xo-karate

Maybe a game plan is a beginners tool? Kind of having a first option to look for in a position. I just game from an open mat session where I worked for an 1,5 closed guard top/bottom. My game plan did not help at all, but it just means that I need to make adjustments:-) It's difficult to make a game plan that works because in BJJ there are so many variables and they counter each other. Maybe game plan should be more of a training plan? Things that one is learning and trying to bring to own game?

I think that in Olympic should be a combat sport - like Tae Kwon Do and Karate BUT not excluding each other. Think of running: you don't have different sports for runners who train differently - it's the fastest who wins. This should be true in combat sports too. You should have one class for only boxing, one class for hands and kicks and 1 - 2 for grappling/wrestling. So it should not go by discipline but winning criteria. For Karate I'd use similar system as in fencing. Points come from registered hits or kicks.

I started to update and write a game plan with a mind map software. Who uses a game plan to develop their grappling? And what's the criteria - position, grips, posture, movement? Do you write your combination attacks to your game plan? How many options do you have from a position?

Congratulation.

I mean you have your favorite techniques, but what are the set ups? When does your technique work? Do you read your opponents posture - balance? Grip? Pushing , pulling? What?

Hi KickFirst, I've been reading Ribeiro's book for some time. It's a good book and might even be a good learning plan. It makes a progressive learning circle from safe positions to escapes and to attacks. I'd like to get more understanding of skills and concepts related to each step. Something to make my technique more better. Like two biggest mistakes that I have are not so good grip fight and bad balance during translating from position to an other.

Thanks shanny_kimura, looks like 147 dollars for 12 dvd - not bad, but does not solve my "problem" - I don't have a lack of material to learn - I am missing the order to learn them in. I think there might be more to learning than basic - learn first the positions and surviving and then escapes and then submissions.

I've been learning BJJ for 1,5 years. I've checked Gracie university and done half a year videos from it. (Hard to find a partner who would work with me on the it.) I've done some sessions as a "garage" with newbies and with other white belts. Also regular classes and open mat sessions in our academy. Ribeiros book and lately different DVD sets. As a seasoned educator I'd like to have a study plan - learn by building on previously learned and more on principles than unrelated moves and techniques. Any ideas where to find a perfect or best possible curriculum or study plan? It's not our school or my instructor. They have a full time on just getting single classes running - and that's good too, but I think learning could be more systematic - now it's more like a natural method - roll, tap and learn. Answer is not to change to another school. Next is 200 km and I'm not sure if it's better:-)

Pedro does not have a schedule or suggestion for order to progress with the material. I'm thinking of getting Stephen Kesting's "Roadmap" for some kind of guideline. One way to use Pedro's videos could be to compare his approach to what is taught in classes. BUT classes don't have progressive structure either I'd like to build on skills learned, but looks like I have to figure out some things by my self and that might not be so bad after all. Just more trial and errors and occasional lucky near misses... almost successful techniques...

Is this the shaolin sweep you mean? We drilled it at class just last week. (with a wake hip bump to get the opponent to push his weight forward.)

I kind of waiting to realize kuzushi and aikido principles in grappling. I'm waiting to break my opponents balance by pulling my body and using his grip - not mine... and also moving so that he has a bad balance - not me... BUT this is more of a wishful future scenario that is still waiting to happen.

My question about take down is for bjj rolling (In class:-). I think people let you get grips easier in class than in competition. I've drilled an arm drag to sumi gaeshi, but I have difficulties in getting close enough. (Maybe I am just a little chicken - not bold enough.) I have to look at the multiple grip thing. It sounds nice. Arm drag and heimlich might have the same problem as sumi gaeshi. I don't have a good enough arm drag? ( Can be fixed with practice and faster legs...) Ribeiro combination is something like: 1) grip with leg hand from label and move your opponent with your body. A)if if you are sideways in open stance - pick up opponents front leg. B) if you are more in center, do a Ko uchi gari to front leg, but just trip him - no ashibarai and C) if he pushes you, do a dropdown seoi nage. Here is a combination of three different takedowns related to opponents reaction or movements. (I have not tried them yet.)

Let me know when you are "on air" or should I write "online".

wonderful world of youtube has almost everything - so is there a link to shaolin or clamp?

I like hip bump as a set up for an attack.... and what ever I can get. (And it's not much... but I'm getting better.)

I ordered the complete selection of Pedro Sauer instructional videos. Now it's just an issue of learning and applying:-)

Hi MasterPain, what's your way of breaking the balance for uchi mata? Is there any difference on the grips comparing Judo and BJJ?

What's your favorite take down or throw when standing in BJJ? I'm trying to figure out what to drill and find me some good starting techniques. How do you choose your move? Is it from your grips and opponents grips? Your posture and position related to your opponent? The way you move or the way your opponent moves? I like the way Ribeiro has often two options for a technique and often also technique is trickered from partners action or reaction. So how do you take your opponent down and what makes your move successful?

You are twisting the knive in the wound. Only way I have access to this guys lessons is dvd's. Lately I've been following Saulo Ribeiro's teaching...from his book and dvd's.

shanny_kimura has an impressive list of black belts! 1.5 years for a GJJ blue belt training 6 times a week sounds longer than I would have expected. I've always thought that Gracie blue belts were different. Waster to get, but criteria are different - it's more like learning self defense. BUT for a "normal" blue belt that could be done in our school too. (And if you have a lot of experience from other martial arts - like Judo it could be done in 1 year. PS1 - I'll throw in your approach to my clubs instructors. Don't know how they will take it. I've kind of tried to substitute basic training by doing "garage" or open mat sessions with partners. Kind of including a short session to test an idea - like trying to stay in 90 degree angle to hold a partner down - or trying to use legs more or trying to sense his movements and use his momentum to continue a technique. (Things that are easy to say, but not so automated in my own game

Our head couch is a brown belt and we just got two brown belts more. We have maybe 5 purple belts. We have maybe 4 seminars per year with a black belt instructor. Our instructors are not "Ribeiro's" , but not bad either. Do you have different classes for white belts and color belts? I think it would raise the level of both groups. ( Not all classes should be separate, but once a week or so.) I did ask my club if they have a plan what to educate, but they don't. We have a theme for two weeks like techniques for guard top, half guard bottom and so on.

I was thinking about competing as a criteria for promotion. I'm not sure if we really have a criteria that says you need to compete to get a blue belt, but rumor is that you do. (And win some white belt tournaments:-) BUT I'm quite sure that some of our blue belts have been promoted with out competitions. It just takes a longer time - 3 - 4 years maybe. All white belts are encourager to compete. (We don't have many tournaments and not enough competitors. So I understand the motive.) I've said that I'll compete after I'll get my blue belt and in seniors 4 - 5. I'm not interested in competing in white belts where there is no technique - it's muscle and dudes are 30 younger than I am:-) ... Might even be as strong as I am too...

thanks ps1 and tallgeese, looks like 1.5 to 2 years with about 3 classes per week? Do you have any competition criteria's?

I had a discussion with a junior at our club about graduation. We don't have graduations. You'll get your next belt when instructor says so. For white belt it's from 1 to 9 years. Average might be 2.5 for an active newbie. What's yours? How long does it take at your club? With out prevous grappling or wrestling background?

I've chanhed my gym workouts to more functional type. Googled a lot and I think I've planned a nice routine. I think that changing workouts often is one element in functional training. Does any one have good routines to share?