi types from same brand. Both models share the same high levels of quality and value for money but I found one of them in particular to be ultra comfortable, with a near perfect fit.

Disclosure: The contents of this report are my own opinions. I have in the past worked with a number of fightwear brands, including Ronin Brand, on various projects which are unconnected with this product.

Introduction
I must admit, before the owner of the fightwear store Kinjisan contacted me, I had never heard of Ronin Brand before. Kinjisan is a proper physical store located in New York and Ronin Brand is their own martial arts uniform brand covering a variety of styles, including judo, karate and BJJ. It sounds like one of those gi companies you sort of heard of somewhere, but never saw anyone wearing. This has changed a lot in the past few months as Ronin Brand has been vigorously marketed on the internet and there have been a number of recent blogger reviews for their two leading BJJ gi models, the Insignia and the Fighter (links at the end of this report). This review will look at their lesser known Gold Class gi, a goldweave model, versus the more popular Insignia, a pearl weave model.

Size, Weight and Other Stats

Gold Class A1 in centimetres (second figure is after three 30 degree washes)
A: 168/163
B: 77/74
C: 60/59
D: 16/15.5
E: 54/53
F: 95/88.5
G: 23/22
Jacket = 1.5Kg
Trousers = 0.6Kg
Price = $114.95

Insignia A2 in centimetres (second figure is after three 40 degree washes)
A: 163/161
B: 79/77
C: 60/58.5
D: 17/7
E: 57/55
F: 96/90.5
G: 25/24
Jacket = 1.1Kg
Trousers = 0.6KG
Price = $129.95

Looking at the figures above, the most interesting aspect to note is the weight difference. The Insignia, despite being a bigger size (A2) weighs only 1.7Kg in total whereas the Gold Class (A1) weighs 2.1Kg. The Gold Class shrunk by a slightly larger margin than the Insignia overall. In both models, the trousers shrank by quite a large margin.

Gold Class (top) and Insignia (bottom), note the more tapered cut of the white gi

Details
Both gi models are very plain, with just an embroidered patch on the sleeve but the Insignia is notable for the inclusion of branded tape running along most of the inside seams and on the outside of the trouser leg. With previous gis, I have found that the logo tape can be horribly scratchy and uncomfortable on my skin. But the Insignia tape was as smooth as silk. I definitely did not feel any discomfort - although this reviewer experienced otherwise.

The collars of both gis are covered with basic twill cotton fabric. The Insignia had the much thicker collar but I noticed some of the stitching to be a bit sloppy and coming apart. The Gold Class had zero stitching problems. I liked that non-branded seam tape on the inside cuffs, very comfortable and strong.

Both gis are well reinforced throughout. The Insignia trouser cuffs in particular were well constructed - with 6 rows of stitching. I can live with the simple twill cotton drawstring, I much prefer good quality rope ties on trousers.

The Insignia has a slight glossy sheen to it that did not fade after repeated washing. The online blurb describes it as being made from 'crystal weave' which I must admit, does sound a little like sales patter. As far as I know, 'crystal weave' is the same as the process for 'pearl weave' fabrics in which cotton is mercerised and (possibly additionally) sanforised in order to create a strong yet light and reasonably shrink resistant fabric.

Comfort, Fit and Rolling Performance
When suggesting gi sizes, Doug from Kinjisan recommended the size A1 for the goldweave model and A2 for the Insignia. I trusted that the A2 would shrunk quite a lot as most A2's are too big for me, and I also hoped the A1 would NOT shrink as many A1 gis end up being too small for me after several washes.

After three washes, I'm happy to report that both gis still fit me pretty well. They both shrunk quite a bit but it seems to me that their pre-shrunk sizes took this into account.

The A2 Insignia was always going to be too wide in girth for my skinny body type but the sleeves are perfect in length (sleeve length is a constant problem for me with my long arms). The trousers are made from twill cotton, which I actually really like over other fabric types (ripstop and canvas being two other popular choices) and are a good length on me but being A2, they are very baggy in width more than I would like but certainly still functional. I was very impressed with the lightness and comfort of this model - comparable to any of the leading premium lightweight gi brands I have tried in the past. The Insignia also goes to show that it is possible to use branded seam tape on the inside cuff that is NOT itchy and scratchy, unlike several gis I have reviewed in the past.

The jacket of the A1 Gold Class in my opinion is an absolutely wonderful gi. After three washes it shrunk just enough to fit me like a tailored suit (cut by laser I am told). Added to this is the impressively tapered cut of the arms and torso. It is snug but not tight. The gold weave fabric is soft and superbly comfy but it's definitely no chump in the strength department - the whole gi feels weighty, without feeling heavy. I know that sounds daft in writing, but it's true! It is a very substantial piece of uniform. I feel the trousers are a tad short for my liking and I'll probably swap these for a spare pair from one of my other gis. However I really feel this is one uniform that I will add to my rotation of regular training gis.

Conclusion
I was very impressed with these two gi models. They are both very good quality uniforms being sold at a very reasonable price. The Gold Class model in particular is an outstanding gi and one that I think I will wear for a long time. It reminds me a lot of my very old Atama goldweave Mundial edition, which I long ago retired, but I loved that gi to bits. It is a shame that this model will no longer be made, once the stock has sold (currently only A1, A3 and A5 exist) then they will no longer be available to buy.

The Insignia is very good, it is strong, very light and very comfortable. It is very close to my old Vulkan gi in terms of fit and feel. Watch out for some stitching quality issues but apart from that, it's a very decent effort from Ronin. Crucially, this model will continue to exist for the time being.

What both these gis illustrate is that if one is adventurous enough to look beyond blinging eye-candy and fashionable name brands, there can be some real treasures to unearth with lesser known, but equally good, gi brands such as Ronin. I definitely recommend both gis - the gold weave for those who like a sturdy and substantial weighing (but comfy) uniform and the Insignia for those who need a very light summer, travel or competition gi.

Further Information
Both the Insignia and the Gold Class gis are available through the US Kinjsan online store. For UK and European customers, I don't think you can buy these gis locally, however I do see that the 'Fighter' model (which is similar to the Insignia except it has ripstop trousers) is sold through Grapplers Delight store for a price of £64.99. For further information on Ronin Brand, check out their Facebook page.

For other reviews of Ronin Brand gis, check these here:
White Belt Academy Insignia Review
Gi Reviews - Insignia review
Grappling Addict - Insignia Review
An older Sherdog review of the Insignia

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:37:00 +0000

Goodness, 2012 already! Where has the time flown? As eagle eyed followers will notice, I've changed the header picture to this blog - as I do every year. Went for a Hell's Angels tattoo kinda vibe, hope you like it cos it's gonna be there for the next twelve months! The pic here is the original which I designed for use as a desktop wallpaper 4:3 ratio - feel free to download and share. Anyway, I thought I'd take this opportunity to reflect on a fantastic year...

Magazines

I'll be honest here, this past year has been an incredibly busy but hugely productive. For me, the year really kicked off when Issue one of Jiu Jitsu Style Magazine was launched. The time somehow felt right to launch a BJJ-specific glossy magazine but it was still a brave move by mag owner Callum as a BJJ only title has never before been published from the UK. I'm happy to report, after one complete magazine year (6 issues) the title has progressed from strength to strength. Each issue delivers top quality professional content and I'm very fortunate to be able to submit interviews and photographs for each issue. It also means I get to meet some of the biggest names in the sport! (More on that later).

The USA was not to miss out either, with its launch of Jiu Jitsu Magazine this year. Again, I have been very fortunate in being invited to submit articles to the publication each issue.

De la Riva

Photographing the stars
Speaking of meeting and photographing BJJ stars - this year I was extremely lucky to meet and train with two all time BJJ heroes of mine: Ricardo de la Riva Goded and Leonardo Vieira. I cannot say enough how humble and cool these two stars of our sport were to all of us who attended their seminars. In my guise as a photographer for Jiu Jitsu Style, I also got to meet and snap many other big name BJJ champs, including Robson Moura, Victor Estima, Leo Santos and Rafael Lovato Jr. All of whom were brilliant instructors and lovely people to meet.

Chico Mendes, Leo Vieira, Ricardo Vieira

Robson Moura

Lovato Jr (note: stand on box next time)

Photo by Stephen King / King Studios Photography

Events
I didn't compete much this past year. I decided early on that I would concentrate on my media and art. In order to do that effectively I had to scale back my training, consequently putting myself out of contention for proper tournament preparation. I did however attend a lot of events and tournaments, notably, reporting and following the success of my team mate, friend and instructor, Daniel 'Raspberry Ape' Strauss over two Submission 1000 grappling contests. Daniel spectacularly won the first Submission 1000 event, and was runner up in the second Submission 1000 event. In both cases, he defeated higher ranked opponents along the way and proved himself to be one of the best British grapplers on the scene right now.

Daniel jumping with menace

ADCC
As soon as I heard that the ADCC was being held in the UK I knew I would not miss the biggest event of the year. I could not have asked for more. An all areas press pass, two days of amazing fight action featuring THE very best grapplers in the world right now, hanging out with all my BJJ friends and feeling an intense swell of pride as I saw huge numbers of people in the audience all wearing one of the t-shirts that I had designed. I think I can honestly say those were the best two days of my grappling life.

Reviews

The past year saw me continuing to review BJJ gis and other fightgear. Again, I have to repeat how lucky I am to be in a position where I am sent stuff (most often for free) in exchange for an objective review. It's been getting harder to draw the line however, with the increasing amount of freelance design and illustration work I have been doing for (often the same) fightwear companies but reviewing gear is something I still want to keep doing. I hope readers here trust me enough to write an objective and as impartial a report as I can concerning BJJ apparel and I will always disclose my own involvement with the company for complete transparency with each report.

Mini Meerkatsu reviews the Datsusara Bag

Since we are on the subject of gis - the most common question I get asked is what is my favourite gi? Well, of all the gis I reviewed in 2011, I have to say I really loved the visual eye-candy of the Gameness Elite, the K2 Premier Elite, Scrambe's 1chiban gi and the Bull Terrier Limited Edition.
But if you ask me what gis I am wearing right now in my gi rotation: it is my tried, tested, thoroughly used and abused Tatami Estilo 2.0 navy gi and my Black Eagle Raptor gi.

For non-gi reviews, I also looked at ear guards, bags and rashguards.

Holiday
Even the Meerkatsu goes on holiday once in a while. Despite suffering the vagaries of the British summer weather in Bournemouth, my couple weeks on the coast was helped by a dose of jiu jitsu training with my friends over at the Gary Baker Academy and the Phoenix MMA Academy.

Japan
Of course, no review of the year can go without mentioning the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit the Tohoku region of Japan on the 11th March. It was the biggest earthquake to have hit Japan in recorded history. The Wikipedia entry states over 15,800 deaths and upwards of $34 billion dollars of economic damage caused by the earthquake alone. The wider economic and social impact was immense. The natural disaster mobilised people from all over the world to lend their support. The fightwear industry was no exception and companies big and small all offered their help, many produced special edition t-shirts, donating all proceeds to Japan. Few nations have influenced the fight and grappling community as much as Japan, I think it goes without saying that we all wish for a speedy continued recovery from this natural disaster.

Scramble 'Endure' t-shirt modelled by Roger Gracie

Illustration and Design
I have drawn crazy animals and funny cartoony things ever since I can remember. This year was a turning point for me. I decided I would pursue my lifelong dream of becoming an established and well known illustrator. Whilst I have designed various logos and the odd bits and pieces for the fight community, I was never really pro-active about it. The opening of my Meerkatsu Facebook Page (see social media below) helped kick-start this exciting phase of my career. In 2011 alone, I have designed countless logos, mascots, characters and cartoons for people around the world, including Korea, Japan, China, Australia, Guam, Hawaii, Canada, all over Europe and of course the UK.

It's wonderful to see my work come alive on an item of clothing. The highlights for me, from an art and design perspective, have to have been the Raptor BJJ gi I created and the Honey Badger rashguard. I both those cases, I took a blank template and really stamped my own idea of what a fancy piece of fightwear should look like. I'm thankful to all my collaborators and to the fightwear companies who trusted me enough to hire my services.

Social Media
I would like the end this post with a massive thank you to all the readers, supporters, followers etc of Meerkatsu. I started the blog in 2004 without much of a clue what to say and I'm still really just making it all up as I go along. In 2011, over 82,000 of you visited the website and most of you hung around to read more than just my gi reviews. Overall, meerkatsu.com racked up a touch under 382,000 page views and you came from all over the world - including UK and USA obviously, but smaller nations, such as Zimbabwe, Yemen, Laos, El Salvador and hundreds of other places far more exotic than my rainy old London town!

Over on Facebook, I started up my Meerkatsu page in March and in the short space of time, there are now over 2,270 of you following my online antics. I've even begun tweeting the odd comment every few days. I try to post unique content onto each social hub if I can. So for formal reviews and in depth reports, this blog is the place to go, for daily news, thoughts and updates on stuff I've been working on, the Facebook page is the place to go, and for random off the cuff comments and BJJ related thoughts, follow me on Twitter @Meerkatsu.

2012
The following year ahead promises to be just as busy if not busier than the previous. I already have a stackload of cool original and fresh art designs just aching to be unleashed onto the public, plus I am expecting a ton more amazing opportunities to meet, interview and photograph the stars of BJJ. There will be the usual truckload of reviews and I promise to train and compete a bit more too. At the end of the day, everything I do is all about the fun, joy and love for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

To everyone out there, have an AWESOME and HAPPY two thousand and twelve, Osssssss!

Design: Tengu Wallpaper

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:45:00 +0000

Tengu is a Japanese mythological creature usually attributed with shape shifting abilities and general trickery/ I thought it would be a lovely creature to draw with all the feathers flying around and supernatural whizz effects I could add to it.

You can download in super high resolution for free as a desktop wallpaper here:

1. Normal screen aspect ratio (4:3):
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6557137187_0b63ca1e35_o.jpg

2. Wide screen aspect ratio (16:9):
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6557137197_a2d64e1db6_o.jpg

3. iPhone4 size (640x960) but also works on iPhone3:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6560056093_61d453e1c7_o.jpg

The artwork began life as a random pen sketch in my notebook. I just wanted to test out my new pigment fineliners to see how thin I could draw the barbs in the feathers:

I asked Matt over at Scramble, who designs all sorts of cool Japanese themed apparel, for some words in kanji, and voila, lots of inking up with pens, a bit of Photoshop trickery and there you have it, Tengu!

From next year, I've decided to separate my art based posts onto a new blog - Meerkatsu Art - and my more BJJ focused posts on this one. I'll still drop in copious design-based entries on the main Meerkatsu blog and there may even be a lot of repetition. As long as it is strongly connected to BJJ, eg a logo, or t-shirt with that theme, it will go on here, and all art posts go on the Meerkatsu art blog. Confused? so am I. We'll see how it pans out.

:)

Gi Roundup: Sub £60 gis, sub $100 gis

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:57:00 +0000

I've always believed that the budget BJJ gi is vitally important. At this end of the market, you attract newcomers just starting out in the sport, or grab established players who are less affluent than those who are addicted to buying expensive imported gis. Budget uniforms are also a handy extra when a student requires a second gi to compliment their main uniform. I've looked around and here is a list of current gi models that sell for less than £60 in the UK, and less than $100 in the US. I've included links to other people's reviews where possible. The list is not exhaustive and I have only personally reviewed a couple of them. Prices correct at time of writing (26th Dec 2011):

Sub £60 Gis available in the UK:
Tatami Fightwear Nova Basic - rrp £49.99 - website
Black Eagle Basico - sale price £49.99 - website, review
TUFF Fightwear lightweight - rrp £42.99 - website, review
Strike Fightwear Tatico Gi - sale price £29.99 - website, review
Blitz Lutador Kimono - rrp £59.99 - website
Grab & Pull ripstop - sale price £58.91 - website, review

Sub $100 Gis available in the USA:
Subculture (various models at $99) - website, review
Gorilla Fightgear - Hitman Feather Light - rrp $88 - website, review
Padilla & sons Ultra Light white - rrp $100 - website, review
Redstar Clean - rrp $100 - website
Fuji BJJ Uniform in white - sale price $69 - website,
Fenom Lotus Gi - rrp $75 - website, review
Razorback Jiu Jitsu goldweave - sale price $65 - website
Live Love Fight Gi Black Diamond - rrp $89 - website, review
Mojo Superlite - rrp $99 - website
Submission FC - White goldweave - rrp $85, website

Some bargains to be had in there I reckon!

.

The Best Gi Brand of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:37:00 +0000

Top BJJ blogger Aesopian has spent countless hours collecting data using his detailed survey asking BJJers their opinion on gis and brands. The first wave of results are out.

Wow! Fushida straight in at number one, who'd have thunk it? (Read my Fushida Komodo review.) When I reviewed the Fushida, I loved the customer service, I loved the outstanding quality of the gi but after a while of wearing it, I found it was a tad too long for me in all areas. The trousers were definitely too long, but Christo the owner sent me a smaller pair, which were better but in the end, I gave my Fushida away as it just wasn't perfect for me. Since my review, they've come out with a couple of new models and it seems that and their brilliant service have helped them top the list. Well done Fushida. Nice to also see Tatami Fightwear in the Top 10. A year ago, I think most Americans (the biggest gi market by far) would not have heard of TFW, but with non-stop pushing, the brand have leapt into the Top 10 so well done to them, nice to see a British brand hit the big time. My only other comment is that is is also reassuring in a way to see Japanese brands - who I guess should know a thing or two about gi making - dominating the charts with Mizuno, Isami and Bull Terrier representing!

Aesopian is at pains to point out, the difference between the top 10, or even the top 20 brands is teeny weeny weeny. There's very little to separate them. What is MORE interesting, is to see why brands like Shoyoroll (last survey's outright winner) have dramatically lost their top billing and why is the Gracie Barra standard uniform so low scoring?

These and many other questions will be explored by Aesopian in coming blog posts, so make sure you catch them on his website.

.

Miyao

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:39:00 +0000

I was lucky enough to be commissioned by Oss! Clothing to design a signature t-shirt for the Miyao Brothers. Paulo Henrique and João Ricardo Miyao are two of the hottest, most talked about BJJ prodigies in town right now. Don't believe me? Check out the highlight reel below produced by my friends from BJJHacks...

Crazy, right? I can't even begin to describe the headspinning technique of these guys. Mesmerising!

I didn't really have a brief. Oss just said, hey wanna do something for the Miyao Bros? I said sure, so I watched all their videos, figured they were cool cats and since I love Japanese Lucky Cats, I drew two of them mirrored against each other. I'm pretty sure these cats will mess you up if you ever fought them on the mats!

T-shirts will be available from Oss! in a couple of weeks. Check their Facebook page for updates on colours, prices and availability.

Oss!

Xmas Present Ideas - Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 11:42:00 +0000

Here's part two of my BJJ Xmas gift suggestions. No discount codes here, instead I've chosen stuff that is brand new, cool and perhaps hard to get hold of, so it should stir the passions of that 'hard to please' BJJ enthusiast. Happy shopping!

Gawakoto
Gawakoto is the brainchild of top BJJ artist Bong Abad. I featured Bong previously on this blog and since then, he's gone on to design a ton more great stuff.

The above is his collaboration project with uber cool Japanese brand Art Junkie. I'm not sure when this is available but stay tuned on the Gawakoto FB page for updates. In fact beg him to get the Japanese company to ship over as many as they can cos I think it's a winner!

If you can't wait, you can right now buy the Gawakoto 'sweep' t-shirt (£11.50 plus pp) - shown below but also available in other colours. I have the white one myself.

Oss! Clothing
Oss! Clothing are another brand new start up. But the owner is not debutant, he's been around the MMA and BJJ scene for decades and been involved with several major name brands. OSS! Clothing showcases clean, fuss-free traditional designs that I really like. The Koi carp tee ($25) I ordered is still in the post so here's a photo of it from their website:

Temper Wear
Temper Wear is a British brand that I featured previously with their popular 'Grips' t-shirt. They've been a bit slow releasing new designs but I really like their new hoodie (£27.99). With seven delish colours to choose from, my problem would be which one to get? I think navy with yellow print might win over the others.

Strike Fightwear Mashuu Macaque Hoodie
More Mashuu Macaque madness as the Strike FW lads release a lovely hoodie. I got this one in chilli pepper red but you'll have to ask nicely because it's a pre-order job and not available on the main website.

Jiu Jitsu Style x Manto T-shirt
The UK's first BJJ and lifestyle magazine has teamed up with Manto to produce this cool t-shirt (£20). Oh and while you are visiting the website, why not buy a gift subscription too.

JT Torres ADCC Rashguard
Here's a rarity. Tatami Fightwear produced a small run of these rashguards for JT Torres to wear at the ADCC. They were selling a couple of these at their stall at the Hereford Open. It is not available on the main Tatami website so you'll have to email them to enquire. I personally love the Spiderman inspired design so it's a defo to add to my rashguard rotation.

Jiu Jitsu Magazine
Fancy something a little different to read? Maybe you already subscribe to JJ-Style and Gracie Magazine but still can't get enough BJJ reading material? Then I think Jiu Jitsu Magazine from the US is a very good addition. I am of course biased as I write for them also, and in the current issue, you'll see my slightly bonkers BJJ Astrology Guide complete with half a dozen zodiac x BJJ hybrid drawings. Check out their online shop to buy single issues or subscriptions - and if you are not from the US, shipping is still pretty quick so you'll get yours as soon after they are published.

Scramble Calligraphy t-shirts
These t-shirts are literally being made right now and will be on the Scramble website in the next few days. When Scramble Matt went to Japan, he commissioned a top calligraphy artist to paint these beautiful kanji. Stay tuned on the Scramble Facebook page or catch their tweets for the latest news.

There you go peeps, two weeks to go, happy Xmas shopping :D

.

British BJJ Promotion News

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 23:15:00 +0000

Huge well done to my friend, instructor and all round cool guy, Oli Geddes who received his black belt promotion today from Mestre Maurição Motta Gomes and Roger Gracie.

I've known Oli pretty much most of my BJJ career over the years and we meet and speak often. He's a regular instructor at my academy plus he's always been there to guide and support me at the many tournaments over the years. To see someone as accomplished and dedicated as Oli achieve such an honoured rank makes me personally feel very proud. Well done Oli, but that's not all the good news ...

Head Instructor of Roger Gracie Academy Buckinghamshire, Kevin Capel, who I have also known for several years, was awarded his black belt too. Kev pops down to Mill Hill often and I've visited his former academy base. I've always enjoyed learning from and rolling with Kevin as he is not a big guy (can fight under 64Kg) but possesses immense strength and great technique. Again, I'm very pleased to see his well deserved promotion.

Kev (4th from left)

Head Instructor of the Yeo Dojo, Simon Yeo was awarded his BJJ black belt today. I met Simon a while ago when I was researching an article. He is more well known in traditional martial art circles as a master of Bujinkan Ninjutsu, but he's been training BJJ for years and years. He's probably been doing BJJ longer than most people in the UK so it's a long deserved promotion.

Another prominent UK BJJer, Tom Barlow, from Gracie Barra Plymouth received his black belt today from Braulio Estima. Eagle eyed readers may recall Tom as the recipient of some unsavoury showboating at this year's ADCC from Jeff Glover. But Tom handled it coolly and put on a great display. It's a great achievement, well done Tom.

Finally, I want to say a massive congratulations to Peter Griffiths who, at 73 years young, received his purple belt this weekend from Nic Gregoriades and Kev Capel. I first met Pete several years ago at the Essex BJJ Open. We had a good fight and Pete showed what tremendous fitness and technique he had. We've kept in touch ever since and I think he is an inspiration for everyone. Enjoy this video:

Tournament: Hereford BJJ Open 10

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:42:00 +0000

On Sunday I competed at the Hereford BJJ Open - an event widely regarded as one of the best run tournaments in the UK. Hereford has been running a number of years and for the tenth incarnation, I was asked by head coach Dave Coles to design some mascots, posters and t-shirts. I was chuffed to be asked of course and I saw it as a good excuse to dust the cobwebs away and get back to competing, having not done so for a year.

Read on to find out how I did...

Well of course I lost but I had a tremendous time, genuinely, I loved getting back into competitive mode and for me that's really all I was aiming for. My opponent, Dan Gandy, is well known for his long limbed triangling attacks and I felt I did okay for about a minute, keeping my distance within his guard, but unfortunately, it meant it gave him space to manoeuvre and take my back. I lost by that lovely submission, the bow and arrow choke. Dan was a gentleman afterwards and we shared a chat and cup of tea - that's what BJJ is all about, having a match and sharing experiences afterwards.

The whole day had a great vibe to it. Dave Coles and his team from the Hereford Combat Academy run a tight ship; entrants are strictly limited, all mats are fully staffed, a schedule and running order is published weeks in advance - everyone knows what they are doing and when. It should be the standard model, but as we probably all know, not all competitions run to this kind of standard.

I'm glad my match was on first thing in the morning (9:30am!) because it gave me the rest of the day to relax, take photographs, watch some great fights (including some brilliant brown and black belt action) and catch up with good friends.

I would like to thanks Dave and co for making it such a special event for everyone taking part and spectating. It was especially thrilling for me to see nearly 200 people wearing my designs on their t-shirts and to stand next to a huge podium banner that I designed.

If anyone is ever looking for a good level tournament in the UK to participate in, I thoroughly recommend the Hereford Open. Don't be put off by the distance. Hereford is a straight no-change train journey from London in about 3.5 hours (I arrived the night before and stayed in the Premier Inn adjacent to the sports centre), or an easy couple hours drive on the motorway and A-roads from either the Midlands, Wales or the South West. Competitors in divisions containing more than two people are guaranteed two fights. Most brackets operate the repechage system (all non-finalists get the chance to compete for Bronze medal). The medals themselves are huge and the facilities at the Hereford Leisure Centre are excellent (well stocked cafe, clean toilets, changing rooms, ample parking etc). Finally, there is no need to fret over who won what...the organisers post up all the results within minutes of the last match!

:)

Xmas Present Ideas - Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:20:00 +0000

In the run up to Christmas, online stores face their biggest sales of the year. Imagine, so many lovely fightwear goodies are up for grabs - either long lusted after items or spur of the moment impulse buys, big or small, Xmas is the time for getting your hands on BJJ gear.

Here are my suggestions, based purely on the fact that I have personally owned or reviewed the item and liked the item a lot. I guess it's biased towards UK readers but all the products featured here are shipped internationally or available through other retail outlets around the world.

Also, look out for the discount codes below. In no particular order:

1. Scramble 'OSU' Hoodie
Price £39.99 from www.scramblestuff.com

I bought this hoodie because I instantly fell in love with the design the moment I saw it. It seems to come in a size smaller than average so order a size up what you normally do with a hoodie. For me, I'm normally a medium, but in this case, I bought a Large and it fits just right. It's nice and thick with a double lined hood portion. The OSU words are made from pearlweave gi fabric and the pockets are generous. Definitely a must buy in my opinion. Oh there's two colour choices - the grey above and a navy coloured one too.

2. Marcelo Garcia - Advanced Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Techniques Book
Price from around £15 from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

I've only just got this book myself so I can't comment yet on how awesome it is, but judging from other reviews - such as this one from Aesopian - it sounds incredibly good. I'll post up a more in depth look in a couple of weeks time.

3. Strike Fightwear - Tatico BJJ Gi
Price £65.99 from Strike Fightwear - DISCOUNT CODE 'MEERKATSU15' FOR 15% OFF

I've rolled in a pre-production version of this gi and I have to say it is very good value for money. I love the orange and white contrast colouring and the gi is pretty light and tough. Full review to come soon.

4. Gameness Elite gi
Price £149.99 from BJJGiShop - DISCOUNT CODE 'MEERKATSU' FOR 5% OFF ALL GAMENESS GIS.(Valid 1st Dec - 24th Dec 2011)

Looking back at all my gi reviews, I must say I really liked the Elite, it's a classy uniform and if you are willing to spend the money, I think you get what you pay for. Here's my original review.

5. Raptor Gi - by Predator BJJ/Black Eagle
Price £99.99 from Black Eagle.

How could I not feature my very gorgeous Raptor Gi? It's available now in limited supply and is obviously the very best gi money can buy (possibly biased opinion).

6. Estilo 3.0 by Tatami Fightwear
Price £80 from Tatami Fightwear
DISCOUNT CODE: 'MEERKATSU10' FOR 10% OFF ALL PRODUCTS

Earlier this year I reviewed the Estilo 2.0 in navy and proclaimed it "still maintains the same cut and strength as the first generation (Estilo) - aspects that make the new Estilo an even more outstanding gi." I've been rolling in the new Estilo 3.0 and can basically say, ditto the previous. It's even better than the 2.0! Full review coming soon.

7. Bull Terrier Gis
Price £tbc from Grapplers Delight
DISCOUNT CODE: 'MEERKATSU10' FOR 10% OFF (ends 23rd Dec)

I've owned two Bull Terrier gis in the past and I can honestly say they are the most beautiful gis ever made. Sadly the cut just doesn't fit me right, the A1 is too small and the A2 too large. But most others who wear the gi say it fits them perfect, so just me again :(
Anyway, Grapplers Delight are ordering some in (the Flare models), so have a word with them about it or use the code on any of their many other gi brands.

8. Cliff Keen'Twister' Earguards
Price £39.99 from Made4Fighters.
DISCOUNT CODE: 'SALE10' for10% off all products.

Back when I reviewed my Cliff Keen Earguard selection, I never expected to actually fall in love with a pair. I mean earguards to me were simply functional and they stopped my ears cauliflowering up. But the Twisters were something else. I loved how they fitted, comfortable and soft yet tough enough to withstand head running. I simply cannot train without them.

...more Xmas discounts coming soon.

:)

Gi Review: Tererê Signature Gi by Tatami Fightwear

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 23:28:00 +0000

Summary
A hyper luxurious premium gi, built largely from the popular Estilo model, but designed and endorsed by legendary BJJ player Fernando "Tererê" Augusto da Silva. This signature model gi is bright and bold with in built rashguard and novel decorative features, it will appeal to fans of the star and those who simply wish to wear a design that stands out from the pack.

Disclosure
I have been commissioned in the past by Tatami Fightwear to produce design work for various products. I have had no contribution to this model gi. This report will be my own personal opinion and remain as objective and unbiased as I can.

Purchase Information
The Terere Signature gi can be purchased directly from Tatami Fightwear's website or via their specific site here: www.tereresignaturegi.com which lists all the distributor contacts around the world.
Price - tbc
Available: Early December 2011

Introduction
Terere is often cited by many experienced BJJ people as one of the all time pound for pound greatest jiu jitsu fighters. His ups, and his downs, have been well recorded. During his recent stay in the UK, Tatami Fightwear offered Terere a sponsorship to endorse the brand and design a gi that carries his name. This gi is the final result. Judging from the quirky individualist styling, Terere clearly has an eye for very colourful combinations and bright bold logo work.

Size, Weight and Other Stats
The model sent to me was a size A1.

Sizes in centimetres brand new v two 40 degree washes
A: 159.5cm / 157cm
B: 75cm / 75cm
C: 56cm / 56cm
D: 16cm / 16cm
E: 51cm / 50cm
F: 97.5cm / 97cm
G: 21.5cm / 21.5cm
Jacket Weight = 1.36Kg
Trouser Weight = 0.5Kg
My stats: Height 167cm, Weight 59Kg

The initial stats reveal how very little the Terere Gi shrinks - practically negligible in all areas of the uniform. This was the same finding as my previous review on the navy Estilo 2.0 gi - which is not a surprise given that the two gis are cut in the same way and use the same weave. There is one crucial difference between the Estilo 2.0 and this gi however - weight.

The Terere gi jacket is much heavier than the Estilo 2.0 due to the addition of the internal rash material lining, conversely, the Terere trousers are much lighter due to a newer lighter weight (12oz) of canvas cotton, compared with the 14oz canvas cotton of the Estilo 2.0 that I reviewed. Current models of the Estilo (both the 2.0 and the 3.0 now carry the lighter 12oz canvas trousers too).

From personal experience, all Tatami models tend to be a bit larger and longer than many other brands of gis. The sleeve lengths in particular are much longer than most - the wingspan of the A1 measuring 157cm which is longer than, say, the Origin Comp 550 (151cm) or the Break Point FC Deluxe (150cm). This suits me perfectly as I have longer arms than the average A1 wearer.

The trousers too are much longer than many other models. At 97cm long, it suits the leggier player much more than, say, a Storm Typhoon A1 (93.5cm), or my own self-designed Raptor gi (87cm).

A final note on size - it is worth noting that Tatami Fightwear's website carries a reasonably helpful gi size chart and fitting guide that is well worth referring to before buying. They are also able to offer mix and match trouser sizes upon special request however I am not sure if this applies to the Terere Signature gi.

Jacket
There Terere Signature Gi jacket is made from the same material as the Estilo 2.0 and Estilo 3.0 gi. If you were to take all the patches off this gi, it would be the same as an Estilo.

The quality of the manufacturing, as with all the previous Estilo models I have reviewed, is outstanding. There is not a stitch out of place or a fraying edge on the sample I received. Everything appears to be perfectly in position and built with very high quality materials. Reinforcements across the board are, as usual, built for on the mat toughness.

Rash guard Inner Lining
The most obvious difference, apart from patch design, with this and the Estilo gi is the inclusion of the inner rash lining. I first sampled this on the Gameness Elite gi and then on my own design, the Raptor.

On the Terere gi, the lining extends all the way into the sleeves and stops just below the elbow. It is printed with logos and appears to me to be thicker and less stretchy than the Raptor lining.

Patches
I do not know how much input Terere had into the minutiae of the actual final product, but this review version is the product that Terere gave the green light to. The whole colour scheme is incredibly bright. Orange and royal blue make for an eye popping, but not disharmonious, combination. It's certainly an attention seeking package, and perhaps is a reminder of how, in his heyday, Terere loved to display his best performances in front of packed crowds.

I recall reading somewhere on an Estilo review about how the jacket patches are sewn into and under the collar lapel, making it very difficult to remove. It might be useful to note that Tatami Fightwear now offer a 'Classic' range of Estilo models which are the same gis but without the shoulder, chest and trouser patches.

For this model gi, I doubt very much anyone would buy it and then remove the patches.

Leather patch as new

Appearance after x2 washes

The Terere signature gi also has a leather patch. I have never seen this before on a gi, and it is an interesting choice of label material. It does seem to fray and fade a little after a couple of washes, unlike the back of denim trousers, which use a much sturdier leather. However it appears to be really only a minor deterioration.

Trousers
The big improvement with this model gi compared with the Estilo 2.0 is the lighter weight canvas cotton trousers. The difference between wearing a 12oz weight material and a 14oz weight is significant during rolling.

As usual, Tatami use rope drawstrings to tie up the trouser waists. In several gi reviews of the past, I have noticed that the quality of string used can vary, but this has never been an issue (in my experience) with any of the Tatami gis I have reviewed. It's quite a chunky string however, and some users may feel the bundle of tied up rope hanging in front of their belly to be a bit annoying. I personally do not have any problems with the rope string.

Rolling Test
When you first turn up at the academy wearing the Terere Signature gi, I can guarantee you will get at least one comment from a training pal who will say, wow does it come with Terere's abilities? To which the generally accepted response from you is to say, no, I left it in the gi bag, I'll bring it with me next time.

Joking aside, you do not buy or wear this gi to hide into the background. It's about as blingy a model gi as you can possibly buy. Arguably THE blingiest model BJJ uniform ever made. Wearing the gi however is no joke. The jacket is amazingly smooth and comfortable thanks to the slick inner rash guard lining. The additional layer and the added weight does however make the gi feel slightly hotter, in my opinion, than a non-lined uniform, especially if the ambient temperature is warm.

Of all the gis I have reviewed, only a few ever make it to my regular everyday rotation. The navy Estilo is one of them (others are, at time of writing, the Raptor Gi, Black Eagle singleweave, Pin Up gi). It is as if Tatami Fightwear have modelled their A1 size chart to fit me perfectly (they didn't but it just seems like it does), especially given my long arms. The Terere is no exception - the arm length and trouser lengths are big for an A1, but smaller than most A2's - are actually perfect for me.

The new lighter trousers are, as mentioned before, much more comfortable and cooler to wear than the 14oz navy Estilo trousers (which can get hot and sweaty.) The only drawback I felt with the thinner canvas trousers was the feeling that they were less durable than before. This is only speculation on my part as so far they have performed without fault. But they just 'feel' thinner and less strong.

I look like I am doing a pee! Hmmm.

Discussion and Conclusion
The Terere Signature gi is a uniquely designed uniform loaded with just about every functional and aesthetic extra one can think of. It's certainly not for the shy. For me, with the slick inside lining, more comfortable trousers and usual fantastic cut and fit, it's a superb gi to wear in class. Is it worth the extra amount over and above a standard Estilo gi? Possibly. The extra top weight and slightly hotter jacket experience means I still prefer my Estilo 2.0 over this gi but nevertheless, the Terere Signature is a damn fine gi.

Starting a BJJ Club in China

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:11:00 +0000

Picture the scene - a work opportunity takes you to China, arguably the birthplace of martial arts as we know it. You think to yourself, what a great chance to open up a BJJ club too and spread the awesomeness that is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to a massive untapped reserve of willing new students. But things don't go according to plan. Language barriers, bureaucracy, closed doors, corruption and downright bad luck throw obstacles at every opportunity. And yet...and yet somehow, you make it work. Curious bright eyed and eager young students walk in through to door, they have somehow heard that this ground fighting thing is good for MMA. Word quickly spreads, TV and newspapers arrive - who is this gweilo asking us to grapple on our hands and knees??!!

The answer people, is Fred Greenall. You can read the full dramatic story about his move from the UK to China and the story of how his first few months trying to establish a BJJ club in Nanjing.

http://liketwofight.com/article/fred-greenall-blog-part-1/

Guan Yu
Anyway, long story short, Fred approach me a few months ago, prior to his leaving the UK and we talked about a ton of stuff. I liked his story and vibe so I sent him a honey badger rashie to endorse. I also designed his logo for his club, Frontier Asia BJJ. The red faced character is Guan Yu - Chinese General and popular deity. I based my version on the Chinese Opera mask (of which there are many styles). I thought being the de facto God of War, it would be a cool character to use for a fight club logo:

I'm really pleased to see Fred establish himself in China, it can't be easy when so many things stand in your way, but a pure love of jiu jitsu is what drives him...what drives all of us and I hope you'll join me in wishing him the very best of luck!

Gi Review: 1Chiban by Scramble - Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Summary
A super stylish BJJ gi with some neat touches let down slightly in my pre-production sample by sleeve shrinkage. Final production models will have longer sleeve and trouser lengths according to Scramble. This report outlines sizing issues in more detail and how the gi performed during rolling. See part one for more details on styling and design.

Shrinkage Data

NEW (pre-prod) Final version x2 washes @30degrees % shrink
A: 152.5 157 144 5.5
B: 74.5 75 73 2.0
C: 52 55 50 3.8
D: 16 - 15.5 3.1
E: 53 53 50 5.6
F: 93.5 96 93.5 0
G: 19 - 19 0

(All figures in cm, brackets in column 1 are Scramble's own figures for final production model for an A1 sized gi based on their own chart here.)

After two washes, my sample of the 1chiban ended up with a wingspan of 144cm...way too short for me. My current rotation of A1 gis have much longer arms. The navy Estilo has a wingspan of 156cm and the Black Eagle 'Raptor' gi has a 158cm wingspan - both of which are pretty much perfect for me. Note however that I do appear to have longer arms than the average A1 wearer.

Assuming that the final production version of the 1chiban shrinks to roughly the same proportions as the sample I have, then after two washes, that gi should end up having a wingspan of around 148cm. Not ideal for me but should be fine for the majority of A1 wearers. Knowing the shrink rates and size chart, the A2 1chiban would probably suit me best.

The 1chiban trousers really don't shrink at all in length. There is a wee bit off the width. This is most probably due to the polyester content of the fabric - an aspect that is clearly positive in terms of shrinkage but does alter the feel, which I will discuss later in this report. One thing worth pointing out - Scramble have decided to extend the length of the trousers in the final version - 96cm compared to my 93.5cm long pre-prod model.

Photo above - I placed the 1chiban jacket on top of two gis in my rotation for a visual comparison of differences in cut and size. Top image shows how the 1chiban sleeves are 6cm shorter in each sleeve and 2cm skinnier in torso width. The Raptor is even wider (bottom image). Jacket Length on all models are virtually identical.

Photo above - a visual comparison of collar lapel thicknesses. Both the Estilo and Raptor are virtually similar in thickness but the 1chiban is noticeably thicker and chunkier. The fabrics differ too. 1chiban and Estilo are covered with canvas cotton while the Raptor is covered with ripstop cotton.

Photo above - the 1chiban fabric colour does fade unevenly after two washes. I noticed the same thing in my previous review of the Tatami Estilo navy version 1. Fading was less apparent in the navy version 2. Note - the photo above has been heavily adjusted in Photoshop to highlight the fade details - it is not as contrasty as this in reality.

Photo above - visual comparison between the 1chiban trousers and the Estilo 2 in navy. Length in both are very similar, colour however is noticeably different. The Estilo navy has been washed numerous times. 1chiban trousers have extra rows of stitching reinforcements.

Rolling report
Due to the shortness of sleeve length in my sample, I felt I did not really get to enjoy the full functionality of the 1chiban. Hopefully this will be resolved if Scramble send me an A2 gi for testing. What I can say however is that the jacket fits very nicely in all other areas. I particularly like the slightly slimmer torso width for that more snug fit. Both jacket and trousers (weighing in at 1.6kg) feel nice and light.

When buyers of the 1chiban first wear their new gi, the biggest difference they will notice are the trousers. The feeling of the polyester/cotton mix kinda brought back memories of my childhood school uniform. Another difference to notice are the housed drawstrings. The final model will have a flat cotton tie. It's a little bit fiddly to get perfectly tight and on a couple of occasions my trousers began to slip down during sparring. It wasn't a big deal and I got the knack of tying them up tightly after a few practice attempts.

I was rather surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response from team mates regarding the look and style of the gi when I first walked into my academy with the 1chiban (surprising because I wear different review gis regularly so my team mates are mostly used to my eclectic BJJ wardrobe). If you have fallen in love with the design based on the photos (and judging from the sold out signs within minutes of the pre-order going live) then I think it is pretty safe to assume you will love it even more when you see the actual gi live and in the flesh.

Conclusion
The Scramble 1chiban gi is an absolute stunner in terms of design and aesthetic. The novel features added to the trousers increase the must have factor. Sizing however has been an issue with my pre-production sample, however Scramble's full release model will add length to both the wingspan and trouser lengths. It may be too late to offer buying advice now that the pre-order has concluded, but if your body size fits within the border between two model sizes, I would advise playing it safe and ordering the size up.

Gi Review: 1Chiban by Scramble - Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:16:00 +0000

Summary
UK fightwear and leisure wear company Scramble present their very first BJJ uniform – the 1chiban. This report (Part 1) offers a first impressions look at the pre-production gi. My next report (Part 2) will reveal data on shrink tests, comfort, fit and rolling thoughts.

Purchasing Details
1chiban by Scramble is available on pre-order from 11^th November 2011 at 11:11am (UK) and 11:11 (Pacific Time). It is available from both www.scramblestuff.com and www.budovideos.com for £99 plus shipping and $160 + shipping respectively. Pre-order window unspecified, but due to the limited nature, likely to be very short. Deliveries will take on average 4+ weeks.
Read the Scramble 'Everything you Need to Know' which includes a detailed size guide.

Disclosure
I have been commissioned in the past by Scramble to produce artwork and photography for various Scramble products. I have had no contribution to the 1chiban. This and the following report will be my own personal opinion and remain as objective and unbiased as I can. This report is based on a pre-production model, final model will differ in some aspects of sizing.

Introduction
When popular fightwear brand Scramble first hinted at a BJJ gi, their loyal and very vocal fanbase went nuts. Some expected a proton-splitting glowing robe emblazoned with golden kanji and already proclaimed it would be the best gi of all time (even without seeing it). Few however expected something as minimal as the 1chiban. When the first press photos were released, most fans declared their love at first sight intentions but some commentators were quick to criticise some of the logo placements and overall aesthetic.

Regardless of the fuss, few companies manage this amount of hooha when launching a BJJ gi these days, apart from perhaps Shoyoroll, so Scramble are in a good position for the launch of their new baby. But will the 1chiban be the number one gi to match up to the hype? Or will it be consigned to the history bins as a misunderstood maverick?

Preliminary size and weight
The figures below relate to an A1 gi brand new (note: final full production model will have slightly different sleeve measurements)

A: 152.5cm
B: 74.5cm
C: 52cm
D: 16cm
E: 53cm
F: 93.5cm
G: 19cm

Jacket weight: 1.1Kg
Trouser weight: 0.5Kg
Made in: Pakistan
Made from: Jacket - 550gsm weight cotton woven as a pearlweave fabric
Trousers - cotton polyblend.

Jacket details
The pearlweave cotton fabric for the A1 weighs only 1.1Kg - not the lightest around, but certainly not the heaviest. The construction reminded me a lot of the Break Point Deluxe gi and the Bull Terrier gi. It is navy coloured which may or may not be IBJJF legal depending on whatever rules the Federation decide on any given particular morning. Joking aside, as far as I know, navy is still allowed unless you are a black belt and are lucky to have your fight televised.

I was slightly nervy about the branded cuff tape used by Scramble. On appearance, it looks exactly like the scratchy stuff that was found when I reviewed the Origin Comp 550 and Manto Evo gis. When I wore the gi around the house, I noticed a small amount of scratchiness but not a lot compared to the previously mentioned. I will see if this is noticeable in my follow-up report.

The collar core is made from EVA foam and covered with what appears to be canvas cotton.

The side vents are lined with twill cotton strips.

I was pleased to note that the quality of the stitching on the 1chiban was very very good indeed. The photo below shows very few kinks or deviations in the collar stitching. It might sound trivial but other reviewers have noticed poor stitching on certain other models of gis - some of which are very famous brands. Each embroidered patch is immaculately woven.

Trouser Details
The 1chiban trousers include two interesting and, as far as I know, novel features: cotton polyblend fabric and fully housed drawstring. I found the cotton polyblend fabric was much lighter than normal canvas pants. It actually felt a lot like ripstop trousers, only without the sometimes annoying waxy feeling. Again, the full rolling report will outline how these trousers perform on the mat.

The fully housed drawstring is a novel feature. It was added to prevent the drawstring riding up above the hemline. Basically, it's the same set-up as your average track-suit trousers. In my initial tests, I found no problem tying the string and untying it. The rope itself however was rather poor in quality - very soft, spongy and weak. Scramble say the final version will have a flat cotton drawstring instead of the rope cord, the latter still being included as an optional spare. Personally I would just chuck the rope string.

I was very impressed with the amount of reinforcement stitching on the inside crotch/gusset area. Additional tape lines the seams and up to five lines of stitching can be seen along the inside leg.

Nipplegate
‘Design by committee’ these three words are anathema to the ears of nearly every designer, product maker and artist out there. It means someone took your cherished idea, tore it apart, re-formulated it, autotuned it and made it seemingly ‘better.’

The 1chiban was designed to pay homage to the traditional Japanese kimono. Family crest logos (mon) are commonly placed over each breast. Whether it is to a person’s taste or not, that’s another story. But from the press publicity photographs, there has been a large degree of chatter over the so-called funny nipple embroidery (something I term ‘Nipplegate’ which btw also refers to another apparel company incident) and the redness of the ichi-ban leg patch. Commentators wanted Scramble to move this, change that, alter this. It forced them to issue a statement you can read here.

As someone who has designed a number of products myself, including a number of gis, I can sympathise with Scramble. But it’s a fine line between listening to ones customers, and ignoring them entirely with a take it or leave it attitude. Wearing my other hat as a reviewer, I myself have been quite vocal in my critique on the designs used by some gi companies. I like to think my opinions matter, but that's all they are - opinions, with no more or less value than the next person's opinion.

From a personal point of view, I place a high value on companies that can offer something fresh, original and distinctive. How many times have you all seen a new gi design and thought to yourself, hmm, looks like a Shoyoroll rip off? Too many I would guess. It would be easy to go with what is already a success out there on the market and pander to the perceived masses. Too much money is at stake to design something that fails to sell. But in the case of Scramble, they have laid out their intentions and are bold enough to stick by their convictions.

Discussion on the 1chiban design

Scramble explain that the cherry blossom placement is an homage to the traditional kimono garment. In BJJ, the word 'kimono' is often used but it clearly is not a proper kimono, clearly the usage of the term in Brazil was less strict. Regardless of the etymology of the word, designing a modern sporting combat 'kimono' around an ancient traditional (and authentic) kimono is a neat and slightly subversive twist. When I first saw the design, nipples were not my first line of thought and to be honest, they really do not bother me at all. Sure, they draw the eye towards the chest, but they are small and subtle compared to the standard MASSIVE chest patches normally found on most gi designs.

The ichi-ban patch is pretty big. In my personal opinion, it is a tad too big. But as for being red? It’s a bold graphic and I thoroughly like it! Some have commented that it stops the ‘flow’ of the gi design, this I find funny, because unless you have a pure non-patched single colour uniform, anything you would place on the gi would stop it ‘flowing’. For the record, ichiban means First, or Premier or simply No.1. I wonder if, in addition to a statement to say it is their first gi, that is alludes to wider aspirations to be the No1 gi in the whole of the BJJ world! Mind you, the ichiban patch is half obscured when I wear it (depending on my posture) so its all a fuss of nothing really.

Conclusion
With the 1chiban gi, I think they were right to not listen to the critics. It is a simply beautiful gi design. It is perfectly balanced from top to bottom with the right amount of detail without being over-bearing. It ticks all the boxes for me, styled completely in the way you expect a Scramble product can be styled and there is nothing else out there like it. The only thing I need to do now is roll in it for several sessions and give it a good thrashing on the mats.

To come in Part Two: shrink test results and rolling report...

Apparel brand: Strike Fightwear

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:06:00 +0000

Strike Fightwear are a new UK based fightwear company who commissioned me to design a number of pieces of art for use as t-shirts, rashguards, grappling tights, adverts and many other items. It was a huge project and I'm very pleased to see they've opened up shop and are doing very well already.

It's a bit nervy to be entrusted with quite a bit of responsibility, I mean my designs have to be attractive enough for people to want to buy them and help launch the brand! Thankfully, since the Strike Fightwear website launched earlier last month, the cool kids in the BJJ block have been happily purchasing items.

Here are some more photos and details about the designs I created...

Mushuu the Macaque
When Strike Fightwear contacted me, they pretty much left me with an open brief. As a company, they wanted to avoid the cliched use of skulls and other similar motifs used in a lot of MMA clothing, but apart from that, they were happy to consider any ideas I came up with.

I've been sketching small monkeys as grappling creatures for a while now and my sketchbook contains a zoo-full of apish characters. The Macaque seemed to me a perfect jiu jitsu creature - small, tricky, mischevious, skilled and fast. A bit like me (not) ha!

Fellow blogger (and sports science expert) William Wayland named my character Mashuu in a contest run by Strike. Although, ahem! I'm not sure what it means myself (yes I googled it too).

The Strike Fightwear lads seemed to really love the macaque and adopted it as their unofficial mascot (the dragon head is their official logo). Pretty neat to see how they have used it on rash guards and grappling tights too! If you are quick, you can also order the macaque as a zipped or non-zipped hoodie and choose from a staggering 20 colours!!!

50 Foot Lutadora!
I love this design - even if I do say so myself :) The original film poster is in my opinion a B-movie classic.

I actually designed my version to be a poster too (see below) but it seemed to work well as a design on a Brazilian footie top.

In order to add to the feeling of authenticity, I hired a translator to add some film-style Portuguese language text to the design.

Dragon Fighter
Of all the concept ideas I sent over to Strike Fightwear, I included a couple of dragon designs. I thought that being a company based in Wales, perhaps something to hint at their Welsh heritage might be cool so I drew this Western style dragon / MMA Fighter.

I must admit, I had a bit of help here, while the head and wings are my own original creation, I did rely heavily on a well-known MMA fighter's pose in this photo. The design was originally meant to have the wings spread all the way over onto the t-shirt sleeves, but the printers said they could not print that large, so it got shrunk! It's still cool in my opinion, and I'm very excited to see the rashguard that Strike are planning to bring out that features my dragon:

Future Designs
I want to really thank Strike Fightwear for giving me the chance to design, not just one, but a whole ton of characters for them. I really love what they are doing and their energy and spirit seems to suggest they'll go far. In particular, I like the way they are very active on Facebook - giving a lot of feedback to customers and interested people. They also sponsor fighters and give away tons of stuff with regular contests. So go 'like' their Facebook Page if you have time and of course, buy stuff!

So onto my top secret next big project for Strike Fightwear, hmm, not sure how much I can say on the subject, but I'm pretty pumped about it. Ummm, okay, here's a teeny preview teaser of my artwork for the product:

Details:
Website: www.strikefightwear.com
T-shirts, from £12.49 (special promotion price)
Rashguards from £28.99
Grappling Tights from £34.99 (available soon)
BJJ Gis from £58.99 (available soon)
Shipping - UK and all over the world.

Artwork: Zombie v Werwewolf painted gi patch

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:36:00 +0000

Ack! I missed Halloween by one day, foolish moi! Never mind, this painted gi patch was a lot of fun to make. It''s for an 11 year old (called Gil) who loves evil dogs and zombies, perfect!

I used fabric paints onto canvas cotton patch I bought from a department store. See my previous painted gi patch - for my Galo and Pluma design.

CONTEST: UFC 138 TICKETS

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 17:05:00 +0000

Hey guys, awesome new apparel company Strike Fightwear (who recently just opened up their webstore and just so happen to have commissioned a number of art designs from me) are giving away two tickets for UFC 138 and a Strike Fightwear T-shirt!!!

UFC 138 is being held in Birmingham NEC, UK, on Saturday November 5th - that's ONE WEEK AWAY!!! So because of the short notice, this comp is only available to UK residents only. Sorry!

To enter, post a comment on here with your answer to this question:

Who is your favourite UFC fighter?

TERMS:
The contest ends on TUESDAY 6pm BST and a winner will be announced that evening (chosen at random). Please include your email address in the answer so we can contact you asap as we'll need your mailing address to post the tickets to you. I will erase all the comments after 24 hours. Anyone not responding within 24hours of my email will lose their chance and a second choice winner will be picked. No cash prize alternative.

Good luck!

:)

Academy Tour: Nova Forca, Epsom, Surrey

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:14:00 +0000

Last night I took the opportunity to visit Nova Forca BJJ in Epsom, Surrey, UK. The academy has just relocated to a studio within the Energie Fitness Centre on the High Street which itself is literally slap bang next to the mainline train station - with frequent trains from both Waterloo and London Victoria.

Nova Forca is run by BJJ black belt Ricardo Da Silva. Originally from Brazil, Ricardo has been teaching BJJ in the UK for over ten years, making him one of the earliest instructors of the sport in this country!

I had a great time training with Ricardo and all the crew. The vibe is friendly and the instruction is solid. Ricardo taught 3 techniques and made the class drill these repeatedly. He is a stickler for perfection and he was keen to ensure each student performed the techniques correctly. It was nogi class on the night that I attended and there were around 25 students on the mats. I was told that gi class can reach up to 45 students!

It was good to catch up with Mark Stephenson, who I fought couple years ago, and good to see him don his freshly awarded brown belt. Tim Radcliffe, one of my honey badger sponsored fighters was there too and I wish him luck on his next MMA fight - bizarrely, located in the Dominican Republic!

Thanks to everyone at Nova Forca for making me feel ultra welcome. A full interview and report will be published in the next issue of Jiu Jitsu Style Magazine.

:)

Contest: Win a Honey Badger Rashguard (size Large)

noreply@blogger.com (Meerkatsu) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:40:00 +0000

Good people of the world, this is my very last pre-production Honey Badger rashguard. It's a size LARGE. You want it? Do I give a sh*t? Of course I do. So to win this last ever pre-production rashie (final production version is a little different with added logos etc) here are the details:

TO ENTER
The artwork on this rashguard has been subject to intense debate with people either loving it or hating. I want you to play devil's advocate and write - as a comment on this blog entry - the most creatively venomous 'review' of the rashguard as you can. No profanities please, I want clever but naaaasty critique. Make it mean, make it deadly, make me laugh out loud.

Comment here on this blog, not Facebook. Please include your full name and location, but if you want to avoid spambots, then leave out your email address and just keep an eye on here when I announce the winner and you can contact me by email or Facebook with your mailing details.

Entries close on WEDNESDAY 26th October midnight BST - a winner announced the next day.

Judges decision (ie me) is final. Remember the prize is one size LARGE long sleeved rashie.

DON'T FORGET
Pre-order for this baby ends on Monday 31st October (conveniently end of month payday, yay!)
You can buy it through these retailers:

UK - Tatami Fightwear

USA - Budovideos
Germany - Gi Direkt
Sweden - TatamiBJJ SE
Finland - MESH
Japan - BT Fightgear

Good luck!

:)