As a reminder, hygiene is important is the sport given the amount of direct body contact that occurs. We do our best to keep the gym, the mats in particular, clean, but it's also important that members help by remembering some important rules about hygiene. Additionally, there are some rules regarding proper attire that should be adhered to:
Read MoreSo, if I know I may only have a few months……. I need to prepare you as best I can. So, in the Basic Curriculum (White Belt stripes 1 & 2) everything is about basic defense. In the Intermediate (stripes 3 & 4) it’s more about attacking. Hell, I used to call it “Self Defense” and “Fighting Fundamentals”, because that was a more accurate description of the concepts in each. One was about “not getting beat up”. The other was a little more in the “beat them up” vein.
Read MoreI can’t tell you how often I pose this scenario to “advanced” BJJ people, and hear “replace guard”, or “go inverted guard” or some such nonsense. Yes, that shit can work. And yes there are dudes in the world that can sweep me on my head with it. But that’s not the fucking point. Christ, Liberace made an excellent living playing the piano, and wearing bedazzled jumpsuits. Doesn’t mean you tell you kid to do that instead of going to school!!!!
Read MoreAnd don’t fool yourself into thinking “oh, I woulda…..”. Courage is not an accident. You develop it, and keep it sharp, or you lose it. Develop it now. Here. Don’t let yourself be one of these people.
Read MoreSo, is the implication that based on this study we no longer need to learn takedowns? I am sure some are drawing that conclusion based on the number of headlines I have seen this morning seemingly declaring the death of takedowns in BJJ schools.
Okay, full disclosure. I am a blue belt, have had exactly zero MMA fights, and have watched exactly zero UFC promotions from start to finish since UFC III. Where I have some authority to speak on the issue is that I can read . . . and put sentences together . . . and stuff.
Read MoreThat's not to dismiss the importance of adequate recovery. However, the concerned is misplaced, and tends to lead to rather absolutist positions grounded in nothing more than one's opinion. For instance, I recently on the interwebs and read on a comment thread about strength and conditioning for jiu-jitsu that you should not squat more than once per week. Cannot be done because you will not be able to recover. And I have to say, I agree with this. Well, I mean, I did agree with the notion that a person cannot squat more than once per week and train jiu-jitsu. Well, that is until, you know, I actually tried to squat more than once per week.
Read MoreFor you to realize all the beautiful things that can come from training (or a relationship), you have to learn to love the little things. The deep things. Not just the surface. It's fine to enjoy the "honeymoon" phase in your training. The huge leaps in progress. The "light-bulb" moments where things suddenly make sense. That's super cool. But after a while, they get less frequent. And smaller.
Read MoreDon’t get me wrong…… I’m not blaming HER. I’m blaming society at large. She probably has no idea that a woman her size could legitimately beat the shit out of a guy his size with the right training. To me this is kind of like seeing a group of people watching someone at the edge of the grand canyon. All the people know the rail is busted, and NOBODY tells this person. And they all watch as they lean on the rail, and fall over. That’s not the victims “fault”. It’s everyone watching.
Read MoreHere's an episode of his podcast where talks about how he trains both lifting and jiu-jitsu. While he cannot train both at optimal levels, the frequency of his lifting and the total volume (for instance, he can still squat in the 700s despite not focusing his training on lifting) are incredible.
Read MoreOk, this is the number one reason that more women don’t do BJJ. They seem intrigued, interested, but when it comes to actually doing it…. it’s just so…… awkward.
They all ask if there’s any way to do BJJ, or something like it but without all the actual touching of people. Or at least could they just bring their cousin/freind/sister and only practice with them. But basically, they want to make it less awkward.
Read MoreJiu Jitsu is a great workout both mentally and physically. You want to be strong for it and flexible for it. You want to have explosive energy and you want to have endurance. So it’s a very good all-around physical conditioning tool. Jiu Jitsu is probably the No. 1 activity that I could recommend to someone to improve their lives overall.
How effective can you be at a high level while just using the basics? Judging by this compilation of Roger Gracie highlights, pretty effective.
Read MoreHere’s my problem. Back in the day, groin shots were legal. And I never once saw a guy stop from one. I was kneed in the groin like 5 times in a row my first fight. There was an old UFC (when it was still Vale Tudo) where Keith Hackney hit Joe Son in the directly in the groin like 30 times, and the dude never stopped.
Read MoreMan, I just like to keep things simple. I appreciate the fact that people want to show their respect. But, in our culture in America, and around the world in the sports culture, it’s universally “Coach”. And I don’t even insist on that. If you’ve been to my home for dinner, if I’ve held your hand in the ER……. Then by all means call me Jay. But if you’re looking for something to call me cause you feel a “need” to. Coach is about all I can handle. So here’s a list to help remind you.
Read MoreSeveral people have been asking me the outcome of the Pink Numchuks post from a few days back. Well, I’ve been curious myself. I only see the star of that story by chance in a gas station by my house, so I have been without the ending to that drama too!
Read MoreOur gym is amazing, and it is an atmosphere that enables women to embrace their inner strength; whatever that seems to be. There is not set definition/label or list of criteria you need to display in order to come train at the Academy. We have women who are tall and thin, whose hair cuts and styles are considered "alternative", express ourselves through tattoos, own quirky personalities, and can "hang with the guys". We get to roll with the toughest men in the room on any given day, and pour every ounce of our hearts, sweat and even tears onto those mats in efforts to redefine beauty; to be fiercely feminine.
Read MoreIf I take 4 different people and I teach them aerodynamics, and then take them all to different islands and tell them to make a “hang glider”…… Those hang gliders will all A- Work. And B- look VERY similar. They have to. Because the PRINCIPLES of aerodynamics are constant!
If I take a 4 students and teach them HOW to hang glide on the hang glider I built. And then leave them in separate places and ask them to build their own….. It’s a very different story.
Read MoreHe also remarked that what he saw at the tournament wasn’t what you expect when you look at me. His description sort of trailed off “Based on how she behaves and the way she looks…” Let me fill that in for you – I am a cheesy dancing late 30-something IT office worker with a tall girl slouch. If you look at a photo or watch me hang around the gym, I am no one’s image of a bad ass. And despite having shorts that say something contrary across the back, I don’t really consider myself a bad ass either. I didn’t consider myself who had praise-worthy heart or gameness.
I struggled with this praise for a little bit. And I still I feel like anyway I describe it might come off badly. My thoughts felt rude or ungrateful. But let me just lay it out: I felt conflicted because the praise was great, far beyond what I expected, but I already knew I had that heart.
Read MoreA little over a week ago now, I competed in my first BJJ tournament down in Mass. I've always been a competitor of various athletics growing up, so I made the assumption that this event would be very similar. Of course, I haven't competed in several years, but naturally my body would respond the same, right? I mean, how could it not? Surely, it will all come back to me the moments leading up to the mat.
Read MoreI often see newer people staring on their knees. There two primary reasons not to do this; higher risk of injury, and it's not a realistic fighting scenario. As to the second reason, here's an article from Josh Barnett on that topic:
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