Tryout

Grappling is a funny thing.

People grab each other, and try to beat each other up. This all seems simple enough, but it most certainly is not.

If you don't know what you're doing, you can't win.

Let's say you've wanted to be tough for some time, and the route you've been taking has been pumping iron. You've made yourself big and strong. You've decided to give Jiu-Jitsu a try, confident that you can do well because of your power.

You show up, and ask somebody to roll with you. They agree. You are a little unsure about all this, so you've picked somebody considerably smaller than yourself.

For safety with a beginner, you both start on your knees. You grab him, and start bulling him around. He seems calm. You cannot know that he sees you as hyper and spastic. You use your strength and size to force him down and onto his back.

As you do, he grabs your head and pulls it down. You don't like this at all, and push up and away.

He's got your arm and is bending it backwards. His legs have managed to end up tangled with your shoulder. You refuse to tap, and your opponent releases his grip, and slips his leg around your neck. He shifts, and squeezes, and ignores your flailing. The world starts to sparkle and go black. With no possible escape, you tap.

He releases you. You are stunned that it all went so fast.

Your partner expresses concern that you were so reluctant to tap when he had you in an armbar earlier. He informs you that he might have broken your arm, and you believe him.

Should you be surprised at your effortless defeat? Of course not. You are no more likely to find big muscles useful when rolling than you would if trying tennis for the first time, or yoga, or dance.

Perhaps that's too harsh. Muscles can be useful, but not until you learn what to do with them.

The funny thing is, while people don't think they have a built-in tennis or yoga ability, most think they can fight.

They most assuredly can not. At least, not effectively.

Machida

On Saturday, one of my favourite UFC fighters had a match. It's funny how few people understand his fighting method.

I've included some quoted material from the an article posted on MMAJUNKIE on December 21 that was written by Mike Bohn

That fighter's name is Lyoto Machida. He originated in the world of Karate, and fights that way. Watching him is like watching any good, Karate-tournament fighter in action. Of course, he has modified what he does in order to adapt to the realities of mma fighting, but he's still clearly a Karate guy.

Take his kicks. He launches them with a highly bent knee, snaps the kick out, and snaps it back. This makes Karate kicks about the fastest around, admittedly with the loss of some power compared to kickboxing style. People think Machida's kicks must be weak as a result. They are totally missing the advantage that speed gives. If you kick faster, you will hit more as your opponent will have less time to react.

On Saturday, “Machida became the fifth fighter in UFC history to earn three or more knockout victories stemming from a kick.”

Somehow, while kicking without any power he knocks a lot of people out.

Machida also punches like a Karate guy, and not boxer-style like almost everybody else. I've heard people claim that he cannot possibly be generating any power using what look like totally relaxed straight punches.

Saturday, “Machida landed the 13th knockdown of his UFC career and moved in to a tie with Melvin Guillard for the third most knockdowns in UFC history behind Anderson Silva (17) and Chuck Liddell (14).”

Somehow, for somebody who doesn't know how to punch, he seems to hurt a lot of people.

And what about the way he moves. He refuses to cover up and take shots boxer-style like everybody else. He stays just out of range until he decides to engage. This drives purists crazy. They seem to want him to trade shots.

On Saturday, “Machida became the first fighter in UFC history to absorb zero strikes in two main event fights.” Get that? He's been only fighter ever avoid taking any shots at all in a main event.

Strangely, there are still people insist he fights wrong. I'd think more fighters would try to copy what he does.

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.

Balance

Right now the plan is to visit the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for 2 weeks this winter, and 4 more late next fall.

When I'm there I train like a maniac. I go to every class my level, which means 13 classes per week. That's as much as I do at home in a month. When I go, I go to learn.

The only way that I could do better would be to add some private lessons. One can arrange this at a cost of $80 for a Purple Belt instructor, or $100 for a Brown Belt, or $120 for a Black Belt. The price drops significantly if one books blocks of a dozen lessons.

It is also possible to book Ryron or Rener Gracie, but the price is right out of sight.

When picking a Black Belt, a student can choose one of the full-time academy's full-time instructors. I'd want either Alex Stuart or Jordan Collins.

Should I go the private lesson route? This would significantly increase the cost of training, but it would also increase the effectiveness.

If I added two privates per week for all 6 weeks I'll be in LA during 2016, I would quality for the 12-lesson discount. This would likely be a good amount.

If I were to do this, I'd likely drop two of the group classes; perhaps the evening classes on Monday and Wednesday. That would mean that on those two days I'd be finished after midday class ends at 1:30pm.

The problem is, it's hard to justify the price, no matter the value. Jiu-Jitsu is a hobby. We spend more just travelling and staying in LA, but that is also a holiday for both of us. Paying a bucket of cash for extra lessons is money poured straight into the hobby.

I doubt I'll spring for a block of 12 lessons. Maybe I'll do some much smaller number. Instead of twice per week, maybe only once will be enough. Perhaps, even less than that. I think a single session would be meaningless, as part of that would be spent with the instructor just figuring out the student, and the student getting used to the instructor.

What would I do if I were a stinking rich? I think the group lessons are important, so I'd still do the 6 midday classes each week. Two private sessions per day seem doable to me, so that would be 12 of those per week.

They don't have training on Sundays.

It's all very interesting to think about.

Rank doesn't matter?

So somebody earns their Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt. What happens next?

They start attending the Master Cycle classes, of course. That's the fancy name that the Gracies have given the sessions for Blue, Purple, Brown and Black Belts. Personally, I hate the name as it seems to imply we think we're a bunch of martial arts masters. What it really refers to is the procedure of cycling through techniques in order to gain some level of mastery. Anyhow, the name isn't up to me.

Every single Blue Belt that I've ever seen joining the Master Cycle class reacts the same. They are a bit timid and shy, and act like they've just been fed to the lions.

There will be a bunch of material taught, and practised with more experienced partners. What could be wrong with that? I think it's the free rolling they fear. There is usually at least a little bit of that at every class.

So they roll with somebody who's been in the class longer, maybe that person has a stripe or two on their belt. Normally, people go easy on the new arrivals. During that first free roll, they'll experience stuff they've never seen before. They'll try stuff that will get magically countered, and anytime they get anything, it will be pretty clear that their partner let it happen. Most likely, in mid roll their partner will show them something or give a tip or two.

It won't turn out to be a bad experience, but it will be pretty clear how far they have to go?

It's funny; everybody says rank doesn't matter, but it really does. In Gracie Jiu-Jitsu every new Blue Belt reacts the same.

There is a likewise effect when Blue Belts get their first stripe. This will be awarded somewhere after 8 months in the Master Cycle class. The recipient will have learned a great deal of technique by then, and will have rolled hundreds of times. After they get that stripe, they seem to change.

The stripe acts as a visible acknowledgement that they are no longer rookies; not the bottom of the free-rolling food chain.

The reaction isn't as immediate as with a Blue Belt, but it's just as real. Within a few weeks the new one-striper becomes more relaxed and confident in their abilities. This, in turn, makes them much more effective when rolling.

I can't really say what effect receiving a second stripe has on a Blue Belt student, as that has only happened at our school twice. It's too small a sample to work from. In about two months we may see a few more awarded, and maybe a pattern will emerge.

Around here, a second stripe does have a big effect on the other students. When I got mine, it was right after I'd returned from a couple of months training with the Gracies. In my 8 weeks there, I trained as much as most people do in 8 months. While this was a great training experience for me, the others seemed to magnify it several times over.

Everybody seemed to see me as much more advanced than anybody else even if it wasn't really true, and associated perceived skill with my two little stripes.

When Scott got his second stripe, everybody seemed to think he must be equally advanced.

I'll give you an example. Let's say we are all learning a technique new to everybody. At practice time, somebody will always grab me as a partner. If they have any difficulty, they will ask me how do do things. Even if I say that it's just as new to me, they will expect me to be able to do the technique and to explain all its subtleties to them.

They do the same thing with Scott.

So rank means nothing, except a Blue Belt makes you humble, a stripe makes you relaxed, and a second gets you seen as some sort of tutor.

I look forward to the next few months when we should be seeing more stripes handed out, including a couple of third stripes. The group should end up with a healthy mix of people with from zero to three stripes on their Blue Belts.

I think that with three stripes you get the ability to fly.

Another test

About a year ago I completed my bloody-huge BBS1 exam at Jiu-Jitsu.

Nobody around here has done that since. A few have expressed interest but none have put in the necessary effort. They are smart.

It is now time to get involved in that process again.

The next technical exam in the series had just been made available; BBS2. I have no intention of doing that test anytime soon. Eventually I will, but no rush.

There is, however, pressure on the instructors. While there is a grace period, they have to complete every technical exam that becomes available. That means our teacher has to get going on it.

That also means he needs helpers. His son Scott is his usual training partner, so he's in. I'm the other one.

As our instructor practices the curriculum, Scott and I will be practising the role of the technique recipient. We have to display the correct behaviours for the technique to be demonstrated against. It's not as hard as learning the candidate's roll, but it's hard enough.

It's actually all hard. A video is made in which about 75 moves and counter moves are demonstrated. This all has to fit into 15 minutes, so there's no time to stop and think.

When that video is completed, and good enough to submit, there are still two more just like it covering different material left to record.

These are the parts we need to help him prepare for, and to help perform.

Beyond that there are still three five-minute sparring videos to record, but any Blue Belt can help with those.

We worked on the first section of the test this week, and I'd say our instructor is about ready to shoot it. He plans on doing his second section in January, and another in February. This seems realistic to me. It's all that difficult.

Tomorrow we train for the test again, with no distractions.

I'll have my camera around just in case any filming is called for.

Holiday Diet

I've been on this weight loss kick for 34 days so far, and have lost an impressive average of one third of a pound per day. Sadly, this is all about to come apart with my goal in sight.

This is the last day of Jiu-Jitsu classes until January 6^th. That's 19 days away.

Jiu-Jitsu classes have burned over a day-and-a-half's worth of calories per week all on their own.

Calorie burn has been a huge part of my weight loss program. All I'll still have will be running. That works, but it isn't as fun. There is also a limit to how far I can run in a day. It's a pounding type of activity, and I ain't no spring chicken.

Running is also highly weather dependant. If snow hits, I won't hit the road at all. If things just remain cold and rainy, some days I just can't get myself motivated.

It will also be officially the Christmas season. That implies lots of food temptations. I fully expect to consume at least a couple of billion calories on Christmas Day alone.

I'll be lucky to just hold my current weight until things get back to normal in January.

If I can, and things go back to how they are now I'll be hitting my weight goal after a week back at full activity and dieting.

That will make me 175 pounds. I intend on going for another week and getting down to 173. There is always a rebound after weight loss, and that 2-pound difference will be my buffer.

After that, any time my early-morning weight goes over 175 for two days in a row, it's all on again until I get under 173. That will be as much weight variation as I will allow myself; 173 to 175.

The cool part is that with all the Jiu-Jitsu and running that I normally do I get to eat more than most people and not increase in chubbiness.

The thing that ever does me in are vacations. I end up eating more in the form of restaurant meals, and far less exercise. Cruises are the absolute worst in this regard.

Our next cruise, and all its dangers, isn't until late spring.