Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning starting at 8:30, usual room for the jujitsu guys and the room right next door for the MMA class – RM 106.
If I can, we’ll do Friday as well. You can consider this your “final” for this class … but more fun.
It can take many years to get it, but it’s worth it. Its the symbol of hard work, discipline, mastery, patience. The black belt has gravity, weigtht. When I guy says he’s got a black belt in BJJ – he’s probably one serious hombre.
Jujitsu blackbelts make a very good showing in MMA. There’s a laundry list of UFC, Pride, and K-1 champions with the BJJBB.
For those fighters in training, I urge you to make it a goal to get your blackbelt – whether you’re into jujitsu or some other martial art. It’s a meaningful life achievement. It might take 5, 10 or 15 years, but it will be worth it if you let it.
Now if you’re on the jujitsu path and haven’t made it to one of the higher colored belts, don’t worry and keep training. If you work hard and get your blue belt, that’s still pretty awesome. I know a lot of guys who consider a purple belt in BJJ as if it were a black belt in other martial arts.
IF you get down on yourself, just remember that there are guys out there beating the pie out of other manly men with only a blue belt.
Plus, George St. Peirre just got his black belt this summer ( see article here ). Submission-grappler monster Jeff Monson has only had his black belt for about a year or so. Trust me, these guys were hardcore back in ‘06 and ‘07 … even without the belt.
Tags: BJJ, black belt
If possible, we may skip training today (as it is the last day of class) and go watch UFC fight night at the union student lounge. We’ll take a vote in class.
The longer a fight lasts, the sweatier the combatants gets. The sweatier the guys get, the harder it is to lock in submissions – especially if your opponent is a hairless manatee, having shaven himself from head to toe. Moves that require gripping or friction lose effectiveness as things get slippery.
At first blush, it’s an odd thing to think about – but it’s important. If you have a jujitsu-heavy MMA style, you have to plan that some submissions just won’t work very well in the 2nd or 3rd rounds. In particular, The armbar and triangle from guard are two that get harder lock in later in fights. You’ll slap them on and squeeze confidently, only to your chagrin when your grease monkey opponent slithers out his head or arm. Conversly, the mata leo/rear naked choke is one that seems to hold up well despite the sweat coverage.
This is good news if you’re a ground and pounder – you can be agressive while in the opponent’s guard with a diminshed fear of submissions when you start to sweat.
The picture above is of two men participating in the Turkish sport of kirkpinar – oil wrestling. In kirkpinar, they rub down each other with olive oil, wear traditional black pants (leather?) and wrestle furiously. I am not making this up.
Tags: jujitsu, kirkpinar, wrestling
[Bill and Ted meet themselves]
Ted: OK wait. If you guys are really us, what number are we thinking of?
Bill, Ted: 69, dudes.
Bill, Ted: Whoa.
[quadruple air guitar solo]- Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
The north south position is a very dominant ground position, and in my opinion, is both very dangerous (for the bottom) and wildly under-utilized. Part of it comes from ignorance and part of it comes from people’s natural discomfort. The whole face-into-crotch thing makes for a weird experience when you’re grappling. However, you just got to get over it.
Tags: 69, 69 position, anaconda, armbar, chokes, darce, grappling, kimura, north south, north south position, submissions
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