tallgeese

Again, just spitballing. Everyone here is right. The assumption seems to be that you're standing only. If that's correct, get moving and more mobile with your coverage. Also, learn to defend the leg kick. If that's not true, take the fight to the ground. Quickly. The amount of damage a MT fighter can dole out in a single round is incredible. It's truly the most dynamic and aggressive standup I've ever been fortunate enough to train in, even if only for a short time. Dump a single, tie and leg sweep, heck pull guard if all else fails, but get him off his feet. Again, if it's an option.

This week we worked on passing guard from the combat base, a position that allows one to prevent the recapture of the guard after a break. Too often, we just move thru technique and make students figure out minute adjustment mechanics during free roll. Drilling, this or any position in isolation, allows for better learning of material and individual adjustments. Here's a couple of our combat base drills and a pass that capitalized on them: So, who else practices combat base mechanics? Even under another name (and there are plenty)? How about drilling skills in isolation? Then direct translation to sparring?

I don't disagree on the fear of arm bar and triangles, or the fact you can't "avoid" the guard, but you can't deny the mobility one gains by moving to a standing position. We always talk about it in light of a trade off. Knees equal stability, standing equals mobility. There are great games to be played in each. But again, I don't feel you can limit your jiu jitsu to one thing that is "your game." The entirety of the art is important. I'm a kneeling passer. I like pressure passes, but I have several students who by body structure, or mindset, like standing passes better. I think one has to be able to teach across the board regardless of specialty.

A lot of times I do to maintain control. Another option is always the back of their lapel to accomplish the same thing.

Awesome news! I'm in agreement. Slow is better at a learnable pace. I would also show it at the pace it is to properly be performed at. As a suggestion, I'd put a few angles in there. Front, side, back, and a 45 degree shot that you feel best represents the movements. This kind of thing can be great for building 3 dimensional learning. We're currently looking at Gumroad for cutting DVDs for internet download in regards to instructionals. It's what my PTK coach uses for his platform. It might be something to look at for you down the road.

Welcome aboard!

Very nice work!

Awesome!

Thank you all! It's been a hectic week plus at work and I haven't even had time to enjoy it yet! Thank you!

In PTK we do most all of our work out of a right lead. However, the footwork is VERY fluid and designed to be able to change direction. That said, a vast majority of the foot work is designed around the right lead. Most times, we're utilizing a shorter blade, the 15-18 inch range for the classical ginuting. This means that keeping the weapon in the dominant hand (for most of us) makes ranging, blading, and distance manipulation easier. Which in turn leads to a better reading of timing. The FMAs are designed to function regardless of weapon type or unarmed. So, in the case of PTK the right is also lead during unarmed encounters. That said, the mechanics are EXACTLY the same so there's no confusion. It's one of the great strengths of the FMAs when taught correctly. I've done other stand up arts for YEARS. I find it very easy to pick an choose per the situation. Combat will define your position in stance based on the biomechanics of the situation. For instance, once I close to grappling range in an arrest environment, I really like my left forward from rep after rep in jiu jitsu. From the tie up, this is far easier for me. So, as soon as we go chest to chest, my footwork switches. It's not a thought or decision. It just happens and I'm generally not even aware of it until the takedown occurs. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just my experience based on a unique perspective. Just as everyone else will have. For me, when a blade becomes involved, the right forward is the way to go based on the factors I stated earlier. I think to many times we get caught up in potential confusion and what we should be doing is just letting the body guide us to the proper biomechanics answer. This only occurs with training in each disciple, but a good discipline will have the answers to those questions built in.

That's awesome! That might make a nice spring break trip!

My understanding about why BJJ is that way (from you bold) is because Helio Gracie was small man he found more success on the ground than standing with his mostly bigger classmates & family members. Am I correct that he developed BJJ from his strengths on the ground? Help me understand those origins. That is the generally accepted version of the origins. There's controversy over the details but generally speaking, yes, that's it. As BJJ has progressed and speciliaized it's really focused on the ground and the ruleset of current competitive jiu jitsu has really reinforced this. Prof. Henry Akins has a really great quote that we're ground fighters, but in many cases we don't know how to get the fight to the ground in an advantageous position. It's something that all BJJ players need to remember, even if (like me) takedowns aren't your thing.

Lots of good responses to a great question. For me, yes. It matters quite a bit. For startes, it's going to define what kind and how competent of a fighter you become. Without solid lineage you'll be a dancer at best. Now, how does this factor into how others perceive it? As you move into the world of instructing, it becomes important for people who want to train with you to know where the skills you're teaching them come from. Have they been tested? Pressure tested or street tested? How verifiable are claims of effectiveness? How was what you're doing developed? This goes to matching your goals with the development of the tactics you're teaching. So, for a lot of reasons, being able to cite and intelligently discuss these things becomes very important.

This happened literally last year to me. Dude walks in from a nearby bar. Tries to cause a scene, we try to get him a cab. He steps on the mat. Hands go on, and I ended up in it with him. Choked him and told him to get out once he was coherent again. I know, you can't make this stuff up. By and large the dojo storm as gone away in this day and age, but stupid will always be around.

For me the reason to keep driving on was instilled by my first instructor, Tim. To this day we're friends and he's still a mentor and instructor to me. Also in need of mentioning is Leo, who I trained with during college out of the same organization. He really opened my mind to the idea that cross training and expanding your horizons to other arts was critical. A notion I still carry with me and hopefully instill in others.

Congrats! That's great!

Congrats! Very nice work!

So this week's recap has some incredible timing to it. Anyone watching last night's UFC got treated to some great, fundamental jiu jitsu applied with a high degree of finesse. This is all "advanced" actually is. Here, we break down the details that make this formidable attack work as it's intended: So, who watched the fights last night? How do the technical details line up with your perceptions of the choke?

We've been really working thru the fundamentals to kick off the year. I like to do this for a couple of reasons. First, there's lots of New Year's resolution people who NEED to get to the nuts and bolts. Second, it really focuses everyone on the things that are most critical in everyone's jiu jitsu. For this week's video, we look a a basic sweep from bottom side control: Here's the thing. For a "basic" sweep it is filled with movements that must be really made part of you for ANY jiu jitsu to work. Aside from being a really functional sweep, it drills movements that will make every escape work and even build into moving into dynamic open guards. On top of that, it's a great teaching tool to understand pressure and momentum. Do you see where the fundamental movements are in the sweep? Can you pick any of your traditional ground warm ups out? What movements do you see that might be part of another, more advanced tactic? And of course, who uses this sweep in their arsenal?

Hands down the over/under pass: Despite some detractors, if you understand pressure and isolation it's tough to beat.

Right. In the final equation, the more hours you spend, the better you'll be at any skill. Now, depending on how effective you want to be this can vary greatly. My kali instructor is very succinct on the subject. Years of study don't matter. It's the hours. You can train 10 years once a day for an hour and not have the skill set a 1 year guy who trains 3 hours a day, every day does. This is true. However, very few people have the time and need to train to a highly professional level. Really good skill can be learned in much shorter time frames. Will you ever win a world title? No. Will you have an understanding of the material that is deep? Yes. Will this allow you to defend yourself? Maybe. And therein lies the rub. Despite all preparation you might still lose. The more hours you spend, the more likely you win, but what are your needs? And restrictions? Those questions will inform you hours on the mat.

Thank you, Brian. We don't use the elbows to pressure to the inside of the quads. We work to generate leverage. The elbows to the quads works in practice because no one wants to grind it out against the nerve pain just in practice. In competition or SD, everyone will. It builds a false sense of effectiveness. What I'm looking to do is build enough leverage to break without relying on a questionable pain compliance.

Rickson Gracie for sure. He put BJJ on the map in combative arenas and proved it over and over again in NHB matches.

Sounds like it went well! Happy birthday!

The site is professional, for sure. I've personally never heard of the style, but that's not really shocking. JJJ is so wide spread with so many monikers for different sects it would be impossible to actually catalogue them. Here's the thing, the history seems to be a bit romanticized to me. But I'm cynical that way. Please note, this does not mean that it's not super legitimate stuff. There's lots of that in the martial arts The general history of the art as a whole and concepts sounds spot on. The best bet is, as always to check it out and develop a first hand idea.