20 January 2014 by jiujitsumag.

WHO RULES THE ANIMAL KINGDOM? Pg 60 NUTRITION, CONDITION, TECHNIQUE, SUBMIT

CLOSED GUARD MAGIC WITH JAMES PUOPOLO • BACK IT UP WITH RAFAEL DALLINHA • THE DOCTOR IS IN!: MEDICAL Q&A

JANUARY 2014 / ISSUE 20 JIUJITSUMAG.COM

Twenty Techniques You Need To Know

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CONTENTS JANUARY 2014 / ISSUE 20 MEET THE EXPERTS MATTHEW CORLEY

Matthew Corley is a blue belt and Registered Pharmasist and clinical phramacy manager who trains under Ezra Lenon. The best way to keep up with my articles and reviews is at www.facebook.com/ MappingMyBjjJourney

JEREMY REID

M.S.ED, CSCS, CISSN Jeremy is a nutritionist and strength coach who works with MMA and jiu-jitsu champions. He obtained his master’s degree in exercise physiology from Baylor University. He is a brown belt under Robert Drysdale.

REGULARS

116 MEDIC Doctor Q&A

08 EDITORIAL Resolve

122 SUCCESS Keeps Everything Working

PRO MOTIONS Belts and stripes

TECHNIQUES

24 GRUB Who’s Counting? 28 33

DRILL IT Reverse Berimbolo THE LIFE Leave The Ego Outside

113 MIND GAMES How to Learn

DR. ETHAN KREISWIRTH

118 STRENGTH & CONDITION The Turkish Get Up

10 CHECK-IN World JJ Expo 22

ON THE COVER: Covers from the last three years of JJM. COVER PHOTO: Various

CLOSEED GUARD James Puopolo shows us some closed guard magic GO TO THE BACK Rafael Dallinha Goes to the Back

COVER FEATURE 20 Techniques From 20 Issues!

GEAR LAB 77 TESTED Grips Armandura Rashguard 78

GI REVIEW Tatami Estilo 4.0

FEATURES 35 TIPS 8 Blue Belt Tips 56 SPOTLIGHT Flavio Almeida 60

BJJ ANIMALS Are you an Animal?

00 GRUB Know a calorie from a calorie

PhD, ATC of “Kreiswirth Sports Medicine” is the Medical Director for the International/United States Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. Dr. Kreiswirth is a Black Belt in BJJ and has provided medical coverage for BJJ events since the mid-1990s. Ethan can be reached at ekreiswirth@gmail.com

LUCAS DYER

Is a licensed and certified Sports Nutritionist and works with many SoCal MMA athletes both pro and ameture. He’s also a licensed fighter under C.A.M.O. and Seargent in the United States Marine Corps.

LAB 77 GEAR A Rashguard Like No Other

BELT TIPS 35 BLUE What Would Helio Do?

116 MEDIC Your Q’s A’d

SEYMOUR YANG

Seymour is a brown belt, training out of the Mill Hill Roger Gracie BJJ Academy in London, UK. He is a regular writer and photographer for a number of martial arts magazines and runs the popular BJJ blog www.meerkatsu.com

FIVE GRAPPLING CALIFORNIA INVITATIONAL

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Happy New Year!

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40 CLOSED GUARD MAGIC

WITH JAMES PUOPOLO

20 Twenty Techniques You Need To Know

BACK

IT UP

with Rafael Dallinha Do you have them all? if not order now, www.jiujitsumag.com

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JJMEDITORIAL::::::::::::::

RESOLVE TO BE RESOLUTE!

HE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER, THE EGGNOG’S GONE, THE TURKEY AND STUFFING HAVE ALL BEEN GOBBLED UP, AND THE COOKIES AND CAKES ARE HOPEFULLY LONG FORGOTTEN. It’s time to focus, 2014 is here and if you slack off, it’s going to pass you by. It’s January, that time of year when we all start off on a new page, with new goals, ready to set the world on fire. That enthusiasm is great, but the real trick is making it stick. Setting your objectives for the year and making sure that you have a disciplined plan of attack to conquer each one, so your goals become realities. I’ll be the first to admit I start off every year with a list of resolutions a mile long. Maybe I’m a little too optimistic and, like many things, I often bite off a little more than I can chew. Typically, by March, I’ve forgotten what those resolutions are, but this year is going to be different (I say that every year). No, seriously! I did some research and it turns out that 88% of resolutions fail. Seems legit since I can’t even remember any of my resolutions from this time last year. So, why do so many resolutions fail? Well, just because the calendar turned a page doesn’t make January 1st any more magical than any other day. Resolutions have to be turned into habits. Unfortunately, good habits don’t happen overnight, they take time and occur incrementally. Don’t confuse a resolution with a goal. A goal would be “medal at the Pan Ams,” “lose 10 lbs,” or “get my purple belt.” A resolution is a permanent change in your life that may just happen to help you achieve your goals. The definition of a resolution is, “The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination.” The trick is to really focus your effort on ONE resolution that will help you achieve multiple goals and continue to pay back dividends by improving your life forever. Looking at the goals described above, what would be one resolution we could make, dedicate ourselves to, and focus on to help make these goals a reality? How about dedicating time to make it to one more jiu-jitsu class each week, or an extra hour weekly at open mats? Consistently adding in that extra session each week will be an impactful resolution that will help you work towards achieving all those goals. So, keep it simple, don’t make huge lists of, “I should do this…” Instead, find one single “I will…” and make it a habit. Start small until it becomes as routine as brushing your teeth. Do it now! Then let’s see how many goals you accomplish because of it! Another great resolution that could help you achieve all your jiu-jitsu goals is reading Jiu-Jitsu Magazine! See what I did there? Actually, if there’s one single issue that can really have a positive impact on your jiu-jitsu, it’s this one. This edition marks our 20th issue! It’s been almost three years since we started the magazine and we’re so grateful for you, our readers, for making this possible. For this issue’s cover feature we thought we’d go “80’s Sitcom Flashback” on you by picking out our favorite techniques from the first 20 issues of JJM! In going through all our back issues, it was really amazing to see how many great techniques we’ve had the pleasure of being shown over the years by some of the world’s best jiu-jitsu athletes. Even if you’ve read every edition of JJM, I guarantee you you’re going to find at least four or five techniques you’ll be able to work into your game immediately! Along with this 20from-20 article, are some more great techniques from James Puopolo, a name that you’ll be hearing a lot of in the years to come, as well as from Rafael Dalinha, a black belt’s black belt. All that technique, and all the great stuff you expect from us, issue after issue. So, welcome to the New Year, let’s make this year the best one yet!

Keep Rolling!

MIKE VELEZ

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR & PUBLISHER Mike Velez ASSOCIATE EDITOR Deb Blyth CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS Seymour Yang, Jeremy Reid, Travis Guesnon, Lucas Dyer, Matthew Corley, Dr. Ethan Kreiswirth, Hywel Teague, Edwin Najmi, Dr. Jon Gebler MD

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY ART DIRECTOR Dave Palacios CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jason Boulanger, John Cooper Kenny Jewel, Mike Lee, Mike Calimbas, Kristen Mendes

PRODUCTION & ADVERTISING PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Paula Fountain ADVERTISING SALES Mike Velez CIRCULATION MANAGER Tom Ferruggia

ADDRESS CHANGE & SUBS Phone: 1.877.834.3552 ext. 227 Web: jiujitsumag.com

ADVERTISING & SALES INFO Available upon request, Contact: Jiu-Jitsu Magazine PO Box 2405 Chino Hills, CA 91709 ph: 1.877.834.3552 ext. 221 fax: 909.591.1251

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION The Curtis Circulation Company Jiu-Jitsu Magazine (ISSN 2157-6173) is a publication of Recon Media Inc., PO Box 2405 Chino Hills, CA 91709; Phone: 877.834.3552; Fax: 909.517.1601email: info@ jiujitsumag.com. Subscription rates are $37.99 for 10 issues (1 year), $57.99 per year Canada, and $87.99 per year for foreign airmail. All rights reserved, The entire contents are copyright 2014 Recon Media Inc, and may not be reproduced in any manner in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. The views and the opinions of the writers and advertisers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Recon Media Inc., the Publisher, or the editorial staff. The Publisher assumes no responsibilities for advertising claims, errors, and omissions. Some of the techniques described in this magazine can be dangerous. Always practice safe procedures and use common sense. Recon Media Inc., and the Publisher can not be held responsible from any injuries or damage caused by these techniques. Perform at your own risk. Jiu-Jitsu magazine is published 10 times per year. Application to mail at Periodicals Postage rate is pending at Chino, CA and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Jiu-Jitsu Magazine PO Box 2405, Chino HIlls, CA 91709.

100% Recyclable. Save the Planet. Roll Frequently, Read Jiu-Jitsu Magazine Printed in the U.S.A

MIKEV@JIUJITSUMAG.COM

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“I think we’re both going to make it big!”

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I ROLL WITH

osvaldo “queixinho” agusto black belt and two-time brazilian national champion

See Free Videos of queiXinho and Other World Champions

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WORLD JIU-JITSU

EXPO

ECENTLY, THE JIU-JITSU COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER AT THE SECOND ANNUAL WORLD JIU-JITSU EXPO IN LONG BEACH, CA. Last year’s event took place on Saturday while this year’s expo took up two full days. Along with dozens of exhibitors, there was an open and invitational tournament and some amazing Super Fights going on over the two days. Everyone who was anyone in the jiu-jitsu world was on hand. Take a look!

Free seminars by notables such as the Mendes Brothers, Braulio Estima, Andre Galvao, Roger Gracie, Ryron & Rener Gracie, Renzo Gracie, Caio Terra and others drew huge crowds all weekend long.

Talk about a masterpiece, Fuji had on display their pricey, yet premium Nippon Edition Kimono. It’s made in Japan with some of the nicest cotton we’ve ever felt.

Living legend Rickson Gracie was in attendance, shaking hands and signing autographs in his booth.

New brand Muae was on hand showing off their gi’s that look great on the outside, and are works of art on the inside.

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Sometimes touching cotton is not such a good thing.

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Grips Athletics made their stateside debut in force with a massive booth that was not only impressive on the outside, but also impressive on the inside with TONS of great product on display.

session was treated Anyone looking to get in a quick Climber display. a Vers the at to a total body workout

If you were feeling a little dirty, Defense Soap was giving out trial size bottles of their amazing detergent for your body.

Looking for that t-shirt that will get anyone’s attention? Newaza Apparel was on display with some pretty cool and unique designs.

Storm unveiled their new logo design with the absolute best line-up of jiu-jitsu athletes the world has ever seen!

We all get sweaty; sometimes it’s with a purpose. Sweet Sweat was showing off their product with a camera displaying how body surface temperature rises thanks to their ingenious creation.

Gameness made the trek from Texas to be at the expo and we’re glad they did. All kinds of cool product were on display that attendees might not have known about.

Looks like Caio could make the cover of Flex.

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He does it for the children; 27-Time World Champion Renato Laranja was giving out hugs to children and ladies all weekend long.

Who doesn’t like being in CTRL? CTRL Industries debuted some sweet new shirts along with this “Renzo Knows” design that had everyone talking!

OTM and their family of brands always has something cool to talk about. They had new shirts and gi’s on display in the Built 2 Fight booth.

Looking to make a presence in the jiujitsu market, Gaspari Nutrition was giving out free samples all weekend long.

2013 World Jiu-Jitsu Expo Competitions

HE 2013 WORLD JIU-JITSU EXPO SHOWCASED SOME OF JIU-JITSU AND MMA’S TOP STARS IN SEMINARS, SUPERFIGHTS, AND A COUPLE REALLY EXCITING BROWN AND BLACK BELT GRAND PRIX EVENTS. The big names headlining the superfights did not disappoint. The results were as follows:

SUPERFIGHT RESULTS:

Phillipe Nover vs Efrain Escudero: DRAW João Miyao def Eduardo Telles: Points Keenan Cornelius submitted Lucas Leite: Armbar Rafael Lovato Jr vs Murilo Santana: DRAW Caio Terra submitted Nam Pham: Shoulder Lock. Bruno Malfacine def Jeff Glover: Points Dean Lister submitted Tarsis Humphreys: Heel Hook. Paulo Miyao vs John Fitch: DRAW Leandro Lo vs Jake Shields: DRAW

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Black Belt Grand Prix The Black Belt Grand Prix (plus two brown belts who stepped in to compete: Travis Stevens and Shiloh Roberts) was another exciting event and included names like Jackson Sousa, James Puopolo, Ricardo Rezende, Marcel Goncalves, Eliot Kelly, Nathan Mendelsohn, Omar Sabha, and Alessandro Ferreira. In the semi-finals, Ricardo Rezende defeated Jackson Sousa by an advantage, while James Puopolo defeated Nathan Mendelsohn by points. In the final, an exuberant Ricardo Rezende caught James Puopolo with a toehold to become the 2013 World Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Grand Prix Champion.

Brown Belt Grand Prix The Brown Belt Grand Prix may have been one of the most exciting events of the weekend. Some of the biggest

names in brown showed up to fight, including Marcio Andre, Manuel Diaz, Michael Liera, Travis Stevens, Shiloh Roberts, Max Bohanan, Bruno Cuppari, Thiago Sa, Pedro Monneral, Darragh O’Conall, Inacio Neto, Felipe Silva, Bruno Iglesias, Rafael Henrique, and Arnaldo de Oliveira. Weeks in advance, fans debated about this grand prix, speculating on who was going to win, and how. Although many expected it to be a series of battles from beginning to end, many did not anticipate what actually happened…at the end of the day, only one man remained UNDEFEATED…and that man was Tim Spriggs of Crazy 88 BJJ. Not only was Tim undefeated throughout the day, but the amount that he beat each competitor by, in and of itself was newsworthy. He beat Inacio Neto 12-0; Arnaldo de Oliveira 11-0; Rafael Henrique 11-0; Felipe Silva 10-0; Shiloh That’s quite an accomplishment.

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Roberts 9-0; Bruno Iglesias 2-0; and Travis Stevens by an advantage. In the semi-finals, Tim bested Manuel Diaz 3-0 with 1 advantage. In the final, he faced Thiago Sa and beat him 5 advantages to 1, to become the 2013 World JiuJitsu Expo Brown Belt Grand Prix Champion. Up to this point, Tim’s greatest accomplishments have been winning double gold as a purple belt at the 2013 European Open, and taking double gold at the Sao Paolo International Open and the No Gi Pan at brown. And although his undefeated sweep of the Brown Belt Grand Prix was pretty extraordinary, what’s even more astonishing is that Tim, who’s 23 years old, only just recently received his brown belt in June of this year. Moreover, he wasn’t able to compete in the 2013 Brazilian Nationals or the Worlds because he ruptured his colon during training in April. He took a hard knee to the stomach, doubled over after practice and was rushed to the ER. By the time

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they figured he’d ruptured his colon, he was already bleeding out. A few more hours, and Tim might not have made it. Cut to seven short months later, and he’s at 100%, smashing some of the greatest brown belts around to become the 2013 World Jiu-Jitsu Expo Brown Belt Grand Prix Champion. Here’s what Tim had to say about his big win: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EXPO EXPERIENCE. I was under impression that it was single elimination (laughs). While I was waiting to compete, I saw someone had lost, and then saw them getting called back to fight. I was like, “Oh snap! This is a round robin! This is going to be a long day!” But I train hard and am prepared for anything. I knew I wouldn’t

gas. I executed my game plan. I pushed the pace and dominated. I wanted to break everyone down. I had 9 matches. I got there at 9:00 and started fighting at 10:00. The final was at 7:30 that night. I flew in from back east the day before, so I was on east coast time as well. It was a long day! WOW, THAT’S TOUGH. HOW WERE YOU FEELING BY THE TIME THE FINAL ROLLED AROUND? The final was the hardest. It was the end of the day and I hadn’t eaten. I got 45 minutes rest between the round robin and the semi’s and 1 hour between the semis and the final. I didn’t want to risk eating. Adrenaline carried me. I drank a lot of water and Gatorade. I was fighting every 10 or 15 minutes all day.

WHAT WAS YOUR TOUGHEST MATCH? I knew my first match was gonna be tough. I knew it would set the tone for the day. I went for the throw and got it; I kept attacking. I went after him, after him, after him…at 110%. I went all out. I scored a lot of points. I tried to finish the whole time. I passed his guard. I imposed my will. I did my thing. I didn’t submit him, but that was my ideal match for the day and got some good vibes going. I thought, “It’s on.” DID ANY OTHER MATCHES STAND OUT FOR YOU IN PARTICULAR? Going into my last match on my side of the bracket against Travis Stevens. I was forced to play guard…I’m always trying to get better at jiu-jitsu overall, in every aspect. I’ve been working on my guard, so I played it. I went for the Berimbolo…I’m not a big proponent of it. It’s kind of like hipster jiu-jitsu to me… everyone does it, but I go for it, sweep him, go to guard…I We’ll be seeing more of Tim for sure.

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CHECKIN:::::::::::::::::::::: guess he got 2 points…I don’t know how…he went for a foot sweep, but he never touched my foot…I’m attacking…I’m trying to come up on a single; I go for the double, his butt touches the floor, but I didn’t get my advantage. I keep thinking, “You can do it! Get your points! You’re going to win!” In the last 15 to 20 seconds I’m going for the single, he’s backing up, out of bounds, and he gets a negative advantage. It wasn’t the first time it happened. I thought, “I’ll take it.” He was upset; I was like, “However I can get it.” I’m not a ref, but I’m engaging, and good things happen if I’m focused. That’s what got me in the semi finals against Manny Diaz. I definitely had to be on my “A” game with him. He was really good. I knew he could strike at

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any moment. I was able to pass his guard. He fought me to the very end. I was impressed. AND THEN YOU MADE IT TO THE FINALS. UNDEFEATED. Yes. The other matches were 6 minutes, but the final was 10. It was a long day, but I was super focused and stuck with my game plan. I knew Thiago was good, but I stayed aggressive and always attacked, passing the guard. I’m really happy about my performance. It’s a good indicator that I’m doing the right things; making the right sacrifices. I just got my brown belt and I’m coming off major surgery. HOW OFTEN DO YOU TRAIN? Every day. I get to the gym by 9:30 a.m. and I’m on mat until

1:30. Then I go home and eat, and recharge. In the afternoon I work with kids in our after school program from about 3:15 to 5:15 and then I teach from about 5:15 to 8:30. Then I train again from about 8:30 to 10:30 or 11:00 at night. If I could have a bed in the gym, I would live here. I love every minute of it. It’s tough, but I’m willing to make sacrifices to be the best and that’s what I’m shooting for. WHAT ARE YOUR DRILLING ROUTINES? Whatever my coaches tell me to drill, I do, for as long as it takes me to get it. Any movement, especially throws, I try to get 1,000 reps in a week. I try to balance sparring and drilling. I think drilling is super important in and of itself. That’s where you get the minute details that

you might not get when you’re rolling. When you spar, if you’re going against someone who’s not at your level, you can make it work, but it’s not always best for you technique-wise, especially with Judo. You want to make sure the entire movement is as perfect as possible. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR GAME? I like doing old school jiu-jitsu fundamentals. I’m a jiu-jitsu nerd. Xande and Saulo, Roger Gracie and Jacare’…I try to mimic them as much as possible. I like takedowns, passing the guard, playing the guard…the basic fundamentals…closed guard, half guard, and always trying to better my position. I’m super aggressive. I just like that style. Those guys always have control; they know what’s going on. They could put pressure on

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guys no matter what position, and that’s key to jiu-jitsu: controlling the other person. That part is timeless. Regardless of the rules, and what moves are in, if you stick to what they do, you should win no matter what era. They have THAT jiu-jitsu: it doesn’t matter how big you are, they have everything you need.

my game. The trouble nowadays is people focus on one set of moves. They can berimbolo, but they can’t handle open/ closed guard or they go to 50/50 guard and lock someone in rather than being really good all around. If they change the rules, you’re in trouble! If you

focus on the double guard pull and then they change the rules and say you can’t do that anymore, and you don’t know how to pass the guard, you’re in trouble. So, I think it’s best if you just do everything you can to master the art. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time.

WHAT ARE YOUR LONGTERM GOALS? I want to be a black belt world champion. That’s why I put all this work in. I want to win a black belt world title and an ADCC world title.

From my personal experience, I just trained everything. Whatever was taught, I tried: half guard, spider guard, deep half; every type of style imaginable. To know what’s best for you, you have to try everything. Don’t focus on one thing. My game has changed significantly over the years from troubleshooting. I used to play spider, but then I ended up changing to other types of guards from trying them all. Then I made a huge jump in

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SUPER CUP IS COMING!

The next Super Cup (#3 Colorado) is coming up March 29th in Colorado Springs, CO. The Super Cup is put on by Carlos Santos, multi-time world champion and an integral player in putting together the Abu Dhabi World Pro. So far, the Super Cup has grown by over 100 competitors at each

event. Classes include gi competitions for kids, and also gi and no-gi for ages 15 and up. The plan is to host the event every 6 months. The next competition is scheduled for October. IBJJF rules are followed with the exception that brown and black belts battle for 6 minutes. This makes for some very

Face It! exciting matches. Plans are to possibly host Super Cup matches in different locations around the country. For more information check out: www.supercupbjj.com and follow on Twitter

@SUPERCUP_BJJ

OPEN YOUR EYES

You are looking at some of the finest shades money can buy. The good news is that you don’t need all that much money to get yourself a pair. These are from Hoven, and they’re like us. They roll! Yup, an eyewear company that shares our passion for jiu-jitsu. Why would you ever wear anything else? Yeah, that’s what we said. Check out their website and show them some love. Whether it’s summer or winter, you’ve got to keep you eyes protected, and of course you want to look good. WWW.HOVENVISION.COM

We’re always asking questions on our facebook page (facebook.com/jiujitsumag) and for this issue we asked a pretty simple question and were floored by how many inspiring and meaningful responses we got back. There were so many good ones it was really hard to choose. Thanks to everyone who commented.

What’s your most important jiu-jitsu resolution for 2014? HERE’S A LOOK AT SOME OF YOUR RESPONSES: SAMANTHA CALABRESE Compete in my 1st tournament in February. DAVID WILLIS TO KILL THE HIPS! (Work more on guard pass). CHRIS HALPIN Train. A lot.

HONEY BADGER More commitment to the lifestyle not just attendance. JAMES MOREL JR. Enter every local tournament.

John Smalls Goes Big! Check it out - to kick off 2014 we hooked up with jiu-jitsu artist John Smalls to give us his take on the JiuJitsu Magazine logo and he came up with this slick new shirt design. The shirt uses super soft discharge printing on 100% ringspun cotton. We spared no expense. How much does this shirt cost you ask? Well we want to give it to you for nothing! Actually you’ll have to get a two-year subscription, but you were going to do that anyway. Order your subscription today and get your new shirt for 2014.

BOB BRYANT More outside conditioning, better diet and hopefully less old man injuries. DAMIAN MOONEY Keep having fun with it. Everything else will take care of itself. JAMIE GRIGGS Let go of positions that aren’t working and find one that is. NATHAN WOOD No injuries. Keep training 3-4 days a week.

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Resolutions or goals?

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FIVE GRAPPLING FIVE GRAPPLI CALIFORNIA INVITATIONAL CHECKIN::::::::::::::::::::::

CALIFORNIA INVITATIONAL words: DEB BLYTH

| photos: KENNY JEWEL

N NOVEMBER 23, 2013, FIVE GRAPPLING CAME TO THE HEART OF JIU-JITSU – CALIFORNIA - TO INTRODUCE THEIR NEW PROMOTION TO THE JIU-JITSU COMMUNITY AT LARGE, WITH AN INVITATIONAL-ONLY, FIRSTEVER, LIVE-STREAMED FIVE GI NO GI GRAPPLING CALIFORNIA INVITATIONAL. The event served up blue, purple, brown and black belt gi divisions for men, an advanced men’s no gi division, two women’s no gi divisions, and three “kid” superfights. On hand coaching their students were Andre and Angelica Galvao, Gui and Rafa Mendes, Leo Vieira, Leticia Ribeiro, Dean Lister, Regis Lebre, UFC fighter Fabricio Camoes, Samir Chantre, Bill Cooper, and Marcus Vinicius Di Lucia, to name a few of the big names who showed up for this event. Set in an intimate location, with professional mats, lighting and expert live streaming, the tournament was a big success, with over 5,000 fans viewing the event online from around the world, and the competitors and spectators vocalizing their enjoyment of the experience all throughout the day.

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For more info and future dates go to www.fivegrappling.com.

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LING NAL

All Results

The FIVE Invitational showcased a black belt 5-man Round Robin Expert No Gi Open, which included Keenan Cornelius, Jackson Sousa, Garry Tonon, James Puolpolo and Benny Dariush. The “phenom” Keenan Cornelius of Atos took 1st place after his exciting final with the active and uber-skilled Jackson Sousa of CheckMat, who took 2nd. Garry Tonon of Ocean County BJJ came in 3rd after throwing some pretty thrilling moves on his opponents in the process. In the 8 Man Open, Gi Black Belt Absolute, the list of competitors included Bryant Pangelinan, Luiz Panza, Magid Hage, Alessandro Ferreira, Johnny Faria, Leo D’Avilla, and Daniel Camarillo. Magid Hage of GB faced Johnny Faria of Gracie Humaita in the final and came out on top, taking the 1st Place prize. Johnny claimed 2nd, and Luiz Fernando Panza of Barbosa took 3rd. Competitors in the 8 Woman No Gi Expert (140lbs and under) included Tyra Parker, Ana Carolina, Jessica Penne, Kristina Barlaan, Patricia Fontes, Jennifer Rancino, Lisseth Feinbert, and Tove’ Soderstein. After it was all said and done, the talented Ana Carolina of Gracie Humaita rose to the top spot, with Patricia Fontes of CheckMat taking 2nd and Kristina Barlaan of Caio Terra BJJ snagging 3rd. Competitors in the 4 Woman No Gi Expert (141 lbs and over) included Tammy Griego, Tara White, and Luzia Fernandes. After a total war, Tara White of Jiu-Jitsu League bested Tammy Griego of GB in the final to claim 1st place, with Tammy coming in 2nd and Luzia Fernandes of GB taking 3rd. In the 8 Man Open Gi Brown Belt event, competitors included Dan Lukehart, Michael Phelps, Mike Carbullido, Stephen Martinez, Sam Rice, Brandon Walensky, Jeff

Who knew FIVE came after Seven?

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Willingham and Wallace Santos. At the end of the day, the beast who is Mike Carbullido of Atos placed 1st, with Dan Lukehart of Brea Jiu-Jitsu coming in 2nd and Stephen Martinez of Millenia Jiu-Jitsu coming in 3rd. In the 8 Man Open No Gi Advanced (3-5 years), competitors included Brandon Tucker, Albert Morales, Felix Carrada, Matt Leighton, Lionel Gomez, Jeremy Fields, Vitor Paschoal and Kitt Canaria. Brandon Tucker of Jiu-Jitsu League came out in 1st place, Vitor Paschoal of Caio Terra BJJ came in 2nd and Jeremy Fields of 10th Planet Corona took 3rd. In the 8 Man Open Gi Purple Belt, competitors included Edwin Najmi, Dom Hoskins, Jeremy Jackson, Ahmed White, Albert Aguirre, Nicholas Greene, Kaniela Kahuanui, and Nisar Loynab. The final results saw Edwin Najmi of GB Northridge take 1st, Ahmed White of SBGI Berkley claim 2nd, and Nisar Loynab of Atos take 3rd. In the 8 Man Open Gi Blue Belt, competitors included Garret Weaver, Arby Magtibay, Mason Monsevais, Jason Friesen, Mateo Tenzera, Clarence Chaney, Benji Silva, and Michael Khatchikan. When it was over, Benji Silva of Caio Terra rose to the number 1 spot, with Mateo Tenzera of Aloisio taking 2nd, and Mason Monsevais of AOJ coming in 3rd. Lastly, three Kids Superfights were showcased at FIVE. In the Boy’s Gi superfight, Tye Ruotolo of AOJ faced off against Maxx Lee of GB Northridge. Tye took the win, controlling the match the entire time. Victor Davila of 10th Planet took on Angel Herrera of GB Burbank in the Boys No Gi superfight. Although the two fought it out til the end, it was Angel who claimed victory in the fight. Lastly, in the Girls Gi superfight, Alyssa Mia Wilson of AOJ/ Atos controlled the fight and ultimately defeated Zoe Chiles of Paul Silva JiuJitsu, to claim the victory.

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PRO MOTIONS

END US YOUR PROMOTION PHOTOS! If you’re photographed in an Atama kimono you could win a free pair of Atama fight shorts (one winner per issue). Send us your promotion photos along with your name, school, instructor, and a little back story. Email us with the subject line, “Pro Motions” to feedback@jiujitsumag.com and keep an eye out for your Pro Motions in a future issue. School owners, please hold off on sending “group” promotions, and please keep it to specific individual students.

Bunch of Gringos

Bruce and Butch

These are the newly promoted blue belts by Professor Fernando Zulick from Gringo Jiu Jitsu at Action and Reaction MMA in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I am the second on the bottom from the left. I am 38 years old. I started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu when my old Muay Thai school introduced it in January 2010. I have been with Gringo’s Jiu Jitsu since February 2012. Below are my children after receiving their stripes. From the left: my four-year-old daughter Simeh, my six-year-old son Serop and my nine-year-old son Eduardo.

Two new black belts! Bruce Williams (on the left) and Butch Bowen (on the right) were promoted to black belt by second degree black belt, Mike Mrkulic from Montclair Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Montclair New Jersey.

OSSS RAUL CHAVEZ

Big Heart! I am a 38-year-old cardiologist from Nova Scotia, Canada. Growing up, I trained in karate, and received my 1st dan in Shotokan when I was 23. Three years ago, I started training BJJ under Kent Peters at Zombieproof BJJ in Sydney, Nova Scotia, a club affiliated with Fitplus MMA in Dartmouth NS (under Scott MacLean) that is a Robson Moura, Nova Uniao school. Jiu jitsu

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became my love and passion, as I would leave a busy day at the hospital to get tapped out repeatedly by any one of my training partners. I made progress slowly, but surely, training 2 or 3 times a week when my work schedule permitted. Jiu-jitsu became a passion and a lifestyle, as I found myself watching instructional videos regularly, wearing the gear, making acai smoothies, and jiu-jitsu made me a much better person

and even a better physician. I am thankful for all that jiu-jitsu has given me. On October 12, I tested for my blue belt in front of Robson Moura, a truly remarkable individual. Receiving my blue belt was one of my proudest moments, and I smiled as all my training partners and new close friends gave me my well-deserved back whipping! And now, I only want to learn more and more. PS - I read your magazine religiously!

“Is there a doctor in the house?”

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Jesse James Ayers My name is Jesse James Ayers (http://www. JesseJamesAyers.me) and I was recently promoted to 3rd stripe white belt out of Alliance JiuJitsu in Henderson, KY by my instructor, Scott Audas. I’ve been doing martial arts for 26 years and am an Internet marketing ninja. One day I hope to take a month off and just travel the USA visiting different jiu-jitsu schools!

Earl DelValle This is Earl and he trains at Wolf Pack Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Sarasota, Florida with Professor Charles Dos Anjos. Professor Dos Anjos is a 3rd Degree Black Belt. Earl has been training for 14 years and on October 23rd, he was promoted to brown belt. Earl retired from the Police Department five years ago from a severe neck injury that he received in the line of duty. Only a few people, including his Professor Charles, know what struggles he has had to overcome. He said the promotion was a huge honor.

Brett Collins You might recognize this guy from the pages of Jiu-Jitsu Mag, it’s Brett Collins. He was last seen being submitted to pieces last month by Cyborg. Well, at the recent IBJJF No-Gi Worlds he won gold in his brown belt division to become a world champion! The win was especially rewarding, thanks to being promoted on the podium to black belt by Juliano Prado and Adriano Nassal of Brazilian Top Team from Total MMA in Tustin where Brett trains. Congratulations to our friend.

It’s “WHheaton” Brian My name is Jon Wheaton and I’m pictured with my friend Jason Skanks and instructor Master Robson Moura. We train together with Robson Moura at RMNU headquarters in Tampa and were promoted to blue together October 27th. We did not know each other prior to jiu-jitsu, but started within a week or so of each other and have grown to be great friends through the process. During our time at white/green belt, Jason Skanks won silver at the Florida State Championship 2013 and I (Jon Wheaton) won gold at the Florida State Championship in 2012, as well as 2013, and I won silver at the 2013 Miami International Open this month. We have been training for 2 years.

It’s a Family Guy reference incase you didn’t get it.

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UNDERSTANDING YOUR METABOLISM words: LUCAS DYER

CERTIFIED AND LICENSED SPORTS NUTRITIONIST For more info on Lucas visit www.facebook.com/FITTnutrition or email at lucasdyer@fittnutrition.com

E KNOW MUCH MORE NOW ABOUT HOW NUTRITION AFFECTS PERFORMANCE, AND AS A SPORTS NUTRITIONIST WE RESERVE HIGH PROTEIN DIETS FOR SPECIAL TIMES AND ONLY FOR CERTAIN GROUPS OF ATHLETES. We increase carbohydrates and fats for others, while some may require a slight decrease or increase. If you train hard and compete regularly, then you know your physical activity will create a special nutritional need. Your athletic conditioning, therefore, determines what food and supplements will work best for your specific physical conditioning

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program. There is no single food item that will increase athletic performance and make you a super hero. The misconception of the “magic food” solution is the reason why there are so many nutrition myths and such tremendous controversy within the field of sports nutrition, let alone nutrition in general. Nutrition for athletes is an involved science, and many factors must be considered to achieve maximum results. Many articles on the internet discuss the macronutrients and micronutrients of nutrition: what to eat, when to eat and how much of what to eat. Many of my past articles discuss the benefits of eating a certain way, or eating to improve your performance by following a regime of nutritional

practices. In order to achieve what I am calling “Super Jiu-Jitsu performance,” you must mold and sculpt your body to best meet your specific goals. You need to know more information about your body than the bathroom scale or what the height-weight chart gives you. You need to know what your body is made of and how it responds to nutrition and training. The amount of body fat and lean body weight that your body is composed of is vital information. Additionally, you need to know about your metabolism. How it is working? How many calories do you need? Say what, calories? Oh no we don’t use that word around here. Wait, aren’t calories like the total of like the foods that I like, eat?! A calorie is a calorie or is it?

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Breaking Calories Down to a Science NO! Calories are not the total amount of food you take in. They do have a little to do with eating, though, and eating right is ALWAYS going to have something to do with figuring out how many calories you need. So, what exactly is a calorie? Calories are the units of measure used to measure the amount of energy in foods. To help you better understand, the energy yielding nutrients are fats,

carbohydrates, protein and yes, even alcohol. Now, brace yourself. The Calorie (with a big C), or kilocalorie, is the terminology used to represent how much heat yielding potential there is contained in a food’s contents. Technically, one kilocalorie is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water 1 degree Celsius. The calorie (with the small c) would then be 1000th of a kilocalorie. If you haven’t tapped out yet and are still with me, I will squeeze harder. Most books use

the three terms to mean the same thing, calorie = Calorie = kilocalorie. For example, using the word calorie would represent a total daily intake requirement in the thousands, such as 2,500 calories a day. If using a kilocalorie, this same total daily intake would have been 1000 times larger or, 2,500,000 Calories. So you can easily see why the calorie is used instead. “My day is ruined and I am so mad because I didn’t consume enough calories for breakfast,” said no one ever…but you should!

YOU KNOW THE OLD SAYING, “GOTTA BURN THOSE CALORIES…” The rate of the body’s energy expenditure is referred to as the metabolic rate; which is the total daily caloric expenditure. As a starting point, traditional methods of science for measuring metabolic rate use the measurement of oxygen consumption, which will indirectly reflect metabolism because the amount of oxygen used and carbon dioxide exhaled is a direct result of how much energy you are expending. When you are exercising, you are burning calories. When you are walking to and from the gym, you are burning calories. When you are sitting in your favorite chair watching whichever reality County Housewives show, you are burning calories. When you are They both look cozy.

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sleeping, your body is still burning calories. Everybody expends a different amount of energy each day, which depends on many factors like physical activity and the composition of your diet. However, your basal metabolism, or basal metabolic rate (BMR) remains somewhat constant from day to day. Your BMR is the rate at which the body expands energy from maintenance activities, such as keeping the body alive and organ function. Your BMR is lowest when sleeping, therefore, the BMR is used to determine the number of calories you’d burn over 24 hours while lying down or in a rest state, but not sleeping. To determine your BMR, here is the exact equation I use:

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Step by Step to Determine Your BMR MALE: 1 X body weight in kilograms X 24 hours FEMALE: 0.9 X body weight in kilograms X 24 hours These formulas are reasonably accurate for males whose body fat ranges from 10% to 28% and females whose body fat ranges from 14% to 38%. One kilogram (kg) equals 2.2046 pounds. Next, determine your lean factor (estimated body fat range) 1

Lean

Men 10% to <14% Women 14% to <18%

100% (1.0)

Normal

Men 14% to <20% Women 18% to <28%

95% (.95)

Obese

Men 20% to <28% Women 28% to <38%

90% (.90)

Chronic Obese

Men over 28% Women over 38%

85% (.85)

Once you have your lean factor, replace your numbers with this example and follow the exact same steps. For this illustration let’s use a women who weighs 130 pounds, with 28% body fat, or a lean factor of 3. Remember, males use 1, females use 0.9. BODY WEIGHT: 130 pounds (58.5 kilograms) LEAN FACTOR: 3 (obese so use .90 as a multiplier) DAILY BMR: 0.9 (female) X 24 (hours in a day) X 58.5 = 1263.6 calories (round to 1264) HOURLY BMR: 1264 calories / 24 (hours in a day) = 52.37 calories per hour Adjusted per hour: 52.37 calories per hour X 0.9 = 47.4 or 47 calories per hour I am almost positive that you and I are similar and we just use the cardio machine at the gym to tell us how many calories we burned. As always my friends, eat healthy, eat clean and eat often. FACT It is important to know that if you want to burn off and lose 1 pound of fat, you must burn 3,500 calories. If you can do that in two days, that’s amazing. Maybe it might take you a week at 500 calories a day. It is something to think about.

TIPS FOR RAISING YOUR BMR

Eat smaller meals more frequently. Be careful not to end up eating more than you normally would, but shortening the time between meals will help to keep your body from going into “starvation mode” which would decrease your metabolism. Some suggest four to six small meals a day, without increasing total caloric intake, will help speed up your metabolism. Raise your heart rate. Whatever you’re doing during the day, do it with some gusto. Get your heart rate up whenever you can to help boost your metabolism. Sustaining your heart rate for longer periods only amplifies the effect. Keep hydrated. If you’re at all dehydrated your metabolism could slow down. So always keep hydrated especially on those heavier training days. Hit the iron. There’s no replacement for mat time, but invest some time in the gym if you’re not already with the goal of building some muscle. Just a few more pounds of lean muscle will help boost your resting metabolic rate. Every pound of muscles uses about 6 calories a day just to sustain itself. Each pound of fat only burns 2. Don’t starve yourself. Avoid any thing that sounds like a crash diet where you’re going to starve yourself. You will lose muscle and slow down your metabolism. Recalculate Your BMR when needed. If you loose or gain a significant amount of weight be sure to recalculate your BMR. A 10% change in weight in either direction can have a large impact on your BMR.

ONE TO GROW ON

Having a better understanding of your BMR, calories, and your metabolism will you figure out your specific needs in order to achieve your goals whether it be gaining muscle, or shedding fat. As in most cases, common sense is a great tool when it comes to making the right food choices whether it’s to meet a specific goal or just maintain proper nutrition. Just like GI Joe used to say, “knowing is half the battle!” Go Joe!

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Can you believe it’s January already? No, me neither.

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REVERSE BERIMBOLO DRILLS

with Andre Galvao

words

& photos: MIKE VELEZ

T’S BEEN A FEW ISSUES SINCE WE’VE HAD AN INSTALLMENT OF DRILL IT, AND JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY THE PURPOSE OF THIS COLUMN ISN’T TO SHOW YOU A TECHNIQUE IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE. The purpose is to share with you an exercise

you can start doing immediately that will help build your muscle memory, conditioning, and form when it comes time to execute all types of techniques that might be associated with the drills shown. None other than multiple-time World Champion Andre Galvao is going to share with us some basic

drills you can use today to sharpen up your game. Incase you didn’t know, Andre, along with Kevin Howell, has a great book called Drill To Win that’s a complete collection of all sorts of drills Andre uses to stay on top of the jiu-jitsu landscape.

There’s specific logic behind these three drills, and they all revolve around the third, which you’ll see once you get there. When attempting to do the reverse berimbolo (Kiss of the Dragon) when you get to the point that your opponent’s back is to you it’s likely that he can drop to his side to avoid. That would lead you perfectly to the starting position of these first two drills.

UPSIDE DOWN TO LEG DRAG

This one has an odd start, but just go with it. Have your partner lie on their back with legs up in a guard position. Lie down in front of them in a similar position. The top of your head near their buttocks. Grab on to his pants at the sides.

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Bring your legs up with both of your legs, or hooks, inside his legs.

In some circles the “kiss of the dragon” has a whole different meaning.

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Cross your left leg over to the outside of his right leg.

Sneak your right leg out, bringing your right knee to the mat and pressuring down on his right leg with your left.

Bring both your legs inside his as in step 2 and repeat to the other side.

Repeat going back and fourth to each side for 2 minutes. As you get the hang of it gradually pick up the speed. After two minutes switch positions with your partner and perform for three rounds each.

08 09

Posture up so that you’re in a leg drag position and keep a hold of his pants.

Place your right leg on the outside of his left leg.

Sneak your left leg out from the inside of his leg. (no photo)

Drop your head down to the original position while establishing the “X” control of his right leg again.

10 11

Pressure down with your right leg over the inside of his left thigh and sit up to a leg drag position.

Bring your left leg over to the outside of his right leg.

Then go back and repeat.

LEG HOOK TO BACK

Starting in the same position as before, put your hooks inside your partner’s legs.

Bring your right leg out from inside his leg around to the outside of his right leg. Use your left leg to push his leg back so that you have enough space to hook your right foot around his calf. Now you get it.

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Once you have his leg hooked with your foot, roll to sit up and kick out your right leg.

KEY POINTS

Andre will warm up this drill with a mini drill so to speak, doing the first two steps about 6 or 7 times each side before hooking the leg. The detail of this drill is being able to hook that leg, this is very important, get it right.

As you kick out your leg his back will come to you, pull him into you with a seatbelt and bring your left leg over around his hip to take the back. Reset to the original position and repeat to the other side.

Alternate going to each side for 2 minutes then switch with your partner. Perform for three rounds. You can also perform 10 times to each side then switch with your partner for three rounds.

REVERSE BERIMBOLO

Spin to your right side so that your head is tucked underneath your partner.

Start on your back with your partner in your guard, your legs open, right leg with a reverse De La Riva hook on his right leg, and your left leg up as a shield.

Roll to your right side and shoot your right hand down underneath your right thigh to control his left ankle. This is often referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Kiss of the Dragonâ&#x20AC;? (Reverse Berimbolo).

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Controlling his right leg, continue the spin, bringing his right leg across your body to your right side.

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Bring your left over to grab his left lapel.

As soon as you reach this point, have your partner step his right leg onto the mat, switch the knee and come back into your guard with the left leg posted between your legs.

Perform this drill for two minutes, alternating to each side. After two minutes switch with your partner. Perform for three rounds each.

Get your reverse De La Riva hook in with your left leg and repeat the drill to the other side.

Now go drill it!

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LEAVE YOUR EGO

AT THE DOOR

N JIU-JITSU, YOU HEAR THE PHRASE A LOT, “LEAVE YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR.” I’ve heard many instructors say it and even seen it in posters at some academies around the country, but what does it mean? What will you gain from doing it? And are you really capable of leaving your ego at the door? The idea is that, for one to progress in jiu-jitsu, you have to be able to accept failure and the fact that your ego is going to be bruised from time to time. From the very first time you walk into an academy, and up until your last day training, your ego will take some abuse. In the beginning, one cannot understand or accept that a smaller, weaker person can “rough you up” so much, and as you go along, you will still find yourself in many situations where your ego gets battered. Leaving your ego at the door means that when you enter an academy and decide to learn jiu-jitsu, you accept the instruction, the knowledge that is being dished out and the fact that you are not in control of every situation, but rather a participant in a great experience that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is. Your ego can be the block to a great experience that is ahead of you, so listen up! What do you get when you leave your ego at the door? Your ability to flow with the situation and to accept your limitations rather than fight to remain “in control” and feel empowered, which will greatly dictate not only your progress in jiu-jitsu, but also your comfort level and how frequently you get injured. Accepting that you are always in a learning situation will help you keep an open mind to what is being taught. When you are always “fighting to win” you keep yourself from experimenting with new techniques and you limit what goes on during training sessions. Additionally, when you are constantly fighting at every instance, you greatly increase your chances of getting injured or injuring your training partner. Getting injured obviously will keep you away from the mats and will slow your progress. Injuring your training partner will give you a reputation of being “rough” and many will either avoid training with you or go all out all the time leading to . . . more injuries. Now the question is, “Are you capable of leaving your ego at the door?” This can be one of the most difficult tasks for any student at any time, as we naturally tend to want to measure things in terms of

Nobody likes ego on the mats.

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success and winning. For instance, I clearly remember after getting my purple belt, going to Rickson Gracie’s academy and him telling me, “Now that you are a purple belt, what you have to do is to put yourself in all the bad positions!” And I was thinking, “What??!!! Now that I am getting better and can actually submit some people, the Master is telling me to get myself into bad positions on purpose? I’ve spent my jiu-jitsu lifetime in bad positions and now I have to do it on purpose?!?!?!” However, there were many benefits from doing that. This turned out to be one of the best pieces of advice I’ve received over the years. By “leaving my ego at the door” and putting myself into bad situations, I began to feel more comfortable in those situations. I was able to think clearly and calmly under duress, and also better defend and survive and master the escapes. Once I did that, jiu-jitsu, to me, became easy. I realized that if I could thrive under the most difficult and stressful situation, I could relax and concentrate on seeing the openings to reverse and attack. But taking that advice did not come easy, since frequently putting myself in bad situations lead to “tapping” more often than I liked to. In hindsight, however, and watching others train today, I see that “fighting to always win and at all costs “ is actually a big hindrance to progress in jiu-jitsu. So, next time you go to your academy, make sure you “leave your ego at the door” and be open to learning and becoming a better jiu-jitsu practitioner. You will not only feel better, but you will get better more quickly, too.

KID PELIGRO

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TIPS FOR BLUE BELT SUCCESS

words: JEREMY AREL

RAZILIAN JIU-JITSU IS THE LONGEST LASTING, MOST ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP I’VE EVER BEEN IN. It’s insanely rewarding, highly demanding and requires a great deal of discipline. Even with the proper amount of dedication and commitment, it is difficult to succeed. This is mainly due to the fact that BJJ, in my opinion, is NOT intuitive; there are times when the right answer is the complete opposite of our natural instincts, and rewiring your brain to choose the correct movement can be

difficult, time consuming, and sometimes physically damaging. There are things I know now as a black belt that, in retrospect, would have helped me a lot as a blue belt. If there was any way that I could send a message back to my blue belt self, I would save myself a lot of heartache and improve the efficiency of my training. Sadly, I do not foresee a time machine being invented in the near future. Instead, I will pass on a few tips to help current blue belts in their Brazilian jiu-jitsu journey.

1 Don’t Neglect Your Foundation Flying armbars, helicopter chokes and rolling back attacks are great! I really enjoy practicing these techniques and more importantly, I REALLY enjoy hitting one of these while rolling. Although I feel like a rock star after doing one of these moves, it’s important to order and value your drill time around building sound basics. Practice sweeps, reversals, escapes and transitions. You can’t build a house from the roof down.

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Don’t forsake something because it’s not flashy or it doesn’t fit into your game. The basics are the basics, regardless of your body size, skill or strategy. Even if you do not use the scissor sweep, there is value in knowing it. By failing at a move, you understand the move better. When you have a deep understanding of a technique, it becomes much easier for you to defend against it.

Every black belt world champion understands the basics. They may not appear to in every match while rolling, but the basics provide them with a foundation of understanding and perception that allows them to have success with their more advanced moves.

Respect

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AVOID TUNNEL VISION

Congratulations, you’re a blue belt now! This means that sometimes you’re going to get to dominant positions, heck you might even get a great position. Don’t let the excitement of that position override your common sense and training.

If you are lucky enough to get to the armbar position from mount, and your opponent starts to defend it, it is important to constantly reassess the position/ submission. Too many times I have seen a blue belt work hard to get into this position only to pull on the arm repeatedly to no avail. Suddenly, they

DON’T TAP AND TELL

find that their great submission has transformed into a terrible position. This transformation was not instantaneous. More often than not there were plenty of opportunities to transition into another dominant position, but rather than stay on top, or switch submissions they continue to tug, pull, wrench and pry on the arm in hopes that they can break the arm free. Continually reassess the situation, and if at any time you feel like your chances of finishing the submission have tipped in your opponent’s favor, look for an alternate technique.

It’s a bad idea to recount whom you’ve submitted during training. Keep in mind that “training” is just that. There will be times when your partners are working on new techniques or they may be tired and you catch them. Maybe their fingers got caught inside the kimono or perhaps you “legitimately” caught them while rolling. Regardless of the factors, it’s rude and pointless to tap and tell. This is training, and unless you’re asking a question that specifically addresses the submission, you shouldn’t bring it up again. Worry more about what you’re going to do next, rather than focusing on what you’ve already done.

4 Don’t Pre-Tap

While training jiu-jitsu you’re bound to find yourself in a bad position. There may come a point where all of your defenses have failed and you’re stuck, waiting for the pressure to build until it’s time to tap out. This happens. Stay calm, slow your breathing and keep an eye open for your opponent to make a

mistake and give you an opportunity to escape. Do NOT “pre-tap.” “Pretapping” is when you raise your hand 3 to 4 inches and wait for them to finish the submission. Your opponent may be tired, frustrated, or their grips may be burnt out. For all you know they may be about to let go. I promise

you, if they were about to let go and they see your hand rise, they will find that last little bit of energy to finish the submission. I am not suggesting that you hold out longer, or try to be stubborn. What I am saying is when it comes to tapping, there is no gray area. You either tap, or you don’t.

Don’t be a gossip monkey.

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Oh, but let me tell you about who I choked out the other day.

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5 Focus Your Frustration

Oftentimes we feel frustration when we have a lack of technical knowledge. It’s important to recognize the holes

in your game and technique. Use these emotions as an indicator to better focus your training. If you’re finding yourself increasingly frustrated when you play guard, you should practice guard retention, sweeps and submissions. Focusing drill time on things that frustrate you will promote positive technical responses while rolling.

REVIEW YOUR TRAINING

For reasons unbeknownst to me, the idea of review is foreign to a lot of BJJ practitioners. Revisiting information immediately after training will allow your brain another opportunity to add it to your long term memory. We also know that there are plenty of different methods of review, and the more methods you use, the higher the probability you will retain the information.

The easiest way to review would be to grab a partner and get an extra 10 to 15 reps in after class. This doesn’t seem like a lot of reps, and it’s not, but it’s great for making your mind revisit material to see how much you can remember. In the event that you have forgotten one or two of the steps in the move, it should be easy for you to ask

another student (or the instructor) what you’re forgetting. It is also a great idea to write down what you learned each day. Write a description of the technique, and don’t be afraid to go in depth in your description. Replicating a complex movement from a written description can be difficult, but your visualization of the move while you write it down will be valuable, and any notes that you take on the move can be used to jog your memory when you’re having problems with the technique.

7 LISTEN

Listening is probably the most important, yet underrated, advice that I can give. As a blue belt, I was stubborn. There were moments when my instructor would give me advice or coach me from the sidelines and I would acknowledge what he was saying and then do something else. I guess the best way to describe my actions would be to say that I was ignoring him. This led to a very long and painful blue belt experience. Eventually, I relented and started following his advice. At first, I listened out of frustration from being

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Do It For The Children

“To teach is to learn twice.” Helping in the kids class is a great way to be held accountable for technical information. Most often their focus is on the basics, and almost universally the instructors in the kids classes have the best understanding of movement and spatial reasoning. You’ll find yourself repeating the same things over and over to the children, and it will become a mantra. You’ll say things like, “get on your side” or “underhook” so many times that you’ll start thinking it while you train. If you have the opportunity to grapple with the kids, you’ll force yourself to use the proper technique because you will want them to emulate you. Then, before you know it, you will be using those solid basics while training with the adults. Helping in the kids class is also a great way to get on good terms with the instructor. Every professor I know always needs extra help in this area and helping the next generation of grapplers is a way to ensure great training partners in the future.

constantly berated, then later out of respect for his grappling and coaching abilities. Needless to say, when I started to listen, I started to do better.

PHOTO: BOB BARTON

Do you get angry when you are swept, have your guard passed or you get submitted? Frustration, annoyance and irritation are very common while training. Although these emotions are normal, they are not helpful.

To avoid this long and painful process I would suggest listening to your coach, even if you don’t agree with his technical advice. Try not to get frustrated in the first place. But if you do then focus.

12/13/13 8:37 AM

ERICK RAPOSO

LEONARDO MACIEL

DENILSON PIMENTA

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12/13/13 6:25 PM

JJMTECHNIQUE::::::::::::

CLOSED GUARD MAGIC With James Puopolo words: MIKE VELEZ

| photos: JOHN COOPER

OCUS IS PRETTY IMPORTANT. Recently, studies have proven that you’re much less productive when you attempt to multitask. Your mind wants to focus on one thing at a time. Now, imagine attempting to be a world-class jiu-jitsu black belt, teaching 7th grade math, and trying to run an academy. That’s what James Puopolo was attempting to do for quite a while. Even with his energy dispersed in many different directions, he’s managed to pull off some pretty impressive wins along the way, including a World Championship title at purple and a Pan Am Championship title at purple and brown. Recently,

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James made the move to give up his teaching career, at least for now, in order to focus his energy and devote all of his attention on jiu-jitsu. Right off the bat the results have been pretty good. He just recently won gold at the IBJJF No Gi Worlds in the black belt super heavy division. Being able to dedicate 100% of his time to jiu-jitsu has also allowed him to sleep much longer, which he says has had a huge impact on his performance. James is a black belt under Rafael Lovato, Jr. He got his start in jiujitsu at the age of 19, thanks to a college course offered at the University of Oregon back in

2005. What started as college credits, turned into a passion and career. Prior to training with Rafael, James trained under Ben Baxter in Oregon and then made the switch to Rafael after receiving his brown belt, so he could focus more clearly on competitive jiujitsu. Through the years, James’s game has changed considerably. He used to be a bottom player, which is odd for a big guy, but since he started training with Rafael and Xande and Saulo Ribeiro, his top game has really opened up. However, his closed guard is his bread and butter and it’s the focus of this series of techniques James has offered to show us. Check out more info on James at www.skbjj.com

12/13/13 11:18 AM

FLOWER SWEEP

This is a low-risk, high-reward sweep that is usable at all levels. However, should the odds not pan out in your favor, it leads to many of the other techniques James is going to show us in this article.

Starting in closed guard, stay loose, not too tense. Let your opponent relax. James picks a side and gets a hold of a sleeve at the cuff. James grabs the cuff, fingers on the outside so it’s legal, and turns his wrist out a bit so he can keep his elbow close to his body. This keeps Xande from being able to post out too easily with that hand.

James tilts his hips a little bit and reaches to Xande’s left leg, grabbing the pants as low as he can.

Next, James releases his close guard and drops his left foot down to the mat close to Xande’s right ankle.

Now, James stretches out his right leg and brings it up into Xande’s left triceps near the armpit. He does this to lighten Xande’s left side up. Pressuring his leg into the ribs or below the armpit won’t accomplish this.

Once the leg is up and the movement starts, Xande’s left leg will be lighter and James can pull up on the leg to force Xande over and then use both of their momentum to bring both of them over with James on top and in the mount.

KEY POINTS

In step 3, when you drop your foot against your opponent’s ankle, make sure you keep it tight and close to it. You want to drop the foot just before you kick out your opposite leg. If you have a gap there between your foot and his ankle, he can lift up his knee and pass before you complete the sweep. Everything’s better with Xande.

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TRIANGLE CHOKE WITH FLOWER SWEEP BAIT

The flower sweep is pretty basic. Many people will see it coming. This is a finish that you can do when your opponent bases out against the sweep.

James has his same grips as before, one on the arm at the cuff, elbow in. The other grip at the leg, close to the ankle, hips shifted.

Xande knows the flower sweep is coming, so he goes to break James’s grip. James lets it go and gets a cross grip on Xande’s left hand.

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Knowing that Xande is going to post out with his freed up hand, James goes for the flower sweep anyway. He posts his left foot, brings his right leg up and over and goes for the sweep.

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As Xande posts his right arm, James pulls his left leg up and under Xande’s right arm, then quickly brings his left leg up to the right side of Xande’s neck and quickly locks his legs together behind Xande’s back. James’s ability to focus on jiu-jitsu was helped made possible thanks to his sponsorship by Origin BJJ.

12/30/13 10:20 AM

James pulls his legs back toward himself, bringing Xande with him and grabs his own left leg at the shin.

James locks his right leg over his left leg at the ankle and pulls down on the back of Xande’s head to finish the triangle.

With a hold of his shin, keeping Xande trapped, James posts his right foot on Xande’s left hip to hip out to his right, bringing his leg straighter across the back of Xande’s neck.

KEY POINTS

As James brings his legs together, he pulls Xande’s left arm across his body so it’s in the correct position to finish the choke. If he fails to do this at this point in time, he’ll need to raise his hips to drag Xande’s arm across to finish the choke. James’s left leg and Xande’s trapped arm should form an “S” to properly finish the triangle.

MASTERING THE GUARD PASS AND ITS SUBMISSIONS by Master Pedro Sauer and Kid Peligro

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12/12/13 1:42 PM

JJMTECHNIQUE:::::::::::

ARM DRAG SWEEP TO MOUNT

On this finish, James adapts his technique should Xande focus on James’s hand that’s on the pants rather than the sleeve hand like in the previous triangle finish.

Same setup as before. James is setting up his flower sweep and instead of Xande focusing on James’s left hand; he’s focusing on the grip that’s on his pants. Xande breaks this grip.

Quickly, James pulls Xande’s right arm to his own right side with his grip, while at the same time, pulling Xande down into him. James reaches around Xande’s back with his left arm to get a hold of Xande’s left lat below the armpit.

James immediately brings his right arm to Xande’s right grip, grabbing Xande’s right sleeve and pulling Xande’s grip up towards his head to break whatever grip Xande may have had.

James separates his legs and kicks out his left leg straight in order to bring his right hip back so Xande is more in front of him.

Xande’s common response would be to pressure in towards James so he doesn’t give up the back. When he does this, or before, James grabs a hold of Xande’s left leg near the knee as Xande pressures towards him. James looks to his left, pulls back on the grip of his lat, and pulls up on Xande’s left pant leg.

The momentum brings James over to his left side. He rolls with it until he ends up on top of Xande in the mount with his arm still wrapped around Xande, controlling his trapped left arm. From here, he’s able to work on whatever type of finish from mount he chooses.

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So we’ll have Peter Roberts to thank for the years of great jiu-jitsu we’re going to see from James.

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ARM DRAG BACK TAKE

This is an alternate route from the previous sweep should your opponent decide to try and sit up, versus pressuring into you. In this instance, after the arm is across, Xande tries to sit up. This gives James room to work a back take.

Starting from the same setup, Xande breaks the grip of the leg; James drags the arm, kicks out his leg and has a grip of Xande’s lat. At this point, Xande sits up. James keeps firm control of Xande’s lat and goes with him to post on his right elbow.

From the elbow, James then posts to his right hand, puts his left foot on the mat and drives his hips into Xande.

Xande’s reaction is to base out with his left hand on the mat. When Xande does this, James rotates around him, moving himself to Xande’s back instead of pulling Xande into him. The entire time, James keeps his right leg across Xande’s stomach.

At this point, Xande’s in a turtle, and lots of guys will stay here and defend until they figure out their counter. There are lots of ways to break this down, but here’s how James does it.

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Arm drags always lead to something good.

12/30/13 10:21 AM

James digs his left arm in deep underneath Xande’s left arm and brings his right hand over the back of Xande’s head to bring his hands together with a Gable grip.

Once James is on his side, he brings his left leg over to get the hooks in and score the 6 points for the sweep and the back take.

James grips Xande’s right lapel, falls back and extends his arms to finish with the collar choke.

As long as you’re the one doing the dragging.

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With firm control of Xande’s arm, James pressures his right arm down against the back of Xande’s neck and rolls to his right side to a quarter-nelson (wrestling hold) until James reaches the mat and is on his side.

Finally, James lets go of his grip, brings his right arm around Xande’s neck and uses his left hand to feed the collar to his right as he gets up on his elbow.

KEY POINTS

In step 3, James keeps his leg across, he doesn’t move it to a simple hook. If he did, Xande could turn into him and then James might find himself in a half-guard situation. This would give James 2 points for a sweep, but he’s thinking about all the points and wants the back.

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JJMTECHNIQUE:::::::::::

MUSCLE SWEEP FROM CLOSED GUARD This is a very common sweep performed at all levels in jiu-jitsu. Like anything, the details make all the difference, here’s how World Champion James Puopolo does it.

James has Xande in his closed guard. Instead of staying on his knees, James senses that Xande’s going to stand, a very common way to open a guard. Whenever James senses an opponent is going to stand, he’ll go with the cross sleeve grip.

In this case, James grabs Xande’s left sleeve with his left hand. Xande stands.

James keeps his legs closed with his ankles pinched in. From there, James shoulder walks to his right so he can hook his right arm behind Xande’s left leg. James wants the crook of his right elbow at Xande’s Achilles tendon.

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At this point, a common thing that people do is pressure up with their hips. James doesn’t like this, he likes to let his hips sag. That’s what that’s called.

12/30/13 10:22 AM

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JJMTECHNIQUE:::::::::::

In a simultaneous movement, James curls his right arm towards him and “twists” his hips so his right thigh and hip are pressuring on Xande’s left knee. Since James’ right arm is blocking the foot, Xande falls back and to his right.

James keeps his legs locked and carefully continues to pull up on his cross sleeve grip that he has so Xande can’t put his elbow on the mat. As he does this, James posts to his elbow then to his hand and works his way towards mount.

KEY POINTS

This is a very basic sweep that’s extremely effective when done correctly. Remember to twist the hips, don’t hip out and up to push your opponent over. By twisting your hips and putting the pressure on your opponent’s knee you’re “chopping” him down rather than trying to “push” him over. One way to get a good idea of whether or not your opponent is planning to stand up is if he grabs your sleeve. Typically, when you stand in someone’s guard, you should control the sleeve on the side that you intend to stand on first. So, if Xande were to grab James’ left sleeve, that’s a good indicator that he’s planning on standing on his right foot first. In this case, James would pull his arm across to get the cross sleeve grip. Xande would probably let him have it because his first concern is protecting the leg that he’s going to stand on.

As James is turning the angle, as soon as he feels Xande’s back go flat, he lets go of his leg lock, lets go of the sleeve, and moves into mount.

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Call it whatever you like, it works.

12/12/13 1:44 PM

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12/13/13 6:35 PM

JJMTECHNIQUE:::::::::::

OMOPLATA FROM MUSCLE SWEEP

Working off the muscle sweep attempt, Xande is standing, and James has his right arm hooked and he’s trying to twist his hips to bring Xande down. Xande counters by rotating his right knee into James.

James recognizes that he needs to change plans so he brings his right hand up to cup the outside of Xande’s left knee.

James shoots his right leg out straight then brings it across to his left, over the back of Xande’s left arm.

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James releases his leg lock and lets his hips fall to the mat so his right foot ends up near the left side of Xande’s ribs.

Now, James swings his left leg around to put his left foot under Xande’s left armpit. Maintaining his grips, James uses his legs and grips to “Open” his elbow and knee. His hips are off the mat and his knees are spread to keep the pressure.

Once the leg is across, James brings his left leg over to close a figure-4 of his legs, which brings Xande down.

It looks a little like yoga.

12/30/13 10:23 AM

07 09

James focuses both grips on Xande’s trapped left arm for a moment to secure the arm.

Next, James brings his left hand over to grab Xande’s belt. If the belt’s missing, he would go for the pants.

From here, James brings his right grip to Xande’s left pant leg and stretches out that arm, while scooting to his left while breaking Xande down toward the mat.

When Xande’s on his side, James sits up, maintaining control of the arm by trapping it between his leg and hip. James leans over and brings his hips off the mat to finish.

KEY POINTS

The Omoplata is one technique that really takes some drilling in order to get comfortable with it. How you move your legs off to your side when you finish will take some practice if you’ve never attempted it before, so drill this technique to get your timing right. Boom! There you go.

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SPOTLIGHT::::::::::::::::::::

FLAVIO ALMEIDA Short on time, but long on talent, GB black belt Flavio Almeida explains how he edges out the competition using smarter training techniques words: DEB BLYTH

| photos: KENNY JEWELL & FLAVIO ALMEIDA

RACIE BARRA CAME IN FIRST IN THE MALE DIVISION AT THE IBJJF WORLD JIUJITSU CHAMPIONSHIPS – MASTERS AND SENIORS - AND BLACK BELT FLAVIO ALMEIDA WAS PART OF THE REASON WHY. Flavio took home gold in the black belt, masters, and heavyweight division after closing out the bracket with teammate Roberto “Tussa” Alencar. He then took bronze in the absolute against Rico Bastos (who ultimately won the open class) after receiving a controversial penalty for stalling. That penalty effectively ended his run for double gold at the event. However, at 33 years of age, Flavio seems to be getting better and better and is recently enjoying a string of wins, from taking gold in his weight in the adult division at the Las Vegas Open to winning double gold in the adult division at the Chicago Open, to this Master/Senior Worlds tournament. He is currently ranked #1 in the IBJJF rankings in the Master division/black belt/heavyweight/gi. How does he do it? Simple. Flavio comes by his success the old fashioned way: through hard work and effort…with very little time to waste. He is an extremely busy and successful professional and also a family man. He is the Executive Director of Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu, the founder/owner/head instructor of two schools - GB San Clemente and GB Dana Point - as well as a husband and father of two young daughters. As you can imagine, Flavio’s time is precious, since he does not have an abundance of it at any given time at his disposal.

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Baby curls do wonders for the delts.

12/13/13 8:32 AM

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR STRING OF RECENT WINS THIS YEAR. I won the Las Vegas Open this summer and the Chicago Open in midAugust. I hurt my knee in the final in Chicago and took three weeks off. Now, (after the Master/Senior Worlds) I’m going to see what’s happening with my knee. I may need surgery. SO, YOU’RE INJURED AND YOU WON GOLD IN YOUR WEIGHT AT THE WORLDS. Yes. (laughs) DO YOU LIKE TO COMPETE? Yes, I love it. Competition is always on my mind; I just can’t afford to compete all the time. I have a lot of responsibilities, so this is more of a hobby for me. I have to teach, I have to train people, I have to take care of GB and my schools…so, for me, I do what I can. Whenever I can compete, I do. IS IT A CHALLENGE FOR YOU TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN JIUJITSU AND LIFE? I think balance is kind of an illusion. We all try to find balance, but you’re never really actually in balance. Balance is like riding a bicycle. There’s a flow that’s constantly shifting and if you don’t flow with it, that’s when you fall. To be balanced, you have to keep moving… that’s kind of how life is. You gotta keep moving and if you find yourself a little out of balance, you have to readjust while you’re moving. You’re never

Balance in anything is so important.

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going to be in a position of balance unless you’re dead, lying down on the floor (laughs)… HOW HAS YOUR TRAINING FOR COMPETITIONS CHANGED OVER TIME? I have become much smarter about my training over the last couple of years. I don’t have a lot of time, so I’m really careful about how I’m going to spend it and what kind of training I’m going to do. I have also matured as a fighter. I don’t think you need to train as much as a lot of people think you do to be in really good shape. You just have to be really smart about your training and try not to use too much time doing it. There’s definitely a huge technical improvement in my jiu-jitsu because I train the right way. WHAT DOES “TRAINING THE RIGHT WAY” INVOLVE? I do less sparring and more drills. I think in jiu-jitsu we all have the tendency to do what’s fun, which is sparring and rolling with your friends. You get too comfortable sparring, so you don’t get any better, you’re just having fun. I think if you’re going to compete, you have to observe what’s at the forefront of tournaments, as far as techniques. There’s a lot going on with the jiujitsu guard - there’s a lot to be learned there, a lot to be studied. I think that drilling these things is a more efficient way of training because it works your cardio really well, you get in better shape, you’re less subjected to injury, and you develop

your technique much better. By drilling, you can stay outside your comfort zone – outside of your best game, and then bring what you’ve drilled TO your best game to make it better. I’ve been playing more guard, and bringing the fancy new sweeps into my game that the lightweights do. I learn from them. I think the new generation has a lot to teach us and my eyes are just watching and observing and I’m trying to get as much as I possibly can out of the sport. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE HAPPY ABOUT THE WAY JIU-JITSU IS EVOLVING. I love it. WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT IT? Jiu-Jitsu has become a sport for professional athletes in the adult division. All the professional guys: (Romulo) Barral, Otavio (Sousa), the Estima Brothers (Braulio and Victor)…all the GB guys I train with train just like a professional athlete does. But what amazes me the most is the fact that they continue to develop new techniques. It’s awesome to see the Mendes Brothers competing and the Estima Brothers competing and I try to understand what these guys are doing. This adds a lot of entertainment to jiu-jitsu. It keeps it more and more exciting all the time. And the good news is that you can’t get out there without studying what’s happening, so that means that just like in the old days…the Helio Gracie days…technique always wins, you know?

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SPOTLIGHT:::::::::::::::::::

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL JIU-JITSU PHILOSOPHY. First of all, what you learn at Gracie Barra from Master Carlos is that jiu-jitsu is a lifelong journey. Jiu-jitsu’s supposed to serve your life, not the other way around. So, you have to find a balance or flow between all your activities you get involved with and jiujitsu, in order to get the most out of it and enjoy the best life possible; in other words, to be happy through jiu-jitsu. For me, my personal philosophy is that life is about progress. I have to be improving in everything I do. And progress comes from challenges. If you don’t surround yourself with challenges on a daily basis, you’re going to get bored and you’re going to be an unhappy person. Through jiu-jitsu and competition, I find a great way to stay physically and mentally challenged and I really put myself in positions everyday

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where I have to define what I’m all about. I put myself in tough spots where I have to make tough decisions. Sometimes I make mistakes; sometimes I make the right choices. I just overall want to grow and keep getting better everyday. And that’s what I try to do when I compete. You know, I’m not really here for the win, I love to win, but I’m here for the challenge, so the tougher the opponent the better.

important that we don’t like defeat, and that we love to win. Because if you don’t love to win, you’re not going to take challenges, so you’re not going to get better. So, it’s important that when you lose, you get upset. You know, it’s ok when you cry for a little while… curse…but in the end you need to look back on what you’ve done wrong, learn from it, and then forget about it. Move forward.

IT REALLY IS ABOUT TESTING YOURSELF ISN’T IT? IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MEDAL FOR YOU. It is about testing! It’s about the challenge. It’s not about the medal. It’s about competition. It’s about getting better. It’s about learning. Without the challenge, you don’t really learn. That’s what I’m here for.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? I think I have to have surgery on my knee, so I will be out for about six months. Even though I love competing, I really have to take care of it. I don’t want it to hurt my ability to teach and train, or have it keep me from enjoying the jiu-jitsu lifestyle. When it’s fully recovered, I will be back to competing at three to four tournaments a year. Maybe I’ll compete at the Europeans because I’m planning to go there on a trip for Gracie Barra, so maybe I’ll compete

HOW DO YOU WALK AWAY FROM A MATCH YOU’VE LOST? My heart is upset. I think it’s

there. If not, I’ll be back for the Pan Ams next March. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? I’d just like to say that I’m grateful. I’m grateful that at this point in my life I can make time to compete and that I have the support of my students, my partners, and my wife, because to be here, you have to be serious about winning, so you have to train a lot. It’s finding the time to train that’s tough, and when you have a busy schedule, finding the time means taking time from other things, so I see my daughters less, I see my wife less. It takes time away from the office, less time on the mats teaching, just so I can be here. I’m just very grateful to be here and to be supported. And now, after this, I’m back to my regular life and my regular routine!

Looks like Flavio has a handle on things.

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SPECIALFEATURE:::::::::::

THE JIU-JITSU ZOO words

& illustrations: SEYMOUR YANG

NIMAL SYMBOLS HAVE LONG BEEN USED IN THE MARTIAL ARTS WORLD AND BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU IS NO EXCEPTION. BJJ writer and illustrator Seymour Yang takes a look at some of the more popular totems from the jiu-jitsu menagerie.

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If you cast your eye across the academy door to your own BJJ gym there is a good chance you’ll see a logo or sticker that bears the image of some form of animal. Maybe it is an angry bulldog foaming at the mouth, or a big tough gorilla with gigantic muscles. Maybe it is something more elegant and meek, like a pair of

fish perhaps or a swooping bird? Whatever the image, BJJ animals predominate in the sport, but some are more famous than others…

Seymour is what you call a talented bloke.

12/13/13 8:34 AM

DOG’S LIFE

Man’s best friend gets a good showing in the BJJ world with all manner of pitbulls, Dobermans, wolves, foxes, and assorted four legged canines being used to adorn many an academy livery and gi brand. One of the bestknown examples is the cartoon bulldog adopted by the late, great Carlson Gracie. Bearing a striking similarity to Spike of Tom and Jerry fame, the Carlson bulldog is used in various forms by CG academies worldwide. Although they vary according to artistic whims, all the Carlson bulldogs tend to show the dog with teeth bared, spit thrown and blood stains evident. Despite the ferocity, kids and adults alike adore the mascot as a perfect representation of the Carlson Gracie fighting spirit.

HELIO’S FAB FIVE In the natural world, animals fight for food, for territory, for sex. So it’s not hard to see why they have become popular icons in a combat sport. In a recent interview, Master Pedro Sauer reminiscing about the early days of training under Helio Gracie, mentions the time when five of Helio’s fighters were assigned an animal as a metaphor to describe their personalities. Pedro himself was nicknamed the cobra, or ‘cobrinha’, Rickson Gracie was the bear, Royler Gracie the pitbull, Royce Gracie the alligator and Relson Gracie was the shark. There was even a t-shirt printed to commemorate the famous five, such was the power of the symbolism.

Bear versus shark, who wins?

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Animal nicknames do not seem to be the exclusive preserve of one fighter. There are at least two ‘Cobrinhas’ (Pedro Sauer and Rubens Charles Maciel), two ‘Jacares’ (Romero Cavalcanti and Ronaldo Souza) and two ‘bears’ (Rickson and Mauricio Gomes - although he is known as the ‘white bear’).

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SPECIALFEATURE::::::::::

BIRDS OF A FEATHER Brazil, the home of BJJ, is a country blessed with a bountiful array of native animals - especially birds. Seventh degree red and black belt Carlos Elias is also known as ‘Caique,’ which is a species of parrot. The Brazilian adaptation of Woody Woodpecker, Pica Pau, is very popular with jiu-jitsu kids, and adorns the walls of several academies. World champion Braulio Estima has the nickname of ‘Carcará,’ which seems apt, as it is a bird of prey known for its long legs and bold personality.

The champion factory that is Alliance Jiu-Jitsu has an iconic, stark black and white eagle as their team logo. Not all animal nicknames are symbols of strength and ferocity, however. The decorated fighter Marcio Cruz was nicknamed Pé de Pano, after a rather clumsy and unfortunate horse character in the Brazilian TV version of Woody Woodpecker. And popular instructor Jeremy ‘The Gerbil’ Arel was given his moniker due to his instructor likening his stand-up stance to a gerbil.

THE BJJ ZOO A-Z

– Aranha, Portuguese for spider, type of guard and nickname

– Betta fish, used by the BETA academy in Washington

F G

- Gorilla, very popular mascot for several academies

- Honey badger, popular nickname for MMA fighters especially

– Killer Bee, a brand of BJJ kimono

– Lagarto, lizard, nickname of Lucio Rodrigues

- Cobra, nicknames for Rubens Charles Maciel and Pedro Sauer

– Macaco (macaque) nickname of Joe Moreira and Jorge Patino

– Dragão, dragon, a very long established Brazilian gi brand

- Eagle, the animal used for Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Team

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– Jacare, a caiman (type of croc) nickname to Ronaldo Souza and Romero Cavalcanti

N O

– Octopus, type of guard named by Eduardo Telles (he has an octo tattoo, too)

- Parrot, popular nickname for BJJ fighters, such as Carlos ‘Caique’ Elias.

Nothing for F?

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SPECIALFEATURE::::::::::

Q R S T U

- Rooster, a weight class in BJJ tournaments (galo)

– Shark, mascot for Relson Gracie academies

- Tasmanian devil, unofficial mascot for Gracie Barra academies

– Urso, the bear, nickname for both Mauricio Gomes and Rickson Gracie

V W X Y Z

- Vampire bat, adopted mascot of Vinicius ‘Draculinho’ Magalhães - Wolverine, nickname of Brandon Mullins

KINGS OF THE JUNGLE

Of all the animal groups represented by grapplers, apes and lions seem to be the most popular. Otavio Sousa for instance, is unofficially nicknamed gorillinho, and many gyms include a gorilla in their academy logo - for example, Straight Blast Gym (SBG) or Joe Moreira. The lion itself is famously represented on the IBJJF emblem and on the Renzo Gracie academy logo. Rickson Gracie famously immortalized the lion (by implication) in BJJ lore with the lines: “if size mattered, the elephant would be king of the jungle.”

– Zebra mats, a brand of grappling mats

Seymour Yang is a BJJ brown belt under Nick Brooks/Roger Gracie in London. He is a writer and illustrator more popularly known under the name Meerkatsu.

Though not, perhaps, when having a rear naked choke applied, for that technique is also called the Mata leão, or Lion Killer. Several other grappling techniques and positions are named after animals, including; anaconda choke, ‘gator roll, spider guard, shrimping, and turtle position, though purists may prefer to refer to them by their official judo or wrestling name.

The animal world, it seems, offers a never-ending supply of inspiration and imagery that can be applied to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Many academies and practitioners have adopted animals from fierce apes and lions to cute birds and small rodents. But the menagerie is vast and there are many thousands of species to choose inspiration from. So, what’s your jiu-jitsu animal?

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Primates are nicer looking when they’re throwing up the shaka.

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JJMTECHNIQUE::::::::::::

BACK IT UP! Taking the Back with Rafael “Rafinha” Dallinha

R words

& photos: MIKE VELEZ

AFAEL DALLINHA MAY NOT BE A HOUSEHOLD NAME TO A LOT OF JIU-JITSU PRACTITIONERS AROUND THE COUNTRY, BUT BRING UP HIS NAME IN THE UPPER ECHELONS OF JIU-JITSU SOCIETY AND HE’S RESPECTED FAR AND WIDE AS ONE OF THE BEST COACHES AND INSTRUCTORS TODAY. Rafael makes his home in San Diego, California where he regularly teaches at UFC Gym as well as travels doing seminars and promoting his association. He’s been out of competition lately due to injury. Rafael or “Rafinha,” is a black belt under Rodrigo Medeiros who is a Carlson Gracie black belt. We got together with him at his academy to go over some innovative back takes that you’ll find usable and effective at all levels.

BACK TAKE FROM DE LA RIVA

Starting in your opponent’s DLR guard, the first thing you need to do is break his grip to relieve the pressure coming from his outstretched right leg. Do this by grabbing his leg and stepping over it with your left leg.

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You can reach Rafinha at dallinhabjj@gmail.com.

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KEY POINTS

Get a hold of the leg that has the DLR hook in with your right hand on the knee. Keep his other leg stuffed between your legs, don’t let him get his foot on your hip or on your left leg.

Once you have control of his knee, turn your right knee in towards his crotch. As you’re doing this he’ll probably attempt to get a grip of anything he can, your lapel, your leg, your arms.

It’s very important that your opponent has a hold of your ankle on the leg that he has the DLR hook in on. This should be the case since control of your leg will be important if he wants to maintain the guard. Give a little resistance to this grip to make him tighten up on it. Be sure that he continues to keep this grip until it’s time to drop your shoulder to the mat. If he lets go of this grip, and releases his DLR hook, this technique won’t work.

Break whatever grip he goes for and place your left hand on his right leg just below the knee. Then, quickly drop your right shoulder down to the mat, pivoting around his right leg.

Once you reach the mat with your back to the mat, legs flared out, your right leg should be behind his left leg. Grip his right pant leg near the ankle with your left hand, and with your right hand, grip the back of his pants.

Continue to pull him down into you. As soon as he’s within reach, get a seatbelt grip around his upper body while bringing your left leg over and around his left hip. You’ll already have had your right hook around his right side. Hoopefully it’s paying off for you.

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Now, bring your left foot to the back of his right leg, and as soon as you make contact, push him away with your left leg, while at the same time, pulling him down towards you with your right hand on his pants.

Once you have the seatbelt in place you’ll have lots of options to finish with various collar chokes at your disposal.

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TAKING THE BACK FROM DEEP HALF GUARD

You’re in your opponent’s deep half guard, and he has his left arm curled under your outstretched leg. When Rafael feels this, he immediately thinks of this back take.

As you’re gripping the pants with your right hand, control his right pant leg with your left hand.

As soon as your opponent gets your leg trapped, reach back with your right hand and get a grip of the back of his pants around the waist, four fingers in.

When you get both these grips, you’re going to feel a little off balance. That’s okay. As you reach back to get the first grip, then the second, continue with that momentum to fall to your right shoulder on the mat, while keeping your grips.

From this point, the move is much like the previous technique, so pull down on your right grip to get his back more accessible to you. Use your left foot to push against the back of his left leg and push him away while keeping a grip of his pants with your right hand.

Once his lower body is away, and his upper body is closer, take his back by reaching your right arm around his neck to the left side and scooping your left arm under his left arm to get a seatbelt grip around him. While working on the upper body, bring your left leg over to get your left hook in over his left hip.

With your hooks in, transition from the seatbelt control to whichever type of choke you’d like to finish with.

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It’s good to take the back.

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HALF GUARD PASS TO BACK

Starting in your opponent’s half guard, pressure into him, and reach your left hand around the back of his neck, using your right hand to feed his left lapel to your left hand. Once you have a grip of the lapel, use a medium amount of pressure. Not too hard, not too loose.

Push his left hip down flat to the mat and pop your right leg up between your opponent’s legs to get your knee on his stomach. At the same time, base your left leg out for stability. When drilling this one, be cautious with your training partner’s anatomy, you don’t want to bring the pain. As you pop your knee up, you’ll be posturing up, and as you do this, pull back on your left grip to contort your opponent to his right.

As soon as you pull his arm out straight, sit back to your left, and use your grip of his lapel and sleeve to pull him back into you. While sitting back, swing your left leg around his side to get that hook in so that when your back is to the mat you’ll have both hooks in.

Bring your right hand down to his pants at his left hip to control.

The typical response of your opponent will be to push your knee back down into his half guard control. As soon as you feel his right hand pushing on your knee, release your grip of his hip and grab his right sleeve and pull up and to his left.

Once down, you can immediately hand his left lapel to your right hand to work the choke. Whatever you do, you’ll be in a position to work your favorite choke.

KEY POINTS

Controlling the lapel in the first step is a standard control any high level black belt utilizes. Get used to using this control as part of your half guard top game.

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It’s also good to be the King.

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JJMTECHNIQUE:::::::::::

DE LA RIVA GUARD TO BACK

Starting with your opponent in your DLR guard, control his foot on the side that you have your DLR hook in. You can do this by grabbing the back of the ankle, or controlling the pants. Your left hook should be deep, not too shallow.

Lots of people will try to control their opponent’s left arm in this situation, maybe the lapel, or even the belt. For this one, Rafael likes to control the near side arm, his opponent’s left arm. He does this with a grip of the sleeve cuff.

When you’re completely stretched out, release your foot from his hip and swing it around over his right arm.

When your leg is over his arm, shoot it through his legs to get an x-guard control of his left leg. Keep that control as tight as you can, controlling his left leg and squeezing his right arm and right leg together.

Base your left hand out on the mat to help sit yourself up, but don’t let go of your right grip yet.

Now, swing your left knee all the way up his back until your knee is near his left shoulder.

Stabilize and place your weight on top of your opponent. Then let go of your right grip and quickly reach your right arm across the side of his neck and grasp his back with your hand.

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Lots of points for this one.

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04 03

Bring your right foot up to his right hip, and keep closer to his stomach than his side. If you place your foot too far towards his hip, he can easily push it aside and pass your guard.

Once your right foot is in place, stretch him out by hipping out, lifting your butt and right shoulder offer the mat. Pass your left foot through to his left leg as you stretch.

Quickly let go of his left leg and reach up to grab his belt, as soon as you have it, pull him back over your right shoulder, not your left.

Once your knee is there, roll back to your right side, pulling your opponent with you and swing your left leg over to get your hook in on the way back.

As he falls, use the momentum to end up on top of him.

Since your arm will already be across his neck, you can bring your hands together and finish with a simple cross-face choke.

KEY POINTS

If necessary, bring your left leg up to catch his left arm. BAMM! Six points right there.

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GUARD PASS COUNTER TO BACK This is a cool counter you can do when your guard is open and you have one leg as a shield across your opponent’s mid section and he has an arm under your other leg. He has two options on which he can pass.

In the position as described, you don’t want to stay here for very long. Your opponent could potentially pass in either direction. For this reason, you must be quick to identify the position.

When you make contact with his head, immediately extend your right leg out and drive it down to get the momentum to allow you to spin to your left and base your left elbow to the mat.

At this point, you could possibly finish with an armbar if you’re quick enough. With your right thigh above his elbow, you can pressure against his arm with your left leg to get a tap, but if you don’t finish here, chances are he’ll bend his elbow back. If he does this, then cross your feet to trap his arm. You may need to grab his upper arm with your left hand to hold his arm in ARMBAR place while you adjust.

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As soon as you see it, use your right hand to force the back of his head down.

Quickly base up from your elbow to your palm on the mat, and then sit up on your knees. Wrap your right arm around his right side. His left arm will be trapped between your legs.

With your right arm wrapped around his left side, reach under his right arm to grab his right wrist with your right hand. By controlling his right hand, you can reach in with your left hand to his right collar and go for a choke.

Don’t feel so blue.

12/30/13 10:45 AM

If you don’t have the choke there, roll forward onto your shoulder continuing the roll until you’re on your back and he’s tied up in a crucifix.

From this crucifix position you’ll have lots of choke options, and even the armbar if you’re good with your legs.

REVERSE OMOPLATA OPTION

After step 5, you have so many options to finish, thanks to control of the arm and your position. One optional finish is this cool Omoplata/Kimura shoulder lock.

Reach your right hand and arm between your opponent’s shoulders and head, reach down far enough to grab the underside of his thigh.

As soon as you have your hand cupped around the bottom of his thigh, roll forward. If he fails to roll with you, you’ll finish there with a shoulder lock. However, he’ll probably roll with you.

As the roll continues, you’ll end up on your back slightly, with your opponent flat on his back.

Quickly sit up and reach across his body with your right arm, leaning forward.

Grab a hold of his pants at his right knee. Base your left foot to the mat and scoot your body back, taking his left arm with your right leg. You’ll be applying pressure to the shoulder as well as the arm for the finish.

What would you call it?

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::::::::::::::::::::::GEARLAB Grips Athletics

ARMADURA RASHGUARD WWW.GRIPSATHLETICS.COM

words: MIKE VELEZ

| photos: JASON BOULANGER

LOT OF PRODUCT COMES THROUGH OUR OFFICE ON ANY GIVEN WEEK. Not too long ago we picked up a couple rashguards from Grips Athletics. We took the studio photos and put them aside, not paying too much attention to them. Then, one day, I was in a rush getting to class and I realized I didn’t have a rashguard in my backpack. So, I reached over for one of the new Armadura rashguards from Grips. We’ve never done a review of a rashguard before, so I didn’t pick it up with the intention of writing about it; I just needed one for class. Halfway through my session I realized how incredibly cool I felt compared to EVERY rashguard I’ve worn before. Given its unique performance, I thought this would be the perfect subject for a full Gear Lab test.

FEATURES At first glance, the Armadura looks just like any other rashguard on the market, but after closer inspection, you’ll find that the entire back and sides are made from a very breathable “Performance Mesh.” This mesh is made from 90% Nylon and 10% Spandex. The front panel, shoulders, arms and lower side panels are made from a more typical “PolySpandex” fabric that’s 80% Polyester, 20% Spandex. The collar is made of super comfortable PolySpandex and hemmed for comfort. I counted 10 separate panels of material stitched together to construct this rashguard. All of the panels are stitched together using a “Smooth Flatlock Seam.” Unlike other rashguards that have just a standard stitch that mates two pieces of material together, the Armadura uses separate pieces of Polyester/ Elastane fabric on the top and bottom of each seam, and then a high density stitch pattern fastens each panel together. Grips Athletics indicates that the materials used on the Armadura are anti-odor and anti-microbial. The Armadura is available in two colors, White

Leave it up to the Italians.

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with a Black back, and Black on Black. It’s available in four adult sizes, S to XL. I was able to find the rashguard available online for under $55.

TESTING Since I started rolling in the Armadura, I haven’t worn another rashguard. I have both colors in Large. The mesh in the back doesn’t have as much elasticity as the fabric in the front. If I were looking for more compression, I might try a Medium versus the Large I’ve been testing, however; the Large is a very nice fit, snug, but not suffocating. While rolling, the Armaruda does everything a rashguard should do, it helps to wick away sweat, protects my skin from cuts or transmittable germs, and unlike other rashguards I’ve tested, it really breathes. The fabric in the back and on the sides breathes so much and is so comfortable, that as I’m typing this up, I’m wearing the rashguard. The front of my body feels sheltered from the air in the room, yet my back is so cool, it feels like my back is exposed. It means you feel cooler when rolling, and who wouldn’t like that? In

the month that I’ve been rolling in the Armadura I’ve probably worn the white one about a dozen times, washing between every session. The seams have held up perfectly. Every time I put one on, it feels as tight as it did the first time I wore it. The only wearing issue I have to report is across the upper back. The Performance Mesh has developed some of those “sweater balls” that appear on a nice sweater after wearing it a few times. I attribute this to the contact and wear between the rashguard and my gi when playing guard. This does not alarm me, but it’s worth noting in this test.

that mold with some really unique features that translate into a better user experience. The price is competitive, the quality is top notch, and the features are off the chart. I’d love to see these in ranked colors, at least blue, purple, and brown to complete the set. So, if you’re in need of a new rashguard, or just want something better than what you’re wearing right now, this is the one I’d pick.

A little bit of fuzz on the back.

CONCLUSION For the sake of being unbiased, I do have to wear and test out different products that come into the office. I’m going to be sad when I have to wear another rashguard; I’m really in love with this Armadura. To this point, I’ve really felt like rashguards were more of a commodity item, the difference being the look and quality, with not a whole lot of difference between brands when it came to features. The Armadura breaks

That’s the cleanest stitch you’ll ever see.

VERDICT Most comfortable rashguard I’ve ever worn. Sets a new standard

PERFORMANCE: VALUE: OVERALL:

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GEARLAB:::::::::::::::::::::::

TATAMI FIGHTWEAR

ESTILO 4.0 WWW.TATAMIFIGHTWEAR.COM

words: MIKE VELEZ

| photos: JASON BOULANGER

HALL WE GO TO THE HABERDASHERY AND HAVE YOU MEASURED UP FOR SOME NEW TROUSERS, MAYBE EVEN SOME KNICKERS AND A SHORT COAT? When you think about things you wear coming out of the UK you might be thinking of a well-tailored suit and a top hat. But when you fancy a killer gi the first brand out of ole ‘Blighty’ (that’s Britain to you and I) that comes to mind is Tatami Fightwear. They’ve been making some smashing jiu-jitsu gi’s and accessories for a few years now. Their most popular line of gi’s to date has been the Estilo line. The latest incarnation of the Estilo line is the 4.0. Released last spring, the Estilo 4.0 is Tatami’s flagship gi in the mid-range of the market with a long list of features and a reasonable price. Let’s have a look and see if this latest edition is, as they say in local parlance, the ‘dog’s bollocks!’

TROUSERS The Estilo 4.0 pants are made from 100% cotton, 12oz canvas. It’s not terribly soft, but not stiff either. They have a durable feel. The Estilo 4.0 comes in a number of different color combinations including navy, white, blue, and black (shown in this review). Our black trousers feature grey contrast stitching throughout with all of the seams featuring triple stitching. The front of the pants feature kneepads with the canvas material doubled up from the mid-thigh all the way down to the cuff. The inside edge of each cuff features smooth branded taping around the ankle. The top of the trousers are fastened to your waist by way of a rope drawstring secured by five loops flanking the front of the waistband. THE TATAMI LOGO is emblazoned along the right side thigh in a vibrant orange. AN ESTILO patch is small, but visible on the front of the pants. AN EMBROIDERED ESTILO E LOGO patch rests below the right knee.

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Mike would love the orange jumpsuits in prison.

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JACKET The jacket is constructed of 100% cotton 550gsm pearl weave and is a single piece cut. The collar and lapels feature a rubberized core with a canvas shell. Not too stiff, or too soft, but very natural in feel. The construction of the jacket is as sound as a pound. The seam where the jacket cut comes together is triple stitched with Tatami taping running along the seam on the inside of the jacket. The armpits, side vents, and bottom of the skirt are all reinforced with extra material and stitching. THERE’S A FAIR AMOUNT of Tatami branding on the jacket including over the right shoulder, and across the left knocker. An Estilo E is embroidered onto the left sleeve and centered on the back just below the collar. ALL OF THE LOGO WORK is in a bright orange, which happens to be my favorite color. So I’m pretty partial to the color combination that I tested.

FIT AND FEEL For this review my average weight was about 200lbs, at 5’ 8”, and even with the few extra holiday pounds my waist and chest measured 34” and 48”. Sleeve length is always an issue for me when it comes to gi fit; the Estilo 4.0 fit perfectly. With my arms outstretched the edge of the cuff can be pulled to the base of my thumb, perfect for passing inspection and not too long to give my competitor too much to grab onto. It took a little while for the lapel to loosen up, otherwise the collar would flare out around the middle of my chest. The length of the jacket did feel a little long, but measured up to an average length on the A3 gi’s I’ve tested. The pants fit very nice as well. I’ve mentioned before that depending on the cut I’m anywhere between an A2 and A3. When it comes to the Estilo 4.0, I’m a perfect A3. The pant length was perfect, not too long, with plenty of room in the waist and gusset. I am a fan of the rope drawstring over a traditional drawstring. The length of the rope is on the long side. I had to double knot every time before I finally cut off a few inches on the rope and now it’s just fine. Overall the cut of the pants fit me nicely.

happy to say it’s held up really well. The color hasn’t faded at all. The shrink was minimal and the fabric has softened up,although it wasn’t too stiff to begin with. The collar is a bit stiffer than I like. A stiff collar can be advantageous to you since it can be a little more difficult for your opponent to finish a choke. However, I’m a big comfort guy and around my jaw the stiff collar was a bit uncomfortable at times. The Estilo 4.0 is not a lightweight gi, but it’s not heavy either. Through two months of testing I have not experienced any signs of premature wear, or color fade. So far it’s held up very well.

CONCLUSION You can tell that Tatami’s been doing this awhile. The Estilo 4.0 is a very evolved product. It’s well thought out, nicely constructed, and looks sharp in my opinion. It’s the furthest thing possible from rubbish. Depending on the color, the Estilo 4.0 can be found for about $140 to $150. This makes it a mid-range gi. Considering the quality of the construction and the features, that’s a nice price. Tatami does offer the pants for sale separately.

ROLLING WITH IT The Estilo’s 4.0 is not really new at this point. Released last spring, we’re a little late to the party in doing this review. However, I’ve had some time to roll in the Estilo 4.0 and I’m Top: The collar is canvas covered foam with a firm feel. Top Center: Tatami branded tape runs in the inside seems of both the sleeve and pant cuffs, along the edges of the jacket, and along some of the seams inside the jacket. Right: All this in a sharp looking gi bag.

Hopefully he never gets the opportunity to wear an authentic orange jumpsuit.

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VERDICT The latest edition of the Estilo line is solid in all aspects, including the price. PERFORMANCE: VALUE: OVERALL:

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::::::::::::JJMTECHNIQUE

20 TECHNIQUES FROM THE FIRST 20 ISSUES words

& photos: JJM STAFF

T’S BEEN ALMOST THREE YEARS SINCE OUR FIRST EDITION, AND NOW YOU’RE HOLDING IN YOUR HANDS THE 20TH ISSUE OF JIUJITSU MAGAZINE. In the last 19 issues we brought you hundreds of great jiu-jitsu techniques from dozens of world champions, the best of the best! Think of this article as a flashback show from one of your favorite sitcoms. We’ve gone through every past edition, picked out one technique from each of our first 19 issues and brought you a compilation of 20 of the most impactful and powerful jiu-jitsu techniques around. It’s like a nice walk down jiu-jitsu memory lane to start off 2014 and to show you how far you’ve come and how much you’ve learned on your ever-evolving jiu-jitsu journey. Creating this article was a much more difficult task than we originally anticipated. We can’t say that each technique presented here is the “best” from each issue, but it was one that was voted on as most beneficial to the jiu-jitsu practitioner. Going back through the archives, it really was amazing to be reminded of how fortunate we are to have been able to share all this great jiu-jitsu with you over the years. If you don’t have the back issues referenced, you can always order them on-line at our website: http://jiujitsumag.com, or download them on your mobile device using our App. ‘Tis the season to celebrate all the good we have in our lives, and to that end, we, here at Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, are honored and grateful to be sharing the gift of some of jiu-jitsu’s best techniques with you, our loyal readers, in this 20th edition. Thank you for being an integral part of our jiujitsu community. Enjoy!

Thanks for the memories, and more to come!

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ISSUE 1

In our very first issue, red and black belt Aloisio Silva showed us some great old-school technique and this was a sweep he shared that many of us here use all the time.

LADDER SWEEP FROM CLOSED GUARD

You’ve jumped to closed guard, and your opponent is still standing. You’re gripping his collar and elbow.

Master Aloisio developed this sweep with Rickson Gracie. It’s very simple and very effective when you’ve jumped to closed guard on an opponent and he’s still standing. It’s extremely effective for beginning a tournament match or escaping your closed guard when your opponent has stood up inside it. If you were to pull guard and perform this sweep in competition it’s 2 points for you!

Grip the ends of his sleeves to secure them, with thumbs in. If you’re going no gi, grab onto his wrists.

Release your closed guard and quickly walk your legs down your opponent’s legs.

When your butt hits the mat, your legs should be bent at a 90º angle. This will put your knees at your opponent’s knees. Lock your feet back up and squeeze your knees together.

With your knees squeezed tightly together, pull your opponent’s arms off to one side—in this case, the right—and use your knees to direct his legs to your left.

While your opponent is on his back, quickly transition to mount, side control, or even the back.

KEY POINTS

Practice this technique as described. As you get more and more comfortable, you’ll find yourself “feeling” your opponent’s knees, and you will be able to squeeze his legs together before your butt hits the mat. Also, as your comfort level increases, you can skip step 2 and keep your hands on his collar.

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Ah, Issue 1,we remember it like it was three years ago.

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ISSUE 2

With lots of positive feedback from the first issue, our second issue featured Eddie Bravo on the cover and our super popular Kettle-Jitsu article. Many of Eddie’s techniques required a sequence of events to perform, so we chose one from BJJ and Judo black belt Marcelo Carvalho on how to increase your odds of getting the collar choke.

TIPS TO INCREASE COLLAR CHOKE SUCCESS

From the first days of your first month as a white belt, you were probably shown the basic collar choke with someone in your guard. Sometimes a simple collar choke might present itself to you, but maybe you think it’s too elementary, or you think it’s too easy for your opponent to defend, so you move onto something else. Marcelo shared with us some simple tips to help improve your execution rate on a collar choke from your guard. If your opponent’s posture is good, he’s looking up, not leaning into you, and not in a vulnerable spot, don’t reach too high trying to grab his collar. You’ll expose too much and give him an opportunity to attack. Instead, wait for him to give you something when he leans into you with his shoulders beyond his knees or you feel his butt come off his feet.

This tip accompanies the previous tip. If your opponent is looking at you when he’s in your guard, his posture can be broken. If he’s looking at you, his spine is “unlocked,” and you can successfully pull him into you if you get a good grip of his collar or his neck. If he’s not looking down at you, and he’s looking towards the ceiling, then his spine is “locked.” In this case, you’re going to have a hell of a time trying to break his posture and will simply expend energy towards a lost cause.

Always get your first grip as high as possible beyond his neck. Aim for the gi label at the very back of his gi. Have your four fingers inside under the collar and your thumb out. As soon as you have a grip of the collar, curl your wrist in—don’t wait until you’re finishing the choke.

Don’t sink the other hand under the other collar when you’re flat on your back. Instead, hip out a bit to the opposite side of your first grip. So, if you’re gripping his right collar with your right arm, hip out to your right side. This will give you some space to get your left hand deep on his collar under your right hand.

As you get ready to finish the choke, bring your hips back to center as you’re curling your wrists towards you and pulling your opponent into you. Bringing your hips back to center will help you finish the choke sooner.

If you can’t get that second hand underneath and into your opponent’s other collar, you can go for the shoulder instead. In that case, pivot your body to your right, use your right leg to push your opponent to his right a bit, and get in a position where you’re now looking at his shoulder. Then grab the gi above his right shoulder blade, come back to center, and finish the choke.

The original cover was going to have a cannabis leaf in honor of Eddie but we thought that might be too risque for a new magazine.

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ISSUE 3

The third time was definitely a charm, when two world champions, Andre Galvao and Lucas Leite, graced this issue. With so many great techniques presented, it was really difficult to pick, but we really liked Andre’s use of the lapel in this one.

LAPEL PULL TO BACK

This is a very useful “sweep to back” technique that can go unnoticed by your opponent until it’s too late. In a closed guard situation, it’s common for opponents to tear at each other’s gis.

From closed guard, Andre begins to pull at his opponent’s gi to loosen it up. He pulls it out in front as far as possible.

At the same time, Andre crunches upward, or pulls his opponent into him with his closed legs, so that he can reach around and transfer the gi from his left hand to his right, behind his opponent’s back, under hooking his opponent’s left arm. This is the hardest step. If your opponent gets a hint as to what’s coming next, he’s going to put up a pretty good fight to make sure this doesn’t happen.

Now, with the gi wrapped around his opponent’s right arm and behind his back, Andre grabs the gi lapel with both hands and pulls down hard and to the right with both hands.

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Andre passes the outstretched gi/ lapel to his left hand and wraps it behind his opponent’s right arm.

Andre releases his legs from the closed guard position, bases his right foot to the mat and thrusts his hips out to the right while “thrusting” his opponent across his body (to Andre’s left). His opponent’s options are very limited, since his right arm is trapped by his lapel. All he can do is base with his left hand to the mat.

As soon as his opponent bases with that one free arm, that’s Andre’s cue to post on his left elbow, escape his left knee out from under his opponent, and take the back

KEY POINTS

Step 3 is tough. Sometimes you’re just not going to be able to get that lapel across his arm, but no fear, you can sneak it behind him under his arm, which will be a little easier, but will give you less leverage when you go to Step 5.

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This photo shoot was taken only a few months after Atos had opened in San Deigo, CA.

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ISSUE 4

While we had difficulties picking our favorite technique from some back issues, that was not the case with this one. Robert Drysdale showed us a bunch of “sneaky” techniques and none is sneakier than this one-armed Americana.

ONE-ARMED AMERICANA The Setup

Robert’s gotten on top of Jeremy in a full mount. It’s key that Robert isolates the target arm and gets an under hook on that arm. This technique personifies the “tricky” theme of the article this appeared in, so pay attention.

Robert must get a deep under hook on one arm, in this case Jeremy’s right arm. Rather than slowly trying to walk his under hook up on Jeremy, which is most common and defensible if your opponent’s very strong, Robert uses a nice little trick. As he’s working to force the under hook, he pushes Jeremy’s head in that direction. The result is a significant loss in strength and the ability to defend that under hook.

Once the arm is down, Robert is in a great position to grab Jeremy’s right hand as shown.

Now, with his chin, Robert begins to work Jeremy’s right arm down to the mat.

Once Robert has a good grip of the back of Jeremy’s right hand, all he needs to do is drag Jeremy’s hand downward, next to his shoulder until he taps, completing the one-armed Americana.

That’s our own Jeremy Reid getting smashed under Robert.

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If Jeremy was very flexible and didn’t tap, or Robert didn’t have a very good grip of the back of his hand, Robert would open up Jeremy’s arm a bit, placing Jeremy’s knuckles on the mat. Then he’d put pressure down on Jeremy’s elbow to complete a wristlock. JANUARY 2014

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ISSUE 5

If you’re a fan of old school hip-hop, then you appreciated the cover lines from this issue featuring Romulo Barral. He showed us some fundamental spider guard technique along with this slick finish. Also, in this issue was 7 great finishes with Andre Galvao.

BAITED TRIANGLE FROM SPIDER GUARD

Your opponent has a knee up and is trying to use it as leverage to break your right leg off his bicep. Once you see this happen, extend that right leg of yours with lots of pressure to get him to focus on that side.

Being on top with someone who has a mean spider guard can suck. So many times your opponent will go to break your spider. This usually means him dropping to a knee and using that knee as a pry to release your foot from his arm. With that in mind, we’ll show you how to bait your opponent into a triangle, as he’ll think you’re going for a sweep.

Start to pump your left leg up to your side, then back down to his right leg as if you’re about to sweep. This will telegraph a sweep coming, so his natural defense will be to release any grip he has with his right hand and base out with that right hand above your leg. (If he fails to do this then go ahead and sweep your leg down and sweep him.)

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Release your right foot from his arm, kick both legs up and pull him into you via his collar.

Once he bases out and posts with his right arm, switch your hips out to your left side, pulling him to your right.

Once his neck and arm are down between your legs, cross your right leg over the back of his neck and lock down on your right foot under the back of your left knee.

Hip up and drag his outstretched right arm across to your right side, tighten your lock on your legs and pull down on the back of his head while tightening your leg lock to finish.

KEY POINTS

When you swing your leg a few times, you have to sell the sweep. In fact, you should be thinking about the sweep first. So, when you commit to bringing your left leg down, push up at the same time with your right foot to force him over for the sweep. If he posts with his arm then it worked, and if he didn’t, you’ve got the sweep.

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We do stuff like that all the time, just to see if you’re paying attention.

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ISSUE 6

This was one of those issues that we had no clue on what to share with you for this article because there were so many great techniques. Jeff Glover did what Jeff Glover does, and that’s kill it from Deep Half Guard, Joao Silva shared some great leg locks, but we picked some fundamental wrestling from our favorite wrestler and coach to Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, and Jose Aldo to name a few, Kenny “Powers” Johnson.

GETTING THE SINGLE LEG WITH COBRA TAKE DOWN The Setup

The basic setup for shooting the outside single is to get into a basic Judo tie up. Rather than control the arm at the elbow, it’s important to control your opponent’s wrist, either with a tight grip of the cuff or to physically control the wrist itself. The side of your opponent that you control the wrist will be the side you’ll be attacking. With your other hand, control either the collar (high up) or the back of the neck on your opponent. If you bounce between gi and

no gi you’ll be best served attacking the back of the neck and the wrist rather than the gi. If you or your opponent play it close, be sure that you keep your forehead squared up against their forehead or temple, don’t let them get to your temple (to brush up on this check out The Wrestler’s Tool Box in Issue 4 or The Art of the Takedown in Issue 15). Don’t get in a situation where you’re earto-ear with your opponent, or you’ll be unable to make the necessary movements.

Your lead leg should be on the same side as the arm you’re controlling. Give your opponent a tug so he steps in towards you, but don’t step back with that lead leg. As you pull him, keep your ground. What you’re doing here is closing the gap between the two of you.

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As soon as he steps in on you, that’s when you let go of his wrist and sweep around with your right arm so your forearm hits the back of his knee. At this point, it’s very important that your back is straight and your head is up at his chest. If your head is down or your back is hunched, that’s when you can get sprawled on.

If that silhouette we use on our technique articles looks familiar it’s because it’s Kenny Johnson.

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With your posture and head correctly positioned, as soon as you feel you have a nice hook behind his leg, release the collar or neck and drive up and towards him using your legs to power through. With one motion, as you’re driving up and forward one step, switch off control of his leg between your right arm and your left arm.

Cup your right hand, like a “cobra,” and place it firmly on his thigh, just above the knee.

With firm control of the leg, quickly walk backward, lower your level, and rotate to your left so you’re pulling him down with you to your right side. Use force on that leg so he’s forced to the ground.

At this point, you’ve finished the takedown on your feet so-to-speak. You can decide which option best suits your game. If you’re good with foot locks, fall back into a foot lock, or do what Kenny likes, and let go of the leg, under hook the other and finish in side control. Doing this gives you two points and a strong position. Kenny is now a two stripe brown belt.

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When you reach the top of the movement, you’re upright, and you’ve got control of his leg with your left arm, immediately take a step backward. This will help to keep him off balance and you’ll be in complete control.

Controlling his leg, keep it up high. This helps to keep him off balance and ensures that your posture is correct. Also, continue stepping backward so that the other guy is hopping around. Continually moving backwards will keep him off balance and less likely to work his grips on you.

KEY POINTS

The mechanics of this move require you to use your head to put pressure on his upper body. As you drive forward, you’ll be pushing with your head against his upper torso. As you do this, his posture will be off balance, forcing him to put more weight on his back leg, making it easier for you to control his front leg. If you don’t step back as you stand him up, you’ll allow him the opportunity to get his hips back for a sprawl, so don’t forget this important step. When you drag him back towards you, don’t step back. If you step back, you haven’t closed the distance. One great thing about shooting in for the leg and getting a hold of it, is that even if your opponent happens to get a hold of your collar and pulls you into guard, you’re going to be awarded the two points for the takedown because you initiated the motions to the ground. JANUARY 2014

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ISSUE 7

In terms of sales percentages, this has been our best seller to date, and it’s no wonder why with Xande Ribeiro and Eddie Bravo on the cover. There’s something for everyone. Rather than pick a finish or a sweep, we chose to share with you Xande’s fundamentals on the mount. You’ll really enjoy this one.

FULL MOUNT BREAKDOWN

Next to having your opponent’s back, the full mount is the most dominant position in Jiu Jitsu. In competition, you’ll receive four points for establishing the mount (gaining and holding for more than three seconds), but gaining the position is only half the battle. Once you’re there, you need to know how to maintain it by denying your opponent an escape route, or thwarting his attempts to avoid what you have in store for him. Xande’s going to show us the basic details of establishing the full mount before moving on to finishing from mount. Xande describes the mount as two basic positions. The first is when you initially take the position. Your opponent’s going to fight like hell to avoid giving up the points. At this point,

Xande’s focus is on getting those points and establishing the position rather than progressing. This means arms out wide, heels tucked behind the other guy’s hamstrings, and maintained control. This is a good posture to take so you can maintain control at first, but there are very few attacks from here. Once the points are given, the other guy is more inclined to begin calculating his escape and settling down a bit. This is when you move into the more traditional mount we’re about to discuss.

Keys to the Mount Feet Tucked. This is the first rule that Xande tells his students when they get in the mount. Your toes should be pointed inward. This makes it much more difficult for your opponent to slip a leg out. When your heels are down on the mat it’s much easier for him to stretch out a leg and begin to work it underneath your foot and regain some sort of guard.

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Butt on Belly. You should be seated on your opponent’s stomach with your inner thighs contacting his rib cage. This position gives you the most opportunity and room to work with when attacking the arms or collar. In this position, Xande’s feet are tucked in just below the other guy’s butt and high enough so it’s difficult for his opponent to trap his foot for a sweep.

We’re going to miss Xande, he just announced that he’s moving back to Brazil for a while.

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Going High. Sometimes Xande will elect to go higher up on his opponent. In this instance, he’ll bring his feet up from the mat and place them on his opponent’s hips. Xande doesn’t care for “High Guard.” The only time he finds himself in this position is when he’s actually executing a finish. Be Like Water. For Xande the mount is not about being heavy and putting down the pressure. Instead, his goal is to build a sense of feeling with his opponent that allows him to sense his intention and flow with him like water. For instance, if his opponent bridges and elevates his hips, Xande goes with it, and follows back down. His posture is up, and he’s not quickly posting his hands to the mat to fight the movement, he simply goes with it. Imagine a bull rider riding a bull, his body flows with the bull, resistance is futile.

Don’t Give Your Opponent Leverage. If your opponent knows how to deal with being mounted, he’s probably going to start working on your knees by getting his elbows in between him and your knees. The common reaction of someone on top is to resist, and to put pressure against his body with your knee. Doing this gives your opponent leverage to work against, and often times causes you to release your feet. Instead, Xande gives the space, because when his opponent’s elbows are away from his body, he has less power to resist you from grabbing that arm and working on a submission. Don’t Freeze. Some fighters will work so hard work to get up into the mount position and then sort of freeze. They’re so concerned with just keeping the mount they grab onto their opponent and switch their focus to avoid getting swept, so they inevitably achieve what they’re focused on. The mount is not about pressure and it’s not a finishing point. It’s a stepping-stone on the path to submission. So, learn to relax when you get into mount and don’t just stay there. Move to your submission.

But just like any superhero, he’ll be back.

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Drill It

Once you achieve the mount position, there’s a tendency to feel like you need to cross your feet or hook them around your opponent’s legs. There’s no rule about what you absolutely should not do, but Xande does have a position for his legs that he likes best. Hooking the legs is common, but leaves you open to losing the hook if your opponent kicks his legs out, or if both of your legs are very sweaty. Instead, when Xande’s establishing the mount, he’ll bring his calves against his opponent’s hamstrings. This is effective because it hooks his legs to help maintain the position and it impedes his opponent’s movement. If Xande’s in mount with his legs hooked and his opponent tries to move to his right (Xande’s left), Xande will curl his left leg up, pulling his opponent’s right leg off the mat, lessening his ability to push off and move. The right leg is curled if his opponent moves to his left. This movement and ability to sense your opponent is an acquired skill. Xande recommends drilling this technique with your partner to help develop this sense of anticipation. When he moves to your right curl your leg up.

Come back to stabilize.

If he goes to your left, curl your left leg.

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ISSUE 8

The heir to the throne, Kayron Gracie, showed us a number of his favorite chokes in this issue, and none was as simple, yet effective, as this collar choke from a very plausible side control scramble. Also featured in this issue were Gustavo Dantas, and Penny Thomas.

COLLAR CHOKE FROM SIDE CONTROL SCRAMBLE

This is a cool choke that Kayron used in the finals at the 2012 Pan Ams. To execute it, you have to rely a little on your opponent thrashing a bit to avoid giving you the points you’d gain in a tournament from establishing side control. If your opponent has already given up the points, is flat on his back, and you’ve established side control, then it will be much more difficult to execute.

You’re working to establish side control on your opponent. He thrashes and turns away from you as he explodes up. Keep your left elbow heavy on your hip. Your right hand should be wrapped under his neck.

As soon as his back turns to you, put your right knee against his back, and wipe your right leg so that it’s against his back completely, preventing him from turning over to flatten out again.

As you’re bringing your leg and knee to him, move your left hand to grab a hold of his left lapel up high on his collar.

Step your left leg over his waist, and get your foot to the mat to help control him from getting away.

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With both hands, hug your opponent and pull him up towards you, off the mat. This will allow you enough space to escape your right leg from his back to in front of the both of you.

Fold his left lapel over with your left hand, so that the tip of the lapel is turned outward. Now, feed it into your right hand. For this grip you want your right hand as far up his collar as possible.

Once your right foot is in front of the two of you, bring your right leg over his left arm and shoulder. With both legs over his body, pull that right hand grip of his collar toward you to finish the choke. I see the resemblance.

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ISSUE 9

When you think of fighters who can win an absolute world championship, Rodolfo Vieira is at the top of many handicappers’ lists. In this issue, he showed us a number of passes and none more effective than this acrobatic Butterfly Pass. Also in this issue was great technique from the legendary Pedro Sauer. He shared some amazing stories!

HEAD STAND BUTTERFLY PASS

From your opponent’s butterfly guard, stand out the leg that’s on the opposite side of his arm that’s wrapped around you, or securing you. In this case, it’s the right, to the mat. So, now he has his right leg inside against your left knee and the other leg on the mat.

Continue pushing forward and bring your head to the mat, to his right side. As soon as your head is planted on the mat, kick up your left leg first, followed by your right, and swing both over the top of his body far enough to clear him.

Reach over his arm that’s wrapped around you to secure his gi or belt from behind. At the same time, grab a hold of his left knee, lean forward, and push his knee to the mat.

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In a smooth motion, after you sense you’ve cleared his legs, drop back down to his right side.

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Once your knees are down on the mat, confirm your control of his neck and establish your side control.

This was the first article we had to translate from Portuguese.

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ISSUE 10

We got the chance to venture out to New York City to get together with the legendary Marcelo Garcia. Unfortunately, a flood at Marcelo’s academy just a few days before meant that we couldn’t do a technique shoot with him, but no fear. Jeff Glover showed us some flying attacks and Fabio Leopoldo showed us some great half guard technique. Here’s a fundamental half guard pass that every jiu-jitsu player must master.

HALF GUARD PASS

This is a nice pass from a position of control that Fabio really likes. His control of the lapels should be common every time you find yourself in someone’s half-guard.

Control the far lapel. From half guard, pull your opponent’s lapel out and feed it to your left hand that’s hooked behind his neck. The tighter the better. The idea is to help control your opponent’s ability to move his shoulders.

Next, base your right hand on the mat, off to the right side of your opponent, then open your base by spreading your knees a bit. Your right knee should be on his right hip and your left knee should be to the side of his shoulder.

Now, sit back as if to sit on your heels, and at the same time, drag your opponent along with you. This will contort his body to you with his spine being curved towards you. Not comfortable and reduces his mobility.

Lean forward across his body and bring your forehead to the mat to post. Now begin to inch your right leg out from between his legs. When you lean forward, be sure that you hold his lapel tightly to you to maintain the arch in his spine you just installed.

Turn your right knee in and continue inching your right leg out from between his legs. As soon as it’s clear, pass your right leg over his and quickly establish side control on your opponent.

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We don’t say this often, but as his name would imply Fabio is a stud! We’ll definitely have him back in a future issue.

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ISSUE 11

Caio Terra is the epitome of what jiu-jitsu is all about. He’s proof that size and strength don’t matter, and in this article, he showed plenty of techniques on what to do when you’ve got someone on your back. No giant is immune from this quick little wristlock.

WRIST LOCK WITH HIM ON YOUR BACK

The other guy’s got your back and he’s working for the choke. Here is a submission you can get while he’s working on the choke, but you’ve got to work quickly; if you don’t get it soon enough you might be in a lot of trouble.

He’s rolled you to his strong side and is looking for the choke. Don’t worry about the hooks; you need to get this one quick before he progresses too far. Bring your left hand up high over your head and move your head to that same side to keep him from getting his hand high enough on the collar. At the same time, use your right hand to hug his forearm, pulling it down and defending the choke.

Place your feet on the mat and quickly push yourself and him up so he’s off his side long enough for you to move your right hand from over his right forearm to under his right elbow.

Reach your left arm over to the back of his right elbow; your hands will almost be on top of each other.

At his point, his right hand should be grabbing a hold of your left collar and just under your left shoulder. Bring your body weight forward and pull both your hands against his right elbow, forcing the wristlock on his right wrist that’s stuck inside your left shoulder. If you don’t get the submission, he’ll more than likely have to let go of the collar to keep from getting tapped. If he does this, you’ve escaped the choke and are in a better position than when you started.

We had to bribe Caio with a Halloween sized bag of Hersheys Kisses to do this photo shoot for us.

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ISSUE 12

Everybody wants to work on their takedowns. So who better than to show us some great Judo takedowns than the queen of Judo and the UFC, Ronda Rousey. She shows 27-time World Champion Ranato Laranja how to properly break fall in this explosive take down. Also in this issue, more Glover love, and strike-based jiu-jitsu with Javier “Showtime” Vazquez.

SODE TSURIKOMI GOSHI SLEEVE LIFT AND HIP THROW

This throw is as “Judo” as it gets. It’s important with this throw that you don’t allow your opponent to establish his grips. So, keep some distance until you can get a hold of his sleeve or wrist.

Ronda reaches her right arm out to grab a hold of Renato’s left sleeve and keeps her left arm up to protect her collar from Renato getting a hold of it.

Ronda lifts Renato’s left arm up and over her shoulder and across to her left. To do this, she pivots on her left foot to bring her right leg in front of and across Renato.

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When facing off, Ronda wants to get her lead foot close to the inside of his lead foot, big toe to big toe.

Once her hips have cleared in front of Renato, she drops her level slightly by bending at the knees and hips and pulling Renato’s arm forward.

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We know better than to make a joke about Rhonda.

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As she pulls his arm forward, she takes on his body weight onto her lower back and hips, by pulling him forward she’s pulling him onto her.

With his weight on her, she steps her right foot back near her left, then immediately pulls her left foot back, straight behind her as she bends at the hips, bringing her and Renato down to the mat as if to perform a cartwheel.

As she’s pulling him forward, she reaches back with her left hand and wraps it around the back of Renato’s left thigh. She does this to help control him all the way down to the mat.

Because Ronda knows what’s happening, she tucks her chin to her chest and rolls her shoulders, continuing all the way to the mat.

Once Renato’s on the mat, Ronda releases her control of his left leg, and turns to him to go to knee on belly, or move into side control. Renato enjoys both positions just a little too much.

KEY POINTS

With enough momentum, this throw can be performed so that your opponent is flat on the mat and you roll to standing. At that point, you can jump to mount, side, or any top position you like.

Looks like Rento enjoyed that one.

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ISSUE 13

Berim-what? You don’t know what the Berimbolo is? Don’t be that guy the next time you’re chewing the fat after class. Here’s your primer on the Berimbolo with the Mendes Brothers!

BERIMBOLO

The Mendes brothers can easily be credited with helping to make the “Berimbolo” as popular a technique as it is today. The simplest form of the Berimbolo is a sweep from De La Riva with the intent of taking your opponent’s back. But Rafael describes it as, “every time you’re in that upside down scramble to the back.” The Berimbolo can be used from a double guard pull.

Setting Up The De La Riva

TRADITIONAL GRIP

HIP CONTROL

The properly set up De La Riva starts with Rafa’s left leg wrapped outside Gui’s right leg, with Rafa’s left foot hooked inside Gui’s right leg. Rafa’s right foot is on Gui’s left hip. Rather than traditional grips in the De La Riva, which are typically on the collar and sleeve, Rafa wants to control his opponent’s hip movement. So, the first thing he does is secure his opponent’s right leg to keep it tight. He does this by gripping the back of Gui’s right foot with his left hand cupped around the back of his foot. Once he has this control, he sits up to grab a hold of his opponent’s belt. This is the grip Rafa gets to when using the De La Riva guard. Once Rafa’s got this grip, he “hangs” himself off his opponent, lifting his hips off the mat so his opponent is forced to carry his weight. This greatly reduces his opponent’s mobility and ability to move around the mat.

THE BERIMBOLO (SWEEP FROM DE LA RIVA TO THE BACK)

As soon as his opponent’s weight is up, Rafa throws him to his left side, forcing his opponent’s hip to the mat. Once his opponent is on the mat, it’s important that he stays tight, not giving the other guy too much space to work with. He uses his right leg to help control the distance, being sure that his opponent can’t bring his weight on top to smash.

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Once the De La Riva’s properly set up, it’s time to bring your opponent down to the ground. Rafa uses his grips to pull him forward, while bending his knees and hips to pull his opponent’s weight onto him.

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Using the grip of his opponent’s foot and belt, Rafa pulls himself into his opponent and brings his right leg up against his opponent’s body to “hook” his body with his right foot; his shin is against his opponent’s chest.

Have you worked the berimbolo into your game?

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Now, the fun begins. You’re going to step on the mat with your left leg, while at the same time, tucking your head under the back of your opponent’s right knee. This is not easy, and will take some time drilling if you want to get it right.

As soon as you have that left leg hooked with yours, switch your left hand grip of his right foot to his left ankle.

When you’re upside down and in the middle of the spin, your left leg will be under your opponent’s right leg. At this point, it’s very important that you pivot your left leg to hook the top of your opponent’s left leg.

Once you have his back, squeeze your thighs together to control him in front of you. This is very important because if you don’t keep your opponent tight, he’ll escape and all that hard work will be for nothing. From here, you’ll under hook his left arm with yours.

With the seat belt buckled, drop to your right side, bringing him with you, and tuck your head and shoulder against his head, stay tight. If he stops you from putting that second hook in, stretch him out by pulling back on the seat belt and bumping your hip forward. This will stretch him out to put your second hook in.

Continue the spin, and now use your legs and grips to bring your opponent over on top of yourself until you pull him in between your legs in front of you.

Bring your right hand from controlling his hip to over his right shoulder to connect the seat belt grip across his chest.

KEY POINTS

When getting that seat belt, be sure that your under hooking hand is always on top of your other hand. This is so that if your opponent breaks your grip, you’ll be able to quickly grab the collar and get a choke with the lower hand. If you do the opposite, and have the under hooking hand on bottom, if he breaks the grip, you won’t have the choke, even if you get the collar.

With both hooks in, and the seat belt locked, you can look for the choke to finish.

Yeah, me neither. But one of these days...

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ISSUE 14

This was the edition where the “Michael Jordan of Jiu-Jitsu,” Marcus Almeida Buchecha, shows us a ton of sweeps and none more potent than this one from spider guard. Also in this issue was the Break Down of the Triangle with Sean Roberts and a behind the scenes look at Origin’s Mountain Retreat.

SPIDER GUARD SWEEP This is another technique that’s very simple, yet very effective.

Starting with a basic spider guard, establish your grips. Get a hold of his left sleeve cuff and place your right foot on the crook of his elbow, keeping pressure by pulling on the sleeve and pushing against the elbow with the outside edge of your foot.

Once the grip is broken, bring your left foot to hook the inside of his right thigh.

With a grip of both ankles, pull both of them up while hipping out and forcing him back with your feet and legs.

Your left grip is on your opponent’s right sleeve. Your opponent has a grip of your right knee, so break the grip by kicking your left leg out while holding his sleeve.

As soon as the foot is hooked, switch your left grip from the sleeve to high up on his collar.

Once you have the collar grip, pull down to break his posture. This gives you lots of options by making him lose his balance. For this technique, pull him towards you so he is almost over you.

When he falls back, quickly bring your right hand to the mat to sit

up and grab your opponent’s right lapel with your left hand.

With the grip of the lapel, point both of your knees to your right, lift your hips, and pull yourself up by sliding your body up your opponent.

Your opponent’s natural reaction is going to be to step back and posture up, so as soon as he does this, let go of his grips, bringing both hands to his corresponding ankles.

At this point, all that’s left is to reposition your legs and move into full mount.

KEY POINTS

At step 5 there are lots of options, you could go for an arm bar, or pull in for a triangle.

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About to get started on a very cool Buchecha article soon!

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ISSUE 15

It’s debatable whether or not Issue 15 contained the greatest amount of quality technique, but what’s clear is that it was the most handsome cover in our 20-issue history. Clark Gracie showed us that he’s not just a pretty face by sharing with us some of his favorite techniques, including this fundamental armbar from the mount.

ARMBAR FROM THE MOUNT I know what you’re thinking, “Can you show us something we haven’t seen a million times before?” Well, Clark’s spin on this classic is a little bit different, and something you definitely want to check out!

Clark has his opponent, Francis, mounted. He reaches his right hand in deep on Francis’ right collar to go for a choke. Seeing that his hand is trapped, Francis looks to control that arm for a sweep.

Clark shoves Francis’ right arm across his body and brings his chest down on the arm to trap it.

Clark gets his left arm around Francis’ left arm, this is the one he’s attacking, and then he “swoops” his right arm in and around Francis’ left arm so that it’s tucked between Clark’s arm and torso. With his right hand, Clark keeps pressure on Francis’ left triceps to keep the arm trapped.

Next, Clark reaches his left hand over Francis’ head to secure the back of his left shoulder by grabbing onto it.

Quickly, Clark shifts his weight up and to his left, sitting out to the side with his left leg on the mat. As he changes his angle, it allows Clark to bring his right foot near Francis’ left shoulder along the mat.

07 06

With both of his arms tied up, Clark sits back with his butt to the mat with the intent of finishing the right arm with the arm bar, but Francis gets that arm out, so Clark switches his focus to the left arm. Clark quickly crosses his right leg over and around the top of Francis’ head and down to the mat, while at the same time, sitting up.

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Francis’ left arm is trapped, Clark holds onto Francis’ waist, sweeps both of his feet off to his side, and leans forward to finish the Omoplata.

When given the opportunity to have your picture taken next to Clark you should respectfully decline. You’ll always be the ugly one.

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:::::::::::JJMTECHNIQUE

ISSUE 16

Rafael Lovato, Jr. exposed his Pressure Passing System and Abmar Barbosa showed us why his guard game is so dangerous, but our pick for this issue was a no-gi-triangle-to-shoulder-lock combo from Dennis Asche that should be in everyone’s arsenal.

TRIANGLE TO SHOULDER LOCK

Dennis is on bottom and Nabas is attempting to pass guard. Dennis controls both wrists.

Dennis drops his knee into Nabas’s chest and puts the left foot in the hip. As he does this, he pulls Nabas’s right hand off of the leg at the same time.

Dennis releases the pressure of the knee on the chest and kicks his right leg up and over the back of Nabas’s neck, throwing his hips up at the same time. As he does this, he yanks Nabas’s right hand toward him. Note the change in angle of the body.

With control of Nabas’s arm at the elbow and wrist, Dennis puts his left foot in the hip and opens the guard.

Do you know who’s hand that is on the cover?

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He closes the triangle.

He places the leg on Nabas’s shoulder. Note how Nabas’s right arm is trapped between the legs.

If Dennis is unable to finish the triangle, he releases the legs and slides his left hand under Nabas’s arm at the elbow.

To finish the shoulder lock, Dennis pulls the free arm with his right hand toward him. JANUARY 2014

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ISSUE 17

When the debate came up on which technique to pick from this issue, it was a no brainer. Mike overruled everyone on this one. It’s an awesome back take from deep half guard that gets them every time. JT Torres lets loose with some great techniques on taking your opponent’s back. Also in this issue were some sweet leg locks from Yuri Simoes.

HALF GUARD TO DEEP TO BACK

Start with your opponent in your open half guard. Kick your free leg up and over towards his ribcage and armpit to get him to come forward and post to his left side.

As he posts, this will open up his legs and give you space to reach between his legs with your right arm and grab the back of his left thigh.

Once the arm is hooked, lock your legs and rock your hips to your left side, bringing his right leg over on top of you. You’re now in deep half guard.

Shoot your left arm under his leg, you’ll need it there in a little bit, and it will help keep you from getting caught with a Kimura.

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With your right hand, get fourfingers inside the back of his pants.

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Now, bring your outside leg underneath his leg and hook it with the top of your right foot. Bring your left leg back over to cover his leg so he doesn’t escape.

Mike loves this one, if you ever roll with him count on him attempting it at least 3 times.

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Bring your left hand to his far leg and use that hook to help pivot you around to get your left leg inside his thigh.

Shoot your right leg up to your left and punch your right grip of his pants up toward the ceiling, dropping your left thigh to the mat.

Extend your hooks up and over and pull his hips down with your right hand. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll lift off the mat and fall between your legs.

With him in front of you, bring your legs over the top of his to get your hooks in and quickly lock in a seatbelt with your right arm over his shoulder and left arm under his left.

KEY POINTS

Starting off with him in your half guard, keep your knee in his solar plexus to maintain distance, and keep your arms to your side as a shield on his bicep to keep him from grabbing your lapels or get his arm around your head.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not predictable at all.

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ISSUE 18

For Issue 18 we chose this very unique sweep from Osvaldo Queixinho. Headlining this issue was none other than the Cobra himself, Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles and his dangerous takedowns.

LAPELOPLATA TO KNEE-ONBELLY SWEEP

The Lapeloplata is a relatively new technique that’s been around for a few years, but not often seen. It can take an opponent by surprise. Use of the lapel to control the opponent in various positions is the hallmark of this technique.

Starting from the De La Riva, your opponent manages to scoop your left leg out from around his forward leg.

With this motion, you let him have it and rotate your left leg inside his right leg while sitting up.

While sitting up, push off on his left leg to stretch him out and grab a hold of his left sleeve at the cuff with your right hand.

Scoot your hip out to your left side then pull his left arm toward you while kicking up with your left leg.

He’s going to roll to the mat headfirst, so maintain your grips and follow him to the mat.

You will end up in a position to move to knee-onbelly, pull his left arm to your right side and hold the position for the points!

KEY POINTS

At step three, when you grab his left arm, you’re not only keeping him from basing out when you go for the sweep, but you’re also controlling his hand so he can’t push down on your outstretched left leg in order for him to pass his leg over.

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Don’t laugh at the name, this works!

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ISSUE 19

Doesn’t seem like very long ago, and in fact, it wasn’t. But in case you missed it, Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu shows us plenty of no gi action, and this dangerous triangle choke is one to pull out of your arsenal the next time you see a turtle on the mat. Also in this issue is an article that you MUST read with Henry Akins showing you how to use your weight like never before!

TURTLE ATTACK TO BACK TO TRIANGLE CHOKE

This is a sequence of moves that Cyborg teaches to all the UFC fighters he trains. He’s anxious to see it get pulled off during a fight and awarded Submission of the Night.

Brett’s turtled up and Cyborg’s right hand is scooped around and controlling the inside of Brett’s right thigh. Cyborg’s weight isn’t on top of Brett, but off to his side using his shoulder to put pressure down. Cyborg keeps his weight off to the side to avoid getting rolled from the turtle.

Cyborg brings his left arm across the front of Brett to control his right arm at the wrist.

Cyborg brings his left knee up between Brett’s thigh and torso. Brett goes to block and Cyborg brings his right leg up and over to get his right hook in.

At the same time the hook is coming over, Cyborg uses his right hand to grab his own left wrist and rolls Brett over to his right side. When they land, both of Cyborg’s hooks are in and his right leg is already across Brett’s body.

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Cyborg keeps Brett’s right hand pressured against his own chest to help kill his movement, and as he does this, he passes his left leg over Brett’s left shoulder.

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With the leg right there, Cyborg lets go of his wrist with his right hand and passes it under to grab his left shin, just above the ankle.

Ah, remember this one like it was only a month ago.

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ISSUE 20

Now, using his two points of connection, control of the wrist and knee on the shoulder, Cyborg brings Brett over to the left side.

Take your pick! Besides these 20 stellar techniques, there are a ton of other great moves in this issue, and at least one of them is perfect for you. To quote our good friend Roberto Cyborg, “There’s no good or bad jiu-jitsu, there’s what works for you and what doesn’t.” So, try everything, see what works for you and then drill it to perfection!

As soon as they roll over, Cyborg steps his right foot on Brett’s hip and adjusts his left leg up tight. He locks down the triangle and locks his foot behind Brett’s back.

At this point, it’s likely that Brett would tap, but if he doesn’t, Cyborg keeps it going. With control of Brett via the triangle, he rolls over to his knees, bringing Brett with him.

Cyborg walks his arms to his right towards Brett’s legs and reaches for Brett’s right knee.

As soon as he grabs his leg, he makes Brett fall to his side. He grabs the ankle to pull up for a tap or he goes for the two-inone by choking him out along with the toehold.

KEY POINTS

If, for some reason, you really want to get the submission with the toe-hold rather than the choke, don’t pull too far back on that leg in the last step, otherwise he’ll go to sleep before you can get your toe-hold in. Ha Ha, it was!

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12/13/13 6:53 PM

:::::::::::::::MINDGAMES

The Process of Teaching Jiu-Jitsu:

STUDENT EDITION “Be a student as long as you have something to learn, and this will mean all your life” Henry Doherty

words: MATT CORLEY

| photos: STEFAN KOCEV (AOJ) | illustration: CHRIS HAUETER

F YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY READ PART 1 OF THIS SERIES, YOU MAY WANT TO GRAB THE BACK ISSUE AND LOOK THROUGH IT. The principles outlined in that article are intended primarily for an instructor, but will also be helpful to students. As we move from the instructor to the student, there is an obvious shift in perspective. Mind the teacher.

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Your main responsibility as the student is to yourself. If you’re reading this, it’s safe to assume that you want to get better and that you’re attending as many classes as you can. One quick tip that I got from Liam Wandi, the Part-Time Grappler, is don’t waste time. Seems obvious, but it happens everywhere. If you miss

just 10 minutes of drilling twice a week for a year, you’ve missed over 8½ hours of mat time and we all know that every little bit helps. So, it’s time to look at a few strategies that can help you make the most of your time on the mat and give you guidance on how to use your time most productively.

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MINDGAMES:::::::::::::::

BE THE DUMBEST GUY IN THE ROOM “The more he saw the less he spoke, the less he spoke, the more he heard” Urban legend has it that a CEO of a highly successful company was once asked how he built his empire. His answer? “Make sure that you’re the dumbest guy in the room.” In the business world, this is a wellknown anecdote. That’s great and all, but this is Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, so how do we apply this guiding principle to our lives as students of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and why would we want to? It all begins with an attitude change (and maybe a change in scenery). Don’t be afraid or ashamed to be the worst person in the room. If you want to get really good at something, train

with people who are better than you and who will push you to exceed your (self-imposed) limitations. A friend of mine competes in amateur strongman competitions. He’s roughly 80 kg (which is their smallest weight class), but decided to move up and compete with the big guys, 110 kg. He knew it would suck and that he probably wouldn’t win, but he wanted the challenge. Four months later, he’s stronger than he’s ever been, beating guys who outweigh him by 60 pounds and smashing through everything. All because he decided to be the worst (smallest) guy in the room.

You should be actively seeking the highest level of training, teaching and competition. Do you find yourself picking training partners that don’t challenge you? Are you only working on your “A” game? Are you content being the big fish in a small pond? We have to be willing to humble ourselves and move beyond our comfort zones. Make the conscious decision to roll with someone who WILL tap you. Expand your game and embrace the process of learning by tapping. Take a training trip, visit a nearby gym, compete, just do something so you’re not complacent with your lot in training.

BE LIKE BRUCE

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once. I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” If you put a heart monitor on a white belt and a purple belt and have them perform the exact same technique 20 times, you’ll see a few things. The obvious difference will be the speed and precision of the technique. What may not be so obvious is the effort that the white belt has to use to get the same result. This is a reason why almost every black belt emphasizes drilling; simply put, it makes you better.

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Movements that are repeated over a period of time can create longterm muscle memory, eventually allowing the movement to be repeated with little conscious effort. Without getting into the specifics of neural adaptations in the motor cortex, there are shortterm and long-term adaptations, which occur in the motor complex, new neural pathways are built, as well as physical changes. These adaptations allow the task to be performed more smoothly, efficiently and quickly.

They call me bruce.

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USE IT OR LOSE IT MAKING

You’ve spent a hundred hours to build the neurological network needed to move with catlike grace and efficiency. The next step is to continually add new techniques/ knowledge. The very act of learning makes it easier to learn new things. How easy is that? The more you challenge yourself to learn, the easier it is to add even more knowledge to your toolbox. The changes in your brain are physical, chemical and functional. Some changes are in the dendrites, the wiring of your brain. Improving the connections change

everything else. The connections are very responsive to stimuli, increasing as a direct result of use. Ideally, the new stimuli should be challenging, progressive, rewarding and surprising. Sound familiar?

Oh, and these adaptations have been linked to decreases in cerebrovascular disease, the slower the decline of mental acuity associated with aging and improvement of quality of life. For proof, look to the stories of BJJ red belts, still on the mats after half a century or more of training.

CONNECTIONS

A powerful learning tool is to make connections between things you want to remember and things that you already know. Avoid learning in a vacuum, i.e. without context. There are connections everywhere in jiu-jitsu. As you gain experience and knowledge, seeing those connections will be easier and easier for you to do. Recently, a training partner and I were working on an advanced spider guard sweep. We were both getting frustrated until he said, “It’s just a flower sweep, right?” and he was right. The light bulb went off. At that point, we both realized we already knew the last half of the technique and could focus solely on the set up. Everything got a lot easier.

WRAPPING

IT UP

I can sum up the previous 1,000 words in a few sentences. Don’t screw around, your time is precious and it should be used wisely. Seek challenging situations. Stop smashing the white belts and open up your game. Drill, a lot. If it’s good enough for Andre Galvao (and every other high level champion), it’s good enough for you. Everything has a context, you just need the experience and knowledge to find it.

I’m going to go with “use it.”

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ASK THE DOCTOR

BIO

DR. JOHN GELBER M.D. Doctor and founder of FightMedicine.net, MMA and Grappling’s #1 resource for injury, health, and fitness advice. Follow Dr Gelber on twitter @FightMedicine

Please note that this is not definitive medical advice and anyone reading should always speak directly to a physician with their specific medical needs. EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO FEEDBACK@JIUJITSUMAG.COM

My girlfriend won’t let me touch or kiss her after I roll. She’s afraid of catching something, I have to shower before she’ll even see me. Is her fear warranted? Many people worry about catching diseases from rolling or dirty equipment, especially Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aurues, or MRSA. Herpes Simplex Virus - 1, or HSV-1 (not the sexually transmitted virus) has also been reported in athletes in close contact. All of us are colonized with bacteria. In fact, bacteria is everywhere. Some of the bacteria in our body is good and helps it function. Other bacteria are bad and are held in check by our immune system and the environment created by our normal colonization of bacteria. When our immune system is compromised, or we take antibiotics, or we get cuts in our skin, the bacteria that are normally held in check, such as MRSA, can get a foothold and start growing and infecting us. The best way to avoid the spread of bacteria from one person to another during combat sports is to keep open

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wounds covered, so the bacteria don’t have a good access point into the body. In addition, good hygiene practices, including showering and washing with soap and hot water after all practices and competitions is a good routine to fall into. The sharing of towels, personal items, and equipment should be avoided if possible. Shaving can open up small cracks in the skin and should not be done close to training time. Also, make sure where you train performs routine cleaning of shared equipment and surfaces with a standard hospital disinfectant. So, while your girlfriend is unlikely to get an infection from simple touching and kissing, taking a shower may help you get farther with her, since no girl wants to touch a dirty, sweaty boyfriend!

Be sure to wash up.

12/13/13 11:27 AM

I’M STARTING TO DEVELOP A CAULIFLOWER EAR; SOME OF THE GUYS AT MY SCHOOL DRAIN THEIRS WITH NEEDLES. I’VE SEEN IT ON-LINE BEFORE. SHOULD I GO TO THE DOCTOR, OR DO IT MYSELF? Cauliflower ear can become a badge of honor for some grapplers. Brazilian youths have even been known to rub their ears with rocks to create cauliflower ears. The cause of a cauliflower ear is the build-up of blood between the tissue layers that forms clots and scar-tissue, leading to permanent deformity. Draining the blood can help prevent the build-up of blood (as can headgear!). However, drainage should not be done by just anyone. Anytime a needle

is stuck into the skin, there is a chance of infection, which is why the drainage should be done under strictly sterile conditions. Many people end up in emergency rooms across the country because they try and drain infections themselves, often making it worse. It’s best to seek out a qualified health professional. The inconvenience of not doing it yourself will be outweighed by the consequences of a severe infection if you are the unlucky person who gets one.

Sometimes when I roll, or do other strenuous activities, I’ll develop a splitting headache. Is this common? Should I be worried?

Rolling or other strenuous activities can raise your blood pressure, which can lead to exertional headaches from the extra pressure in the head. These usually go away once your heart rate and blood pressure settle back down. However, there are cases where headaches can be a warning sign of something more serious such as severe migraines, bleeding in the brain, or an aneurysm. Some “red flags” to be aware of: Abrupt, severe onset (“thunderclap” onset or the worse headache ever in your life) Loss of consciousness/confusion Stiff neck and sensitivity to light Change in how the headaches normally feel New headaches after age 50 Headaches associated with head/ neck trauma Associated muscle weakness Increasingly worse over several days Changes in personality or more irritability Seizures While headaches are often normal, seeing a doctor to rule out the serious stuff should always be done!

Yeah, should probably have that looked at.

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STRENGTH&CONDITION

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TURKISH GET UP words: DR. ETHAN KREISWIRTH,

“

PhD | photos: MIKE VELEZ

FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE” AND “FUNCTIONAL TRAINING” MAY BE THE HOTTEST BUZZ PHRASES USED IN STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TODAY. The term “functional exercise” is defined as a multi-joint, multi-planar movement that imitates a skill set of sport. The Turkish Get Up (TGU) is accurately considered one of those movements. If you’ve been training jiu-jitsu for a while, you’ve drilled the technical stand up technique. Originally designed by the Gracie family, the technical stand up was used to get up off the ground without turning your back on your attacker. The technical stand up technique can create enough space, distance and correct posture for a victim to properly defend him or herself when involved in an altercation. In addition, the stand up is widely used in many positions of sport jiu-jitsu. Because of the technical stand up’s broad use within BJJ, training for its position is essential.

Historically, the Turkish Get Up (TGU) was used by strong men and Turkish wrestlers as a lifting program designed to increase strength and flexibility for competition. Today, much more is understood about this complex movement. The TGU is a multi-faceted approach at development of intrinsic stability of primary stabilizers, comprehensive motor control, and strength. Because of the extensive positions of the TGU, its can be used as a prehabilitation, rehabilitation, and strength exercise. Breaking down the TGU to its initial movements, such as the “half get up” is a suitable alternative for rehabilitation

exercise for teaching scapular stability, in addition to core and hip activation. Reducing the entire TGU movement, to initially stabilizing the kettle bell away from the body, may be justification alone as a rehabilitation exercise. Developing the ability to stabilize the kettle bell prior to movement is an excellent tool to address scapulothoracic issues, such as early migration of scapula prior to actual shoulder movement. Additionally, stability of the glenohumural joint with the kettle bell provides great feedback proprioceptively that may address should strength insufficiencies. The preliminary position

of holding the kettle bell away from your body generates challenges of motor control throughout the upper kinetic chain. Once these baseline positions are achieved with moderate to heavy weight, the full TGU is considered. It is very important the full TGU is done with impeccable form. Creating poor posture in the presence of heavier weight allows for compensatory movement patterns. This poor movement quality may foster undesired injury risk, which is contradictory to the utility of the TGU.

Kettle Bell or Dumbbell?

As with many kettle bell exercises, the bell may be a better overall tool for challenging proprioception (nerve endings) and motor control. In contrast, the dumbbell is well balanced when in use and does not create the disproportionate weight distribution. Because of these contrasting qualities, the kettle bell may be an enhanced implement for one arm exercises, such as the TGU. Additionally, the kettle bell can be carried in a few different ways in comparison to the dumbbell, creating an increased difficulty, thus more need for motor control.

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Gitter Up!

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STRENGTH&CONDITION

POSITIONS OF THE TURKISH GET UP

There are many positions of the TGU. The sequence starts with lying on your side with a firm grip on the handle of the kettle bell.

With a strong grip and a neutral wrist position, the athlete is to roll onto his back with the bell on his stomach.

3 When ready, the athlete pushes the bell from his sternum with both hands still firmly gripping the bell. In this position, it is very important that the bell be firmly gripped with maintaining neutral wrist position. Additionally, both shoulders must be set in a packed position and not slumped. From the elbow position, the athlete will replace his elbow for his hand.

Once stability of the kettle bell is achieved, the athlete can let go with one hand, while controlling the shift of the bell.

With one leg straight and the other knee bent, the athlete will press the bell overhead while rolling up onto his opposing elbow.

With hips high, the athlete will bring his bottom leg underneath his hips and stabilize the position on his knee.

At this time, the athlete should maintain a linear line from his bottom hand through his shoulders to this opposite hand that is carrying the kettle bell. Once stability is accomplished in this position, the athlete will thrust his hip as high as possible.

From the half kneeling position, the athlete can straighten out his back leg to a lunge position and stand up.

This sequence is not complete until you do each step backwards to the floor. Once this is concluded, it is considered one repetition of the TGU.

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KEY POINTS

Looking at the bell, but not straining the neck through all motions Control of each movement, not speed. Weight should be enough to cause position imbalances, but not poor quality of movement.

DO’S AND DON’TS:

Try entire sequence with shoes on and no kettlebell prior to kettle bell for balance and position understanding. Do “half get up” sequence before “full get up” (Fig 1 through 7) Shoulder position is very important. Do not let shoulders slump. Cool looking gym.

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JJMSUCCESS:::::::::::::::::

Steve Kaiser

TEVE STARTED TRAINING BJJ IN 2009 WHEN A FRIEND INVITED HIM TO ATTEND A SEMINAR WITH ROYCE GRACIE IN DUBAI. He was immediately hooked. Soon after the seminar, Emirates Jiu Jitsu opened and he became one of the first white belts to join. Since then, jiu-jitsu has had a profound impact on Steve’s life. We’re happy to have him share his story with us and be able to congratulate him on his success thus far!

HOW DID YOU DISCOVER JIU-JITSU? A friend invited me to a Royce Gracie Seminar and I got hooked immediately.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU TRAIN? I train 3 to 4 times a week, I have a pretty busy schedule, but jiu-jitsu is a definite priority for me.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS? Core training (mini circuits) 3 times a week. It definitely helps with my jiu-jitsu and my overall health.

HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR DIET AND HOW? Totally. No sugar, low carbs, nothing after 6 or 7pm. I would call it Paleo, but I am not that strict. I am, however, very strict about sugar. I read labels and really watch the sugar. This includes fruit drinks, tropical fruits, cereals, and nothing white, no rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, etc.

WHAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE? Injuries, but not from jiu-jitsu. I had a heart attack and was also diagnosed with severe spinal stenosis. I did a Laminectomy L3 and L4 and back surgery is no joke. My only real jiu-jitsu injury was an AC shoulder separation which looks worse than it is, but recovery was a couple of months.

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WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR LIFE CHANGE? I look fantastic!!! If you can’t find any pictures of you for the last 4 years without a shirt then you need to change what you are doing, hahahaha. That’s a bit of joke, but trying to find before pictures that really told my story was difficult. I didn’t want photos taken. From the health side of things I feel so much better, amazing. People tell me my walk has changed and my whole posture has changed. I also find myself much calmer and more relaxed. You may not want to print this, but you can forget Viagra (we printed it). Getting in shape makes it all happen!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE LOOKING TO MAKE THE SAME TYPE OF CHANGES YOU HAVE?

the BJJ community gives. I know of no other sport where the support, respect, brotherhood, and camaraderie is taken to such a high level. In fact, I would put it in a class all its own. Now, here is the kicker. I got my purple belt 70 years after my Dad got his second degree black belt. American Jiu Jitsu, but in 1943 in Hawaii who’d even heard of Brazil?

SPECS

AGE: 60 HEIGHT: 5’9” STARTING WEIGHT: 137kg (302 lbs) CURRENT WEIGHT: 106kg (233 lbs) BELT RANK: Purple HOME TOWN: Dubai UAE HOME SCHOOL: Emirates Jiu Jitsu Center/Team Nogueira Dubai INSTRUCTOR: Rafael Haubert

Never give up. I was living in pain before jiu-jitsu. Shoulders, knees, hands - and I can tell you the first year was hell. It really did not get better for almost 18 months and thank God for Naproxen (anti-inflammatory)! But it did get better and it was completely worth it. I rolled this morning with black belts and got killed and then finished white belts and I was the killer! You just can’t beat that feeling, so my goal is black belt at 66. I think the most important thing that keeps reoccurring is the never-ending support

A little TMI, but good to know.

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