Live Training vs Fighting

A couple weeks ago, I came across John Danaher’s Instagram post about training vs fighting. He says:

“Training vs fighting: A fundamental tenant of fighting is to avoid your opponent’s strengths whilst imposing your own. Interestingly, in training I recommend that you often do the exact opposite. In fighting and competition (shiai) THE OBJECT IS VICTORY. In training, the object is SKILL DEVELOPMENT – DO NOT CONFUSE THEM. As such, one of the best ways to train is to identify the strengths of your various partners, AND REGULARLY EXPOSE YOURSELF TO THOSE STRENGTHS. This is a splendid way to build skills, particularly defensive skills. Here, Georges St-Pierre works with Nicky Ryan. Of course Mr St-Pierre could easily take Mr Ryan down and play a game of disengagement, but he recognizes that such a tactic would offer very little skill development. Instead, he opts to maximize training value by going against Mr Ryan’s formidable leg locking and guard passing skills from bottom position. When students make a clear distinction between training and competition and the different priorities of the two, rapid skill acquisition is common. Failure to make the distinction usually leads to students who have a skill set of favorite moves which does not grow over time. Training sessions tend to become very repetitive and dull. KEEP IN MIND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN TRAINING AND COMPETITION AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED WITH GROWTH OVER TIME, no matter how frustrating it may seem in the short term. Be mindful of one of the central paradoxes of jiu jitsu training – THE MORE VULNERABLE YOU MAKE YOURSELF IN THE TRAINING ROOM, THE LESS VULNERABLE YOU WILL BE IN COMPETITION.”

Photo credit: John Danaher (IG: @danaherjohn)

It’s almost as if Mr. Danaher read my mind (and explained it much better). Why try to compete with and kill your training partners when you can do that in competition when it really counts?  Are people too consumed by their ego in live training to work on (or expose) their own weaknesses? 

Let’s keep it real people. Nobody likes one trick ponies. If you’re good at a few key moves – good for you. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you every single time on every single person. Even more importantly, how are you ever going to evolve? And also, shouldn't you save your aggression for opponents rather than your training partners? After all, you can't get better without training partners.

The bottom line is that your improvement in BJJ is based on how willing you are to throw your ego out the window and be able to be the nail AND keep showing up despite feeling beat down by the hammer every day. You will at least get 1% better each time and your progression will greatly increase over time the more you focus on your skill development rather than who you can “beat” in training that day.

Also, remember that drillers make killers. If you are not working on specific training and are just going into live training or “sparring” without a game plan (except to just be the dominant player), you’re doing it all wrong. Be vulnerable, work on your weaknesses, and remember that in the gym, it’s all about skill development NOT victory - that's what competitions are for. 

The Next Biggest Name in BJJ?

After the 2017 Worlds, you cannot deny that new black belt, Nicholas Meregali, exceeded everyone's expectations by winning a world title in his first year at black belt by defeating the five-time world champion, Leandro Lo. Not only did he defeat Lo, but on his way to gold, he submitted former world champion, Lucas Leite, as well as Helton Junior and Dimitrius Soares Souza. 

Do you think that Meregali has what it takes to become the next biggest name in BJJ? 

Beating the Burnout

For BJJ instructors, that is. We all know that regular school teachers deal with burnout all the time. The challenge is always keeping your students engaged, excited, and willing to learn. Being a “teacher” of jiu-jitsu is no different. We need to keep our students engaged so that they want to come back the next day to learn more.

However, just like regular school teachers, jiu-jitsu instructors often deal with the same kind of burnout. Despite having a curriculum to teach from (or not), a lot of instructors find themselves getting lazy when they feel burnt out… often times skipping teaching technique altogether and having their students spar in hopes that they will figure out how to get better on their own in the shark tank. This, in particular, can be counterproductive – especially for newer students who need to learn more techniques, or at least drill the ones they know, before they are able to engage in a live roll situation. Moreover, if you have students in the class who are nursing injuries (but who can still train), it forces them into a weird situation where they feel obligated to participate in sparring but don’t want to get hurt by others who don’t know what they’re doing. While they might be trying to flow, their training partner might be doing otherwise.

Renato Laranja always keeps it entertaining during his turn to teach. 

If you are teaching a fundamentals class with new students and lower belts, it is imperative that you teach technique, have your students drill and save the sparring for live training after class is done. A few helpful ways to keep things lively (including for yourself) is:

Keep changing up the warm-up. Don’t let things get stagnant and predictable – those things encourage complacency. A good rule of thumb is to always come up with a new warm-up for each class to keep you and your students on their toes.

Build upon your techniques that you teach. Get students excited to learn (and to get you excited to share), your favorite "go to" moves. Keep it very basic at first and then build up the complexity to stir up the challenge in your students. If you have a set curriculum, add your own personal touch to the moves by including stories of why and how that specific technique worked for you. 

Make things fun. Being serious all the time is no fun for anyone. Not you, and especially not your students. Yes, there is a time and a place for joking around… and sometimes it can be during class. It will definitely lighten the mood and you’ll have more fun teaching if you stop taking things so seriously.

If all else fails, sometimes we all need to take a break to appreciate the things we have. Take some time off to recharge your batteries and to really think about if teaching is something that you want to do. No matter how much you can fake it, people are aware of when you’re just not into it… and who wants to learn from someone who isn’t into it?

Why Cross Training is Important

As we’ve seen from the positive results of the World Clan movement, training with others is important for your development and character in BJJ.

First and foremost, if you are training at a school that vehemently does not allow cross training with other academies in your area or even your own affiliation – that is absolutely ridiculous. Many refer to that as being “old school,” but in reality, it is really about insecurity on the higher ups part that promotes cult-like behavior within the academy by controlling who you can or cannot train with.

Cross training opens yourself up to learning new techniques. Not all schools are the same, nor do they teach the same style or techniques. With that being said, your school should never be “the end all” of your learning. BJJ is constantly evolving so if you want to stay ahead of the curve, cross train. Check out other academies when you’re on vacation (if your significant other allows it), attend seminars at other academies, drive a couple hours to train with another academy during their open mat, and especially take advantage of a World Clan event in your area (you will thank me later).

World Clan/Black Belts for Butterflies hosted at Foster Jiu-Jitsu in August 2016. Over 5 states and 10+ academies represented.

You will expand your circle of friends. The BJJ community is big… but it is small also. The more friends you make, the more couches you’ll be able to crash on when you’re rolling through (no pun intended) a new area. The level of hospitality in the BJJ community is second to none. With social media ever present, it is even easier to make friends before you meet them in real life. Not only have I opened up my home to others, the same kind of hospitality was extended to me – in Brazil, nonetheless. And with a language barrier.

You will build confidence. Being a new person in an unfamiliar environment can be stressful, but the more opportunities you expose yourself to, the more confidence you will build. Which also means less insecurities as well – namely how you compare to others from different academies. Believe me, some people actually build complexes in their head with this – which are the same people who refuse to cross train or let their students cross train.

If you take a look at the best in the sport, they train everywhere with anyone. Whether they are on vacation or in the area, they will train. The perfect example is Marcus Buchecha training with Leandro Lo. They met in the absolute finals at Worlds this year… but they still consider each other good friends and training partners.

Photo cred: Dion Watts 

If you limit where you train and who you train with, you are seriously limiting your potential for growth. If you can let go of your insecurities with training with new people, you will open yourself up to new opportunities, great training, and increasing your BJJ squad.

BJJ Seminars and Why It’s Important To Go

A few weeks ago, a notable black belt in the community suggested that I write a blog about the importance of attending seminars that are hosted by your academy, as he had lackluster turnouts at a few of the seminars he provided at his place. When I asked him what the percentage of his students attending, he stated that at a low, half will attend. He also noticed that the people he brings in also plays a role in whether or not his students attend the seminar. However, the way he sees it is that he is looking to further the education of his students based on their needs and that it’s not always the “who’s who” or good top champion – its’ the quality. 

Perhaps because I originally came from a place where seminars are hard to come by, it would be automatic for me to attend seminars that readily become available at my academy (or any academy in a 20 mile radius, actually). First, it’s always nice to change it up and learn from someone else who has a similar or even different game or style. Isn’t that why we often turn to YouTube for techniques?  But the difference is - it’s live, you can drill it while the person is there to correct you, and most importantly, you can ask all of the clarifying questions you need. You can’t do that with your computer.

Second, if your instructor readily brings in others for seminars, they are investing in your education. They aren’t trying to be the “be all, end all” of instruction for you. They want you to grow by learning from others that they respect as well and rather than having you seek out knowledge, they are bringing it to you.

Third, c’mon, it’s your home academy. You need to represent. I mean, how shame is it if more people from other schools attend the seminar more than the students at that own academy? The answer: very embarrassing. Your instructor is also probably forking over not just time, but money and resources to bring someone else in for your benefit.

Sometimes it’s not always about the big name, multiple-time world champions that provide the best seminars. And also, even if the person’s style is not applicable to yours, you are learning what other people are doing so that you can use that to help counter different styles. 

The bottom line is this: if your instructor invests in your education, it’s good to show that appreciation by showing up. You will be sure to take away at least one important tip or technique, which that in itself should make it worthwhile.

The Weight Cut /// By: Vincent Inoncillo

Cutting weight for combat sports is a science. Athletes diet and train accordingly to their goals. Some athletes can cut a lot of weight over a short period of time and there are others who need a little bit longer. Many times, particularly in jiu-jitsu, there have been athletes who are looking to compete for their first time while also wanting to cut a lot of weight. Is cutting weight worth it? Let's check out the pros and cons.

The transformation of black belt world champion, Gabi Garcia. 

There are few reasons why jiu-jitsu athletes cut weight. One reason is when an athlete starts their journey, losing weight is an ongoing byproduct of training jiu-jitsu. Putting that constant shock on your body, if you've never done anything physical like this art before, will help you shed weight. Seeing those pounds melt away makes the process addicting. Another reason why, which is also the main purpose of this blog, is because the athlete sees that they are pretty close to the next weight class down and that they want to lose the extra pounds so that they can be the bigger athlete that dominates in that lower weight division. These are some of positive aspects of cutting weight for jiu-jitsu.

On the flipside there is a downside to cutting weight. On many occasions common in jiu-jitsu and other combat sports, athletes have abused their bodies during the weight cut process. This abuse comes from not fueling their bodies properly and minimizing their fluid intake. We all know that we need to eat food for energy throughout the day and for competition training you are going to need that fuel to supplement the frequency your training. Not feeding your body can result in dizziness, fatigue and dehydration, just to name a few. In some cases you could even be hospitalized if you malnourish your body during your competition prep.

Even when the route of minimal food and fluid intake is taken, the athlete can still achieve their desired weight for competition. Some athletes may have a pre-existing history and experience with crash dieting, but others may be doing this for the first time and though they make the weight, their performance in competition may be lackluster. Many jiu-jitsu practitioners suggest that if you're doing a competition for the first time that you just compete at whatever weight you're currently at because that is where you are comfortable at the moment. Ulysses Gomez, a brown belt who is a UFC veteran and seasoned grappler, says, "I think that it's pointless to cut weight unless money or sponsorship is involved. I understand why people do it at a higher level because it's necessary to compete with the worlds’ best, but at the novice level I think it's best to compete at a more natural weight class instead of cutting weight."

Athletes have their reasons to cut weight for competition. Is it worth it? If it's going to affect your health and well-being, then no. But if the stakes are high enough and you do it in a safe manner then by all means go for it. Everybody's body is different and will react differently to losing weight. You just have to find what is the best method for you. 

The BJJ Lifestyle

Let’s not get it twisted, people. The “Jiu-Jitsu Lifestyle” doesn’t just mean training leisurely once or twice a week, wearing fancy gis (and all of the BJJ gear that goes along with it that screams “Hey! I train!”), and eating acai. It goes much deeper than this.

I went to Brazil for the first time in 2011. I had only been training for about six months (obviously a white belt) and was searching for an adventure. I met a few Brazilians during that time – either in person or via social media – and wanted to make sure to meet up with them during my travels. What I didn’t realize at that time was how much BJJ would change my life after that trip and what the true meaning of the “Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle” meant to not just me, but to others in the birthplace of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Rather than going sight seeing like any normal tourist, I found myself wanting to train every day, multiple times a day. There was something about training in Brazil that fascinated, intrigued, and motivated me. My day usually began with a small breakfast before training at noon, which lasted anywhere up to 2 hours, lunch with the guys after (which went on for quite awhile), rest/shower/strength training, then back again later that night at 8:00 pm to train again. It was the norm to have a long lunch after training, even with the guys who were working professionals who trained during their lunch break.

The hospitality shown to me during that time reminded me of local Hawaiian culture where everyone is welcoming. Their house was your house. I’ve stayed with complete strangers (who also trained), who are now some of my closest friends. I always felt comfortable on the mats. People would train hard, but it would be fun… and nobody was trying to kill me because I was the visitor/outsider. The attitude at training was different. People were there to learn and train, but there was a lot of chatting and joking around – perhaps that’s why the training lasted for 2 hours!

While I was in Brazil, it was very apparent to me that BJJ wasn’t just a hobby. Nobody cared if you wore a fancy gi or apparel that screamed, “I do Jiu-Jitsu!” Even though people really did just eat, sleep, work, and train, you would never know because it’s part of their daily life and they don’t brag about it. There were no complaints – they either showed up to train or not. It’s difficult for me to be able to put my exact experience into words, almost because it literally was life changing. It was then that I realized what BJJ was about and what it was going to mean to me.

There are people in this community that have given up their modern day comforts to commit their life to BJJ. They live at the gym, like they almost become hermits – because they are on a constant quest to learn. Although their life seems minimalistic, their experiences and what they have taken away from BJJ is what makes it rich and worthwhile. Now that, is truly living the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle.

New School No-Gi

Recently, I’ve been seeing some heated discussions over social media following this weekend’s United Grappling Association’s headliner match between 15-year-old no-gi phenom, Nicky Ryan and 25-year-old 10th Planet brown belt standout Marvin Castelle. The fight ended in Ryan’s favor with a heel hook variation at 3 ½ minutes. Ryan then went on to fight black belt veteran Paulo Miyao for gold and ended up taking home silver. There’s no denying that at a young age, Ryan is extremely talented but it brings up some interesting (and controversial, nonetheless) topics of conversation…

Fundamental Jiu-Jitsu loyalists aren’t a fan of this style of BJJ (#leglockynow) and may also argue that no-gi is not as technical as fighting in the gi… and it’s boring. Many will say that the developments in the gi are the reason why we see the evolution of no-gi over time, and that the perfect example of this is the ADCC, one of the most prestigious no-gi competitions being stacked each year with world champions of the GI. How many of these strictly no-gi grapplers have topped those lists?

Now a purple belt, Ryan has been learning the intricacies of the leg locks since he was 13. While everyone knows how to tap, should kids/teens be able to learn these submissions to use in competition? Science says that the rational part of a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed until age 25, which means that lack of rational impulsive control coupled with ego in competition or training could prove to be a dangerous combination. Perhaps this is why there are strict rules when it comes to these types of submissions for kids and teens no-gi matches.

And finally, the question of belt rank in no-gi - which Ryan was just awarded his purple belt a few days shy of his 16th birthday. Obviously, in order to compete in any IBJJF no-gi competition, you need to have a belt rank. However, it's no secret that Ryan has no intention of competing in IBJJF competitions, as they don't offer money and "ban the most effective lower body submission and discourage submitting in general." Yeah, I get that this kid is beating brown and black belts… but still – how does this translate into a belt rank? Perhaps this also opens up another can of worms that include transferring belt ranks between gi to no-gi/no-gi to gi and other questions involving belt ranking systems.

I guess I tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to this new school no-gi or maybe I’m completely ignorant to this style of grappling because it's not my cup of tea. However, I believe that everyone has the right to have a style preference, which may not appeal to everyone and that no-gi can be extremely exciting to watch if you like MMA. After all, isn’t that what no-gi was created for? 

What's your preference and why?

Important Things You Should Know about BJJ Photographers

While I was fortunate to score a press pass for Worlds, I had absolutely no idea what to expect being a BJJ photographer for the weekend.

Without a doubt, I can say that it is exhausting – physically and mentally… and I wasn’t even there the entire time throughout the duration of the event. To put things into perspective, you’re on your feet most of the time and if you didn’t bring your own chair (because the event doesn’t provide those for you either), sitting on the ground in uncomfortable positions to get the right shot takes a toll on the body.  Add a couple pounds of camera and gear to carry plus the aches of having your fingers on the camera all day makes it even worse. Then after the event is over, sorting through thousands (yes, there are thousands) of photos and editing them takes a really, really long time.

What NOT TO DO - don't blur out or try to crop out the photographer's watermark. Give credit where credit is due.

Photo credit: Dion Watts of Shot by Watts

More importantly, **and pay close attention to this part** a lot of the photographers and their work go unappreciated with many people reposting their photos that they did not pay for, cropping out their watermark, and not giving them any credit for the shot. Let me tell you – a lot of these guys don’t do photography full-time. They have other full-time jobs or careers during the week and do this on the side. So before you start complaining about why it takes them so long to upload the pictures on their websites and social media following the event, maybe it’s cause most of you aren’t paying them for a dedicated session for your fights. 

Photo credit: Mike Anderson

After 12 hours of sitting in the same spot on the final day of Worlds, I couldn't help but start chatting up my neighbors to keep it lively. In the process, I started to make a mental compilation of quotes that was quite entertaining and stuff only another BJJ photographer could understand:

“God I hope it’s another double guard pull – said no one ever.”

"50/50 guard is 100% boring!"

"Man bun = no pics. Females with alternative hairstyles = lots of pics.”

“Other photographer: ‘Did you catch that submission?’ Me: ‘Damn, no, missed it.’ Other photographer: ‘Check it out…’ shows back of screen with pride”

“That’s my spot… no really, I’m not joking. That’s my spot.”

 “Where can I plug in?”

 “Where did you get that food?”

 “Can I get my chair back?”

 (whispers) “Move your ass ref!”  

Photo credit: Kenny Jewel of Grapple TV

If you love jiu-jitsu, being mat side is one of the best seats in the house and the details that you see through the lens of your camera cannot compare to the live stream that you watch at home. For example, did you see some of the pictures of Romulo Barral’s foot?? I doubt the live stream picked up on the gnarly details of that dislocation but luckily, most of the photographers paying attention got the shot (and from every angle) and provided it for the whole world to see.

Photo credit: Lance Emery Photography

So with that being said, I hope that you don’t take these guys (and gals) for granted. If you want dedicated photography for your matches (and without their watermark), pay for it. If you repost their photos on social media, give them credit for it and don't crop or blur out their watermark. They are working hard to take great shots and to make you look good so please make sure you return the favor. And also… if you really wanna get on their good side? Bring them food. They will appreciate it more than you know. Especially on black belt finals day.

The Soundtrack to the World Clan Movement :: World Clan Colorado Recap /// By: Jenifer Hordinski

You know that vibe you catch when you put on your favorite gi, step on the mat, and get in the zone? That was the feeling we were all vibing on during the World Clan event on May 20, 2017 in Littleton, Colorado. We had about 80 practitioners at the Katharo Training Center, including a number of black belts, World champions, Pan American champions, NAGA champions, and Fight To Win champions all sharing their Jiu-Jitsu for the love of it.

The Denver BJJ scene has blown up in the last couple of years. There are competitors who are killing it on the local and international competition circuits, which naturally increases the competitive nature between schools. The essence of the World Clan event welcomed competitors and even practitioners from schools we hadn’t heard of into our academy to share not only Jiu-Jitsu, but their story. World Clan is an avenue for technicians to come together to talk story – sometimes Jiu-Jitsu is a by-product.

I had an idea of a music mix I wanted to play during the open roll sessions. Then Tone said to me, “okay so here’s the itinerary… and we play reggae music, specifically.” When my husband, Professor Steve Hordinski, and I started training together we would often play island music. I figured it was something we both had in common: I fancied that genre of music, and I thought it was a habit he adopted from training with Relson Gracie in Hawaii for so long. I didn’t quite understand the intention of reggae, but now I do. Reggae is the music of the World Clan movement and dare I say of the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Much like the scattering of Rastafarians and reggae music, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has experienced a similar diaspora moving from Brazil, to Hawaii, to California, further into the mainland and now it is becoming a major practice in other continents like Asia and Europe. Jiu-Jitsu has been influenced greatly by different styles, different games, and different philosophies.  Much like how reggae is a conglomerate of R&B, jazz, and ska music. Yet both the music and martial art remain anchored in their roots. We got to experience this first hand, as we had students from other states drive to the event just to roll. We had students from so many different backgrounds, yet because we all train we spoke one language that was the same. How rad is that?

So despite what noise you hear day-to-day or even when you’re rolling, rest assured that there is still a cause out there that is dedicated to bringing all practitioners together for the sake of the art and connection.

Post-Training Lower Body Stretches /// By: Calvin Corzine

Here are 5 stretches to help the lower body post training.  Try doing each one for 1 minute on each side to help aid your recovery and avoid any extra unnecessary soreness from your training.

One leg on block - Stand with feet roughly 1 - 1.5ft apart and put one foot on a yoga block (or stack a few books or magazines up).  Keep both legs straight and hang forwards holding opposite elbows.  

Cross leg fold stretch - Cross one ankle in front of the other.  Bend the front leg knee, but keep both heels on the floor.  Twist to the side of the bent knee leg and draw the straight leg hip back slightly.  

King Arthur - Do a low lunge with the back knee a few inches away from the wall and the top of foot up the wall (feel free to move further from the wall if needed).  Place hands on front knee and lift chest. 

Supta Padangustasana - Lay on your back, take your belt around one foot and extend the leg up in the air.  Keep the back of the head on the floor and broaden across the chest.  Keep the leg you are not stretching pressing actively into the floor.  Do not lift the head up in order to avoid rounding your back.  Feel free to bend the extended leg a little bit of you have tight hamstrings.

Sukhasana - Cross the legs in the middle of the shin.  Flex the heels and if possible fold forward, if you have tighter hips sit on a block or something to elevate the hips a few inches and avoid folding forwards.

Jiu-Jitsu can take it's toll on the body so help prevent unwanted injuries by adding more active stretching into your routine to aid with your flexibility. 

For more cool yoga poses and techniques, be sure to follow Calvin at @calvmonster on Instagram and check out his previous blog on Four Poses for the Yoga Newbie: http://www.alldaybjj.com/blog/2017/3/30/four-poses-for-the-yoga-newbie-by-calvin-corzine

Worlds 2017 Recap

Going into Worlds 2017, there were a lot of things that we got hyped about – the return of Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida, the Absolute King; the black belt debuts of the former 2016 brown belt world champions; and some notable rivalry match ups in the black belt weight divisions. Needless to say, Worlds 2017 did not disappoint… for the most part.

Let’s start with Romulo Barral’s un-retirement from competition and the gnarliest injury of the 2017 Worlds. In last year’s finals match between Barral and Leandro Lo, Barral signified his retirement by tying his belt around Lo after his second place finish in the medium heavyweight division final. While we thought this would have been the last time we saw Barral compete in the adult division, we were wrong. And just like last year, Barral did not go out without a bang. In the medium heavyweight semi final match against Patrick Gaudio, Barral suffered a dislocated foot after refusing to tap to a toehold. Time ran out and the score was tied. Barral ended up losing the match 2-1 by referee’s decision. Since then, there has been a lot of controversy about Barral’s refusal to tap but at the end of the day, Barral still goes down in history as one of the most legendary competitors of our time.

The black belt class of 2016 killed it this year with the ladies leading the way. First, the new absolute queen, Tayane Porfirio, not only took home double gold, but also won all of the major IBJJF tournaments in 2017 in her weight class and in the absolute division. Talita Alencar, the 2016 brown belt light featherweight champion, unseated the former light feather queen, Gezary Matuda, in an exciting finals match with both ladies fighting hard. The fight ended 2-0 after Alencar scored in the last two minutes of the match. Rodolfo Vieira’s little sister, Ana Carolina, or “Baby” as everyone affectionately knows her, beat the 2016 champion, Monique Elias, to take home the middleweight title. Nathiely Jesus, arguably the “Rookie of the Year,” has been on a tear and has claimed many titles – most recently the 2017 medium heavyweight champion and absolute silver medalist. Last but not least, Claudia Doval of De La Riva BJJ, put on an impressive show, beating black belt veteran Talita Nogueira.

Then came Alliance’s Nicholas Meregali, who submitted everyone in his way up to the finals in the heavyweight division – only to face Leandro Lo for the gold. Meregali took home the win, 2-0, after Lo could not provide an answer to Meregali’s guard. Could Meregali become the next big thing??

The Absolute King, Buchecha, came ready to fight as he always does and left with double gold, adding his total to 10 world titles. In his division, he beat NS Brotherhood black belt, Igor Schneider, 11-7 and then went on to submit Joao Rocha and Gustavo Elias to take home the gold. In the absolute final, it’s as if the IBJJF knew that they would save the best fight for last – Buchecha vs Leandro Lo. We know that they are good friends and have trained together in Brazil and the US. Many of us wished we could be a fly on the wall to see them train together, but thankfully, the 2017 Worlds gave us a glimpse of what those training sessions looked like as both men went to WAR. As time ran out, the score was tied 2-2, with 1 penalty for Lo. It was a modern day clash of the titans, with both exhausted from the 10-minute battle.

Finally, you can’t have a ton of hype without having some drama. Many will say that the IBJJF refereeing has been getting more and more inconsistent as time goes on. One of the more publicly controversial decisions this year was between Cobrinha and Jamil Hill in the semi finals of the featherweight division. Caio Terra was also seen visibly upset by the referee’s decision after his finals match with Alliance’s Bruno Malfacine and exchanged a few words with them after the fight.

Despite some of the controversial moments this year, the 2017 Worlds lived up to the hype. There’s less than 365 days until the next one and I know that we can count on both the familiar faces and “dark horses” of the divisions to make it just as exciting as this year.

The Return of the Absolute King /// By: Bear Quitugua

An interview with one of the greatest jiu-jitsu players of our time.

Photo cred: Alex Nazari (@alexnazari on Instagram)

The very first time I saw Marcus Almeida, known simply as “Buchecha,” compete was at the 2010 IBJJF World Championship in California. That year was no different than the last 10 years of watching jiu-jitsu in California, as my goal was always to watch and seek out the future stars of our sport, and I was told through the wire that there was this young 19-year-old brown belt kid from the Checkmat team that had been winning everything in Brazil. 

I think the biggest thing that I noticed right away was his way of pushing for the submission and finishing fights. After that first time seeing him on the mat, each year would come around and Buchecha started to become more and more of a fan favorite in both his weight class and the absolute open class division. Back then, I was just an average fan like everybody else who loved his jiu-jitsu style and saw him as a superstar in the sport.

Over the years we have become good friends and I got to know him more as a person. When the opportunity came to work together last year, we could not pass it up and added him to our team at Shoyoroll. Buchecha is one of the most exciting submission fighters of our time and arguably one of the most decorated heavyweight and open class champions in our sports history. These facts alone are nothing short of amazing but the bigger thing that I think makes Buchecha special is that he has a very humble past and although he is the most sought after grapplers in the world, he still finds time to be an example for future generations. He always has a good energy and great vibe—which has not changed much at all after all his years of success and being at the top. This is what makes him ultra special in my opinion.

Photo cred: Ryan Hahn (@ryan.hahn on Instagram)

What are some of the things that go through your head minutes before a match?

Everything starts from the morning, but before the fight, it’s a storm of thoughts in my head. The last fight is the one that I remember more. I think about a lot of things before the fight… and that’s the tricky part because if I win, I have to prove that I came back. I have to prove that I’m the old Buchecha. I’m going to be exposed. I’m going to be doing everything. But if you went with this in your head to show other people, it’s not the right thought, you know? You’re not going with the right reason. So before you go there and perform, you have to have the right reasons. When I’m really nervous, I think-- why I’m doing this, you know? I start thinking why I want to be here. I’m here because I want to be here. I choose to be here. That’s the life I want to live. I choose to train hard everyday. I want to be here because for me, that’s my passion, that’s my joy, that’s my work. Jiu-Jitsu is everything that I do in my life. So I started putting the right thoughts in my head… I choose to be here, I want to be here, and I want to have some fun, you know? “Why am I doing this?” Not for somebody else – it’s for me. That’s what drives me to compete - to make me a better fighter, a better person and go there and try to perform and put everything I did in the training… today, now. Then all the nervousness and the excitement starts to change to excitement to go on the mat. I get kinda nervous before warming up but before I get into the area to step into the fight, I’m changed. I’m totally changed. I look at my opponents and I see him them nervous… and I‘m getting excited to fight and have some fun. So once I step on the mat, everything is different. All the nervousness is gone and I’m there to compete and do my best. I see a lot of people with the thoughts like… “I can’t lose, I can’t lose.” I go there, and of course I wanna win. Of course if you sign up you want to win but I go there either to kill or die.  Not to win by an advantage. So I think that’s the main thing – you have to find the right reasons to do anything. Not just in jiu-jitsu but in life. So if you’re doing it for you, if you doing for yourself because you wanna be there, I think that’s the right reasons. That’s my reasons. So if you don’t find your own reasons, I think you’re wasting time. You’ll never be 100% there. So that’s how I feel and that’s how I deal with my head before the fight.

Even as a lower belt, I pretty much always won the whole thing so I always went in as favored. But once I got the black belt, I was the underdog just like everybody else. I wasn’t favored. So I always went to prove myself. Of course when I became the favorite, there was a lot of pressure on me. So with a lot of pressure, I start thinking with the wrong reasons and sometimes if you’re weak you let the pressure get in your head like… “if you win you win this year, you can be the only one in history to win 4 times…” but yeah, like whatever, who cares. But at the end of the day, that was in the back of my head. And I think that was something that didn’t really go well for me. That’s no excuse because I lost but it was something to make me think more. It’s the brain you know, your brain is something that you have to control, not let it control you, right? It’s kinda confusing but it’s true. You have to deal with your head and find the right reason for doing what you do. If you don’t find the right reasons, like I said, you’ll be tough and wasting time. You gotta give your 100% otherwise you’re not gonna be lucky. 

What are the first 3 things that go into your head when you lose a match?

There is loss… and LOSS… you know? There is not many losses but there’s a few and always when I’m losing, even if there’s still one second on the clock, I’m still fighting. Even if I lose but give my best, my 100%, I don’t feel like I completely lost. I feel really sad and I think that happened one time when I felt like I really lost because I gave up. I saw on the clock that there was a minute left and I was losing by 2 points and I just gave up. And that was really when I felt like I gave up. But if I lose for fighting until the end, it’s something different. Always when I lose, I try to see the good and bad about the loss. I don’t lose often but even when I win, I try to see the good and bad. I never get comfortable. I won but it was a hard fight… the guy passed by guard… the guy took me down… the guy swept me… so I always go home happy because I won but on the other side, I made a lot of mistakes. I won but I sucked in the fight. So I don’t take the bad side with just the loss but I learned to do this with the wins too. I never got comfortable with the win. I try to learn the lessons with the wins and not wait to lose to try to change anything. Every fight, every tournament, I take it as a lesson - winning or losing. But if I really lose because I gave up, it’s something that is going to make me feel really bad. It happened once or twice and it was one of the worst things because I chose to give up because I couldn’t win. It’s something that you have to deal with so it’s your choice.

I always want to be better than the person I was yesterday. So if I lose because the guy was better than me, but I know in the level that I am, I can be better than anyone if I train too. Of course if you lose because the guy was better than you but maybe because you didn’t give your best too. I want to get better not because I want to be better than my opponents but because I want to be a better fighter, a better person and to always improve. It’s not just about winning but it’s about performing better. When I am doing the right things in a match and in training, I feel good. It’s about learning and an experience. I am chasing to be the greatest.

Photo cred: Ryan Hahn

What do Championships mean for you now compared to your first one at black belt?

I don’t think it’s about a championship, but about every fight. I don’t train different for a championship or a super fight, because it’s always my head on the line. If I accept a fight, it doesn’t matter what it is, I’m gonna put myself into it 100%. That became my goal and my focus. It means everything to me until it happens. It doesn’t matter if I lose one championship- a big one – if I commit to something, I’m going all the way. Until I finish it, I’m not going to rest.

What are the biggest pressures you face internally as an athlete?

I think that with after the surgery, that’s when I started to think about others and myself. The coming back was more personal. A lot of people don’t have sportsmanship and when I hurt my leg, I heard a lot of people clapping and that made me feel bad as a person. If I was fighting someone and they got hurt, I would feel bad. But when I got injured, I heard people clapping and they were happy that I got hurt. I didn’t want to end my career that way – going in the ambulance to the hospital. I told myself I’m going to come back and I’m going to prove that I can do better than this and I’m not going to leave the tournament in an ambulance. I’m going to go to the tournament and do my best. And I was going to do different. Once the day came, a lot of people were wondering if I was the same, but I wasn’t listening anymore because it was about myself. Even when I won the first match, I was really emotional because it was in the same area that I got hurt and after that day, it was the worst year of my life. People don’t know but I know how hard it was. I won the fight 6-0 but everyone thought that I should have won in the first 30 seconds. Even a lot of my friends thought I wasn’t the same anymore and that got in my head a little. But the focus and the pressure was on myself and I was going to overcome. The second and third fight were much better and I won the whole thing and proved to myself that I came back. I think that was a lot of pressure and a lot of things in my head – I thought about quitting and I thought about getting a job because my knee wasn’t the same.  It was one year of pressure in my own head but it was something that motivated me at the same time. The pressure was with myself and not about the others. Since I was born in this sport, I’m dealing with pressure so that isn’t going to change anything for me – the yelling isn’t going to change anything for me… people that think they’re going to get into my head talking about something – they don’t know what it’s like to do the finals and have everyone in the arena looking at you… everyone wants to see the favorite to lose. Pressure like that is fine for me, I got used to it. But the pressure of coming back to see if I am the same or not was the worst pressure that I felt.

I think the injury totally changed my life as a fighter and a professional. It made me a better fighter and a better person. Because the time off gives you a lot of time to think about things you would never think about. I felt useless for a long time… people forget about you… and you see who is going to be with you around that time. There is a lot of deception with people you expected to be there for you and were not. I think the injury made me feel reborn in the sport, like what I feel today is the same desire that I felt in 2012 when I was hungry to win. I wasn’t as hungry as before and after that I gave more value… I know how much it is worth to me to be healthy and training. Even if I cannot train to compete, I want to be on the mat sweating and having a good time. That’s a part of me already. It made me give more value of everything that I have in life because if I’m not able to do what I love, I’m useless.

Nobody wants to be injured but it ended up being good for me because it gave me a new perspective.

Photo cred: Alex Nazari

How do you deal with fear?

I don’t have fears about these things because you have to deal with that… not the fear the word – but more nervous. If it were fear, I wouldn’t be doing it.

You give up positions sometimes and lose points on risky moves a lot of the time. Most competitors don’t risk this because they want the victory at all cost, even if there is no submission. What’s your theory behind your style of grappling?

I don’t know… because when I started competing, I remember fights that I had when I was winning by 20 points and I was so scared to stop because I didn’t want to lose by submission. I was always scared to stop and get submitted so I was always moving. I always want to be ready to fight the entire time limit but if I have to do 9 fights to win both divisions, I don’t want to fight 90 minutes so I always go there to fight as least as I can because if I submit a guy in a minute, I don’t waste my muscles or cardio. I always give my best and train to give my best, not to be comfortable. I’m ready for any situation. That’s how I train and that’s how my style is. That’s why I train so hard – so I can be comfortable in any situation.

What motivates you to continue to be the best?

I think that’s a hard question but from where I came from and where I am – I came from nowhere, I am here and I never thought to myself that I would get here and nowadays I have to find a lot of reasons to keep motivating myself. I think what really drives me is to do what’s never been done. It’s something that always drives me and wants me to push harder and go further. To do what’s never been done – to make my family proud and to be unique.

Do you believe the best people in every sport are a little bit crazy in their own head that makes them different from the rest?

It’s something that it’s hard to define in one word. It’s not just “crazy” but it’s kinda like crazy but in a good way. There’s crazy in bad ways… one thing I notice of most of champions that I look up to is that they are really selfish. Not selfish in the worst way, but you put what you want over everything. It becomes so much focus that it becomes selfish. Not in a bad way but if your family understands you, that’s what really matters. If your friends who are really your friends, they will understand, they’re not gonna judge you. Who is really with you will understand. I have priorities in my life, of course my career and family is the most important but I think that is the most common thing that I see with athletes at this level.

Photo cred: Ryan Hahn

There’s rumors you like the Hollywood scene, could we see you on a set one day?

That’s something that I really would be happy if it happens. Living in California, I came a long way, far away from here, and I’m here… just a couple miles away so if something happens for me going that way I would go for sure. Maybe, who knows? It’s kinda like a dream to see how everything happens. I love movies and I would love to work with stuff like that even if it’s not acting but working with actors, I would like something like that. And if I ended up on the big screen, that would be great but if not, I’d like to be around and experience this Hollywood scene. When I know actors and meet them in person, I always like to see how they are in a real life because the characters are different. It’s something that I enjoy and I’m a big fan of the movie industry… but who knows? The future is bright. It’s a long way so let’s see.

How do you want people to remember you as an athlete?

I think in any sport, that is your time. I think I have a good time and I think it’s not my time – it’s been my time. But sooner or later I’m going to stop and sooner or later there will be a new Buchecha, a new guy winning everything but I don’t want to be the guy that people are going to remember as someone they didn’t like. I want to be a guy that people will remember with good memories – someone that made a legacy, someone that was a nice guy, really polite, he made a lot of friends and everyone likes him, the way that he fights, the way that he is inside and outside of the mats – I want people to remember me as a good person. I want to be remembered as a positive role model, a guy that everyone wants to be around – with good energy and good vibes.

My parents raised me to be humble and always taught me and my sister what is right and wrong. I think that is the biggest reason why I am the way that I am today. I saw people close to me who became great athletes change. I didn’t want a medal or a title to change who I am. In everything that I conquered, I never thought I would travel all over the world, I never thought I would learn English, I never thought I would meet so many people, so many idols in and outside of jiu-jitsu. The way that I am and jiu-jitsu gave me everything. Everything that I have right now, I want it to be a seed for the future. So if you seed good stuff, you will get good stuff in the future. If you seed bad stuff, attitude and things like that in the future, you’re not going to have friends. I still remember everyone that helped me get to Worlds when I had to hold raffles to be able to travel and fight. I have been there so there’s no reason to change. Of course, now I’m in a better situation but I still treat everyone the same way – from the guy who cleans the floor or the guy that owns the building – that’s how my parents taught me. That’s what I think is the right thing to do in life and it doesn’t matter what I have achieved in the sport or in life, I am not going to change the person that I am.

Fake It Til You Make It? Not in Jiu-Jitsu...

While it is not common, but has been happening more often lately, the exposure of "fake" black belts via social media has us going through a mix of emotions - mad, entertained, and even embarrassed. Most legitimate black belts wouldn't give this topic the time of day... and we really shouldn't either.

The reason is this. The mats don't lie. Anyone can buy a colored belt and not have to provide verification that they, in fact, are whatever belt color they are buying. However, once they step on that mat with any other color belt that was not earned, it will be quite obvious... and embarrassing. Even if you hold a black belt (or any other color belt for that matter) in another martial art, it does not translate across all the martial arts - especially Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

When I was a white belt training in Brazil, a friend, a brown belt at the time, told me something that has stuck with me since that day. He told me that it's better to be a white belt with the skill level of a blue belt than a blue belt with the skill level of a white belt. Since then, those words have kept me "in line." After all, it's better to be the one impressing others than the one people think they suck for being a higher rank.

Photo credit: @sergbjjandfitness

In a previous blog, we discuss how our jiu-jitsu journey is our own and that we shouldn't focus on anyone else's rank except our own. Sometimes it's difficult, as we tend to measure our own progress with others. Even when we visit other academies, we are especially curious to see how we fare with others of the same rank even though each school and their promotion criteria varies. 

No, not all promotions are created equal. However, you know when there is a huge technical disparity between the belts. If a white or blue belt continually submits their black belt with ease, that is a red flag. Black belts should be like lions playing with their pray. They will often play catch and release and allow the lower belts to move and figure out what's going on or what they are in danger of. As their students move through the belt ranks, their upper belts will start to give them a hard time. Sometimes they'll get caught, but usually they'll have the upper hand the entire time.

The bottom line is that you can't fake skill level in BJJ. If you're antsy about promotions and have an opportunity to cheat yourself - don't. You'll just end up being the guy/gal that everyone talks about because they don't know how you earned the rank around your waist and they'll try to humble you every chance they get... and also, nobody likes getting called out on social media. 

Earn it. 

Save the Trash Talking for MMA?

On Sunday, a thread on Edwin Najmi’s Facebook post about the Brasileiro escalated pretty quickly when black belt Abraham Marte made a comment about how wild the crowd goes when “douchebags” fight. Namely Aj Agazarm. What seemed like a playful interaction between Marte and Agazarm quickly turned into Marte calling out Aj on his “bullsh*t,” with everyone reaching for the popcorn. Marte goes on to tell Aj to “drop the act, and be a good human,” so that nobody else will want to slap him (or Spartan kick him off a stage). Aj responds by saying that him getting kicked or slapped in a match does not define him and that the acceptance of others does not define him either. He related, “I am fulfilled from within myself, not in pleasing your standards or chasing some meaningless titles. Ask yourself, ‘What am I motivated by?’”

From Edwin Najmi's Facebook page

I had a chance to speak with Marte and had him elaborate on what made him start the thread and his thought process behind it. He related that he wasn’t trolling or trying to start anything, but is over people in the sport being shady and disrespectful. Moreover, he says that we as fans should shun that kind of behavior and embrace more positive aspects in the sport rather than buy into the negativity, shadiness, and douchebag attitudes ruining the scene.

I also reached out to Aj, who was more than happy to provide insight on the exchange, what he thinks of keyboard warriors and trash talking, and if ego plays a role in the way that he portrays himself to the public on social media. But, there was a catch – all of his answers were going to be in the form of emojis. Which, in fact, was not hard to understand and was much more funnier than I realized it would be.

On how he felt about being referred to as a “douchebag” by Marte:

 😲😱😡🤔😐😃

Why he believes Marte thinks he isn’t a good person:

👱🏻 (AJ): 👱🏻🏆🎖 

👦🏻 (Abie Boy): 👦🏻📉🕳 

What he thinks of keyboard warriors and trash talking on social media:

📋📧⌨️😴💤 

If ego plays a role in the way he portrays himself to the public:

😜 

If he cares about what the fans think of him:

👱🏻 (More ev'ry day)  😘

SMOOCHIE 😛 BOOCHIES!!!  

👱🏻 (AJ): 🌎🏆🏅🎖 WORL' CHAMPEEEEN

🎤⤵️ 

I get that this type of public “trash talking” amongst competitive athletes is common due to avenues like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and it’s a strategy to create hype. Sometimes it’s even hard to distinguish between what trash talking is real and what is a gimmick. This kind of behavior is especially prominent in MMA, where there is a villain and the “good guy/girl.” Perhaps this is where Jiu-Jitsu competitors have learned to adopt this mentality that Internet hype, perceived rivalries, and disrespect will get you more likes, more followers, and more interest to drive their egocentric attitudes.

The jury is still out on whether or not this behavior is good for jiu-jitsu. Yes, publicly calling out opponents does build hype. Despite it not being a positive one, it still attracts interest and viewership for that perceived rivalry match. On the flipside, this type of disrespect and lack of humility goes against the values of a true martial artist. After all, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is, first and foremost, a martial art more than it is sport-oriented.

But in the end, what do people really get out of all of this? Sure, all this Internet trolling makes for great memes and much anticipated heated face-to-face interactions, but what does it really do for jiu-jitsu? If we are trying to bring more attention to BJJ as a sport to grow it and make it more professional, I’m pretty sure Internet trolling and all of the doucebaggery that comes with it certainly does not help… but it is quite entertaining.

Why Every Parent Should Enroll Their Child in Jiu-Jitsu

Just this week a video surfaced on Facebook that every parent should see (unfortunately it has since been removed). It was about a female student who was bullied/sexually harassed by another student at school who kept snapping the back of her bra. After repeatedly asking the boy to stop and informing the teacher what was happening, the girl eventually punched the boy in the face after he undid her bra. Both she and the boy were brought to the principal’s office with their parents, and it appeared that the school was angrier with the girl for punching the boy. (You can read the full story here: https://stuffhappens.us/a-boy-at-school-snapped-her-15430/)

Unfortunately, this kind of scenario is quite real amongst middle and high school students. Recently, a parent shared with me a situation that her 6th grade daughter went through and how the school told her that she shouldn’t use her jiu-jitsu unless there are multiple people attacking her. In this incident, her daughter had been bullied and physically attacked by a male student after she refused to give up the basketball and the girls’ rights to use the court.

When her daughter, E*, refused to give up the basketball and turned her back to the boy, he scratched her face, leaving 3 gashes with lines across her cheek. She was not happy about this, so she took him down to the ground. She then tried to tell the boy to stay down, which of course he refused, so when she tried to get up, he yanked on her hair. She then went for the arm bar but did not fully extend the arm because she didn’t want to hurt him.

This is what E* had to say about why she did what she did and how jiu-jitsu has prepared her to face situations like this:

“I did it for my protection. Jiu-Jitsu has helped me become more and more ready for defending myself outside of the jiu-jitsu academy. It helped me react to defend myself and not freeze up or let myself be a victim of bullying. Most people would probably react the way I did if they did jiu-jitsu!”

No parent ever wants to hear their child is the victim of bullying. A lot of children often hide the fact that they are being bullied in school, which in turn, creates negative physical, school, and mental health issues. Children who are bullied are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, health issues, and decreased academic achievement. The unfortunate negative outcomes of these issues can lead to retaliation, substance use or even suicide.

So rather than sit on the sidelines and hope that this never happens to your child, be proactive and enroll them in jiu-jitsu. It will give them the confidence and self-defense skills to face these challenges in a positive way, which will pay for itself tenfold in the long run.

For more information about bullying, please visit: www.stopbullying.gov  

To Compete or Not to Compete, That is the Question

In the last few weeks, I’ve had a sudden jolt of motivation on the mats. Perhaps it has a lot to do with a lot of my teammates committing to compete in August at Masters Worlds and now I’m contemplating whether or not I should join them. It’s been awhile since I’ve competed, at least two years, going on three and while I don’t consider myself much of a competitor, I know that it is a necessary part of my jiu-jitsu journey whether I like it or not.

Now that I’ve slowly picked up my pace in training, I’ve been reflecting a lot on my past competition experiences and have had a few self-realizations. A lot of those self-realizations have been a result of mistakes that I have made mentally and physically. So if you are thinking about competing for the first time, or even if you’ve been competing on and off for a while, I think some of my self-realizations may spark something in you.

Do it for the right reasons. I competed for the first time about three months into training with two weeks notice. Everyone else was entering, so I figured why not too. I was maybe training twice a week, three times at the most and had no idea what I was getting into. There was no real “comp” style of training differentiated and everyone was pretty lax about it. So I just trained. Not knowing what to expect, not even really knowing how to start from standing, I got killed on points in my first match and got submitted in my second (also not realizing it was round robin style and I had to fight again). Now that I look back at the whole situation, I can’t even tell you why I wanted to enter except for the fact that everyone else was doing it. I was ill prepared and probably embarrassed my team more than I did myself.

Don’t wait to cut the weight. In that same first competition, I cut 10 pounds in one week. I didn’t know how to cut weight effectively, so I starved myself. Needless to say I made the weight, but I felt crappy the entire time. If I had decided to compete earlier, rather than impulsively at the last minute, I would have had time to clean up my diet and cut the weight slowly so I could feel good all the time. Also, talking to someone knowledgeable about nutrition would have been a great idea also, so that they can help figure out the foods that your body can metabolize the quickest or the ones that are causing you to bloat.

Competition does not necessarily validate your skill level, but it proves who is a better competitor. I struggled a lot with this when I competed at the blue belt level. I was confident with my technique, but had a difficult time executing it under pressure. I suppose the analogy that not everyone can be a good teacher can be applied to the statement that not everyone can be a good competitor. Or, not all great competitors are good teachers and vice versa.

You will never feel like you’re “ready” enough to compete. You just need to bite the bullet and do it if you want to do it. No matter how hard you train and get ready for competition, you’ll never really feel ready. Much like a promotion to the next belt, you never quite feel like you absolutely deserve it, but you grow into it. I think the same can be said for competition. But with that being said, at least be as prepared as you can be.

I don’t believe that competition is for everyone, but it is a necessary part of the journey to challenge yourself. Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone and we all come into this martial art for different reasons. Whether it is to learn or compete or both, that’s up to you to decide.

Where Passion Meets the Pavement: An Interview with Marcos “Yemaso” Torregrosa

I recently met Marcos “Yemaso” Torregrosa after being a fan of his on social media for a while. I knew he was a world champion and has a successful academy in Sacramento, California, but I had no idea the depth to which many have said how amazing this man is. After attending a seminar with him a few weeks later, my mind was blown. I now consider him the “hidden gem” of the jiu-jitsu world to those who have not had the opportunity to cross paths with him yet.

When black belts talk about jiu-jitsu and the life they have made because of it, they often describe it as “love,” passion, and/or an obsession. Yemaso’s passion for jiu-jitsu translates into his teaching and transforms his performance in competition, which largely accounts for his success as an academy owner and a competitor. He says:

When describing "passion," I try to make my sentiment as relatable to the person I am talking to as possible. The problem when describing my passion, Jiu-Jitsu in particular, is that people fail to appreciate my perspective and don't give it the merit or importance I do. So I try to appeal to something that maybe was thrown away with one’s youth and whose memory may inspire nostalgia. I ask them what was something they loved and left behind in pursuit of more profitable endeavors… art, video games, exercise, partying, traveling, writing, reading, training dogs, photography… the list goes on and on, yet until you make that connection with some people I never can TRULY explain what I feel about Jiu-Jitsu.

I heard a phenomenal quote that I identify with 100%; "obsession" is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated.

This resonates with me on so many levels as my passion for the trade I have chosen to dedicate my life to has been frowned upon by many, including my own family. Many told me to do other things, more profitable things that would force me into an ordinary existence free and devoid of "passion." I ask people if they are happy with their jobs and most reply "no." Not a surprise considering they have been conditioned to undermine and deter people from chasing their "passions."

I interpret Jiu-Jitsu as that which gave me life. I was ordinary, rebellious, and probably not on the best of paths, yet deep down I always had the upmost appreciation for the martial way. I was fascinated with the Budo code and read about all the great martial arts masters. This is never something I was forced to do, the thirst for that knowledge came so naturally. Likewise, my affinity for all things martial arts saw me working all styles and trying all techniques. The Dao of Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee was an early favorite, as he adopted so many styles of fighting into one.

I was "obsessed" with perfection through evolution and adaptation within the arts and it all came naturally, a deep seeded passion.

I discovered Jiu-Jitsu on the 27th of July, 1999, and remember the day like it was yesterday. In hindsight, I realized then and there my purpose. I found a structure through chaos that warped all aspects of my life, a change many thought drastic and childish, and dedicated each waking hour to its perfection. My youthful passion awoke and possessed my present from that day on. I trained extremely hard, two times daily as a white belt and this was not because there were an abundance of tournaments on the IBJJF circuit, but because I loved it. I felt I got better with every session and that held true to all the dietary and social changes surrounding myself.

As the years passed I competed more and more and eventually came to a point of teaching and I feel here is where my passion for Jiu-Jitsu really came to float. My own interpretations of Jiu-Jitsu had to give way to the presentation of the information as a whole, a macro per se. It had to be universal so all could apply and I developed our curriculum. This happened not as a necessity, but because my passion for perfection within chaos drove me to find the answers. I modify and edit as time passes, discarding some, adding more, yet constantly amazed at the beauty of its simplicity and in awe of the potential power behind the technique. 

One could say reading this that my passion has evolved and while it is correct that it has grown, I can assure you it all stems from the same place I was as a boy: the desire to seek out knowledge and provide structure to a chaotic world. Jiu-Jitsu is that for me and for corresponding my own passions with dedication to my craft with consistency on the mats I have found myself.

It should come as no surprise that Yemaso tries to instill the same values of consistency and dedication in his students.

I realize it is not easy to train every day. I know most of us have terrible 9-5 jobs and our own desire to train needs to be balanced with other aspects of life, yet I feel that getting in 2-3 days a week should be the bare minimum. This is a good start and as students grow within our program I try to instill a measure of importance of community. At our gym we have a beginner class that runs through our curriculum and it's imperative that white belts be paired with the upper belts. This is an actual rule at our gym, as I feel one of our greatest attributes is building from the bottom up. Community is so important and the mantra "it takes a community to raise a child," is the same for Jiu-Jitsu. Some of my own personal favorite moments are watching our white belts grow with these new drilling systems we employ and seeing them give our upper belts problems. (laughing) Even better is going to an IBJJF event such as the San Jose Open every year and watch our white belts close out divisions. It is clear to me that if our foundation is strong technically, that our school as a whole stands to gain.

In a previous blog, we discuss how not all black belts are created equal. Yemaso is quite unique. He is a dynamic teacher, fierce competitor, and most importantly, a down-to-earth dude. If you message him on social media, he will respond no matter if he knows you or not. He loves being a resource and is always open to share his jiu-jitsu. His success, both in life and in competition, is inspiring. When asked what his three top rules for success in BJJ and in competition, he says:

At a fundamental level we are challenging ourselves to a duel with the man/woman we were yesterday each and every time we step on the mats to train. While I understand that there needs to be a particular focus for tournaments, dietary restrictions coupled with specific and hard training schedules, the same can be said for the recreational practitioner that wants to improve. The only difference, and this is exactly what I tell my students, is that in a tournament setting there is performance anxiety. Yes that alone can be a daunting thing to get over, yet the mind can be trained just as any other aspect in your life you wish to get better at.

A clear example is the student that just wants to get better. They arrive and need to keep training with consistency (my biggest focal point for students). He/she just wishes to get better so they come and do all the drilling, roll close to all the rounds, and their lives, as a result also change. Does the recreational practitioner not try to eat better to improve their performance at the gym? Yes! Do they not try and limit their going out/partying because it dawns on them that drinking and staying out all night can hurt the body at practice tomorrow? YES! These are all changes that recreational players make so where does the difference lie? In dedicating oneself to do it for a particular goal and in the performance anxiety.

Within these paragraphs you can find the answer to the top 3 rules, for me, they are as follows:

1) Consistency

2) Dedication

3) Smart Application

The last of the three is probably the most overlooked as many good competitors are dedicated and consistent in their training, yet the application in their lives is very unbalanced. I, myself, am a repeat offender of this last one yet, through age, I am getting smarter. (laughing) To apply this properly is to transcend technical discussion and apply Jiu-Jitsu as a lifestyle and this means listening to ones body when hurt, spending time with loved ones as training can be so brutal that one can miss out on life. I am a serious offender of this and the "balance" I seek can be very hard to define. I put in quotation as in balance there needs to be a defined yin and yang while understanding that certain sacrifices need to continue to be made to achieve ones goal.

Like I said before and I'm sure you can agree with me after reading this blog, Yemaso is a “hidden gem” in this community. Not many people are able to translate their passion into a lifestyle and a successful business. His successes and willingness to share his knowledge solely because of his love for jiu-jitsu is amazing. So if you are ever in the Sacramento area, please stop by and get some rolls in. You won’t be disappointed. You can find him here: www.yemasobjj.com or on Instagram at @yemasojj.

The Enforcer /// By: Vincent Inoncillo

If you practice jiu-jitsu then more than likely it has become a part of your life. It's a lifestyle no matter how big or small your involvement. Aside from the other places in life you spend your time, the academy is one place you frequent and consider your second home. It's a place of comfort and for the topic of this blog, it's a place of order. Your teammates all come from different walks of life and everyone is different. Some are reserved and some can be a little disorderly. Sometimes it's hard for the instructor to keep order in class and this is where an enforcer in your gym can come in handy.

By definition, an enforcer is someone who maintains the compliance of rules or law. In this case it's someone who helps keep order in class and the academy. It's an implied role in the gym and it's usually an upper belt or multiple upper belts. Enforcers serve a good purpose in the academy because they can help diffuse problems whether it's between people or just a single person. Every gym should have an enforcer, not to police people around, but to also be an informal extension of authority when the instructor isn't around.

As we have mentioned you and your teammates conduct yourselves differently. Ideally everyone comes to the academy to learn. But once in a while there are a couple aggressive teammates. They are there to learn but also have a chip on their shoulder. One example is when this person gets frustrated during a roll and they achieve a dominant position and go a little rough on their partner. It could be adding a little too much shoulder pressure or they could be holding or cranking on a submission. The roughness could be a result of them not liking something that you just did to them. While most people will be rolling on the clock during this time, seeing this type of misconduct could be missed. For this type of example there has more than likely been times where the roll ended and the aggressive partner storms off and didn't want to shake hands or fist bump with the other party. This would be a good time for the enforcer to see what the problem is and talk both sides and try to find a positive resolution.

Another example is the teammate that trolls or harasses certain teammates because they feel they are more dominant than them. This can happen in the academy as well as on social media. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, there is a time and place for fun and games. This can go a couple different ways. The party being attacked could just ignore the harassment and not let it affect them. Or they can entertain the comments and exchange words and let it bother them. In a perfect world everyone would like each other and be nice to one another. And since the world is not perfect this is likely to happen. In this situation an enforcer can step in and do a couple things if it becomes to get a little excessive. Like civilized people do, the enforcer can talk to this teammate and let them know that what they're doing doesn't represent the image of their academy and themselves very well. If that message doesn't get the point across then the enforcer could be be partnered with this teammate during a roll and gives them a really tough sparring match.

A last example, as I'm sure everyone is familiar with, is the guy visiting from out of town that goes rough on the lower belts when it's time to spar. This is the guy who's in town for a few days and needed a place to train. After the first day the higher belts will be aware of this because maybe somebody that he rolled with the day before got hurt. This is a good time where multiple enforcers get partnered with this visitor during the next time he comes in. What will probably happen is that the enforcers will give the visitor super hard rolls while at the same time promoting their brand of jiu-jitsu. This is the time where this aggressive visitors tactics gets shut down and neutralized. The enforcers will show no mercy but with control. This should humble all the roughness.

As I always like to say, jiu-jitsu is one of the truest things in life. I believe that in jiu-jitsu maturity is not represented by your age but by your belt. You grow as you progress through the belts. It seems as if during the lower belt levels there is learning that occurs but a lot of time spent finding yourself as well. Only through proper training, testing yourself and good guidance will you be on your way to being a good representative of your instructor and academy. But if at any time you decide to act out and out of line there will be an enforcer nearby to guide you into the right direction.

Go Fund Me? Go Fund Yourself.

As the World Championship nears, I’ve been seeing more Go Fund Me pages pop up recently for “athletes” who need help paying for their registration and travel expenses for the upcoming competition season. Normally, I don’t usually see a problem with this, as I know that travel and tournament fees can be quite pricey. However, the part that does bother me is that these “athletes” who create these Go Fund Me pages all use the same sob story about how they work full-time, have a family to take care of…  but yet they have world champion aspirations and need YOUR help to get there.

Since when did the average jiu-jiteiro become so… entitled? What separates them from the hundreds if not thousands of other jiu-jiteiro/jiteiras that work hard and balance their own schedules to take time away from work and pay their own way to compete?

But that’s not all. I think what bothers me the most is that Go Fund Me was started to actually help people who really need it. Like you know... people who are fighting cancer, people who got into serious accidents, people who lost their homes or loved ones... REAL IMPORTANT THINGS. A lot of these "athletes" with Go Fund Me pages just want your money and they don’t even feel one tinge of guilt doing so. They promise to “try hard” to get that world title but yet are doing nothing to give back to the BJJ community. Some Go Fund Me pages offer to give back a portion of their donations to a charity, or even raffle off products from their sponsors, which perhaps makes it more attractive to donate to their cause… but still doesn’t make it quite right. 

Oh Mr./Ms. BJJ is LIFE, you are not the only ones that want to become a world champion. I know A LOT of hobbyist jiu-jiteiros who have world champion dreams too. But they only compete once a year because it’s all they can afford and they are satisfied with that. Rather than sulking about how they can’t compete in every major tournament, they train hard for the one competition that they can afford. OR their team, much like a kids’ sports/hobby team, FUNDRAISE together so that they can offset the costs so that they don’t have to ask complete strangers for money and offer them nothing but a promise to “try your best.”

It’s getting annoying, people. Stop expecting things to be handed to you just because you asked and because you looooovvvveeee BJJ. Behind some of the greatest NON-professional world champions in the sport are regular people who have full-time jobs, have a family to support, and who train two times a day even though they just worked a graveyard shift and are dead tired. They don’t ask for anything except to have great training days and partners – so why should you be asking complete strangers for money if these people aren’t? And if you love BJJ so much too, why don’t you do something to give back to the community too while you’re at it?

**end rant**