July 2014 - Chewjitsu.net

How I got my nickname of Chewy

July 31, 2014/in Beginners, BJJ, Inspiration /by Chewy

A really common question I get, probably the most common, is where I got my nickname. Most people who meet me ask if it was because I was really strong, or maybe I was exceptionally hairy or maybe it was some sort of Star Wars reference. To all these I have to say “No.”

Before there was this guy

There was this guy

That’s right. I used to be a super chubby kid with a definite lacking in athletic ability. Then I started wrestling. I truly believe that wrestling was one of the things that changed my life for the better. Wrestling gave me the inner confidence to allow me to be, well, me. Wrestling also allowed me to see the consequences when hard work and gritty determination are used to achieve a goal. My wrestling coach used to say, “you’re the masters of your own destiny,” when talking about working hard and going after what you want. That motto from wrestling really stuck with me. I guess most impactful though, is that wrestling led me to Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

The reason I bring up wrestling is because I had a great nickname from wrestling, which considering this blog is about my nickname, seemed like a fun thing to throw in to the mix. My wrestling nickname was, wait for it, Tugboat. Yeah, Tugboat. After my first wrestling match when I was still a hefty teenager I wheezed so badly that it made an almost horn like sound. My coach got a kick out of it and it stuck. Just like Chewy, Tugboat became my alternate name for that particular sport rather than just an occasional nickname. When they would call my name over the speaker system at tournaments it was always “Tugboat Albin.” I’m not sure what is wrong with my given name of Nicholas or even the shorter version of Nick.

On to Chewy

So, then there is this guy named Mike Colley

When I first started BJJ during my senior year of high school he was a green belt (a solid white belt). One day we were rolling and I did something. I can’t really remember what it was but it was something a spazzy white belt would do. Just to give you an idea of what I was like at that time. I would come into the gym hopped on pre workout like supplements and I would roll accordingly. Armed with a wrestling base, an overly competitive streak and too much caffeine, I was the textbook definition of a spazzy white belt. Right after I did whatever it was that I did. Mike said in a fit of justified irritation, something to the effect of “you big dumb wookie.” He would then periodically refer to me as Chewbacca which replaced “dumb ass.” But I feel like that’s how you know you’re IN with a group of close knit guys, when they start messing with you. At this time Mike was like the verbally abusive big brother I never needed. Eventually the nickname just sort of stuck and has since become my Jiu-jitsu namesake. To be honest, if it wasn’t for Facebook, I’m not entirely sure many people in the gym and BJJ community would even know my real name.

So there you have it. That’s where I got the nickname, from being an ultra spaz on the mat. I’ve grown to love it, although it is a little weird that I’m a 29 year old man who is called Chewy instead of his real name of Nick about 90% of the day. The other 10% being divided up in no orderly fashion amongst Chew, Chewster, Chew Chew, Mr. Chewy, Chewbert, Big Chew and Nick. I like to think of it as kind of like a super hero. They have their regular name for the public and then once they’ve donned their costume they become Superman, Batman or whatever. Only mine is just sort of reverse. Oh and I don’t have super powers . . . stupid.

So, thanks Mike, without you I would just be a black belt with an ordinary name.

My favorite part of BJJ training

July 25, 2014/in BJJ, Competition /by Chewy

These last few weeks have been a lot of fun. Myself and all of the guys getting ready for the Atlanta Open have been pushing the intensity up on the mat as well as rolling longer and longer. There is a group of about 12 of us who are consistently coming in for extra hard drilling and rolling sessions and it’s been brutal. This is by far my favorite part of BJJ, the lead up to competitions. I love the camaraderie that develops through hard training and I don’t feel quite as close to another human than right after we beat the crap out of each other. I also get a strange enjoyment out of fatigued feeling I have the morning after a hard training session. Regardless of how the actual competition goes, I always enjoy looking back on the tough training sessions. When I think back to previous competitions. I don’t just remember the competition itself. I also remember the rough training, epsom salt and ice baths, extra cardio, shark tanks, injuries and all the other stuff that went into the preparation of those competition.

Side note / piece of advice. Try and find a gym buddy or buddies. Having people you can rely on for drilling partners and hard rolling partners leading up to competitions are invaluable.

No real point to this post other than get on the mats and train hard!

Chewy

Kimura Counter (Turn Their Submission Into A Back Take)

July 18, 2014/in BJJ, Defenses Escapes Counters, Submissions, Videos /by Chewy

Recently I was at a Dean Lister seminar and he was describing a situation where he was using a leg attack to submit one of his training partners. His training partner then came back months later with a counter to that technique and this forced Dean to develop a response to that counter, which he did. The kimura counter technique shown in this video was forged under the same circumstances. My over under pass was working great and then people started taking advantage of a mistake I made. After being submitted lots of times and continuing to try and use the over under position I picked up this cool little trick. It may not look like much, but try it at the gym and your partner will definitely tell you how much torque it puts on their arm. Use it as a submission, back take, counter or bait and counter technique.
Hope you like it!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lz7QmyiQNAI&w=560&h=315]

MMA Clothing Spoof

July 17, 2014/in BJJ /by Chewy

This spoof pretty much sums up why I, when I was involved in MMA, never wore the loud MMA clothing. I think it was a combination of not really being all that into skulls and gothic tribal whatever, and the fact that every new person that comes to the gym who is into MMA clothing is usually a turd. There are exceptions to this rule, but for some reason guys seem to get a weird sense of self confidence from wearing an Affliction shirt. Anyways, I got a good laugh from this video.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLit4RNksV0&w=560&h=315]

BJJ Belts shouldn’t be worthless

July 16, 2014/in BJJ /by Chewy

I’m stingy with belt promotions. The dyed piece of cotton that is tied around my waist everyday means something very special to me and I want it to mean something to my students. Every year I see the martial art and sport that sucked me in 11 years ago get watered down. It’s painful and frustrates me. The belt that rests on my waist is a representation of years of constant effort, sacrifice and training, and to see someone receive a high level belt haphazardly is an insult me, and to everyone whose worked so hard to wear those colors. I suppose this is just the inevitable evolution right? People sell out belts for money and allow people to receive undeserved promotions just to keep them in an affiliation or to keep them paying their gym dues. Well I refuse to join in on this unfortunate trend.

Last night I had the privilege of promoting 4 of my students (Thomas Jones, Akiya Johnson, Kevan Avery and Peter Wang). These men have paid their dues and are worthy of wearing their new belts. I’m proud of all of them as they each have faced unique obstacles along the way. Enjoy the new journey that awaits you.

Remember guys. You don’t have to hand out belts to have strong and well developed BJJ program. You just have to train hard, be dedicated and most importantly, be genuine. Let your Jiu-jitsu speak for itself. Don’t be a sell out.

To be new, is to be a spaz

July 15, 2014/in Beginners, BJJ /by Chewy

Dear new white belt . . . new spazzy white belt. Rolling with you can be incredibly dangerous, as your style of Jiu-jitsu is an ad hoc mixture of basic full guard and passing principles mixed with a combination elbows, head-butts and knees. You’ll bust lips, leave bruises and say “sorry” more than you ever thought possible in an attempt to piece together some semblance of fluid Brazilian Jiu-jitsu technique. You probably feel clumsy and slightly self-conscious because you realize your clumsy nature and inability not to injure your training partners on the mat. You may have even been scorned by a higher belt at some point for your jerky nature. I feel your pain and know your plight. New Spazzy White Belt, I used to be you. Every black belt, used to be you.

Visitors in the gym

July 11, 2014/in BJJ /by Chewy

Over the years we’ve had many people stop in to train while they’re visiting Louisville or passing through for work. Without fail these visitors always tell me of the high level of training and the overall welcoming atmosphere of the gym. Being the head coach, this is a huge compliment for me. I’ve been training for years and have been involved or seen several BJJ programs in action. Many of them had things I liked and other things I didn’t like. When I become the head instructor back in 2009 my goal was to make a gym that provided hard nosed training in an open and positive environment. The kind of place where the training is tough and you go after it, but where you take care of your teammates and help them improve as well. So, when a visitor who has no vested interest in me or my gym comes and trains and leaves with a great experience, well, that lets me know I am on the right track with my coaching. Here is the most recent message I received from a GI who was visiting Fort Knox on Army related work.

“Coach, Nick, “chewy” I just wanted to thank you for the time I had at Derby City MMA. You and all of your students were very welcoming and provided top notch instruction. I had to come back home earlier than I expected but I just wanted to thank you for everything.

Josh Casto”