Grappling and BJJ tips by Liam The Part-Time Grappler Wandi: time management

Showing posts with label time management. Show all posts

BJJ / Grappling tips: Stop Wasting Time in Jiujitsu!

Do you want to stop wasting time while training jiujitsu? Spring Clean your life!

An old saying goes: You don’t measure water with a sieve! In other words, in order to know how much time you will need to get something done, you have to manage where your time is disappearing.

We grow attached to clutter. It’s a simple as that. Garfield the cat says in one his cartoons: Food a funny thing, because the moment you are full it turns from temptation to garbage. The same goes for objects. The moment we attach a value to them, we practically hand them an unquestioned invite to clutter our lives (and steal our valuable time).

An excellent example is the £2.99 I paid for one of the best Judo books ever published: The Secrets of Judo: Text for Instructors and Students: Test for Instructors and Students. It's where I learnt all my top game pressure principles. I got it at the local used-book store. Whoever owned prior to me had not attached any further value to it and was happy to part with it (or perhaps they loved it but it was time for it to make its journey to me!)

Here is something that I recommend you do at least once and preferable 2ce a year. I call it the Spiritual Spring Clean:

Take a hard look at everything you own (and I mean everything!)
Within 2 seconds place it in one of the following three piles:

Keep for a specific (near-future: upcoming 6-months) purpose
Give to someone specific
Throw away in the bin

(PS. These piles are listed in increasing order of size!)

Uncluttering your life will have a trickle down effect on your mental state and help you re-focus your training.

Remember the Pareto rule? 20% of what you own will provide 80% you need (and 80% of your issues are born out of 20% of your activities!)

While you chew on that, watch professor Ryan Young's analysis of what's fundamental in jiujitsu and what's advanced. This may help you "spring clean" your arsenal of jiujitsu techniques.

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ZHOO ZHITSU IS FOR EVERYONE!

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BJJ Tips: How do you define success in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?

Our advanced BJJ sessions at the Labs - BJJ always include a huge chunk of sparring / rolling. The objective is not to win every grappling sparring bout at the gym. That would be ridiculous. Not only will you run into several athletes of a similar if not higher level (especially if this is at a big, healthy BJJ academy / gym), but you are constantly swimming against the current of resistance. After an hour and 30 minutes or so, the semi-dead grappler will easily get tapped by a stronger / fresher* / more skilled opponent. So what does that mean in the grand scheme of things? Well, nothing naturally!

That brings us to the question, how do you define success on a BJJ mat?

I have asked this question to a number of athletes** / BJJ enthusiasts and here are a few of their suggestions, please remember that none are more right than the others:

Number of rounds won in a row against equals in skill (irrespective of size, gender…etc.)
Winning is not losing (made famous by Helio Gracie)
Keeping someone stronger at bay
Keeping someone more technical at bay
Positionally dominating someone stronger (with or without a submission)
Positionally dominating someone more technical (with or without a submission)
Doing what you used to do but with less energy expenditure (efficiency)

Add to this specialisations within the Grappling-orientated game (Gi v No gi – v MMA) and the multitude of brackets that the Sport (an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively) bring to the table (such as age, weight and round durations) and the question becomes very big. Answering these questions is important to outline your progress in the grappling game but more importantly to stay happy and motivated.

It seems to me that the healthiest way to look at this is to keep an open mind and rotate your priorities in line with your progress. Someone just starting may have self-defence and general health at the top of their list but after 6-7 months of rolling, they value the mental challenge that grappling provides. Suddenly, they don't try to muscle out of mount bottom but patiently look for the technical solution. The attractant is different, but the game is the same. Keep your goals fresh and you will be able to enjoy this wonderful game your whole life***.

*Not everyone can / wants to train the full two hours so some people only manage to attend the second hour, which does mean they are much fresher and fuller of energy
**and athletes from other sports
***that's my only goal: to actually continue training BJJ my whole life (or until I no longer want to). Funny thing is, every time I step foot on the mat, I can tick that goal :)

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Liam "The Part Time Grappler" Wandi

Proudly sponsored by Predator Fightwear: Built for the kill and Brutal TShirt: Made By Grapplers For Fighters

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BJJ Tips: Watching Instructional DVDs & How to best learn from them (Part II)

In my previous post I outlined a set of rules that I follow when watching new instructional BJJ / Grappling DVDs. These rules where ideas based on my years of experience, both as a team manager and qualified teacher and the concept that learning is learning irrespective of the material being learnt. I also promised to talk more about the best way to actually take in what you are watching and incorporate it into your practice and eventually your game.

As said before, watching BJJ / Grappling DVDs is no different than any other learning activity and hence the same rules I learnt as a language teacher apply to it.

The second set of rules applies to what you do after the DVD watching session. I strongly recommend that you:

Repeat what you just watched without a partner
Identify 3-5 make-or-break focal points about the technique and keep them as your mental hooks when watching or performing the technique. For instance, if you are looking at Side Control Top maintenance, your points could be killing the arms, blocking the hip and applying a cross-face.
Put a buzzer on your phone to remind you just before your session to practice the technique on your own before or after the session.
Schedule at least 30 minutes where you go to a rolling session and just look out for this technique. See how people of different skill levels, shapes and sizes apply (or fail to apply) the technique and figure out whether or not they applied the 3-5 pointers you outlined above.
Make this technique your focus for 1-2 months.

This, in my personal opinion, is the best way to get a wealth of knowledge out of a 10-15 minute segment from an instructional BJJ / Grappling DVD. The trickis having the patience and discipline to stick to the plan rather than rush through the DVDs justin order to go and order a new one.

Additional Bonus: Once you are good at the technique you should start breaking down the appropriate defence and reverse engineering that goes with it. Continuing with our Side Control example, when you realise the importance of killing the arms from the top, focus on freeing the arms and posturing when working your SC escape game. Not bad for 15 minutes!

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Liam "The Part Time Grappler" Wandi

Proudly sponsored by Predator Fightwear: Built for the kill and Brutal TShirt: Made By Grapplers For Fighters

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BJJ Tips: Watching Instructional DVDs & How to best learn from them (Part I)

I recently received Combat Base Brown Belt Adam Adshead's BJJ DVDs "50 Common Mistakes To Avoid In BJJ" and, eager as a... ehm… grappling beaver, I couldn't wait to open and pop the instructional DVDs into my laptop. The only thing was, I had a million and one other things I needed to do. I revved up my time management engine and started thinking about how and when to best make time for them. I suddenly realised that part time grapplers need a different approach to watching DVDs (or any other BJJ / Grappling instructional media such as online learning...etc.). I'm not saying other grapplers wouldn't benefit from this approach but someone who has a lot of time on their hands can do things at a more leisurely pace and still get away with it. You and I probably can't.

The way I see it, watching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu DVDs is no different than any other learning activity and hence the same rules I learnt as a language teacher apply to it. I will present these rules over two posts.

The first set of rules applies to the instructional DVD watching session itself. It needs to be BFII:

Brief: the brain will start switching off after approximately 15-20 minutes, sooner if the instructor is not the engaging type. There's no need to watch for longer at any one time, unless watching for leisure.
Frequent: because all u need is 15 minutes you should be able to squeeze 3-4 such sessions in a week.
Individualised: jump straight up to the section you need to review, treating this as a private session with the author. If you are currently working on your passing game, pop the passing DVD in first even if it's number 5 in the series. Luckily, these DVDs were chapterised by position / topic.
Interactive: straight or very soon after watching the technique, simulate it on your own and make a note to practice it with a partner in your very next session. After all, you've paid for your DVDs and that’s wasted money unless you learn and incorporate the new techniques into your game.

In my next post, I’ll talk more about the best way to actually take in what you are watching and incorporate it into your practice and eventually your grappling game.

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Liam "The Part Time Grappler" Wandi

Proudly sponsored by Predator Fightwear: Built for the kill and Brutal TShirt: Made By Grapplers For Fighters

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BJJ Tips: The Difference between blue belt and purple belt in BJJ and a gem by John Will

What is the difference between a blue belt and a purple belt in BJJ? Many well-respected black belt instructors will tell you that a modern day blue belt has more or less all the tools she needs to become really good at grappling. Learning more and more BJJ techniques is no longer the number one goal, but rather getting good at what you already know. How do we do that? We practice. We put in the hours on the grappling mats. That is hardly a secret. What you do on those sacred mats, however, is up to you. How and how much you dedicate yourself to your grappling journey is all you. Your instructor or coach can guide you and show the way, but you always have to put in the graft yourself. Think about the following for starters:

If you waste 3-4 minutes of every BJJ session this could mean the difference between being a blue belt and a purple belt in BJJ!

Here is the maths.

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Interview with Shama Ko, BJJ purple belt, champion competitor, blogger, photographer and all around really cool gal - second part

There are lots of BJJ blogs around and I must admit I'm very picky with which one I read. What I look for is honesty and an interesting story. Shama's blog has these qualities aplenty.

The adventure I've been following (Shama's recently been changing academy and has therefore been around to many Austin academies) has been very intriguing to say the least and it got me interested in interviewing the girl behind the words and I was NOT disappointed. Shama was honest and very generous in her replies and I thank her for that. I give you here part two of two:

The Part Time Grappler Interviews Shama Ko:

Do you compete in your sport(s)? Have you won any competitions?

I've been competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 2004. I've placed in twenty-seven competitions. The most rewarding accomplishments were winning the 2009 Pan Ams and placing 2nd at the 2009 World championships. I've been out of and on for over six months with a reoccurring injury that has put competing on hold, but I'm looking forward to making a comeback at the 2012 World Championships.

What is the greatest thrill you have gotten out of practicing your sport?

Overall it has been the discovery of realizing what I am capable of by pushing my limits. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu has provided me with the tools and opportunity to explore who I am, gain a deeper appreciation for myself and helped shape me into the strong and confident woman I consider myself to be now. I am a huge believer in positive visualization and affirmations. We don't have control of a lot of things in life, but we can achieve anything with the right attitude, believing in ourselves, hard work and a willingness to never give up or settle.

Give us your top 5 tips for time-management (to fit exercise around life)

Time management is a constant battle for me with all I have going on. I tend to prioritize what's most important or time sensitive and find a balance with everything else. I live by my organizer. It's my daily bible. Being organized is crucial when managing a juggling act.

Although I am more of a creative type, I need to have a structured routine and with that comes the prioritizing of my life. It is good to have a plan of execution. Lastly, although I am a self-starter and tend to work better alone, I am learning to never be afraid to ask for help when I need it.

Now let’s balance that with what you consider the top 5 time-thieves.

My day-to-day life isn't structured or dictated by having a "job" and a boss telling me what to do. I am my own boss and having discipline and structure is a must. The five worst thieves for me are: Procrastination, taking on too much, not checking my schedule daily, being too rigid with my planning and "farting around" as my mother would say.

There is a delicate balance between being flexible and having a structured game plan. I’ve learned with time and experience, that life is always throwing us curve balls. The inability to go with the flow is perhaps most damaging to time management. But I know I need to stay focused and remember to check my organizer on a daily basis. Procrastination or finding excuses to put things off can throw my whole week off if I'm not careful. I also sometimes tend to take on more than I'm capable of realistically accomplishing. Learning to say no and being honest with myself has helped me be more productive. “Farting around” on social media sites like Facebook and surfing the web is another time stealer.

Do you have any regrets?

We all have some regrets in life. I think that is a common human quality. Of course, I sometimes find myself thinking about what I could of, should of or would have done differently, especially after a competition. However, my philosophy is to keep moving forward and learn from my past. After all, it is our experiences, good and bad that make us who we are. Living in the moment and learning from our mistakes instead of harping on them is what brings growth and helps us in finding our weaknesses which in turn builds on our strengths. Having faith in yourself whatever your beliefs may be and always being grateful for the blessings you have, is a much healthier and happier way to go about life than worrying about things we can't control or things that have already happened.

Finally, why do you train? What drives you?

Having goals are great and they kept moving forward, but primarily I truly love what I do. I am genuinely passionate about everything I do whether it is photography, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, building the community, empowering women, or competing. Everyone loves something and whatever that love is, a person, a place or an activity, it is being honest with yourself and letting it develop organically that will fulfill your life most. Having that genuine fulfillment and never giving up no matter what life throws at you, leads to opportunities that can make your wildest dreams come to life.

I really thank Shama for taking the time to write this interview and wish her all the best in her adventures. Make sure you read her blog regularly.

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Liam "The Part Time Grappler" Wandi

Proudly sponsored by Predator Fightwear: Built for the kill and Brutal TShirt: Made By Grapplers For Fighters

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Interview with Shama Ko, BJJ purple belt, champion competitor, blogger, photographer and all around really cool gal

There are lots of BJJ blogs around and I must admit I'm very picky with which one I read. What I look for is honesty and an interesting story. Shama's blog has these qualities aplenty.

The Part Time Grappler Interviews Shama Ko:

Hello. Why don’t we start by you telling us a little about yourself?

My name is Shama Ko. As a kid I always wished I had a "normal" name, but now as an adult, I can't imagine my parents naming me anything else. My name comes from the Shama-thrush bird. I'm told that when my mom was pregnant with me she would sit in the rain forests on our goat farm in Palolo Valley and sing-talk with the Shama-thrush for hours on end. Needless to say my parents are hippies. I was born and raised in the island of Oahu, Honolulu, HI. Like most people from Hawaii, I'm a “mutt”. I am Korean, Irish, Ukrainian, Hungarian, German, French and a little Native American. I currently reside in Austin, TX. I've been here for over a decade so I guess I'm a Hawaiian-Texan now.

Are you currently working / studying? Is that Full time / Part time?

I am a full time freelance photographer and own my own company called Shama Ko Photography, which was established in 1999. I've recently launched a new brand called Mean Streak, which is primarily focused on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA photography. Photography, like any other technology-based industry, is constantly evolving and in order to keep up with the times I’ve returned to school to study the latest photography methods in the field. In addition, I am an organizer for two Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Women's groups called, Girls in Gis and Austin Women's Open Mat. In addition, I also do freelance writing for TXMMA and my blog, The Adventures of Shama Ko. I also periodically contribute to Gracie Magazine and BJJ Legends. As if I didn't have enough going on, I have a few other ventures in the works.

You also set aside time to practice a sport. Which sport(s)?

I got my start in Martial Arts with Muay Thai, which I trained in for three years before discovering my passion for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Currently, I only train in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. For fun, I also enjoy cycling, snowboarding, surfing and rock climbing.

How long have you done that?

I've been training Gracie Jiu-Jitsu since 2003. I am a purple belt. I got my start in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Phil Cardella at Relson Gracie Austin. I trained with him until last year. I currently study and train Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at Gracie Humaita Austin with Donald Park and I’m loving it!

Do you follow any special diet? Do you use any dietary supplements?

I don’t exclusively subscribe to any of the popular diets like the Gracie, Paleo, Eat Right for Your Blood Type or Raw diets. However, I have incorporated elements from all of them. I eat a balanced diet with low carbs, sugar, dairy and no packaged or processed foods. However, I'm far from perfect and I admit I cheat from time to time.

For the most part I try to only eat organic, cage free and fresh foods. My diet consists of lots of veggies and protein. Eating healthy is crucial when an athlete of any kind. The old saying "you are what you eat" is 100% true. I also take Neocell Collagen Sport on a regular basis. It’s made with “nutrients you can trust”. It’s made a huge difference in my recovery from my injury last year.

How do you manage to fit your training around work, study and family time?

I think the more accurate way to say it for me is, how do I fit work, personal time and school around my training schedule. Training is a must! I have to train for my mental and physical health. It's my release. Of course sometimes work takes priority over training, but for the most part I structure my life around GJJ class times. I especially structure my life around training when I'm actively competing in tournaments. The time, energy and resources invested in GJJ can take on the role of another job.

I'm not the best tight rope walker. Keeping a balance with all my activities is tough. I have to work hard and diligent at being organized, having structured routines, planning ahead, being flexible and make time for "me".

Making a living is a big priority, because everyone needs to eat and pay the basic necessities. However, I've realized lately that taking time out for me is what is most important. Even machines need regular maintenance and upkeep. If you don't care for your own needs everything can quickly fall apart. Running on high non-stop is dangerous mentally and physically. Sometimes you have to just press the “pause” button on life and enjoy the things you want to do and not always focus on the things you have to do.

End of part one

Stay tuned for part two where Shama shares her best tips on time management and the secret to her motivation.

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Liam "The Part Time Grappler" Wandi

Proudly sponsored by Predator Fightwear: Built for the kill and Brutal TShirt: Made By Grapplers For Fighters

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BJJ Tips: Nova Uniao Black Belt Robson Moura Advises White and Brown Belts

Caleb and Dan of the Fightworks Podcast have been busy lately and not able to produce the weekly Brazilian Jiu Jitsu show. In my search to update my BJJ / Grappling / martial arts knowledge, I've been looking around iTunes for audio material to listen to while I'm on the train to and from work but also to serve as background to my 5-a-week gym visits. I was lucky enough to stumble upon a number of interviews with none less than 7 time world BJJ champion and Nova Uniao black belt Mr Robson Moura.

In the first podcast, Robson talks about, amongst other topics, what he feels BJJ white and brown belts should be focusing their training on respectively. Not every successful competitor makes for a good teacher but I must say judging by Robson's responses I'm very impressed.

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Auxiliary Training and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu / Grappling

It's important to treat it as that: auxiliary. If the intensity, duration or frequency of there sessions has a negative effect on your performance in BJJ / grappling / MMA then you have gone too far. All types of exercise exert stress on your body and dig a proportionate hole into your recovery reserves and you need to weigh off that against the potential benefit that auxiliary training will bring you.

Keeping the above in mind, there is also a hierarchy in building the attributes that you need for grappling and BJJ:

1. Mobility.
2. Endurance.
3. Strength.

You simply need enough mobility to be able to perform all the fundamentals of your art Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Find a simple and reliable programme to increase your range of motion in your wrists, shoulders, neck, lower back, hips and ankles and stick to it. A Yoga vinyasa (chain) like the Sun Salutation is excellent. Notice I didn’t say flexibility! Flexibility is awesome and I stretch loads every single day, but I do it because I enjoy it. For a dynamic art like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (or any other martial art) you need to work on your joint mobility. Rotation work ala Pavel is the way forward.

Once happy with this basic level of flexibility it's time to work on your gas. Once again it's important to remember why you're doing this. This is nothing to do with your Lactic Acid Threshold. You're not aiming to become a long distance runner, or any kind of runner for that matter. Don't get overzealous and push past the lactic acid barrier. Keep the pace and intensity low and never allow these sessions to interfere with your ability to train your main sport and art. If anything, there sessions will help you move the blood around and flush any remaining lactic acid out of your grappling muscles, not generate some more!

Next on the agenda is strength. Once again, keep the goal in mind and don't train like a body builder or a power lifter. Focus instead on strengthening your back, core and legs and perhaps leave the holy bench press aside for a while. You want to be strong in the areas that end up carrying toe most tension and stress during grappling so you can stay healthy and grapple your whole life.

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PART 3: 22 Fat-Loss Tips That Work - But in BJJ / Grappling Terms!

As I mentioned in my last post, one of my favourite books is Anita Bean's "Food for Fitness". A cool section in the book is titled: 22 Fat-Loss Tips That Work and, inspired by the Fightworks Podcast interview with Mr Dave Camarillo where he urges the listeners to read from a wide range of topics and try to apply the knowledge to BJJ / Grappling, I decided to give you Anita's tips, but completely twisted to address BJJ / Grappling training rather than weight loss. As a bonus, I will put the original tip at the bottom.

As promised here is part 3 of 3 posts. I hope you enjoy it.

1. Drink water. I don't even want to joke about changing this one. The water break has both a very important physiological importance but also an important social value. It's a half-time get-together for you and your friends and if you ever can't get a technique/move/the energy and you don't want to feel alone, the water break is a great opportunity to exchange "I'm completely lost here too!" looks.

Original tip: Drink water.

2. Take a holistic approach to your art: I don't buy into the whole "Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu a sport, a self defence system or a martial art?" question. It's everything and that's how I treat it. I love everything about it. The gi, the rash-guard, the MMA, the headlock escapes...the lot!

I remember hearing Marcio Feitosa talk about this on a Fightworks Podcast a few months ago and I completely agree. Why restrict yourself when the art/sport/activity is so encompassing?

Original tip: Eat fruit instead of drinking juice.

3. Beware of scams and empty quick-fix promises: Why oh why would you want this complex art that takes long hours on the mat to master to be easier and quicker to master? It's the equaliser in fights against someone who is bigger, stronger and fitter. It's a joy to share with like-minded people for years and years. It's the next thing to magic! It...takes...time. Let it!

I'm joking (a little) We want it easier and simpler because we are rational beings and because the geography of BJJ / Grappling is different to that of standing, walking and sitting that we are so used to. We think we can solve the riddle, or at least buy the solution on EBay or Amazon (or steal it from YouTube!) and, naturally, that creates an opportunity for people to sell us more and more products, books and courses.

I'm not against books, DVDs or Internet based instruction. I frikkin' love it. I am, however, very selective and don't expect miracles. I expect what I learn in 30 minutes online to still take me hours on the mat to learn and internalize.

Original tip: Beware of "reduced fat" labels.

4. Don't go on EBay or Amazon when your ego is bruised: Nice lead from the previous point. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is an art of self development, but we are all guilty of self-Envelopment every now and again.

We are on the mat, we work hard and we get tapped and that's the reality of it. We take it personally sometimes though, especially if there is a question of differing belt colours. Damn them! How dare they! I need to learn how to counter that NOW!

If you go looking online for solutions, they will immediately materialize in the shape of books, DVDs and crystal balls and before you know it you will have a stack of them but no continuation and, chances are, you will still get tapped, just by a new sub!

Original tip: Don't go shopping when you're hungry.

5. Dedicate more time to positional transitions (escapes, sweeps and passes) and less to the cool submissions: Transitions open doors and teach habits. To me, that's the secret of Jiu Jitsu. The way I see a submission (triangle, armbar, footlock...etc.) is as a tighter and tighter position that can't really get any tighter. I have no doubt in my mind that the triangle choke was discovered by mistake when someone escaped mount to half guard, then to guard, then to high guard and then to triangle set up position (one arm in) and then suddenly, the frying pan got hot and someone passed out. Bingo. Focus on climbing the transitional chain and you'll get every submission along the way.

Original tip: Replace half your carbohydrates with veggies.

6. Spend some down time writing a game plan.

Beginning: You shake hands.
End: Someone taps.

Take sometime to fill in the different scenarios of what can happen in between and start working on assigning different solution ideas to the challenges along. Let me get you started:

They establish a good grip on you : break their grip
They pull guard : Hip in and posture up
They open their closed guard : go to combat base, get your grips on the pants and work for a bull-fighter pass (example)...etc.

Why not borrow a start-up flowchart from one of the greatest players: Rickson Gracie's flowchart part one and part two.

Original tip: Match every excuse to a solution.

7. Pack your gym bag the night before and have some spares: This is to avoid excuses to skip the session and to save time. When you get home after the session, don't just take your dirty stuff out of the gym bag. Replace it with clean kit straight away. Since I started doing that, I've not arrived without a rash guard / gi / belt / groin guard / athletic tape...etc. in 5 years.

Original tip: Carry healthy snacks.

8. Use BJJ / Grappling to revolutionise your whole life: I don't mean be a tool towards the rest of the world by telling everyone you meet "Oh I can't eat that / play that / drink that / wear that because a 2 strip blue belt you know!"

However, if starting BJJ / Grappling / MMA is the first move you've taken for your life into a healthy direction then why not compliment it with some early morning stretching, drinking less booze, spending some quality time with loved ones at the dinner table instead of eating in front of the TV...etc. Don't just do something healthy, allow yourself to become a healthier person.

Original tip: Stock up with healthy foods.

There you go ladies and gents. It's been a brain twister for me to transform the diet tips to BJJ / Grappling tips but it was great fun and made me put my own practice under the microscope. I know I can be guilty of, for example, number 4 in the list and I'm working on it. Being poorer helps!

Thanks Mr Recession for stopping me from googling "How to choke frikkin' Wrestler Freaks who pass my open guard!".

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PART 2: 22 Fat-Loss Tips That Work - But in BJJ / Grappling Terms!

Click Here To Read the Rest!!

22 Fat-Loss Tips That Work - But in BJJ / Grappling Terms!

Let me start by saying that this is NOT a weight-loss post!

As some of you know, one of my favourite books is Anita Bean's "Food for Fitness". It's a great book that tells you what to eat to enhance performance. It centres around everyday items like bananas, porridge, coffee and eggs and while there are many other books that do that (believe me I've read many!) what's awesome about this one is that it addresses the questions of "how much" and "when" to eat! Just yesterday I used it to time the consumption of my cereal bar before my session and my recovery shake and meal and I had one of the best BJJ sessions ever!

But enough about the book - well, almost.

A cool section in the book is titled: 22 Fat-Loss Tips That Work and, inspired by the Fightworks Podcast interview with Mr Dave Camarillo where he urges the listeners to read from a wide range of topics and try to apply the knowledge to BJJ / Grappling, I decided to give you Anita's tips, but completely twisted to address BJJ / Grappling training rather than weight loss. As a bonus, I will put the original tip at the bottom.

Naturally, since the 22 is a lotta tips, I will break it up in 2-3 posts. I hope you enjoy it.

1. Do several, smaller sessions: The best way to learn anything really but especially something as demanding as BJJ / Grappling is to restrict your training to 1hr sessions and do a number of them. If you can, do several in a day. Naturally, they can't all be hard sparring. Personally, I do a dynamic yoga and stretching session in the morning before work (30-45 minutes), a light strength, core and balance session at lunch time (30-45 minutes) and 2 hr sessions on the mat 2-4 days per week. To me, it's all BJJ / Grappling.

Original tip: Eat several, smaller meals.

2. Limit your technique choices: Bruce Lee once said: You want to learn how to punch? Punch! If you want your triangles to get sharper, limit yourself to only using triangles for a month. Something amaxing will start to happen: You will start seeing triangles from angles you never thought about!

Original tip: Limit your food choices.

3. Center your practice around smaller areas the game: Dedicating a month or two to getting solid at mount and side control escapes will give your overall game and confidence a much bigger boost than trying to "get better at everything!" in that month or two.

Original tip: Practice portion control.

4. Don't ban fun techniques: There is nothing wrong with blending in crazy-ass flying techniques and funky shizzle into your overall roll. The flying armbar shouldn't be your only sub but it sure is fun to play around sometimes!

Original tip: Don't ban your favourite foods.

5. Don't skip breakfast. I don't want to change that one. If you have a suggestion please post a comment but I really like this one just the way it is.

6. Never, ever skip the warm-up phase. If you are like the absolute majority of BJJ / Grappling practitioners around the world, you are a Part-Time Grappler. You probably have a job or go to school = sit around for several hours per day. This means your basic physiology is on a different setting than that needed for rolling around with a resisting partner of similar weight. Your awareness is not there. Your eye-hand-foot-hip coordination is still sound asleep. Wake it all up with a nice progressive warm-up.

Original tip: Start with salad.

7. Pay attention to rest and recovery. I remember reading a blog post by Rosi Sexton about recovery (highly recommended read) that made me buy less recovery pills and shakes and sleep more and eat better!

Original tip: Sleep more.

Sorry for such a long post and I hope you liked these. Part two coming soon.

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The Fastest Way to Learn BJJ / Grappling

Last Monday, one of our up and coming BJJ white belts said to me: why do you place more importance on awareness than on techniques? I was very chuffed to hear that of course (it means somebody is reading this blog). The reason to me is quite simple: I do it because I'm a part timer and you learn, at least, twice as much by working your awareness than when you are hunting particular techniques.

What I mean by that is I don't pay too much attention to memorising exact sequences of limb placement and call them a pass, sweep or submission. Instead, I learn and practice the fundamental postures and pressures that make or break the position and take it from there.

For example, I don't always cross the arm when I'm triangle choking my partner. The make-it-or break it detail is to close their arteries with my hamstrings on one side and their shoulder on the other and that's the posture and pressure I focus on achieving.

What do I mean when I say that I learn more BJJ faster this way? What I'm referring to is those translatable fundamental postures and pressures. I've said many times that most of what works in e.g. mount will work in guard and Martyn always tries to link ground work to wrestling against the cage wall. So rather than learn 12 ways to pass the open guard I'd rather work on the safe way to approach someone's open guard, the postured that will put them at a relative disadvantage and start feeding them pressures from an advantageous position.

The beautiful thing is, if I lather, rinse and repeat I will quickly end up learning all those aforementioned 12 passes without consciously trying AND those fundamental postures and pressures will translate automatically into better mount escapes and back takes! Double BJJ bonus!

I'm a part time grappler. I've got stuff to do. I'm outta here!

Now remember the Crazy Ass Design Your Dream BJJ Gi Challenge available here: http://crazy-ass-bjj-gi-challenge.blogspot.com/

There are already some awesome ideas on it. Go there, download the blank canvas and give it your most creative of juices!

You too could be the proud winner!!!

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Describing What You Do: BJJ / Grappling Commitments

If you are employed in a job you may have a job description (JD) explaining what you have to do. It may or may not be very precise and detailed. An example is if you are a recptionist your JD could be:

It is essentially a practical method to communicate a shared understanding between you and your boss about:

what your job is
what you're expected to achieve
where/how it relates to other jobs
the character traits and skill sets you are expected to foster and develop though your job.

How does this then relate to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu / Grappling?

Well think about your training. Think about the amount of time, energy and money you invest in your sessions both on and off the mat.

What if I suggested that a similar summary can be drafted between you and your coach / instructor / gym owner? How would you approach that?

Are you in an honest relationship? Are you expecting things that your BJJ / Grappliong academy has no intention of delivering? Are they forthcoming about that or are they pretending to be all-things-to-all-people? Maybe you aspire to be a fearsome competitor but your academy focuses on Self-Defence. Maybe you want to learn how use BJJ in amateur, pro-am or even Pro-MMA. Does your academy have the right classes for you?

Here is a quick example based on how I feel as a BJJ player / Grappler at the LABS - FIGHTING FIT MANCHESTER:

Main Job Tasks and Responsibilities

for every class I attend, show up early enough to be changed and ready on the mat exactly at start of the session
always adhere to general rules of conduct and exhibit exemplary hygiene (person, personal equipment and any equipment I use)
listen/watch/feel/train intently and with my best focus
assist others to do the same (minimise distractions and wise-ass jokes!)
direct any administrative queries to the gym owners (prices, gi purchase...etc.)
pay my fees in a timely fashion

Education and Experience

declare any conditions I may carry with me to the instructor (e.g. dodgy heart, blood pressure issues, skin infections...etc.)
suitable skills for the class attended (don't attend an advanced class on your 4th visit and complain the pace was too fast!)

Key Competencies

work on BJJ / Grappling related attributes (e.g. balance, weight management, flexability...etc.) in my own time
gain a basic understanding of both exercise nutrition and recovery

In short, I don't expect to work at weight management or flexibility at the BJJ / Grappling sessions. Neither do I expect the classes to be tailored around me and my needs. More importantly, I know my own needs and wants and suffer from no illusions between the two nor around them being my coaches' responsibility vs my own.

How do you view your relation with your academy and coaches? Also, how do you think they view you and their responsibilities towards you? Do the two match?

If they don't, WHATCHUGONNADO ABOUT IT?

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BJJ / Grappling Tips and Strategy: What’s Your Core game?

I just read two blog posts back to back and they inspired me, in two separate ways, to write this one. First, I read Rob’s article about BJJ and The Butterfly Effect and then I read John’s Making the Connection (I recommend you read those two articles first. Click on them and they will open in new windows so you won’t lose this page)

For those of you who don’t want to read the two articles first (shame on you!) I can summarise that Rob was talking about how Jonathan Torrez’ near fanatic focus on set-ups and grips in the beginning of his BJJ / Grappling career helped catapult him to his current level of slick smoothness in a mere 4,5-5 years. John’s article on the other hand talks about how having a solid core game will make learning new moves easier and remembering / recalling them becomes faster if they are attached to a pre-existing core game. But seriously, read the articles as the guys express it way better than I do.

I’m happy to say that I do have a core plan. I shamelessly stole it from the BJJ positional hierarchy as outlined in Renzo’s Mastering Jujitsu (Co-authored by the amazing John Danaher) and Royler and Renzo’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique Co-authored by Kid Peligro. It’s the same plan outlined by BJ Penn in his No-Gi 101 video.

This is always, always what I’m working to do. I’m always looking to survive, escape, pass, secure, advance, secure, advance, secure, lather, rinse and repeat.

If I learn a submission along the way, it needs to fit in this BJJ / Grappling pattern. I.e. I will not go to triangle from mount if it means I need to roll back to guard to finish it. I seldom go to armbars from guard unless I have a quick detour back to the core game waiting (always combine my armbars with sweeps) and my favourite attack from side control is always, always to mount.

But that’s just me. I roll with a number of different people who play a different core game. Only this morning I was watching a short video of me rolling with fellow purple belt Mr Graeme Kidd and his triangle transitions straight from falling (after I bridge him off me) are nothing short of lethal. He is very sharp with catching them.

Here's a Time Management Tool you can use to help filter thru your moves:

And here's a BJJ adaptation* of that:

What’s your core game? What is your BJJ / Grappling backbone?

*Naturally, this is not for everyone and it's not extensive by any measure. Go do your homework :)

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You don't have to start BJJ / Grappling at a young age to be successful

(The above pic of a young Rickson is from Kron Gracie's Website)

There, I said it!

On Fridays I spend an hour or so teaching my younger brother Sam the basics of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and it's a great time. It's part me using him as a guinea pig for teaching, but more importantly I get to spend regular time with him. I think we both get just as much out of the walk to and from the gym as from the time on the mat. He's starting to become a familiar face and a lot of my friends at the Labs have commented on how lucky he is to start learning at such a young age- Sam's 14.

Neither Sam nor I have any long-term plans for his BJJ training and if was to quit and join a basketball club, we'd probably be shooting some hoops on Friday afternoons. The comments have however got me thinking about the perceived correlation between starting age and BJJ / Grappling ability and here are my thoughts.

Starting early does not guarantee anything. It does not guarantee that you would be a better player and it definitely doesn't guarantee that you will be a better coach or instructor!

It CAN help, that's all! It CAN. There is a possibility that by starting the learning process early you could initiate a chain reaction that may lead to achieving greatness in BJJ, or anything else really. First, there are numerous factors that need to be present and planets to be aligned before this can lead to anything tangible.

In his fantastic book Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell describes the process of success and if we were to boil it down to one thing it would be 10,000 hours of practice. He shows you, through a multi-disciplinary approach that that figure is more or less the golden formula that you need to shoot for. Now, do you have 10,000 hours to spare? I don't. My wife doesn't and most people I know don't.

My brother does. Children have time. They maybe short on cash, strength and regrets but time they have in abundance. If that time is combined with an interest in sports, presence of a coach qualified to teach BJJ grappling to children and understanding (supportive and financially stable) parents for the duration of those 10,000 hours then we have something. That's why I love being a part time grappler. My mission is to find the most efficient ways to make everything I do benefit my BJJ / Grappling journey and vice versa.

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Unorthodox Use of Your BJJ Belt

I very seldomly leave the house without a bag. If it's not BJJ / Grappling kit, it's gym clothes and there is always my university book(s). I spend an average of 2-3.5 hrs a day travelling and that's major study time for me.

All I'm saying is: There are bookmarks and then there are bookmarks:

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Applying Kotler's Model to BJJ / Grappling Training

When I was studying this morning I came across the Kotler model for classifying products and services in my Social Marketing course book. Philip Kotler is a great Business and Marketing mind and in this model he pits immediate satisfaction against long-term well fare.

Of course the goal is to fill our lives with the Soc called Desirable Products (DesP) and minimise the Deficient Products (DefP).

As always, my mind wondered to how this correlates to BJJ / Grappling.

Desirable Strategies/Techniques/Movements are those that give us high scores on both Immediate Satisfaction and Long-Term Welfare, while Deficient ones would score considerably lower on both scales.

Here is a simple attempt on my behalf to fill in the model:

What would you put in the different fields?

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BJJ Time Management: Are You Always Busy on The BJJ / Grappling Mat?

Are your BJJ / Grappling mat sessions busy and high-paced from start to finish?
Would you say that you are constantly active?
Are they productive or would you say:

You are doing things that you like doing (playing whatever area of BJJ that you prefer), rather than what you should be doing (working on getting more well-rounded)?
You are putting your efforts into low value activities (wrestling from the knees) rather than those that will give you higher payoff for your efforts (starting every round from your least favourable position)?
You are putting off what you know you should really be doing?

Many BJJ-players / grapplers rarely stop to think about what they are doing and, more importantly, why they are doing it in the first place.

Start making functional changes to how you utilise the time on the mat (and off it) by ensuring you focus your attention on the things that matter. The basics. The 20 that give you the 80.

This is much easier said than done. I know. I know too well.

The funny things is, once we start doing the things we’re not too fond of (working the guard pass, side control escapes, take downs, Turtle defence…etc.) and you do them for a while, you’ll be a little better at them and by extension enjoy them more.

What are your grappling sessions like?

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Busy Busy Busy

I don't just mean me personally, but rather the Part Time Grappler blog!

When I started this blog just over a year ago, I didn't realise how much interest it would generate amongst BJJ / Grappling players. I knew that I wasn't the only one out there with Part Time Grappler attitude, but I had no idea as to how many of us there are and in so many countries!

I currently sit on 4 very interesting projects for the blog and I honestly don't know where to start. That's a problem I can live with though :)

For the time being...

"...My whole life I never feared anyone above me,
Ignorance made me think that only my mother loved me,
I'm waitin' on death cos my whole life is a mess,
I'm sick of the stress so I start aiming for less..."

The above words belong to a great poet and a friend of mine. Next interviewee on the Part Time Grappler: Stephen "Dairy" Li

I've known Ste for a few years now and he's one of the most passionate and genuine people I've had the pleasure to meet. He was kind enough to give me some of his time and answer my questions about training, motivation and probably the most extensive list of time-thieves I've ever heard. I will publish Ste's interview later this week so stay tuned.

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