MMA Notes from doyoubjj.com - UFC 167, Hendo Dropped, Liz Worked

Looky here, two weeks in a row!  I’m on a roll T-bone.  Let’s see how long I can keep this up.

We are in the middle of a whole lot of mma action going on.  UFC Fight Night – Henderson vs. Belfort happened, as did UFN Fight for the Troops earlier in the week, and then this weekend I believe we have UFC 167, GSP against Hendricks.  How far does Hendo drop and what should he do?  Liz looked stiff and tentative, what about her?  And then I’m pulling for the upset in the championship fight, Hendricks all the way.

Where does Dan Henderson go from here?

I wonder how far back Dan Henderson will drop in the rankings or how far up Vitor Belfort will rise?  I don’t even know where he was ranked prior to the fight.  I feel bad for Henderson as he got caught coming in looking for his over the top, Sylvester Stallone style right.  By looking I mean by watching the ground.  Again.  But hey, it has worked for him in the past.  Dan got rocked and went down, Vitor swarmed him and that was about it.  Dan subconsciously was fishing for a leg but he looked confused.

I don’t know how I feel about the whole TRT garbage with these two.   I am not even sure I know the facts.  I have heard that Vitor would most likely be denied a license to fight in Nevada due to his therapy.  Hence the reason his latest fights have been in Brazil.  We all know that Dan is on it though because he has openly stated he is.  Do the two then negate the advantage?

It was sort of sad to see Henderson lose for the 1st time due to strikes but I am kind of happy for Vitor.  I feel he poses the biggest threat to Bones.  Anyways if you missed the fight or if you want to see action figure Belfort, here is a link I almost always go to to watch the fights.  It’s a clean site and free to sign up.

On to Liz Carmouche…

again, from mmafighting.com

#4 Liz Carmouche went up against #6 Alexis Davis at the UFN Fight for the Troops card.  I think most people had already picked Girlrilla, awful nickname, as the winner.  She was anything but.  She got werked.  Yes – worked with an e.  WERKED.  All it seemed to take to get a fire under Davis’ ass was getting socked a few times.  Once she started bleeding (which I’m told girls are already comfortable with(gross Steve(I know, I know,))) her striking picked up and she looked more fluid.

From the get go, Carmouche moved like a gorilla.  She looked stiff and bigger, bulkier, more dense.  Once she couldn’t put Davis down and Alexis picked her apart with them inside leg kicks, it was over Rover.  I wonder how far back Carmouche drops, maybe they swap places?  Liz to #6 and Davis to #4?

UFC Fight Night 31: Alexis Davis vs. Liz Carmouche full fight video …

http://www.mmajunkie.com Thu, 07 Nov 2013 03:25:00 GMT

FORT CAMPBELL – Alexis Davis may have kicked her way right into title contention in the UFC’s women’s bantamweight division.

UFC 167 – I am frickin’ pumped for this one

The Big Rigg

Long time welterweight champion GSP vs.  hungry and prideful Johny Hendricks.  Not that Georges isn’t hungry and prideful, it’s just easier to be that way when you want something vs. when you have already had it for a long while.

I would like to see a change of hands in the 170 lb class.  I think Hendricks can and will do it and then maybe even have a similar reign as GSP.  I just see that tenacity in him, especially when they show episodes like they did on this last one of UFC Countdown.  Episode 3 is the one I’m talking about and just watching it made me want to be 16 and wrestling again.

Listening to one of my teen idols, John Smith, not take any bs during that interview was awesome.  Seeing Johny almost puking on the mat and then getting yelled at to get going was awesome.  Smith said something like whether you’re training for a national title or an Olympic gold medal, you’re going to train wrestling here.

My prediction is Big Rigg takes it in the 2nd by gnp.  I do worry about his cardio but if he has been training as much as it indicated, he should be good.  Unless GSP has simply been outworking him.  Which is entirely possible.  Here is a link to that episode from mmajunkie:

Reminder: ‘Countdown to UFC 167,’ ‘UFC 167 Primetime’ Episode 3 …

http://mmajunkie.com Mon, 11 Nov 2013 21:20:15 GMT

As a reminder, the UFC’s traditional pre-event show returns tonight with the debut of “Countdown to UFC 167: St-Pierre vs. Hendricks.” The show will be followed by the third and final episode of “UFC 167 Primetime: St-Pierre …

Support my efforts – you save on a Gameness gi!

That is all for today my friends.  I can write nor link anymore.  What do you think?  How far does Dan drop or Vitor climb?  Where does Liz end up and who does Davis challenge next?  Who ya got for the fight this weekend?  I think I have a poll over there in the sidebar.   Comment.  Vote.  Share.  Peace.

MMA Notes from doyoubjj.com - UFC 167, Hendo Dropped, Liz Worked

Do Gameness Gis Shrink?

You want to talk about a high pressure situation?  You just spent $150 on a brand new gi.  You waited a few days and just like that your FedEx dude was like Santa Claus showing up at your door with a package.  Instantly you’re excited.  You know the excitement I’m talking about.  Like when a craftsman gets a new tool, or a sniper gets a new rifle, you got your brand new gi baby!  I went straight to the source, I sent an email, I asked them to their e-faces – do Gameness gis shrink?

It’s a good feeling right?  Great feeling maybe?  You want to look at it all at once.  But you also want to look at each patch, each seam.  The smell of it, the crispness.  Try it on?  In front of the mirror?  Wonder what I would look like pretending to triangle someone in it ?

Everything is dandy.  Except for one thing.  Your new Gameness gi is a little too big.  Not way too big because then you’d just exchange it, it’s just a little too big.  And this is where that stress comes in.

You can throw your gi in the dryer and custom shrink it.  It’s super scary though to hear your gi rumbling around in there not knowing if you are drying it for 1 minute too long and it’s going to shrink.  Regarding Gameness gis, this is probably the one question I get the most or see online:

Do Gameness Gis Shrink?

Gameness Air

Since you are a fan of the site, I am certain you are aware that Gameness got a hold of me a couple weeks ago and is now allowing me to offer their stuff at reduced pricing.  We set all of that up.  Because of that, I gots an inside contact yo.  We will call him Agent Zero.  I sent Agent Zero that question flat out and straight up – do Gameness gis shrink?

The Answer

I gotta say, the guy I’m dealing with at Gameness is pretty cool.  Once I sent him an email where I wrote like “that’s awesome!”  He wrote back “Steve, we here at Gameness don’t strive for just awesome…”  Here is his email answer.  Straight to the point and maybe to the gut (the carbs part) for some of you -

Gameness Shrinkage:

Gameness gis are 2x pre-shrunk.  So in the normal course of wear and care there really shouldn’t be any further shrinkage.  Now if someone messes up and puts a gi in the dryer then they might want to think about cutting back on the carbs….  Some people even shrink to fit by closely monitoring their dryer and trying the gi on every couple of minutes- a fun winter activity.

However, if you or your client ever had an issue with getting an incorrect size; simply call or email us.  We can send the correct sized gi with a return label so they can send the incorrect size back.

Wrapping it up

There you have it, the answer to the months old question – will Gameness gis shrink?  I would also like to point out the customer service this dude is offering us.  That last paragraph he wrote, “if you or your client ever had an issue with getting an incorrect size; simply call or email us.  We can send the correct sized gi with a return label so they can send the incorrect size back.”  I like that.

Let doyoubjj.com get you a Gameness gi discount – click here.

Now that we have that question out of the way, what would you like to do?

You can go to the main Gameness gis page and see what gis and discounts I can offer.  Or you can hover over the category tabs up top and see some topics to choose from, or click the doyoubjj.com logo in the upper right corner and you will return home like E.motherflappingT

Do Gameness Gis Shrink?

Why Drilling in BJJ is Important - 9 out of 10 Black Belts Recommend

Why only 9 bjj black belts? The 10th dude is an idiot that’s why. Drilling is vital for any sport. It sucks though right? Very repetitive and boring. In this quick post, let’s talk about why you need to be drilling in bjj if winning or making significant improvements are either of your goals.

Face It, Drilling Just Sucks & BJJ Is Fun

To be truthful, I have never actually drilled properly for bjj. There are a bunch of reasons but the main ones would be because I am too lazy to make it happen and then finding a reliable and capable partner.

Drilling is serious business and if you are going to do it, why not commit to it? Me, I have no real reason to drill. It’s because I am already that good, I don’t need to. He said with a straight face.

Nah, I don’t need to because bjj is supposed to be more fun for me rather than work. I’ll say it again though, if competing and winning is your goal or improving by leaps and bounds is, adding drilling to your bjj game will do that.

I Have Drilled Relentlessly Before

In wrestling. For all those years. When the school season would start we’d always get a few new kids turning out for the team. They had to learn the basics first so the coach had to go over the same few things every season. Stance, level changes, single legs, and double legs. Every practice for 2 weeks or so.

I guess I also drilled in swimming by doing those repetitive laps and racquetball hitting various forehands and backhands off the wall over and over.

Looks like rolling, not drilling.

Why You Want To Add Drilling To Your BJJ Game

One word. Instinct. You want your motions in bjj to be instinctive. So fast you don’t even have to think about them. Drilling accomplishes that. By you doing the same motion over and over again, your body and brain grow used to having the muscles fire in a certain sequence from that pozish. They start to grow used to firing at certain times, pulling her but pushing there.

If you just read my previous post about the battery and your bjj cardio, you already know how this goes. Same idea.

A good example I can give you of me having a very specific instinct, I’m sure you have them as well just maybe from elsewhere.

It’s when I am in turtle and your partner or opponent goes to roll you in order to take your back. On the way over which is hard to prevent because of the momentum, I know on that one side, my opponent is going to try to snag that hook as soon as he can.

So in instinctively on the way over I’ve noticed, my arm gets down there ready to brush off his hook attempt. Very rarely does someone ever get that 2nd hook ON THE ROLL over. Several have gotten it a few moments later after they re-adjust lol.

Putting that arm down there created a different issue though.

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Had To Add To The BJJ Instinct Path – trademarked

Now as I rolled from turtle, my arm automatically went down to block. No back for you. But you know what my partners started doing? They adjusted their games to compensate. BJJ is a crazy game son.

With one arm down and one arm and my head all alone, I was dished up for them to throw on a triangle which they did.

So I adjusted. Now it is wired in my brain to drop that arm and block the hook attempt but also be ready to bring that arm back up as soon as it can be to stop him from throwing that leg up. I usually grab the pant leg for this.

Let’s Throw Baseball Into A BJJ Drilling Post

Baseball players can see those threads moving & spinning at 90mph.

I don’t know if any of you watch baseball or played it or maybe still do but have you seen how hard and fast the ball moves?

I don’t mean just between the pitcher and catcher either. I mean off the bat when they get a hit (just think of the energy transfer there!) or when like the 3B (third baseman for you English) rifles a throw across the infield to first.

Baseball players don’t even have to think about it. After a throw, their gloves just go to the right spot. After catching tens of thousands of baseballs, their catching path is so burned into their brains and bodies, usually it’s almost effortless for them.

When they do make an error, it’s like their brain farted right in the middle of a normal, standard routine and interrupted it.

They don’t aim their glove for where they think the ball is going to be. They have seen so many, their brain makes an almost instantaneous calculation of WHERE the ball is going to be.  I guess for baseball this instinct would be based primarily off of sight – they see the threads, the spin, the angle.

Another simple way to look at instinct is when you bounce a ball or even better a super ball. You know how sometimes it will get a crazy spin and you can see it in between bounces?  And because you have seen that ball spin like that so many times, you know which direction it is going to go when it touches the ground? Instincts.

This is how you want your bjj to be.  You want your body and brain to already know the opportunities ahead prior to you even being aware. Cosmic stuff baby.

If You’re Like All Gung-Ho Now And Like LET’S DRILL

I have no experience or knowledge in laying out a drilling plan. They have always just been told to me. More like yelled at me by coaches.

However, it would make sense to start out with specific moves. Like an arm bar from guard. Drill it relentless for a month. Do 100 after every class.

But wait…

Find Connected BJJ Techniques First

I said drill the arm bar right? Awesome. Nice basic bjj move. It is also part of a great series or different techniques linked together.

I would find a series that you like or want to drill first, break down the different parts of it, drill them individually, and drill them all connected.

It can be hard to find a good series and you’ll want a bunch. The best advice I can give here is to ask your instructor or rolling partners some of their favs. Or you can watch matches or mma fights. I didn’t learn my first series until after a year of training. It was the arm bar, triangle, omoplata series. When I was shown I was like, why haven’t I seen this before? If you don’t know that one I’d look it up.

Let doyoubjj.com get you a Gameness gi discount – click here.

The Magic Number

They say you have to repeat a move 10,000 fudgetrucking times to get it wired into your dome. Who they are, I don’t know. I know it’s a lot but I don’t believe every one will require 10K tries. Some movements will feel more natural and some will connect to others easier.

Picking A Drilling Partner

Drilling something.

Not going to get into too much detail here. You need to find someone that is as committed as you are. You don’t want someone that is going to drill once and then never again.

You also don’t want a fish – someone that is too floppy and not resistant enough. You want enough resistance so you can feel it but not so much you gas trying to drill.

Like I said, I have never laid out a drilling plan so my thoughts are just those, thoughts. I know a few bjj guys have put out books or sets. Oooh, maybe I’ll link to a good book or something.

Every time I get the urge to write I go – okay, I’ll just knock this out real quick – they never turn out that way. I don’t know if people enjoy walls of text or not but I can’t get my pernt across unless I type it out. All of it.

We talked about the importance of drilling and why it is crucial for the development of your bjj. I guarantee that if you commit to drilling for what, a meager 30 days, 1 month, 1 move, 100x, 4x a week, at the end of that month, you will be so much better with that move.

Now, this post was supposed to be just a quick little write up about bjj drilling so I could mark it off my graph paper checklist lol.

If you are serious about drilling though, I would follow a plan. I am going to try and put another post up real quick about Andre Galvao’s book, I think that may be the best one out, and then link to it from here. If you want to step it up and see the improvements you can make using drilling as a weapon, you should probably check out that book. It’s called Drill to Win.

edit:  guess I don’t need a new page.  Cool little Amazon plug-in brings it here.  Check it.

Why Drilling in BJJ is Important - 9 out of 10 Black Belts Recommend

BJJ Cardio & You - Make Like a Battery & Drain

Simple Battery Circuit
(pic from www.qrg.northwestern.edu)

Let me guess, you’re online looking for tips on how to increase your cardio for bjj? Or maybe you came across this post stumbling through bjj sites today. Whatever the reason, cool.

How about this question, anyone reading this gas out during warm-ups? Usually, only newer people have issues with the bjj warm-ups. They can be tough but your body and mind get conditioned to them. For some, their bjj cardio, their gas, is nearly gone after 1-2 rounds of rolling. Me? I’m usually good for 3-4 before I feel like throwing up. And I admit, that is kind of sad when you watch people go 8, 9, 10 rounds.

In this post, I’d like to compare your cardiovascular endurance for bjj to a battery. What a battery is, how it can compare to our bodies, its memory, poop like that.

You ready Freddie?

How a Battery Works – Briefly

We ain’t going to get into the nitty-gritty detail of the chemical reactions that happen (maybe we will) but not into different sorts of batteries okay. A plain old flippin’ battery okay?

In a battery, you have basically 3 parts – an anode, a cathode, and an electrolytic solution. Batteries create electricity internally due to a chemical reaction that takes place when something completes the circuit, like when you put it in a flashlight.

Very simply, I think, simple enough for bjj terms, the anode oxidizes (basically rusts) and gives up an electron in the process. The cathode? He fudging absorbs it! And when he absorbs it is when you get your precious electricity for your Galaxy S iPhone G3-87-U.

This is why batteries, sadly, die. You killer. They can’t keep reacting like that. Eventually the anode and cathode, kind of like little plates or discs inside the battery, get um, covered over with corrosion like moss or barnacles and can’t react anymore releasing electrons. Easy right? Here’s a link to howstuffworks where it goes into more detail.

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True or False – Batteries Have Memories

Who knows. It is kind of odd but battery life is actually like a heated topic in my building engineering job. For whatever reason, building engineers feel the need to argue about it.

Me? I think they do have a memory.

And what I mean by battery memory is that if the battery you use on your device gets used in the exact same manner every day, the chemical reaction cycle that goes on inside will only “know” how to do it to a certain point. It will almost like wear down a path i think in between the anode and cathode because that is all it ever does or GETS to do.

It never gets to stretch its legs if you know what I’m sayin’.

Finally – He’s Going to Tie it in with BJJ Cardio!

It should be pretty easy to make the connection right? How your cardio and the way you train it and drain it, determines YOUR “battery?”

If you keep only going for 1-2 rounds, or 3-4 in my case, more like the 0 case currently, your range will never expand. You will only be able to use the little short path you have built for yourself.

Charge up your meter.
( pic from staceyreid.com)

This is why it is so important to push yourself while training. Every extra little bit you do lengthens that path, it broadens your capacity between your cathode and anode.

Every single time you do 1 more push-up when you are exhausted – increase in capacity.

Every time you buck and shrimp to escape mount in that last roll with 10 seconds to go even though you feel ill, +1 capacity.

Every time you go to the morning and night class and do both warm-ups and roll the whole time for both – Boom capacity.

Since I like this analogy so much, I am going to type about it for the next couple of paragraphs and then wrap this joker up.

Here are ways that I treat all my batteries, and kind of the way I train and especially the way I do supplemental cardio training outside the gym.

Who Has Their Phone Plugged In Whenever They Can?

Argh. You’re killing me. Some people, especially at airports, rush from charging station to station. Like little IV poles of crack for their phones for their fingers. I get it if the battery truly is dead. It’s a huge waste of energy in addition to being unnecessary.

Let it drain baby!

This would be equivalent to someone not working out so probably not many jiu-jitseiros or mma people reading this. But think of some obese fellow sitting on his couch always eating, eating, eating, and barely ever expending any energy.

Again, as bjj or mma killers you have to expand your capacity by pushing it. Only you know when you are truly pushing it.

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BJJ Pro Tip #815 (there are not 814 others)

For mental motivation while grinding out that last mile, or the last 50 push-ups, or just trying not to get tapped – think of all that exhaustion and work you are doing right then at that moment as BANK.

It doesn’t matter at that moment if you win or lose, you are training. And training to exhaustion. You be banking these things like credits son, credits for future use, use at your own discretion. So yeah, just think that when you are tired.

Going to 50%

Letting your battery drain down to 50% is decent, it’s cool, he’s getting some work in. Every once in a while though you have to take it all the way down though.

Knock the rust off, let the battery, or your bjj cardio, know that it IS going to have to venture down to that limit at some point.

If the time comes during a match or competition where it has consumed all of the energy you are used to using, you are going to be in a world of hurt. Your body won’t know what to do and as a result you will waste even more energy and your technique will suffer.

Don’t Forget to Recharge

Self explanatory correct? Vital to get proper rest like good sleep and proper nutrition. Lots of fruits and veggies for repairs. If you are really pushing it, and can afford it, some supplementation wouldn’t hurt like whey protein.

If you are really pushing yourself and say doing push-ups to exhaustion AFTER training, or some kettlebell workout, you are going to want to have some extra protein in your body to re-build all of the muscles your broke down.

Sleep is probably the most vital in terms of recharging.

And of course don’t overdo it! Cause when you do what happens? First you flash, telling me about it every few seconds for the next hour and then you finally die. When your battery dies, no more mobile twitterbook.

Well, I believe that’s about it for today. Talked about how your cardiovascular endurance for bjj, or mma,can be compared to the way a battery works.

Do batteries have memories? What do you think? Of course they do so don’t even argue. What else could it be compared to? I thought of a couple while writing but then got way off track lol. Off the top of my head – motorcycles, horses…

BJJ Cardio & You - Make Like a Battery & Drain

The Gameness Platinum Gi - $20 off this bjj tourney favorite

All new Platinum gi from Gameness – best tournament grade bjj gi on the planet?

Average Customer Rating:

MSRP:  $165-175

with doyoubjj.com discount:  $145-155 (you save $20!)

Click on the pic —-> to open up a Gameness Platinum mini-gallery.

Gameness states that their Platinum gi is the best tournament grade bjj gi in the world.  This is a favorite during hot summer camps and you can get it at an average price (almost too rich for my blood though.)  The Platinum gi is both light weight and durable.  It is also pre-shrunk and mercinized (color stayed).  This premium weave is made from high quality cotton and the superior stitching makes for very little shrinking.

The thick collar is very difficult to grip making it easier to escape sneaky chokes.  Pants are kind of the Gameness canvas standard.  But just like all Gameness products, the platinum gi was built to last.  In fact, the only reason you might need another one is if you want a different color.

Save $20 on the Gameness Platinum gi – buy through Paypal below:

 

Gameness Platinum Gi Sizing Chart

Size	Height (ft)	Weight (lbs)
A0	4’11 – 5’3	95 – 120
A1	5’1 – 5’6	105 – 135
A2	5’6 – 5’9	130 – 165
A3	5’9 – 6′	160 – 200
A4	6′ – 6’3	190 – 245
A5	6’3 – 6’5	240 – 270
A6	6’5 +	265 – 300

What other BJJers say about the Gameness Platinum:

The jacket is thick but the weave is very comfortable.  The sleeves are very nicely fitted.  Collar is thick and solid. The only thing i don’t like are all the patches, but that’s personal taste.  The pants are tough!

The Gameness platinum gi is a very hefty gi.  It has got a lot of weight on it which makes it a useful training gi.  The collars are very very thick and the construction is up there with koral and atama.  It takes a little longer to dry than my gold weave and summer weave but is more durable than both.

This is a bad ass gi.  I’ve trained in jits since 97 and had a Krugans for years.  I will never buy anything other than a Gameness from here on out.  It has a super thick lapel, the material is very durable and overall this gi is very well made and lighter that most, but with the durability and functionality of a double weave.

I really love the jacket.  It’s got a great collar, tailored fit, and has really narrow sleeves.  It’s really sturdy and after about a year, shows absolutely no signs of wear and tear.  The pants are quite thick and feel somewhat restrictive, though.  I usually wear this jacket with a light pair of pants.

I have two of them which I bought 4 years ago.  They are still like new and holding up well and I train 2-3 times a week.  I have tried other gis but these are the best fitting.

I like a heavy gi and this is it.  This gi is tough, hard to grab the collar, and built to last.  I love to roll in this baby. I have the Platinum gi by Gameness and the Feather.  I use my Platinum Gi in the winter more.

Save $20 on the Gameness Platinum gi – buy through Paypal below:

 

The Gameness Platinum Gi - $20 off this bjj tourney favorite

Gameness Air Gi - Simple Design, Sweet Gi, 10% Off Here

The Gameness Air gi top is constructed from a light comb-style weave, which keeps it comfortable and lightweight. The pants are a ripstop material, which is unbelievably strong and very light. The lapels are patch-free so you can add your own or keep it simple. Gameness Air patches are on the shoulder, and the entire gi is IBJJF approved so you can make weight easily in this baby.

Cost here at doyoubjj.com:  $110-130  ($120-140 most everywhere else.)

Click the image —-> to open a mini-gallery.

Average Customer Rating:

• Preshrunk cotton-comb weave jacket


• 450 gsm pre-shrunk cotton


• Ultra light weight


• Light weight ripstop pants


• Rubber collar with ripstop material

The new Gameness Air gi is the lightest in their lineup and may be the lightest gi in the world. If you want a little help at weigh in or want a lighter weight gi for those hot training sessions like here in Memphis, this one may be it.

Available in white, blue, or black.  Approximate weights: A1 2.6 lbs, A2 2.8 lbs, A3 2.9 lbs, A4 3.2 lbs, and A5 3.5 lbs.

You save about 10% when buying through here (Gameness account.)  The Gameness Air (white) runs $119 on other sites for comparison.  Use the paypal button below to buy securely.

Save 10%, buy the Gameness Air through Paypal:

Color

White $110.00 USD Blue $120.00 USD Black $130.00 USD

Size

A0 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6

Gameness Air Gi Sizing Chart:

Size	Height (ft)	Weight (lbs)
A0	4’9 – 5’1	90 – 110
A1	5’0 – 5’4	100 – 130
A2	5’4 – 5’7	125 – 150
A3	5’7 – 5’10	145 – 180
A4	5’10 – 6’1	170 – 215
A5	6’1 – 6’4	210 – 250
A6	6’3 – 6’6	240 – 275

Rating and Reviews:

Unfortunately I do not have the Gameness Air in my stable. Yet. So the chunks of reviews you are reading below are comments from other jiu-jitseiros. As you can see, tons of positive reviews on the Gameness Air. The worst thing I saw was some people felt like they had a loose fit. You probably can use your washer and dryer to get it to your exact liking. If you have any questions about sizing before you buy or washing/drying after, email me at doyoubjj@gmail.com or subscribe over in the sidebar.

The average rating for this gi was close to 5 stars. A Gameness rep even called me yesterday to expound on the virtues of the Gameness Air gi. He claimed it is one of the best selling gis in the world.

• I love to roll in this gi. It is so light and so soft. My last competition I would not have competed without my Air because I would have never made weight without it. I own the white and blue. Feels true to size. Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.


• Awesome gi. Super light and durable. Feels good against the skin. I have had it almost a year now and it still fits great.


• So freaking light. My favorite gi. Good for weigh ins, roll 5 days a week. It dries quickly when you wash it. It also breaks in easily.I bought this gi because I needed something that was better ventilated.


• This was accomplished with this gi. Now being relatively new to martial arts, the only comparison at the time was from a starter gi given to me. Also, being 5’10″ the pants fit me perfectly and I like the ripstop material.


• This is the first gi I ever bought. I am now a purple belt so I know my gis pretty well haha. But yea highly recommended. Its cheap, its good, its the way to go.

Save 10%, buy the Gameness Air through Paypal:

Color

White $110.00 USD Blue $120.00 USD Black $130.00 USD

Size

A0 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6

Gameness Air Gi - Simple Design, Sweet Gi, 10% Off Here

Need Help Getting Up for a BJJ Competition?

If you don’t want to read all of the life changing words below but still want to be all surly when you compete – be the guy that serves the fried chicken.

Oh – you have no idea what I’m talking about?  Guess you’ll have to read the whole firetrucking thing.

Ever seen those guys to the side of the mats waiting for their turns to compete?  Usually they have some headphones on, they are bouncing around, getting into their bjj groove.  Some people have a much harder time getting mentally prepared to go whip some arse.  I used to be one of those people.  In this hopefully short post, I am going to share a story that may help you have the right attitude right before you go out there to choke a fool.

MMAth Does Not Work – neither do BJJmath or Wrestlingmath

If you don’t know what those are… mmath is the idea that if fighter x beats fighter y, and then y beats z, fighter x will beat z.  Logically that works great.  It doesn’t work so well when submissions, takedowns, and punches are involved.  Too many variables for those to work straight across the board.  So just carry that idea over to a bjj tournament.

I used to have a really, really bad case of wrestlingmath.  If I were facing a guy that had already beat someone that I lost to, I was already mentally done.  I mean, I’d give it a good go and if I won, awesome sauce.  But if I lost or started to lose, I was supposed to anyways.  Very weak minded indeed.

1st Match, 1st BJJ Tournament

I was a blue belt with maybe 2 years of bjj behind me before I entered my 1st real tourney.  Hundreds of wrestling matches where the goal was to pin, not to hurt anyone.  Me and the tattooed fellow slap hands, ref says go, and then I spent the next 2 minutes fighting off submission attempts.  I went into this match all hopped up on bjj friendliness, used to the friendly backrubs and massages you get when rolling in bjj.

Competition was different, this guy was trying to maim me!  I staved off his attempts and then made him submit to me.  It was a rude awakening though.  I had such an unprepared mindset for that.  Here is a story my Grandpa shared with me that kind of turned around wrestling way back for me and then for bjj more recently.  If I have to get up for something now, I think about it.

If you really want to win, and aren’t there for there for the experience, you need to go into a match with almost a chip on your shoulder.  Don’t be lugging around this huge chip that saps some of your energy, just a little one.  Just a little something something in the back of your head that reminds you that:

1. you are the man, or woman, and


2. you are there to take names today.

Do you know who I am bro?

This little query sounds smug so don’t say it outloud but this is an example of a question you can be asking yourself before you step out there.  Does your opponent even deserve to be out there with you?  Could they have possibly trained or worked harder than you leading up to this point?

The Fried Chicken Story

Every man is equal right?  No man is better than anyone else correct?  Theoretically, I could beat Marcelo Garcia.  The chance may be slim, but it IS there.

When I was 14 my parents threw me on a train and shipped me back to Wisconsin to stay the summer with my grandparents.  They were very religious people and attended church quite often, like several times per week.  During one of the sermons that summer, somebody told a story.  They probably didn’t mean for it to be taken and applied this way (a teenage boy using it to try and improve his wrestling) but it worked.  And now I give it to you for your bjj competitions.

Maybe this is a common story that everyone knows?

There was this little tiny church that held a monthly dinner where anyone and everyone could come, eat, socialize.  It was a big deal for the church members as well as members of the community.  Over the years, the monthly dinner had really grown into a tradition for the town.  The numbers of people who went began to swell.  Politicians began to swing by the church on these dinner nights probably for publicity reasons.  Not all but I’d say some.

The church had rules that everyone had to follow, even when it came to serving the food.  Just like my Dad used to do, no joke, people got set amounts of food.  You kind of have to when feeding people.  The church wanted to make sure that if anyone came through the line throughout the night that they would have enough food to give them.

You got one scoop of jello.  One scoop of mashed potatoes.  Two pieces of fried chicken – one drumstick and one thigh or breast.

One night, some senator or congressman shows up.  He does his gladhanding and baby kissing and makes his way up to the line for food.  He gets to the fried chicken guy.

“Thigh or breast?”

“What?”

“You get one or the other with your drumstick… would you like a thigh or breast?”

“I’ll just have some extra drumsticks.”

“Sorry, we can’t do that.  We want to be sure to have enough for everyone.”

“What about 3 drumsticks?”

“Sorry sir, 1 drumstick and then a breast or thigh?”

“2 drumsticks?”

“Sorry, can’t.”

“Do you know who I am?  I am Senator Smith from such and such here on a fancy pants visit from England.”

“Do you know who I am?  I am the guy that serves the fried chicken.”

Jesus that took a long ace time to write and now I am not even certain if it fits with anything.  Do you feel like stabbing yourself in the neck now after reading that?

Ever since I heard that story, the line “do you know who I am?  I serve the fried chicken” has always stuck with me.  In just about everything I do.  It shouldn’t matter if I am going up against a new white belt or Marcelo himself, I serve the gd fried chicken.  For me it started meaning that as a man, or person, I was entitled to flex my own will or opinion.  I wasn’t there to be told what was going to happen.  I was going to do the telling.  Feel me?

If you feel like sharing this trainwreck, please do so.

Need Help Getting Up for a BJJ Competition?

Connections in BJJ

As you read the title, what were your 1st thoughts? Connections in bjj? What on Earth does he mean? Social connections? Staying in touch with old training partners? eHarmony with the threat of staph?

In this post, I am going to be making a bunch of stuff up. I am going to be relaying 2nd, 3rd, and 15th hand information on to you. And then you take it, put your spin on it, and pass it along. I don’t have time to be looking stuff up on the internet to find out who said what and when. I am just going to take it as fact because I like the concept. Of course I have put my little spin on it which is why I am writing about it.

Staying “connected” in bjj is very important. This is not the specific concept I want to discuss with you however. I want to write about CONTROLLING those connections. What exactly do I mean by staying connected?

Connections in bjj are important because they allow you to:

1) Sense when your opponent is off blance so you can get some offense going.

2) Sense when your opponent is trying create their offense.

3) Feel slight changes in direction, pressure, or force so you can adjust.

We have an instructor at the gym who has talked about connections before. I know he has trained under De La Riva but I am not sure if he picked up the idea there, along the way, or perhaps at a Rickson Gracie seminar. I have heard of this idea being attributed to Rickson though so we are going to roll with that.

What connections am I talking about?

Who’s controlling the connection?

Anywhere you and your partner or opponent are touching each other is a bjj connection. It could be a grip, it could be a hook, maybe it’s where you are driving with your head. Both people need these connections. These connections give you a feel for what is about to happen.

You need them from an offensive standpoint in order to initiate your game. You also need them defensively so that you can sense what they are trying to do or set you up for. You can use these connections to sense balance and pressure for example.

Have you ever been riding a skateboard and as you are cruising along you feel the board go over a single stone or pebble? I mean with just one wheel going over it. You still feel it because it got transmitted up through the wheel, the truck, and then the deck to your feet. Even though you didn’t step on or feel the rock, you knew it was there because of the connections made through the wood and metal.

An easy way to picture a connection is during stand up or takedown training. Generally there is some sort of grip fighting going on. If I have a solid grip on their lapel and I jerk it forward and down, I am trying to get them to take a step forward in order to keep their balance. When they step forward is when I am going to try and time an ankle pick or single leg takedown. If from that connection I can feel that they are NOT going to step forward, I hopefully instinctively will switch to something else.

See where I’m going with this? Not only is it about making these connections but more importantly about…

Who Controls the Connections

Underhook or overhook? – pic from aucklandbjj

You have a lapel grip on me. Or do you?

I have a nice and tight single leg on you. Or do you have both of my arms occupied on one of your legs?

Feel me?

You might have a lapel grip on me but if I feel that you are set on keeping that grip like dead man’s hand, I can use it to my advantage. I might have a single leg on you but maybe you use it to set up a standing kimura or guillotine.

It is all in who controls the connections. Who is going to be more dynamic with it? Or sneaky? Who’s going to maybe look 3-4 moves or set-ups into the future and use that connection then?

We are in half guard, me on top, you on bottom. Like a good jiu-jitseiro who eats all of his vegetables, I have my far side underhook. Oh shit right? Looking at it from your perspective though, you have an overhook on that side and could be setting up a triangle. Who is controlling the connection there?

Little Globe of Energy

Looks like God is going for a grip…

Picture each spot where you have a connection with your partner as a little orb of sparks and energy. Like in that picture over there. Are you going to control it?

Some other things to think about:

• Are you going to initiate and dictate the movement with that connection?


• Can you see how reacting (rather than controlling it) to the connection could be bad? (you’d react thus be late like the Saulo Ribeiro quote.)


• How many connections can you make or maintain?

More than one right? Maybe a grip here, a hook there. Maybe some are decoys, or others aren’t nearly as critical as others.

Well I hope you are all psyched up now to go train bjj after reading this. Not only is bjj, and grappling, about having these connections but it is more about controlling them. Use them to initiate your movement or a reaction from your opponent. Use them defensively to try and counter them.

When you go back to class or the gym to train, right before you roll, ask yourself – who is going to control these connections? If you do, you will probably win. If you let them control them, you will most likely be reacting. And losing.

Connections in BJJ

Who Wants to See me Wrestle?

Standing next to my sister in the 1970′s.

Yep.  That is me over there to the left.  I was about to start my senior year of high school.  If you can’t tell from the picture, I was small for 12th grade.  Ha ha no, that was me when I was perhaps 5?  When I was a sophomore though, as you’ll see in the wrestling video below, I wasn’t much larger than I was in this pic.

I was coming home from elementary school one day, I think I may have been on my way to go fishing with a friend of mine, Eric.  Back in my day, boys fished, shot bb guns, and would wrestle each other at the drop of a hat.  Eric and Dean, both classmates of mine, both wrestled for Eric’s Dad on the local team.  Eric’s Dad also coached the junior high and high school teams in the area.  He saw us wrestling one day, Eric and Dean were always much better than me, and told me I should sign up for the team.  He talked to my Dad and that was how it started.  This was around 1980 and I was in the 4th grade.  The rest is history.

I was not technical by any means and as you watch the video, you’ll see I never was, lol.  Another friend of mine that I used to go to school and wrestling camps with uploaded this video to youtube a while ago.  I don’t know why but I was embarrassed to show you guys.  Know what?  Who cares.  The guy who uploaded it is none other than Jake Zweig, former Navy SEAL and contestant on that TV show Top Shot.  Jake ended up winning the state championship when we were seniors.  He was on a different level than me.  He had something in his mental make up that allowed him to see himself as a champion back then.  It was like he already knew it was supposed to happen, he just had to carry it out and fulfill it.  Of course I didn’t recognize that at the time.

Why didn’t I shoot my doubles this way in high school?

Anyways, my Dad, Jake’s parents, Jason Dunn’s Mom, they never missed a dual meet or tourney.  Ever.  Jake’s Dad would set up his camera on a tripod on the edge of the mat, my Dad with his in the bleachers, sitting next to Jake’s Mom and Jason’s.  The video Jake’s Dad got was usually focused, non-vibrating, and relatively quiet.  My Dad’s?  Aside from only being able to hear those two Mom’s – Jake’s and Jason’s – screaming like demons, quite often my Dad would be so intensely watching my match that he’d forget he was filming.  There might be two minutes of nothing but two women screaming and the floor underneath the bleachers as my Dad would let the camera and his focus drift away.  Then all of a sudden, like motion sick sudden, he’d remember he was supposed to be capturing it for posterity and the video camera would SNAP back onto the mat.  Hello dramamine.

Anyhoo, about the wrestling video below.  I was a sophomore, the year looks like it was 1987 so I had just turned 15 a few weeks earlier.  This was in the 101 lb weight class, the same weight I had wrestled the year before.  The only difference was that the year before I was 14 lbs under the limit, this year I was maybe 3 over.  The next year I shot up to around 130, and then 140.  I am in the green singlet, my opponent from Steilacoom is in the red.  Good old Jake Hertel.  I think we wrestled each other 3-4 times throughout high school.

Here it is:

 

 What did you think as you watched it?  I cringe whenever I watch it.  Don’t worry though, I have had an old vhs tape sitting in a closet for years now.  Once a year when I happen to notice it I’ll think to myself – you know, I should convert that over and upload it so everyone can see my muscles.  But I never do it.  Until now.  I needed a vcr first.  I snagged one last night from work to use.  I already have some conversion software so I shall give it a go soon, probably this weekend.  I think the tape has matches from my senior year only.  The other tapes are lost somewhere in the Washington wilderness, packed in dusty boxes above my parent’s garage.

How about you?  Any wrestling, bjj, or judo videos of yourself that make you cringe as you watch?  Would you like to share?  Come on.

Who Wants to See me Wrestle?

Feeling Heavy on Top in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

How many times have you heard, read, or asked this question, or variations, during your bjj journey:

Why does “insert whoever here (instructor/white belt/wrestler)” feel so heavy when they are on top of me in bjj?

Key concepts before you start devouring this:

1) The angle – the angle with which you apply this pressure is crucial.  Too low and you might not maximizing what you can deliver.  Too high, you might get swept.

2) The pressure – you will see how to maximize it below.

3) Potential energy – you want to create as much potential energy as possible, get the proper angle, and apply it to them.

These 3 points are important because it means:

• your opponent has to carry that weight.


• They then have to negate it.


• Then they have to create enough additional energy to create their own offense.

Giddy up.

from scienceofskill.com

I think if I had to name one attribute of my grappling game that I think is the strongest, I would probably say top control.  My gameplan for the last year or so has been to either pass guard or sweep, and then to apply smothering top control.  I love it.  Applying so much pressure that it causes discomfort is the easiest way I believe to break somebody’s will.  If they are suffering just from your pressure, imagine what will happen when you finally slap on a submission.

As the tagline of my website states, this is the thinking man’s bjj site.  So I have been thinking about it.  How do some people that only weigh 150 lbs feel so immovable?  Why do wrestlers seem to be human blankets when on top?  I think I have a bro-science answer for you.  It all has to do with, yep, you guessed it – physics, engineering, and evolution.

Put your gis on, tie them belts, and buckle up.  If you really think about what I am going to try and write below, it has to be true.  Right?  It may be hard to follow but once you grasp it, will be super simple to understand.

You’re not doing bjj Steve

I used to hear this a lot.  I probably still would if they probably didn’t get sick of hearing themselves tell me that.  Also, it used to hurt my feelings.  Sniffle.  I don’t care anymore though.  I bask in the creating pressure glory now, I enjoy the suffering.  Maybe I don’t do jiu-jitsu.  Jake Shields has American Jiu-Jitsu, maybe that’s what it is.  You could call it that or even wrestling jiu-jitsu.  The goal of these styles would be to be on top as much as possible, control, and then submit.  Again, for whatever reason this is often criticized as not being bjj.

Why are wrestlers so good at creating and applying pressure?  Why are their top games often stifling?

Core Strength and Potential Energy

from gcsescience.com

Wrestlers drill, drill, and then drill some more.  In wrestling, if you are on the bottom, you are losing.  In folkstyle, you always want to escape while in freestyle you always want to stall so the match gets brought back up to the feet.  It becomes second nature to 1) be on top and 2) to control.

I say because of the constant drilling and the goal of controlling from the top, wrestlers develop both a strong base and strong core from always being in and fighting from these positions.  This is just like how trying to throw a judoka is nearly impossible, why trying to break open the guard of a veteran bjj player is so difficult.  All of these bodies have been trained, refined, and honed, to be awesome from there.  It is similar to how a football player can catch a pass without thinking about it, or how a shortstop can throw a ball to 1st automatically.

Because they are always trying to control another person that is resisting, wrestlers build a very strong core.  However, that is not all.

Now we get into the fun stuff, how it happens and how you can do it too.  Physics.  Newton.  Gravity.

Potential Energy

What is it?  Any ideas?

It is the energy of a body or a system with respect to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of the system.  What?

In the nuclear Navy, we quickly covered kinetic and potential energy.  I think the easiest way to understand potential energy is to think of a stone sitting on the edge of a cliff.  It isn’t moving but while it is perched up there, 100 ft up, it has potential energy.

from brainlesstales.com

If it falls, gravity takes over and accelerates it towards the Earth.  When it hits the ground, that energy is transferred via the heat from the collision, as well as the sound it generates.

The Conservation of Energy

You have heard this before I’m sure:

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed but only altered in form.

We can observe this rock and its potential energy, as soon as it starts moving though, we got some kinetic energy.  Another example would be using water from a dam that turns a turbine that then generates electricity.  We’ve got water above a dam with all that potential energy waiting to be released.  It falls down the turbine causing the shaft to turn.  As the shaft turns, the brushes mounted on it rotate through a magnetic field, creating electricity.  You then consume this energy through heating your house (and subsequently the atmosphere,) or cooling your fridge.

Why are push-ups hard?

If you think about it, I mean REALLY think about it, they are hard because you are pretty much trying to create potential energy.  Create may be the wrong word but I hope you get my meaning.  With even just ONE single, solitary push-up, you are basically telling Earth and gravity to fuck off.  My arms and chest can beat you Earth!  You are fighting gravity with your arms!

Hello Superman.

And no I am not implying that wrestlers are better at applying top pressure because they do push-ups, although I’m certain it probably helps.  I am saying that wrestlers are trained to try and transfer that potential energy to their opponents.  Let’s look at the equation and hopefully some very basic diagrams.

Potential Energy Equation

U = (m) x (g) x (h)

where:

U = potential energy

m = mass of object

g = gravitational acceleration

h = height

And it’s not heighth.  I got corrected on that about 10 years ago.  It’s not heighth and width.  Heighth is not a word.  The more you know.

So from that equation, you can see how the mass of the object and the height are important factors.  G – not so much as it is constant unless you are shuttling between different planets.  Which some of you might be based upon the emails and tweets I get.

Gravitational acceleration – like I said, constant.  I think.  In the metric system, g = 9.8 m/sec2, in the English system, the value of g is 32 ft/sec2.  We are going to use the English value because I’m ‘Murican.  Actually we are using it because I like calculating force in foot pounds and not Newtons.  I can’t compare using Newtons because I don’t have a reference.  Are 10 Newtons a lot?  500 Newtons just plain crazy talk?  Who knows.  Since this is bjj and not nuclear crap, we can forget the units.  Just remember, the higher the number the better, more potential energy to transfer.

U = (m) x (32 ft/sec2) x (h)

For an example, let’s use a mass of 100 lbs and a height of 10 feet.

U = (100 lbs) x (32 ft/sec2) x (10 ft)

U = 32,000

How about 200 lbs and 2 ft?

U = (200) x (32) x (2)

U = 12,800 (double the weight but only a 1/5 of the height.)

Keep in mind that these are perfect, ideal physics conditions.  There is no way in hell that we are going to be able to transfer every ounce of energy straight down onto them.  We have to figure in motion, resistance, weight distribution etc.  But this concept of potential energy should give you an idea of what you can do to maximize how much you can apply.

Ways you can maximize yours:

1) Get off your knees.  This is however not necessarily true in bjj.  Like in top side control you want your knees up close blocking their hip and shoulder.  If you want to temporarily create pressure and cause discomfort, get off your knees.

2) Use smaller points of contact or pressure.  If you read the post on using force in bjj you know that by using the smallest point of contact possible, you are transferring the same amount of pressure to less of an area, therfore increasing the force.

Again, by doing this you are forcing your partner to carry more weight.  As such, in order for them to generate enough energy for them to creat their own offense, they will first have to neutralize your downward pressure and then come up with their own to get you off balance.  It’s almost like a double whammy punch to the dome.

Using our rock perched on a cliff example from above, you want to be the rock.  You want to be this big boulder on top of your opponent, making them the ledge holding you up.  Earth is trying to suck you back down, make your opponent carry that weight.

Feeling Heavy on Top in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Booty from my Garden - no, not that kind. I wish.

Quick post today as I oddly feel in the mood to write.  Gotta capture that feeling when you can.  I know I put a post up a couple weeks ago about my square foot garden and wanted to show you guys the fruits of my labor.  Labour for some of you right?  That pic above, the one I had to choose as my featured image which then doesn’t allow you to caption it, fun, shows some peas, if you can see them, and a cucumber growing in harmony in my messy backyard.  I love it.

I planted in mid-April

Lettuce, summer squash, zucchini, & cucumber.

Yep, got the boxes ready to from last year in like a day or two and put seeds in the ground, and mapped it all out of course, at the start of April.  The picture here is just what I’ve harvested within the last, I don’t know, 5 days?  I was able to start pulling stuff like the sugar snap peas and beans from early on, they’re continuous.

Other stuff like the squash had to grow, sprout, flower, and such.  I have learned a bunch.

Both varieties of squash, the green and yello pilgrim kind there, take up a frickin’ ton of space.  No idea how it’s supposed to fit in a square foot garden.

Also, they pretty much grew, flowered, produced and were going for a 2nd production but some bug got into 3 of the 4 plants and ate through most of the main vines, killing the nutrient supply.  It’s cool though, part of nature.

So less than 3 months and I was pulling stuff a couple of weeks ago?  And now is when things are really starting to take off?

Check out these melons!

Come on little fella, grow.

Well it’s just one but you wanted to see it right?  Yummy.  just the kind I like.  I am talking about this watermelon perv.  I’d like this one to be bigger but we’ll see.  Last year I had 2 sweet ones going but again, destroyed by bugs.  The 2 that flowered this year just don’t seem to be growing?  Time for implants maybe?

What would you grow in a garden?

Like I said, I’ve tried to grow broccoli, cauliflower, and onions both years here in the mid-South, they don’t seem to take well to the climate.

Lettuce seems to be awesome because it loves the sun kind of, and you can take outer leaves from all the plants every day.  It tells the plant – crap!  Grow more!

Peas and beans do well, constant harvesting once they start.  I wish I had more fruit though.  And like one of the pics above, my harvest is kind of like Plymouth Rock.  A guy can only eat so much guldanged squash.

I am pretty excited about this next one though.  Would you be?

Oh sweet corn

Cannot wait.

Last year I didn’t know what I was doing with the corn.  Of course I have seen corn.  I rode my bicycle across the state of Iowa for crying out loud.  I just never looked at corn growing before.  In fact, here is a link to the route me and my Grandpa took in 1987.  He was in his 70′s, I was 14.

Last year I tried to grow corn.  Along the way, I grew some spinach and lettuce as well.  When those two were all done, they went to seed, or flowered, don’t know the proper term  , they stopped producing.  That’s what the corn looked like to me last year so I yanked it.  I thought it had gotten pollinated, or not, lol.

This year, I just let it go.  I now see that the ears come out of the side right by the leaf nodes.  Crazy.  Moron.  So now I have some decent stalks growing.  One good one and two runts.  Hope it tastes sweet.

So you have a garden?  Want one?  Dream of having one someday?  What would you grow?  Would it be all fancy like with timers and sprinklers?  Or just you walking around with a tin watering can in the sun?

Oh, if you would like to check out that other post where I try to get you to go to Amazon and buy a square foot gardening book, click here.

Booty from my Garden - no, not that kind. I wish.

Eddie Bravo - jiu-jitseiro, innovator, lightning rod

If you’ve been a part of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community for any significant amount of time then you have probably heard the name Eddie Bravo.  Eddie Bravo first appeared on the bjj scene in the early 2000’s and is best known for his submission of Royler Gracie in 2003 by triangle choke, while still only a brown belt.

10^th Planet Jiu-Jitsu

Bravo refers to his particular style of bjj as 10^th Planet Jiu-Jitsu.  10^th Planet Jiu-Jitsu is a no-gi style that utilizes some techniques that may be oddly named but are extremely effective.  Some of Bravo’s most popular moves are called the twister, the truck, and the infamous gangsta lean.   He has released a total of 3 books on his 10^th Planet style outlining techniques.  Bravo’s first book was released in 2005 and it was entitled Jiu Jitsu Unleashed.  Jiu Jitsu Unleashed introduced his infamous 10^th planet style of jiu-jitsu to the world.  His later additions of Mastering the Rubber Guard and Mastering the Twister are definitely must haves for any serious bjj practitioner.  Mastering the Twister is specifically valuable to the bjj student who is looking for clarity while in side control or mount, or anybody looking to sharpen up their ground game in general.

Mastering the Twister

Mastering the Twister

In Mastering the Twister, Bravo not only outlines how to properly apply his patented and once outlawed Twister, but also offers solutions to focus your ground game.  Bravo points out that a major problem for a lot of bjj practitioners is the fact that once they get to mount they suddenly have no idea what to do.  He helps remedy this all too common problem.  Bravo does this by outlining various options and a plan of action for after you reach mount, so no more, “Oh, I finally secured the mount.  What the hell do I do next?”  In Mastering the Twister (click here to check out my review), Bravo gives you the tools you need to submit your opponent from the mount.  He also delves into his infamous gangsta-lean position that he claims he perfected with the help of copious amounts of marijuana.  That’s what sets Eddie Bravo apart from others, he’s controversial, but he backs it up with an extreme amount of dedication and skill to the art of jiu-jitsu.

Don’t Be Fooled

Eddie Bravo may be controversial in traditional Brazilian jiu-jitsu circles because of his no-gi approach or his open comments about marijuana, but nobody can knock the guy’s track record as an accomplished martial artist.  His 10^th Planet style of jiu-jitsu has been utilized by fighters in both the bjj realm and mma with moderate(?) success.  Bravo’s 10^th Planet Jiu-Jitsu has even been tested in the octagon and came out victorious on a few occasions, people like Shinya Aoki come to mind.  Don’t let the oddly named moves or the rumors about Bravo deter you from reading up on his deadly style.  Eddie Bravo may be a bit controversial and flamboyant at times, but rest assured, this dude can back it up with pure skill.

Eddie Bravo - jiu-jitseiro, innovator, lightning rod