R o w Y o u r s e l f T o Mat Dominance!
IT BITES
Dominique Bell’s Tarantula Guard
• Getting Into A State of Flow • Eliminate Lower Back Pain • • Solving The White Belt Dilemma • No-Gi Worlds Action! • Cover 58.indd 1
Jan/Feb 2018 Issue 58
GO WITH THE FLO! KENNY “KENFLO” FLORIAN
1/4/18 10:34 AM
TRAIN
FOR LIFE. NEW AIR PRO - LIGHTWEIGHT, COMFORTABLE, COMPETITION READY! www.gameness.com Gameness Spread_v2.indd 2
11/7/17 11:22 PM
MARCOS TINOCO
www.facebook.com/GamenessFightwear @GamenessFightCo @Gameness_Sports Gameness Spread_v2.indd 3
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contents Life
I SS U E 5 8 JA N UA RY/ F E B RUA RY 2 018
084 Ge ar l ab Habrok Tactica Leve Gi Gracie Essentials Gracie
008 E d i to r i a l
Whey Protein
Make Good Choices
010 W e i g hi n g I n Guess Who’s Back?
020 p ro m ot i o n s Belts and Stripes
024 Grub
Cauliflower - The
090 E ven t Coverage
Secret Superfood
2017 US Open
028 Supplements
100 T h e l if e
Vitamin D
The Rise of Sub Only
body
The White Belt’s Dilema
skills
038 T he L i fe
Kenny Florian
034 W hi t e B e lt Ch ron icles
fuel
094 Mind Games
046 cove r f e ature
Flow States - Optimizing Your Jiu-Jitsu Expereince
Black Belt Q & A
His Own Brand of Flow
104 Medic
042 D o ’ s a n d d on ’ts
072 T ech n ique
Dealing With
Giving and Recieving Advice
Dominique Bell - Tarantula Guard
Lower Back Pain
114 success
066 E v e n t C ov e rage
Jiu-jitsu
2017 IBJJF No Gi Worlds
saves a life
Meet The Experts M a rs ha l D. Carper
W il l safford
James Lawson
Ricardo Castaneda
Naveed shan
Is a brown belt under
Certified Strength and
is a US Marine Corps
is a brown belt and
Naveed Shan is
Sonny Achille. In addition
Conditioning Coach
veteran, jiu-jitsu black
holds a master of arts in
a strength and
to owning Artechoke
who trains under Andre
belt under Rodrigo
Psychology. He is also
conditioning coach at
Media, Marshal is
Galvao in San Diego,
Teixeira who loves to
the head instructor of
Siege MMA/Lotus Club
the author of books
CA. Will specializes
travel and teach jiu-jitsu
Gracie Barra Lakeway
BJJ in Glendale, AZ and
like The Cauliflower
in mobility training,
to anyone who will
in Austin, Texas. Find
Revolution Training
Chronicles and Marcelo
injury prevention, and
listen. He’d love to keep
him on social media @
Systems in Tempe,
Garcia’s Advanced
kettlebell strength and
in touch with you. You
ricardopezaobjj and his
AZ. He trains under
Jiu-Jitsu Techniques.
conditioning. For more
can stay in touch with
website at Jiujitology.
Giva Santana and is
His latest project is
info, visit his website at
him at: IG: @TwistUUp
com for more.
currently finishing his
whitebeltproblems.
ironwillathletics.com.
and his website at
post-graduate studies
thewarriorsclub.com
in Exercise Science and
com, a free open-source resource devoted to
Psychology at ASU.
making jiu-jitsu more
You can contact him at
accessible for beginners.
naveedshan.com
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ON THE COVER Look for us online: @jiujitsumag
072
technique: D omin ique Bel l
46 Brand of Flow
Photo: Doh Kim
Tarrandula Guard
094
Mind games: f low stat es
110
gains: Row in g
Contents 58.indd 2
Kenny Florian - His Own
Optimizing Your Jiu-Jitsu Experience
GO WITH THE FLO! KENNY “KENFLO” FLORIAN
Row Your Way To Victory
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editorial BE YOUR OWN GPS
S
EDITORIAL STA FF EDITOR & PUBLISHER.............................................. Mike Velez ASSISTANT EDITOR................................................. Jim Lawson
So, how are those resolutions going? By now you’ve read all the annual New Year’s resolution
MANAGING EDITOR................................................Areum Kim
articles and watched the videos. I don’t need to tell you that most of us quit our resolutions by
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS................................... Will Sanford,
about this time every year. But that doesn’t mean the idea of using the turning of the calendar
Ryan Ford, Marshal Carper, Jeremy Reid, Arlo
as an opportunity to start with a clean slate isn’t a worthwhile proposition. I’ve used this space
Gagestein, Jim Lawson, Heather Raftery, Ricardo
in the magazine before to talk about resolutions and their allure. Well, I’m going to do it at least
Casteneda, James Vafiades, Contributing copy
one more time today. If you’ve fallen off the resolution wagon, it’s okay, and if you haven’t, then
editor - Amy Lindsay
good job. Keep up the good work. For those of us that might have found it more difficult than we anticipated New Year’s morning, let’s refocus. No doubt the ideas and goals that you had in
ART & PHOTOGR A P H Y
mind were good ones, probably things that you’ve been telling yourself for years. In your mind
ART DIRECTOR................................................. Dave Palacios
you know that these are things that you should be doing all of the time. The problem with most
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS.............Jason Boulanger,
resolutions is that we think the date change is going to perform some type of magical boost of
John Cooper, Kenny Jewel, Patrick Flores,
will power and discipline. This is seldom the case. Instead we have to look at every day as a new
Mike Calimbas, Alberto Marchetti, Ric Ricard
day and a new opportunity to resolve to make the decisions one at a time that will get us to our ultimate goals. Every time we’re faced with a choice, it’s an opportunity to ask ourselves, “which
PRODUCTION & ADV E RT IS ING
choice will move me towards my goal?” Fast food or meal prep? Hit the gym or sleep in? Video
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR................................ Paula Fountain
games or open mat? You won’t always make the right choice, and that’s okay. The most common
ADVERTISING SALES........................Mike Velez, Jim Lawson
reason resolutions fail is because people decide that they’re going to live a particular way that
CIRCULATION MANAGER..................................Chris Reardon
isn’t really sustainable. In time, breaking each desired outcome into individual choices will build that discipline muscle that will allow you to sustain the lifestyle you’d like to live. Resolve each day to make the choices that will lead in the direction you want to go and you will eventually achieve that desired outcome. And when you fail to make the right choice, don’t use that as an excuse to give up on getting to where you want to go. If you plan on driving from New York to LA, you wouldn’t say “ah screw it I’ll just to to Jersey” because you made a left instead of a right leaving the driveway. Be like your GPS, course correct even if you make a wrong turn now and again. Eventually, you will get there.
Address change & S UB S Phone: 1.877.834.3552 ext. 221 Web: jiujitsumag.com
ADVERTISING & SALE S INFO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST, CONTACT: Jiu-Jitsu Magazine PO Box 2405
Speaking of desired outcomes. We’ve got some new desired outcomes for the magazine. Over
Chino Hills, CA 91709
the next two issues you’re going to see a bunch of aesthetic changes, we might even label it a
ph: 1.877.834.3552 ext. 221
“redesign” along with some editorial changes that we think you’ll love and will fit perfectly with
fax: 909.591.1251
our mission of helping readers get the most out of their jiu-jitsu. Be on the lookout for those changes in the next couple of issues. I hope you enjoy this first issue of 2018 and read every article. Lots of good stuff in this one! Keep Rolling,
Mike Velez Publisher/Editor-in-Chief MikeV@jiujitsumag.com
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. Subscription rates are $29.99 for 6 issues (1 year), $39.99 per year Canada, and $59.99 per year for foreign airmail. All rights reserved, The entire contents are copyright 2018 Recon Media Inc, and may not be reproduced in any manner in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. The views and the opinions of the writers and advertisers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Recon Media Inc., the Publisher, or the editorial staff. The Publisher assumes no responsibilities for advertising claims, errors, and omissions. Some of the techniques described in this magazine can be dangerous. Always practice safe procedures and use common sense. Recon Media Inc., and the Publisher can not be held responsible from any injuries or damage caused by these techniques. Perform at your own risk. Jiu-Jitsu Magazine (ISSN2157-6173) is published bi-monthly by Recon Media Inc., 3857 Schaefer Avenue # D, Chino, CA 91710. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to iu-Jitsu Magazine, PO Box 2405, Chino Hills, CA 91709
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TRAIN FOR LIFE
JoĂŁo Gabriel Rocha www.gameness.com Joao Gameness.indd 1
www.facebook.com/GamenessFightwear @GamenessFightCo @Gameness_Sports 11/15/16 9:40 PM
weighing in
CTRL THE BOARD
THEY SAY JIU-JITSU IS A KIND OF “HUMAN CHESS” THAT’S USUALLY WON BY THE PLAYER WHO BEST EMBRACES THE LONG GAME. THAT CHESS ANALOGY WAS IN MIND WHEN BLAYNE BARLOW, THE FOUNDER OF CTRL, CAME UP WITH THE VERY UNIQUE “CHESS WEAVE”. The Rook III is the second of two gis from CTRL using this unique two-tone weave that produces a chess board type look. The Rook III is available in a two-tone black and a white-on-white. The black is woven from black and charcoal fibers into a 450 GSM weave. The pants are solid black woven from classic ripstop material with Chess Weave in the gusset. The white version is less noticeable in its chess board appearance and uses black, silver and blue accents. The initial runs of each version sold out quickly but will be available for future limited runs again. The only way to be sure to get “on-board” is to check out their website for more details. ctrlindustries.com
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011
Ralek’s Back
After a submission loss to Gordon Ryan, Ralek Gracie is back out in the public eye with his latest creative endeavor, The Foundation. The Foundation is a five-part web series that follows a young teenager named Dean. Dean is faced with the loss of his mother and an abusive father. The abuse follows Dean as he’s confronted by a group of bullies who chase him down and beat him until he’s face down on the beach. Chris Haueter
A New Guard
Just in time for the sweaty season, it’s new Odor-Guard Deodorant from your very good friends at Absolute Athletic Care. Odor-Guard is a high-performance, natural, organic formulation of just coconut oil, carnauba Wax, arrowroot powder, shea butter and baking soda. Free of aluminum, petroleum, parabens, dyes, or anything harmful, you could even eat it if you really wanted to. But don’t let that “Organic Vegan” label fool you, this stuff is tough on odor and washes off easily. Do your body, and your training partners, a favor and give it a try. absoluteathleticcare.com
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(one of jiu-jitsu’s original twelve American black belts) stumbles upon Dean on what could possibly turn out to be his lucky day. Chris offers him a hand and tells him that if he ever wants to give jiu-jitsu a try he should give him a call. Months pass and finally Dean’s ready to give jiu-jitsu a chance. That decision changes his life and becomes his foundation. The first two episodes are available for viewing absolutely free. Episodes three through
five are available for rent at $1.99 a piece. We’ve watched the first two and plan on renting the rest. They’re really well done. In an interview with Jiu-Jitsu Times, Ralek said that all of the proceeds from The Foundation would go towards paying off the fighters that are still owed money from previous Metamoris matches. At the very least, check out the first two episodes and judge for yourself. metamoris.com
Mackenzie Dern
UFC DEBUT
It was bound to happen. Mackenzie Dern’s been on the UFC’s radar since making her MMA debut back in 2016. Since then she’s put together an impressive 5-0 record in professional MMA bouts. She’s gotten the call to the big show making her debut on March 3rd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at UFC 222. She’s set to go up against Ashley Yoder in a strawweight (115lb) bout. Ashley has fought twice in the UFC before, losing decisions in both, but has a professional 5-3 record with four of those wins coming by submission. Should be a great fight. We can’t wait to tune in. ufc.com
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weighing in Moya Has Your Back
Moya Brand is going beyond their traditional line up of jiu-jitsu inspired apparel and gis with some new premium jackets in the mix. These aren’t just someone else’s gear with the Moya Brand logo sewn on, these are from scratch offerings. Check out the Lightweight Tech Jacket. It’s a lightweight and water resistant windbreaker perfect for layering and throwing over a sweatshirt or even a tee. The outer shell is made from waterproof coated nylon with elastic cuffs to keep the water out. Small batches of this unique jacket are shipping now. The other new jacket from Moya Brand is the Moya Windbreaker Jacket. It’s a premium lightweight windbreaker tech jacket, soft to the touch, versatile, and perfect for any conditions. It’s made from a water resistant tech fabric, zips up, has a mesh hood liner, and lined three panel hood. Both jackets are available now at the Moya website for $74.95 a piece. moyabrand.com
Just Wanna Have Fun
Fusion Fight Gear has made quite the name for themselves as the go-to jiu-jitsu gear brand when it comes to officially licensed gear from creative properties like Superman, Batman, Star Trek, Street Fighter, TMNT, and many more. Now comes a full line up of gear for girls who train. Dad’s not the only one with the official gear. This new collection includes all the top DC Superheroines: Batgirl, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, and Harley Quinn! These rashguards and spats will help keep them protected from mat germs, the sun’s harmful rays (rated SPF 50+) and even kryptonite! Check out the whole collection at their website. fusionfightgear.com
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WITH THE NEW YEAR COMES TIME TO PLAN A VACATION! THE DAILY CHALLENGES OF LIFE CAN TAKE A TOLL ON ALL OF US. It’s good for body and soul to get away now and then and enjoy some time off, recharge the batteries, and experience life’s unique pleasures. This all sounds great until you realize that you might miss a few days of class. Yeah, us too. But you can actually take a vacation and not miss a single mount escape or knee slice instructional with one of these great vacation ideas.
Rollin Costa Rica The 2018 Santa Teresa Beach Camp with 7x World Champion Lucas Lepri is coming up quickly on February 21st. It’s still possible that there may be space available by the time you read this, but if not, at least check it out and get on the list for the next one. This is a three day training camp run by nine black belts with morning and evening training sessions and even surf lessons. The camp is set on one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches with first class accomodations. Packages start at $1,000. rollincostarica.com
Grapplers Escape Cruise There’s still time to get on board the next sailing of Grapplers Escape IV with World Champions Braulio Estima, Gezary Matuda, and Keenan Cornelius. Grapplers Escape IV leaves Port Canaveral, Florida, April 29th through May 6 with stops in Labadee, Haiti, Jamaica, and
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Cozumel aboard Royal Caribbean’s’ Oasis of the Seas. Each day is packed with training totaling up to over eighteen hours of world class instruction, unlimited open mat training, and all included meals, hosted cocktail parties, events, and group outings on shore. Pricing
starts at $1,895, and what if you want to bring someone along who doesn’t train? That’s fine, save $750 on their tickets, plus additional discounts for kids. This is the fourth Grappler’s Escape cruise and promises to be the best one yet. grapplersescape.com
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Jiu-jitsu is a martial art in the truest form. Everyone’s jiu-jitsu is unique and an expression of their personality and spirit. It’s no wonder that jiu-jitsu practitioners find the need to express themselves in more ways than just on the mats. One way is through the art of tattoo. We recently did a call out to subscribers to share with us their jiujitsu inspired ink. Take a look. Have you got some jiu-jitsu ink you’d like to share? Email us at feedback@ jiujitsumag.com
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ch ris voloothuis
dennis thomas
daniel rivas
elias sosa
jonathan heidenreich
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Mayra cardenas marcos flores
je remy wright
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mohammed ibrahim
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Academy directory Nine Nine Jiu-Jitsu
Valko Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
4425 Convoy St Ste 210 San Diego, CA 92111 858-987-0257 • ninenine99.com Gi and No-Gi, Kids, Adults
820 N Orleans Chicago, IL 60610 773-556-8155 • valkobjj.com BJJ, Judo, Boxing, No-Gi
Ralph Gracie Jiu jitsu Chino Hills
Helix BJJ
14151 Pipeline Ave Chino, CA 91710 909-614-1307 • ralphgraciechinohills.com Gi and No-Gi, Kids, Adults
2020 Westside Ct, Ste D Snellville, GA 30078 404-455-2589 • facebook.com/helixbjj BJJ, Martial Arts
Missoula BJJ and Muay Thai
Fight Sports Miami
2301 Palmer Street Unit 12 Missoula, MT 59801 406-686-6255 • missoulabrazilianjiujitsu.yolasite.com Gi and No-Gi, Kids, Adults, Muay Thai
2220 Northeast 2nd Ave Miami, FL 33137 786-290-6875 • miamibjjcenter.com BJJ, No-Gi, MMA, Muay Thai, Judo, Wrestling
Bakersfield BJJ
Renzo Gracie Academy
4308 Resnik Ct #203 Bakersfield, CA 93313 661-345-2906 • mattbakerbjj.com Gi and No-Gi, Kids, Adults, MMA, Kickboxing
224 W 30th St New York, NY 10001 212-279-6724• renzogracie.com BJJ, Submission Grappling, Kids Jitsu, Muay Thai
HIGHER GROUND BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU
GD JIu-JItsu Academy
19267 Colima Rd Ste I Rowland Heights, CA 91748 (626) 667-4082 • hgbjj.com Adult and Children’s Gi and No-Gi
1848 E. University Dr. #108, Tempe, AZ 85281 480-968-6303 • gdjiujitsu.com Adult Gi and No-Gi, Kids BJJ
Brooklyn Martial Arts
Team Rhino Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
289 Livingston St, 2nd & 3rd Floors Brooklyn, NY 11217 718-403-9026 • brooklynmartialarts.com BJJ, Fitness Kickboxing, Kids Martial Arts, MMA
68 E. Fairview Ave. Meridian, Idaho 83642 208-846-9119 • idahoujj.com Adult and Children’s Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Urbana Academy 11791 Fingerboard Rd Monrovia, MD 21770 301-539-6289 • urbanaacademy.com Gracie Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, and Krav Maga
Fresh Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 22520 Greater Mack Saint Clair Shores, MI 48080 313-307-4638 • saintclairshoresmma.com BJJ, Capoeira, Judo, and Aikido
GET YOUR ACADEMY IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS OF POTENTIAL STUDENTS AND VISITORS EVERY MONTH! EMAIL US: FEEDBACK@JIUJITSUMAG.COM FOR DETAILS!
Triton Fight Center 2205 N Willow Ave Suite C Broken Arrow, OK 74012 918-25-CHOKE (24653) • tritonfightcenter.com BJJ, No-Gi, Muay Thai, Judo, Semper Fit
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promotions
RUNS IN THE FAMILY
School: Experience MMA & Fitness | Location: Gatineau, Québec (Canada) LAST YEAR WE WERE INTRODUCED TO ALEX “THE PRODIGY” FUNG AS HE WAS TEARING UP THE COMPETITION SCENE AT A SPRITE EIGHT YEARS OF AGE. WELL, IT SHOULD COME TO NO SURPRISE THAT HE IS A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK. It turns out that Alex isn’t the only one in the household accomplishing jiu-jitsu cool points. His father Danny Fung is as well. Danny received the coveted rank of black belt under the Masters Romero ‘’Jacaré” Cavalcanti and Fabio Gurgel at the World Masters in Las Vegas! Needless to say, his son Alex and wonderful wife Julie couldn’t be more proud of Danny’s accomplishment. We here at Jiu-Jitsu Magazine congratulate you and look forward to seeing the family continue making noise on the mats.
The Promotion Party Continues in Buckhead School: Buckhead Jiu-Jitsu Location: Buckhead, GA Congratulations to Fernando Puerto and Matt De Leon! They received their purple belts from Sam Joseph at Buckhead Jiu-Jitsu!
Abad Man On and Off the Mats School: University of Jiu-Jitsu Location: San Diego, CA
Congratulations to newly minted Saulo Ribeiro brown belt Bong Abad. Abad is not only an artist on the mats, he is also a world renowned artist who is responsible for some incredible art within the jiu-jitsu community. But don’t take our word for it. See for yourself and check out his site gawakoto.com.
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MAXIMUS PRIME
School: First BJJ Center | Location: Salt Lake City, UT Congrats goes out to Bobby Maximus who was awarded his purple belt from his professors Suyan Queiroz and Carlos Santos. Bobby won the World Masters Blue Belt Division by submitting all five of his opponents! He started wrestling at the age of 15 and started submission grappling and fighting when he was 23 years of age. He is honored and humbled to receive his purple belt from his professors. He also states, “Even more important than the belt promotion, I’ve found a place that challenges me and a family to be a part of. I’m extremely grateful to be a part of First BJJ Center, and I’m greatly looking forward to unlocking my potential as both a competitor and human being. Thank you Suyan and Carlos. I’ll work hard to show you I’ve earned this”.
A “Black Ops G-14 Classified” Promotion School: Garfield BJJ Location: Millersville, MD A very silent congratulations to Hector Hernández who was recently awarded his black belt. He trains out of Garfield BJJ in Millersville, MD, a Master Pedro Sauer affiliated academy in Sterling, VA. He is currently a Special Agent with the US Secret Service and has been practicing jiu-jitsu for the last 10 years. His background is in wrestling, having wrestled since the third grade through college, even winning an NAIA National Championship at the heavyweight division. He has also had an opportunity to compete in some international freestyle matches. Hector also had a question for us, asking, “I rarely practice no gi, mostly because of time limitations and schedule conflicts, plus I just love the challenge of the gi! Am I missing out by not practicing no gi? Thanks for your time!” Turn to our new column “Ask a Black Belt” on page 38 for our answer.
A New Blue in the Lone Star State School: Brazos Valley Mixed Martial Arts Location: College Station, TX School teacher by day, developing superhero by night. Opoku Boadu is climbing the ranks, earning his blue belt from Professor William “Bubba” Bush. Opoku has no intention of slowing down anytime soon as he states that he “looks forward to more years of training”. We look forward to additional congratulations wishes your way. Great job Opoku! Oss
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CAULIFLOWER GOOD FOR MORE THAN JUST EARS
W WORDS: MIKE VELEZ
WHEN YOU HEAR THE TERM “SUPERFOOD” THROWN AROUND, THE FIRST ITEMS THAT COME TO MIND ARE MAYBE ACAI, ALMONDS, AVOCADOS, QUINOA, KALE… THE LIST GOES ON. ONE COMMON VEGETABLE YOU’VE PROBABLY BEEN EATING SINCE YOUR PARENTS USED TO FORCE IT ON YOU THAT DOES DESERVE TO BE ON EVERY SUPERFOOD LIST IS CAULIFLOWER. Cauliflower has a long list of health benefits, and it’s also super versatile in the kitchen since it’s often called upon as a substitute for starchy foods like rice and potatoes. Let’s take a quick look at this common superfood, cauliflower.
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What It Is
Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family. Other cruciferous veggies include broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and kale. In general, cruciferous veggies are a great source of natural antioxidants. In particular, cauliflower is high in phytochemicals called tocopherols, carotenoids, and ascorbic acid. These antioxidants have shown to inhibit the development of cancer cells, and there’s a correlated evidence in their ability to help prevent diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and other ailments. A one cup serving of cauliflower contains almost no fat, sodium, or sugar. But it is packed with 85% of your daily value of vitamin C along with vitamin K, folate, vitamin B2, pantothenic acid, choline, and Omega-3 fatty acids.
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025
What does This Mean For a Grappler? Cauliflower should be part of everybody’s diets, aside from the benefits I already mentioned, since cauliflower can help you maintain or lose weight. It’s a great source of fiber, which means it will help you feel full while eating less of the bad stuff. Fiber also helps keep the pipes working in proper order. An entire head of cauliflower only contains 11 grams of sugar, so if you’re going Paleo or low carb, it’s perfect.
Nutrition Facts 1 cup chopped
Calories
27
Total Fat Saturated fat Cholesterol Sodium Potassium Total Carbohydrate Dietary fiber 2.1 g Sugar 2 g Protein
0.3 g 0.1 g 0 mg 32 mg 320 mg 5g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 85% Calcium 2% Iron 2% Vitamin D 0% Vitamin B-6 10% Vitamin B-12 0% Magnesium 4%
2.1 g
❖❖ Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
HOW TO COOK IT Boiling cauliflower will cause it to lose some of its nutrients since they leach into the cooking water. There will also be some mineral loss if you boil it it. Instead, steaming cauliflower will help it to retain nearly all of its nutrients. Cauliflower can also be eaten raw; however, some people can experience bloating or gas because
some of the sugars found in cauliflower can be difficult to digest. You should also avoid raw cauliflower if you have a thyroid condition. In addition to steaming, you can also bake, broil, saute, blanch, and grill cauliflower just to name a few methods. Recently, more and more cooks have discovered that cauliflower is a great
substitute for starchy foods like rice and potatoes. In some recipes, it’s even used as a substitute for chicken. Do a simple search on various ways to enjoy cauliflower and you’ll be cooking for days with some of the inventive ideas out there. I’ve picked two of my favorites that are very easy and can be part of your dinner tonight!
STEP 1 Cut florets off cauliflower heads and add garlic and steam over high heat for 15 minutes until cauliflower is soft and tender.
Simple Garlic Cauliflower Mash I n g r e d i e n ts : 2 large heads cauliflower 4 cloves garlic 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup low-fat buttermilk Salt and pepper to taste
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STEP 2
STEP 3
Move steamed cauliflower to a large pan and cook over medium-high heat, constantly stirring until dry, about 3 minutes.
Combine olive oil and buttermilk and with a potato masher mash cauliflower until thick and smooth.
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STEP 4 Bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to stir and cooked until warm throughout, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Cauliflower Fried Rice There’s something out there called “riced cauliflower”; it’s a hit at Trader Joe’s and essentially it’s cauliflower that’s been chopped to a consistency similar to rice. There are a ton of popular recipes using cauliflower rice. Here’s one of my favorites.
STEP 1
STEP 2
Scramble your eggs, chop them up and set them aside.
In a large skillet saute onions, peas, carrots, and garlic in olive oil until browned and softened.
STEP 3 Add thawed cauliflower rice, green onions, and soy sauce and cook and stir until everything is warm and combined.
I n g r e d i e n ts : 1 package frozen cauliflower rice (12oz) 1 cup frozen peas and carrots combo ½ diced onion 2 cloves minced garlic 2 chopped green onions 2 eggs, scrambled 4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce ½ tablespoon olive oil
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STEP 4 Add eggs and continue to mix ingredients.
STEP 5 Add more soy sauce to taste and serve hot.
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supplements
VITAMIN D WORDS: JAMES VAFIADES
THERE’S A LOT OF NONSENSE IN THE DIETARY SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY, BUT FOR CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE, SUPPLEMENTS ARE CRITICAL: EVERYONE KNOWS THAT VEGANS SHOULD SUPPLEMENT B12, POWERLIFTERS NEED PROTEIN, AND ANEMICS NEED IRON. BUT ONE STUDY IN 2011 FOUND THAT
ALMOST HALF OF AMERICAN ADULTS ARE DEFICIENT IN ONE NUTRIENT: VITAMIN D. So, move over SoCal. You may be the BJJ mecca right now, but this article isn’t for you. This one’s for the people in New York City, Chicago, Seattle, Northern Europe, Southern Brazil, and Northern Asia. In fact, anyone living far from the
earth’s equator—that is, above 35 degrees north for the northern hemisphere, below 35 degrees south for the southern hemisphere, and within 1000 miles of the magical ice wall at the edge of the world for the flat-earthers—should take notice of the enormous importance of vitamin D.
❖❖ If you live above the orange line, the sun might be too weak during the winter/spring months to give you enough vitamin D. Above the red line, it will be very hard to be sufficient in vitamin D without food or supplements!
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Diet Alone Doesn’t Cut It
Maybe you’re thinking, “I eat healthy, I go outside. Why do I need to supplement vitamin D?” For one thing, you might not eat the right foods. To get enough vitamin D from your diet, you’d need to eat lots of fish, liver meat, and egg yolks, which are not common in the typical American diet. Compounding the problem, most people don’t go outside enough. The
2011 study mentioned above that found 41.6% of Americans were deficient in vitamin D also noted that the proportion of deficient adults rose to 69.2% for Hispanic Americans and 82.1% for African Americans. Compounding the problem is the Institute of Medicine’s recommended daily allowance of vitamin D, which was set incorrectly due to a statistical error.
And then there’s the realities of modern life, like our office-based jobs, the allure of TV, and even the indoor setting of our favorite hobby—there’s no sun on the mats - so we have to go out of our way to get a healthy amount of vitamin D. We ignore this requirement at our own peril, especially as grapplers.
WHY YOU NEED IT
Dozens of studies have implicated vitamin D as a key signaling molecule for the immune system. For example, one team of researchers looking at respiratory infections found that vitamin D supplementation reduces the probability of becoming sick. That means that people who take vitamin D have a better chance of spending more time on the mats improving their jiu-jitsu, gaining ground on deficient peers who are sidelined by illness. Another crucial aspect of the immune system, wound healing, is particularly important for grapplers. We are constantly getting scrapes, cuts, bruises, strains, sprains, tears, and breaks, and we need our bodies to quickly repair those injuries so we can return to training. Vitamin D comes in handy here, according to a review from 2010 which noted its importance to wound healing as well as another critical benefit to jiu-jitsu players: vitamin D’s protective effect against wound infection. Vitamin D also helps the body absorb calcium, keeping bones strong and resistant to damage. Taking a few seconds each morning to ingest a supplement could therefore be the difference between a small scrape healing quickly without issue, or that same scrape staying open, becoming infected, and forcing you off the mats to avoid spreading the ailment.
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D3 (Cholecalciferol) ❖❖ Vitamin D is actually a hormone rather than a vitamin. The body makes most of the vitamin D it needs; only about 10% comes from our food. The action of sunlight on our skin produces a substance called cholecalciferol, which is converted by the liver to calcidiol.
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Helps With Recovery and Mood
Quality sleep is also important for the immune system, and there again vitamin D is essential. A 2017 study showed a significant improvement in sleep quality following administration of vitamin D compared to a placebo, so it should come as no surprise that some people suffering from chronic fatigue are simply deficient in vitamin D. The harder we train on the jiu-jitsu mats, the more urgent our needs for recovery become, so a lack of quality sleep can debilitate us. By allowing ourselves to become deficient in vitamin D, we diminish the quality of our sleep and
let ourselves become too tired to reap the full benefits of our training sessions, or miss them entirely. If you aren’t getting ready to go out and buy yourself some vitamin D right now, that might just be another sign that you’re deficient. That’s because, in addition to the aforementioned fatigue, vitamin D also regulates mood. If this
information is overwhelming and the challenge of supplementation seems insurmountable, maybe you’re suffering from depression. If so, don’t worry—one study in 2009 improved nine women’s reported depression with a simple vitamin D supplement. Meanwhile, reviews in 2013 and 2016 found correlations between low vitamin D and depressive symptoms.
How Much Is Enough
To speak personally for a moment, this is where I have noticed the most benefit from taking vitamin D. When I take my daily 4000 IU, purchased fairly cheaply from any drug store or supermarket, I am happier and more able to live the way I want. If the promise of improved jiu-jitsu can’t sway you to begin a regimen of supplementation, perhaps the promise of greater overall life satisfaction can. So if you’re serious about getting better at jiu-jitsu, or if you simply want a more satisfied existence on earth, consider a vitamin D supplement. There’s nothing special about any brand or formulation—but stick with brands that adhere to GMP or Good Manufacturing Practices. As long as you take between 1000 and 4000 IU per day, you too will reap the benefits of a healthier immune system, faster recovery, better sleep, and a happier mood. Don’t go above 4000 IU a day without consulting a physician. As always in jiu-jitsu, if you aren’t taking advantage of the benefits of vitamin D, someone else is. Don’t let injury or illness keep you off the mats while your future opponent trains to beat you. Take vitamin D, get healthier, and get better.
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White belt chronicles
THE WHITE BELT’S DILEMMA WORDS: MARSHAL D. CARPER | PHOTOS: VARIOUS
W WRAPPING A WHITE BELT AROUND YOUR WAIST IS RIFE WITH UNUSUAL CHALLENGES. YOU HAVE TO LEARN A NEW CULTURE, A NEW APPROACH TO ETIQUETTE, AND A NEW SET OF FACES. Oh, and there’s also the part where you have to contend with grown adults— many of whom are likely bigger and more athletic than you— trying to choke you and bend your limbs the wrong way.
feeling lead many white belts to consider quitting. They come to me after a class and sheepishly ask, “Am I getting any better?” And some outright ask, “Am I the worst white belt you have ever seen?” These are adults with families and successful careers. People who accomplished a great deal of admirable things in their lives, but they
start to think of themselves as failures when they come away from yet another class where they got thumped in every roll. They’re taking the classes. They’re drilling the techniques. And yet they keep tapping to the same training partners that were tapping them on their very first day. This is a perfectly normal obstacle, but it being normal
doesn’t make it any less miserable. I don’t like to see students struggle with the white belt’s dilemma, and I definitely don’t want to see them quit. So, let’s solve the problem, and if this isn’t a challenge you are personally facing, you can offer this solution to the next white belt who seems frustrated by the first stages of his or her journey.
In the midst of all this comes one of the biggest white belt dilemmas: when you are the newest student in class, progress is difficult to measure. You might be working on becoming a hammer, but if you’re always the nail, how can you know if you are actually improving?
Jiu-jitsu is a lot of fun, but it’s also a lot of work. Spending three months or more on that mat and not being able to see the results is understandably frustrating, and I’ve seen that
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The Illusion of Standing Still
After years of playing Dungeons & Dragons and wading through games like Final Fantasy and Breath of Fire, I view most of my life in video game terms. In games like these, your characters gain strength by leveling up, which you accomplish by earning experience points
through tasks and challenges. If you don’t level up, the bigger challenges that you face down the road will stomp your characters to tiny pieces. I think about jiu-jitsu this way as well. When you step on the mat as a white belt, you are at level 1. Every class, every drill, and every roll earns you experience points. This is the part, though, that trips everyone up: all of your training partners are leveling up too. When you walk in the door at level 1, Henry is already at level 6. When you gain 4 levels, well, Henry was training just as hard. By the time you reach level 5, Henry is at level 10.
the disparity in your ability has not changed. He is still 5 levels ahead, so he still balls you up and consistently makes you tap. There is nothing wrong with tapping to Henry. It is wrong, however, to use Henry as your measuring stick. There may come a time when you catch up to Henry, perhaps through your own ability or in the natural ebb and flow of student progress, but getting better than Henry is not the point. You can become a fantastically technical grappler without ever besting Henry. In other words, if you can’t catch up to the car in front of you, it can feel like you haven’t moved if you don’t take into account the landscape whizzing by around you.
If you measure your progress solely based on how well you do against Henry, you will feel like you are standing still because
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The Better Way to Self-Assess
There is no ignoring the naturally competitive nature of jiu-jitsu. You should continue to push yourself when you roll, but you need a better way of assessing your progress in the meantime. I recommend the following:
1. Focus on aspects of your training that are within your control. Whether or not you get a stripe
look at training in terms of little projects, you will have a clearer picture of where you started and where you traveled to.
and whether or not you out-train good ol’ Henry are not choices you make. Those choices are in someone else’s hands. What you can control is how many classes you attend and how often you drill the new techniques you learn. Those are the aspects of your jiu-jitsu journey that you should pay the most attention to, especially at the white belt level.
to develop the ability to remember what happened in a roll so that you can troubleshoot it later. For our purposes, let’s take this a step farther. When you try a technique for the first time, note how it feels (probably pretty rough). In a month, after you have drilled the technique before and after class consistently, take a new snapshot and compare how the new picture compares to the first. ❖❖ A great way to measure your progress
2. Break your journey down into smaller pieces. The ocean of jiu-jitsu knowledge can easily overwhelm you, so instead of trying to learn every position and every attack all at once, zero-in on a handful of techniques to improve. If you
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3. Take snapshots of your training from time to time. My friend Josh
competition.
Vogel, a Team Balance black belt, describes this as having an “internal video camera.” His idea is that you need
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Welcome back Marshal!
4. Mentally review what you have learned. Applying everything you have picked up in a live situation will take time, but collecting knowledge is still an important part of your development. If you are able to recall the correct steps of techniques—even if you have a lot of work left to do on them—you are making major steps forward in your training, and it will help your training down the road as you evaluate where you could possibly improve.
Someday You Will Be the Hammer The good news is that as you gain experience points and level up, you will eventually get to train with people at or below your level. When this happens—and depending on the size of your academy it might be sooner or later—you will start to feel like a superhero. The techniques that the advanced students so easily shut down will suddenly slide into place, smoothly and efficiently. And you will be grateful that you didn’t give up on training. Remember, though, that white belts will follow on your footsteps, so give them the same kind of encouragement that you needed when you were in their place.
5. When you do roll, focus on the small victories. The best way to “win” training is to give yourself small challenges, and the best kind of challenges aren’t related to what you are able to pulloff on a training partner. Instead, challenge yourself to remember your posture on the bottom of side control or to fight to get better grips when you have guard. These are victories but not in the traditional sense. At white belt, just trying the right technique is a big success.
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ask a black belt I rarely practice no-gi, mostly because of time limitations and schedule conflicts, plus I just love the challenge of the gi! Am I missing out by not practicing no-gi? Thanks for your time! Hector Hernandez - Millersville, MD Jiu-jitsu has many things to offer, and each person experiences their journey in their own way. That said, give a little love to the no-gi side as well. Think of it this way… Anytime, anyplace, any apparel. There is something empowering knowing that hard work has been put in on both sides of these disciplines of jiu-jitsu. I feel that both of them have tremendous traits to offer that will reward you with a higher sense of accomplishment and appreciation for the art as a whole and a deeper, more diverse “tool kit” (as well as experiences) to draw from.
I’m currently nursing a back injury but feel so frustrated anytime I’m away from the mats for any extended amounts of time. I don’t want to miss class but only feel frustration watching everyone else train. How can I get my fix while I go through this? Au d r e y - Sto c kton , CA Ahhh, yes. Spectator status during the rest and recovery phase of a dreaded injury. Chances are that anyone who has been training long enough will at some point unfortunately experience this exact scenario. I would highly suggest that you continue to attend your normal classes. If not to participate in some sort of movement (depending on the severity of your injury) you will be sure to benefit by seeing and hearing what the rest of the class is learning and have the ability to watch your training partner’s expression of the same movements. You may also have an opportunity to assist your instructor in any way that he or she may deem helpful or hear the types of problems that others may have with particular moves. There are many nuances that you will be able to pick up from being that “forced spectator” that you may not receive if you’re always in the heat of hard training. All of these things will serve to make you a new and improved you upon your return to action. One last thing: whatever you do (and this is too common of an occurrence), be sure that you are properly rested and recovered from your injury, and when you do return, do so at a slow pace. Don’t be in a hurry to go full speed once you’re back on the mats. I can’t think of a faster way to become a “forced spectator” again. And no one wants that.
G ot a q u e st i o n f or on e of our re sid en t Black Belts? Email feedback@jiujitsumag.com and put “Ask a Black B e lt ” in t h e s u b j e ct l i n e .
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I just started jiu-jitsu right before last summer. My friend has been training only about a month less than me. We’re both very enthusiastic about learning. However, my friend wants us to start attending seminars. ALL of them! I don’t have the budget nor feel that there’s anything more that I can pick up from any additional classes. As is, I go at least three times a week and feel that I’m not able to process what I’m already learning fast enough. Am I slowing my development by not attending seminars? Cal - Chicago, IL
When I first started training, I dropped 12 pounds in the first two months. Part of what kept me coming to class so often was the great workout and exhaustion I’d feel after each and every class. Fast forward three years and I’m training the same amount but I don’t feel nearly as tired or exhausted after. Aside from those really challenging rolls, I don’t feel like I’m getting a workout in. Should I start hitting the weights or go running, or something else to get that feeling I crave? J e s u s - Fr i s c o, T e xas
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experience (because you really want that opportunity to share the mat with Professor So and So) or are you going to merely collect techniques. There is absolutely nothing wrong with either of those scenarios, and in fact, highly recommend that you attend to these points at during your journey. They can be a really fun experience. But more to the other point, although everyone’s ability to
effectively absorb everything that is being taught at their academy tends to be different, I am from the mindset of making sure that a solid foundation is built. With so much information readily available at any given time, it has created a tremendous amount of noise in way of differences in philosophy to the sheer volume of techniques. But above all, fundamentals reign supreme.
It’s great that you managed to use jiu-jitsu to drop that weight. Why you’re not feeling exhausted after class could be for a couple reasons. It could be that you’re not rolling as hard as you used to, maybe you’re wanting to avoid injury, or more likely your skills have progressed where you’re relying on technique and efficiency in your movement and less on strength and agility. This is very common as you get into the higher ranks of jiu-jitsu. There are two schools of thought when it comes to augmenting your jiu-jitsu with some other form of physical exercise. Everyone likes to bring up the point that Marcelo Garcia, one of the greatest jiu-jitsu competitors of all time, does not perform any sort of strength and conditioning protocol (he does, however, skateboard and bike ride around Manhattan). Of course there are exceptions, but I’m a firm believer in supporting your jiu-jitsu training with some other type of extracurricular training. CrossFit, functional strength training, weight lifting, yoga, rock climbing, these are all great ways to get a good workout in while building some residual benefits for when you are on the
So before you make an attempt to start shelling out time and cash for additional instruction, it would be more beneficial for you if you have already established a solid grasp on some core fundamentals. If you tried to jump into more advanced waters without those intact, then you may be setting yourself up for more frustration further down the road.
mats. Without taking time away from the mats, try to work in some strength and conditioning training. We regularly cover these types of workouts in our Gains column. If you don’t have the time to add those additional sessions, push yourself a little harder in your jiu-jitsu training. That doesn’t mean acting as if every roll is the finals at the Worlds, instead reduce the amount of time you rest between rounds, push the pace, don’t rest during your rolls, move onto the next transition, or combine submission attempts one after the other. Roll more often with better opponents. There are plenty of ways to get yourself “exhausted”- you’ve just got to work for it.
PHOTO: JOHN RICARD
Whenever someone begins their jiu-jitsu journey, it can be so exciting learning all of the different ways to manipulate the human body from a who’s who of instructors. It’s almost like you just can’t keep up with your thirst to learn the next technique. There is also a consideration of identifying what it is [specifically] that you feel you want from any given seminar. Are you going for the
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PHOTO: MIKE CALIMBAS
GIVING AND RECEIVING TRAINING ADVICE WORDS: RICARDO CASTANEDA
ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT TRAINING BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU IS THAT THERE IS AN ENDLESS AMOUNT OF METHODS AND VARIATIONS FOR JUST ABOUT EVERY TECHNIQUE. THE NEAR INFINITE WAYS TO TRAIN AND PRACTICE GIVES RISE TO MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES THAT ARE NEVER RIGHT NOR WRONG. Throughout our journeys, we will encounter more advice than we can remember and more ways to perform techniques than our brains can compute. Given that infinitude of training possibilities, we must always be conscientious of the advice we give and receive.
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Giving advice and feedback is one of the best ways to grow our art. You will also find that jiu-jitsu practitioners as a whole are some of the kindest and most giving individuals there are compared to other sports; their enthusiasm to share knowledge is largely unmatched. Most feedback is good and welcomed, but it is possible to give bad feedback that either relates to poor technique or form that can hinder one’s progress. The same can be said about receiving feedback. Just because someone is giving advice does not mean that it is good advice. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts for giving and receiving training advice.
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Assume all feedback is meant to be constructive You need to trust that your coaches and peers are there to help you. If you are unable to trust in your own immediate jiu-jitsu community, then you need to take a good hard look at the school you have chosen and assess if it is the right one for you. Most coaches aim to help their students. Take any and all feedback as an opportunity to improve your jiujitsu. Keep an open mind and try out the feedback. If it works, great. If not, continue to develop other methods to an effective jiu-jitsu practice. Feedback and training advice is exactly that: it is meant to help and not hinder. If you feel like your instructors’ training advice is thwarting your advancement, you might be at the wrong place. Assess appropriately.
NOTE: Sometimes there can be communication barriers that make feedback seem as if it’s malicious or cold, but language barriers aside, feedback should be meant to promote growth and not discourage it. If you and your instructors’ first spoken language is different than yours, keep this in mind as it may be more challenging to interpret the message given
Give advice for free
Jiu-jitsu is a discipline of service to your community. If you are an athlete, don’t withhold advice because you want to be better than your peers. If you are a coach, do not withhold because you want to cash in on some private lessons. Keeping your jiu-jitsu knowledge a secret is a disservice to those around you and those before you that share their knowledge with you. Always pay it forward and give advice without the expectation of anything in return. The better those around you become, the better you will become. Everything else you seek will follow.
Consult your coaches before giving advice if you are unsure This is especially true if you are of lower rank. While it is fantastic to give advice to your lower-ranked peers, be mindful of your limitations and if you are not entirely familiar with a certain subject, address those limitations when giving advice. Also, please flag down an instructor or higher ranked student to ask for feedback about the advice you wish to give. Giving bad advice can do more harm than good, so if you are not competent in a certain area, do not wing it.
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While it is great to give advice and help others, always remember that the word of your instructors at your school is priority. In other words, your professors’ advice is first and foremost and therefore should not be devalued by your own opinions or practices. If your professor gives you or a training partner advice and you do not agree with it, it is best to speak with them privately and offer your thoughts in the form of a question. Good instructors will either be receptive to a new perspective or will show you why you raise some good points but ultimately, why they teach a certain topic the way they do. Jiu-jitsu is an ever-growing, ever-evolving art that will continuously have many ways of doing a certain task; however, rank should always be respected.
Be upset when receiving feedback you disagree with You know what they say about opinions: “Everyone has one”. The same is true about feedback or training advice. Throughout your journey, you will be given countless pieces of advice on how to do this, that, and any other thing. If you do not agree with something, do not be angry or frustrated. Again, in jiu-jitsu, there are an exponential amount of variations for every technique so always take someone’s feedback simply as a different perspective on what you are already doing. Adapt it if it is useful but do not worry about discarding the advice if it is not. Always challenge yourself to try things from a different viewpoint.
Give advice that is malicious or harmful
Whether you know it or not, some advice can be harmful to your training partners and your community. Some techniques can be dangerous to practice if you are not entirely familiar with them like the “scissor takedown” [Kani Basami] or jumping guillotines. Passing along certain techniques to someone with even less experience than you can be a big risk for your training partners. Certain techniques warrant a great degree of experience, information, and caution, and teaching them without proper education must be avoided. PHOTO: ORLA KEOGH There have been far too many jiu-jitsu ending injuries due to negligent or malicious practice of techniques. Practice safely and be mindful of techniques that can potentially threaten someone’s ability to train. If you have any questions about the techniques you are teaching, consult your instructors. Train safely and allow everyone, including yourself, the ability to train jiu-jitsu for the long-term safely.
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KENNY “KEN FLO” FLORIAN HIS OWN BRAND OF FLOW
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Meraki [may-rah-kee] (adjective) - This is a word that modern Greeks often use to describe doing something with soul, creativity, or love — when you put “something of yourself” into what you’re doing, whatever it may be. Insert Kenny Florian and his business partner Jason Hunt. Together they opened up their academy in the West Los Angeles/Brentwood area. A beautifully simple facility that is an obvious labor of love and expression of the Gentle Art. Although the logical move would be to slap Kenny Florian’s name on the academy, considering his high profile from his UFC achievements and as the current host of UFC Tonight and commentator/ fight analyst/podcast host, but rather than doing that, both Jason and Kenny wanted the academy to represent something even bigger than themselves. We were able to spend a couple of afternoons talking
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WORDS: JIM LAWSON | PHOTOS: DOH KIM
to Kenny about his journey and how jiujitsu has led him to where he is today. Whenever there’s a household anywhere near Boston that boasts the presence of six siblings, there is bound to be competitiveness within the household. Imagine the battles that may have ensued with that final piece of pizza or who took whose favorite something. It would seem that it could get downright brutal. Father Florian seemed to have the insight to know just what to do- have the kids direct their energy into sports and the martial arts. Having been involved in judo all through his medical school experience, Kenny’s father saw the overall value in the ability to take care of oneself and knew that the martial arts was a fine backdrop to teach that very lesson. Kenny’s brothers and sister were typical energetic kids. Kenny was involved in
many sports at a very young age and found an affection towards soccer (which he would go on to play on a collegiate level) and tennis. Two sports that, when he reflects on it, make him laugh at the contrast between his UFC career and what people may consider “not so manly” of sports. Kenny was all also a martial arts fan at an early age: Bruce Lee movies, kung fu theater, you name it. So it doesn’t seem too odd to note that his first involvement into martial arts was actually at a karate/ kung fu academy, and that’s all it took for Kenny to realize that there was something special about learning a martial art. He likens the realization as something of a “religious experience”. That experience stayed with him and his path within the arts had begun. It was though the martial arts that he truly felt
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❖❖ At the original Gracie Barra with Roberto Gordo Correa and Kenny’s brother Keith.
that he was able to learn about his body, its movements, and how to be relatively athletic and apply it to his jiu-jitsu career. It was around his early teen years that Kenny took a long break from the martial arts to focus on soccer. He was travelling nationally and internationally to play, and his mother just didn’t have the time to shuttle young Kenny back and forth to martial art classes and competitions (did we mention that there were six Florian kids in that household?). Fast forward to some skinny Brazilian guy on TV in a kimono competing in this new event called “The UFC”, and like so many of us, Kenny discovered jiu-jitsu. Kenny recalls seeing Royce Gracie apply all of these techniques that he’d never seen before, which inspired him to believe that “Hmmm... Maybe I could do what he could do”. From that moment on, consider him back on the wagon. Although Kenny’s drive to compete is what eventually drove him to try out for the legendary first season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, he was still unsure if he actually even wanted to be a fighter at that point. He always felt that one day that he may realize a dream of putting on a gi everyday and instruct. His original intent for trying out for the show was to do it for the experience and learn as much as he could so that maybe one day he would be able to teach the things that he had learned. It wasn’t until making it to the finale and losing his fight against Diego Sanchez that he felt that he belonged in that sport and that he could hang with the best of
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❖❖ Kenny’s brothers Edgar, Michael, Keith, Kirk and himself showing their Martial Arts roots.
them. It was that said competitive drive that kept him coming back for more and eventually led him becoming one of the top fighters in the UFC. Looking back on his career, he feels that everything that he accomplished has, in essence, made him a better instructor. Martial arts changed his life, more specifically, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. What really drew Kenny to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (now a third degree black belt under Prof. Roberto Maia) was what he refers to as “the trickery”. He loved the idea that you can make an opponent think one way, while steady positioning and taking them (or their neck or limbs) another way. One of his major beliefs about jiu-jitsu is a realization of a stepby-step process to success. Through hard work and repetition, he feels jiu-jitsu lays out that roadmap to success in which he applies daily in all aspects of his life. As a UFC analyst, husband, and soon to be father, he explains how it is a crucial attribute to possess. With that, Kenny still feels like he’s continually learning: from his own experiences, as he teaches, and even from his students. To sum it all up, he feels that he learns how to learn from jiu-jitsu, and that is what he would like to pass on, and if he could make you a better person from that process, that excites him. However, his ultimate goal is that he would like to teach his students and would like his students to pass on to others the ability to “learn how to learn”.
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❖❖ Kenny as a purple belt with Patric Barbieri and Roberto Maia. Two early mentors of his.
process. Kenny explains that when he was coming up, that knowledge wasn’t as readily accessible as it is these days. He laughs at the idea that he used to have to use The Yellow Pages, a critical business listing and contact tool from the past that surely gets lost on the current younger generation. The idea that you’re only a Google search away from acquiring thousands of videos of passing, submissions, counters or any other position is absolutely mind boggling. He expresses how that’s a good thing but can also be a bad thing. That fact that we do have access to all this information forces us to be a bit more vigilant and conscious of the information that we’re receiving. He believes that the overwhelming amount of information available to us from true information to counter information to outright false information, is a potentially good thing, but it also showcases the division in philosophies in the same historical manner as religion and politics. But of the utmost importance is the relations that you maintain and the beliefs that you have in yourself, the main benefit of having his own academy. His academy, he feels, gives him the opportunity to create relations and connect either one on one, or one on twenty, and over time work on their technique and watch them grow. To him that is the real magic that extends beyond the technology alone, all while acknowledging the beauty and power that technology contributes to the jiu-jitsu community. Insert Meraki.
When it comes to learning, no one can deny the influence of technology and the role that it plays in the learning
1/4/18 3:38 PM
As far as nicknames go it doesn’t get much better than “KenFlo”.
BACK TAKE FROM CLOSED GUARD Step 1 Starting from Closed Guard, Kenny establishes grips on Jason’s tricep area and the sleeve opening around his wrist of the same arm.
Step 2 Kenny now sits up slightly and immediately drops back down to create space to guide Jason’s arm across his body to Kenny’s opposite side hip (pocket) area, effectively breaking down Jason’s posture.
REVERSE
Step 3 Kenny now uses his left hand to reach across Jason’s back and grab his farside lat muscle while slightly hipping out, keeping his chest tight to Jason’s body. As he does this, Kenny is sure to bring his legs a little higher up on Jason’s back to help keep his posture broken down.
REVERSE
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Step 4 Kenny will now reach for Jason’s near side collar.
Step 5 At this point, Kenny can now release the wrist that is “in his pocket” and use his arm to post his head and hips up.
Step 6 Once elevated above his opponent, Kenny now rotates his bottom leg until his shin points down to the mat keeping his shin positioned across Jason’s midsection. From here, this sets up the path for Kenny to bring his other foot in to establish his second hook and back control (and get his 4 points).
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FAILED BACK ATTEMPT TO MOUNT
In this scenario, Kenny attempted to take the back from his Closed Guard; however, his opponent blocks Kenny’s opportunity of getting in his second hook by closing his knees tightly together. Step 1 With Kenny’s leg across Jason’s torso, Kenny now secures the top of his foot against Jason’s left knee, securing Jason’s leg position and helping to break down his base.
Step 2 Kenny now uses his posted right hand to push his entire body and his wrapped leg position to drive into and roll Jason to his side.
Step 3 From here Kenny now establishes a technical top mount position. He can also grab and control the wrist of Jason’s cross faced arm to better establish his position for additional attacks.
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ARMBAR ATTACK FROM MOUNTED BACK CONTROL
Kenny points out how it is common for your opponent to reach for your arm once you take the back in an attempt to break down your base. In this sequence Kenny shows us how he exploits that common tendency. Step 1 Starting from the mounted back control from the first position, Jason realizes Kenny is using his right arm for base for his back control and reaches out to pull it from under Kenny.
Step 2 Kenny acknowledges Jason’s attempt and counters by bringing around his right arm to scoop Jason’s extended arm while at the same time bring up his left leg and planting his left knee on the ground using his left foot to hook onto the back of Jason’s neck.
Tech - Florian.indd 7
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Other great nicknames in UFC history; “The Crippler”, “The Korean Zombie”, “Uncle Creepy”...
Step 3 Once Kenny has secured the position of the previous step, he rolls to his left side, making sure to stay tight to Jason’s arm and to the back of Jason’s head (with his foot). Kenny will continue to roll until he finds himself on his back and creating torsion that will make Jason roll over to his back as well.
Step 4 Once the roll has been completed, Kenny brings his left foot over Jason’s face and crosses his ankles so that his knee will cover Jason’s face and torso to provide resistance against Jason’s attempts to sit up and finishes with the arm bar.
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GUARD SWEEP
In this sequence, Kenny shows us a useful sweep that is used when his opponent counters his back take from the Closed Guard. Step 1 Kenny starts from the Closed Guard and begins the back take sequence of the previously explained technique and gets to the point where his left arm is reaching across Jason’s back grabbing his farside lat. However, Jason counters this by grabbing Kenny’s collar behind his neck and posts his left leg in an attempt to square back up on Kenny.
Step 2 As Jason counters, Kenny counters as well by using an underhook with this right arm to grab Jason’s left leg and pulls it in close to his right ear. Kenny also adjusts his left leg to a high guard position while pulling as he’s pulling Jason’s left leg.
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Step 3 Once Kenny establishes the previous step, he now swings his left leg wide and away from Jason as he straightens his right leg using the back of his thigh to push Jason over to complete the sweep.
Step 4 From here Kenny can choose to execute an S-Mount, or transition into an armbar attack.
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ARM BAR DEFENSE COUNTER
This is a counter that Kenny likes to use whenever his opponent defends the armbar attempt with the common “rear naked choke” style of armbar defense. Step 1 Kenny is attacking an armbar. He has his ankles crossed and his knees wide to help keep pressure on Jason’s head so that he can not sit up to counter the position. Kenny’s right (inside) arm is the arm that is trapping Jason’s arm threatening the submission.
Step 2 Kenny now switches control of Jason’s arm by taking his left (outside) arm and inserting it into the gap within Jason’s grip while simultaneously removing his inside arm.
Tech - Florian.indd 13
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...”The Iceman”, “Rampage”, “Sexyama”, “ The Prodigy”, we could go on.
Step 3 Kenny’s now takes his inside arm and places his elbow outside of Jason’s right elbow and reaches for his other hand, establishing a Gable Grip.
Step 4 From here Kenny begins to apply pressure against Jason’s elbow by pulling with his Gable Grip and keeping his own elbow firm against Jason’s. This will create a “paint brush” type of motion on Jason’s arm which will eventually compromise Jason’s grip defense.
Step 5 Once the grip is broken, Kenny can now hug Jason’s exposed right wrist and lay into the armbar to complete the submission.
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FAR SIDE ARM BAR FROM S-MOUNT
When completing some of these sweeps, it is common that you find yourself in full mount on your opponent. From here, Kenny shows us one of his favorite submissions from when he transitions to the S-Mount position. Step 1 From full mount Kenny sees that Jason is keeping his arms crossed (left arm over right) and tight to his body making sure to not extend his arms. So Kenny decides to attack this position by pushing Jason’s right elbow across his body so that he can lower his base and trap Jason’s arm across his body.
Step 2 Once the first step is completed, that will open up a path for Kenny to shoot his left knee up near the side of Jason’s head and drags Jason’s far side elbow up so that he can slide his right heel under Jason’s left arm, establishing S-Mount.
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Step 3 With Jason realizing that Kenny may attack with a conventional armbar from this position, Kenny instead inserts his left hand underneath Jason’s left wrist and continues to slide his arm under Jason’s until he can grip Jason’s left tricep and pull it into his own chest.
Step 4 Kenny now grabs the outside of Jason’s left knee to use as a post for additional stability. Using the grip on Jason’s tricep and knee Kenny pulls himself over Jason’s body, shooting his left knee behind Jason’s arm by rotating his body to complete an armbar on the far side arm.
NOTE: A common mistake when performing this attack is that when people spin for the far side armbar, people allow themselves to rotate too far away from their opponent, creating space and separation. Kenny suggests to make sure that your weight stays on top of your opponent, and when making the switch to the opposite side, stay on top of your opponent’s body.
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event
2017 IBJJF
NO-GI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WORDS: WILL SAFFORD | PHOTOS: KENNY JEWEL AND KITT CANARIA
THE 2017 COMPETITION SEASON HAS COME AND GONE, BUT LAST DECEMBER, SOME OF THE BEST NO-GI GRAPPLERS IN THE WORLD CONVERGED ON THE ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER FOR THE LAST MAJOR COMPETITION OF THE YEAR: THE IBJJF NO-GI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. THE TWO-DAY EVENT SHOWCASED THE WORLD’S BEST, FROM JUVENILE TO MASTER, AS MEDALS WERE WON AND LOST, HISTORY WAS MADE, AND CHAMPIONS WERE CROWNED.
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067
Day one was packed with non-stop action and plenty of submissions. In one of the biggest upsets of the day, Atos Black Belt Heather Raftery caught multiple-time world champion Michelle Nicolini with a tight kneebar in the first round. Raftery then went on to meet fellow American Jena Bishop in the first all-American final in women’s IBJJF No-Gi Worlds history. Bishop won the match by points and the gold medal in the Women’s Lightweight Division.
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By the time day two rolled around, 10 male and 4 female former No-Gi World Champions had advanced into the final rounds. Caio Terra faced Tokoyuki Hashimoto in the Roosterweight final and took home his 10th no-gi world title. Joao Miyao remained dominant throughout his performance in the Light-Featherweight Division and won gold over Lucas Pinherio. Osvaldo Moizinho beat rookie Pablo Mantovani at Feather, and the red-hot Renato Canuto continued his hot streak with a win over AJ Agazarm in the Lightweight final.
❖❖ From Left to Right; Joao Miyao, Osvaldo Moizinho, and Renato Canuto.
Returning champion Josh Hinger dropped to arguably the toughest division of the competition at Middleweight and captured his second world title with hard-fought wins over Victor Silverio, Dante Leon, and Felipe Ceasar. Hinger’s Atos teammate Keenan Cornelius also won his second no-gi world title and beat Murilo Santana by points in the Middle-Heavyweight championship match. Arnaldo Maidana took home the gold hardware in the Heavyweight Division and Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu captured it at Ultra-Heavyweight with a win over powerhouse Joao Rocha.
❖❖ Left to Right, Keenan Cornelius (top), Arnaldo Maidana (top), Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu (top)
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❖❖ Lucas Barbosa submiting Joao Assis by North South Chokd in the Super-Heavy weight final.
The name of the tournament, however, was Lucas Barbosa out of Atos Jiu-jitsu. Barbosa, normally a Heavyweight, moved up to Super-Heavy to allow two of his other teammates to compete in the lighter weight class. He met and beat James Brasco and Elliot Kelly on his way to the finals where he submitted Joao Assis by North South Choke for the gold.
Barbosa also competed in the Absolute Division where he first defeated Diego Ramalho, then Jackson Sousa in one of the most exciting no-gi matches of the year coming back from a 4-point deficit to then take Sousa’s back and finish him by RNC in the final moments of the match!
Barbosa’s hardest test of the competition was in the Absolute final against the much bigger Joao Rocha. Rocha, standing well over six feet and weighing almost 40 pounds more than the Atos Black Belt had defeated Barbosa’s teammate Keenan Cornelius just the day before and looked
unstoppable. Barbosa, not intimidated by the bigger opponent, brought his A-game however, and was able to go up on points by a combination of skillful takedown work and unrelenting determination. Barbosa won the Open Weight class and thus captured his fourth no-gi world title.
❖❖ Caption here Michael Velez
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It was pretty much the Atos show.
With such dominant performances throughout all of the weight classes, Atos was able to win its fourth consecutive team No-Gi World Championship. The other female champions crowned were Pati Fontes at Light-Featherweight, Talita Alencar at Featherweight, Raquel Canuto at Middleweight, and Jessica Flowers and Ana Laura Cordeiro from Gracie Barra closed out both the Heavyweight and Absolute Divisions.
Event - NoGi Worlds.indd 5
â?–â?– Top- Pati Fontes, Bottom Left - Talita Alencar, Bottom Center - Raquel Canuto, Borrom Right Jessica Flowers and Ana Laura Cordeiro.
1/4/18 10:59 AM
Technique
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Dominique Bell
TARANTULA GUARD
A
WORDS: WILL SAFFORD | PHOTOS: MIKE VELEZ
Arriving at Atos Jiu Jitsu in 2014 as an unknown purple belt, Dominique Bell quickly established himself among the serious competitors at Andre Galvao’s headquarters in San Diego. With just one year of training at the HQ, Dom, as he’s known by his friends and training partners, won his first World Championship in 2015 at purple belt. After a serious wrist injury set him off the mats for some time, Dom came back full force in 2016, winning the No-Gi World Championship at brown belt and soon after, the European Championship in early 2017. Dom is a humble competitor and training partner yet full of fire and passion for jiu-jitsu and success. His time spent in the military forged an unwavering work ethic and stoic demeanor in the heat of battle. Dom, a lifelong artist, also has a deep intellectual appreciation for the complexity and details of jiu-jitsu. His creative and naturally curious mind has allowed him to explore and develop a well rounded game that is just as dangerous from the top as it is from the bottom. Today, Dom shows us some of his favorite passes from Reverse De La Riva and a series from his signature Tarantula Guard.
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One of Dominique’s favorite guards to play is the Tarantula Guard, or grips at Half Spider and Collar. When he secures these grips, he has a lot of control over his opponent’s posture, so their usual reaction is to drop to one knee to prevent the sweep. Dom has a series of attacks when this scenario presents itself.
TRIANGLE FROM TARANTULA GUARD
Dom has set up the Tarantula Guard with one foot on his opponent’s bicep, controlling the sleeve and the other grip at the collar. His free foot stays on his opponent’s hip. Dom’s opponent has dropped to his knee to prevent being swept.
Step 1
Step 2
Dom steps his free foot on the ground to escape his hips away from his opponent.
He then makes a hook with his free foot under his opponent’s shin and scoots himself back in.
Step 3 Then with the shin-on-shin hook, Dom extends his leg out while driving his knee inward to remove his opponents kneeling base.
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Sure is a lot of Atos in this issue.
Step 4 Once he’s broken his opponent’s posture down, Dom then steps down hard on the bicep to elevate his hips up while pulling down on the collar. He slaps his free leg down on his opponent’s back to keep him broken down.
Reverse
Step 5 Dom can now shoot the triangle, removing his foot off of the bicep and shooting it over the back of his opponent’s neck. He grabs his own ankle to temporarily close the triangle.
Step 6 When he’s ready, Dom closes the triangle with his other leg.
Step 7 To get the finish, he lifts his hips to pull his opponent’s arm across his chest then pulls down on the back of the head.
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ROLLING ARMBAR FROM TARANTULA GUARD
If you continue to attack the shin-on-shin position from Tarantula Guard, your opponent will eventually try to control your free leg. When he does this, it sets up an opportunity for a unique style of armbar. Step 1 Dom has established the Tarantula Guard with grips at Half Spider and Collar. His opponent is savvy to the shin-on-shin position and has made a grip on Dom’s free leg.
Step 2 Dom needs to create momentum to roll over his shoulder to set up the armbar. To do this, he first kicks his leg down then swings it wide and around to roll onto his shoulder. He also pulls his opponent over him with the collar grip.
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Step 3 Once he has pulled his opponent completely over him, he lets go of the collar and grabs behind the elbow. He can then kick his leg forward to break the grip on his pants.
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Don’t let the Alliance guys know.
Step 4 He then simply passes his leg over his opponent’s face while securing the arm, squeezes his knees together, and extends his hips to get the tap.
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KNEEBAR FROM TARANTULA GUARD
The final move Dom shows us is an advanced leg attack. He uses the Tarantula Guard to get to a sort of Single Leg X Guard position where he attacks a toe hold to bait his opponent to turn into the kneebar. You must be fast and precise with this technique for it to be successful. Step 1
Dom has his opponent in Tarantula Guard with one foot on the biceps and the other already set up with shinon-shin. (Refer to steps 1-2 in the Triangle Series) He is also gripping at the collar.
Step 2
Step 3
Dom off balances his opponent by simultaneously extending his leg with the Spider grip, driving his opponent’s elbow to the ground while lifting the shin-on-shin hook.
He then pulls his knee with the shin-on-shin hook to his chest and very quickly lets go of the collar to grab his opponent behind the calf.
Tech - Dom Bell.indd 8
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On the way to the kneebar a nice little toe hold happens to appear.
Step 4 Dom then straightens his hooking leg to drop his opponent’s leg to his hip. Once the leg is secure, he can put the bottom of his foot onto his opponent’s ribs.
Step 5
The Grip:
Now, Dom can start attacking the toe hold. He moves his hand from behind the calf to the top of his opponent’s foot, aligning his pinky over their pinky toe. He drives the foot down over his thigh to take any slack out of the joint.
Step 6 From this point, Dom aborts the Spider grip and shrimps his hips away from his opponent to turn himself inward to attack the toe hold. He makes the figure-4 grip on his own wrist and places both feet on his opponent’s hips.
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Step 7 Since his opponent has the freedom to turn and alleviate the pressure from the foot lock, that will be his likely reaction. Dom uses this to his advantage to set up the kneebar. When his opponent turns, Dom quickly aborts the toe hold and uses his top arm to catch his opponent’s leg.
Step 8 From here, Dom simply puts his ear against his opponent’s big toe, squeezing the leg between his head and shoulder, pinches his knees together, and extends his hips to force the kneebar.
Tech - Dom Bell.indd 10
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Gear Lab Habrok
TACTICA LEVE
I
habroksports.com
IT’S NO SECRET THAT MOST OF THE WORLD’S GIS ARE MADE IN PAKISTAN. MANY FACTORIES CHURN OUT GIS FOR VARIOUS BRANDS MADE TO THEIR CLIENT’S SPECIFICATIONS. Their clients are the companies that sell these gis under their brand name. Aside from some of the larger companies, these smaller brands will oftentimes have very little say on the actual processes put in place during the manufacturing. Habrok is a company that launched in the United States just last year; however, the owner Sal Sandal is an American whose family actually owns their own manufacturing facility in Pakistan. He’s able to communicate better than anyone directly with his factory on the specific needs of jiu-jitsu athletes here in the States and abroad because of this direct connection. This month we’re reviewing one of Habrok’s most popular gis, the Tactica Leve. It’s a lightweight gi designed for both training and competition. Let’s check it out.
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085
The Jacket
The Tactica Leve jacket is made from a 350 GSM pearl weave. One of the benefits of owning your own factory is being able to control some of the finer details, like the type of thread used to make the weave. The pearl weave on the Tactica Leve uses a thread that’s thinner
along the cuffs, reinforcement material in critical areas, and an EVA foam collar. In terms of style, the Tactica Leve has a relatively clean design with just two Habrok patches along the shoulders and a small patch at the end of the lapel.
The Pants
than most other gis. So, what this means
The pants on the Tactica Leve are 100%
is that to produce a full yard of material,
cotton ripstop material throughout.
less thread is used. The length might be
The sides that the drawstring exits are
the same, but the volume of material
reinforced with additional material as
used is less. This results in a lighter,
are the knee pad areas. The gusset is
thinner feeling material. Another step in
nice and roomy without being baggy.
the production process used by Habrok
The corded drawstring is held in place
is the heating process. Twice the material
by four belt loops along the front edge.
is essentially super heated and cooled
The Tactica Leve is only available in
to help pre-shrink the gi, that way the
white and has contrast stitching. As with
finished product that you get has very
the jacket, all of the critical seams are
little shrink after you wash it. The jacket
triple-stitched for strength and durability.
features many of the other notable
There are two Habrok brand patches,
features we’ve come to expect in a good
one on each side, that run vertically on
gi, cooling material along the shoulders,
the thigh. There’s also a small patch on
triple-stitching in the seems, soft tape
the right hip.
Fit and Feel The A2 I tested would be described as “roomy”. When comparing to other A2s I’ve tested, the Tactica Leve is slightly wider in the chest and a bit shorter in the sleeve length. No complaints here as I don’t have very long arms, so the fit was really nice. Pant length and width was right in line with most other A2s I’ve tested. You can check all the measurements in the chart. After three washes the shrink was very minimal. The jacket material has a light and soft feel to it. No hindrance in the cut of the pants either. I could do air squats for days or play some crazy open guard without worrying if my pants would rip or get in the way. The gi is available in six different sizes, A0 to A5, and a complete size chart can be found at their website.
e a d
A 64.5” B 32.5” C 23” D 6.75” E 20.75” F 38.5” G 9”
AFTER 3 WASHES AT 40º C
BRAND NEW (A2)
Measurements A 64”
f
b
B 31.75” C 22.75” D 6.75” E 20.5” F 38.25” G 9”
c
g
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Gear Lab Rolling In It
CONCLUSION
All the impressive stats or features don’t mean a thing if a gi doesn’t feel good when you’re rolling in it. In my opinion the measure of a good gi is when you’re rolling and it’s not on your mind. That was
It’s tough to innovate these days in the gi market as
the case with the Tactica Leve. Only once did was
there are a lot of good companies out there making
I reminded I was wearing a gi, but I’ll get to that
good gis at a reasonable price. The Habrok Tactica
in a minute. I tested this gi during the month of
Leve definitely falls into that category. Very good gi,
December, and here in SoCal it was pretty hot this
lightweight, durable during testing, has all the basic
year. There were some 80 and 90 degree days. The
Highlight & Specs ❖❖ Good Price ❖❖ Very Lightweight ❖❖ High Quality Construction and
features, and is priced at $139.90 on their website.
lightness of this gi came in handy on those hot days. The collars are a little stiffer than most, but that’s a good thing, since it makes it a little harder for your
❖❖ Limited Size Options
become our favorite. For a new company to come
Verdict
out with such a solid product out of the gate you’d
opponent to grab onto. The only time I was reminded
think they’ve been doing this a while, and it turns out
about the gi was when I got caught with a lapel
they have. That fact shows with the Tactica Leve.
choke. My training partner had looped it around the
Materials
This is the type of gi that over time could easily
Good value, great quality and performance. A win-win-win!
back without me realizing. After further inspection
PERFORMANCE
I did notice that the color length on this gi is a bit
VALUE
longer than most. That’s not excuse for poor defense,
QUALITY
just be wary. Over all, the gi is a big two thumbs up.
OVERALL
4 Questions with
Habrok President
SAL SANDAL How long has Habrok been making gis?
You had mentioned to me before, your story of coming to the United States. You mind sharing that with our readers? I’m a firm believer that the American dream is still very much alive for those who are willing to bend down and grab it. If you can dream it, you can live it. I always believed in that. Habrok represents that dream, that passion, and ambition. When my family migrated here back in 1999, we had only $100 to our name and lived in a car garage with a family of five in California, two parents and two brothers. Habrok represents much more than a brand to me and my family. Growing up I always admired the successful brands like Nike and Adidas. The stories behind how they started are very
My great grandfather started manufacturing
inspiring. I am writing my own story now. Who
soccer balls for the British colonist in South
knows? One day I hope you will interview some
Asia (present day Pakistan & India) and other
other entrepreneur who was inspired by our
sporting goods in early 1900’s. Thanks to
story.
abundant cotton production, the textile industry or thirty years. Gi production has shifted away
Why did you decide to launch a US operation?
from China and Brazil to Pakistan, and our family
Well, I spent all my childhood until the age
was among the first to produce jiu-jitsu gis in
of 17 in Pakistan. I grew up in the family of
Pakistan many years ago.
manufacturers of sporting goods. My father
has exploded in Pakistan over the last twenty
working in his dad’s factory at the age of 14, learning the craft of the business. I used to spend my evenings and off days from school at his office learning and observing him in his factory. I always wondered growing up why or how come no one ever starts their own brand in other countries. When you grow up with all different brands being manufactured, you are somewhat infused and infatuated with them. So after spending over 18 years living in USA, I think it was about time to live my childhood dream and launch our own brand. I knew right there and then that if not now, then never. So, March of 2016 we started planning the roots of Habrok Inc. Finally, March of 2017 we launched our brand.
What are your plans and goals for Habrok moving forward? Our goals is to keep serving the jiu-jitsu community with quality products and designs. We have some really cool stuff in the making that we are excited about in 2018. We started off as a jiu-jitsu brand, but we are planning to expand our scope to MMA and fitness apparel in coming years.
himself spent all his life, I think he started
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Tarsis Humphreys World Champion
What’s under your gi?
Trust and respect your training partners with underwear that will keep it’s shape, fight odors and survive your rolls. • Bamboo inner layer (antimicrobial, silk-like softness, extremely durable) • Silicone tape around leg openings - to help prevent ride up while training • Ultra-durable fabrics (4-way stretch, breathable, and moisture wicking) • Flat lock stitching (most durable and comfortable)
Also Available For Women
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Gear Lab Gracie Essentials
GRACIE WHEY g r ac i e e s s e n t i a ls.com
WHEY PROTEIN IS PROBABLY ONE OF, IF NOT THE MOST, POPULAR DIETARY SUPPLEMENT AMONG JIU-JITSU ATHLETES. BECAUSE THE RIGORS OF JIUJITSU CAN TAKE A PRETTY HEAVY TOLL ON OUR BODIES AND MUSCLES, WE NEED PROTEIN THAT AIDS IN THE OVERALL RECOVERY PROCESS. Whey protein is one of the two proteins found in milk. Because whey digests and is absorbed quickly by our bodies, it’s a great post workout recovery supplement. The long list of included amino acids go a long way in muscle recovery as well as muscle maintenance when we’re trying to cut weight. In this review, we’re going to give you a first hand account of our experience with Gracie Essential’s Gracie Whey protein supplement.
What It Is
Gracie Whey is whey protein supplement made from the milk of cows that are grass fed. The benefits of grass fed milk products versus grain fed products has to do mostly with the levels conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which helps to reduce inflammation and along with healthier Omega-3 fatty acids versus less healthy Omega-6 acids. However most of these fatty acids are removed in the production of whey. As a rule of thumb, grass fed milk products are more natural since grass is part of a cow’s natural diet whereas corn and grains are not. On a micronutrient level, there are benefits in grass fed whey. Gracie Whey is produced in the USA and sourced from grass fed, organic pastured cows that are free of antibiotics and growth hormones. So the quality of the base ingredient is
second to none. It’s sugar free and naturally sweetened with stevia. It also contains Peptan B, collagen peptides that help with the regeneration of all our connective tissues including skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bones. Each 36.4g scoop of Gracie Whey contains 22g of protein, 1g of fat and 9g of carbohydrates. It also contains calcium, potassium, and a complex of twenty amino acids including the three branched-chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
Using It
When it comes to protein supplements, I want it to taste great and mix easily. Gracie Whey is available in two flavors, Pure Cocoa, which is basically chocolate flavor, and Acai Berries. Both of these taste amazingly good and mix perfectly in any shaker bottle. The acai was the unanimous
favorite around the office. Collectively we’ve gone through two 1.2lb containers and all of us have had nothing but a great experience so far. Gracie Whey is perfect for post training recovery, in the morning to break the overnight fast, and even as a meal replacement. Both blend nicely with other ingredients for a smoothie or even pancakes. The acai flavor is mild so it’s probably the better of the two for mixing with other flavors. Neither formula caused any of us any intestinal distress which sometimes happens with whey protein.
Overall
Gracie Whey is not the type of product you’d find at a big box retailer in a giant 10 lb tub; it’s a very high-quality product made with 100% all natural ingredients. It’s not cheap, but the good stuff never is.
At $39.90 for a 15 serving container you’re looking at $2.66 a serving. All Gracie Essentials products come with a 30-day, full money back guarantee, so you have literally nothing to lose by trying either flavor. If you use the code JJM10 at check out you’ll save 10%. We can definitely recommend adding Gracie Whey to your supplementation and training routine.
highlights & specs: ❖❖ Made from Grass Fed Milk ❖❖ 22g of Protein Per Scoop ❖❖ Made in the USA ❖❖ Non GMO
Verdict Very high-quality product that tastes great.
QUALITY AND TASTE VALUE OVERALL
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1/4/18 4:02 PM
Event
2017
US OPEN
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WORDS AND PHOTOS: MIKE VELEZ
2017 MARKED THE TWENTY-SECOND RUNNING OF THE US OPEN IN DALY CITY, CALIFORNIA, JUST OUTSIDE OF SAN FRANCISCO. THE US OPEN IS THE LONGEST RUNNING JIU-JITSU TOURNAMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, MAYBE EVEN ANYWHERE OUTSIDE OF BRAZIL. It’s been put on for the last twenty two years by Claudio Franca, whose team is also behind the BJJ Tour that travels all over the country. For the past couple years the event’s been hosted at the Cow Palace, a very large venue which allows for competitors and spectators to spread out. The US Open routinely attracts over 1,500 competitors every year from around the West Coast and even some as far as Florida. It’s held over a Saturday and Sunday with kids, kicking off the action early Saturday morning followed by purple and brown belts later in the day. Sunday is reserved for black belts followed by blue and white belts. I think this format is a good way of running a tournament. We can assume that most first time competitors are white belts, which go last in the event. This gives them time to watch the previous competitors go and hopefully help calm their nerves by the time they’re up.
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The team competitions are always big at the US Open. This year Soul Fighters took first in the Kids Division followed by Checkmat and Coalition 95. In the combined Juvenile/Adult/Masters category, it was RG-CT which is the combined team of Ralph Gracie and Caio Terra in first place. Second place went to Coalition 95 followed by Ares BJJ. Some recognizable names were on hand in the Black Belt Pro divisions. In the under 154.5 division, Aluizio Moizinho beat Samir Chantre for gold. In the Under 181.5, it was Osvaldo Moizinho over Igor Paiva. In the Over 208, Joao Rocha bested Felipe Abad, and finally in the Black Belt Open, Joao Rocha beat Tarsis Humphreys in a hard fought match. Other notable stand outs competing were Nicholas Greene, Milton Bastos, and Demarcus Cooper to name a few. Many of next year’s BJJ Tour events have already been announced, including Kissimmee, Florida on February 17th, The American Cup in San Francisco, California, April 14th and 15th, New Haven, Connecticut on June 9th, and The All Star back in Santa Cruz, California, on June 23rd. Be sure to check out the entire schedule at bjjtour.com.
❖❖ Jiu-Jitsu Couple - Alex Barcelona gets a kiss and a purple belt from Milton Bastos after winning her division,
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The Granddaddy of them all!
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mind games
FLOW STATES OPTIMIZING YOUR JIU-JITSU EXPERIENCE
T
WORDS: RICARDO CASTANEDA | PHOTOS: VARIOUS
THE STATE OF OPTIMAL MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE A PERSON EXPERIENCES WHEN “IN THE ZONE” IS ALSO KNOWN AS A “FLOW STATE”. FLOW STATES ARE REACHED WHEN AN ATHLETE OR PERFORMER HAS REACHED A PEAK STATE OF TOTAL IMMERSION AND ENJOYMENT WITH LASER FOCUS IN A TASK. In a state of flow, the perception of time and space is significantly altered and complex tasks are executed with
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ease under duress. Achieving a flow state is possible in many activities including playing video games, painting a portrait, climbing a mountain, and even at your workplace. In sports, flow states can give athletes a competitive edge against an opponent who is not in the zone. In jiu-jitsu, flow states can be helpful in accelerating our progress as well as higher levels of enjoyment. In addition
to the edge flow states can give you in competition, they can also optimize many aspects of your class experience. Learning how to get into and maintain flow states can be tricky, but with enough mental practice, flow states can be experienced much more frequently. Because flow states can have such a profound impact on learning and performance, achieving them in your jiu-jitsu practice is strongly recommended.
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The Benefits of Flow States Research in the realm of flow states suggests that there are many positive outcomes that result from achieving flow. For one, flow states induce greater feelings of satisfaction and enjoyment in activities. Secondly, flow states can improve performance and correlate well with better moods, improved learning, increased creativity, and higher levels of intrinsic motivation. These are all important in a practice like jiu-jitsu where poor experiences from bad
training days and learning plateaus can make the difference between someone’s desire to stick with training or give up entirely. If flow states can improve learning and performance as well as elevate levels of selfmotivation, they can serve a great purpose in the Gentle Art. Furthermore, if you are a competitive athlete, learning how to enter flow states more easily can lead to a profound improvement in your performance.
Achieving a Flow State Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Cheek-sent-me-hi) quite literally wrote the book on flow states. In his book, Dr. Csikszentmihalyi suggests three conditions to achieving flow. These are:
1. A p e rs o n m u st h ave a cl e ar s e t o f g oa ls w h en en gaged i n a n act i v i t y. 2. T he act i v i t y must h ave c l e a r , i m m e diat e f e ed back . 3. T he r e m u st be a h ealt h y ba l a n c e o f how on e p e rc e i v e s a task ’s c ha l l e n g e a n d on e ’s ow n a b i l i t i e s.
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high
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Worry
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Flow
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Relaxation high
❖❖ Flow is achieved when challenge is high and it requires a relatively high level of skill that you’ve achieved. Without both components you will fall into a different state.
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In jiu-jitsu, we all should have a goal that we are currently working towards. If we do not have a specific goal set for us, we cannot fully devote the resources required to achieving these goals. This is important in flow because not working towards something very specific will lead to distractions. A distracted mind cannot enter a flow state.
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challenge to abilities balance
Feedback is also an important part of experiencing flow states. If we do not receive feedback, we cannot figure out what adjustments we need to make. In jiu-jitsu, not having feedback can lead to confusion, self-doubt, and anxiety. For good, consistent progress, feedback is necessary because of the constantly changing demands of our jiu-jitsu journeys. For flow states, immediate feedback is doubly necessary in order to consistently modify our performance to the tasks at hand. This includes understanding the balance between where our skill set lies and the goals we set to achieve.
Feedback is necessary to match our skillsets to our goals. There must be a balance between the challenge of the task and our abilities. If you perceive the challenge to be much more difficult than you believe yourself capable, you will experience anxiety. On the other hand, if you perceive a challenge to be way too easy compared to your skillsets, you will experience boredom. Boredom and anxiety are both huge disrupters to flow states.
Maintaining Flow States Achieving flow states can be fairly easy with practice. A major challenge, however, is maintaining the flow state. There are a few emotions or feelings that kill flow states. Boredom and anxiety are two states that thwart the achievement of flow states. Apathy is another. In order to maintain flow states, these mental states must be avoided because they can shift your focus from the task at hand to other negative mental states.
Boredom As suggested earlier, there must be a good balance between the challenges you are facing and your skill level. If your skill level and your tasks are too far apart, you will kill your flow state. For example, if you are a brown belt that is working on cross collar chokes from Closed Guard, you may find your attention waning and your level of boredom increasing. The trick to beating boredom is to increase the challenges that lie ahead.
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Anxiety On the other side of the challenge/skill balance is when your skill level is far below the challenges you face. Being a white belt and having to learn the details behind more advanced guards and passes can create a state of anxiety. This feeling of intimidation can remove you from a flow state and the way to get back in will be to learn at a level a little bit closer to your skillset. Here is perhaps the best time to be learning cross collar chokes from Closed Guard.
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Apathy Apathy in this context is a loss of interest. Apathy in jiu-jitsu can happen when, for whatever reason, you stop having fun. The day you begin to lose interest and enjoyment in what you are learning is the day you lose the ability to achieve a flow state. Step number one is to make sure you are enjoying yourself. Step number two is to catch yourself when you are having a bad day or perhaps taking things too seriously. We all want to be great in jiu-jitsu, but more important than being great is just making sure you are having fun. When we stop having fun, we will become apathetic and this apathy can lead to negative feelings towards jiu-jitsu.
Hacks for Getting into Flow States
Nootropics
Meditation
Nootropics are basically brain supplements. They work by enhancing cognition and allowing for more focus and attention to various physical and mental tasks. Research suggests that various neurotransmitters are involved in flow states, including, but not limited to, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. While nootropics do not necessarily induce flow states, they can increase the likelihood of experiencing one by their influence over these mental processes. Try a nootropic during your next sparring session and see how it can help to increase your state of flow.
Flow states require a quiet mind. A meditative practice allows the mind to strengthen its decision making and executive components without the usual noise provided by external stimuli. In other words, meditation can help your brain more effectively turn down the irrelevant subject matter and allow you to focus on the task at hand, whether that is learning a difficult technique or competing in your next match.
HAVE FUN
Flow states are associated with joy while performing a challenging task. If you are working too hard or feeling down on yourself, your sense of enjoyment will rapidly decline. Having fun is important to get into a state of flow and furthermore, to maintain it. Try not to take things too seriously and just let loose. Furthermore, jiu-jitsu should be a fun experience despite its obstacles.
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the life
THE RISE OF SUBMISSION ONLY
PHOTO: DAVID SMITH
WORDS: RYAN FORD
FOR DECADES, THE RULES OF JIU-JITSU HAVE BEEN EVOLVING, AND DIFFERENT TOURNAMENTS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE TAKEN VARIOUS STANCES ON HOW THEY SCORE MATCHES AND HOW COMPETITORS CAN WIN. BUT ONE THING HAS REMAINED TRUE ACROSS THE BOARD, A SUBMISSION ENDS THE MATCH. In recent years, this concept has been the driving force behind the rapidly growing Submission Only tournament format. Made most popular by the Eddie Bravo Invitational, many tournament organizers across the country have found great success with this format among competitors looking for alternatives to the standard ruleset. Another big influence on competitors is that many of these events offer cash prizes for the winners. For full-time grapplers and young up and comers, the appeal of getting paid to win is hard to resist.
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101 PHOTO: MAC WARREN
The Growth of Sub Only The Kakuto Submission Challenge is a great example of the growing popularity of Submission Only events. Kakuto follows modified EBI rules and has become a growing force in the southeast, having just wrapped up their 10th open tournament and Pro Invite in Atlanta. The event, which was held in an upscale theater, featured an eight man submission-only absolute invitational with a large cash prize on the line. EBI veteran Quentin Rosenzweig came out on top. Runner ups were Atlanta standout and multiple time Pan Ams champion Chris Jones and fellow EBI vet and No-Gi Pan Ams Champion Aaron “Tex” Johnson. Kakuto was initially the brainchild of a close group of friends with Byron Lovvorn, a charismatic and beloved figure in Atlanta’s jiu-jitsu scene, at the helm. The
promotion has attracted more and more attendees at every event as well as a long list of decorated competitors. Byron feels that the Submission Only format has been the key to the tournament’s success. “We’ve found that people really like the appeal of just getting out there and
trying to land a submission. We’ve had tons of athletes who mostly compete under the standard rules give it a try and come back every event. It’s fun, not just for the competitors, but we have found that the audience grows more and more because it’s easy for the average person to understand what’s going on.”
Reaching the Masses With entertainment being a common emphasis from Submission Only promoters, different events are finding new and fun ways to draw in fans from outside the jiu-jitsu community. Kakuto Co-Owner and judo black belt Genaro Tena has also been able to implement the Kakuto Ippon Challenge, a pro invite for judo competitors to hit the stage as well.
“After running a few tournaments, we had a conversation about applying the same concept to other martial arts,” explains Genaro. “When Byron asked me if it was possible to do it for judo, I started doing some research. We came up with a rule system that simplified judo competition rules and could also be appealing to other grappling artists. It just adds more
entertainment value to the audience which, in our opinion, is part of why Submission Only rules have become so popular. Its fan-friendly to the mainstream crowd. They don’t need to understand the point system, nobody has to explain what an advantage is, and overall, athletes have more incentive to get after it because a submission is the only way to win.”
PHOTO: MAC WARREN
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Converting the Critics With its growing popularity, it can be hard to argue with the formula being used by many promoters. More and more events like these are popping up around the world and many organizers and fans feel that the rules do result in more action and less stalling. From an athlete’s perspective, many competitors appreciate the open season policy on submissions that are banned from the standard ruleset. Critics who prefer jiu-jitsu’s standard ruleset often point out that more people participate in standard rules tournaments, thus their opinion is that the overall level of competition is higher. They also feel that by eliminating points, you lose much of the strategy involved in winning matches. But perhaps one of the biggest critiques is the opinion that allowing heel hooks and other submissions not allowed in the standard ruleset carries a higher risk of injury. Kakuto’s head referee Juan Guevara acknowledges this position but responds, “In the advanced divisions, we allow heel
PHOTO: MAC WARREN hooks and we allow knee reaping. This seems to scare some people away, but it shouldn’t. Myself and my referees are all advanced practitioners and since we don’t have to focus on time keeping or calculating points in our heads, we can focus 100% on the safety of the athletes. I would argue that Submission Only rules actually create a very safe environment because our refs have one job, keep the athletes safe.”
He adds, “You have to keep in mind that one of the other major benefits of Submission Only rules is that it completely eliminates any arguments of ref bias. There is no robbing anyone of points, there are no unexplained points or advantages awarded to anyone, you either get the submission or you don’t. The referee has very little influence over the action and in the results in this setup.”
Moving into the Future Regardless of which format you prefer, jiu-jitsu is growing at a fast rate and many find it exciting that so many eclectic options are given room to be explored and cultivated. With Submission Only still being relatively new in the grand scheme of jiu-jitsu, time will tell how it will affect the overall landscape of the sport. But organizations like Kakuto are hopeful for the future. With their 10th event just passing, they have their eyes set on 2018.
PHOTO: DAVID SMITH
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“We want to just keep on focusing on putting on the best Submission Only tournament the southeast has to offer.” says Byron. ”We feel the future is bright and that eventually we will attract competitors from all corners of the country, and even internationally, to come perform on our stage. I think eventually critics will warm up to the idea that there is room for everyone and that we all love jiu-jitsu equally.”
PHOTO: MAC WARREN
1/4/18 12:42 PM
H u rt s S o G o o d ! W h e n I s Pa i n G o o d o r Ba d ?
WANT S TO CHAL LENGE YOU!
can you resist? josh hinger and the hingertine!
PLUS When Good Carbs Go Bad Busting Through Plateaus What To Do The Week Before Your Match 2017 Grappler’s Gift Guide Building Power For Jiu-Jitsu
Nov/Dec 2017 Issue 57
RICKSON GRACIE
11/6/17 1:11 PM Cover 57.indd 1
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medic
DEALING WITH LOWER BACK PAIN WORDS AND PHOTOS: NAVEED SHAN, PT, DPT
LOWER BACK PAIN IS ONE OF THE MOST PREVALENT MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS IN OUR SOCIETY. IN FACT, AS MUCH AS 80 % OF THE U.S. population will suffer from lower back pain at some point in their lives. Many of these people will seek medical care for their pain, and jiu-jitsu athletes are no exception to the statistic. There are countless treatments to address low back pain, and while some are effective, other treatments are useless, or worse, and leave athletes in a more painful state compared to where they were before. Jiu-jitsu is a full contact sport and with its frequent flexing and twisting of the spine in the guard, throws, submissions, and takedowns can leave athletes at a greater vulnerability for injury. Yet at the same time, physical activity is one of the best things you can do for chronic pain.
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THE TOLL TAKEN Unfortunately, our joints don’t last forever. Joint wear and tear and disc issues are fairly normal occurrences as we age. In fact, if we took an MRI of everyone’s spine at your dojo, some of these athletes may have a disc bulge or herniation to some degree which may or may not be causing any symptoms or pain. They also may show signs of vertebral degeneration, bone spurs, and regardless of all of these radiographic “blemishes”, they may show no signs of slowing down. Some of us are not so lucky, and we may feel intense pain even when there is no structural damage to the spine or surrounding tissues.
❖❖ Mike V’s actual MRI, three herniated disks.
More Than Just Pain
Pain was previously thought to be a signal from the brain that something is wrong, either structural damage or a physical trauma; however, this is not always the case. More recently, informed healthcare professionals are using new knowledge and explanations in helping to describe pain to patients. This information comes from a collection of neuroscience, biology, immunology, and psychology and it’s changing the way we talk to people about pain, especially chronic musculoskeletal pain such as persistent low back pain.
Nerve Center Armed with such knowledge, these professionals, such as physical therapists, might describe your nervous system as an alarm system. With certain stimuli, the nervous system increases activity that something is wrong, producing the sensation of pain. This stimulus could be from actual acute tissue damage such as a new disc bulge/herniation: ligament, joint, or muscle strain. This could also be from a scissor sweep or your opponent pulling guard. Once you remove the stimulus, the nervous system calms back down over the course of a few days or weeks. Unfortunately for some people, the nervous system doesn’t calm down and the pain persists even though the original injury is healed. This can be considered a “pain problem” at this point and not a “tissue problem” since the tissues are not injured anymore. Why does the nervous system stay so sensitive? Stressors, fear anxiety, job issues, and failed treatment all contribute to the remaining pain experience while knowledge about pain, appropriate medical interventions, graded physical activity, and proper sleep hygiene can all alleviate some of your symptoms.
❖❖ Your spine is the “super highway” of the central nervous system that connects your brain to your entire body.
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Pain isn’t a death sentence. Many jiu-jitsu athletes still roll and compete regularly despite having structural issues that may be or may not be symptomatic. Most times, we don’t need bed rest or surgery. In fact, physical activity is one of the best things we can do for recovery.
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What works for lower back pain?
We’ve all heard common treatment for low back pain: “you need to strengthen your core”, “your hamstrings are too tight”, or “you need to do yoga”. The fact of the matter is, there is no cure all for lower back pain and what might reduce symptoms for one person may increase symptoms for another. Luckily for us, researchers have put together a classification system that provides the best treatments based on characteristics and symptoms known as “Treatment Based Classification”. In a study by Brenan, et. al., they categorized patients with certain lower back pain symptoms as benefitting from particular interventions such as joint manipulations, stabilization exercises, specific exercise, or traction.
Manipulation People who have a recent onset of lower back pain (less than 16 days) and have no radiating pain shooting past the knee may benefit from a lumbar manipulation. You may have experienced a manipulation before by going to a physical therapist, a chiropractor, an osteopathic physician, or having your friend “pop your back.” Many people self-manipulate their spinal joints as well. However, with a painful condition
such as lower back pain, it’s probably best to leave these types of manipulations to qualified professionals as mentioned above. Manipulations are low velocity, high thrust joint mobilizations that improve joint motion as well as provide a neuromodulatory input which can be described as a “CTRL+ALT+Delete” for your nervous system. Whether joints
are misaligned is still up for debate, but research has shown lumbar manipulation can reduce pain for certain people. The audible “popping” sound that is often heard from a manipulation is most likely due to a release of CO2 gas that has built up in the joint capsule. People sometimes think this sound is the joint “going back into place” but there is little credible evidence that this is the case.
Stabilization People who are younger, have had three or more lower back pain exacerbations and have too much flexibility with a movement like a hamstring stretch, may benefit from stabilization exercise approach. The abdominal and spinal musculature are responsible for bending the spine as well as preventing bending. So when these muscles aren’t strong, or lack the endurance to contract at lower levels for extended periods of time, the ligaments, bones, or other accessory muscle groups pick up the slack which may lead to lower back pain. The following movements are common stabilization exercises that have shown to strengthen the trunk without causing significant amounts of compressive forces on the spine.
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Thanks to our model, Ochuko Ojameruaye for helping with these photos.
The Bird Dog Start in a quadruped position with knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. Point one arm directly in front of you making a tight fist. With the opposite leg, kick your leg back completely straightening your knee and squeezing your glute as hard as possible. While holding this position, your back should be in a neutral spine, abdominal muscles slightly braced, and hips even on both sides. Start with 5-7 reps per side with at least a 5 second hold at the fully extended position.
the side plank Start in a side lying position with your elbow on the ground directly under your shoulders and your feet staggered one in front of the other. Lift your hips off of the ground until your body is completely straight. Maintain an abdominal brace and squeeze your glutes. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds.
dead bug Lie on your back with your feet in the air and knees and hips at a 90 degree angle. Hold your arms in the air with your hands directly over your shoulders. Brace your abdomen as if you were about to take a punch in the gut while pushing your low back into the ground. Lower one leg slowly to tap your heel to the ground while bringing the opposite arm towards the ground.
Movement bias exercise or “specific exercise” Movement bias exercises were popularized by a physiotherapist named Robin McKenzie in the 1960’s. He proposed that the underlying cause of injury doesn’t matter in many cases and that people have a directional preference. A directional preference is a direction in which they can move that doesn’t cause pain as the increase in movement range will reduce the pain of the person and their function over time. People who would benefit from this are people who can move well in one direction with less pain (leaning backwards) while increasing pain moving in the opposite direction (bending forwards). Here’s how to implement them.
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hold the position for 10-30 seconds
Lie on your stomach with your hands on the floor and under your shoulders like you’re going to do a push up. Push against the floor, raising your torso while keeping your hips against the ground. You should only move in a pain free range of motion.
Extra Credit Homework
Reflect on your game and find the pain triggers. There may be a specific position or movement that causes your low back pain symptoms. Once you determine what, if any, position is causing the pain, ask your coach to go over technique or position to get a better gauge of any technique flaws.
Lift with your hips! Not with your back.
You’ve heard the old adage “lift with your knees, not with your back”; my suggestion is to lift with your hips and not your back! Putting much of the tension on your gluteal muscles and hamstrings when lifting objects (or deadlifting) is a much more efficient way to lift without causing undue compressive forces on the spine. Your hips should be slightly higher than a squat, shins vertical, and spine neutral. This has been shown to be the safest way to lift objects off the ground
repeated flexion
hold the position for 10-30 seconds
Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent and fleet flat on the ground. Lift your feet off the ground while bringing your knees to your chest. You should feel your lower back come off the ground at the top position.
THAT’S A WRAP
Lower back pain is a complex issue with hundreds of possible causes, and unfortunately no one size fits all cure or treatment. The purpose of this article is to provide you with some information regarding your back pain and what you can do to address the issue. This article is not to replace the advice of a medical professional and those with new onsets of pain should first be seen by a licensed physician or physical therapist before starting any exercise program.
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gains
ROW YOUR WAY TO VICTORY
WORDS: WILL SAFFORD
WHEN YOU THINK OF CARDIO EQUIPMENT AT THE GYM, USUALLY THE TREADMILL, BIKE, OR ELLIPTICAL COME TO MIND. THE ONE THAT’S OFTEN OVERLOOKED IS THE ROWING MACHINE, AKA, ERGOMETER (ERG). Unfortunately, many are intimidated by the ERG due to either lack of proper technique or the grueling, total-body, heart pounding punch it packs. As jiu-jitsu athletes, the ERG can be one of the most useful tools in the gym to produce powerful legs, lungs that won’t quit, and unwavering mental toughness.
Benefits of The Ergometer Grapplers need a unique combination of strength, endurance, and power. Superior technique will always serve you best, but having these qualities in your back pocket will go a long way on the mats – and that’s exactly what the ERG can provide. First, the ERG can be used for longer steady-state work that will develop aerobic endurance, or your body’s ability to use oxygen to produce energy. When used for high intensity sprint or interval work, it improves anaerobic conditioning, or energy creation, without the use of oxygen. Both of these are vital for your endurance, stamina, and energy output on the mat.
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Next, the ERG improves power endurance. Power is the combination of strength and speed, and usually it’s associated with small, intense bouts like hitting a baseball or throwing a shot put. Training power in this regard is best done with heavy explosive exercises for low reps. However, jiujitsu requires repeated bouts of power, like takedowns, sweeps, or scrambles late into a match. This is where power endurance comes into play, or your ability to maintain strength and speed over time. When used with the correct programming, the ERG can develop your ability to sustain power output.
The ERG also provides a total-body workout unlike the other “cardio” equipment in the gym. While running and biking primarily work your legs, the ERG hits your legs, lower and upper back, arms, and core. Just like in jiu-jitsu, your entire body is engaged, building muscular endurance while burning fat and training your heart and lungs. Plus, the ERG is impact free. Unlike running which puts repetitive stress on the joints, it’s easier on your body - always a benefit to the hard-training grappler.
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Learning Proper Rowing Technique Proper technique is one of the most important factors to get as much benefit as possible from the ERG. Just like in jiu-jitsu, when you have sloppy technique, you waste energy, risk injury, and are less successful in your efforts. Sloppy technique on the ERG leads to the same. If you’re wildly sliding back and forth, you’re essentially spinning your wheels – wasting a lot of energy without creating the power efficiency and endurance you’re looking for. To understand proper technique, you must understand the four phases of the rowing movement, which is also known as the “stroke.” Let’s take a look at each phase.
The “Catch” The Catch is the first phase of the stroke and where you are most powerful. In this position you are like a cocked pistol ready to fire. Sit tall with your arms fully extended in front of you and a loose grip on the handle. Your upper body should be leaning forward slightly with your shoulders in front of your hips. Your shoulders should also be level and not hunched over with your shins vertical to the ground.
Common Mistakes
Hunching over too much with rounded shoulders Sitting up too tall with shoulders above or behind hips Grip too narrow on the handle, squeezing too hard
FAIL
The “Drive” The Drive is where the work is done. This is where you drive off of the block and push your body away from the Catch position. Contrary to popular belief, the rowing stroke is actually mostly performed with your legs, not your arms. So the Drive is an explosive extension of your legs, where you create the most power.
Push aggressively off of the block with your legs, maintaining straight arms and the forward angle with your back. When your legs almost reach full extension, hinge with your hips and lean backward with your upper body. When your torso reaches vertical, start to pull your hands in toward your chest.
Common Mistakes
Shooting your hips out too fast without moving the handle at the same speed Hinging back too early before finishing the leg drive. Use the sequence “legs, back, arms” Using your arms too much and bending your elbows too soon, remember it’s mostly legs
FAIL
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The “Finish” In the “Finish” position your legs should be fully extended and your upper body leaning back slightly. Engage your core and keep your elbows in close to your body, not pinned tight or flared out wide. Relax your shoulders back and down and maintain a loose grip on the handle.
Common Mistakes
Laying back too far, just passed 90 degrees in enough Pulling the handle too high, pull to your lower ribs Flaring your elbows too wide, think 45 degrees away from your body
FAIL
The “Recovery” The process of getting back to the Catch is called the Recovery phase, and should be slow and controlled. Essentially, it’s the reverse sequence of the Drive. If the Drive follows the order of “legs drive, back extends, then arms in,” the Recovery goes “arms out, back forward, legs bend.” Extend your arms out away from you fully before you start to lean forward at the hips. Once your hands are past your knees, start to bend your legs to slowly return to the Catch position.
Common Mistakes
You rush back to the Catch - your recovery should take twice as long as the Drive. You bend your knees too early. Use the sequence of “arms, back, legs” and don’t bend your knees until your arms have passed them. You’re too tense. Use the recovery to relax and breathe.
FAIL
Pro Tips Pay attention to your split and stroke rate. The split is your 500m pace, or how long it takes you to row 500 meters. Ideally, the lower the split, the better, meaning you are pulling hard and moving the “boat” quickly. Men should shoot for below 1:45/500m and ladies
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below 2:00/500m, but this will vary depending on the intensity of the workout. The stroke rate measures how many strokes you perform per minute. Ideally, the lower the stroke rate the better with one caveat – you maintain
your power output. You might be able to maintain a very low stroke rate but your split time is high. Or your stroke rate is low but you’re racing up and down the slide with a high stroke rate. In both of these cases, your power output would be low. You
want to shoot for a low stroke rate AND low split. This would indicate that your stroke is very efficient and you produce great power in every stroke. Shoot for a stroke rate around 25/min.
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Filling the tank.
SAMPLE WORKOUTS 5 Minute Warm-Up: High-Intensity Anaerobic Conditioning: Start with an easy pace, working on making each part of the stroke deliberate and controlled. After one minute, start to add more power while keeping your stroke rate down. Begin to make smooth transitions between each phase of the stroke. At minute two, allow your stroke rate to increase slightly while pushing your split down. Continue to increase your intensity until minute 4, then go back to an easy pace for the last 60 seconds. You can use this warm-up before any strength training, jiu-jitsu, or rowing workout.
Steady-state Aerobic Conditioning: Row for 20–40 minutes at a higher split but slow, consistent stroke rate. Shoot for consistency throughout the entire piece without letting your numbers raise or drop too wildly throughout the set time. You can also row for a long distance instead of time, like 10,000 meters. The idea is to keep your heart rate up and elevated for a longer period of time.
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For the following workouts, attempt to keep your split as low as possible while allowing your stroke rate to raise slightly without jumping over 30 strokes/min.
A.
3x1000m Row 3 sets of 1000m at 85% effort and rest 2 minutes between each set.
B. Choose the regulation competition time for your belt level, i.e. white belt = 5 mins, blue belt = 6 mins, etc. Row 3 sets of your belt level competition time at a sustainable near max effort and rest 5 minutes between each set.
C. 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 minute pyramid with 30 seconds off between each set. Record your max distance and attempt to increase in future sessions.
Finishers: The ERG can also be used for a workout finisher or as part of an exercise circuit.
A. 3 x 300m at max effort with 2 minutes between each set.
B. 6 x 30s work : 30s rest intervals.
C. 10 Kettlebell Swings 5 Burpees 150m Row X5
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success
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SAVED MY LIFE About Me... Brief history of of me: I am a 34 year old, California native. I grew up surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, playing baseball, football, and lacrosse. I also come from a broken home, raised by a single-mother whom did the best she could for my younger sister and I. I had a rich life, albeit, a lower-middle class life, but it was rich. I was fed well, had nice clothes, took trips, and was loved. I also had more freedom than I could ask for: I smoked pot by 14, drank alcohol by 15 and had a fake ID by 17. Somehow I managed to make it through high school with a “B” average, and eventually earned an undergraduate and graduate degree on my own. On. My. Own. All-by-myself. The theme of much of my life is that I have managed to do things by myself. Friends tell me that I never ask for help. Well, I don’t. Because the truth is, I don’t want help. I don’t want to feel weak. Relying on others makes me feel weak. This isn’t a sob story, nor is it meant for anybody to feel bad for me. My life is good. Really good, in the grand scheme of the world. I am healthy, I have good friends, I have a wonderful job and I have the best dog on the planet- a sweet black lab named Crosby. But since I started training jiu-jitsu, everything seems to revolve around it in some way or another…
Success - Joseph Olivarez.indd 1
Jiu-Jitsu Three years ago, I started training jiu-jitsu because I had a desire to train in martial arts since childhood. For some reason or another, things got in the way. I was always “busy”, or it was too expensive. Years back in San Diego, I trained Kenpo Karate, but the school shut down, and that was that. I had a few privates with the instructor outside of the school, but they were at a local park without anybody else. They were uncomfortable, expensive, and I quit. Fast forward five years and I got an graduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University, a job in Charlottesville, and found an amazing place to train: Charlottesville Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the tutelage of Professor Gordon Emery. I knew very little about jiujitsu, only that guys used it in MMA. I have been a relatively athletic guy most of my life, and I thought that I would catch on fast, that I would be beating people down, and as anybody who has trained jiujitsu knows, it’s an incredibly humbling experience. Incredibly humbling. I was being toyed around by guys smaller and weaker than I was. After one six minute round, I was more tired than I was if I had ran 5 miles. It was demoralizing. I would go home and question my manhood. But I stuck with it, and even though I had some speed bumps along the way, I eventually earned my blue belt after three years. I competed in a couple of tournaments, taking gold in my weight class, and two silvers in Absolutes. I continued. I persevered. I would get hurt, but once I felt
I TRIED TO KILL MYSELF. IT WAS THE NIGHT OF JULY 24TH, 2015, THE DAY BEFORE I WAS GOING TO TAKE A WEEK LONG BEACH TRIP TO THE OUTER BANKS, NC. Fun, right?...I tried to do it with my training belt (4 stripe white at the time), hanging on the hook that holds up my heavy bag. My suicide attempt was unsuccessful, and I thank jiu-jitsu for that. better I would go back to the mats. I would get tapped out often, and I even got choked to the point of passing out. The woman who choked me out is a great friend and great jiujitsu player. I, being a dumbass, refused to tap. Collar choke? I can escape! Right? Right?... Waking up in a puddle of my own drool was a bummer.
Tapping out I don’t like to tap out. I never have since day one. In the beginning I would wait to tap out until it hurt so bad that I couldn’t take it anymore. I’m still the same except I have a slightly higher pain tolerance now. That’s just how I am. I’ll wait to see stars before I tap out to a rear-naked choke or triangle. I’ll wait for my arm to feel like it’s about to bend backward before I tap to an armbar or Kimura. A part of it is that I always think I can escape. A part of it is that I am stubborn. A part of it is that I like pain. A part of it is that I like to be punished. Jiu-jitsu allows one to tap into their primitive nature. The raw act of wrestling another human being with the intent of breaking a part of their body, or choking them to death, is some real-life shit. What’s crazy about jiu-jitsu is that you push, push, push and push, but have to know your own and your training partners breaking point. It’s pretty amazing when it comes down to it. As jiu-jitsu practitioners, we put our lives in each others hands, literally. We are friends, competitors, teammates, enemies, and family, all in one, all at the same time. It’s when and where to turn on those terms that makes one a true student of the art. It’s gentle, yet deadly.
Death and Life I tried to kill myself, but I survived. I survived because of my training, my time on the mats, my teachers, friends, and loved ones. I have been choked so many times to the point of passing out that I know where my breaking point is. I know when that “moment” is. When I kicked out the ladder and was dangling in the air, I text messaged my friend to tell my family that I was sorry and that I loved them. I knew exactly what I was doing. I was ill intent upon ending my life. I didn’t want it any more. I didn’t want to live. I didn’t want the emotional pain of waking up sad daily and not seeing a future worth living. When I was hanging in the air by my neck I started to see stars and was about to black out. I could feel my life about to leave and my body detaching from itself, much like I had felt before. Except this time, I wasn’t in the hands of a trusted training partner. It was at that moment that I decided to choose life. It was me refusing to tap out. I’d had enough of feeling sorry for myself. It was enough of me being selfish. Muscle memory kicked in and I grabbed the noose, as if I was defending a guillotine. I simply pulled myself out of the noose, and breathed anew. This is how jiu-jitsu saved my life. Thank you to all who have tapped me out and to those who have not given up on me.
-Joseph Olivarez
1/4/18 10:22 PM
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