A time when we watched vhs tapes and walked 23 miles in the snow barefoot uphill just to get to BJJ practice.
I read an interview that deeply affected the way I practiced. . .
It was with Dean Lister who at the time was an American killing it in the ADCC. And in the interview he said something to the effect that he trained both gi and no gi but that he didn’t focus on many techniques that couldn’t be adapted from one to the other.
And that lesson stuck with me to this day.
Because I love both and I don’t want to be limited to one form of grappling over the other. And this is the reason why I can win a gi competition on Saturday and then win the no gi competition on Sunday.
I’m not limited to one or the other.
And all of the big names in grappling that I study closely are the same. They are able to put on the pajamas or spandex and win.
In contrast I have friends and have watched competitor’s who game falls apart if they’re put into a gi or have to take it off. They became too reliant on one type of BJJ.
Moral of the story, don’t ever become to reliant on only 1 type of BJJ.
That said some of the grips in the kimono can be tough to deal with if you don’t know how they work.
To give you a little boost to your understanding of grips I’ve prepared a sweet bonus for you.
From March 23, 2020 until April 3, 2020 if you invest into any of the courses on www.Chewjitsu.net/products (Video Courses & Products Tab) I’ll gift you my Get a Grip series which is all about dominating that grip fighting battle. I even show some tricky options to kill the posture-killing cross collar grip.
In addition I’m including a special set of videos from a Florida seminar where I taught 1 half gi and 1 half no gi techniques. If you study it closely this could be instructive to your understanding of adjustments in and no gi.
To claim the bonus, just grab whichever course gets your attention the most and then send an email to “support@chewjitsu.net” and we’ll hook you up.
Talk to you next time.
-Chewy
https://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Chewy-at-IBJJF-tournament.png399600Jessicahttps://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ChewJitsu-Logo.pngJessica2020-03-30 12:30:422020-03-30 13:24:38This valuable lesson stuck with me from White - Black Belt
In today’s Q&A video I talk about using caffeine before competition matches. The question comes from our friend Joe who is getting ready for his 1st competition and wants to know if it’s a good idea.
First off, I preface this video with the fact that I’m a little more sensitive to caffeine than the average person. That said, I tend to steer people away from excess amounts of caffeine and towards lower amount. In my experience and that of my students I’ve seen it more beneficial to go low on the caffeine before hard rolling or competitions.
Especially for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu competitions where you’re already hyped up I tend to find too much caffeine is a negative thing.
Caffeine in low doses can also be helpful post workout to up speed up uptake of nutrients for recovery.
I also share what I use instead of big dumps of caffeine for energy at competitions.
So if you have any questions regarding caffeine before Brazilian Jiujitsu competitions or even training then I hope this video is useful for you.
Thanks for watching.
-Chewy
If you’d ever like to train with the team and I. Check out my gym Derby City MMA in Louisville, KY.
https://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Ahhh.png6261224Jessicahttps://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ChewJitsu-Logo.pngJessica2020-03-11 16:30:392020-03-10 17:24:46Caffeine Was Destroying Their Cardio During Rolling
I’ve had a lot of request regarding reaping in BJJ competitions. Whether it’s to avoid being called for reaping if you use Single Leg X or if you want to defend against someone reaping your leg.
In this video I show some basics on what reaping in BJJ looks like and keeping your knee safe, defending the reap and avoiding allowing your position to get you in trouble in an IBJJF BJJ tournament. I also touch on how the reap wasn’t always a thing with a quick “Back in the day” story from Old Man Chew. But seriously it wasn’t. As a White and Blue Belt I never heard of being called for reaping. However we would get called for Can Openers and Neck Cranks. Wrestlers used them all the time and they got banned. And the refs would call them super quick.
And I feel like the reap position is similar. It’s not that hard to defend but since we’ve defined it as “bad” we stop using it, many newer students don’t know how to defend it and it probably won’t be a thing in a few years as education grows. Hope the video is useful to you.
If you’d ever like to train with the team and I. Check out my gym Derby City MMA in Louisville,KY.
https://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-09-at-3.51.01-PM.png5001068Chewyhttps://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ChewJitsu-Logo.pngChewy2020-01-09 15:50:362020-01-09 15:52:36Reaping In BJJ (Protect Your Knee & Avoid DQ in IBJJF)
Do you think you lack aggression in BJJ or do you think you have too much?
I ask this question because I get a lot of questions from people on both sides of the question. Some people who say they don’t know how to “turn it on” while others say they can’t “turn it off.”
And while there isn’t only 1 reason why this might be. I believe these questions stem in part from the fact that in today’s society the warrior in us is shamed and seen as bad. As far back as kids we’re told to “use our words” and adults try to stamp out any aggression in us instead of showing how it can be used in a healthy way.
Then as we get older if a man shows any aggression towards anything he’s a toxic asshole. If a woman does it, she’s a bitch.
The problem with extinguishing this aggressive energy is that we all have a warrior inside of us and sometimes we need it to protect us or stand up for ourselves. But if we don’t learn to access it in a healthy way it either gets snuffed out completely (think push over) or bursts out in the absolute wrong places (think road rage).
BJJ And Combat Sports Allow You To “Turn It On”
This is one of the most powerful things Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and combat sports, offers. Practicing gives you a chance to tap into your warrior energy, your aggressive side, in a healthy contained environment and learn how to use it consciously and bring it under your control.
For example, like in my most recent video that I just uploaded today you’ll notice that my aggression is low. (You can watch the video here)
Contrast this by watching how I compete in BJJ tournaments where I attack my opponent with my full intensity and focus. Yet, as soon as the match is over, I’m done, I turn it off. Because I’m in control of the energy it’s not in control of me.
When I was younger this wasn’t the case. I had high levels of aggression with not outlet for it and no means to control it. I had a temper, would jump into fits of anger and could not “turn it off” quickly like I can now.
Accepting And Controlling The Warrior In You
If you lack aggression, you might find that BJJ will slowly help you turn it on by accepting that the warrior in you is normal and not something to feel ashamed of or bottle up. You’ll also have a healthy place to experiment with it.
On the flip side if you’re too aggressive you’ll learn that an intelligent warrior who has purpose does not swing their weapon wildly with full force at everything in front of them. When we train or compete we will be bombarded with a myriad of emotions and feelings like fear, self-doubt, anger, frustration, etc. Some of these can lead to aggression, and if you’re like I was when I was younger (too aggressive), BJJ will give you a chance to become aware of the feelings and begin to have some control over them.
Hope this helps with anyone who has a question about aggression in BJJ.
Talk to you next time.
-Chewy
P.S. If you found this post useful join my Monday-Friday email newsletter and receive more helpful message like it plus I’ll include 2 free BJJ Ebooks. 1 on drilling and 1 on developing your own BJJ game plan. Use the box below.
https://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/181120_ADCCTrials2018_Chewy_72DPI_Web-294.jpg16532480Chewyhttps://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ChewJitsu-Logo.pngChewy2019-12-12 12:33:112020-01-09 15:37:47Do You Lack Aggression In BJJ Or Have Too Much?
Recently I had 2018 IBJJF World Champ Mahamed Aly out to our gym to train and do some videos.
In this video Mahamed shows a series of slick submission options when you’re having trouble finishing the Armbar from top position. These submission options not only give you the ability to finish the roll or match.
They also allow you to have greater control and make your opponent super uncomfortable. The slicer he put me in was awful! And the collar choke he used was no nicer!
Both of the submissions were brutal!
I like this video because it’s several simple BJJ techniques from a common position.
I think everyone who has done Brazilian Jiujitsu at some point has struggled to finish an Armbar.
And make sure to stick around for the end!
Mahamed and I share a few thoughts about training and developing a deeper more complex Brazilian Jiu-jitsu game. Hope you enjoy the video!
BJJ sport training is one of the only sports I’ve ever seen where there is very little methodology of how hard to train. Most sports combine some mixture of hard and lighter elements of training to round things out. But Brazilian Jiu-jitsu often doesn’t.
So practitioners often fall into this misconception that the only way to get better in BJJ is to GO HARD all the time. In today’s video I answer a question from our friend who is asking about how to roll with weaker smaller people during BJJ training.
He says this not because he wants to adjust to them, but because he implies that he isn’t going to improve if he rolls wit them.
I try to debunk this myth by sharing how I rolled with mostly White and Blue Belts for some of my early Black Belt competitions.
Very similar to weaker people in the gym. I could crush them if I wanted. But I roll with them very deliberately to improve and prepare myself for Black belt matches.
If you’re in a similar situation in BJJ. I hope this video encourages you to think a little differently about how you can train with smaller, weaker or less skill BJJ training partners. Talk to you next time!
https://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/13876118_741377266001042_4511912760909249750_n.jpg540540akatbreeziiehttps://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ChewJitsu-Logo.pngakatbreeziie2019-01-21 17:58:072019-01-21 17:58:07I was Rolling with Blue Belts for Black Belt BJJ Competitions
This was a No Gi BJJ training session leading up to the 2018 No Gi Pans. It was a tough one too! I met up with my friends in St Louis at Kyle Watson’s gym to get a hard push during the last 2 weeks of my lead up to the IBJJF tournament.
During the training session you’ll see us start with some Pass / Defend rolling where one person stays in the center of the ring until they are passed.
Afterwards we continue our Brazilian Jiu-jitsu training with some regular rolling . During the rolling you’ll see me pass, sweep and take the back.
You’ll also see me get taken down, passed and swept. The guys I’m rolling with are all tough Brazilian Jiujitsu practitioners. Almost all of them seasoned Black Belts.
So they’re very good. And I had to work hard.
Hence why there is so much butt sweat at the end haha. And I think my training with them definitely helped me win the 2018 No Gi Pans at the Ultra Heavy Master 1 division. Enjoy the video!
https://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-27-at-8.28.25-PM.png393400akatbreeziiehttps://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ChewJitsu-Logo.pngakatbreeziie2018-09-29 15:30:232018-09-28 07:25:02Sweaty No Gi Rolling in St Louis with 4 Tough Black Belts (Day 1)
This video was from my second No Gi BJJ training session leading up to the 2018 No Gi Pans in St Louis. It was another tough one! I met up with again with Kyle, Nick, Jeff and Junior for some tough No Gi BJJ.
By the way, it’s worth noting that all these dudes medaled at the No Gi Pans this past weekend. They’re all tough as nails and I was wiped out after training with them. The Brazilian Jiujitsu training session begins with some passing and sweeping rolling. Then afterwards we moved on to some rounds where the focus is on who scores 1st.
Oftentimes it’s the person who scores 1st who wins. And so it’s important to strike 1st in your BJJ competitions. So the drill was simply that. Both people working hard to get the 1st set of points. It’s a great way to help prepare for BJJ tournaments when you need to fire off quickly in your match.
Afterwards we continue our Brazilian Jiu-jitsu training with some regular rolling . During the rolling you’ll see me pass, sweep and take the back. You’ll also see me get taken down, passed and swept. The guys I’m rolling with are all tough Brazilian Jiujitsu practitioner. Almost all of them seasoned Black Belts. So they’re very good. And I had to work hard.
Hence why there is so much butt sweat at the end haha.
And I think my training with them definitely helped me win the 2018 No Gi Pans at the Ultra Heavy Master 1 division. Enjoy the video and rolling.
And if you’re ever in St Louis, definitely check out Kyle Watson’s gym. He’s a great guy and runs a fantastic gym.
https://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-20-at-7.56.02-PM.png440574akatbreeziiehttps://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ChewJitsu-Logo.pngakatbreeziie2018-09-22 16:30:242018-09-20 19:57:47Sweaty No Gi Rolling in St Louis with 4 Tough Black Belts (DAY 2)
How do you deal with the Takedown aspect of a Wrestler who’s in a Grappling competition and/or what do you do when someone’s better at take downs?
As a Wrestler who got into Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. I can tell you that I used to put a lot of focus on takedowns.
When I would go to a BJJ competition. I would do everything I could in order to get on top of the person.
Oftentimes if someone pulled me into Guard it kind of sucked the wind out of my sails. I wouldn’t have the points for getting the takedown and it took away my forward momentum.
Takedown Strategy in a BJJ Competition Against a Better Wrestler
In this video I respond to a question from Cassie who has a son, Ryan, who has been competing in local superfight BJJ matches.
His matches have been going well but she’s now noticing that the area gyms are offering more wrestling in their Brazilian Jiu-jitsu training. And their gym does not offer it.
The question from them is how do you approach a situation in a competition when your opponent has superior takedowns.
Chad and I both show options as to how we deal with this situation in BJJ tournaments or competitions.
The main idea is to converse your energy on the feet and save it for once you get to the ground. In my case I use a Guard Pull into Half Guard for the sweep.
If you like the details shown in the video and would like to have more options on your feet. Both for takedowns themselves or aggressive style guard pulls.
If you’d ever like to train with the team and I. Check out my gym Derby City MMA in Louisville,KY.
https://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/GeneChrisChewy.jpg411600Chewyhttps://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ChewJitsu-Logo.pngChewy2018-08-16 10:29:232018-08-16 10:31:45Proven BJJ Competition Strategy against a Strong Wrestler
I was asked recently, “Since you’re popular on Youtube now, does it make you more nervous to do Bjj competitions?”
I answer this question with a quick “No.”
In my younger days it would have. I remember being nervous several times when I had large crowds of my students there to watch me compete. It made me incredibly nervous. But now I’m in it for me. I compete for myself. By signing up, it’s a test I purposely create for myself. This focus on myself has made BJJ competitions a lot more fun and enjoyable.
True growth can only come through stress. When we are tested. When pressure is placed upon our shoulders. And we choose to look within ourselves for the inner resolve to overcome. Competitions (with all of their ups and downs) are merely a vehicle to continue this growth.
(I talk about this idea of needing to challenge yourself in order to discover who you really are and what you’re capable of in this video)
The Competition Yesterday
Yesterday during my match. There was nearly 40 years of grappling and competition collectively between us.
Before and after the match we were as friendly as can be, sharing stories of our humble beginnings in the martial art, how we got started and what brought us there that day.
But during the match we were there, locked in a contest against one another. Hearts pumping, sweat dripping, muscles firing as we grab wrists, necks and struggled to best the other.
Deep down I though I suspect we both know that these BJJ competitions, it’s about testing ourselves individually. I’m there for my own growth and he’s there for his.
The Beautiful Give and Take of BJJ Competitions
Anyone who has competed knows that Bjj competitions make you better. They test you in a way that is hard to do in the gym. To me this is the real value in them for most grapplers.
It’s kind of a beautiful thing really. We are all running on a organic machines with a finite amount of uses. The bodies we navigate the landscape of this martial art and world around us are in a perpetual state of decay and breakdown. So that match, on that day with out bodies the way they were can only happen ONCE!
What I’m getting at is that when you compete. You are locked in a dance of give and take with our opponents. You give a piece of yourself to your opponent and they give a piece of themselves to you. You give your best to them on that day and they do the same.
If you look at it this way, the utmost respect should be given to each other. You are voluntarily giving yourselves to the other to allow each other to improve and grow.
And one of the beautiful parts about Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is that after the dust is settled and the match is over. We can usually lock hands with our opponents in a sign of mutual admiration for the other.
When I compete. I don’t get off by standing overtop of another person. I’m not there to flex on someone, and I don’t compete to prove I’m better than this person or that person.
If you’ve watch my matches that are on Youtube. If I win. I calmly stand and accept the ref’s decision to raise my hand. I don’t yell, I don’t scream. I accept the nod. If I choose to celebrate, it will be among my teammates later on inside of our gym.
Because the win that I experienced was not about beating this person. I don’t feel some sort of joy by beating another human being. I was never there for them anyways, I was there for myself.
When I win a match I feel a sense of relief. It’s over. . . and once again I proved to myself what I am capable of. I prove to myself that my style works. I proved to myself that my drills leading up to the match were effective. But it’s always about proving something to myself. Not to another person.
If I feel some sort of joy rise up after a big win. It’s only because of what the whole thing meant to ME, not anyone else.
Don’t Compete in BJJ For Someone Else
I receive so many messages from people new to competitions. And they send messages about how they’re out there to prove their skills to their coaches, training partners, etc.
And these people will find, just like I did when I was younger, that prove what you will to whomever you wish. It will never be enough. You can use the idea of proving yourself to others as short term fuel but it will never truly satisfy you. Eventually you have to look inward and realize that YOU were what made all of that possible.
Rack up all the medals and submissions you want. You eventually have to come to the realization that this is about you.We are a part of teams and organizations. But when you compete it’s a test to YOU, it’s a chance for YOU to grow.
I use to walk on the mats with my mind on my coaches judging my performance, on what team my opponent was from, on the crowd watching me and so on. And this is a terrible way to go at the whole thing. Your mind should be in the moment and only concerned with your performance because of what it means to you and your game.
Create Your Own Path
You are the creator of your own path. And being being worried about everyone else will only pull you away from the path you’re meant to discover.
I share this because as I’ve become older, and maybe more wise, the focus on myself has relieved a lot of the nerves, anxiety and made Bjj competitions a lot more fun.
Everyone’s approach is different. I know others look at competitions differently. But this is the way I choose to see them and the way that has been most useful for myself. So, I hope the idea is useful to you as well. And I believe by focusing and building up yourself. You can serve yourself and those around you in a far more profound way.
https://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chris-post-match.jpg450800Chewyhttps://www.chewjitsu.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ChewJitsu-Logo.pngChewy2018-06-17 10:32:092018-06-17 10:36:42Make BJJ Competitions Fun By Focusing On Yourself
