To be new, is to be a spaz

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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.

1st match

Visitors in the gym

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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”

I did an interview for the BJJ Brick Podcast. . . here it is.

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So here is the interview I did for the BJJ Brick podcast.


Interview

Sacrifice throw and pulling guard

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One move that I encourage all of my students to incorporate into their game is some type of sacrifice throw. I have one in particular that I use a lot and I like having a well drilled sacrifice throw for 3 main reasons.

The first is that it can provide you with an alternative to a basic guard pull. Unlike a traditional guard pull where your opponent will instantly start preparing for their passing position, if the sacrifice throw fails you will typically be in a guard pull like position with your opponent off balance. If you work on chaining together some sort of sweep or guard position off of a failed throw you can take advantage of your opponent being off balance from defending the throw.

 

The second is that it gives you an option if your opponent is superior in the area of takedowns. I’ve had several situations where I had an opponent who was a better wrestler than I was. Even worse, if the wrestler knows how to disengage and avoid sweep getting on top of them can be seemingly impossible. Having a practiced sacrifice throw allows you to take advantage of their, more than likely, forward aggressive posture and movement on the feet. It also allows you to take advantage of the fact that this person probably feels more comfortable on their feet and will be a little less on guard. I had a no gi match in particular that this reminds me off. It was about two years ago. The guy was a tough brown belt and a strong wrestler from Chicago and we were in a no gi tournament. He had already hit two takedowns on me during the match and every time I would be close to getting a sweep he would disengage. With about 2 minutes left in the match I was down 4 points. I locked up an under over grip and hit the no gi version of my favorite sacrifice throw. After a successful throw I ended up racking up points for a takedown, guard pass and mount awarding me the win. If I didn’t have a sacrifice throw I would have lost this match for sure.

 

The last is that is just adds another facet to your game. I think it’s incredibly important as a BJJ player to have a well varied toolbox. If you possess a game where you are able to attack your opponent from multiple directions and positions it makes you a little more unpredictable. It allows you to keep your opponent guessing and off balance, not allowing them the luxury of feeling safe no matter where they are.

 So if you don’t have any type of sacrifice throw in your arsenal, you should consider drilling one and adding it to your game. Be sure to have a Plan A and Plan B if you do. Plan A, the throw works and you get the takedown. Plan B, the throw fails and you will need to adjust to some guard position.  

 

Here are a couple of videos to check out showing some sacrifice movements

Flavio Canto has a slick pull to armbar, its nasty.

http://youtu.be/2I6-3ScFYcA

 

A couple of examples of me using a sacrifice technique in tournaments.

Against this guy who was a Judo and BJJ black belt, I didn’t feel as comfortable as normal trying to shoot in for the legs. He almost secured a takedown early on when I grabbed a single leg. Around 1:42 in the match I hit the sacrifice throw which leads to a scramble with me coming on top. (Excuse the camera work, I don’t have professional camera following me around. I have my students with phones.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7WNw_Bh7Q0

 

During this match I hit the throw since my opponent was pressing forward.

http://youtu.be/fO3W7f2Cxrc

 

 

As always, Thanks for reading!

Chewy

Atlanta Open

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So it looks like the Atlanta Open on August, 30th will be my return to competition. I’ve had a great 2 weeks of training and this week in particular was especially tough. Along with upping my intensity and volume in regards to actual BJJ training I’ve also introduced more lifting back into my routine. The knee is holding up very well; some fatigue and discomfort but no pain. The date for Atlanta will give me plenty of time to get to where I need to be for competition. If I feel in shape and tuned up before August I may try and find something sooner, otherwise Atlanta it is.

I’m so excited to be training hard again with a tournament coming up. Being injured for the last 6 months has been tough and it has really made me regain an appreciation for training and competing. I think we are all guilty of taking it for granted at some time or another, I know I am, but being unable to train hard really makes you remember that a good day on the mats is simply a day that you were able to train regardless of how “well” you actually did.

Good luck to any of you preparing for competitions and maybe I’ll see some of you at the Atlanta Open.

Most common worry about starting BJJ training

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One common, probably the most common, worry I get from people who are trying out their first class or who are thinking about trying their first class, is that they don’t want to “get in the way.” These people are fully aware of how green they are and don’t want to impede someone else’s progress. Maybe this is you? Maybe you want to attend a BJJ class but you feel too intimidated. You want to train but you’re worried that you’re just too new and that you’ll slow down the class or bother people. I’ll tell you what I tell people that come into the gym with these same worries.

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We were all new at some point

First off, don’t worry so much. We were all new at some point. We all sucked, it’s just how it is. No one starts off as an expert. If they did, I wouldn’t have a job. Some people have a natural disposition towards BJJ and athletics while others don’t, this is true, but EVERYONE was awkward and untrained at some point. You can use me as an example. I had wrestled in high school and had some grappling experience but I was still terrible when I first started Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Watching me perform a hip escape/ shrimp was pretty comical. If during my initial training, a higher belt had not taken the time to help me I would not be where I am today. So when I see newcomers I don’t cringe in irritation. Instead I get excited because it’s a chance for me to pay it forward to someone else. It’s my chance to help someone out just like others helped me in the beginning. This is also the way I encourage my trained students to view the opportunity. Just as someone at some point took a little time to help them out along the way; this is their chance to help someone out.

 

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Pairing up with beginners can be a good thing for training

Let me also explain an added benefit that a skilled practitioner gains from helping out a newbie. This will help combat the feeling of you destroying their training for the day because you need a little extra assistance. This benefit I believe is that it helps them dissect and better understand the techniques. Being able to mimic someone else’s movements is far easier than being able to explain what you’re doing, break it down and make it consumable for others. Ask any blue or purple belt who’s been asked to teach a couple techniques for a beginner class. So maybe you as the newcomer view your lack of experience as an impediment to a higher ranking student’s progress. In reality though, it’s a chance for them to understand the techniques they are using even better, improving their understanding of BJJ.

 

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Message to the higher belts

If you are reading this post and you are a higher belt who shies away from helping the new guys, maybe you should reconsider. Yes I know that sometimes you’re in the gym to drill hard and kill it. Perhaps a competition is right around the corner and you need those rough rolls to get ready. I understand that completely. But don’t forget that at some point you were a new person who felt awkward and out of place and were assisted by someone who was better than you. Someone took a moment from their training to give you advice or helpful critiques. They’re part of the reason why you’ve come to reach the point that you find yourself at now. Help the new guys on their journey.

 

 

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Message to the new guys

If you’re reading this and you are someone who is either very new to BJJ or maybe you have not attended a class and you’re worried about dragging everyone else down. Please erase these worries from your thinking as they are irrational and unnecessary. I know it can be uncomfortable starting something new but remember no one starts off as a black belt. You might even be a little more awkward or less athletic than the average joe, but believe me, some of my best students now, were the absolute WORST when they first began their training. But they kept training and have since amazed me. The important thing to remember is that getting better at BJJ is not a secret, nor is it determined by how good you are in the beginning. Simply put, it’s hard work over a long duration of time. So, just come in the gym and train. I promise you’ll be just fine and you’ll more than likely be pleasantly surprised at how welcoming and willing many of the advanced students are to helping beginners.

 

As always, thanks for reading!

Chewy

Quote from BJJ Brick Podcast

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Haratio Nelson – “The measure may be thought bold, but I am of the opinion the boldest are the safest”

Bold – (of a person, action, or idea) showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous.

 

I recently did an interview with Byron with the BJJBrick Podcast. The interview was fun, although I’m sure I probably rambled on too much, as I often do. Towards the end of the interview he asked if I would like to share a particular quote. I chose to share a quote that has stuck with me the last couple of years.

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Nerd Out

The quote listed at the top of this post comes from the most celebrated naval commander in British history, Lord Haratio Nelson. If you don’t know anything about him, he’s worth reading about. He is one of those figures in history that stand out to me because it’s clear he practiced what he preached. Losing an arm and eye in the service of his country and still continuing to push the envelope. He expected much out of his crews but was in turn willing to bare the same difficulties and responsibilities. This is, to me, one of the signs of a good leader. He would eventually lose his life, during his most celebrated victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Here he defeated a combined Spanish and Napoleonic French fleet, effectively securing the seas for the British.

 

Why the quote stuck with me.

Quotes themselves are just words from someone else. I think the power of quotes comes from the interpretation of us, the reader, and where we are in our lives. I stumbled onto Nelson and this quote around April 2012 fresh off the loss at a tournament. At the time I was still a young Black Belt and had only competed a few times. Some performances went well and others . . . not so well. The performances that didn’t seemed to have a general theme to them. That was, I was afraid to open up . I think this is why the quote really stuck with me. During the previous month (March 2012) I competed in an 8 man invitational tournament. During my first and only match I played very conservatively. I ended up pulling full guard and played from that position for almost the complete duration of the match. Anyone that knows me knows I’m not a full guard player. My opponent ended up scoring an advantage by pushing through to half guard but I was never in danger of being passed, submitted or anything. But I failed to open up and go on the offensive. I don’t know if it was because I had a large group of my students there watching or if it was because I was still a young (under a year) black belt and lacked confidence. Whatever it was, it caused me to play very cautiously and for this half-hearted “play it safe” effort I was awarded the loss. The thought of that match still gnaws at me to this day. I don’t enjoy losing but I have no problem losing, as long as, I lose giving it my all. I definitely did not give my all during this match.

 

My interpretation

Being willing to take risks is the best way to grow and win matches. Playing it safe will only end up leaving you vulnerable in some way. Simply put, playing it safe is no way to achieve anything in BJJ. I can look back at my BJJ journey and trace most of my worst moments to my decisions to play it safe. Whether it was when I was a blue/purple belt and felt afraid to open up and try new things in my game which ensured I had a one-sided BJJ game and consequently led to a lot of bad tournament performances. This “play it safe” mentality also plagued me during several of my early black belt matches where I was still trying to find myself on the mats and coming to terms that I was at this new level. The other side to that coin is that I can trace back my best moments in BJJ to my decision to take a chance and go after something. Whether this was when I took the plunge to work for little money as a BJJ instructor with the hopes of making something with it later, or during matches where I said, “fuck it” and got after someone. I believe that my ability to be bold correlates with my success both on and off the mats. In addition I hate boring matches and don’t want my name to be synonymous with being boring or that of a staller.

Lastly, is that someday I am going to be an old man and my body will not be able to do the things it does now. When this day comes I’ll have to relive my glory days through videos, pictures and memories. When I look back at my performances I don’t want to remember myself as being afraid to go after the win, unable to perform at my best because I was worried about things other than the opponent that stood in front of me. I want to remember myself as aggressive and exciting. Winning and losing, but always going after it.

 

 

I got a little deep with that stuff towards the end, but the big idea is to go after it when you’re on the mats. If you’re competing, lay to rest your fears of losing or coming up short. Leave everything on the mat win or lose. In the gym be willing to open up and expand your game. Don’t worry about winning every time you step on the mat. Remember to push yourself out of your comfort zone, and try new things, it’s the only way you will improve. Be safe play it bold.

 

As always, thanks for Reading

Chewy

Wrestling Front Headlock for BJJ

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A solid fundamental wrestling technique that carries over to BJJ very well. The Front Headlock can be used for its main purpose which is to stop the takedown but there are also lots of attacks that can be chained together with this technique. The Front Headlock is also pretty easy to pick up and add to your game even if you aren’t a wrestler.

Liebster Award

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So the girl over at http://mymmalife.wordpress.com/ (I didn’t see your name anywhere) nominated me for some Liebster Award. I’m not sure exactly what it is, and it sort of seems like an old school chain letter. But I figured I would at least answer the questions that were asked. Seemed like fun. Thanks to the woman who’s name I do not know for considering me for any sort of award and taking the time out to do so.

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1. What sport/activity changed your life? and why.

A: Wrestling. Wrestling helped me lose weight and gain confidence in my awkward teenage years and it was ultimately what led me to BJJ.

2. what is your favorite cheat meal or junk food?

A: Pastries. A sweet flaky pastry with a cup of coffee is perfect.

3. Ideal Sunday

A:That’s a tough choice. I guess if I had to choose a solid Sunday under average circumstances it would be training in the morning and then a few hours of reading followed by a nap, finished via dinner with friends. That sounds like a pretty good Sunday to me.

4. what’s in your make up bag?

A: Don’t have one.

5. Favorite sports equipment.

A: My gi or no gi gear.

6. Top 5 places in the world you would like to visit, and why?

A: Oh geez. I have too many places I want to go. The primary factor driving these desires are either history or BJJ. Meaning, I either want to see a place that I know the history of and nerd out, or I want to go somewhere to train. I’m a simple person, what can I say?

7. Favorite TV show, movie or series.

A: Don’t watch tv and while I like movies I couldn’t tell you one that I would consider a favorite.

8. Favorite country you’ve been in and why?

A:Well I like the United States but outside of the United States I enjoyed Spain. People were friendly and it was a lot of fun.

9. If you had a super power which would it be.

A: I would want Wolverines super human healing. Say goodbye to injuries, sickness and achy joints. Hello being able to train all day long with no issue.

10. Biggest accomplishment so far.

A: My favorite accomplishment is building a solid BJJ program. I took the program in 2009 and it’s my baby. I work from sun up to sun down in an effort to keep developing or improving it. I love my friends and we have an amazing gym. Maybe people think that’s hard to believe because we are in Kentucky, but I’ve been to many gyms, some with big names and affiliations and I think our guys are as tough as they come. It feels good to know I had a big part in making that happen and that I’m helping people I care about achieve their goals on a daily basis. So yeah, building the gym.

11. Most beautiful country you’ve ever been to, and while there what was your favorite dish, desert, and sweets?

Spain. I was on a little island called Mallorca. My favorite thing there were the pastries and the olives. The olives were fresh and delicious, as they were picked locally. In regards to the pastries, it seemed like every little corner had a bakery fully stocked with fantastic little pastries and desserts. I found myself enjoying these pastries with a cup of espresso more than a couple of times.