Arm Triangle Choke from Mount
I show a arm triangle choke using hand grips ,instead of the typical arm and bicep grip, to finish. Again, I prefer this grip because of my shorter arms in a division with broad shouldered opponents.
I show a arm triangle choke using hand grips ,instead of the typical arm and bicep grip, to finish. Again, I prefer this grip because of my shorter arms in a division with broad shouldered opponents.
[Sitting in the ER waiting area]
So last night during training I broke my nose! We were doing our typical Monday night stand up / takedown session. I dropped down for a fireman carry and as I did I felt my partners knee hit with a thud against my face. I instantly covered up in the turtle position.While I was curled up on my elbows and knees I thought, “man that hurt.” I’ve broken my nose in the past but they were straight breaks and required no serious medical attention. A bonus of getting my nose broken when I was younger was such that I rarely ever get bloody noses. Even after being hit with a hard punch, head butt or whatever. I was hesitant to raise up because I knew if I saw blood that it was probably pretty jacked up. When I lifted my forehead off the mat I began to see little drips of blood and as I turned towards my students, their reaction gave it away. My nose was all kinds of messed up.
I went to the emergency room and they determined I broken 2 bones and that I need to see an ENT doctor to correct my nasal deviation. This means I will have to brave the public as the elephant man for a few days until they decide to get my face back to normal. I sincerely hope my nose looks close to normal after its all said and done, because I can’t be a handsome BJJ player with a funky nose!
I guess I’ll be doing technique for a while. What, you didn’t think I was going to take time off the mats did you?
[This morning]
So today I learned that white belts are people too. They practice techniques and roll. . . just like us colored belts! 😛 Of course I’m kidding.
Today I had a blast with my white belts. They came in for our first special white belt training session. I decided to do this class because our gym is steadily growing, and as it does, I don’t want any of my students to fall through the cracks. Our gym standards and expectations are high and I want to keep it as such but I feel like I needed to do more with assisting the white belts to success. I’ve seen similar classes done at other gyms but usually they charge a fee. I honestly don’t care about snagging an extra 20-60 bucks from my students, I’d rather see them progress, stick with it and reach their goals. That’s my mission as an instructor.
One of the ways I personally gauge myself on my abilities as a coach is how well I can help as many people as possible reach their goals. Whether that’s winning in competition, weight loss and improved fitness, etc. Its easy with the freaks of nature who are naturally gifted. They pick things up easy. But I feel its a better challenge and a better judge of my abilities if I can take someone who isn’t as naturally inclined towards BJJ and help them achieve their aims.
During the class we went over several basic techniques that I require students to know before they can become a blue belt. I also randomly picked some of them out of the class to demonstrate and explain the techniques to everyone. I was able to watch everyone demonstrate the techniques and help correct any errors they had. With a few of the techniques we examined the mistakes that students were making together and corrected them. After drilling we had a king of the mat style rolling session. This was a really helpful. As I said about the women’s only class, its helpful to watch people compete against others who are relatively similar to themselves in skill.
At the end of class I had everyone sit in a big circle and talk about themselves a little and explain why they decided to get involved in BJJ. I don’t think anyone gets into BJJ to suck or to do it for a couple of months and quit. So I think it its important to hear why it is someone decided to take on something that could last indefinitely. It’s also fun to watch adults get uncomfortable in situations like this. As adults we become really uptight and its important for everyone to kinda of lose that. . uptightness when they’re training. I mean when you think about training and doing BJJ, it’s kind of a weird thing to get so crazy about. We roll around and sweat all over each other in robes.
Anyways, enough rambling, it was a fun day and I couldn’t be happier with the results I received from the class. Now I have to get ready and promote some new blue belts!
Anaconda choke video I did for the gym. The hand grips I use are a little different than the way I was originally shown when learning this move years ago.
Common question from a new white belt: “Chewy, what kind of gi should I buy?”
My answer: Early on I think the type of gi you wear matters very little. As a newcomer to BJJ you won’t be able to detect the small differences that exist between the different kimonos out there. You may notice a difference if you get a heavier gi opposed to a lighter one, but that’s about it.
My advice is to find a gi that you find visually appealing, is within your budget and is from a reputable source. Other than that, don’t pay too much attention to the extras.
Although single, summer, pearl weaves and any gi label “light” are going to be a little lighter and cooler, that doesn’t always mean better. I personally, prefer a heavier gi. Don’t be afraid to test it out and see which type you like best.
Pay attention to the sizing chart of that particular company as many gi companies have different sizing for their kimonos.
Before you buy, do a search on youtube or google for a review of the particular gi you intend to purchase and see what you can find. These reviews can be helpful about learning how much the gi shrinks up, fades, fits, etc.
In regards to colors, I personally feel that you should wear whichever gi color you like, but check with your gym. Some academies have rules against colors. Sometimes they even have stigmas around white belts wearing colors like black gis. This isn’t common but its something to keep in mind. In addition, if you plan to compete in IBJJF tournaments, you will be required to wear certain gi colors.
Fun Fact: Many gis are made in the same factories overseas and in some cases, Kimono companies simply copy another competitor’s design and rehash it as something for themselves. So don’t get too worked up about the special features on your new gi. Focus on finding something that you will be pumped about wearing when you step on the mat.
If you’re new to BJJ and had this question, I hope this blog helped you. If you still have any questions, consult your instructor or send me an email and I’d be happy to assist. 🙂
As always,
Thanks for reading!
—Chewy
What happens when you put EFO techniques into the hands of a BJJ Black Belt? Watch and see.
Podcast interview with Atos Black Belt Tim Sledd
A little interview I did with Tim Sledd. Tim is a solid teacher (i’ve learned plenty from him), was my first purple belt match, and was a blast to talk with. Well I guess I drilled him with questions more than casual talking. He talks about a couple of the personal struggles in particular that hes dealt with in BJJ, that I’ve also dealt with. It was cool to hear another BJJ lifer’s take on dealing with things like ,affiliation changes, and figuring out question, “why do I keep training?’
Its worth a listen if you have some time.
Its weird to call it a career, but I guess at 10+ years and performing it as a full time gig makes it a career. Above is a photo taken from earlier this year and was one of the coolest moments I’ve ever had as a teacher. This was a night when we were doing a promotion and we assembled a solid group of guys together for it. The total count that night was 55 which is not the largest group I’ve ever had on the mat but it is in the top 10. I’m not sure if you’ve ever been in this situation, but the energy in a group like this is incredible.
I guess the reason I enjoy the photo so much is that its a reminder that I don’t have to be a sleazy marketer, world champion, instructor who gives out belts too quickly or whatever I think I “need” to be, in order to be successful. Instead, I just need to be myself and remain a dedicated friend, instructor and training partner. Ready to jump on the mats and mix it up with my students, ready to do whatever is required in order to help them achieve their goals.
Just for the record, my students are awesome!
(my typical poop face after winning)
“My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.” – Michael Jordan
“You cannot run away from weakness; you must some time fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?” – Robert Louis Stevenson
“Build up your weaknesses until they become your strong points.” – Knute Rockne
Drill your weak points and drill both sides- We all know how to drill to some degree. Drilling is a fundamental necessity to training, and it’s where we develop the movement and muscle memory required to execute a technique while rolling. Everyone that trains BJJ, drills in some manner from day one. But I ask you these questions?
1st, Do you focus much of your attention on your weaknesses, or do you allow yourself to stick with the techniques and positions you’re comfortable with?
Here is the 2nd question. Do you drill your techniques on both sides?
Often, the answer to both questions is no. I know I didn’t for a long time.
Before I share two personal experiences of my own, I am going to nerd out on you for a second so I apologize. I’m a huge history geek and I always draw mental parallels from what I see in history books to Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. I know that sounds weird so let me explain one idea in particular. When I watch two BJJ players engage in a match it’s like watching two armies engage in pitched battle. That’s the kind of encounter where the opposing armies’ line up on two sides of an agreed upon location and the conflict takes on the appearance of a sort of human chess game. Each army has a line made up of a variety of troops which are trained and directed to perform differing tasks. This is similar to a chessboard with its pieces, which have varying movement abilities that accomplish different objectives on the board. For instance, during Napoleon’s time, his artillery would be used to blast an opening in a weak point of the enemy’s line and then cavalry would be rushed through to exploit the opening with their speed before the opposing side could reassemble to close the gap. This could often lead to a rout where soldiers flee in fear, casualties begin to mount up and any resemblance of order on the line is lost. Effectively awarding the victory or in our chess meets history analogy, the checkmate.
Enough with the nerding out! Where am I going with this?
Failing to drill your weaknesses or neglecting your dummy side, is, in my eyes like assembling an army for battle with glaring weaknesses in the line, waiting to be exploited by the other side. You’re chess board is set and you’re missing pieces.
What if you’re like I was as a blue and young purple belt? I was a sucker for the triangle and I was not putting in the necessary hard work to fix the issue.
OR
What if you’re a brown belt like the one in the story below and have a phenomenal side accompanied with a terrible one, and your opponent engages you on your weak side?
Learn from the mistakes below and be sure to drill and focus on the parts of your game that are weak even if it’s not fun. Also, be sure not to neglect the side that doesn’t come naturally. . . you know. . . the dummy side.
Ignore the problem and it goes away, right?
Obviously I knew better, but for a while I was a real bonehead in relation to my BJJ. If you read the blog regularly you’ve probably read about my problematic relationship with triangle chokes during the days of my blue belt and early purple belt. I’ve always been a very “head-forward” style of passer, even during my time as a white belt. As the skills of my opponents progressed, my knack for getting caught in a triangle choke presented itself as a glaring problem in my game. In tournaments and in the gym I could pass most guards, but if you put a lanky, bendy, flexible bottom player in front of me I was probably going to get triangle choked. The real problem wasn’t so much that I was getting caught, but my lack of confronting the problem and doing the necessary drilling to eradicate the flaw. Instead, I was a bonehead as stated earlier, and like a stubborn bonehead, I ignored the issue and went on my way. Sometimes I would compete and not encounter a person with a solid triangle and I would win. Then there were other times where I would draw a tall lanky bottom player and. . . well you know. The triangle was my kryptonite.
Eventually my coach at the time, Colin, noticed the problem and he helped. . . forced me, to correct the issue. There was seriously a month where I was only allowed to drill triangle escape techniques during class. While everyone else was learning some cool new guard sweeps, my head was stuck between my buddy’s legs. Bummer. Even worse, once the rolling portion of class came around Colin made me start inside a locked triangle choke. If I escaped or if I was finished I would have to start back in the triangle. When we first started doing this I had to take frequent breaks because I would get frustrated or I running low on oxygen from being choked repeatedly. By the end of the month my understanding of how the triangle worked and my ability to stay calm and get out of a triangle choke sky rocketed. Subsequently, I have not been triangle choked in a competition since. I’ve been caught a few times thanks to my continuous head forward style. But it’s become more of a calculated risk rather than certain end on the mat, as I’m able to stay calm and take the necessary steps to escape.
Why didn’t I do this earlier? Well, I didn’t really know the escapes I needed at the time, but more importantly is because it wasn’t fun. That month was so helpful and changed my game and my outlook but it was incredibly uncomfortable. I had to choke down lots of pride and accept being choked out by just about everyone on the mat. I had to get out of my comfort zone. Big thanks to my coaches at the time. Colin for forcing me to get out of my comfort zone and start in the triangle and to Kyle for administering the triangle chokes.
“Oh that’s my dumb side”
Often I will watch techniques being drilled over and over again on one side then once the person moves to the other side they stumble a bit and remark, “oh that’s my dumb side”, and we aren’t talking about white belts either. I’m talking about seemingly advanced guys. . . purple, brown and even black belts in some cases. It is true that we will all inevitably have a side that is a little more developed than the other but we shouldn’t allow ourselves to have a side that is worthy of the title “dumb side.”
Brown belt to the right, white belt to the left.
A story that really illustrates the idea I am talking about comes from a few years ago. I was a brown belt at the time and another brown belt stopped in to train while he was visiting family in town. When we rolled I initially attacked with a pass to my left (his right). I remember having such a difficult time passing to that side, so I figured I’d switch it up. I transitioned and switch my attack from his right , to his left, and I passed with ease. We were doing a pass and defend drill so after the successful pass we restarted back to guard. I figured by the smoothness of the pass to the right side that I had worn him down a bit. So after we restarted I opened up my game with an attack to the left and again he stopped my pass attempts dead in their tracks, and just like last time, as soon as I switched my focus to the other side the pass came almost effortlessly.
After he and I were finished, I paired him up with one of my blue belts. I was curious to see if my passing was that good or if the guy really had a blatantly deficient side. Unfortunately for my own ego it was the latter. I watched as each one of my comparably skilled students would get halted by the guard work on his right side and then would switch and pass through the right side with less trouble.
The guy had no injuries at the time, as I asked him after class. He simply had an overly underdeveloped side of his game. So much so that one side felt like I was rolling with a brown belt and the other felt like a white belt. Granted this is not common, and most peoples b-side aren’t quite this deficient, the story gives you an idea of what can happen if we choose to completely ignore a direction in our game.
The take away ( simple but require discipline)
-Drill your techniques on both sides.
– In addition to drilling, do lots of situational rolling from the parts of your game that are the weakest. For example, escape or submit drills. Start in a bad position like bottom of mount and go until either you escape to another position or until they submit you. Restart after a successful escape or submission.
-When you do full rolls, especially against people you’re much better than, force yourself to use the weaker areas of your game. It will give them a chance to play a bit more and you a chance to help develop your weaker areas.
Below is a video I made showing 3 of the techniques and escapes I use personally to deal with triangle chokes. Again, I apologize as I am terrible in front of a camera but I hope the techniques are of some help to you. Click the picture below to watch.
One of the first BIG grappling tournaments I ever experience was the 2004 Arnold Classic. Big by the standards then, not today’s 3000+ benchmarks. The tournament was ran poorly, I competed at one point past midnight when I was scheduled to be on the mats by 6pm. Then the next morning myself and all the grapplers arrived at the venue around 10am which was the scheduled opening time. Unfortunately, we had to wait. Around noon the guys that ran the tournament came casually walking in to open the venue. 2 hours of being in a crowded hall with stinky grapplers!
But back in the day, the Arnold Classic was the largest BJJ tournament on my side of the Mississippi and the competition was great, so you had to go compete. It was a tournament that was on the level of the Pans (relative to the times) but it was in my backyard instead of California. In addition, you got a chance to watch world level competitors. Some of the best grapplers on the planet were among the ranks of the tournament. Xande, Todd Margolis, Pe Da Pano, Jeff Monson, Edson Diniz and Marcelo Garcia among many others. This was actually one of the first years that Marcelo Garcia was becoming a household name. 2003 was Garcia’s breakout year in the ADCC where he performed amazing in matches like this one against Shaolin. That match was crazy to watch because Shaolin was an establish bad ass in grappling and Garcia was a relative unknown. Many people reading this don’t remember grappling pre-Marcelo Garcia, but that match was a shocker.
Monson Tackles a Ref
Poor Jeff. In the video that I posted below you get to see a bad example of BJJ politics.I can’t help but watch and realize how ridiculous it was. I mean Pe Da Pano was bouncing up and down to plead his case against Jeff. Granted I don’t speak Portuguese, but I can’t help but notice that he isn’t hurt from the neck crank. Why not just grapple again? I suppose others might have varying opinions, but I was there for this match and I was there when Relson explained the rules. Jeff never went outside of the rules that were laid out to us. The video doesn’t explain the overall mood in the air either. The match before Pe Da Pano went up against Jeff, he squeaked by via a controversial decision against a guy name Wade Rome which caught a lot of boos. Then to see him win this way was just irritating and while I don’t think Jeff’s reaction was warranted I could understand his frustration.
Here’s the video. I officially feel old now.