46 July 2016

Don’t Slip – Fuel Your Next Workout On Bananas!

THE KING RETURNS! Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida Returns to Take Back the Crown Invite Only The Rise of the Invitational 5 Tips For Wrestlers That Roll

Go With It

No-Gi Flow With

Geo Martinez

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July 2016 Issue 46

6 Ways To Excite Your Training

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contents Life

008 E d i to r i a l

I SS U E 4 6 J U LY 2 016

084 Ge ar L ab ❖❖ Senso Yuki Gi

fuel

mind

6 Ways To Get More

❖❖ Scramble Ranked Rashguards

026 Grub

Let the Hard Times Roll

❖❖ Kanji Premium Belts

We’re Bananas for Bananas

010 W e i g hi n g I n

100 E ven t Coverage

030 Grub Recipes

New Gear and News

BJJ Tour Texas

Power Pancakes

024 p ro m ot i o n s

110 E ven t Coverage

Belts and Stripes

2016 IBJJF World Championships

036 W ho I s ?

Bong Abad

body

skills

122 success Sarah Cunningham Beauty and Brawn

Wrestling Sprawls

106 Medic

White Belt Chronicles

Breaking Down Buchecha’s Game

A Grapplers Guide to

042 T he L i fe

072 Ge o’s N o- G i Flow

Anti-Inflamatories

The Rise of Invitationals

Geo Martinez Goes With the Flow

046 T he L i fe

092 Brow n Be lt Moves

5 Tips for Wrestlers in Jiu-Jitsu

From Your Rolls

032 Warm-up

052 Cove r F e ature

038 T he L i fe

102 Mind gam e s

Up and Comming Brown Belt Rolando Sampson shares his story and a few moves

Meet The Experts M at t he w corley

W il l safford

Marshal D. Carper

patrick flores

Jeremy Reid M.S.ED, CSCS, CISSN

Is a blue belt and

Certified Strength and

Is a brown belt under

Is currently a jiu-jitsu

Jeremy is a nutritionist

Registered Pharmacist

Conditioning Coach

Sonny Achille. In addition

purple belt under Gracie

and strength coach who

and clinical phramacy

who trains under Andre

to owning Artechoke

Barra’s Rafael “Moskito”

works with MMA and

manager who trains

Galvao in San Diego,

Media, Marshal is

Oliveira. He has a

jiu-jitsu champions. He

under Ezra Lenon. The

CA. Will specializes

the author of books

bachelors degree in

obtained his master’s

best way to keep up with

in mobility training,

like The Cauliflower

history and is currently

degree in exercise

his articles and reviews

injury prevention, and

Chronicles and Marcelo

working on an MBA. His

physiology from Baylor

is at facebook.com/

kettlebell strength and

Garcia’s Advanced

jiu-jitsu photography can

University. He is a

mappingmybjjJourney

conditioning. For more

Jiu-Jitsu Techniques.

be seen on Instagram

brown belt under Robert

info visit his website at

His latest project is

under the name

Drysdale.

ironwillathletics.com

whitebeltproblems.

patjflores

com, a free open-source resource devoted to making jiu-jitsu more accessible for beginners.

Contents 46.indd 1

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ON THE COVER Look for us online: @jiujitsumag

036

Who Is?

046

The Life

072

Skills

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Comics and jiu-jitsu come together for Bong Abad

The King - Buchecha wins double-gold for a record breaking 4th time.

52

5 Tips for Wrestlers Transitioning into Jiu-Jitsu

Flow Like Geo

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editorial

LET THE HARD TIMES

Roll!

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If you were asked, “Would you want an easy life?”, what would you answer?

I think a common reply would be, “Sure”. However, if you thought about it a little longer you’d probably rethink that answer. Would you really want everything to be easy? I can’t answer for everyone but for me personally, I think my answer would be no. Sure, I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor, but I don’t think that reward would taste as sweet if the path was an easy one. Imagine your jiu-jitsu training and from the first day everything came easy to you. You never had to tap, you never had to deal with an injury, and you submitted everyone you rolled against. I can say with absolute certainty this is not the path I’d want to take. It feels good when you have a “good” day at the academy, you don’t get submitted, you challenge some tough competitors, and you accomplish everything you set out to achieve for the day. Then there are those days when you get your ass kicked. Your palms are tired from tapping so much, stuff that usually works doesn’t, when all is done you’re sitting there wondering what happened. I’ve learned over the years that these are “great” days. These are the days that test you, that cause you to ask the hard questions of yourself that make you better. These are the days that when you look back after a promotion, or some other day of significance that make the achievement that much more rewarding. I’m writing this a couple days after Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida won his weight and the Absolute division for the fourth time at the IBJJF World Championship. Only the great Roger Gracie has come close to this feat by winning it three times. Buchecha did this after coming back from a potentially career ending knee injury at last year’s World Championships. After the absolute win, Buchecha was flush with emotion. If things had been easy, he wouldn’t have been able to summon that type of deep emotion. Instead, it was the obstacles of that journey, the blood, sweat, and tears of the last year and all the hard work before it that has forged this champion. The next time you come across an obstacle, don’t let it hold you back, don’t let it sidetrack you from your goals. Use it. Use it to make that end result that much better and rewarding. If you agree with me then I have a challenge for you. When you, yes, when, not if, when you earn your black belt, or any promotion and your instructor asks you if you’d like to say a few words I’d like you to relay this message. It’s those difficul times that make us stronger and better off for having gone through them.

EDITORIAL STA FF EDITOR & PUBLISHER.............................................. Mike Velez ASSOCIATE EDITOR................................................... Deb Blyth ASSISTANT EDITOR............................................ Patrick Flores MANAGING EDITOR................................................Areum Kim CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS.................................... Matt Corley, Will Sanford, Marshal Carper, MacKenzie Arrington, Eran Galperin, Reed Shelger

ART & PHOTOGR A P H Y ART DIRECTOR................................................. Dave Palacios CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS............Jason Boulanger, John Cooper, Kenny Jewel, Patrick Flores, Mike Calimbas, Alberto Marchetti, Ric Ricard

PRODUCTION & ADV E RT IS ING PRODUCTION DIRECTOR................................ Paula Fountain ADVERTISING SALES...........................Mike Velez, Deb Blyth CIRCULATION MANAGER................................ Tom Ferruggia

Address change & S UB S Phone: 1.877.834.3552 ext. 227 Web: jiujitsumag.com

ADVERTISING & SALE S 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/INTERNAT IO NA L NEWSSTAND DISTR IB UT ION The Curtis Circulation Company

Jiu-Jitsu Magazine (ISSN 2157-6173) is a publication of Recon Media Inc. Phone: 877.834.3552; Fax: 909.517.1601 email: subs@jiujitsumag.com.

Have you had some pretty tough obstacles to overcome in your journey? If so, I’d love to hear from you. We’ll pick out some of the most inspiring ones to share with our readers. Drop me an email at the address below and put “Obstacles” in the subject line. Thanks.

Subscription rates are $39.99 for 12 issues (1 year), $59.99 per year Canada, and $99.99 per year for foreign airmail. All rights reserved, The entire contents are copyright 2016 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

Keep Rolling,

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

Mike Velez Publisher/Editor MikeV@jiujitsumag.com

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 (ISSN2157-6173) is published monthly by Recon Media Inc., 3857 Schaefer Avenue # D, Chino, CA 91710. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to iu-Jitsu Magazine, PO Box 2405, Chino hill, CA 91709

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TRAIN FOR LIFE Caio Terra 10 Time World Champion www.facebook.com/GamenessFightwear @GamenessFightCo www.gameness.com Caio Gameness.indd 1

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weighing in

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IT CAME AS A SURPRISE TO ALMOST EVERYONE, FOLLOWING HIS FINALS MATCH AT THE 2016 IBJJF WORLDS AGAINST LEANDRO LO, WHEN ROMULO BARRAL ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT. AFTER FIVE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, AN ADCC CHAMPIONSHIP, AND NUMEROUS MEDALS, THE IBJJF HALL OF FAMER IS HANGING UP HIS COMPETITION GI. In a very emotional moment following his finals match with Lo, Romulo removed his black belt and tied it around Leandro. Barral’s jiu-jitsu is being passed down to his students at Gracie Barra Northridge whom include standouts Edwin Najmi and Gabriel Arges.

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011

W a r

i s

HELIUM

No, these gis aren’t bulletproof, but the same lightweight durable fabric that is known to absorb bullet impacts are used in War Tribe’s new Helium Gis. This ultra lightweight gis are roughly 3lbs and utilize 70% cotton and 30% Kevlar blend. War Tribe had the Helium Gi independently tested for strength . Jackets were measured for its strength horizontally as well as vertically, and the Helium consistently demonstrated more than double the load capacity before breaking than two other leading gi brands.

When tested for abrasion resistance, there too, the Helium outclassed the competition by a wide margin. The Helium is available in two unique colors, gray which is 330GSM, while the green is 308GSM. Both versions sport 10 ounce cotton rip stop pants. Either version will run you $189.99, which considering the material durability seems like a bargain. wartribegear.com

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weighing in IBJJF GOES EBI? With PPV style jiu-jitsu tournaments gaining popularity, the IBJJF has decided to hold one of their own. Taking place in July with $50,000 in cash prizes available, the IBJJF Pro League GP 2016 is an eight-man tournament that will take place on July 9th. The winner will go home with $40,000 and $10,000 for the runner up. The full line up has yet to be determined but notable competitors include Marcus Buchecha, Xande Ribeiro, and Joao Rocha. The event will be held at the UFC Fan Expo the same weekend as UFC Fight Night: Dos Anjos vs. Alvarez and UFC 200: Cormier vs. Jones 2 July 7th through 10th.

Ibjjf.org

The Future of Jiu-Jitsu?

Recently, Rickson Gracie, Pedro Sauer, and Ryron and Rener Gracie sat down to discuss the balance between different aspects of jiu-jitsu. With the growth of sport-based jiu-jitsu, the group feels that jiu-jitsu is losing its identity as a self-defense system. As a result, the following changes will be implemented into the Gracie Academy System.

1 – Creation of a “Gracie Combatives” Belt: Graduates of the Gracie Combatives course will receive a white belt with a navy blue stripe running through its center. It’s a symbol of their foundational self-defense proficiency.

2 – Sparing Required Before Blue Belt: Upon earning their “Gracie Combatives” Belt, students will be required to spar with opponents in the Master Cycle. Sparring was previously reserved for students blue belt and above.

3 – No More “Online Blue Belts”: The “Gracie Combatives” Belt is now the only belt that can be earned online. All other belts must be earned via hands-on live sparring evaluation at an authorized training center.

Is It a Bag or a Pack?

Check out this new backpack from Manto that converts into a duffle bag The bag is called the “Champ” and is equipped with media pockets to hold your everyday gear and a large compartment to hold your jiu-jitsu gi. It’s expandable to allow a second gi if needed. Made of a durable polyester fabric, the bag is also machine washable. When you need to, the backpack handles tuck away into its own compartment, and the bag can be used as a travel duffle eat for day trips or the academy.

Also new from Manto is The Rooster, a lightweight gi with some unique red trim. The X2 is Manto’s everyday gi. It’s the perfect blend of breathability and durability for daily training. Manto’s Altia 2.0 rashguard integrates man and machine (not literally, but maybe?). The Voodoo spats use sublimated graphics to make sure that the unique artwork on the spats don’t peel off.

Look for reviews on some of these items in future issues; until then, go to their website for more details. mantousa.com

For more information, check out the video of the discussion on YouTube and www.JJGF.com for information about Rickson’s JiuJitsu Global Federation.

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weighing in Sonnon Goes Underground Even when he’s not fighting, Chael Sonnon still pops up in the news every couple of months. This time it’s promoting a new grappling PPV event called Submission Underground that’s presented by FloSports. The event will take place in Portland, Oregon on July 17th (the same day as Metamoris 7). Submission Underground will have similar rules to the EBI; however, it will reportedly be held in a cage. Many notable MMA stars will test their grappling at this event which will hopefully be an entertaining show.

Full Main Card: ❖❖ Jake ❖❖ King

Shields vs. Benson Henderson Mo Lawal vs. Vinny Magalhaes

❖❖ Kenny

Florian vs. Filipe Braga Costa Rodriguez vs. Fabiano Scherner ❖❖ Jens Pulver vs. Nathan Orchard ❖❖ Ricco

The entire event will be broadcasted live on FloCombat. If you have a subscription to FloGrappling, you’ll have to upgrade to an annual account to see it. flocombat.com

NEW HALL OF FAMERS! During the 2016 IBJJF Awards, four new members were inducted into the IBJJF Hall of Fame. Carlos Gracie Jr., Romero Cavalcanti, Carlson Gracie, and Rolls Gracie. These inductees mark the first who have been inducted for their accomplishments in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu outside of competition. Previously, the only inductees were those who achieved four world titles. Congratulations to the new members of the IBJJF Hall of Fame!

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Scramble’s

New Color

Scramble’s popular gi, the Athlete 2, was previously available only in white and blue. By popular demand, they’re proud to announce the release of a navy version! The minimalist’s dream, the Standard Issue, will soon be available in black along with original white. You can count on Scramble to provide you with the best jiu-jitsu products with unique styling. scramblestuff.com

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weighing in Absolutely

CLEAN! One day at the office, we were talking

white gis had turned an odd shade of yellow

completely odor free, even after warm

about ideas for articles and the idea of

in the shoulders and around the collar

ups. There are two formulas, one for white

gi care and cleaning came up. Then the

despite the fact that we washed them after

gis, and one for colors. Neither formula

discussion came to how we clean our gis,

every roll. These were all problems we all

contains bleach, perfumes, dyes, artificial

how we wash them, and what we use to

shared. So we thought, “Why don’t we come

brighteners or phosphates. Both come with

wash them with. None of us really had

up with a detergent designed specifically

a 100% Money Back Guarantee and each

that “must use” detergent. The consensus

for gis?” We found a really, really smart

sell for $14.99, plus shipping, for a 1.95lb

around here was they all of them did a so-

chemist and went to work, and almost

bag- enough to wash 36 gis. Although each

so job. Nothing really blew us away. The

eight months later here it is – Absolute

formula was designed to be the absolute

common complaints were that even when

Natural Fiber Laundry Detergent. The only

best on gis, they work on rashguards also.

a gi smelled clean in the bag, on the way

detergent we know of that is formulated

For a limited time, you can pick up a combo

to the academy the odor would come back

from scratch especially for gis. We’re all very

pack at a pretty good discount and free

as soon as we got warmed up. Or some

excited about it. We’ve been testing the

shipping. Check out the website for more

gis would develop a stink that seemed

final formulation for a few months now and

details.

impossible to ever get rid of. Some of our

we’ve yet to come across a gi that wasn’t

absoluteathleticcare.com

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A Pre-Workout Made for Grapplers

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WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO EDUCATE OUR READERS ON NOT JUST THE ART OF JIU-JITSU ITSELF BUT ON ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF OUR LIFE, HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING THAT GO INTO OUR JIU-JITSU. ONE WAY OF DOING THIS IS THROUGH RESEARCHING AND WRITING ABOUT DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS THAT CAN HELP EDUCATE OUR READERS. Nobody wants to waste money on something with questionable or no results. So when you see a supplement, or any product for that matter, written within these pages, we have done our homework and found that it has value for most grapplers. In the world of nutrition supplementation, much of the attention goes to the bodybuilding segment. As a whole, body builders spend a ton of money on supplementation. This means that most of the supplement companies focus their energies and efforts on this market. What’s designed

000

for the body builder is usually not what’s best for the grappler. Our needs are different - the demands we put on our bodies and minds are unique compared to other athletic endeavors.

One company that has been paying attention to the grappling and jiu-jitsu athlete and their unique demands is Xyience. You might have seen Xyience as a sponsor of the UFC. Along with sports drinks, Xyience has launched a line-up of supplements - ALL of which are designed for many of the demands that we put on our bodies, both for performance and recovery. Recently we sat down with Danny Kaczmarek, the CSO (Chief Science Officer) at Xyience Sports Nutrition. We ended up talking about sports nutrition and supplementation for over an hour. Much of the content he shared we plan on giving to you over the next couple issues. This month, we’ve gathered some excerpts from the interview focusing on a common supplement, pre-workout.

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weighing in JJM: What differentiates Xyience from other

you need to counter-effect that process which is

supplements that are out there?

what we’ve done in our pre-workout product. Yes,

Danny: First off, the raw materials. Our goal

it contains caffeine, but not enough to overload

was to develop products that are synergistic

the body and tax your adrenal system. It’s

and include select clinically proven ingredients.

enough to get you through your roll or workout,

The ingredients in our Xyience product line

keep you focused, give you energy, and when

were meticulously chosen for best possible

combined with the other nutrients in the formula,

efficacy and results and are sourced from

it can get your blood flowing extremely well.

highly respected suppliers with whom we have cultivated strong relationships with over the

JJM: Why is that especially good for grapplers?

years. Some of these ingredients are patented

Danny: When you’re training, regardless of the

and relatively expensive; therefore you will not

type of training, there are three primary energy

see many products in the marketplace that

systems being used by the body. I call them

include them.

metabolic gears. One gear is called ATP-PC, or adenosine triphosphate phosphocreatine system.

JJM: What’s the biggest problem with some of

Two and three are anaerobic or lactic acid energy

the common supplements out there right now,

system (without oxygen) and the aerobic system

like let’s say pre-workouts?

(with oxygen). When you roll you’re using all

Danny: In our opinion, it’s overstimulation. Many

three, but the dominant system or gear will

companies focus on stimulants and synthetic

depend on the type of training you’re engaged in.

materials to keep their cost down. We chose not

If you look at jiu-jitsu and you look at grappling, it is incredibly exhausting. When you look at the

to go that route. First, when you overstress your adrenal system on a consistent basis, you can

high cellular recognition of nutrients. We wanted

energy systems, you’re bouncing back and forth

start to experience adrenal fatigue. I have gone

clean burning and easily utilized nutrients, not

a lot between gear two and three, between using

through this twice in my life – it was extremely

a bunch of synthetic material that can make it

oxygen and using lactic when you’re grappling.

challenging because you feel like you have zero

hard on the body to recognize and absorb. Our

It just depends when you flow and when you

energy. When you’ve drained yourself that low,

product contains some whole food nutrients with

go. If you’re going to choke someone out, you’re

you cannot continue to consume caffeine or

the right vibrational frequencies (electromagnetic

going to push lactic. When you’re just flowing and

other stimulant products because it makes your

energy) that allows for easy synergism,

rolling, you’re using oxygen (aerobic) for the most

situation worse.

absorption, and effectiveness of the nutrient

part. You’re going back and forth between those

profile being consumed. Another factor is we do

two gears. You should have an understanding

Second, since the adrenals are responsible

not include mega doses of caffeine; each serving

of these gears when you formulate products

for so many metabolic processes, when they

contains only 150 mgs sourced from a natural

because you’re feeding energy substrates into

become exhausted we suffer in many areas

green coffee bean extract. The thing about

your body, and those energy substrates have

such as, disturbed sleep, digestive issues,

caffeine that people need to understand is when

to be absorbed, and then burned by the energy

inflammatory issues, blood sugar imbalances,

you ingest any type of stimulant, it’s going to

systems that are utilizing that absorbed energy

and neurotransmitter dysfunction in the brain.

release stored glucose. Glucose is released from

for whatever type of training you are engaged in.

There are pre-workouts in the market that

the body to be burned for energy because that’s

overstimulate which lead to crashing our glucose

what the adrenals are called upon to do when

There are times when, let’s say there’s 30

levels because of burning out the adrenals. This

you take in caffeine. It gets your epinephrine, or

seconds left, you’re down in points and it’s 100%

can cause our sugars to go all over the place and

norepinephrine (adrenaline groups), released. This

sustained. Similar to sprinting, you’re usually in

become unstable which can lead to an increase

frees up fatty acids and frees up stored glucose

the lactic acid energy system, but that’s an all-

in insulin resistance. The neurotransmitters in

that’s located in muscle tissues and the liver to

out burst. There are different types of training

your brain are also being burned out, and this

burn up for energy purposes. This is why we

at different times of being under tension that will

has to do with serotonin and dopamine levels.

get an insulin spike to lower blood sugar that is

predicate what gear you’re in. We developed the

Stimulants are burners - too many stimulants

released when you take in stimulants. Even if

pre-workout to work with all three gears; your

and you burn through systems that can become

there’s no sugar in the stimulant itself, you’re still

ATP, your anaerobic and your aerobic gears. You

over taxed and exhausted creating minor and/or

releasing stored glucose into your bloodstream

can take it for any type of workout. It does lean

major dysfunctions.

and that triggers your insulin response. With

a little bit more toward the lactic acid gear, but

this happening, you can get a little bit of a

athletes tend to go back and forth between lactic

JJM: So how does the Xyience Pre-Workout

rush, a little bit of energy, a little bit of focus for

acid energy system and the aerobic system,

differ from other products on the market?

when you train. However, you have to counter-

which makes it ideal for jiu-jitsu, wrestling, MMA,

Danny: First, I would say the patented and

effect this process with other nutrients as well

and other combat sports.

clinically proven raw materials. They are highly

to help the adrenals recover and to help the

bioavailable making them easier to absorb and

neurotransmitters in the brain recover since the

JJM: What’s the difference between the Men’s

assimilate through the complicated digestive

caffeine is burning them up. When you’re burning

and Women’s formulas?

process. I call this cell receptor site affini

on the adrenals, neurotransmitters, and glucose,

Danny: A few things. In the men, there’s 150 mgs

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or

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weighing In of caffeine. In the women’s, there’s 100 mgs.

figuratively call them the three sisters. One

Danny: Of course, any time. I’m really excited

Also, there is a patented creatine product in the

strong, one somewhat strong, and one weak.

about our launch into Jiu-Jitsu Magazine. Jiu-jitsu

men’s which is Kre-Alkalyn and is produced by All

These metabolites of estrogen also known

is one of the hardest, most exhausting things

American Pharmaceutical in their state-of-the-art

as Xenoestrogens that get caught up in the

I’ve ever done. I really think our products will give

facility. Dr. Jeff Golini, the owner of the company,

liver can have toxic effects on tissues. They

jiu-jitsu athletes help in their performance and

developed this product. During my recent visit

can also be caught up in men so it’s actually a

recovery and I look forward to receiving feedback

to their facility he described how he formulated

unisex nutrient. This toxic buildup can cause all

from the athletes.

it and was able to change the pH to increase the

kinds of inflammation, hormonal dysfunction,

utilization and absorption factor of the molecule.

imbalance, and disarray in women’s bodies. With

It’s the only creatine on the market that actually

this product, we put 100 mgs in the pre and the

can help increase V02 max, as almost all other

post workout for the ladies to help them clear

creatines do not increase your VO2 max or the

out any possible excess estrogens that can be

amount of maximum oxygen uptake in your

stored in their tissues and especially in their liver.

blood stream. It’s truly an amazing product, so we

It has a detoxification component and a very high

included it in our men’s formula.

antioxidant component. Female athletes seem to

Number three, in the women’s formula, there is

respond really well to it. Whenever they balance

a cruciferous vegetable extract from broccoli,

out their estrogen levels, they feel it (whether

kale, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, and

they’re conscious of it or not).

this is called DIM, or Diindolylmethane. This molecule has been clinically proven to bind

JJM: Wow Danny that is a ton of useable

to excess metabolized estrogens in the body.

information on the pre-workout. We’ll

There are three types of estrogens in the body:

definitely go in depth on the other products in

estradiol, estrone and estriol, and you can

future issues. Thanks for the time.

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promotions

CAMP PENDLETON School: Camp Pendleton Grappling Club Location: Camp Pendleton, California

FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA, TO THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI, THE MARINES FIGHT OUR NATION’S BATTLES EVERYWHERE THEY GO. AT CAMP PENDLETON IN CALIFORNIA, A GROUP HAS ESTABLISHED THE CAMP PENDLETON GRAPPLING CLUB AS A WAY FOR MARINES AND SAILORS TO TRAIN BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU OR OTHER FORMS OF GRAPPLING ON BASE FOR FREE. The group is about 30 members strong, train regularly, and are from various academies from all over the world!

Julius Weyman

Kennith Jackson

Michael DeJesus

School: Buckhead Jiu-Jitsu Location: Atlanta, Georgia

School: Buckhead Jiu-Jitsu Location: Atlanta, Georgia

School: Raul Castillo Martial Arts Location: San Bruno, CA

Big congrats to Julius for receiving his blue belt from his instructor Sam Joseph at Buckhead Jiu-Jitsu! Sam’s a regular around here. Keep sharing your wisdom!

Congrats to Kennith for earning his blue belt from Sam Joseph at Buckhead JiuJitsu.

Congratulations to Mike (left) who received his brown belt from Adam Piccolotti (right) after six and a half years of training! Keep it up Mike!

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Anderson Welch School: Rilion Gracie Academy Location: Pensacola, Florida Seven year old Anderson received his gray/black belt from his instructor Rafael Coelho. May marks the one year mark for Anderson’s jiu-jitsu journey. Keep it up!

Curt Malin and Andrew Gummer

Eric and Rudy Espinoza

School: Method BJJ Location: Edmonton, Canada

School: Redline BJJ and MMA Location: Salinas, CA

Professor Eduardo Telles took his first trip to his new Canadian Team 99 affil te. He taught some classes, ran some seminars, and awarded Curt and Andrew their first degrees on their black belts.

Many brothers seem to train and compete in our sport. This issue we bring to you the Espinoza brothers who were recently promoted to the rank of purple belt. You can catch them at Pans and various local tournaments. Good job guys!

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grub

THE BENEFIT OF BANANAS WORDS: WILL SAFFORD

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SOME OF US EAT BANANAS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY TASTE GOOD AND ARE AN EASY SNACK WHEN WE’RE ON THE GO. MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOWEVER, BANANAS HAVE A LIST OF HEALTHY BENEFITS AND ARE A GOOD OPTION FOR ATHLETES, INCLUDING JIU-JITSU PLAYERS. What may have once been a casual choice at that grocery store now may become a staple for your diet and performance nutrition. Let’s take a look at some of the health benefits, types, and ways to enjoy bananas.

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Health Benefits Mainly consisting of water and carbohydrates, bananas contain powerful antioxidants, essential vitamins, and a good amount of dietary fiber. Basically, bananas are packed with nutrients. From potassium, magnesium, and copper, to Vitamins C, B6, and manganese,

just one medium sized banana will provide you with a healthy dose of your recommended daily vitamins. Add to that about 25 grams of carbs and three grams of fiber, and you’ve got a healthy snack that will provide some quick fuel while promoting digestion and regularity.

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Banana Tips ❖❖ If you put a banana in the

refrigerator the peel will turn dark brown or even black; however, this won’t affect the ripeness of the actual fruit inside. ❖❖ Breaking a bunch of bananas apart while they’re still green will help keep them from being damaged if you break them apart after they’ve become ripe. ❖❖ Wrapping the banana stems tightly with plastic wrap will help them to ripen more slowly and keep longer.

Ripe Vs. Green Speaking of carbs and fiber, depending on how ripe the banana is will dictate how much of each element you’ll receive.

When a banana is still green, or unripe, there is more resistant starch, a form of carbohydrate that our stomach cannot

GREEN

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break down. Resistant starch instead passes through to our large intestine, where it feeds the good bacteria in our gut. This type of bacteria helps break down food as it passes through and aids in the digestive process. Alternatively, ripe,

YELLOW

or yellow, bananas contain less resistant starch and more sugar. This means they are easier to digest by the stomach and will provide some fast fuel for energy in the form of glucose, fructose, and sucrose.

RIPE

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For Performance

So, what does this mean for performance?

Eating a ripe banana before you train will provide some fast carbs that will break down quickly and go right to where you need themyour muscles. An unripe banana will help you feel fuller longer but will have less benefit on your carbohydrate supply. If you’re insulin sensitive, unripe bananas are the way to go.

Banana Facts

❖❖ A recent study by the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation found

After training, bananas will provide the necessary carbs to refuel your muscles and essential vitamins to help the recovery process. There has also been research to show the potassium from bananas helps with muscle cramping and post-workout soreness.

In other words, bananas are like nature’s preworkout bar. Unless you experience bloating or difficul processing bananas, they are a smart choice for a pre and post workout snack.

that the smell of bananas can trick your brain into thinking that you’ve actually eaten one. ❖❖ Bananas are cheap! Bananas are usually the least expensive fruit in any market.

In fact you can often find them at Trader Joe’s stores for about 19¢ a piece. ❖❖ A banana gi? In Japan, the fiber from the banana plant is used to make fabric and paper. ❖❖ The average American eats 28 pounds of bananas each year. ❖❖ Bananas are great for an upset stomach. If you have kids, then you know that when things get a little messy, bananas can be a great binder to “firm” things up. That’s because they’re very easy to digest and are considered non-irritating for the stomach and upper gastric intestinal tract. ❖❖ Rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito or other bug bite can help relieve it from itching and reduce inflammation. It also is known to help with poison ivy exposure. ❖❖ Bananas are high in magnesium which can help improve your mood. Low levels of magnesium are linked to anxiety, depression, and other

Ways to Enjoy Bananas One of the best things about bananas is how easy they are to eat. You can pack them in your bag, eat them on the go, or have one any time you need a healthy snack. Another way to enjoy more bananas is to add them to smoothies. If adding to a fruit smoothie, just be careful of your sugar intake. It’s easy to overload on the sweet stuff when you cram a mix of different fruits into a blender. If you’re making a green

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smoothie, a ripe banana is a good way to sweeten up your healthy shake. You can also add bananas to your morning cereal or yogurt or over a Brazilian favorite- acai. To have a healthy mix of carbs, protein, and fat, cut up a banana and enjoy it with some peanut or almond butter and honey. Regardless of how you get them down, bananas are a great source of nutrition and fuel for any jiu-jitsu player.

mood disorders. They also are the only fruit that contains the amino acid tryptophan, that along with B6, help produce serotonin, another natural way to fight depression. ❖❖ You can hasten the ripening processes by placing your bananas in a paper bag along with an uncut and unpeeled apple, pear, or tomato. The ethylene gas emitted by those fruits speeds up the ripening process.

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grub Recipe

POWER PANCAKES Ingredients 1 Cup Bisquick Original Mix, 1 Egg, 1 Scoop (35g) Venum Nutrition Whey Chocolate 3/4 Cup Milk, ¼ Rolled Oats (optional) Makes about 12 small or 6 large pancakes

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A GREAT WAY TO START THE DAY IS WITH A HEARTY BREAKFAST. PART OF A HEARTY BREAKFAST IS PROTEIN. THIS IS A QUICK AND EASY RECIPE THAT’S EASY ENOUGH TO MAKE ON THE WEEKDAYS BEFORE WORK AND DELICIOUS ENOUGH THAT EVEN THE KIDS WILL ENJOY IT ON THE WEEKENDS. YOU ONLY NEED A FEW INGREDIENTS AND ABOUT 10 MINUTES.

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Directions Mix all the ingredients together using a bowl and whisk or blender. You can grease your skillet with coconut oil if you’re really feeling trendy or healthy, but basically whatever you would normally use to grease your skillet is fine. Go with a low to medium heat.

If you want to up the hearty factor, throw in that ¼ cup of rolled oats.

Now, pour your batter over the preheated skillet to the desired size.

Once you see bubbles form and begin to pop, flip the pancake over.

As soon as the pancake is cooked, remove from the skillet and repeat until you’re out of batter.

Stack and serve!

Substitute table syrup for agave nectar. It’s very sweet so you won’t need a lot and it has a muchlower glycemic load than regular syrup. Feel free to throw on some berries or bananas as well! You’re going to be surprised how good these taste!

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warm up

SPRAWLS WORDS: WILL SAFFORD

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THE SPRAWL IS A DEFENSIVE WRESTLING TECHNIQUE THAT’S USED WHEN AN OPPONENT SHOOTS IN TOWARDS OUR LEGS FOR A TAKEDOWN. WHEN DONE PROPERLY, WE LAND WITH OUR HIPS ON OUR OPPONENT’S UPPER BACK AND OUR LEGS SPRAWLED OUT BEHIND US. The downward pressure of our hips helps prevent the takedown. It’s a great drill to practice for use in live sparring and competition but can also be used to warm up and work technique at the same time. When using as a warm-up drill, start slowly with precise technique then build up speed, aiming to maintain proper technique while increasing the heart rate and warming up the body.

STEP 4

Quickly pop back up to your takedown stance, aiming to land with stability with your hands up ready for the next sprawl.

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STEP 1

Start in a low takedown stance with one leg forward as if you were starting a match. For this article we’ll start with the left leg forward, but as you warm up, try switching your stance to develop technique on both sides of the body.

STEP 5

Continue to perform sprawls with your left leg forward, building speed and quickness with each rep.

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STEP 2

Begin the sprawl by lowering your hips as you shoot both of your legs back behind you. Have your hands up in front of you, ready to catch yourself as you hit the mat.

STEP 3

As you land with your hips on the mat, your left leg, or lead leg, should be straight back and your left hip driving into the mat. The top of your left foot should be on the ground, not on your toes. Your right leg should be out to the side for base and stability with your toes on the mat. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders and your chest is up.

STEP 6

After you’ve done a few reps on one side, switch your lead leg and continue to work your sprawls on the opposite side.

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PRESCRIPTION Use sprawls as a drill to warm up and work technique before any jiujitsu session. For your first set, start with five sprawls with your dominant leg forward, then five with your opposite leg forward, working slowly but precisely.

In your next set, do ten sprawls on each side trying to move quickly and sharply through each rep.

To make the warm-up more challenging, try adding a push-up at the bottom of your sprawl. This won’t help with technique, but will certainly warm up the chest and arms before training.

You can also circle when you pop up from a sprawl to add in some footwork.

In the case of your left leg forward, as you pop up from the bottom of the sprawl, circle to your right before you descend into your next sprawl. Be sure to practice on both sides.

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who is?

WHO IS:

BONG ABAD When a love for jiu-jitsu and comic books meet WORDS: STAFF

How old were you when you first discove ed you had a knack for drawing?

WHEN YOU HEAR THE NAME BONG ABAD YOU MIGHT THINK MAYBE IT’S SOME METAL BAND, OR MAYBE A REGGAE ACT. BUT SINCE YOU’RE INTO JIU-JITSU, THEN YOU’RE PROBABLY MORE AWARE OF BONG ABAD THAN YOU KNOW. If you own any “comic book” looking rashguards, there’s a pretty good chance you’re rolling in some art that started off in the mind of Bong. Bong Abad is the 42-yearold founder of the Gawakato brand of jiu-jitsu gear. Along with art created for his own brand, his artwork has been shared by over a dozen different brands and schools around the world.

Bong’s love of jiu-jitsu, martial arts, and comic books run deep. In fact, his two daughters are named Lana and Loisadvantage to you if you know where those names came from. Bong grew up in the Philippines until moving to the UK in 1999 to pursue a career in nursing.

Two years ago, Bong, his wife Jan, and the two girls packed up and made the move 5,000 miles away to sunny Southern California. We caught up with Bong to find out a little bit about this artistic mastermind.

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Very young. I do remember my grandfather being very proud of me because I made quite a detailed drawing of a truck that drove by. I was around five or six years old. My grandfather was a carpenter - an artist himself. I never saw him draw at all, but the furniture that he carved and built was amazing.

Where do you find inspi ation for your artwork?

From everything I see - billboards, advertising/commercials, movies, comics, and of course, jiu-jitsu. Facebook and Instagram have been a haven for inspiration too. I follow artists and designers like Bill Sienkiewicz, David Mack, Terada, Jim Lee, and Whilce Portacio. I look at their work and know that I need a lot more practice before I reach even a fraction of their level of craftsm nship.

How long ago did you discover jiu-jitsu and when did your creative talent intersect with jiu-jitsu?

I started jiu-jitsu towards the end of 2010 in the U.K. under David Webb, a purple belt back then and now a black belt from Nic Gregoriades. I was doing Kali and Muay Thai before I got addicted to jiu-jitsu.

When I started jiu-jitsu, there weren’t many brands that I really liked apart from Scramble and Manto. I thought, “Maybe I can do something unique that just might attract the average jiu-jitsu practitioner.”

I’ve been a comic book fan since I was young, and my art has always been in that style. Since I didn’t see any brand that has that aesthetic, I thought maybe I could start something new.

How would you describe your Gawakoto brand?

Gawakoto (origin: Filipino) dissected: gawa- made/make, ko- I/my, ito- this, translates to “I made this” - for those who don’t know it yet, Gawakoto was a virtual studio at first before it became a brand. I wanted to combine my love for comics and jiu-jitsu by doing original artwork and characters on jiu-jitsu gear. It’s a brand for the geeks by a geek.

Where did the idea for that come about?

To be a brand wasn’t part of the plan.

At first, I wanted just to design for other brands. Scramble was the first one to take that chance, which I am very grateful for up to this day. But obviously, my kind of aesthetic was only needed on certain projects, so I decided to start designing

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my own stuff. So there, it transformed from a virtual studio to a jiujitsu lifestyle brand.

How’s your jiujitsu training been since you’ve moved out here?

How many other companies have you designed for?

I get my a** handed back to me every time! Awesome! Training with highly-skilled competitors and being instructed by world champions - can’t really complain about that.

Loads. Scramble, Tatami, Bull Terrier, 93 Brand, 6 Blades (Ribeiro), Bad Boy, Q5, Jiu Jitsu Style Magazine (UK), Jitsu (Russia)... and numerous commissions for gyms, shops, and private collectors.

You recently moved to California from the UK, how did that come about?

Well, I’m actually a Registered Nurse and have been for a long time.

There was an opportunity to work in the U.S. so I grabbed it and went (after jumping through fire hoops!). So, I’m still a nurse moonlighting as an illustrator and brand owner.

How’s your experience been so far?

It has been very good. San Diego is perfect. My family loves it here. Weather is perfect, jiu-jitsu is even better, and the San Diego Comic Con is here too.

What more can I ask for?

What crazy things have you discovered that you tell your friends back home about?

If moving five thousand miles across the Atlantic after 15 years of living in the U.K., isn’t crazy enough, I don’t know what is. Maybe I’ve yet to discover more of the crazy SoCal lifestyle.

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Why did you choose to train at University of Jiu-Jitsu?

There were a couple of choices, but I only managed to try out the University. I really liked the atmosphere, apart from the fact that I know my instructors are two world champions.

Anything super cool that we should be on the lookout for from Bong Abad or Gawakato in 2016?

Well, there are few in the pipeline. We have the ‘Supremo’, our 4th gi since the brand started. This will be the only gi that won’t be a limited edition. Our kids’ range will debut this year. The brand will be collaborating yet again with another Marvel artist who worked on Wolverine, X-men, Civil War, and just recently, Star Wars.

I am also working on a couple of licensed properties.

So, keep your eyes peeled and check Instagram (@gawakoto) and Facebook (facebook.com/ gawakoto) for updates!

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the life

WHITE BELT CHRONICLES

The 16-Bit Training Philosophy: Beating the White Belt Learning Curve

WORDS: MARSHALL CARPER

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BEING A WHITE BELT IS HARD. LIKE, IT’S REALLY HARD. When you are brand new to the sport, putting the difficul of jiu-jitsu into perspective is challenging. You have no context or frame of reference, so I like to look beyond jiu-jitsu and discuss the art in terms of something that might be more familiar.

There is a classic video game called Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts. The premise is like a medieval take on Super Mario Brothers: you’re a knight and a flying demon swoops in to kidnap the princess. You have to battle through throngs of enemies to rescue her. As simple as the plot to the game might be, the game is unbelievably difficult You don’t have lives, and you

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don’t really have a health bar. If you get hit once, your armor falls off, leaving you to fight evil in your Knights-of-the-RoundTable boxer briefs. If you get hit a second time, you die. Boom. Done. Game over.

Start again from the beginning.

It’s merciless, and even the first level quickly devolves into a swarm of chaos. If you jump to avoid one enemy, you might bump into another. Sure, the controls are simple and there is only one correct direction (forward), but very few gamers get beyond the first level. With how easy it is to lose, frustration rapidly mounts and the controller either ends up alone on the floor or lodged in the drywall.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can feel this way. The learning curve is less of a slope and more of a cliff. To get to the point where you feel like you can actually have a productive roll—which in my mind means not having the “what the heck just happened?” thought every 30 seconds— can sometimes take a few months. Losing is not fun, and asking a new student to be okay with getting thumped on for a while is a tough sell. Jiu-jitsu is a hobby, and it’s supposed to be enjoyable. So, a lot of people quit. They do the proverbial controller toss and never look back.

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I don’t want you to quit. So, here are four tips for beating the sharp learning curve of jiu-jitsu.

1. Remember that no one is judging you. Part of the pain of losing is external. We are conditioned to think that losing is inherently bad and that our peers think less of us for making mistakes and coming up short. In jiu-jitsu, this is not the case.

No one at a reputable gym will look down on you for tapping out or for not knowing what to do. You’re wearing a white belt, and everyone around you started there too. They get it, and they aren’t laughing at you behind your back.

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2. Start with big picture ideas first. Classes usually follow a structure of teaching two to three specific techniques, drilling them, and rolling applying the techniques. You should definitely do your best to use those in class, but at the same time, start to work on bigger picture ideas. I typically suggest that new students work on two things: If you’re on the bottom, try to get and keep your legs around your partner. If you’re on top, try to get around the legs. Sure, you have no idea what the “right” way to do that is, so make it up.

The more important result is that you are starting to think about general strategic goals for your roll.

That’s a big step.

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You’re on your own path.

3. Ask your training partners how long they have trained.

When you have a really tough roll, chances are the person you are rolling with has been on the mat for much longer than you have. Of course, an eight-month white belt is going to tap out a one-month white belt. Sure, you’re wearing the same belt color but the disparity in training time is huge. In other environments, putting the advantage of time into a fair perspective would be much easier. If you just started powerlifting, f course the guy or girl that has been powerlifting for longer is much stronger. Same for running.

Same for yoga. But in jiu-jitsu, we see this little dude pull into class in a mini-van, fresh out of an eight-hour shift o timizing spreadsheets, and we suddenly forget that eight months of practice is actually a big deal. Don’t be so hard on yourself!

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4. Compare yourself to you and you alone.

A multitude of factors can influence someone’s progress on the mat: previous experience, athletic ability, training time, a fat bank account for private lessons, etc. The only fair way to evaluate your progress is to compare how much you know now to how much you knew four weeks ago. That’s the only measurement that can really tell you if you are making progress. Comparing yourself to your training partners is a slippery slope to eating acai bowls in a dark corner because you are so depressed with yourself.

Jiu-jitsu will always be hard.

That’s part of what makes the sport an incredible hobby.

The fact that new knowledge and new challengers are always around the corner means that boredom is rare. If you can fight through the steep tilt of the initial learning curve, you will have years of fun, engaging training ahead of you. It’s okay if you lose your armor a few times in the short run.

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the life

THE RISE OF

INVITATIONAL A phenomenon in EVENTS jiu-jitsu entertainment WORDS: EMIL FISCHER | PHOTOS: VARIOUS

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IF YOU ARE A FAN OF JIU-JITSU, EITHER CASUALLY OR AS A PRACTITIONER, YOU KNOW THAT AS OF THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, SPECIAL INVITATIONAL EVENTS HAVE BEEN ALL THE RAGE. OF THESE EVENTS, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND WELL RECEIVED WERE LIVE STREAMED. What is behind the rise of the sub only invitational live stream? Why are they so successful and interesting?

Submission only invitationals provide fans with a chance to see matchups that otherwise wouldn’t happen. Moreover, they provide rule sets in which competitors are able to express their technical abilities on a level that they simply wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. Extended time limits, allowing submissions that are often forbidden in jiu-jitsu competition, and the fact that

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only a submission will determine a victor, bring out the best in each competitor.

On the flipside, when two competitors are very evenly matched, the chances of a submission happening decreases, and if the competitors tend to compete conservatively against opponents who may pose legitimate threats, the match may become tedious and the chances of any actual submission happening drops exponentially.

The reality is that if a time limit is in place, then the match isn’t truly submission only- it’s submission only OR draw, as in there is an second option to submission and that is to simply let the clock run out.

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Inherent Strengths Submission only invitationals allow event promoters to put together matchups that fans want to see and matchups that otherwise wouldn’t happen. Tailor made matchups ideally pit people who want to submit each other, and each competitor has a skill set that will mesh well with hir or her opponent, making a submission very likely.

matches that fit this description, where it was clear that each competitor was going for the kill.

Far more importantly, when a rule set is put together for this sort of event, its intent is to make the submission very likely, if not inevitable. Perhaps the most popular submission only event, the Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) accomplishes this by subjecting competitors to special overtime rounds until one achieves a submission.

When it comes to events that feature single bouts rather than a tournament

format, a smart matchup on the part of promoters will increase the likelihood of a submission, or at least an entertaining match. Perhaps one of the most entertaining matches in the history of these sort of events was Roger Gracie vs. Marcus Buchecha Almeida, a match that while didn’t end in submission, had viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish and was satisfying to even casual fans. There have been other

One specific event that has taken place in the past, Submission Series Pro, has set up deliberate mismatches between high level competitors and local instructors, resulting in a far higher rate of submissions. When each competitor has a strong incentive to go for the kill, the kill will be gone for.

Competition jiu-jitsu is NOT a spectator sport for the uninitiated. However, when intriguing matchups are put together in the confines of a submission only rule set, great things can happen. For this reason, EBI has made it to the forefront of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu events and is now being offered on UFC Fight Pass.

Inherent Weaknesses Given the obviously intriguing features that submission only live stream events have, why then are they not more abundant? Why hasn’t this style of competition jiu-jitsu become a televised sport? There are some inherent weaknesses to this style of competition.

For starters, jiu-jitsu is far more subtle than other combat sports. Most people wouldn’t

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know a submission if it were being applied on them and so it can be troublesome to market to the general public.

Many competitors enter these submission only events with a single goal: don’t get submitted.

The result is lackluster performance.

Very often, the higher the level of each competitor, the more boring the match. They would rather accept a draw than risk taking a

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loss in order to get the win. In order for a submission only competition to truly work as a spectator sport, both competitors need to want to WIN the match, not just survive it. Viewers have seen some events like Metamoris or the most recent Polaris, mostly end in draws.

For this reason, special modified rules in the event in which time runs out can be a great motivating factor.

Looking Forward to the Future Events like Polaris and EBI are consistently offering increasingly impressive events.

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Eventually, someone will get tired and make a mistake, and so each competitor feels safer actually going for the kill while they have enough energy.

Speaking of energy, a lengthy submission only match very often will end with both competitors moving sluggishly. A difficul truth is that these athletes are only human and chances are they cannot

There have been so many amazing competitors that have participated in these submission only live streams but haven’t been back in the arena. Just look at competitors like Caio Terra, Rafael Lovato Jr., Buchecha, and Roger Gracie, all of whom took part in the first Metamoris but haven’t been seen in other submission only events.

It would be wise for up and coming events to bring these amazing competitors on board to participate in matches which gives the fans what they want.

The rule set that EBI works with is perhaps the most innovative because it guarantees the highest possible rate of submission. There’s a certain letdown to watching a 15-20 minute match only to have both competitors’ hands raised. It would be a great idea to have a

keep an entertaining frenetic pace throughout the entire match.

For any strength that submission only live streams may have, there are weaknesses as well. However, as these events grow in popularity, and as event promoters become smarter and more effective in putting together great matchups, they will consistently improve.

similar event take place in the gi, as many jiu-jitsu fans would love to see fancy gi techniques in a format and rule set similar to that of EBI. Another notion that has only been utilized a couple of times (specifically in Metamoris) is to include grapplers that are NOT Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners.

Get high level judokas, Sambo practitioners and catch wrestlers in on the action and suddenly there will be a new dimension to the action as there may be techniques thrown into the mix that the viewer base, even if they know what they’re watching, may not be familiar with.

Events like Polaris and EBI are consistently offering increasingly impressive events. There have also been some smaller promotions coming up like the

Sapateiro Invitational, events by Onnit, Fight To Win, and many others. Many of these events are being offered either through live streams, or being put up online immediately after, to give people the opportunity to appreciate the art.

The events that are put together

by EBI, Polaris, Metamoris, Submission Series Pro, and others have become rare opportunities for the jiu-jitsu community to watch its stars do a special kind of battle. Point fighting can be interesting, but there’s a certain satisfaction in watching athletes of the highest caliber in this sport do their best to do their worst. It is a great time to be doing jiu-jitsu because of the availability of these events, and we are all very fortunate to get to see what the future holds in store for us.

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the life

5 TIPS for Wrestlers Transitioning to Jiu-Jitsu WORDS: REED SHELGER

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WRESTLING IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST SPORTS IN AMERICA WITH OVER 250,000 PARTICIPANTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL ALONE. BUT LESS THAN 4% OF THOSE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES GO ON TO WRESTLE IN COLLEGE, AND AN EVEN SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF THOSE HAVE ANY HOPE OF CONTINUING THEIR WRESTLING CAREER BEYOND COLLEGE AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.

Jiu-jitsu is a more recreationally focused sport with frequent opportunities for competition for people of all ages and all experience levels. The 2016 IBJJF Pan American Championships in Long Beach California hosted over 3,000 competitors—that’s just one tournament!

The skill sets involved in wrestling and jiu-jitsu are very similar, so why don’t we see more former wrestlers competing in jiu-jitsu? With such a massive talent pool, one would expect to see wrestlers dominating jiu-jitsu in America. But while many wrestlers have dabbled in jiu-jitsu or submission grappling, the reality is that very few successfully make the transition.

Here are my five tips for wrestlers that want to become great submission grapplers: Have an Open Mind Some of the things we do in jiu-jitsu are just plain weird to a wrestler. The uniform. The bowing. Putting yourself on your back. All of these things are completely out of the comfort zone.

The expression “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is only true if you let it be. Instead, embrace the aspects of jiu-jitsu that are foreign to you. Be a lifelong learner and enjoy the newness of the jiu-jitsu experience.

As a former collegiate wrestler and jiu-jitsu practitioner myself, I can speak first hand to what it’s like for a wrestler making that transition. As the owner of a martial arts academy that trains athletes in both wrestling and jiu-jitsu, I also understand why so few are successful.

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Be Humble This is by far the top reason that most wrestlers don’t stick with jiu-jitsu. After all, it took years to become a good wrestler and a tough competitor. But training in jiu-jitsu is like starting all over at the bottom again. You even have to wear a white belt!

Part of you wants to prove that wrestling is better than jiu-jitsu. More than likely you can already beat most of your

training partners anyway by using your wrestling base to stay on top and smash. This mentality and this form of training is guaranteed to prevent you from actually learning anything. The objective should not be to prove that one discipline is better than the other but to combine and compliment your wrestling skill set with a jiu-jitsu skill set to become a great grappler.

Train with People Better Than You As mentioned above, a strong wrestler is going to be able to beat most jiu-jitsu hobbyists. A D1 wrestler can walk into most jiu-jitsu gyms and out grapple everyone without a day of training. The next thing you know, he will be offered a free membership and a position as the team’s wrestling coach. He will teach takedowns to the jiu-jitsu students for a while until he gets bored and retires from his short lived fling with jiu-jitsu. I have seen this scenario play out countless times!

We know that in wrestling “iron sharpens iron” and this exact saying is true in jiu-jitsu. You need to find training partners that can beat you. Don’t be the big fish in a small pond. When you finally find someone that can tie you in a knot, it can be eye opening. You will realize, “Hey, this guy knows something that I don’t.” At that point, remember Tip #1 above. Instead of being discouraged, become inspired to learn jiu-jitsu.

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Pull guard in Training Perhaps the biggest difference between wrestling and jiujitsu is the “guard”—fighting from your back. As discussed in Tip #2 above, this is really out of the comfort zone for wrestlers. Most wrestlers will prefer to use their existing skill set to play a “top game”. While the top game may indeed be the best strategy to win competitions, a reluctance to learn the guard position is going to hold you back from developing a complete jiu-jitsu game.

Because the position is so new and so foreign, I recommend pulling guard every time during training, developing a weakness into a strength. Knowing the guard will make you a more effective passer too, as you will have a better understanding of what your opponent is trying to do from the bottom, and it will also save you when you inevitably get swept and need to fight off your back. A wrestler with a good guard is a dangerous combination.

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Wear the Gi A lot of wrestlers are particularly reluctant to train in the gi. While even no-gi jiujitsu requires a wrestler to go out of his comfort zone, putting on the gi is one step too far! Can’t a wrestler just learn a couple submissions to go with his wrestling? Not if he wants to compete at a high level.

You are probably starting to see a theme developing here. A wrestler that knows an armbar and a Kimura is doing himself a disservice by refusing to actually learn jiujitsu. To learn the fundamentals of jiu-jitsu, you have to learn the guard position, and there is no more effective tool to learn the guard than by wearing the gi. Without the gi, it is too easy to scramble and to rely on strength, speed, and slipperiness. With the gi on, the game is slowed down. With athleticism neutralized, you will be forced to rely on technique, and your learning curve will be dramatic.

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If Mark Schultz can wear the gi so can you.

TECHNICAL STRENGTHS (AND OPPORTUNITIES) The five tips listed above focus primarily on how the right mindset can improve a wrestler’s chances to successfully transition to jiujitsu and submission grappling. But it is also important to be aware of the wrestler’s technical skills that are going to help in jiu-jitsu and the tendencies that can be weaknesses if not corrected.

Mental Toughness This isn’t really a “technical” strength, but it is worth giving wrestlers credit for their work ethic and tenacity. Wrestling culture embraces relentlessness, where jiu-jitsu (the “gentle art”) is often praised for enabling technique to conquer brute force. Nevertheless, the wrestler’s grit is a great asset.

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Takedowns It is no secret that wrestlers are good on their feet. Today, many jiu-jitsu practitioners are training wrestling and judo to improve their takedowns. But it is very difficul to completely close the gap with wrestlers who have spent years honing this specific skill. Once swept, however, a wrestler’s tendency to go to his belly, exposing his back, can be a deadly mistake.

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Wrestling Photos by Keith Muraoka

Solid Base Wrestlers are also known to have terrific top control. Experience holding an opponent down to prevent his escape gives wrestlers good balance and scrambling ability. A watch-out here is that wrestlers tend to keep their hips high which allows space for the opponent to recover guard. Wrestlers are also often vulnerable to deep half guard sweeps, again because the hips are elevated. Using the hips and knees to close the space is an important adjustment to be made.

Front Headlock The “front headlock” position, as it is known in wrestling, is another position where wrestlers excel. Good wrestlers have spent a lot of time working from this position.

At first, this position is often used defensively in conjunction with a sprawl. But in short time, wrestlers can build their repertoire of attacks from the front headlock, including guillotines, d’arce chokes, and back takes.

About

Reed Shelger Reed Shelger is the owner of Paradigm Training Center in Houston, TX. He was an NCAA Division-1 wrestler at UC Davis. He was the IBJJF World Champion in the Master Purple Belt division and a regular competitor in the Texas BJJ scene.

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Technique

BREAKING DOWN BUCHECHA’S GAME Tech - Buchesha.indd 1

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MANY WOULD CONSIDER ALMEIDA THE BEST JIU-JITSU COMPETITOR TODAY. IN 2012, MARCUS WON BOTH HIS WEIGHT AND THE ABSOLUTE DIVISIONS AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. HE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT SO FEW PEOPLE IN JIU-JITSU WERE ABLE TO DO. LATER THAT YEAR IN OCTOBER, HE WOULD FACE THE LEGENDARY ROGER GRACIE AT METAMORIS 1. ALTHOUGH THE MATCH ENDED IN A DRAW, MANY WOULD ARGUE ALMEIDA WON THE MATCH AS HE WAS CLOSE TO SUBMITTING ROGER. THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS HE WOULD GO ON TO CAPTURE HIS WEIGHT AND ABSOLUTE CHAMPIONSHIPS. FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS (2012-2014), MARCUS’ REIGN AS THE BEST JIU-JITSU ATHLETE ON THE PLANET WENT UNCONTESTED.

His dreams of a four-peat were halted in the quarterfinals of the 2015 worlds. Buchecha faced Ricardo Evangelista and suffered a major knee injury. He would have to undergo surgery and a long recovery process that removed him from the competition world until he would attempt to reclaim his throne in 2016. After winning his division, his focus shifted to the absolute. After submitting Pedro Moura and Felipe Pena, Buchecha would face Erberth Santos in the finals of the absolute. Although he suffered a minor rib injury in his final weight match against James Puopolo, Buchecha would go on to win the match against Erberth 4-2 and take back his crown as weight and absolute champion, bringing the total number of championships to four and surpassing Roger Gracie as the most in IBJJF history to win both weight and absolute championships.

Raw Data Powered by BJJ Heroes

FULL NAME: Marcos Vinicius Oliveira de Almeida Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Élcio Figueiredo > Rodrigo Cavaca > Marcus Almeida

Main Achievements: ❖❖ ADCC Champion (2013) ❖❖ World Champion (2016, 2014, 2013, 2012 weight & absolute) ❖❖ World Nogi Champion (2011, 2010 weight & absolute) ❖❖ Pan American Champion (2012 weight and absolute) ❖❖ World Pro Cup Champion UAEJJ (2012, 2013

WORDS: MIKE VELEZ & PATRICK FLORES | PHOTOS: PATRICK FLORES

absolute, 2014 and 2015 weight & absolute) ❖❖ SP Cup Champion (2010 WLPJJ) ❖❖ Miami Open Champion (2010 weight & absolute) ❖❖ World Silver Medallist (2011)

FAVORITE POSITION/TECHNIQUE: Double Leg, Toe Hold, Choke from the back.

WEIGHT DIVISION: Super Pesado (up to 100kg-221lbs) TEAM/ASSOCIATION: Checkmat

“He likes music and even uses the theme song to Rocky, and The Eye of the Tiger, to get pumped for a tournament.”

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A day in the life...

A couple weeks before the Worlds, we met up with Buchecha to see how he was preparing for the Worlds. While looking for an apartment, he was staying with his team mate Lucas Leite. He wakes up around 9am every morning and instead of reaching for that cup of coffee like many of us do, Marcus squeezes 4 fresh limes into a glass and takes a shot. He makes the sour face, as you would expect, but does so in order to improve his immune system.

He begins cooking his breakfast by cracking some eggs, cutting some tomatoes, and chopping up some veggies for an omelet. While the omelet cooks, he prepares a breakfast smoothie and toasts some bread.

After breakfast, Marcus packed up his gear. He made plans to stay in a hotel so he could focus on the World Championships to come. We headed over to Checkmat HQ and learned a little bit about Marcus. As an early teenager, he was actually more interested in surfing than jiu-jitsu, and it was only at about 15 years old (now 26) that he started taking it more seriously. He likes music and even uses the theme song to Rocky, and The Eye of the Tiger, to get pumped for a tournament. He does admit some of his teammates, like Luiz Panza, don’t enjoy his playlist as it can get him too pumped up (Panza prefers Tupac).

Following several hours of jiu-jitsu competition training with the likes of Luiz Panza and Jackson Sousa, Marcus received his first stripe on his black belt from Master Leo Vieira. Many of his Checkmat teammates, like Lucas Leite and Michelle Nicolini whom were also training, were there.

Buchecha loves Japanese food- sushi in particular. Not far from Checkmat HQ, he grabbed a bite to eat at a local Japanese restaurant. A couple bowls of sashimi and couple sushi rolls hit the spot for this Absolute Champion.

Although I love to eat, it was difficul to keep up with the ultra heavyweight.

After settling into his hotel, it was back to training at Checkmat HQ, this time for some Strength and Condition with Tony Gonzalez. Alongside several of his teammates, Marcus starts off with some light cardio on a stationary bike

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to get the blood pumping. He works up a little sweat but nothing too intensive. To get his muscles working, Tony puts Marcus through several exercises including battle rope training. His agility and footwork are tested with some ladder drills similar to what you would see at football practice. As we all know, Buchecha can be quite explosive and doesn’t move like other ultra heavyweights.

It wasn’t long before we got to see Marcus’ strength tested with a series of deadlifts, bench p esses, and squats.

Every round Tony would increase the weight, adding additional challenge to the exercise. Marcus was careful not to lift too much weight as to not aggravate his knee a couple weeks before the Worlds. The workout continued with a series of cardio drills designed to improve agility, cardio, and mobility. These drills worked footwork while giving Marcus a total body workout. Finally, after several long rounds of drills, Marcus ends his workout with a series of high intensity and low intensity work on the elliptical.

Buchecha immediately rehydrates and takes a couple minutes to reflect on the workout with his comrades. The training environment is very supportive of each other, although not without the typical horseplay you would find among friends at the academy.

It was a bit unreal spending a day with Buchecha. Aside from the fact that he’s the world’s best jiu-jitsu athlete, Marcus is a normal and humble guy.

He watches TV shows like Friends (Joey is his favorite), enjoys surfing, likes to relax from work (jiu-jitsu) on the weekends, and buys lotto tickets just like the rest of us. His road to becoming a multiple time Absolute World Champion is a result of hard work and dedication.

His execution of jiu-jitsu is masterful and he is going to now show us some of his favorite techniques, several of which he implemented during the World Championships.

Most of the techniques Buchecha shared with us for this article he actually used successfully at the Worlds, including in his Ultra-Heavyweight win over James Puopolo.

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That’s just Buchecha being Buchecha.

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SIDE CONTROL TO HIGH MOUNT

This technique is a great example of how effective Buchecha is with seemingly simple techniques. We’ve seen him use this many times in competition against some of the best competitors in the world.

Step 1 Starting in side control, bring your right leg up near their hip and your left leg extended for base. Wrap your left arm around the back of their neck, your right arm over their far side.

Step 3

Step 2 A typical response for the person on bottom is to use their far arm to make a frame against your neck to protect that arm and to create some space. In this case, bring your right hand to their left hip- you can grab the pants there or place downward pressure with your palm if you’re not in the gi. Then use your right elbow to push against the leg that’s closest to you.

Now, raise your right knee up and slide it onto their belly.

The typical reaction of your opponent will be to bring that left hand from your shoulder to your knee to push away.

Step 4 As they push away, use your right arm to scoop under their left arm to get a good underhook then bring your hands together with a Gable grip.

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That’s jiu-jitsu legend Chico Mendes helping us out with the photos.

Step 5

Step 6

With control of their shoulders and upper body, raise your hips up a little bit, enough to drag your right knee across their belly. If your opponent tries to put you in half-guard, stop the progression and keep your foot outside of their right leg so they can’t catch it.

Instead of rushing the move now, put some forward pressure with your chest onto your opponent by pushing forward towards their head with your body. At the same time that you’re putting forward pressure, drop your right knee towards the mat but use the hook of the top of your foot to bring both of their legs in this direction also.

Step 7 Continue to stretch that arm of theirs up then switch your hips to the right and “windshield wiper” your right leg over and to the mat quickly so that there’s no chance of them catching half-guard.

Step 8

Step 9

From here, keep the pressure heavy up top and bring both of your knees towards their head. Use your left knee to bring their right arm up.

With your left knee and thigh pinching their right arm up, let go of your grip and swim your left arm under their right to get the double-underhook.

Step 10 Once you get to this position, walk your hands up above their head and close your elbows to cross their arms and sit up into high-mount. At that point, there are multiple attacks on their neck or arms.

Against a larger opponent, be ready to sprawl out and defend a reversal, especially when you have the Gable grip around their head. At this point, you may not be able to get those hands free in time to defend a reversal.

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GETTING TO MOUNT FROM SIDE CONTROL

This is a good way to get to the mount from side control if you were attempting to attack the far arm, or they were giving you trouble by trying to regain a guard with their legs. You’ll use your upper body to kill their shoulders, allowing you to place your focus on their lower body. It’s also kind of sneaky.

Step 1 From side control, extend your left leg while keeping your right leg up near their hip and bring your right arm over their body. They’ll probably frame their left arm against your neck. This is what you want.

Step 2 Rather than go for an underhook of that far arm, bring your left arm over to capture their arm against their body. Hold the belt to keep it secure against their body.

Step 4 You can now fake as if you’re going for the mount with your right leg so that they cross their leg to defend, as if they were going to capture half-guard. Either way, you’re now in a position where they can’t see what’s happening.

Step 3 Switch your hips so that your left side is on the mat and push up towards their head with your back against their right arm. Having their arm up high like this puts it out of play from it being of any danger to you at the moment. You can also grab their pants to the right of their hip to keep them from getting away.

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TRAIN FOR LIFE Yuri Simoes 2014 Double Gold NoGi World Champion 2015 ADCC Champion www.facebook.com/GamenessFightwear @GamenessFightCo www.gameness.com Yuri Gameness.indd 1

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Step 7

With your right hand, grab your own right foot and grip your toes. Bring your foot nice and tight towards you.

Without touching your opponent, bring that foot that you’re holding over their body.

Once the foot is over, let go of your grip of their belt or pants with your left h nd and hug the bottom of their left rm at the triceps.

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Turn over your left shoulde to move into the mount while continuing to hug that arm. From here, you could move into high-mount or you could keep going for an armbar.

To get the armbar, use your grip of their left rm to lift their shoulder off the mat and bring your right leg and knee up against their back.

Bring your right arm over to grab their left wrist and then with your left h nd, grab your own right wrist for a Kimura grip.

Step 11

Step 12

Lean forward to get just enough space to bring your right leg over their head. Once the leg is over, fall back, bringing their arm with you.

Pinch your knees together, pull back on that arm, and press your hips forward to finish the armbar.

At Step 3, 10th Planet folks call that the Twister Side Control. It can be a very effective spot to mount a number of attacks.

Just don’t get lazy there.

Eventually, your opponent will figure a way out if you give them too much time to think about it.

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MOUNT TO HIGH-MOUNT

In the case that Marcus doesn’t have the high mount, but he wants to get there from the mount, he’ll do this.

Step 1 Your opponent has their arms crossed and doing what they were told on the first day of class, keeping their elbows in. In this case, bring your upper body down on them and use your left arm to wrap it around the back of their neck.

Go all the way across and up their shoulder with your hand.

Step 2 Once the head is hugged, bring your right hand to their left elbow. Don’t push their elbow straight up towards their head first, they’ll have too much strength to defend. Instead, push the elbow down and out toward the mat. Use your chest to help if you have to.

Step 3 Once their elbow is out and away from their body, you can start pushing it up towards their head. About the point where their elbow is level with their shoulder, you can release the hold of the elbow with your hand and quickly punch that arm through so that your bicep is on their arm. Continue to push your opponent’s arm up towards their head.

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If you’ve ever wondered what the eye of the tiger looked like...

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

As you continue your right arm up and eventually get to the point where you can cup your hand over their head, pull their head and captured arm to keep them stuck in this position and uncomfortable.

As you’re getting this hold, slide your right knee up high below their armpit.

Perform the Steps 2-4 on their right arm.

Rather than grab the head at the end, walk your left hand up the mats to get the right arm high enough, and then slide your left knee under the armpit.

From here you can sit up, get heavy on their chest, and get ready for your attack.

ARMBAR FROM HIGH MOUNT

From the high-mount, one of Buchecha’s favorite attacks is the armbar. Rather than do the traditional sit back and falling to the mat, he gets the finish while still on top of his opponent. This allows him to transition into other possible finishes from a better position than down with his back to the mat.

Step 1 Pick the arm that you want to attack (usually the one on top is more opportune) in this case it’s the right arm. Cross your left arm over their arms and hug the left elbow with your left hand, using your left bicep to capture their right elbow.

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Step 2 With your left hand on their arm, lift their body up off the mat a little bit by sitting back just enough to extend your right leg and sweep it around so that it’s bent towards their head. As soon as you can, transition your weight back over their body. This is called the S-Mount.

Step 4

Step 3 With your right hand, grab the left knee and push down onto the mat for balance and control.

Drag your left knee up their right shoulder, putting pressure with your shin against their head and pinch your knees together. At the same time, pull back on that right arm you have a hold of and press your hips forward to get the tap. Make sure the thumb is pointed away.

Step 5 As an option, you can also fall back to the mat, continue your left leg over and get the traditional armbar.

In Step 1, if the arm you really want is not on top, you could probably manipulate their arms.

In this position, you have a pretty good strength advantage. You could probably move their arms so that the one you really want to attack is on top.

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MOUNT TO BACK TO ARMBAR

This is a great technique for competition if you want to rack up the points on the way to a submission. The points can be a little bit of a hedge in case you don’t end up with the submission you had in mind.

Step 1 Starting from the mount, your opponent has their arms crossed for protection. Pick a side- this will be the arm you will eventually be attacking for the armbar. Push that arm’s elbow towards the center and then use your chest to keep pressure on the elbow.

Step 2

Step 3

With the pressure maintained by your chest, bring your right arm under their neck to grab the wrist of the crossed arm.

Once you have a hold of the wrist, while keeping the pressure down, bring your left arm out and inside their right arm, sliding it through the gap between their crossed arm, neck, and your right arm. Once through, grab your own right wrist for a Kimura grip.

Step 4 With the Kimura grip secure, turn your body to a technical mount. Do this by pushing your opponent to their right side, sliding your right knee to their back, and bringing your left foot up against their belly, all to keep them stuck in this position. Be sure to stay on your toes with your right foot. Don’t sit down.

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Gotta love the Kimura grip, so useful in many positions.

Step 5

Step 6

From here, you could go straight to the armbar, but instead you want the points, so you go for the back take. Push them away with your Kimura grip to create space while at the same time dropping back and bringing your left foot to their right thigh to keep them from escaping.

Continue to roll towards your back to the mat and as soon as you can, bring your right leg over their body, moving your left leg over to hook their left side. At this point, establish back control for the points if you were in competition.

Step 7 From here, slide your right arm over your opponent’s head, then push your forearm against their head, away from you.

Step 8 Swing your right leg up and over their head, using the momentum of your leg to force them down.

Step 9 Bring your knees together, using your Kimura grip of their arm, extend your body back while holding onto your opponent’s armconnected with your body is best. Push your hips forward while pulling back on the arm to finish.

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Buchecha used a C-grip with four fingers on the first grip of his opponent’s wrist and a monkey-grip with five fingers over his own wrist for the Kimura.

You can experiment with different grips.

When getting the grip of your own wrist, it’s important that you don’t just stuff your arm through over their free arm. You must go underneath or else they will be able to defend better and might end up escaping your grip.

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LAPEL CHOKES FROM THE MOUNT

These are two variations of essentially the same choke using the lapel that Buchecha likes from the mount.

Step 1 In the mount, drop down low against your opponent and use your right arm around the back of their head to hug their opposite shoulder.

Step 2 Use your head, elbow, and knees to remain stable in the mount. However, create a little space so that you can reach your left hand in and pull out your opponent’s right lapel.

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The hardest part is getting that finish.

Step 3 Stretch out the lapel and bring it up and behind your opponent’s left shoulder.

Step 4

Step 5

Sit up and switch the grip of the lapel from thumb down to thumb up.

Now, guide your right hand deep into your opponent’s opposite collar with fingers in the collar, thumb out.

Step 6 Using your right hand, grip pull your opponent up off the mat a bit, just enough to get your hand and arm behind his head and against his neck. When you do this, you have to make a wide swinging motion with your elbow. This will make sure that you clear the head completely.

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Step 7 Once your left hand, along with the lapel, are past their neck, drag your forearm across their face, bringing your elbow in toward their chest. Â

If you can’t get that grip inside the collar to begin with and if you can get to the point where you have the lapel open, then just grab the lapel instead of the collar.

Bring the lapel up over the shoulder and get a grip of the lapel, fingers near the mat, thumb up and another grip, and thumb away from the tip of the lapel.

Step 8 To finish, make sure your forearm is below their jaw on the side of their neck. Drop your head to the mat, turn your wrists inward to finish what looks just like a cross collar choke but using the lapel.

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Use your left hand to push against the head to make space - enough to get the lapel behind their head and down to their neck. Finish with the same technique as before.

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Technique

NO GI FLOW WITH GEO MARTINEZ

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IN PSYCHOLOGY THERE’S A PLACE THAT MANY STRIVE TO ACHIEVE CALLED “FLOW”. THIS STATE OF FLOW IS A MENTAL STATE OF OPERATION WHERE YOU’RE DEEP IN FOCUS IN AN ACTIVITY WHETHER IT’S PHYSICAL, MENTAL, OR SPIRITUAL WHERE EVERYTHING JUST COMES TOGETHER. Imagine the guys in their winged suits that look like flying squirrels navigating peaks and crevasses as they hurl themselves through the air inches away from terra firma. They are in flow. If they were concisely thinking about each minute movement required of them, they’d probably not do it in the first place or at the very worst become one with the terrain. Achieving this flow state is not easy, few are able to reach this state of being. In jiu-jitsu we have two versions of this phenomena. The first would be that actual flow state. I imagine when you watch two of the world’s best go at it for any length of time and each has the perfect counter for the other as if it were choreographed, this is clearly a state of flow for each of them. The other “flow” is a little easier to obtain. It’s that “flow” through a sequence of moves and techniques where the opportunity to finish keeps showing up with each transition. This is the flow that as your jiu-jitsu improves you will undoubtedly come across.

To help us demonstrate on such flow we’ve gotten the help of none other than Geo “Freakazoid” Martinez. If you don’t know who Geo is then you need to pay a little more attention to the no-gi grappling scene. Geo is one of the top finishers on the no-gi scene. He’s a black belt under Eddie Bravo and credits much of his grappling success with his roots in breakdancing, known these days as B-boying.

Geo’s older brother, Richie “Boogeyman” Martinez, gave him the “Freakazoid” nickname back when he was competing in B-boying competitions with the group called “The Freak Show”. Geo was always glued to the television watching Freakazoid cartoons. Richie threw the name out there and it stuck.

Raw Data Powered by BJJ Heros Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Carlos Gracie Junior > J. J. Machado > Eddie Bravo > Geo Martinez

Main Achievements: ❖❖ EBI 1 Champion (2014 – 145lbs) ❖❖ EBI 2 Champion (2014 – 135lbs) ❖❖ ADCC US Trials Champion (2014) ❖❖ Gracie Nationals Champion (2014) ❖❖ Gracie Worlds Champion ❖❖ NAGA Champion

FAVORITE POSITION/TECHNIQUE: The Truck, Calf Slicer, Kimura WEIGHT DIVISION: Peso Pluma (64kg/141lbs) TEAM/ASSOCIATION: 10th Planet

B-boying, or breakdancing, is the perfect example of that state of flow like we see in jiu-jitsu. Each move leads to the next to come together in a perfectly choreographed expression of physical art. In this article, Geo takes us through one of his favorite series of techniques starting from being locked up in his opponent’s guard.

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GUARD BREAK TO HEEL HOOK

The techniques that Geo shared with us come as separate parts of a flow; each of them can be used independently from each other or as a continual flow. The first comes from probably one of the most common situations in all of a jiu-jitsu: being in your opponent’s closed guard.

Step 1 Geo starts in Chris’ closed guard. The first thing he wants to do is control the arm with his hands on the biceps so that he can stand in the guard. Geo steps with his right foot first, then his left and raises his hips.

Step 3

Step 2 As Geo begins to raise his posture he uses his hands to continue to push Chris away. Geo calls this “peeling” him away. Eventually, he wants to get all the way to standing keeping his spine erect to make it more difficult to get pulled back down.

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Once standing, Geo reaches his right hand back to find the gap between Chris’ legs. In this case Chris’ left leg is over his right. If Geo had reached back and that leg was on the bottom, the next step would be a little more difficult but not impossible.

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It’s like Geo speaks in some strange code.

Step 4 Rather than just using his arm strength to break the closed guard, Geo gets that right arm deep down and in between him and Chris’ leg. The deeper he gets, preferably to the bicep, the easier it will be to open. He does a “shake” to help get that arm deeper.

Step 5 When Chris’ guard opens, Geo positions his right hand above Chris’ knee and sits down to the mat. The entire time he’s also trapping Chris’ right leg against his body under his left rm.

Step 6

Step 7

When he sits back, Chris’ right knee is in between Geo’s legs. To keep himself safe, Geo places his left heel ver Chris’ right hip. In 10P speak, this is called Oshi.

Now, Geo leans back and pops his hips forward to get Chris’ right leg in front of him. Using his left h nd, Geo guides Chris’ right foot across his body to his right hip.

Step 8 As soon as the foot is across, Geo lets go of the left leg nd cups his right hand over the top of Chris’ right knee to pull that leg in deeper while basing his left elb w to the mat to get that right foot under his armpit. This is called Topside Oshi.

Step 9 From Topside Oshi, Geo can finish with a simple heel hook. He scoops his right arm underneath Chris’ right heel so that the top of the foot is in Geo’s armpit and the blade of his forearm is under the heel. Geo brings his hands together and lifts up on the heel to finish.

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LEG DRAG TO CALF SLICER

If that heel hook doesn’t get them Geo does a transition using the leg drag to get in a position to finish with a calf slicer. Like the heel hook before, the calf slicer can be a dangerous technique, so use caution when drilling with training partners.

Step 1 Geo didn’t get the heel hook so now he’s going to go back to basing with his left elbow while holding onto Chris’ right knee with his right hand. Chris’ not going to stay seated for long, he’s going to try sitting up.

Step 2 Geo leans forward and brings his left foot off the hip and slides it underneath so he can get up on his knees. Once he’s on both knees, he brings his left knee close in near Chris’ right hip.

Step 3

Step 4

Geo wants to smash Chris but because of the position of Chris’ legs, Geo is doing a variation of a knee drag. It would be very difficult for Chris to stay facing Geo so he turns away.

If Chris doesn’t put up a fight, Geo might go for the back from here, but Chris’ not going out like that, he’s going to fight it.

Chris pushes Geo away, framing against his neck and pushing Geo away.

Step 5 Geo goes with the flow and drops his right shoulder to the mat, as if to go for a shoulder roll, but he doesn’t. He bases with his shoulder to the mat while at the same time uses his left foot hook the bottom of Chris’ left thigh.

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Step 6 Now, Geo does a “Capoeira” move (a wide swing) with his left leg, to get it over Chris’ leg and uses that momentum to get his body over Chris as Chris is on his right hip. He also pushes off with his left elb w and right hand on the mat.

Step 7 Geo switches his hips so that his left knee nd toes are on the mat, and he’s in a variation of a Twister Side Control. From here, Geo goes for a ninja roll. Geo brings his right foot onto Chris’ left leg ne r the calf; he pushes the leg down just long enough so that he can get his left leg hoo ed around Chris’ left leg. On e he has the leg hooked, he drops to his left side ver Chris’ body.

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

As Geo is rolling, he laces his right leg over his left nd puts Chris’ left leg in a lockdown. With his hands he finds Chris’ left foot, controlling the toes and the shin.

Geo passes the toes from his right hand to his left while at the same time bending his legs, pulling Chris’ left foot into range. The top of his right foot keeps Chris’ knee bent.

As soon as he can, Geo grabs Chris’ left foot at the toes with his right hand. From here he can finish by pushing down on his own left nkle with his right foot (giving it the gas) and pulls back on Chris’ left foot, elbow in, and hipping up to finish the calf slicer.

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TRUCK TO REAR NAKED CHOKE

The Truck is a control position in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. It’s when you have the far leg tied up with a lockdown and control of the nearside leg. If you don’t end up with the calf slicer you’ll be in the Truck. From here, Geo’s going to show us a Rear Naked Choke finish.

Step 1 Geo was unable to reach the left foot for the calf slicer so instead, he brings his attention back to Chris’ right leg- he’s got his left hand on the shin. Geo reaches his right arm under his left all the way down to Chris’ right shoulder.

Step 3

Step 4

Once he grabs the shoulder, he pulls Chris’ upper body into him, letting go of the lockdown and brings his right leg over the hip to get that top hook in.

As soon as Chris is close enough, Geo wraps his left arm around Chris’ neck to bring him in close.

Step 5 When the left arm is around the neck for the collar tie, Geo quickly grabs Chris’ right arm at the wrist and pushes it away down low so he can get his right leg up and over to trap Chris’ right arm- this is called 5-0. Geo tries to bring his heel down to Chris’ stomach so that this trap is nice and tight.

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I wonder who came up with that name?

Step 6

Step 7

Now, Geo pulls his right arm out from under Chris’ and then sinks his right hand behind Chris’ neck.

From here, Geo grabs his own right bicep with his left hand and squeezes with everything to finish with the Rear Naked Choke (RNC).

THE HONEY HOLE

From the Oshi, that was shown in the first technique, there’s a position called the Honey Hole. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds. When you get to the Honey Hole you’ve got both legs under your control and can attack both independently or simultaneously. Let’s see how we get to this magical place.

Step 1 From Oshi, Geo brings Chris’ right leg across just as he did in the first technique. At the same time, Geo lifts his right leg up to create space between Chris’ legs. He controls Chris’ left leg with a grip of the ankle.

Step 2 As the space opens up, Geo brings his left foot between Chris’ legs and threads his foot behind Chris’ butt.

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Step 3

Step 4

As soon as his left leg is through, Geo pinches his knees and is off to his left side a bit. Both of his feet are behind Chris’ butt.

When things are secure, Geo goes on the attack. He brings his right leg out and over Chris’ left hip, heel to the hip, and pulls Chris’ left leg between his knees.

Step 5 Geo’s found the Honey Hole and the fun begins.

From here he can attack with a:

Straight Ankle Lock

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Double Achilles

Heel Hook to the Top Leg

6/8/16 7:25 PM

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12/11/15 10:36 AM

Gear Lab SENSO

THE YUKI GI SENSOBJJ.com

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SENSO IS A BRAND THAT LIKES TO GO BEYOND THE SURFACE. SINCE WE REVIEWED ITS VERY FIRST GI, THE DYNAMO, THERE’S BEEN A BACKSTORY WITH EACH OFFERING. THEIR LATEST CREATION IS THE YUKI. Now, I’m not Japanese, but I have Google. I began doing the research on the meaning of the name and the phrase “koi-no-taki-noburi” that can be found on the gi.

This phrase translates into English as “carp swimming up the waterfall”. The word “yuki” in Japanese means snow. It’s that melting snow that gives the koi the opportunity to reach their potential. One legend has it that a large school of koi swam upstream on the Yellow River in China. The school struggled but overcame the currents and made it to the end of the river where they came across a waterfall. Most of the koi gave up and turned back. The remaining koi wouldn’t give up. They tried as hard as they could to leap from the river but they couldn’t make it. Local demons saw this and mocked them and raised the height of the waterfall out of spite. However, after hundreds of years of jumping, one koi finally reached the top of the waterfall. The gods recognized the determination and perseverance and turned it into a golden dragon, a symbol of power and strength. Seems like a fitting story. Now, let’s see if we have what it takes to become a golden dragon.

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085

The Jacket

The Yuki jacket is made of 450GSM 100% cotton pearl weave. The material is brushed and has a soft and omfortable feel. Inside, COOLMAX® material lines the shoulders and waist. This gives a nice feel with or without a rashguard on. Soft taping runs along the bottom of the skirt and along the insides of the cuffs. The collar is constructed with EVA foam- it’s neither stiff nor soft. I think a lot of grapplers will enjoy the collar’s neutral feel. There’s a fair amount of branding on the exterior of the jacket but it’s very subtle and anything but obnoxious. The Yuki only comes in white. The material has a very faint blue hue to it that’s just a little bit different but

The Pants

The pants are made from 10oz 100% cotton rip-stop material. The kneepads are doubled-up with material for reinforcement. Inside the gusset is more COOLMAX® material to add to the comfort level.

Taping is found at the cuffs of each pant leg. The pants are kept in place thanks to an elastic rope drawstring kept in place by four extra wide belt loops. Both the pants and jacket are well constructed with triple stitching in all the seams.

looks good.

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Gear Lab Fit and Feel So far, I’ve been pretty happy with all the Senso gis I’ve worn in the past. I did notice that the cut on the Yuki was different from my Dynamo and Sweep. The jacket had a slightly more tapered feel but closed nicely in front. I did notice the length was a bit on the long side. Since talking to Senso, I’ve been told that future batches will be cut a bit shorter than our test gi. Without a rash guard on you can feel the COOLMAX® material in the shoulders; it’s comfortable and helps to draw moisture off your skin and reduces any chaffing. n the pants it’s a nice touch; there’s no “catching” against the fabric of your underwear. I imagine that it’s helping keep the boys cool as well. Now, we just need some where your nipples go. After a few washes, the shrink was in line with most other gis. After these measurements were taken, I did wash the jacket in hot water a couple times and got a little more shrink since the sleeves were a tad on the long side for me. The Yuki is available in sizes A1 through A4 including an e A2W. A complete size chart is available on its website.

a

A 70” B 33.5” C 25.5” D 7” E 21.25” F 38.75” G 8.75”

AFTER 3 WASHES AT 40º C

BRAND NEW (A2)

Measurements

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A 66” B 33” C 24.75”

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D 6.75” E 21” F 38.25” G 8.75”

c g

Rolling In It This is one of those gis that you look forward to wearing. I have a couple that when they’re the only ones that are clean it’s like “ugh”. But the Yuki is not one of them. The pants are cut nicely, the drawstrings have yet to untie on their own during training, and I like how the jacket closes across the front. The jacket has a very lightweight feel despite being 450GSM. The A2 weighed in at 2.35 lbs, while the pants weighed in right at 1lb. Not once when rolling was I thinking about the gi for any reason in any sparring sessions. That’s a good thing.

Highlight & Specs ❖❖ 450GSM Pearl Weave Jacket ❖❖ Embroidered Patch Work ❖❖ 10oz Cotton Ripstop Pants ❖❖ COOLMAX® Interior Lining ❖❖ Lightweight

Verdict Solid value with a long list of features

CONCLUSION

PERFORMANCE VALUE QUALITY OVERALL

The Yuki is a well-rounded gi that will keep you happy during training and in competition. It’s well constructed, has clean styling, and feature packed. It’s also very reasonably priced at $145.

Along with being available on its website, Senso gis can now be found at other retailers such as rollmore.com, fightsupply.ca, and others.

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gear lab

scramble

RANKED RASHGUARD scramblestuff.com

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WITH THE GI WORLDS COMPLETED MANY ATHLETES WILL START TO TRANSITION TO NO-GI SEASON. OUR FRIENDS AT SCRAMBLE HAVE COME UP WITH A NEW IBJJF LEGAL RASHGUARDS THAT ARE A BIT DIFFERENT FROM ANY WE’VE TESTED. They come in white, blue, purple, brown, black and in various sizes.

T h e Look As always, Scramble gear looks great. Their design style is what really separates them from other manufacturers. The new Ranked Rashguard V2 uses very vibrant colors to catch the eye and does a good job balancing available space for branding.

Sublimated logos can be found on the front left che t, shoulders, and upper back. It’s not too distracting or over saturated. Upon close examination, the rashguard is well stitched.

Rolling In It As long as you get the right size, you’ll love rolling in this rashguard.

It’s breathability and moisture wicking properties help protect your skin and keep you cool. It’s cut well but the stretchiness of the material really helps it to hug your body. This makes training in the rashguard a pleasure, as you’re not constantly trying to reposition the rashguard while sparring.

Conclusion

T h e Fit and Feel Scramble does recommend ordering a smaller size if you’re in between as the material is stretchy. The rashguard is a polyester mix but is specially treated to flatten all the fibers. This makes it very resistant to pilling and also gives the rashguard a smooth feel. In addition we found the rashguard very breathable.

Priced at $59.99, this rash guard is at the same price point as other IBJJF approved rash guards. This particular style, however, is great for those who enjoy more vibrant colors. Its great fit and stretchability are major key points to why we think so highly of this rashguard.

Verdict Looks good, feels even better.

PERFORMANC VALUE

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QUALITY OVERALL

6/8/16 11:40 PM

NOW!

ANSWERING QUESTIONS LIVE ON

TRUJITSU @mattbakerbjj

THIS IS FRAMING

When they go for a cross choke, you do this.

T H E T R U J I T S U R E VO LU T I O N .C O M

@Trujitsu

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@Trujitsu

@Trujitsurevolution

6/9/16 1:49 AM

gear lab Kanji

PREMIUM BELTS kanjiusa.com

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A JIU-JITSU BELT CAN STAY WITH YOU FOR A LONG TIME. WE’VE SEEN BLACK BELTS WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINING OVER 20 YEARS STILL USING THE SAME BELT THEY RECEIVED THE DAY OF THEIR PROMOTION. Although gis can get replaced every year, people usually don’t replace their belt. This makes it that much more important to buy one that you know will last. We recently took a look at Kanji’s premium belts and were very impressed with the quality and value.

Upon first receiving the premium Kanji belt, the first thing we noticed was the packaging. I’ve always felt that many companies don’t put enough focus on packaging. It’s the first impression of the product, and the Kanji doesn’t disappoint. It’s boxed and packed like a fine bottle of whisky or something from Apple for you youngsters. The box itself is almost a work of art, simple and elegant. The case for the black belts comes in black with gold characters.

I almost didn’t want to open it.

After several moments of admiring the packaging, we opened the box to find the belt. It’s meticulously wrapped in tissue paper which adds even more wow factor when opened. Depending on the type of belt you normally wear, you will notice a difference in weight. The Kanji belts are a bit heavier as a result of their durable design. They’re made with 100% cotton and utilize 12 rows of lengthwise stitching- many more than most belts.

The labels are all embroidered to further highlight Kanji’s attention detail.

Lower ranks will notice the deep use of color in each belt. Although we’ve not had the belt for very long, Kanji has

engineered them to maintain their shape and color longer than traditional belts.

This is great if you’re not into having your faded purple belt look like a blue belt. It’s a bit stiff when you first wear it but seems to loosen up as you begin to roll with it.

On their website is a size chart, A0-98”, A1-104”, A2-110”, A3-122”, A4-132” and A5138”. Depending on the length of the belt, the weight ranges between 13 and 15 oz.

For those looking for an additional personal touch, Kanji has the option to add custom embroidery. So, how much would you expect to pay for a belt like this? When I first saw and felt the Kanji belt, I figured it was probably $60 to $70 easily. My jaw hit the floor when I found out it can be wrapped around my gi for just $34.99 with an extra $5 for embroidery. You can choose between four embroidery colors (black, red, gold, white) to embroider a phrase. This is a great option especially if you’re looking to give this as gift to that special someone. At this price, you don’t have to wait to earn your black belt just to treat yourself to a highquality belt that will last a lifetime.

Verdict A great belt selling for half of what we’d expect.

PERFORMANCE VALUE

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QUALITY OVERALL

6/8/16 4:01 PM

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Technique

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ROLANDO SAMSON

Breaking Arms and Putting Them Together Again

WORDS AND PHOTOS: PATRICK FLORES

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ROLANDO SAMSON ISN’T YOUR TYPICALLY JIU-JITSU COMPETITOR. AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF ATHLETES WE INTERVIEW ARE 100% FOCUSED ON JIU-JITSU. They eat, breathe, and sleep the sport. Although jiu-jitsu is a big part of Rolando’s life, he admits it’s ultimately just a hobby. It all started when he saw kids doing karate and asked his dad about doing martial arts. His father was familiar with MMA via the UFC and enrolled Rolando into jiu-jitsu. Although he started training under Alex Brandao and still remains friends with him, as of late 2011, Rolando trains out of Atos HQ in San Diego under André Galvão.

Like many who practice jiu-jitsu, Rolando is a full time student. This life can be time consuming, similar to having a full time job but with no immediate financial benefit. Many would get discouraged. The demands of both education and training can be draining. Put yourself in Rolando’s position for just one day. Competition

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trainings at Atos HQ will always be grueling. The academy is home to many of the jiu-jitsu world’s toughest athletes including the likes of Keenan Cornelius, Michael Liera Jr., and JT Torres whom Rolando says is his toughest roll.

“JT takes your manhood away…”

Now, imagine after going through the ringer with those guys, taking off to go to school. Now, instead of Professor Galvão showing you how to break limbs, you have to repair them. Rolando plans to one day becoming a physical therapist and one day have his own practice. In the meantime, he’ll have to deal with the grind that all students (of any discipline) go though on the way to the top. When asked how he is able to manage both worlds, Rolando says that time management is really important.

“Sit and break down your schedule, put important dates on your calendar like project due dates or finals.”

Rolando does it all with a smile on his face and a very upbeat attitude. He says it’s important to be happy with what you’re doing and that balance is really important.

Although he competes regularly in jiu-jitsu (having won his first super fight shortly after this interview), his main focus is still on his education. He maintains a good balance with all his activities and was kind enough to show us a couple techniques that are sure to come in handy.

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From the Reverse De La Riva

As one of Rolando’s favorite passes, this technique comes in handy when your opponent secures a Reverse DLR guard. This pass can be drilled slowly but is best applied quickly in actual sparring. It’s a technique that you will see applied by many advanced belts in order to pass really tight guard players.

Step 1 One common theme with passing we’ve heard from athletes is breaking the grips. While in the Reverse De La Riva position, Rolando breaks the collar grip before attempting his pass.

Step 2

Step 3

Secure a grip on your opponent’s outside leg. Rolando grips the gi around the inner knee and brings his elbow in. Keeping the elbow in is important to prevent your opponent from recovering a shield guard.

Rolondo then also secures his opponents bottom hand/arm.

Break this grip if necessary to gain control. When you have control of your opponent’s arm, tuck it by your belt.

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BECAUSE A WHITE GI

SHOULD BE WHITE. ABSOLUTEATHLETICCARE.COM

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Step 4 Shoot your left hand around your opponent’s head to their left lat muscle.

Step 5 Now post your left knee to the mat then stretch your trapped right leg and pull it out behind you to perform the long step behind and to your right. Don’t flop your hip or release any of your grips.

Step 6

Step 7

Secure side control now by applying pressure walking backwards and stretching the pant grip out to control your opponent’s leg.

When you feel the pressure is just right, switch your hips and secure side control on your opponent.

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BECAUSE A CLEAN GI

SHOULD SMELL CLEAN. ABSOLUTEATHLETICCARE.COM

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From Side Control

This is a good for when your opponent pushes up on you from side control when they frame up. It’s quick and your opponent will not suspect it.

Step 1 Raise your chin to extend your opponent’s wrist so it is bent and clamp down again to regain control.

Step 2

Step 3

Walk the hand closest to your opponent’s hip up in order to bring their elbow out. Then take the hand blocking the head and cup your opponent’s elbow.

Connect your hands together, keep your chin down, and bring your shoulder (the one closest to your opponent’s wrist) to the cupped elbow. This downward shoulder pressure, coupled with the trapped elbow, will gain you the submission.

The long step pass is a more advanced technique. I wouldn’t recommend it to be the first pass you learn, but it’s a good one to incorporate into your passing game. It’s a very effective pass that is implemented by several high level competitors because of its difficul to stop. Once in side control, you have many options, but the wristlock is often overlooked as one possibility. Like a majority of wristlocks, trapping the elbow is very important. Go slow when drilling as the wristlock can set in quick and you don’t want to hurt your training partners!

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2/8/16 10:00 PM

event

BJJ TOUR TEXAS Denton, TX BJJTour.com

WORDS & PHOTOS: MIKE CALIMBAS

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BJJ Tour is on the move! Led by Claudio Franca out of Northern California, the organization hosts BJJ tournaments nationwide including the prestigious annual American Cup and also the U.S. Open. Most recently, BJJ Tour concluded the latest stop on their North American tour. This time around, it was in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex suburb of Denton, at TWU’s Kitty Magee Arena. Over 200 competitors and many of the major academies from around the area attended the event. Many top competitors from around the nation attended as well, making for an exceptional day of action on the mats.

Three major teams vied for poll positon atop the leaderboards all day long. Alvarez BJJ, comprised of a grand total of one participating academy, performed admirably, winning the kids team title by a margin of 15 points over second place Checkmat and also Soul Fighters.

The overall title, however, went to the Checkmat powerhouse squad, which included Eddie Ricardo-led Cobra BJJ and also the team brought forth by Kaiser Girao. Competitors from Soul Fighters also put up a great fight and a balanced team with only 30 points separating the two squads when all was said and done.

Checkmat finished with 236 points while Soul Fighters (206) and Alvarez Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (122) placed in second and third respectively.

Other teams worthy of mention for this tournament included Brazilian Top Team and Rodrigo Pinheiro BJJ.

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101 As for individual action, there was plenty. Notable competitors on the mats included champions like Joao Gabriel Rocha, Nathan Mendelsohn, Marcus Antelante, Rafael Formiga, Manuel Ribamar and many others.

Rocha in particular had an exceptional match with upstart Misael Miranda out of the Houston area, while Antelante and Ribamar had their own exciting battle that resulted in a close points win for the Manaus native and former adult brown belt world champion.

Another exciting matchup saw Checkmat roosterweight Lucas Pinheiro taking on Joao Gabriel in the absolute division. Despite a 100 lb. weight disadvantage, Pinheiro performed admirably before Rocha finally inflicted his will to pass guard and submit after the five minute mark en route to the black belt open title.

As for the rest of the lower belt action, highlighted players at BJJ Tour Texas included Rilion Gracie competitor Giancarlo Bodoni, who took double gold at purple belt and Jarrod Trotter of Soul Fighters, who also made it into the purple openweight final.

Watch out for BJJ Tour at a city near you soon. Their next stops are in Connecticut on June 11th and All Star #5 back at the Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz on June 25th. See you on the mats!

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6/8/16 5:38 PM

Mind games

BECOME A JIU-JITSU EXPLORER 6 STRATEGIES FOR GETTING MORE FROM YOUR ROLLS WORDS: MARSHAL CARPER

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THE MODERN GRAPPLER HAS A WEALTH OF TRAINING TOOLS AT HIS OR HER DISPOSAL. WE HAVE YOUTUBE VIDEOS, DVDS, ONLINE INSTRUCTIONAL PLATFORMS, APPS, BOOKS, SEMINARS, PRIVATE LESSONS, JOURNALING, AND TRADITIONAL CLASSES. But even traditional classes aren’t so traditional any more. Instructors around the world are incorporating rich media, motor learning, and even flipped classrooms into jiu-jitsu training.

With new ideas permeating every facet of training, we are able to wring more out of every minute we have on the mat.

But even the savviest of early adopters overlook the potential for innovation in one critical part of training: rolling.

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position so that you can get a submission.

And that’s what we do at every open mat and to close out every class. Get the position. Get the submission.

This is a huge missed opportunity.

Yes, rolling.

We study up on the newest instructionals.

We analyze competition footage. We drill and drill and drill some more. When we touch hands to roll, however, we slip back into perhaps the most standard training routine we have. Try to get a dominant

When you roll, your goal should not always be to try to get the tap. Rolling time is far too valuable for you to limit yourself to such a limited learning path.

If you set smaller goals, add restrictions, or play mini mind games as you roll, you can enhance your learning and get more out of your training than if you had just tried to win. When your goal is winning, you are more likely to stay inside of your comfort zone which means limited growth.

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Try these games the next time you roll (and no, your partners don’t have to know): 1. One Trick Pony

Pick a submission, preferably not your current favorite, and attack with that submission exclusively. To start, make the category broad, like armbars or Kimuras from any position. This narrow focus will force you to be more deliberate with your planning and your set ups and give you more practice troubleshooting counters than if you were casting a wide net.

To ramp this into hard mode, perhaps against an opponent with far less experience than you, pick a specific limb or a specific positional finish.

3. Open a Bait Shop

One of the signs of an advanced grappler is the ability to trick opponents into making the wrong move (and have them think it was the right move). Can you bait your opponent into grabbing your sleeve? How about going for the cross knee pass? Can you get them to try for that triangle? In practice, this should be about more than giving your opponent a freebie. Have a counter prepared for when your opponent takes the bait. Be warned, this is harder than it sounds. It can take a good bit of work to make your opponents believe that the move you wanted them to take was their idea.

2. Dummy Side Love

Even the highest levels of competitors have a “strong side” and a “weak side.” They prefer to pass in one direction. They like to set their first grip with this hand and not the other. When they shoot for a takedown they always turn the corner in this direction. Having a strong side is not a bad thing, but if your opponent realizes you have a weak side—especially when it comes to defense—you are especially vulnerable. So when you roll, you should sometimes force yourself to play to your bad side.

A good start: pull half guard on the off side.

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4. DO THE HOUDINI

Defense is perhaps the easiest facet of training to isolate. Make some mistakes on purpose, and soon you’ll be in a bad spot. The more strategic approach is to pick an aspect of your defense that you’d like to work on. For example, if one of your training partners always catches you with the same choke, walk right back into that lion’s den and see what you can learn. You will get tapped a lot more often, but with each tap you should become more and more aware of how the choke works and what your partner is doing to set it up. Then you can start to experiment with solutions.

5. Train Tired

Many grapplers have the tendency to drift into flow rolling and never drift bac out. If you force yourself to stay active—and there is a difference between being active and rolling 100%- you can open your game to new possibilities while also pushing your cardio. Land in closed guard?

Don’t dilly dally! Immediately open up and work to pass!

Finally got to side control? Don’t stop! Keep transitioning.

Always be moving and resist the urge to stall or to rest.

6. Choose a Handicap

While most of these suggestions put a restriction on your game in some way, deliberately removing one of your advantages simply for the sake of making your rolls more challenging is a bit different. This is a great approach to rolling with white belts, but being discrete helps you keep more friends. It’s pretty demoralizing to roll with someone that has one arm stuffed in their gi because they are that much better than you, so pick handicaps that are less obvious. Ask to start in a certain position. Refuse to close your guard under any conditions.

Don’t use collar grips. Those sorts of handicaps are less noticeable.

Entering your rolls with these specific goals in mind will challenge you mentally and physically. You will constantly need to problem solve, and your opponent’s advantage of simply being unrestricted will mean that your defense will get sharper too. Where other grapplers are running the same race course that comprises their “game”—the same old takedowns, the same old sweeps, the same old transitions—you are intentionally stepping into the unknown. You’re a jiu-jitsu explorer on the search of new discoveries and new insights.

And you don’t make those sorts of discoveries if you never try something new.

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Rodrigo Freitas BJJ – A Winning Team!

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Serving the South Bay for Over Six Years •

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5225 W Rosecrans Ave, Hawthorne Ca 90250 Rodrigofreitasbjj.com 310-536-9030

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6/9/16 1:19 AM

medic

A GRAPPLERS GUIDE TO

ANTI-INFLAMMATO MEDICATION Take Two and Call Me in the Morning WORDS: MATT CORLEY

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NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES (NSAIDS) ARE COMMONLY USED BY ATHLETES TO TREAT THE DAILY ACHES AND PAINS THAT COME WITH INTENSIVE TRAINING. PHYSICIANS ROUTINELY CONSIDER THEM TO BE THE TREATMENT OF CHOICE AND THEIR AVAILABILITY AS AN OVER-THE-COUNTER (OTC) TREATMENT MEAN THAT ANYONE AND EVERYONE HAS ACCESS. My personal NSAID of choice is ibuprofen (AKA Advil/Motrin) but other OTC agents are available, notably naproxen (aka Aleve) and aspirin (AKA Bayer/Excedrin/Bufferin). If you include prescription drugs, the products available increases significantly. We know that thousands of people use these everyday, but are they doing more harm than good? Does the temporary relief come at the cost of increasing healing time? Is it really helping?

DISCLAIMER: I am not a physician and I am not providing you with medical advice or recommendations.

All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician as needed. The information contained in this article is presented in summary form only and intended to be used for entertainment only. The information should not be considered complete and should not be used in place of a visit, call, consultation, or advice of your physician or other healthcare provider. I do not recommend the self-management of health problems.

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107

ATORY

Glossary CYCLOOXYGENASE-1 (COX-1) is an enzyme that is responsible for the creation of prostaglandins used in numerous body processes.

It stimulates stomach mucous product, regulation of gastric acid, and kidney water excretion.

COX-1 is responsible for regulating numerous basic body functions and is always present in your body.

CYCLOOXYGENASE-2 (COX-2) is an induced enzyme (not normally present in the body) that contributes to pain, swelling, and the feeling of heat in injuries.

PROSTAGLANDINS are produced in response to stimuli- for the purposes of this article- an injury. They increase blood flow, vascular permeability, inflammation, and attract inflammatory cells.

Are NSAIDs Safe?

Every drug has side effects and the potential to do harm. Using them properly goes a long way towards mitigating those concerns but nothing eliminates the risk completely. NSAIDs are most commonly associated with stomach/bowel side effects, particularly in people that have had previous ulcers or bleeding. Taking your doses with food helps reduce this concern. They can also increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke. If you have heart disease, high blood pressure or any cardiac risk factors, your risk is increased. Women who are more than 30 weeks pregnant and people with kidney problems should also avoid NSAIDs. Aspirin is also known to increase bleeding risk and decrease your body’s natural ability to form clots. For those that want to avoid NSAIDs altogether, acetaminophen (Tylenol) is your best bet over-the-counter.

Inflammation and Healing

The main reason we take NSAIDs when we’re hurt is to reduce the pain and inflammation that is our body’s natural response to an injury. Your body usually has a good reason for doing what it does. Turns out that’s the case here too. The inflammation controls hemorrhaging through constricting blood vessels and inducing platelet aggregation. The pain is intended to let you know something is wrong and to stop doing it. Prostaglandins are released when you’re injured and they start the healing process in earnest. They cause an increase in local blood flow and the injury may become more painful. The combination of inflammation and pain restricts movement to discourage further injury. Inflammatory cells are attracted to the site by prostaglandins.

These cells remove cellular debris and begin the process of repairing the tissue.

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Prostaglandins Are Good, OK? OTC NSAIDs indiscriminately inhibit COX-1 and COX-2 which in turn inhibits prostaglandin synthesis. But what does that mean to you? Studies have shown

Broken Bones

Numerous studies, both animal and human, have looked at the effects of NSAID use on fracture healing. While they don’t all agree, the overall impression suggests that NSAIDs delay fracture healing.

This is particularly evident if you’re using them for more than a week or two. Early treatment of fractures will include the use of NSAIDs as short-term pain control and use should taper off once the bone is immobilized. The use of NSAIDs to control acute inflammation can allow the fracture to be casted more easily.

After casting you should minimize and/or eliminate their use.

treatment with NSAIDs has no significant effect on strength recovery; however, these same studies showed that the healing of damaged tissue was delayed

Torn Ligaments and Tendons

Connective tissue holds our bodies together.

Their name indicates what structure they connect. Ligaments attach bone to bone and tendons connect muscles to bone.

Tendon and ligament injuries are chronic and healing may takes months to complete.

Data on NSAID use in tendon and ligament injuries is scarce and in some cases contradictory. The role of prostaglandins in healing tendon and ligament injuries isn’t fully understood either. The nature of the injury, acute versus degenerative, seems to play a role. Degenerative conditions appear less likely to respond to NSAID treatment while acute injuries may respond to shortterm treatment. Studies with prescription NSAIDs, particularly those that are selective to COX-2, suggest short courses may be beneficial for acute injuries.

with NSAID. Are all injuries equally affected by NSAIDs? Does it matter if you’ve broken a bone? Torn a ligament?

Pulled a muscle? Damaged a tendon?

Muscle Injuries

Injuries to your muscles and other soft tissue are a fact of life in grappling.

How often this happens to you will be a combination of luck, your skill (and your partners), and your overall health. Soft tissue injuries can include muscle strains/tears, lacerations, and other trauma. Many athletes take ibuprofen prior to strenuous exercise in an effort to decrease delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Studies examining the effect of short courses of NSAIDs on acute muscle injury suggest that they can reduce pain, allow athletes to return to full activity sooner, and decrease DOMS after strenuous training.

WRAPPING IT UP

There’s probably not a week that goes by that I don’t take ibuprofen at least once. Most weeks I use it two or three times. You may not take it as often as I do, but there’s a good chance that there’s a bottle in your medicine cabinet. You owe it to yourself to make sure that you’re using it correctly and understand the risks and potential benefits. Short-term NSAID use, that means using them for no more than a week, can be an effective treatment for pain and inflammation. If the pain is acute and/or muscular in nature, chances are good that a little ibuprofen or naproxen will give you relief and get you back on the mat. Make sure to take it with food, follow the directions on the bottle, avoid use if you have heart/kidney issues, and particularly pregnant women should exercise caution when using them.

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❖❖ James Puopolo defeats Ricardo Evangelista to advance into the Ultra-Heavy final.

❖❖ Romulo Barral finishes Patrick Gaudio with a cross choke in the semi-finals of the Medium-Heavy division

There were many submissions at this year’s Worlds and very few close outs. Submissions are always exciting to see. The big story of the finals was the return of Buchecha. He not only looked like the Buchecha of old but arguably stronger and re-energized. He seemed focused, determined, and unstoppable. In his weight division’s semi-final, he got a scare from his twin, Joao Rocha, who put up quite a fight for about the first five minutes until Buchecha put it in another gear.

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Next year we’re giving an award to best post match celebration.

❖❖ Buchecha submits James Puopolo in the ultra-heavy finals.

❖❖ Mackenzie and Michelle in the fighter’s bullpen. They would meet in the finals the following day.

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❖❖ Caption here mike

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Acai stock prices always seem to go up this time of year.

❖❖ Bea Mesquita took gold in the Lightweight and silver in the Absolute.

❖❖ Jiu-jitsu competitors will often find themselves in sticky situations.

❖❖ Rickson Gracie was front row for much of the action during the World Championships.

❖❖ Michelle Nicolini walks off the mat for the final time.

Early last month, Nicolini announced that she would be retiring from jiu-jitsu. Nicolini is a very accomplished grappler with eight World titles, is an ADCC champ, and a World Pro Champion. She left everything on the mat that day, including her black belt, and took a final bow. Although she leaves the world of jiu-jitsu, she will continue to represent the sport in MMA.

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❖❖ Mackenzie takes home gold in the Featherweight Division.

❖❖ Bianca Basilio looks pretty calm before stepping onto the mats. She earned a gold in the Female Lightweight Brown Belt Division.

❖❖ Dominyka Obelenyte brings home double gold, taking first both in the Super Heavy and Absolute.

Many familiar champions from years past were successful at this year’s World Championships. Otavio Sousa, Rafa Mendes, Gezary Matuda, and Lucas Lepri all earned top spots on the podium this year. Other familiar faces such as Renato Laranja chose not to compete but were in attendance.

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#nochildsupprt

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❖❖ Alliance’s Bruno Malfacine takes home gold once again in the Featherweight Division.

❖❖ No trip to California would be complete without a trip to In-N-Out.

As our cover states, the King is back! Long may he reign. The Worlds is a spectacle that you must witness first hand. Even if you don’t compete, make the trip and see it for yourself. You won’t regret it. To all those that made the journey and put it all on the line, we salute you. Keep doing what you’re doing. Even if you didn’t come home with gold around your neck, you’ve accomplished what very few have even attempted. Keep up the fight and keep rolling!

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Someone is probably upset they had to clean up apple cyder on the mat.

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6/9/16 2:16 AM

success

Powered By:

SARAH CUNNINGHAM

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ASK ANYONE WHO HAS EVER ROLLED WITH SARAH CUNNINGHAM ABOUT WHAT THEY THOUGHT AND TWO THINGS WILL COME TO MIND: SHE DOESN’T QUIT AND SHE’S PRETTY DARN STRONG. SARAH BEGAN TRAINING JIU-JITSU WHEN SHE REACHED HER PEAK WEIGHT OF 170LBS. Since then she’s discovered two loves, jiu-jitsu and strength training. The two disciplines compliment each other and have helped Sarah reduce her body fat percentage almost in half. On the mats or around the weights, she’s a beast. Find out more about how she did it.

AGE: 28 | HEIGHT: 5’ 7” | STARTING WEIGHT: 170lbs w/ 30% body fat CURRENT WEIGHT: 145lbs w/ 17% body fat | HOMETOWN: Chino, CA HOME SCHOOL: Started Training at Cia Paulista in Monrovia under Freddy Sabatini. I moved to Gracie Barra Chino in 2015 INSTRUCTOR: Rafael Oliveira, Gracie Barra Chino

How did you discover jiu-jitsu? I discovered jiu-jitsu through coworkers.

I worked with three guys who were all on the same team and they said I had to come try it out so I did. The moment I finished the class I immediately signed up!

What motivates you to train? Seeing the results of my hard work is what motivates me and of course, it’s just fun! It’s also nice to have something to go work off the stress that’s built up throughout the day.

I tend to carry a lot of stress, so jiu-jitsu and lifting weights have helped with that tremendously. Overall though, seeing myself get better, moving faster, and lifting he vier weights is for me, my true motivation.

What else do you do for physical fitness? I actually started weight training because of jiu-jitsu and the moment I was able to pick up heavier weights and realized I was actually getting stronger, I was hooked. I’ve continued to strength train and hope to compete one day in a powerlifting vent, but it’s a slow process.

It’s hard to go heavy and also train jiu-

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jitsu, at least for me, which can be really frustrating, but I know I’ll get there!

How have you changed your diet? Diet is the absolute hardest part and I definitely don’t have the perfect diet, but I used to work at a grocery store for seven years.

The only thing there that is quick to eat or snack on that you don’t need to cook are chips, crackers, cookies, etc. I was eating whole boxes of Cheez-Its in one shift.

Everything I ate was quick and not healthy in any form. When I reached 170lbs, I decided to get serious about working out and getting healthy. I stopped drinking soda, snacking the way I was, and cut down on the number of times a week I’d hit a fast food place. Just from that, the weight slowly started to come off. Now, I actually meal prep and recently I started to carb cycle which is really hard for me to stay on track, but it’s been helping me reach my goals.

What’s been the biggest challenge so far? The biggest physical challenge is trying to do both sports at 100%. I feel that my body is slowly starting to get

used to it but waking up jiu-jitsu sore and weight lifting so e is rough. Mentally it’s been challenging not seeing results I want or picking things up quickly as my teammates. I take it pretty hard. In jiu-jitsu things sometimes don’t come as easily for me and I get really frustrated, and my confidence level goes way down. Again though, I train to get better so it only motivates me more to continue training and not give up.

What’s been the best benefit from the changes you’ve made? I have become more confident and comfortable with myself. I physically feel healthy and strong and overall I’ve become a happier person.

What advice would you give to someone else looking to make the same sort of change? My advice would be to not get discouraged. You WILL NOT see immediate physical changes if you’re weightlifting.

There will be many times you WILL NOT pick up a move immediately. Things take time and you just have to hang in there and never stop.

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