BJJ Technique of the Week?

I'm just curious if any one goes to a gym that does a position of the week/month or a move of the week/month?  If not, do you incorporate this kind of mind set in to your personal training/drilling plan?

I've used the position of the month idea before, though not religiously, and I think that it did help me out a little in my training.  I think a large part of that help, is simply having something that you can focus on. 

I've decided that I am going to re-institute this in to my training.  The question is: Which position do I work on for July?  I think what I am going to do, is pick one position either top of bottom, and spend extra time in my studies on that one position.  In addition to that, I am going to do a technique of the week from that position.  So, the idea behind this whole concept is that not only will I be focusing on one specific position for the month, but I each week I will drill one specific move from that position daily.  Now, the number's may sound small, but for any of us whom do not do this, we may only get 10 reps on each move that we do in class (if that).  So my idea is to get at least 100 reps on one each week.  I'm thinking, and you guys can chime in with your thoughts, that this will help me become more likely to recognize the situation when it presents itself, and then execute that technique with little to no thought, and up my percentage of success with that particular move. 

If anyone has any additional thoughts on this, I would appreciate your input.

Remember, your support is motivating.  Like, Share, Comment, and Follow PLEASE!

Master Few Things, or Familiar with Everything?

So, at many schools of BJJ, like mine, there are different classes that focus on different things.  At our school, we have a fundamentals class and an intermediate class that run four and five days a week respectively.  We also have an advanced/competitor class that runs once a week.  I've seen a trend at my school however and I'm curious about every one's thought process behind which classes they attend.  It may have something to do with the times and scheduling conflicts, which are often unavoidable, but I wonder if there is more to it than that.

I often attend the fundamentals class throughout the week, and will attend the intermediate class on Fridays.  Occasionally, I will stay after the fundamentals class during the week to get an extra Intermediate day in.  For the most part however, I am a fundamentals kind of guy.  Now, it's important to understand that unlike many gyms, our gym has a curriculum that it sticks to pretty religiously.  The Fundamentals class consists of about 25 lessons, each containing 3-5 techniques, while the Intermediate class is about 30 lessons with about the same number of techniques.  One major advantage to the intermediate class, is that they do roll a lot more than the fundamentals class, but the fundamentals class isn't really designed for that.

So the question comes, at what point do I start transitioning to focus more on the intermediate class.  Of course, many of buddies try to get me to stay more often for the intermediate class, and many of them don't attend the fundamentals class anymore.  I'm just not sure why.  Both today and yesterday, we went over some things in class that I'm very familiar with, and could talk you through pretty easily (I've been through the entire curriculum several times), but I found myself wondering why, after seeing them so many times before have I not mastered these techniques, and why have I not included them in my game?  I think the answer is really pretty simple, despite seeing them every few weeks, I still don't have enough reps on them to make their execution automatic and almost subconscious.

I think this is why I will still be attending the fundamentals class for a while.  I personally, would rather master the fundamentals curriculum before adding too many techniques to a library that can't yet handle them all (my brain) and end up confusing some of the finer details.  At the same time however, I do think it's important to see more things.  I think that exposure in a sport like this is very important.  Until you are faced with something new, you will never recognize the need to learn about it.  So should I instead be flooding my brain with a million different techniques?  Do I need to turn my focus 100% to the Berimbolo just because its all the rage right now on the BJJ scene?  Or is it more important that I base my Jiu Jitsu in fundamentals.  In techniques that are tried and true?

I think the answer to the dilemma, is the later.  I think that more people in the sport should recognize that you have to have a strong foundation in order to progress.  Otherwise, all of your Jiu Jitsu will be weak.  I know a lot of schools still teach sporadic techniques without any form of curriculum, students come to class, get taught whatever techniques their instructor wants to teach them that day, and they roll.  I think the problem with not having structure like this though, is that you may NEVER practice those techniques again.  Unless it is something that you really liked, that you had a knack for right off the bat, you are almost immediately going to forget it.  Certainly by the following week, and your instructor is certainly not going to remember every technique that he taught you. 

So, as a family man, my ability to train is often limited by family obligations.  I would like to train a lot more, but I think that for now I'm alright just training the fundamentals, because like I said, I haven't mastered them yet.  Maybe I never will master them, but the more reps I get on them, the closer I will get to mastering them.  And they are all good techniques both for self-defense and competition. 

Happy rolling, remember, your support is motivating!

Cutting Weight For a Tournament

Cutting Weight

Back in high school wrestling I used to always make weight at one weight class, but I almost always ended up wrestling up a weight class (I wasn't that good, and that was the only way I was always going to have a slot on the Varsity Team).  I never really had to struggle with cutting weight like some of the real small kids did though.  I had NO problem making weight at 172 (and wrestling at 189), and I remember distinctly how much some of the other guys had to put themselves through just to make weight at 103, 112, and some of the other weight classes.

Now that I'm an adult, and involved in grappling again, I've started to see the real value in being the big guy in a smaller weight bracket.  A year ago, I was weighing about 225.  My Jiu Jitsu, and other motivating factors, has brought me down to a walk around weight now of about 195.  Obviously, losing those thirty pounds has really helped out my health, and helped me get better in my Jiu Jitsu as well.  But I've found myself in between weight classes.  Typical cutoffs are 190 and 205.  Now, weighing 195 (NOT at all "cut") going against guys that are walking around at 225 and cutting to 205, makes for a pretty tough fight. 

I've got a tournament on Saturday, and I'm trying to cut to 181 lbs.  I have to tell you though, that I didn't realize that the weight class required me to get to 181 until yesterday.  So basically, while I had been working on it, I wasn't quite prepared for the extra 8 lbs that I suddenly needed to lose.  DISASTER was my immediate reaction.  I thought about giving up on the cut, but instead I've decided to re double my efforts.  So, we will see on Saturday morning whether or not I make the weight. 

So you might be wondering how I'm going to lose that much weight, that quickly.  Well, the truth is, that it will not be a permanent weight loss by ANY MEANS.  And it will not be the healthiest of weight losses either.  Basically, at this point, the plan is to dehydrate myself to the point that I make weight.  I'm spending a lot of time outside in the heat, doing lots of cardio, continuing to train, eating VERY little, drinking VERY little, and taking salt-water baths.  Basically all the things that make you sweat and pull the water out of your body.  The good news is that up until this point, I have been very well hydrated.  I make it a point to drink AT LEAST 1.5 gallons of WATER a day.  Right now, I'm down to about a quart per day, and if I have to tomorrow, I will completely stop taking in liquids.

Obviously, this is NOT what you would consider a typical weight loss scenario.  In fact, it's pretty hard on the body, very difficult to maintain, and can be down right dangerous.  It's VERY important that if you've never cut weight like this before (I have done it a couple times before), that you don't try to do more than you can handle.  It is possible that you could literally kill yourself in the process.  So no, I don't advise doing it this way.  If I had been paying better attention to the weight classes for this specific tournament I would have done this smarter, and actually tried to lose the weight in a more healthy manner.  I have a tournament coming up in august actually that will require a similar weight, so for that one, I will take my time and do it right.  Basically, starting now. 

Well, that's all, I just wanted to write quickly about cutting weight because my mood is not currently very good, and I needed to do some venting.  If I can offer any advice, it is this:  Pay close attention to the weight classes in tournaments you plan on competing in.  But it sure will be nice to be one of the bigger guys in the weight class. 

Remember, your support is motivating!

Update as of 16 JUNE.

I made weight.  It was a good feeling to make the weight.  What I didn't talk about earlier, was how to recover from something like this quick enough that you have a little energy during the actual competition.  Of course, adrenalin helps a lot, but it's not enough by itself. 

What I did was eat a small "Balance" bar every hour.  I think these have a VERY good mix of nutrition and the calories come from a variety of places.  The calories come from a pretty even mix of fats, proteins, and carbs, so your body gets everything that it needs.  Also, by eating bars, one at a time, over the course of several hours, you get small, easily digestible meals that your body can use without the feeling of a brick in your stomach.

To rehydrate I drank LOTS of water, and a little bit of watered down powerade.  I drank about a gallon between 7:00 and 12:00.  So I was ready to go when it was time.  Good luck to all those cutting for ANY competition.

I Really Should have Made a Budget Years Ago!!!

So after almost ten years of marriage, my wife and I have finally done it!  We finally sat down and figured out a budget.  All this time, we've literally been living paycheck to paycheck.  We felt so strapped for cash, that we were actually afraid to sit down and create a budget.  We've had our investments that automatically come out of my pay, but we've never really sat down to figure out how much money we have coming in vs. going out.  Well, we finally did it, and it's flat out astonishing.

I can't believe I didn't do this years ago.  More importantly, I can't believe how much money I've thrown away over the years.  To tell the truth, I don't even want to know.  I do know that it is FAR more than I would have imagined we were throwing away.  We didn't even realize how badly we were doing!  So, to share the lesson, I'd like to talk briefly about what we did.

So, I created a quick and simple Excel spreadsheet that does the math for me, though I bet there are even easier ways to do it.  But I added up our income vs. the bills (including estimates for gas, groceries, etc.)  What I realized immediately, was that we were using a HUGE amount of what was left over, like it didn't matter.  And I mean this number was literally SHOCKING to me!  I can't believe how quickly money goes away, just by using the debit card and not really tracking WHERE the money was going.  We had a huge problem.

Here's how we fixed the issue.  We gave ourselves an allowance.  We now go to the ATM after every paycheck, and draw out the cash we are going to use for spending money.  We get x amount of dollars per paycheck to use however we see fit.  I think this is important, or you're defeating the purpose of creating a budget, and trying to gain financial health.  You have to pay yourself as well!  Otherwise, what is the point in getting a pay increase, or anything else, if you don't get to enjoy ANY of it.  But we were able to give ourselves a pretty reasonable allowance. 

So what is the point of the allowance?  Well, it's for everything else!  All the times we stop by the gas station to grab a drink, a snack, or anything else.  Every time we go out to lunch, go to the movies, or anything else, that money all comes from our allowance.  So even by creating an allowance for myself, I now find myself paying even MORE attention to what I'm spending my money on, and looking for the best deals.  Instead of losing change, I am now keeping it in my pocket so I don't have to break any bills if I don't have to.  My frugality has increased ten-fold. 

Anyway, I don't think I will be able to convince you of the importance of creating a budget for yourself.  Nobody was able to convince me of it.  It wasn't until I actually sat down and did it, that I realized how important it really was.  It's RIDICULOUS how much money we were throwing away.  How much you ask?  Well, I won't give specifics, but if I stick to my new budget, I will be saving enough money, to realistically pay cash for a Corvette, in just a few years.  That's how much money we were throwing away!  RIDICULOUS!!!

In closing, do yourself a favor, and go create a budget if you haven't.  I thought I didn't need it.  Actually my wife and I were afraid to sit down and make a budget.  But now I am SO glad that we did.  We REALLY should have done this earlier!!!!

The Quest for a Blue Belt - Learning to Walk

After getting my Blue Belt, I did some reflection on what it took to become a blue belt.  As I was reflecting, I think I asked my self: "Self, what would you compare to the journey from day-one white belt to blue belt?"  Well, as a father, I decided that the best way to describe the transition, is like that of an infant to a toddler.

When you start out in this new world of Jiu-Jitsu, as a white belt, its like being born in to the new bright world.  There are all kinds of exciting things that go on around you.  At first, you're mostly oblivious to it all and sleep through most of what you see and hear, unable to really process it, and focusing on simply staying alive.  You're literally bottle fed, one sitting at a time, and that's all you can handle. 

Soon though, you start to really open your eyes to the world.  You look around and you see all these new, exciting things.  You wish you could do some of those things; play with them.  But still at this point, all you can really do is watch.  You can't roll over yet; you can't even control your hands enough to find your mouth, so feeding yourself, is still out of the question, and you're absolutely reliant on your bottle feedings. 

Within a couple of weeks or months, you really start to "figure things out" and "master" your body.  You can find your mouth with ease (the ability to feed yourself (careful you don't feed yourself the wrong thing)), you can even roll over.  This opens a whole new world for you.  you learn to roll over both ways, and eventually, with lots of encouragement, you get figure out how to crawl.  This is probably the most significant accomplish of a your life (for a white belt, this might be figuring out that one move that finally starts to click for you).  The significance of learning to crawl, if you think about it, is that this is something you "discovered."  No around you crawls.  They all walk, or do even more incredible things.  Without anyone ever showing you how, you've learned to crawl and opened yet another door of exploration in your journey.

Finally, with lots of trial and error, and relatively quickly after figuring out how to crawl, you get your blur belt; you learn to walk.  For me, this was a huge accomplishment.  I've had to move around a lot, so training in one place long enough to get my blue belt (seems like you always have to start over after a break), took me about seven years.  I hope that this current adventure will not take nearly as long, and I can't wait to see where it takes me, but for now, I'm pretty happy with walking.  I've got to tell you though, I've got my sights set on bigger and better things.

Hope you guys appreciate the analogy.  If not, I enjoyed it, so I guess that's all that matters. 

Remember, your support is motivating!

Should the IBJJF World Championship Require Qualifying Rounds?

For this, I'm just curious what everyone else thinks.  Should the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) require athletes to qualify for the Mundials?  If so, what would be a good standard to meet in order to "qualify?"

I was having this conversation with a friend of mine as we were watching the Mundials this evening at his house (I owe him a huge thanks for having my family and I over).  We were thinking that you would get a more realistic definition of "world champ" if the IBJJF required athletes to participate in certain qualifying rounds.

Currently, there is no requirement, and anyone can compete in the "World Championship."  Now, for people who live in far-off lands, don't have IBJJF competitions in their country at all, or simply can't afford to compete more than once a year, this is perfect.  It allows anyone and everyone, regardless of their record, to take a shot at the title.  There is a certain aspect of purity involved in running the competition this way.  It's the very definition of the American dream, coming from nowhere, and making something of yourself through nothing more than merit.

Some might argue however, that this isn't reason enough to allow everyone in to the competition.  Should people have to qualify?  With the Mundials occurring in southern California (a dense population of jiu-jitsuka), anyone in the area can compete.  There is a certain fairness factor here that is violated for the guys who are truly great, have competed time and again, travel the country to go to multiple competitions, and have to fly from all over the country just to get to the competition.  I have a friend in my gym that competed this year.  He did phenomenal.  But he competes regularly in competitions up and down the east coast, and spends, literally, thousands of dollars every year just to compete.  The trip to the worlds alone cost him a lot of money, while the "locals" may ONLY pay the entrance fee.  Obviously, the IBJJF has nothing to do with how much it does or doesn't cost a competitor to travel, but they can eliminate those who have not "earned the right" to compete in the worlds, don't suffer from jet lag, and treat the Mundials as nothing more than another tournament.  If I were a top competitor from Europe for example, and came here only to get injured by someone who has never competed and doesn't even fully understand the rules, I would be furious. 

Lets take the rule set as it currently applies, and apply it to the UFC.  Let's pretend for one second that there is no requirement to be "asked" to fight in the Octagon.  Let's pretend that UFC 200, is going to be an open format tournament, and anyone can compete.  Is it fair for the Pros to have to fight their way through people who have never fought, just so they can make there way back in to the group of elite mixed martial artists where they belong?  I'm not so sure that it is.  Though the rule set is awesome for the dreamer that simply hasn't been discovered yet, I think this is the wrong format for him to be discovered.

So I guess you understand my stand-point on this debate.  I'm curious what others think about this.  Please, comment and let me know, ESPECIALLY if you agree with how the rule set is currently.  I'd really like to hear the other side as well.  It's possible that I just don't understand it.  Or maybe I'm just jealous of all the other blue belts that live in southern California and only have to drive an hour to compete at the worlds.  I'm pretty sure I would be there, but I also compete in other tournaments, and would still respect the tournament if it wasn't open to guys like me, who have not earned the right to be there.