Tim Waid over at Pekiti Tirsia Kali Global Organization has been working hard on his next series of DVDs covering Espada y Daga techniques, and a complete instructional on the footwork (arguably what sets PTK apart in my opinion) and subsequent drills for footwork.
Click here to be redirected for ordering.
Enjoy,
Jake
Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida and I share more then just dashing good looks, we are both world champions who love the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. And that is about where the similarities stop. Buchecha is out of this world talented and I must admit he surprised me with how excellent of a teacher he is considering his young age! Often times world champions will come teach a seminar where they show a hodge podge of techniques that work for them, only leaving the student often more confused then when they started. Not Saturday! Buchecha essentially worked back control and half guard (his two best positions), with a couple bonuses thrown in for good measure such as his open guard pass that is becoming infamous (I watched him nail it on just about everyone who played open guard on him later).
Instructing in damn near perfect English, Buchecha led the the 35 or so attendees (one of the better turnouts according to a couple of Buchecha’s camp!) through a series of attacks off of the kimura control maintaining side control, rolling your opponent up onto their side and various “window’s” to attack with chokes, arm bars, and oh yes… wrist locks (more on that later). What I really appreciated with the seminar was the fluid transition from one technique to another and the options he left depending on your strengths / weaknesses.
You can see why Buchecha is a multiple time world champ (and will be for years to come) in his approach to drilling and teaching. For instance the control and positional dominance were stressed no matter what position we covered or what technique we were attempting. Anyone who had the pleasure of rolling with Buchecha after the seminar (which he did 2 straight hours of BTW!) can attest to his ability to attain a dominant position and then apply insane amounts of pressure. I unfortunately did not get the chance to roll with him, but check out Scotty’s roll (sorry bro, I ran out of memory space!):
The seminar culminated in what I feel was really Buchecha’s ultimate goal… gaining the dominant position and wrist locking fools! Ok… I kid… I kid… BUT he did show a wrist lock and had this to say about the submission:
“People get very angry when you wrist lock them in competition. But why? Because it is so simple they did not think about protecting it. I often use it to distract my opponent, but sometimes you can them off guard and get the submission.”
Hosted by Mike Simpson and held at his North Sound BJJ dojo (home of Marti Malloy BTW!) in Lake Stevens, WA. the NSBJJ crew was super welcoming and nice! A gorgeous dojo with plenty of space which was perfect for the free rolling after the seminar. I love opportunities like these and though I am still fighting off this cough I wanted to roll with some different folks and get some mat time. In the end I got to roll with Karen, a scrappy little Judo black belt up from Tacoma. Jeremy Ryatt a solid brown belt at NSBJJ. I have known Jeremy via mutual friends in the BJJ realm but never rolled with him. In short I will say this… do not let him on top of you! It was miserable! Great rolling though! And then I got to roll with Derrick a black belt at NSBJJ who was great fun to roll with as well and taught me much.
Also big props to Zach B. whom I met for the first time Saturday. Rumor has it he was promoted to blue belt at Fosters BJJ yesterday! Congrats brother and always remember… a black belt is a white belt who never quit!
I am amazed at the small turnout but am glad at the personal attention we got. It was nice to see a handful of black belts from other clubs come out and support. Buchecha seemed to have a great time and it sounds like he will be back, so make sure to stay tuned to The Ground Never Misses for future opportunities to train with world champions.
Train Hard. Train Smart.
Jake
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expert, and ADCC world champ Braulio Estima will be making his MMA debut in Kansas City (sorry dude) at the TFC 24! Make sure to tune in to AXS TV (used to be HD Net) to watch the live fight.
Just before turning on the boob tube, sitting down to crack open that cold brewski, and sparking that pinner… make sure to swing on over to North Sound Seminar Dot Com to register for the Buchecha seminar tomorrow (only about 4-5 spots left guys!!). Just in case you have been floating in a space station orbiting Mars lately… here is a nice little highlight clip someone put together on Buchecha (whom by the way is rumored to be fighting Roger Gracie in a super fight at the World Masters and Seniors!! Bummer I most likely will miss it):
We have been on a Machado kick here lately and I wanted to continue the theme with a review of 8th dan Prof. Carlos Machado’s latest DVD instructional, “Unstoppable: Secrets to the Hook Flip.” Carlos has produced what many grapplers secretly wish for when we hear an established master is releasing a DVD; a comprehensive overview of ONE aspect of their game! And the hook flip / sweep is arguably what all the Machado brothers are known for, especially Carlos.
The hooks game in general is believed to have been developed by Rolls Gracie (1951-1982) and Jean Jacques Machado in response to Rigan Machado’s ability to break open closed guards and attack the legs. Whether or not this is fact is inconsequential as the hooks in game is now a staple open guard strategy worldwide both in gi and no gi.
Filmed at his school in Dallas, TX. during a seminar that Carlos offered a couple years back, “Unstoppable” runs a solid 90 minutes of pure instructional material. And again it only covers one aspect… the hook flip/sweep, broken down into these 12 chapters:
- Setups
- Controls
- The Cup
- Arm & Collar Control
- Double Sleeve Control
- Positioning
- Theories & Details of the Sweep
- Guard Pass Prevention
- Elbow Over Head Flip
- Head Sweep
- Cross Body Sweep
- Opponent Stands
Check out the 1:00 minute and 2:00 minute mark for hook sweeps!
Easily navigate chapter to chapter, or play all progressively each chapter hosts a ton of information on fundamentals often overlooked by many practitioners and coaches alike. Prof Carlos’ attention to detail and progression of instruction is indicative of his 40+ years on the mat. Notice the bulk of the chapters on the DVD are focused on control and positioning! This is not accidental as the Machado brothers are adamant about ensuring you have control prior to attempting any offensive technique.
Those looking for dozens and dozens of techniques should pass on this DVD. “Unstoppable” is solely for those who are willing to work in a logical progression to better their understanding of the principles involved with the hook sweep. Once the student understands the principle, then the variations on a theme are truly endless. Yet many instructors neglect this aspect not only in their own training but also when they offer an instructional DVD. Not here…. Carlos teaches a handful of sweep variations but the bulk of the 90 minutes is making sure you (the student) have a clear understanding of the fundamental aspects of the hook sweep game; grips / positioning / proper hooks / off balancing of your opponent / troubleshooting / and then the actual sweep! This is the Machado approach to training. Some call it OCD… others prefer “proper technique.”
I have had the pleasure of training with Prof Carlos only once so far, but I will attest to his attention to detail. And this DVD makes you feel as if you are right there taking a class in Dallas with Prof Machado.
Another critical facet that Prof Machado covers is guard pass prevention / re-guarding your opponent. I have seen few better then the Machado brothers at recovering a lost guard. Carlos addresses the possibility of your guard getting passed and talks about several methods to use to block your opponent from passing. Invaluable info here!!
As with all RCJ Machado DVDs the quality is excellent. Filmed in HD, with top notch editing, the only glitch I experienced was my “play all” function was finicky at best. Sometimes it would start, other times it would take me back to the root menu. Annoying, but overall a small detail. Otherwise the picture and audio quality is top notch. One note here though… unlike other instructionals that are filmed in studio, this was filmed at a seminar and the editors left it solely as if you were there. If you want repeated scenes, slow motion, etc. then you are going to have to do it. This is 90 minutes of non-repetitive instruction! 
Also I need to mention that it is about time that producers started putting some time and effort into the score of martial art DVDs! “Unstoppable’s” music is excellent! Not obnoxious. Not scene stealing. Just a nice solid score reminiscent of a summer blockbuster.
Click here to be re-directed to the RCJ Machado shop where you can purchase “Unstoppable” for a measily $29! For under $30 you can dramatically improve your hooks game.
And if you would like to experience Carlos Machado’s teaching in person, make sure to register today for the 5 Brothers Camp by clicking here!
Train Hard. Train Smart.
Jake
2011 was not the greatest year, and I remember hoping that 2012 would be far better. So far it has been worse. As bad as things are I need to remind myself that life could be a lot worse, and far more challenging. I need to remind myself that I have created much of my own suffering and therefore I can also create the solution.
This video of Hugo Leanardo of team CheckMat is a simple reminder to never give up the fight. Next time you are feeling sorry for yourself check out this inspirational 3 minutes, and remind me again what your excuse is for not training!
Click here to check out all the details, but keep in mind world champion Buchecha is going to be at North Sound BJJ this weekend offering a 3 hour seminar for a measly $85!! This is an opportunity to train with arguably the best grappler on the planet right now (and rumor has it he rolls with everyone at seminars! Just a rumor, but a damn accurate one from what I understand!)
Click here to link to the site to register for Saturdays seminar!
A short list of his achievements:
Main Achievements
- 4x World Champion (2010 brown & absolute, 2009 purple weight & absolute);
- 6x World Nogi Champion (2011 black weight & absolute, 2010 black weight & absolute, 2009 brown & absolute);
- 4x World Cup Champion (2009 brown – weight and absolute, 2008 blue – weight and absolute)
- 3x Pan American Champion (2010 brown, 2012 Black weight and absolute);
- 3x World Pro Cup Trials Champion (2010, 2012 weight & absolute)
- SP Cup Champion (2010 WLPJJ)
- 2x Miami Open Champion (2010 black, weight & absolute – closed bracket with team mate);
- 3x Brazilian National Champion (2010 brown, weight & absolute, 2008 purple);
- Brazilian Teams Champion (2008 purple)
- World Silver Medallist (2011 black)
In case you missed the live feed yesterday, here is a direct link to episode #36 of Inside BJJ’s podcast where they interviewed Carlos Machado and asked a bevy of questions. I love interviews like this because we get a glimpse into the world of BJJ before it was the worldwide phenomenon it has become. Carlos was there in the beginning training with the best of the best. Great interview with a great personality in BJJ!
Click here to listen to episode 36!
Tim, Ryan, and Ernest sit down with the legendary 8th Degree Black Belt Professor Carlos Machado to talk about Rolls Gracie, coming to the United States to teach Jiu-Jitsu, meeting Chuck Norris for the first time, BJJ in MMA, and the Five Brothers Training camp. Ernest asks Carlos rumors about Jar Jar Binks and why the Machado Brothers always make the scariest faces in pictures.
While you wipe the groggy remnants of an awesome fight card last night from your eyes, here is a classic BJJ clip from back nearly three decades ago! This is probably the cleanest version I have seen of this fight between Wallid Ismail and Jean Jacques Machado. So sit back sip some java, hit play and enjoy a war between two of the best at that time. Then make sure you tune into Inside BJJ Podcast for the exclusive interview with Jean Jacques brother Carlos Machado at 10:30am PST.
For those attending the 5 Brothers Camp this October in Dallas, TX. we have updated information on hotel accommodations. Located literally just minutes away from the academy, Fairfield Inn Dallas North is the official hotel for the camp.
We have reserved only 65 rooms at the special rate of $59 / night! Make sure you use this code when booking: MACHADOCAMP
Also remember coaches if you get 5 students to join the camp, your attendance is free! Gratis! Zip! Zero! Nada! Click here to reserve your spot today!
And don’t forget to check out Inside BJJ’s Podcast this Sunday as Prof. Carlos Machado is their special guest interview.
Train Hard. Train Smart.
Jake
Here is a preview of what you can expect to learn from John Machado:
Tune in this Sunday, August 19th, at 1:30pm eastern / 10:30am PST for an exclusive interview with Prof. Carlos Machado on Inside BJJ Podcast. You can also listen to a live stream by clicking this link just prior to the show on Sunday. Or they will have the show up for replay later.
If you are not already a fan of Inside BJJ then you will become one. Great interviews, honest in-depth opinions about current events within the sport of BJJ, coupled with all the latest news and happenings make Inside BJJ one of the most listened to, and respected pod casts out there.
Tune in Sunday to listen to 8th degree black belt (and one of the founding fathers of BJJ in America) Carlos Machado, as he shares stories from the past, offers opinion’s about the current, and shares some exciting news about the Machado Camp coming up in October.
Click here to tune into the live stream Sunday 1:30pm EST!
Cheers
Jake
A quick preview of what you can look forward to at the RCJ Machado Camp:
I wanted to send a shout out to all NWJJA competitors who had the balls to step onto the mat on Saturday at the UGF Washington Tourney! I hope I do not forget anyone here:
- Ivan Moran
- Randy Bacon
- Spider & His Stache
- Karlis the Latvian Impaler
- Scrappy Phil
- Slim Shady Kamau
- Perry Bateson
- Ryan
Everyone fought extremely well and should be very proud of their grappling. This was Karliss’ first tournament and I must say he fought excellent. Unfortunately he got paired up (twice) with a no gi grappler who had no interest in actually grappling, just getting ahead by a couple points and then stalling out. The outcome is certainly not indicative of your performance Special K! You did really well.
Kamau brought home the silver with a last second (literally) armbar. Randy nailed gold in no gi crushing the cat who stalled out on Karliss (karma??). Spider’s game is really starting to come forth. A couple of tournaments ago he nailed his first submission and it has really boosted his confidence, and it is showing both in the gym and at tourneys. Chris took silver in gi, bronze in absolute!
Ivan is perhaps the stud of the day fighting at least 5 times in both gi and no gi and giving solid showings each match. Unfortunately he got paired up with teammates a couple of times because of small brackets, but I must say I had a blast coaching ChrisIvan at the same time. Though we need to work on our listening skills as I was calling for inverted flying wristlocks and saw not a single one! Ivan ended up with four medals!!!!!!!! Way to rep NWJJA bro!
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| Smile mofo, you just took silver! |
Perry and I both fought as well as Perry’s student Ryan. Ryan took bronze with a solid showing in white belt. Perry and I fought well but have some area’s to work on. I cannot speak for him, but I have not been with mentally focused all year.
My personal life has got my mind elsewhere and I really felt it this competition. Funny thing is I feel like I have been rolling EXCELLENTLY in the dojo, but on the competition mat I just can’t seem to put it together. Purple belt is TOUGH! Both of my opponents were excellent grapplers and capitalized on my foolish errors. Jordan Kontra from Alaska was my open weight fight and he pulled to half guard immediately. I worked his lapel out and isolated his arm, but the little motherfather had an AWESOME grip on my leg on half guard that completely shut me down, and subsequently frustrated me. I need to learn some fucking patience!!! Through a few mad scrambles he re-guarded (excellently BTW) and I decided (foolishly) that the UGF tournament would be the place I first try and stand to shake someone out of guard. I did not pat attention to his grips and he ended up cross choking me. Excellent match bro! And great sportsmanship as well.
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| Ivan with the bling! |
I also fought Brandon (sorry… can never remember your last name). This is the second time we have fought in a year. He was my first purple belt match in a tournament. Brandon is super strong and very technical. I pulled a weak guard and put him on my hooks, but the 30 pound difference (I got bumped down into the young guys bracket, and up in the super heavy weight division) and a solid base was enough to nullify any sweep of mine. Long story short (video to come) he passes my guard and works fluidly from armbar threat to choke, back again, and ended up bow and arrowing me…. I think!? I need to review the film.
A big thanks to Ray, Chris, Justin, and Shortround for coming out to support. I must admit I am a bit disappointed not to see more NWJJA folks cheering on your team mates. I am not sure if a lot of you fully understand how much work goes into preparing for a tournament, how much blood, sweat, and tears are drained on the mat. For you to come out and spend 2-3 hours and $10 of your hard earned money shy in comparison to the balls it takes your team mates to go out and fight!
An extra special big thanks to my bro Scotty for coaching us! You are a great friend, better training partner, and you are going to be one of the best coaches in BJJ in the very near future. Mark my words! Thank you.
Props to MKG fighters James Kessenich and Doc Ray Ray. Both fought hard and seemed like they had fun! As a matter of fact I think everyone had fun! Smiles abound and not one injury the whole day marks a successful tournament in my opinion.
Speaking with the owner Mike U. he was pleased with the 225 or so competitors we had represent the PAC NW. I like his approach to the art and his passion is unquestionable. Again I would have liked to have seen more local academies / coaches supporting this tournament. So many tournaments are garbage and then a solid one comes along and gets little support… saddens me. But the UGF will be back next year so you all have a chance to come out and support it.
Some of the positives about UGF:
- EVERY division was on time! Now… I would like to see how things run with 500+ participants, but I was very impressed with the timeliness of the tournament as a whole!
- Solid rules… for instance wristlocks and straight ankle locks are allowed in white belt. As they should be. Knee bars in purple; spot on!
- Great medals! No chinsy, cheap shit here!
- Caring, open director who stopped to listen to every ones comments
One or two things I would like to see:
- Warm up mats. Come on… we need a mat to roll on to warm up at least!
- Garbage cans within the arena. Hate to gross anyone out, but I have seen it TONS of times… nerves get the best of us, full stomachs will purge when it convenient to them, not you. No garbage cans within gated area = a nasty mess and ruined day on the mat!
- Guard pass points…. SUCH a fundamental aspect of BJJ, I believe it should be rewarded.
Overall a great tournament with lots of fun, made some new friends and caught up with some old ones. I love fighting as it points out our weaknesses in bold technicolor and I have plenty! I need to invest in HD to see all of them. Back to the mats this AM!
Mad respect to everyone, but especially to our coach. Without you… we are nothing. Thank you B!
Jake
Sambo coach at R Dojo and no gi grappling champion Reilly Bodycomb has just released his first book “Sambo Wrestling” and we here at the Ground Never Misses get a peak inside along with an exclusive interview with the man himself!
No stranger to teaching, Reilly has produced several excellent DVDs including “Dynamic Entries” and two excellent volumes on leg locks, as well as coaching and competing at the highest levels of Sambo competition (took bronze at the 2012 British Sambo Open -68kg). This text not only represents a seminal work for Bodycomb, but also for Sambo as a whole. Through the popularity of MMA and the incessant rise in participation in all grappling systems, Sambo has become more popular in the US in recent years then ever before. Still it is poorly understood and rarely seen outside of its own niche community. 
“Sambo Wrestling” is the first book, in English, to address the rule set and demonstrate some fundamental techniques found in sport Sambo. And to be brutally honest it is really the first quality book on Sambo I have seen! Previous volumes have been rather “gimmicky” if you will where the author seemed more interested in re-branding certain moves in an attempt to make his mark in the MMA community then actually teaching fundamentals of the art of Sambo. And while there are many a volume printed in Russian, to the best of my knowledge none of those have been publicly translated. My Russian is rusty so I cannot comment on the quality of the texts to begin with.
The color photography and larger size are what give “Sambo Wrestling” an excellent first impression. The photo’s are crisp and clear and catch the dynamics of a moving throw (QUITE difficult to do with sacrifice throws by the way!) in excellent detail. Both demonstrator and demo dummy are clothed in opposing colors (red / blue) to make clear distinctions for grappling positions that are often rather convoluted in a two dimensional context. This may seem trivial to some of you, but in my semi-professional opinion if the two people on screen or in print have the same colored uniforms, it is an automatic deal breaker in terms of ease of instruction.
After an excellent chapter on rules (always good to familiarize yourself with rule sets) the very first technique Bodycomb teaches is basic rolling and falling. Absolutely brilliant! My first lesson with any student covers basic break falls and rolling for one simple reason…. it is the most important “technique” in your self defense repertoire. As a martial arts instructor I can honestly state that the odds of you using any kick, submission, throw, or crazy superman punch is next to nill in real life. But I promise, dare I say guarantee, that sometime over the coming decades left in your life that you will; slip / trip / stumble / fall etc. Statistically falls are the number one killer of senior citizens. Now imagine if everyone had required grappling classes in elementary school and learned how to fall properly! To the best of my knowledge this is one of the only books from any grappling system that covers break fall’s and rolling. It is not that Sambo does it so differently, it is the simple fact that Reilly had the forethought to make proper falling the first technique you learn. Most teachers would gloss over such a minor, assumed technique.
Over 92 pages Reilly guides the reader through some of the throws and takedowns that he feels are a bit unique to Sambo, showing variations from several grips. A few pages are dedicated to ground work, but the majority of Sambo is played standing up and therefore takedowns and throws are the focus here including a couple of Reilly’s infamous dynamic entry throws!
I like that Reilly did not oversaturate the text with as many variations and techniques as he could find. “Sambo Wrestling” is meant to be a solid introduction to the sport of Sambo, and certainly could be used as a basic textbook for coaches and students alike looking to expand their understanding of grappling. For the most part (heel hooks and body scissor takedowns aside) everything shown here can be applied to a Judo or BJJ game seamlessly.
Written in clear concise language, accompanied by excellent photographs “Sambo Wrestling” is an essential text for any grapplers library. To top it off Reilly is a super nice cat who has a laid back approach to life that is obviously filled with his passion to be involved in every aspect of the sport of Sambo. You can contact Reilly directly to arrange seminars or lessons through R Dojo’s website. For those of you living in the New Orleans area, I highly suggest you take advantage of such a knowledgeable and open teacher in your neck of the bayou. I am not sure how long he will be living there, so soak up what you can!
Sliding in at a reasonable $25 you can order your copy from Amazon by clicking here.
(JB) How did you get involved in such a relatively rare martial art such as Sambo?
(RB) I was always fascinated with martial arts, ever since watching Ninja Turtles when I was a kid. When I moved to NYC for college I started training in a lot of different traditional martial arts looking for something I really liked. At some point I was at a party being held at the Karate Dojo I was training in at the time, and someone showed me some weird move. I don’t remember what the move was, but it was awesome. I asked him where he had learned it, and he said it was a Sambo move. I had no idea what Sambo was, and so I searched the Internet for Sambo schools when I got home and started training the next week. That was 7 years ago, I think.
Is your recent move to Louisiana an attempt to spread the art of Sambo to areas of the US that might not have access to such grappling styles?
No, not at all. My wife is in Teach for America. It is a program that sends school teachers around the country to places that need them. She has been placed in New Orleans for the next 2 years, so here I am.
What was your intent with writing “Sambo Wrestling?”
Most people do not know what Sambo is. Those who do know are not really sure exactly what it entails. Many people have a vague notion that it has something to do with leg locks, but that is pretty much it. When someone desires to investigate further they usually hit a road block built of misinformation, or at least hard to come by information. My main goal was to write a book that both thoroughly explains the rules of competitive Sambo to an English speaking audience and then demonstrates some unique grappling techniques that stem from that rule set. I did not set out to teach the history of Sambo, but more explain what the sport looks like in modern times.
Will there be follow up volumes?
This book was incredibly hard to make. It was much more work than my previous DVDs. It has been in production for over a year! I may write another book someday, but right now I’m taking a break from writing.
In your book I noticed a heavy emphasis on take downs and throws, can we expect future volumes to cover more groundwork as well?
Competitive Sambo is mostly take downs, as is explained in the book. The majority of a match is done standing, and the majority of the points have to be scored from a take down. Submissions are an important element, but not usually the prevailing element. In future books I may show more details on ground fighting, sure, but to concentrate on that in this book would not be an accurate representation of Sport Sambo.
How important / what role does competition play in your eyes?
Competition has been extremely important to me. It helped me broaden my understanding of what was out there in a way that just watching videos online cannot. It has also helped me meet lots of people in the grappling community. I think it’s a great thing for anyone involved in grappling arts to do at least a few times, as it really will evolve your understanding of your sport. A few years ago I would compete every few months and I’m glad I did. Now I don’t compete that often, and I concentrate more on teaching. However, I still like to get out of the country once a year and compete in a big Sport Sambo event if I get a chance.
How does one attain rank in Sambo? Is competition required for rank advancement?
There is no universally recognized rank in Sambo the way there is in BJJ or Judo. However, there is a ranking system based on competition similar to how we rank college Wrestling in this country. For instance you can be ranked ‘Master of Sport’ and that means that you have beaten several other athletes of a certain competitive level. Sometimes they give out ‘Master of Sport’ for various contributions to the Sport as well. Every now and then (usually in the USA) you hearsomeone say that they have a ‘black belt in Sambo.’ This is not universally recognized by any governing body, and it is some sort of in-house rank given in their gym. FIAS, the international Sambo Federation does not recognize nor give out ‘belts’ of any color. The red and blue belts you see on Sambo athletes are just signifying the corner the athletes are assigned to on the mat, just like in boxing.
There has been lots of talk in sport BJJ about the rampant use of steroids and PED’s. Is this something that is a problem in sport Sambo? If so how is it addressed, if at all?
I have no idea if it’s a problem in Sambo. I have not heard anything about it, but there are few publications about Sambo written in English, so perhaps I’m just out of the loop.
On a similar note Nick Diaz has been suspended from MMA for marijuana use (legally prescribed by his doctor in California); in your opinion should marijuana be treated the same as PED’s?
I am not an expert, and so I do not think I have a relevant opinion on the matter. 
You have competed in a number of different formats (MMA / Submission wrestling / Combat Sambo / Sport Sambo); what is your favorite format to compete in and why?
When rolling in the gym I LOVE no-gi grappling. If I have a good training partner, no-gi is the most entertaining thing for me to do on the mat. I like the flow, the pace and the quick scrambles. However, when it comes to competing, my favorite is Sport Sambo. I really enjoy traveling with and meeting other people who train in Sambo, and I enjoy the format and vibe of Sambo tournaments.
Favorite grappler to watch?
Probably Megumi Fuji, I love her style. Or Rumina Sato, especially in those old Combat Wrestling matches. In Sambo it would have to be Igor Kurinnoy. He is was so freaking good at everything!
Favorite MMA fighter to watch?
I like watching Imanari and Kitaoka. Guys that hunt submissions are my favorite.
The Russian’s are renown for their preparation and development in regards to competition in all sports. Do you as a Sambist (?) follow any certain diet regime, or conditioning program that you would call “unique” to the grappling community?
No not really. I HATE cutting weight. I LOVE food.
One piece of advice for students?
It is really easy for a student to begin to form limiting opinions about themselves that stick for their entire grappling career. The one I hear the most of course is, “I’m not a leg lock guy,” or something like that. But there are other examples to be sure: “My legs are too short for triangles” is a common one, or “I don’t playing guard, because I wrestle.” These things will stick in people’s heads, almost as a matter of pride. People like to define things, and defining themselves is one of the easier things to do.
I would suggest that all students, from beginners to wise old masters, add the word ‘yet’ to these definitions. So the new line should be, “I’m not a leg lock guy… yet.” I have been guilty of it myself. But I think we will all get better faster if we avoid walling sections of the game off mentally.
One piece of advice for coaches?
I think it is very important to acknowledge that there is more than one way to skin a cat. People in the martial arts have a way of becoming extremely zealous about their ideas and techniques. It is easy to become this way when you have a room full of people who believe whatever you say. Try imparting to your students a sense of open mindedness and excitement for what you teach as opposed to a dogmatic “this way is the only way” approach. Because what that leads to down the road is very limited grapplers. Grapplers should know that there are many styles and approaches to doing things within the sport they are learning. Furthermore, they should know that there are other sports that do similar things. They should know that BJJ is not the only sport that has armbars. They should know that the armbar used in Judo or Sambo can often be the same armbar they are learning in BJJ. They should know that the armbar done by a short, stocky person may be different than the one used by a tall, lanky person, and that is ok.
Now, I do not mean to say that a coach should teach a billion different armbars. A coach should teach what they feel is a solid, good technique that the student can comprehend. But the coach should recognize that they are the conduit through which the student learns about the martial arts, so they have a responsibility to let them know that there are other ways of doing things.
Thanks Reilly!
Cheers
Jake
Never thought I’d do this but, I created a blog thanks to inspiration of my buddy Jake Burroughs (who writes a very informative martial arts blog of his own) (hey… thats me!!!). I’m not the greatest writer but, if anybody wants to keep up on my experience training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, that’s pretty much all I will be posting about. My first post is about injuries. BJJ buddies let me know what you think!
Great job Brett! Look forward to many more posts!
Check out the Ground Technician today!
No class Saturday August 11th due to the UGF tournament at North Seattle Community College. Come out and support those fighting as it takes big ass balls to step onto the mat and having your team their to encourage makes all the difference in the world.
Cheers
Jake
Officially it is Marcus Vinicius Oliveira de Almeida but it seems his nickname “Buchecha” is a bit easier to remember. Still have no clue who I am talking about? Really? Well do yourself a favor and sign up for one of the remaining dozen spots left in what has become Washington’s best kept secret;
6 x World Champ Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Seminar
August 25, 201212-3pm
$85North Sound BJJLake Stevens, WA.
YOU MUST REGISTER THROUGH THIS LINKFIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS: 50 SPOTS TOTAL!
Ace Jiu Jitsu is fortunate enough to have Buchecha teaching on a weekly basis, and my coach and friend Tim Cartmell had this to say; “He is an enthusiastic and excellent teacher who breaks down techniques very well. His competition mindset and drills are unique and valuable. We are so fortunate to have access to a true champion like Buchecha.”
And for those of you interested in the latest “fad” of not training the gi…. keep in mind that Buchecha is a 6 x World No gi champion who believes firmly that training in the gi is essential! So borrow your buddies “pajama’s” and come join us to take your grappling to another level!
Seriously my broski Scotty called last night and said their are just a handful of spots left, do not procrastinate (sorry for the big words Kelland!) and click the link above to reserve your spot and check out easily! Or if you are not interested in training with the best… stay home and sit on the couch while the rest of us train with the best grappler in the world right now.
Some AMAZING talent coming up here so make sure you take advantage. Check back here at the Ground Never Misses for announcements about possible private lesson opportunities too.
Train Hard. Train Smart. Jake
As the US cleans house in London, our friend Chad over at the Arm Bar Soap Co. has just released his second batch of top notch cleansing soap for those of us prone to grappling. Regular visitors here at gravity central will recall the review we did a few months back, and the product has done nothing but get better.
I realize that some of these products may be a bit more pricey, and we are all pinching pennies in this economy. But I come from a small town and was raised around farmers, and at the risk of sounding like I am running for office, I implore you to start paying attention to the local folks. Sure you may pay a couple of bucks more for those eggs at the farmers market. But the quality of protein coming from fresh laid eggs; the peace of mind knowing they were raised humanely on an open range; the warm fuzzy feeling it gave you shaking the hand of the farmer who harvested those eggs just a few hours prior! These qualities are quickly disappearing from our daily lives. Stop shopping at Wal Mart and start looking for local, mom and pop, start up companies to support.
People like Chad over at Arm Bar Soap Co. When you order let him know you heard about him here at The Ground Never Misses!
Cheers
Jake
The 2012 edition of the RCJ Machado Brothers Camp is due to hit the mats October 26-28, in Farmers Branch, Texas (10 miles east of DFW airport). All five of the Machado brothers (Carlos / Roger / Rigan / Jean Jacques / John) will be presenting seminars on their respective games/specialties.
I attended the 2008 camp in South Carolina and I can honestly say it was not only the most amazing learning experience I have had, but it was also the most fun I had! Traveling and connecting with my coach and training partners Mike and Perry was great unto itself. In the end, other then spending more then 15 hours sharing the mat with five individuals who represent over 150 years of collective grappling knowledge… other then that, I felt like I was part of a family. The Machado clan are some of the warmest, most sharing individuals I have met in the past 20 years of my dedication to the martial arts.
Check out Coach Brian at the 1:00 mark, as he really summarizes the camp perfectly:
This years camp will be a welcome break of sunshine from winter for those of us up here in the great white north with Farmers Branch being a suburb conveniently located just east of DFW airport. The official hotel this year is the Fairfield Inn Farmers Branch. Room rates will be $59 a night, with a room rate code coming for the camp.
I have been looking at Travelocity and there are a number of flight deals going on from the Pacific NW into Dallas Ft. Worth ranging around $250 as of this posting. Shortround reports specials from Travelzoo for around $246, and like she says…. “even your broke ass can afford that!”
Mi compadre “Perriee” from North o’ da’ border suggests using Hyatt Place Dallas – North (by the galleria). Phone number is 972-716-2001 and he is reporting double occupancy with breakfast at $89/night. He has stayed their before and said it is nice, clean, and provides a shuttle to and from the camp!
Held at RCJ Machado Dallas4887 Alpha Rd. Ste.#270Farmers Branch, TX. 75244For more information, or to register via phone contact MeganThompson at:214-620-7078[email protected]
RCJ Machado Camp Regsitration
$499 Advanced Registration$599 Week of CampSingle Day Attendance is Available as well, please call!Open To All Levels & Belts, One Thing Is Asked;Leave Your Ego At The Door!
Unheard of access to all five brothers who will be sharing the latest techniques and submissions with the following training schedule as well as special dinner with the family.
October 26 (Fri): 9am – 12noon
2pm – 5pm
October 27 (Sat): 9am – 12noon
2pm – 5pmOctober 28 (Sun): 9am – 12noon
For anyone in the Pacific NW who is interested in going please contact me as we will be having a group coming from both Seattle, as well as British Columbia.
Also for coaches who bring 5 of their students, the coach attends the camp for free!
This is not an event you want to miss, make sure to click on RCJ Machado Pro to register today! Please let them know you heard about the camp here at The Ground Never Misses!
Accept No Substitutes!Jake
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| Chubby Jake w/ JJ at the 2008 Camp (he rarely smiles, but I said something funny!) |
Just like us, Bishop BJJ can’t get enough of Kayla Harrison, Collagen Sport and her gold in Judo! Check out the short, but sweet clip they just posted on youtube:
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| Congrats once again Kayla! |
HUGE congrats to Neocell sponsored athlete Kayla Harrison (from Ohio no less) on being the first American to ever win gold in Judo scoring a yuko win over Britain’s Gemma Gibbons. Utilizing Tsuri goshi, and Kubi nage Kayla has made history as the first American to win both the world title in Judo alongside gold in the Olympics, and we here at TGNM just wanted to say congrats girl!
Must be something to that Collagen Sport Supplement!?
This ain’t the best picture quality, but it is about all one can find online:
I have been very blessed with amazing martial arts teachers in my life, all of my life. For many years I have lived thousands of miles away from my teachers making training a cherished rarity. When I moved to Seattle just over six years ago I sought out the best instructor I could find in the grappling community. Little did I know I would find a friend and mentor that has grown on me worse then a fuzzy fungus.
Brian and I do not always see eye to eye, and I think the respect we have for each other forces us to listen to the others opinions without judgement and (usually) minimal shit giving. We are very much alike, and in many ways very much different. Again this strengthens our bond and resolve. But no matter he has been there as a friend and has helped me through some shit and he has never judged me.
My coach has shown me a path by walking it. I walk in your footsteps as your student, I look up to you as I would my father, and I will fight alongside you any day as your friend. The past six years have quite literally saved my life and for that I can never repay you. I look forward to the rest of our lives spent rolling on the mat. Always proud to call you my coach!
Thank you for all you have done!
Jake
There will be no class tomorrow (Thursday) August. 2nd 2012 night.
Thank you
Jake