Wednesday, December 25, 2013
BJJ Returns
A lot has happened in 2013. The changes resulted in being bussier than ever and having to put Jiu-Jitsu on the back burner for a good portion of the year. One of the changes resulting in moving to a place that doesn't have any formal Gi Jiu-Jitsu training academies within a reasonable distance. However, I did find a place that trains in No-Gi and recently found a few guys that train Gi in their garage. I am slowly getting back into BJJ.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Vulkan Gi Review
When I first started Jiu-Jitsu I started with a Judo Gi. As time went on and I lost weight the gi became too big for me. It created problems when rolling and gave my opponent an advantage so eventually I invested in different gi - the Vulkan Ultra Light Gi.
My first impression of the Vulkan Gi, Size A2 (I am 5'-10" and weigh 175lbs - 180lbs) was that it was a good fit but with the bottoms being a little shorter than I expected. The kimono pants were the perfect height at the ankles but my concern was that they were going to shrink and then become high water pants. To my surprise they didn't shrink (only washed in cold water and hang dried) so they worked out perfect. The kimono top fit well and didn't seem to shrink either. The only complaint (more of a trade off than a complaint) is that the draw string doesn't like to stay tied unless I used a double knot. The draw string is flat and made of thick/strong material which I believe adds to the difficulty of it staying tied until it gets broken in good. I am more than happy to tie a double knot in exchange for extra comfort and durability.
After washing in cold water and air drying for 5 months about 4 times a week. The gi did not shrink but the knees blew out at the 5 month mark. I only used regular detergent and vinegar (vinegar kills the bacteria and helps keep the color set in) instead of color safe bleach (bleach weakens the material and causes the garment to fail prematurely). Keep in mind that the gi pants were the Ultra Light version - not the Pro Light. The Vulkan Ultra Light Pants do not have the reinforced knees like the Vulkan Pro Light Pants do. I thought I should have gotten more life out of the pants so I called vulkanstore.com and spoke with Raphael. Raphael stated that the Ultra Light Pants should last at least a year when used about twice a week - I used mine at least 4 times a week non-stop for 5 months. He recommended that for training more than twice a week to use the Pro Light Pants as they have the reinforced knees.
My gi top has performed well and the only sign of wear is on the edge of the collar at the neck area. The material and threading continue to hold up well. Very pleased with it thus far.
I now have two pair of the Pro-Light Pants to use for regular training and will post the results of using them after they have been used for a while. I recommend the Ultralight Pants for anyone looking for a summer pants or for a pair to be used for competition. If you are looking for regular training pants then go with the Pro Light version.
I am also satisfied with Vulkan's customer service. I had a concern about the performance of their product, they gave me the benefit of the doubt and worked with me on replacing my pants. For this reason alone I will probably be a long time Vulkan customer. When it comes to spending your hard earned money, good customer service goes a long way.
My first impression of the Vulkan Gi, Size A2 (I am 5'-10" and weigh 175lbs - 180lbs) was that it was a good fit but with the bottoms being a little shorter than I expected. The kimono pants were the perfect height at the ankles but my concern was that they were going to shrink and then become high water pants. To my surprise they didn't shrink (only washed in cold water and hang dried) so they worked out perfect. The kimono top fit well and didn't seem to shrink either. The only complaint (more of a trade off than a complaint) is that the draw string doesn't like to stay tied unless I used a double knot. The draw string is flat and made of thick/strong material which I believe adds to the difficulty of it staying tied until it gets broken in good. I am more than happy to tie a double knot in exchange for extra comfort and durability.
After washing in cold water and air drying for 5 months about 4 times a week. The gi did not shrink but the knees blew out at the 5 month mark. I only used regular detergent and vinegar (vinegar kills the bacteria and helps keep the color set in) instead of color safe bleach (bleach weakens the material and causes the garment to fail prematurely). Keep in mind that the gi pants were the Ultra Light version - not the Pro Light. The Vulkan Ultra Light Pants do not have the reinforced knees like the Vulkan Pro Light Pants do. I thought I should have gotten more life out of the pants so I called vulkanstore.com and spoke with Raphael. Raphael stated that the Ultra Light Pants should last at least a year when used about twice a week - I used mine at least 4 times a week non-stop for 5 months. He recommended that for training more than twice a week to use the Pro Light Pants as they have the reinforced knees.
My gi top has performed well and the only sign of wear is on the edge of the collar at the neck area. The material and threading continue to hold up well. Very pleased with it thus far.
I now have two pair of the Pro-Light Pants to use for regular training and will post the results of using them after they have been used for a while. I recommend the Ultralight Pants for anyone looking for a summer pants or for a pair to be used for competition. If you are looking for regular training pants then go with the Pro Light version.
I am also satisfied with Vulkan's customer service. I had a concern about the performance of their product, they gave me the benefit of the doubt and worked with me on replacing my pants. For this reason alone I will probably be a long time Vulkan customer. When it comes to spending your hard earned money, good customer service goes a long way.
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| 5 months 4 times a week (Ultra Light) |
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| Replacement pants (Pro Light) |
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| Pro Light knee reinforcement layer is on the inside of the pant leg |
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| The outside of the knee reinforcement is smooth |
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| Gi top wear after 6 months 4 times a week. |
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Rickson Gracie - Vale Tudo Japan
Old school Rickson Gracie Documentary - Vale Tudo Japan.
Click here for previous post on "Sticking with Martial Arts."
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Sticking with Martial Arts
Everyone initially joins martial arts for different reasons. I'll go out on a limb here and say that most people join for one of two reasons: 1. they watched a Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van Damme, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, or Steven Segal movie and if in current time they watched UFC, Belletor, or The Ultimate Fighter - thought it was bad @$$ and they want to be a bad @$$, 2. are concerned about their safety or their ability to protect themselves and/or their family in an altercation and want to learn self defense. Whatever the reason for starting most people don't stick with it once the novelty wears off because it is hard work and not as fun as they thought is was going to be - unless of course you are in Jiu Jitsu, Jits is always fun (nope - no bias here).
When I first started I didn't even know what Jiu-Jitsu was. I was looking for Krav Maga to learn self defense. Low and behold I found a school 5 min from where I lived that had the key word "Krav Maga" on their website so I showed up one day. To my disappointment at the time they didn't have Krav but they had Jiu-Jitsu. I decide to give it a try but didn't care for it at first. Rolling around on the ground with a bunch of sweaty dudes - not for me, I don't fly that way! But I stuck with it and began to learn how to manipulate someone on the ground to make them cry for their mama - it was like someone flipped a switch and I was hooked.
If you stick with it, it will take you in a different direction than what you had initially expected. Push through the boring/hard parts and watch how it things keep changing, particularly how you keep changing and growing. My first year of Jiu Jitsu was pretty standard and just so-so while my second year was totally different (in a positive way).
I know a guy who went to the doctor for sever scoliosis in his late 50s. The Doc told him he needs to do something to strengthen is back muscles to help straight his spine. He took up Tang Soo Do (a form of Karate from South Korea involving katas, kicks, punches, energy breathing techniques, etc.) and at age 60 you couldn't tell their was ever anything wrong with him.
So, if you decide to take up any martial art and the novelty wears off, try to stick with it long enough to see the benefits - you'll thank yourself later!
Refer to previous post "Quitting vs. Benefits of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu" to see the many benefits that I've received from Jiu Jitsu.
When I first started I didn't even know what Jiu-Jitsu was. I was looking for Krav Maga to learn self defense. Low and behold I found a school 5 min from where I lived that had the key word "Krav Maga" on their website so I showed up one day. To my disappointment at the time they didn't have Krav but they had Jiu-Jitsu. I decide to give it a try but didn't care for it at first. Rolling around on the ground with a bunch of sweaty dudes - not for me, I don't fly that way! But I stuck with it and began to learn how to manipulate someone on the ground to make them cry for their mama - it was like someone flipped a switch and I was hooked.
If you stick with it, it will take you in a different direction than what you had initially expected. Push through the boring/hard parts and watch how it things keep changing, particularly how you keep changing and growing. My first year of Jiu Jitsu was pretty standard and just so-so while my second year was totally different (in a positive way).
I know a guy who went to the doctor for sever scoliosis in his late 50s. The Doc told him he needs to do something to strengthen is back muscles to help straight his spine. He took up Tang Soo Do (a form of Karate from South Korea involving katas, kicks, punches, energy breathing techniques, etc.) and at age 60 you couldn't tell their was ever anything wrong with him.
So, if you decide to take up any martial art and the novelty wears off, try to stick with it long enough to see the benefits - you'll thank yourself later!
Refer to previous post "Quitting vs. Benefits of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu" to see the many benefits that I've received from Jiu Jitsu.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Quitting vs. Benefits of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
Do you ever wake up in the morning after Jiu-Jitsu class and question why you are doing this in the first place? Your fingers are swollen and stiff, your elbow hurts because your ego didn't let you tap when you should have, there is a gash on your foot because someone decided not to clip there toe nails before coming to class, you have severe mat burn on your other foot, your struggling to pay your dues and are having a hard time justifying paying an arm and a leg for a gallon of gas/diesel just to get to class, you are struggling to find a balance between jiu-jitsu and your family, you want to compete but are too lazy to prepare for it, .....(insert cheese for my wine here)......(insert tiniest fiddle in the world here)......(insert crying symbol here).....ha - most of you know exactly what I talking about!
So why not quit? It seems like the sensible thing to do - doesn't it? It seems like that would solve all the issues I was crying about in the above paragraph. But what about the benefits that are on the other side of the Jiu-Jitsu fence? When I compare the pros & cons of grappling there are a lot more pros than cons.
We all get something different out of Jiu-Jitsu. For me: it relieved my chronic wrist pain that even surgery didn't take care of (probably from all the stretching), it helped a lot with my consistent lower back pain, I no longer felt lethargic, I lost about 20lbs, good stress reliever, good way to meet new people as I had just moved to the area, initiated better eating habits, invoked goal setting and working towards them, and it is just plain fun! Yes, for those of you reading this and are not yet Jiu-Jitsu practitioners - getting choked out and armbarred is fun, although it is more fun to be the one applying said techniques.
So when you are crying and complaining about your latest boo boo (put honey on it and call it your "honey boo boo" - ha!) and the thought of quiting pops in your head just think of all the benefits. If you still decide to quit then you'll have to try and make peace with that decision years later when you're watching a BJJ match on YouTube and wishing you would have stuck with it!
Click here for previous post on "De La Riva."
So why not quit? It seems like the sensible thing to do - doesn't it? It seems like that would solve all the issues I was crying about in the above paragraph. But what about the benefits that are on the other side of the Jiu-Jitsu fence? When I compare the pros & cons of grappling there are a lot more pros than cons.
We all get something different out of Jiu-Jitsu. For me: it relieved my chronic wrist pain that even surgery didn't take care of (probably from all the stretching), it helped a lot with my consistent lower back pain, I no longer felt lethargic, I lost about 20lbs, good stress reliever, good way to meet new people as I had just moved to the area, initiated better eating habits, invoked goal setting and working towards them, and it is just plain fun! Yes, for those of you reading this and are not yet Jiu-Jitsu practitioners - getting choked out and armbarred is fun, although it is more fun to be the one applying said techniques.
So when you are crying and complaining about your latest boo boo (put honey on it and call it your "honey boo boo" - ha!) and the thought of quiting pops in your head just think of all the benefits. If you still decide to quit then you'll have to try and make peace with that decision years later when you're watching a BJJ match on YouTube and wishing you would have stuck with it!
Click here for previous post on "De La Riva."
Monday, March 11, 2013
De La Riva
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| Ricardo de La Riva Goded |
When looking through the list of Carlson Gracie Black Belts on the BJJ Heroes site part of a name jumped out at me. A term we are all familiar with "De La Riva" from Ricardo de La Riva Goded. I always thought "de la riva" meant "of the river" and was named that because there was some affiliation with how your legs resemble a river while in the de la riva guard. What do I know? - obviously that was based off of pure assumption. Well, I stand corrected!
Click on the Ricardo de La Riva link above and read about how his guard was developed. Personally, I like the term "De La Riva" better than “Guarda Pudim” (Pudding Guard).
Click here for previous post on "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Ethiopia."
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Ethiopia
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| www.bjjinethiopia.com |
This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in a missionary type setting to spread Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in another part of the world. We've all heard people say, "hey man I want to go to Rio to train for a month" or "I want to take an entire summer and train at different schools across the country/globe" but I've never heard anyone say, "hey, I want to help introduce BJJ to a community where it can really make a difference." If you are wanting to make a difference somewhere then this may be your calling. I imagine this mission would be similar what Kyra Gracie is doing in Brazil but probably more on a rudimentary and introductory scale.
This is also a great opportunity for anyone in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community who may be looking for a break to promote or market their products. The donated items will be displayed in different ways my means of the documentary and by other means of marketing such as the website, blog, twitter, and facebook.
Click here for more information on being a part of the mission.
Click here for more information on marketing opportunities of your BJJ Gear.
Click here to watch a video on what Kyra Gracie is doing in Brazil.
Click here to see previous post about "Grappling Fight Team."
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Grappling Fight Team
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| Luiz "Dentinho" Eduardo |
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| Griffin's Submission Academy |
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| Valhalla Academy |
Dentinho showed applications of offensive and defensive techniques (half guard passes, chokes from mount, sweeps from guard, standing guard pass, and other miscellaneous techniques as a result of the Q & A sessions.
My favorite technique was passing from half guard. The #1 thing Dentinho emphasized was to stay tight and to drive your shoulder into your opponent's face the whole time. I was joking around with one of the black belt instructors about the half guard pass and it went something like this, "step 1: smash face with shoulder, step 2: turn your hips, grab the knee and smash his face, step 3: I forgot what is next - smash his face, step 4: keep smashing his face." You get the point! If you drive your shoulder into the side of his face hard enough he is going to let you pass. The trick is to get your arm over his inside shoulder, reach down across his back and grab the gi as deep as deep as possible. This puts your shoulder up against the side of his face, which is golden! Now all you have to do is drive your shoulder into his face and he is at your mercy. Good stuff!!
All of Dentinho's moves were based off of solid Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals. Non of his grappling techniques required strength - just timing, weight distribution, and applying pressure in the right places. We have all heard the speach about the basic fundamentals of Jiu-Jitsu but many of us get away from it. Most of us get so caught up in learning new slick/fancy moves that we get away from the basic principles that make Jiu-Jitsu so effective. So get back to the basics and smash their face:)
And remember......when in doubt, smash the face! Did I mention smash the face? Just in case I didn't - SMASH the face!!!
Click here for previous post on "Carlson Gracie Black Belts."
Click here for previous post on "Carlson Gracie Black Belts."
Friday, March 8, 2013
Carlson Gracie Black Belts
Ha - check this out! I came accross a post about Carlson Gracie Sr. The article gives a general biography - which most Carlson Gracie students are familiar with; but what I found interesting is the list of black belts at the end.
My BJJ lineage starts with brown belt Tim Hurt (Lawrenceburg Martial Arts), to black belt Mike O'donnell (4 Seasons MMA), to black belt Carlson Cracie Jr. (Carlson Gracie Federation), to Carlson Gracie Sr.
What is your BJJ lineage? Let us know by posting a comment.
Click here for previous post on UFC pioneer "Don Frye."
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Don Frye
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| Don Frye at Four Seasons MMA |
Recently I attended a Don Frye seminar at Four Seasons MMA in Lexington KY. When I first heard about the seminar I thought, "who is Don Frye"? I have't heard of this guy before and I was obviously not educated on the early days of UFC nor had I followed any of the Pride fights. After reading through Don's bio and learning about the true warrior that this guy is I decide to attend the seminar.
Don walked in during the meet and greet and looked like he'd walked in off of a movie set; a movie starring a character comprised of John Wayne and the Incredible Hulk with a killer mustache. - I think he may have actually tapped people out with that mustache - ha! So there I am watching the fans get autographs and taking photos with the legend and all I'm thinking is, "what can this guy do for my Jiu-Jitsu"? Being totally closed minded I was wondering if it was worth my $4.09/gal of diesel to drive up here. And yes, it was worth it.
If not just for appreciating Don's sense of humor it was great learning how to crush someones face when the guillotine attempt fails (put your forearm on their cheekbone and squeeze). Or, driving your knuckles in behind your opponent's jaw under the ear to hit a pressure point and get them to squirm their head so you can get the rear naked choke. The double arm russian and the arm drag were good for stand up situations. There were several other fun techniques that would get you disqualified in a grappling tournament but would be good for street or cage applications.
For some reason Don kept using me to demonstrate the armbars. I was nervous coming off an armbar injury from a few months back, but I went along with it anyway. He threw me around like a rag doll and about snapped my arms like twigs. It was funny because several of the participants had a look on their face like "oh crap that must suck - is it ok to laugh?" I imagined it looked something like David & Goliath with Goliath ripping David's arms off so David couldn't knock him out with his sling and stone.
All in all it was fun and I'm glad I got to meet the legendary creature they call the "Predator".
Click here for previous post on "Tournament Jitters."
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Disclaimer
This blog is a diary of my Jiu-Jitsu related experiences, opinions, and reposts of other information (articles, videos, websites, etc.) that has validity to me. I am not a professional and do not claim to be an expert on any subject matter in this blog.
Jiu-Jitsu is not an exact science and therefore should not be treated as such. We all look at things differently based on our experience and learned methodology. As my Jiu-Jitsu grows so will the perspective in which I see things - expect my posts to reflect that as time goes by. A white belt and a black belt reading the same post will each get something different out of it.
Should you decide to practice/perform any technique or any activity that is associated with this blog, you do so at your own risk.
I try to give credit where credit is do, often by giving a shout out and/or linking to the person, facit, or facility that deserves the credit. If you post a picture or video via facebook, YouTube, websites, blogs, forums, twitter, or any form of social media I may repost said media when talking about or linking to whatever it is associated with. If, for any reason, you do not want me to repost your media (pics or video) then please notify me (via this blog) and I will cease and desist with any activity related to your media.
I do not want to offend anyone. If you see something that personally involves you and want to see it removed then please let me know and I'll take it down.
There are banner adds on this blog, if you click on the banner add and purchase the item there is a chance I may receive a referral fee. The purpose for these banner adds is to give you an opportunity to discover other possible training tools and to be exposed to other Jiu-Jitsu related items that you may have not otherwise been exposed to. Any referral fees that I receive are use towards my Jiu-Jitsu training expenses. The more funds I can raise, the more Jiu-Jitsu training opportunities I have which in turn gives me more material/advise/opinions/reviews that I can share with you. So please, help a Jiu-Jitsu brother out by clicking on the banner adds and checking out the products.
If you have any questions, advise, or topic ideas that you would like to talk about then please let me know by posting a comment. I will not publish any derogatory comments or any comments containing vulgar language. There are a lot of kids and teens looking for Jiu-Jitsu related info - I will keep this blog clean!
Jiu-Jitsu is not an exact science and therefore should not be treated as such. We all look at things differently based on our experience and learned methodology. As my Jiu-Jitsu grows so will the perspective in which I see things - expect my posts to reflect that as time goes by. A white belt and a black belt reading the same post will each get something different out of it.
Should you decide to practice/perform any technique or any activity that is associated with this blog, you do so at your own risk.
I try to give credit where credit is do, often by giving a shout out and/or linking to the person, facit, or facility that deserves the credit. If you post a picture or video via facebook, YouTube, websites, blogs, forums, twitter, or any form of social media I may repost said media when talking about or linking to whatever it is associated with. If, for any reason, you do not want me to repost your media (pics or video) then please notify me (via this blog) and I will cease and desist with any activity related to your media.
I do not want to offend anyone. If you see something that personally involves you and want to see it removed then please let me know and I'll take it down.
There are banner adds on this blog, if you click on the banner add and purchase the item there is a chance I may receive a referral fee. The purpose for these banner adds is to give you an opportunity to discover other possible training tools and to be exposed to other Jiu-Jitsu related items that you may have not otherwise been exposed to. Any referral fees that I receive are use towards my Jiu-Jitsu training expenses. The more funds I can raise, the more Jiu-Jitsu training opportunities I have which in turn gives me more material/advise/opinions/reviews that I can share with you. So please, help a Jiu-Jitsu brother out by clicking on the banner adds and checking out the products.
If you have any questions, advise, or topic ideas that you would like to talk about then please let me know by posting a comment. I will not publish any derogatory comments or any comments containing vulgar language. There are a lot of kids and teens looking for Jiu-Jitsu related info - I will keep this blog clean!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Tournament Jitters
Lately I've had the opportunity to train with people from several different BJJ schools. During that training I've heard talk of different people getting ready for or considering competition. There was chatter about everything from Chicago IBJJF Pan Am, NAGA, Arnolds, BBJJO (Bluegrass Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open), and even some facebook chatter about Grappler's Quest. That's a lot of different tournaments from within such a small BJJ community. Of these people, most of them are not seasoned veterans and they probably get competition jitters.
I assume that most people are effected by tournament jitters to some degree. I also assume these people would like some help with controlling their minds and getting into the right mindset when it's time for battle. When I competed in BBJJO, NAGA, & our local Chokefest I was a mess. Before my tournaments my heart starts racing, my mind starts acting superstitious (which is ridiculous), I start doubting myself, and just before my match begins I start breathing heavy. Of course all of this is involuntary, it's my body's natural reaction to getting ready for combat as "fight or flight" starts to kick in. I've tried to work on this myself and although a little better now than in the beginning, I still have a long way to go.
Recently I came across a product called Black Belt Psychology that may help out. I haven't purchased it yet but plan to as soon as the funds will allow. At first I thought this was just another entrepreneur trying to sell another BJJ gimmick but it has reputable names associated with it. Click here and to see the video that has testimonials from well known MMA trainers and to see the review from Gracie Magazine.
If you have problems with competition jitters then this might be a good solution to working them out. If you do purchase it, please send me your review of the system and I'll post it on here for others to see.
Click here for previous post on "Burpees for Grappling."
Recently I came across a product called Black Belt Psychology that may help out. I haven't purchased it yet but plan to as soon as the funds will allow. At first I thought this was just another entrepreneur trying to sell another BJJ gimmick but it has reputable names associated with it. Click here and to see the video that has testimonials from well known MMA trainers and to see the review from Gracie Magazine.
If you have problems with competition jitters then this might be a good solution to working them out. If you do purchase it, please send me your review of the system and I'll post it on here for others to see.
Click here for previous post on "Burpees for Grappling."
Monday, March 4, 2013
Burpees for Grappling
This is a great example of how the burpee can be modified to target specific areas of your body. If you get board with your current version just change it up a bit - have fun with it. Hmmm - have fun with a burpee? Is that possible? Probably not but you'll thank yourself the next time you hit the mats!
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Jiu Jitsu Conditioning
What is the best way to improve your Jiu Jitsu conditioning?
The best way to improve your jiu jitsu conditioning is by performing high intensity drills and by rolling with other grapplers that will push you to your limit. People always talk about sport specific training, well guess what? BJJ drills and sparring are as sport specific as it gets. Don't get me wrong, there are GREAT workouts that will significantly enhance your performance on the grappling mat such as dead lifts and posterior chain exercises; but drills and rolling are still the ticket as far as I am concerned.
Serious Jiu Jitsu players know that conditioning is #1 next to technique if they want to perform well. Lets face it, if you become exhausted on the mat and quit moving because you are "tired" then you've basically tapped out. Sometimes, when visiting another school, I'll roll with a big heavy guy that is out of shape and when he gets tired he just lays on top of me and tries to smother my face with his gi. What is that? That isn't Jiu Jitsu, that's being too lazy to keep moving and work your technique!
Very few people have the luxury of training Jits every day and therefore must resort to other means of staying in shape. Not everyone can afford to go to a gym or hire a personal trainer to focus on jiu jitsu specific exercises. So what is the solution? Out of all the "at home" exercises out there, which one is the best for Jiu Jitsu? In my opinion - it's the BURPEE!
The burpee offers a total package workout in a relatively short period of time and it doesn't cost you a cent. I doubt there is any muscle in the body that doesn't get worked out by this exercise. You develop strength, cardio, and explosiveness all at once. The burpee can also be modified to target specific areas you want to work on. For example, change out the jump squat (develops explosiveness and power) for a heel digging butt back squat to develop your posterior chain (great for standing guard passes).
So there you have it, outside of drilling and rolling the burpee is probably one of the best exercises we can do to improve our jiu jitsu conditioning.
Click here for previous post on how "Children with Special Needs may benefit from training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu."
The best way to improve your jiu jitsu conditioning is by performing high intensity drills and by rolling with other grapplers that will push you to your limit. People always talk about sport specific training, well guess what? BJJ drills and sparring are as sport specific as it gets. Don't get me wrong, there are GREAT workouts that will significantly enhance your performance on the grappling mat such as dead lifts and posterior chain exercises; but drills and rolling are still the ticket as far as I am concerned.
Serious Jiu Jitsu players know that conditioning is #1 next to technique if they want to perform well. Lets face it, if you become exhausted on the mat and quit moving because you are "tired" then you've basically tapped out. Sometimes, when visiting another school, I'll roll with a big heavy guy that is out of shape and when he gets tired he just lays on top of me and tries to smother my face with his gi. What is that? That isn't Jiu Jitsu, that's being too lazy to keep moving and work your technique!
Very few people have the luxury of training Jits every day and therefore must resort to other means of staying in shape. Not everyone can afford to go to a gym or hire a personal trainer to focus on jiu jitsu specific exercises. So what is the solution? Out of all the "at home" exercises out there, which one is the best for Jiu Jitsu? In my opinion - it's the BURPEE!
The burpee offers a total package workout in a relatively short period of time and it doesn't cost you a cent. I doubt there is any muscle in the body that doesn't get worked out by this exercise. You develop strength, cardio, and explosiveness all at once. The burpee can also be modified to target specific areas you want to work on. For example, change out the jump squat (develops explosiveness and power) for a heel digging butt back squat to develop your posterior chain (great for standing guard passes).
So there you have it, outside of drilling and rolling the burpee is probably one of the best exercises we can do to improve our jiu jitsu conditioning.
Click here for previous post on how "Children with Special Needs may benefit from training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu."
Friday, March 1, 2013
Children with Special Needs may benefit from training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
As a result of yesterday's post I was reading articles about teaching Jiu Jitus to kids and came across one that talks about how children with special needs may benefit from training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The article is not conclusive but it gives us a good understanding of some of the many benefits they may receive by training in grappling arts. Click Here for the article.
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