LA Training

Training in Los Angeles with the Gracies is really great.

It is different at home. Here, we work diligently through the curriculum that's been released by Gracie University. It's very interesting and challenging, but is aimed at lower level technique.

In Los Angeles, they cover this same stuff, but they also teach technique appropriate for Purple Belts, Brown Belts, and Black Belts.

I am only able to retain parts of this higher-level stuff, but find it fascinating none-the-less. Last time I trained down south I came away with a bunch of things that fit nicely into my repertoire.

The way they normally do it is to start with something not to difficult. The class works on that a bit, then the instructor shows a progression, and we go work on that. Perhaps at that class there are six of these progressive steps.

By the end of the class we'll have done the opening movement tons of times, and have it down pat. Each higher addition will have received fewer reps, and be less deeply engrained. The final stuff is often well beyond my comprehension. I'll normally be able to perform it during that class due to it being the next logical movement beyond what I already understand from the earlier layers, but it will fade rapidly after class.

Even so, it often opens my eyes as to what somebody can do above that people my level are up to. It also let's me understand how critical certain parts of the seemingly easy lower stuff must be performed to lessen a higher Belt's ability to exploit weakness.

It tightens up my game.

Last time I was there, I attended every available advanced class. This meant that I'd get the same material presented both at mid-day and in the evening. This gave me more instruction and practice on each of these technique progressions.

This, of course, only covers the formal instruction part of the learning.

Down there there are hundreds of people to roll with, from Blue Belt to Black. There is a great deal to learn from this wide selection of opponents.

Some are aggressive, some are defensive. Some use basic movement, some fight fancy, and some are reckless.

There is no way I can do all the sparring. It runs for about half an hour after the main class. Doing that 13 times a week would see me battered and bruised.

To manage this, I would sometimes train for the entire session, and sometimes stay for just one opponent. Other days, if I were particularly tired, I wouldn't roll at all. I'd say I averaged one opponent per class. As I trained there for 101 classes, that added up to quite a few partners to learn from.

I'll likely do the same thing when I go south for two weeks this winter, and for four more weeks in the fall.