TECHNIQUE: YEAR 1 (MOUNT ESCAPE)

Here is part 3 of our ongoing series with Aaron Le Boutillier.

2009 RICKSON CUP RESULTS:

Taken from JJFJ.ORGPRETA /ADULTO / PLUMA

1.ROBSON MOURA (NOVA UNIAO)
2. JOAO PAULO KURAOKA (AXIS)
3. IKUTA MAKOTO (TRUST JIUJITSU ACADEMY)
3. TADASHI MURAKAMI (PUREBRED-KYOTO)

PRETA / ADULTO / PENA

1. RAFAEL MENDES (ATOS JIU-JITSU)
2. KATANIWA KATSUNORI (AXIS CHIBA)
3. KITAHARA NOBUHIKO (AXIS)
LEE HEE SUNG(KOREA BJJ)

PRETA / ADULTO / LEVE

1. GUSTAVO DANTAS (NOVA UNIAO )
2. SILVA RENATO (INFIGHT JAPAN )
3. SUTO YOSKI (GRACIE BARRA AICHI)
VITAL ADALBERTO (KRAZY BEE)

PRETA / ADULTO / MEDIO

1.BARBOSA ABMAR (DRYSDALE JJ)
2.KONDA TETSUYA ( RED SHARK)
3.FERNANDES MAX (EXTREME BARBOSA)

PRETA / ADULTO / MEIO-PESADO

1.JOAO YOSHIMURA (BLACK BELT JIU-JITSU CLUB)
2. SHINKAWA TAKESHI (TEAM LEGNUM)

PRETA / ADULTO / ABSOLUTO

1.JUNIOR CALVACANTE (JAWS)
2. JOAO YOSHIMURA (BLACK BELT JIU-JITSU CLUB)
3. FERNANDES MAX (EXTREME BARBOSA)
KATSUNORI KAWANIWA (AXIS CHIBA)

PRETA / MASTER / LEVE

1.ALEXANDRE OGAWA (ROCHA TOYOKAWA)
2.EVALDO SANTOS (DAMM FIGHT JAPAN )
3. ROGERIO CRISTO (ROCHA TOYOKAWA)
3.FUKUZUMI SHINSUKE (FUKUZUMI JIU-JITSU)

PRETA / MASTER / MEDIO

1.OHTA ADEMIR (GRACIE BARRA FUJI)
2.DASILVA GILBERTO CAETANO(CARLOS TOYOTA)
3. EDSON LUIS MISSIO (ACAO JIU-JITSU)

PRETA / MASTER / MEIO-PESADO

1.VIEIRA REGINALDO SHIBUYA (EXTREME BARBOSA)
2.TANI TSUYOSHI (TANI TEAM)

PRETA / MASTER / SUPER-PESADO

1.CARIOCA CRISTIANO (CARIOCA JIU-JITSU)
2.KAMPHUIS STEPHEN (FABRICIO JIU-JITSU)
3.CARIOCA CRISTIANO BEZERRA (CARIOACA JIU-JITSU)

MARROM / FEMININO / PENA

1.SAYAKA SHIODA (AACC)
2.AKIKO NINOMIYA (NASCER DO SOL)

MARROM / ADULTO / GALO

1. ITO KEI (AXIS)
2. KOBAYASHI FUMIAKI (ALIVE)

MARROM / ADULTO / PLUMA

1 YUUICHIRO MIZUDAIRA (X-TREME ACADEMY KAWASAKI)
2. KITAMURA KIYOSHI (NOVA UNIAO JAPAN)
3.YUJI KURAGE (PARAESTRA-CHIBA)
TODOKORO MASAAKI (PARAESTRA GIFU)

MARROM / ADULTO / PENA

1. YOSHIDA YUTA (NOVA UNIAO JAPAN)
2. HIRATA RYU (TEAM LEGNUM)
3. TABATA SILVIO ROGERIO (PARAESTRA GIFU)
UEHATA TETSUO (TANI TEAM)

MARROM / ADULTO / LEVE

1. AKIRA HOSOWAKA (ALIVE)
2. KOYAMA YAKAYUKI (FUKUZUMI JIUJITSU)
3. MAKINO TARO (GRACIE BARRA NAGANO)
GUIYU MAEDA (EXTREME BARBOSA)

MARROM / ADULTO / MEIO-PESADO

1.YEOMANS PHILIP (AXIS)
2. WALEVEIN FERNANDO (BONSAI JIU-JITSU JAPAN)
3.TAKESHI MATSUMURA (BARBOSA JAPAN TOKYO)

MARROM / ADULTO / PESADO

1.TSUSHIMA FERNANDO (AXIS)
2.BUENO FELIPE (DRYSDALE JJ)
3. SYUSEI TAGAWA (FUKUZUMI JIU-JITSU)
LEME WILSON (TANI TEAM)

MARROM / ADULTO / PESADISSIMO

1. WANDERSON AMAKAWA (CARLOS TOYOTA)
2. MONMA GILBERTO (CARLOS TOYOTA)
3. MAORIMOTO TAKESHI (TEAM LEGNUM)

MARROM / ADULTO / ABSOLUTO

1.YEOMANS PHILIP (AXIS)
2.BUENO FELIPE (DRYSDALE JJ)
3. MONNMA GILEBERTO (CARLOS TOYOTA)
BASSO RODRIGO (OGAWA HEKINAN)

MARROM / MASTER / LEVE

1.MATSUOKA MARCIO TERERE
2.YUTAKA SENDA (TEAM LEGNUM)
3.SHIMIZO JOHNNY (TANI TEAM)
AZUMA YOSHIKAZU (TEAM LEGUNUM)

MARROM / MASTER / MEDIO

1. TAKIZAWA KEISUKE (KOWLOON BJJ)
2. BUENO FLAVIO (GRACIE BARRA YAMANASHI)
3. SASAHARA FILHO (GRACIE BARRA HUMAITA)

MARROM / MASTER / MEIO-PESADO

1. JASON ROEBIG (AXIS AUSTRALIA)
2. MITSUNAGA GERSON (TOKAI BRAZILIAN JIU-JISTU)
3. BASSO RODRIGO(OGAWA HEKINAN)
PRADO FERNANDO (GRACIE BARRA YAMANASHI)

MARROM / SENIOR / PLUMA

1.SHIGENORI SUSUKI (PUREBRED – ARENA)
2. KUNO TOMOHIRO (TANI TEAM)

MARROM / SENIOR / MEDIO

1. ITO HIEYUKI(TEAM LEGNUM)
2. MARCELO IWASAKI (GRACIE BARRA FUJI)
3. LOPES CHUMACERO (CUNHA JIU-JITSU TEAM)

ROXA / ADULTO / GALO

1. YOJI TSURUMAKI (AXIS)
2. KOUTAROU MATSUMOTO (GRIP JIU-JITSU TEAM)
3. LEE SANGSU (TRUST JIU-JITSU ACADEMY)

ROXA / ADULTO / PLUMA

1. YUTA KUWAHARA (ALIVE)
2. CHOI KYU HWAN (KOREA BJJ)
3. YOUICHI MURASE (AXIS)
JONATHAS SAKATA (GRACIE BARRA AICHI)

ROXA / ADULTO / PENA

1. RICARDO VICENTE YAGI (JAWS JIU-JITSU)
2. KENGO IKUTA (TRUST JIU-JITSU ACADEMY)
3. CARLOS KIMURA (TOKAI BJJ)
LEE HEE TAE (KOREA BJJ)

ROXA / ADULTO / LEVE

1. ROBERTO SATOSHI (BONSAI JIU-JITSU JAPAN)
2. MITSUHARU MIYAHARA (BUSHIDO JIU-JITSU)
3. YOSHIHIKO NAKAYAMA (JAWS JIU-JITSU)
HIDEAKI TAINAKA (TANI TEAM)

ROXA / ADULTO / MEDIO

1. LEANDRO KUSSANO (OGAWA HEKINAN)
2. HUDSON ALAN MOKI (ACAO JIU-JITSU)
3. HENRIQUE DOMINGUES (ACAO JIU-JITSU)
RENDERSON KURAHARA (TENSAI JIU-JITSU)

ROXA / ADULTO / MEIO-PESADO

1. RANGEL YAMAGUCHI (GRACIE BARRA FUJI)
2. ADRIANO MAGALHAES (ACAO JIU-JITSU)
3. RODRIGO FUJITA (DAMM FIGHT JAPAN)
FABIO SUGAWARA (INFIGHT JAPAN)

ROXA / ADULTO / SUPER-PESADO

1. ELIOT KELLY (BUSHIDO JIU-JITSU)
2. TETSUYA UCHIYAMA (JAWS JIU-JITSU)

ROXA / ADULTO / PESADISSIMO

1. YUJIRO NAKAMURA (GRACIE HUMAITA JAPAN)
2. PEDRO TOMIKAWA (CARLOS TOYOTA BJJ)
3. WELLINTON MANDUCO (CARLOS TOYOTA BJJ)

ROXA / ADULTO / ABSOLUTO

1. RANGEL YAMAGUCHI (GRACIE BARRA FUJI)
2. ELIOT KELLY (BUSHIDO JIU-JITSU)
3. FABIO SUGAWARA (INFIGHT JAPAN)
LEANDRO KUSSADO (OGAWA HEKINAN)

ROXA / MASTER / GALO

1. SHIGERU TAGUCHI (NOVA UNIAO JAPAN)
2. MAKOTO KAJIWARA (GRABAKA)

ROXA / MASTER / PLUMA

1. TAKEHITO KOIWA (PARAESTRA – CHIBA)
2. ADILSON FERREIRA (FIGHTING SPIRIT)
3. LEANDRO NUNOMURA (GRACIE BARRA AICHI)

ROXA / MASTER / PENA

1. CARLOS KAZUO KIHARA (GRACIE OCEANIA TEAM JAPAN)
2. SERGIO SAITO (GRACIE BARRA FUJI)
3. ANTONIO JOSE RAMOS DA SILVA (OGAWA HEKINAN)

ROXA / MASTER / LEVE

1. ITSUNARI MINAMI (TEAM LEGNUM)
2. FERNANDO FERREIRA (OGAWA HEKINAN)
3. EIJI AMANO (AXIS)
DOUGLAS SANTOS (ROCHA JIU-JITSU)

ROXA / MASTER / MEDIO

1. SYOUJI KATAGIRI (BUSHIDO JIU-JITSU)
2. MURILO MAEKAWA (TANI TEAM)
3. TAKASHI KITAKAWA (TANI TEAM)
KAZUSHI NAKAMURA (ICHIKEN TOYOHASHI BJJ)

ROXA / MASTER / MEIO-PESADO

1. HENRY STASIUKIEWICZ (AXIS)
2. WELSON MITSUAKI HAGUIHARA (PITBULL FEROZ – ANIMAL TEAM)

ROXA / MASTER / PESADO

1. MARCUS ABE (JAWS JIU-JITSU)
2. KENICHI HIROSE (DOJO MUGEN)
3. JAIR GOMES (CARLOS TOYOTA BJJ)

ROXA / SENIOR / PLUMA

1. TAKAYUKI SIMA (TEAM LEGNUM)
2. HIROYUKI ITAKURA (KO SHOOTO GYM)
3. EISAKU KAWAMURA (PARAESTRA –CHIBA)

ROXA / SENIOR / PENA

1. KAZUYUKI KONDO (GRACIE BARRA YAMANASHI)
2. KOUITI KAMITANIDA (NEWAZA WORLD – SAKURAJIMA)
3. KOUICHI MATSUO (GRABAKA)

ROXA / SENIOR / LEVE

1. ALESSANDRO NAGAISHI (AXIS SAITAMA – TC)
2. MARCIO NAKAMURA (SHONAN BJJ)
3. KOJI NISHIMOTO (SHIMADA JIU-JITSU)

ROXA / SENIOR / MEDIO

1. THOMAS SCHINAMAN (AXIS)
2. FUMIHIRO NAGAO (PARAESTRA – GIFU)
3. ORESTES KOTONA (GRACIE HUMAITA JAPAN)
YUICHI NAGAHAMA (RED SHARK)

ROXA / FEMININO / PENA

1. JOSEFINA VIEIRA (CARLOS TOYOTA BJJ)
2. KIM JUNG HEE (KOREA BJJ)

AZUL / ADULTO / ABSOLUTO

1. FAISAL AL KITBI (EMIRATES BJJ TEAM)
2. SINNOSUKE TANAKA (AXIS ICHINOMIYA)
3. EDUARDO SAKAMOTO (TOKAI BJJ)
ALAN YAMANIHA (TOKAI BJJ)

AZUL / ADULTO / GALO

1. SHUN KINOSHITA (TEAM BARBOSA JAPAN)
2. TETSUHITO MAENOSONO (ALIVE)
3. ADRIANO CORREIA (BLACK BELT JIU-JITSU)
HIROSHI OCHIDA (AXIS CHIBA)

AZUL / ADULTO / PLUMA

1. ALAN YAMANIHA (TOKAI BJJ)
2. TAREQ AL KITBI (EMIRATES BJJ TEAM)
3. YOSHIHISA SUZUKI (GAKUNANJIUKU)
YUKI KUSHIDA (AXIS)

AZUL / ADULTO / PENA

1. MOHAMAD NASSER AL QUBAISI (EMIRATES BJJ TEAM)
2. SHINJI MAEGUTI (NASCER DO SOL)
3. KOUTARO NORO (NEX)
MASAHIRO SAWAZAKI (AXIS)

AZUL / ADULTO / LEVE

1. KYOSUKE YOKOYAMA (AXIS YOKOHAMA)
2. ELTON HOSHIHARA (SHONAN BJJ)
3. MASAZUMI MIYABE (NASCER DO SOL)
YOSHIHIRO HIRAMA (ALIVE)

AZUL / ADULTO / MEDIO

1. ANDERSON TAKAHASHI (ROCHA TOYOKAWA)
2. SHINICHI HAYAHI (AXIS CHIBA)
3. JULIO CESAR CHIKAMI (BUSHIDO JIU-JITSU)
YUKI HIROTA (BARBOSA JAPAN TOKYO)

AZUL / ADULTO / MEIO – PESADO

1. HIROTAKA MATSUNAMI (TEAM LEGNUM)
2. ANDERSON SATO (KBT TIGERS JIU-JITSU)
3. ALI AL MENHALI (EMIRATES BJJ TEAM)
RI HYONGGI (ALIVE)

AZUL / ADULTO / PESADO

1. FAISAL AL KITBI (EMIRATES BJJ TEAM )
2. LUCAS TANI (EXTREME BARBOSA)
3. EDUARDO SAKAMOTO (TOKAI BJJ)

AZUL / ADULTO / PESADISSIMO

1. RENATO HAYASHI (TANI TEAM)
2. AL MENHALI MOHAMAD (EMIRATES BJJ TEAM)
3. KENICHI NIWA (GRACIE OCEANIA JAPAN KOMONO)

AZUL / MASTER / PLUMA

1. KOJI HIKOSAKA (ICHIKEN TOYOHASHI BJJ)
2. KOUJI OKUBO (ALIVE)
3. KAZUTO KANEKO (TRIAL AND ERROR)
HIROKI OWA (AXIS CHIBA)

AZUL / MASTER / PENA

1. AKIRA HIGUCHI (NASCER DO SOL)
2. HIROKUNI ITO (ACAO JIU-JITSU)
3. FUMIO INABA (AXIS YOKOHAMA)

AZUL / MASTER / LEVE

1. HIROMICHI ISHIKAWA (UNPLUGGED KOKUBUNJI)
2. YOSHITAKA YAMAZAKI (RED SHARK)
3. AKIRA HARA (TEAM LEGNUM)
TAKASHI MURATA (AXIS)

AZUL / MASTER / MEDIO

1. GILSOMAR HIGA (TANI TEAM)
2. YASUYUKI SATOKAWA (KO SHOOTO GYM)
3. ATSUNORI ADACHI (GRAPPLING SHOOT BOXERS)
EDIVALDO DOS SANTOS (JAWS JIU-JITSU)

AZUL / MASTER / MEIO-PESADO

1. JOSE SANTOS (PITBULL FEROZ-ANIMAL TEAM)
2. TETSUYA SAKAI (PUREBRED – KYOTO)
3. ANTHONY CROWE (INFIGHT JAPAN)

AZUL / MASTER / PESADISSIMO

1. SINNOSUKE TANAKA (AXIS ICHINOMIYA)
2. HELENTON MATSUBARA (TOKAI BJJ)

AZUL / SENIOR / GALO

1. TAKESHI SANBE (GRABAKA)
2. KOJI HATTORI (CUNHA JIU-JITSU TEAM)
3. MITSUOMI TANAKA (KO SHOOTO GYM)

AZUL / SENIOR / PLUMA

1. RICHARD CERRUTO (AXIS)
2. RYOSUKE OSHIMA (TRIAL AND ERROR)
3. YUKIO KOBAYASHI (AXIS GUNMA)
NOBUO TAKENAKA (TEAM LEGNUM)

AZUL / SENIOR / PENA

1. SHINICHIRO NAGATOMO (AXIS YOKOHAMA)
2. MINORU YAMADA (AXIS)

AZUL / SENIOR / LEVE

1. RYOJIRO SANO (AXIS YOKOHAMA)
2. HIDEKI YUDAN (AXIS)
3. TATSUYA TAKAHASHI (TRIAL AND ERROR)
WILSON KIKU (GRACIE BARRA YAMANASHI)

AZUL / SENIOR / MEDIO

1. CRITHIANO KAWAMURA (GRACIE BARRA FUJI)
2. EDSON DA SILVA GRIGOLETTO (TOKAI BJJ)
3. KOUTAROU NIIZEKI (AXIS YOKOHAMA)
KATSUYOSHI FUJII (FUKUZUMI JIU-JITSU)

AZUL / SENIOR / MEIO-PESADO

1. KAZUHIKO KAWAGUCHI (NEX)
2. RICARDO IZUMI (INFIGHT JAPAN)

AZUL / FEMININO / GALO

1. KAREN MELILLI (CUNHA JIU-JITSU TEAM)
2. LAURA TRAN (STRIKING GYM ARES)

AZUL / FEMININO / PLUMA

1. KAYO UEDA (AXIS CHIBA)
2. FUMIKA FUKUZUMI (FUKUZUMI JIU-JITSU)

AZUL / FEMININO / PENA

1. RIKAKO YUASA (POGONA CLUB GYM)
2. AYAKA HAMASAKI (AACC)
3. ISABELLE SOUZA (GRACIE BARRA AICHI)
SHIRLEINE TAKAKI (OGAWA HEKINAN)

AZUL / FEMININO / LEVE

1. KINUKA SASAKI (ALIVE)
2. CARLA MATSUMOTO (DE LA RIVA JAPAN)

AZUL / FEMININO / PESADO

1. VANESSA SAIKI (ALIVE)
2. NAIARA OLIVEIRA SHIGUEURA (TANI TEAM)

AZUL / FEMININO / ABSOLUTO

1. KINUKA SASAKI (ALIVE)
2. KAYO UEDA (AXIS CHIBA)

BRANCA / ADULTO / ABSOLUTO

1. RYOHI ARAI (BONSAI JIU-JITSU JAPAN)
2. HIDEKI SEKINE (BONSAI JIU-JITSU JAPAN)
3. FANF HONG YA (ALAVANCA)
EDSON SAIKI (GRACIE BARRA YAMANASHI)

BRANCA / ADULTO / GALO

1. KANAME MORI (NASCER DO SOL)
2. PHILIPE SANTOS (GRACIE BARRA AICHI)
3. CAIQUE YAMASHITA (JAWS JIU-JITSU)
TADAYUKI HIROSUE (KO SHOOTO GYM)

BRANCA / ADULTO / PLUMA

1. BRUNO PRADO (EXTREME BARBOSA)
2. TOSHINOBU SHIOYA (NASCER DO SOL)
3. FABIO NAGAI (BONSAI JIU-JITSU JAPAN)
ISSAMY TOMIMATSU (INFIGHT JAPAN)

BRANCA / ADULTO / PENA

1. TAKUJI KOBAYASHI (NEW GROUND)
2. KAZUHITO NISHIMURA (RB ACADEMY)
3. HIROYUKI HARA (NASCER DO SOL)
TSUYOSHI MORIKAGE (GAKUNANJIUKU)

BRANCA / ADULTO / LEVE

1. HIDEKI KISIMOTO (TEAM LEGNUM)
2. SHUNSUKE NAKAYAMA (NASCER DO SOL)
3. MARCELO ARAKI (EXTREME BARBOSA)
RODRIGO MARTINS (ROCHA – OKAZAKI)

BRANCA / ADULTO / MEDIO

1. DANILO MIYAZAKI (BONSAI JIU-JITSU JAPAN)
2. MASATO FUKUI (BONSAI JIU-JITSU JAPAN)
3. KENSUKE SAITOU (FUKUZUMI JIU-JITSU)
MASAO SHIMIZU (ALIVE)

BRANCA / ADULTO / MEIO-PESADO

1. KAZUFUMI KIMURA (GRAPPLING SHOOT BOXERS)
2. AL NEAIMI FAHAD (EMIRATES BJJ TEAM)
3. RYOHEI ARAI (BONSAI JIU-JITSU JAPAN)

BRANCA / ADULTO / PESADO

1. CARLOS YOSHITAKA (SHONAN BJJ)
2. RAFAEL LIMA GUIMARAES (EXTREME BARBOSA)
3. GIOVANI SAGA DOS SANTOS (TANI TEAM)
TATSUO NAKAYAMA (NOVA UNIAO JAPAN)

BRANCA / ADULTO / SUPER-PESADO

1. FAISAL AHMED (EMIRATES BJJ TEAM)
2. MARCOS IGUCHI (PITBULL FEROZ-ANIMAL TEAM)

BRANCA / ADULTO / PESADISSIMO

1. ISAIAS ROMAO (GRACIE BARRA YAMANASHI)
2. GLAUCO WILLIAN (CARLOS TOYOTA BJJ)
3. THIAGO HORIKAWA (CARLOS TOYOTA BJJ)

BRANCA / MASTER / GALO

1. TERUAKI NANAMI (RED SHARK)
2. TETSUO MORI (NEX)

BRANCA / MASTER / PLUMA

1. MICHEL NISHIHARA (DE LA RIVA JAPAN)
2. LUCIANO KONIMI (SHONAN BJJ)
3. KAZUYOSHI KURAMOCHI (KO SHOOTO GYM)
MANABU TANAKA (NASCER DO SOL)

BRANCA / MASTER / PENA

1. ANDERSON SAITO (SEKITANI GOLD TEAM)
2. TAKASHI KUWABARA (SHONAN BJJ)
3. KAZUHUMI SUZUKI (KO SHOOTO GYM)
DIONES MORISAWA (STRIKING GYM ARES)

BRANCA / MASTER / LEVE

1. DAIGORO SHIINO (SHIMADA JIU-JITSU)
2. YUUTETSU ISHIKAWA (SHONAN BJJ)
3. TARCISIO FERREIRA (ROCHA JIU-JITSU)

BRANCA / MASTER / MEDIO

1. HUMBERTO POVOA (EXTREME BARBOSA)
2. GERARD WILLIAM (BLACK BELT JIU-JITSU)
3. OTAVIO KOBAYAKAWA (TENSAI JIU-JITSU)

BRANCA / MASTER / MEIO-PESADO

1. FERNANDO HIRANO (TOKAI BJJ)
2. ALESSANDRO MORINO (AXIS SAITAMA-TC)
3. SHOJI HARADA (TRSUT JIU-JITSU)

BRANCA / SENIOR / PLUMA

1. YUSHIN TAKEUCHI (AXIS CHIBA)
2. MITSUKI NAGATA (BUSHIDO JIU-JITSU)
3. JUNICHIRO HONJO (NEX)

BRANCA / SENIOR / PENA

1. DILSON SILVA (CARLOS TOYOTA BJJ)
2. KITANI YOSHINOBU (ROCHA TOYOKAWA)
3. TAKESHI ANDO (TEAM LEGUNUM)

BRANCA / SENIOR / LEVE

1. KAZUKI TAKAOKA (GRACIE HUMAITA JAPAN)
2. CELSO YOSHIDA (CARLOS TOYOTA BJJ)
3. KAZUO YASUNAGA (AXIS SAITAMA-TC)

BRANCA / SENIOR / MEDIO

1. FANF HONG YA (ALAVANCA)
2. LANDOSTENO VALGAS (TOKAI BJJ)

BRANCA / SENIOR / MEIO-PESADO

1. MARCIO ZANCHIN (CARLOS TOYOTA BJJ)
2. JUNIOR MEDEIROS (CARLOS TOYOTA BJJ)

BRANCA / SENIOR / PESADISSIMO

1. MARCOS OSHIRO (TOKAI BJJ)
2. MATUO TOKUYAMA (TANI TEAM)

BRANCA / FEMININO / PLUMA

1. NAMI MATSUMURA (RB ACADEMY)
2. YUKA IWAMA (FUKUZUMI JIU-JITSU)
3. ANDREA HOSOE (OGAWA HEKINAN)

BRANCA / FEMININO / PENA

1. KAROL ROSSI (GRACIE BARRA AICHI)
2. LUANA NISHIOKA (AXIS)
3. ASUKA NIIHEI (AZ SUIDOBASHI)

BRANCA / FEMININO / LEVE

1. KATIA KANASHIRO (EXTREME BARBOSA)
2. VANESSA TAWARA (OGAWA HEKINAN)
3. NORIKO HARADA (SAKADO TC)

BRANCA / FEMININO / MEDIO

1. KANAKO MORI (GRAPPLING SHOOT BOXERS)
2. CRISTIANE MAKIYAMA (OGAWA HEKINAN)

BRANCA / FEMININO / ABSOLUTO

1. CRISTIANE MAKIYAMA (OGAWA HEKINAN)
2. VANESSA TAWARA (OGAWA HEKINAN)
3. LUANA NISHIOKA (AXIS)
NORIKO HARADA (SAKADO TC)

HONG KONG: KUNG FU FESTIVAL W/ THOMAS FAN

Although this is not a BJJ/Grappling event, there will be a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu demonstration put on by Kylin Jiu-Jitsu's own Thomas Fan at the Hong Kong International Kung Fu Festival. For thos interested in tickets, please contact Thomas at kylinbjj@gmail.com.

DATE: July 25, 2009
LOCATION: HK International Trade & Exhibition Centre

SEMINARS!!!

Kian Pham will be traveling from Australia to put on an MMA seminar at Fightworks Asia this coming July 4th. Check out: WWW.KARNAGE.TV


Fabio Leopoldo, a Renzo Gracie Fighter, a 3-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion, and an IFL professional MMA fighter, will be coming to Evolve to train Muay Thai under the Sityodtong team. Fabio holds a 2nd Degree Black Belt under Carlos Gracie Jr.

Where: Evolve Mixed Martial Arts
Date: Saturday July 18
Time: 1230pm to 330pm
Fee: $40 for Evolve members and $80 for non-Evolve members.(SGD)

SHOUT-OUT + RICKSON CUP PICS

A big shout-out to Taki-san from Kowloon Jiu-Jitsu who recently took gold in the brown-belt medio category at the Rickson Cup this past weekend at the Hamamatsu Arena in Shizuoka, JP. Also be sure to check out SAMULIME.BLOGSPOT from this past weekend by Kei.

SEABJJ SHIRT-SIGHTINGS: SINGAPORE & JAPAN!

SINGAPORE:
Omer wanted to extend his appreciation to Gordinho and Setsuma at EVOLVE MMA for three days of great training with the following pic.

(Omer is sporting the SEABJJ shirt)

TOKYO:
Kei from Kowloon Jiu-Jitsu (HK) is rocking the Tinguinha seminar shirt while visiting/training at Academia Az with Wado-sensei.

ZEAL: GOLD-WEAVE BJJ GI (A4)

'LOCAL GEAR REVIEW' is a segment on BJJ-ASIA where products based in Southeast Asia are tested and reviewed. The review reflects the views of the tester and acknowledges differing opinions due to experience, preference and body-type. Comments and questions are always welcome. The aim of these reviews is to promote local companies that support the growing community of bjj/grappling/mma practitioners in Southeast Asia. -Luke
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BRAND: Zeal Fight Gear
WEBSITE: www.zealfightgear.com
KIMONO: Zeal Gold-Weave Gi (white, size A4)
RETAIL: 140.00SGD ($96.39 USD)

TESTER'S STATS:
HEIGHT: 5'10" (175cm)
WEIGHT: 200 lbs. (90kg)


OVERVIEW The Zeal brand was introduced to me sometime last year with their promotion of bjj/grappling tournaments in Singapore. It wasn't until a couple of months ago that I was able to receive the gi and test it myself. Above is the photo taken from the website with sizes ranging from A1-A4 in white and black. The gi is minimal in decoration outside of the standard labels and two Zeal logos on either sleeve.GI-TOP: As you can see from the photo above, the gi is cut pretty straight with little to no taper in the body or sleeves. The stitching and reinforcement over the chest is something new compared to other major brands that I've owned/used in the past. This re-inforced chest area makes the top very tough but a touch constricting which I will comment on later. The lapel is thick, something closer between a Keiko and Atama which is something I prefer. The lapel measures at 1 3/4" wide and 1/3" thick. The gi when worn covers the entire chest area up to the collar bone.
PANTS: The gi-pants are pretty standard with heavy canvas, two loops for the draw-string which is made of the same material as the pants. The reinforced front starts from the very bottom to just above the mid-thigh area which is plenty. Again, very little to no taper or bend in the pants. Since it's a straight fit, there's plenty of room for movement but since the material is heavy canvas, there isn't much bunching when playing open guard and doesn't slip past the calf. The crotch area is a tad baggy.


CONSTRUCTION/MATERIAL The gi is very well constructed with no loose seams or stray threads before and after washing. All the basic areas to be reinforced are there, such as: skirt, skirt-split, sleeves and armpit. The weave is as advertised, gold-weave, and probably closer to 750grams in fabric weight since it doesn't feel like a single-weave. The weave is tight and quite soft so no need for the rashguard on this one even after several washes.


PROPORTION/SHRINKAGEI made a drawing of the gi to show the seam lines and reinforced areas of the gi. Yes, I know it's very geeky of me but I think it helps to show the details of the gi. In red is the original measurements before washing and the green shows the measurements after several washes and training. There was no change in the length or width of the body of the gi but in the sleeves and pants there's an average of 2" to 3" shrinkage in length. As far as the width of the sleeves and pants the difference was only 0.5".

Typically I wear an A3 to A2 depending on the brand of gi and since this was an A4, I had my doubts whether I would be able to test this one out. Despite the larger size of the gi, I did have some trouble in the shoulder/back area. Mind you, I am built like a ninja-turtle which means thick-chested, broad-shoulders, short-stocky-legs. So while the gi-top still covered my entire body, exposing very little of my chest, I did not have 100% mobility in my shoulders. Not so much that I couldn't train but enough so that I was conscious of the gi while rolling. This tells me it's a very tailor-fit gi and more suitable for taller/slender bjjers. I have similar problems with Keiko gis. Length-wise, I can't comment so much because I know it's not the size I would have chosen but as a typical A3er, the sleeves were about 1" past my wrists when straight out. The pants, I need to roll them up at the cuff about 3x.

The sleeves are straight, so there is plenty of room for ezekiels and will most definitely pass IBJJF standards. The pants are straight, giving plenty of room for open-guard. This does give more material to grap in the knee area and just above the elbow but better to grab material than skin, haha. Because of the coverage the gi has, it is difficult to come undone for brabo-chokes or other lapel-chokes/holds, provided you belt stays tied.

(added after initial post) Besides the tight shoulder area, the armpit is cut a bit high which I think is also partly responsible for the mobility issue. It's one of the elements that you're conscious of when rolling in the gi.


TRAINING/COMMENTS
As far as the quality of material and construction are concerned this gi is right up there with the name brand gis. I can't see any production flaws after several weeks of use and washing. It really comes down to personal preference and fit. It's definitely not a summer-gi which makes it a bit tough for tropical weather training but would make for a good competition gi in my opinion. I train regularly with HCK gis which are very heavy but have gotten used to it so it may not be an issue for some. The one draw-back that I have with the gi is the fit around the shoulders and upper back but that's a conflict with my body-type and the style of gi. Zeal has other gis in their line of products but I believe this one is probably the strongest candidate for BJJ.

Would like to thank Zeal for allowing BJJ-ASIA to test their product and share my thoughts on the gi with the community. -Luke

EVOLVE MMA: IGOR GRACIE

Latest news from EVOLVE MMA:Igor Gracie comes to Evolve

Igor Gracie, one of Renzo Gracie's Black Belt instructors, is coming to Evolve in August to train Muay Thai under the Sityodtong Team as well as to teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with his long-time mentor and friend, Gordinho.

Igor will be the second member of the legendary Gracie family to visit Evolve. Renzo Gracie visited Evolve for its Grand Opening and also gave a special seminar in January 2009. Other well-known members of the Gracie family will be coming to train and to teach at Evolve in the future as well.

A professional MMA fighter, Igor Gracie is a Black Belt under Carlos Gracie Jr.

TECHNIQUE: YEAR 1 (SIDE-MOUNT ESCAPE)

Here is our 2nd addition from the 'year 1' series by Aaron Le Boutillier. -Luke

SEABJJ T-SHIRT IN TOKYO!!!

Again from the man on the move, Ofer reports to us from Tokyo, Japan where he had the chance to train at Tri-Force Jiu-Jitsu (Kojimachi). Check it out and thanks Ofer for representing! -LukeHi to all gi lovers,

Another "travel training" comment this time from Tokyo - japan! Went to the TRIFORCE gym at kojimachi for the third time. This is a small warm place with a family atmosphere and with open mat sessions almost every night after the training for late comers. The leader coach was not at Tokyo at the time but a very talented purple belt was the instructor replacement. The training was interesting and fun, highly recommended.

DOMO ARIGATO HUS !

OFER
- the traveling gentleman

6TH ANNUAL BJJ/GRAPPLING TOURNAMENT: TAIPEI, TW (07.25-26)

The 6th Annual Taiwan BJJ/Grappling Tournament is looking to be another hilight on the tournament calendar. Be sure to check out the tournament info and online registration with the links below. Remember, this year's tournament there will be VIP guests Baret Yoshida and Andy Wang, both of whom are competing in the elite no-gi divisions.

+UPDATE:
Jason Bukich and Makoto Ogasawara are confirmed to compete in the elite no-gi division as well. Daniel Charles is TBA (Macau BJJ)

TOURNAMENT INFO

ONLINE REGISTRATION

HONG KONG: INTRA-CLUB COMPETITION RESULTS!

Taken from SAMULIME.BLOGSPOT. Great to see more collaborative events -Luke

Galo

1. Lau Kwok Ming (HK JJ)
2. Thomas (KLN BJJ)

Pluma
1. Hubert Ling (KONTACT)
2. Eagle (GB HK)

Pena
1. Leung (HK JJ)
2. Gary (HK JJ)

Levi
1. Leland Lim (KONTACT)
2. George (HK JJ)

Medio
1. David Faver (GB HK)
2. Ng Wai Fung (HK JJ)

Meio-Pessado
1. Victor (Kylin BJJ)
2. Vince (KLN BJJ)

Pessado
1. Ken (KLN BJJ)

Absolute
1. Marcus (GB HK)
2. Leung (HK JJ)

Blue :
Levi
1. Luis (Macau BJJ)
2. Daniel (KONTACT)

Medio
1. Nicholas LeConte (M.A.R.C)
2. Brian (GB HK)

Meio-Pessado
1. Graham (Kylin BJJ)
2. Chang Ming Pang (HK JJ)

Pessado
1. Bryan Wynn (Macau BJJ)
2. Jo Bernie (KONTACT)

Super-Pessado
1. Dean Thompson (Kylin BJJ)

Absolute
Bryan Wynn (Macau)
Nicholas LeConte (M.A.R.C)

P.R.O. FIGHTING: TAIPEI, TW

The weekend before last, the Pacific Rim Organized (PRO) Fighting debuted in Taiwan. Below is a recap of each fight sent to us by Gareth Griffiths. Make sure to check out the flickr account covering all the action. -Luke

PRO FIGHTING: AWAKENING (FLICKR)

--------------------------------------------------
Pacific Rim Organized (PRO) Fighting Debuts In TaiwanPRO Fighting held its first event this past Sunday June 14 at the Luxy Nightclub in Taipei, Taiwan. An enthusiastic crowd witnessed some good fights featuring Taiwanese and overseas fighters. PRO Fighting, the second organisation looking to boost the popularity of mixed martial arts on the island, aims to hold its second event in the fall.

Match #1: Ming Chen Han def. Lee Shang Shun by arm triangle 1:12 in the 1st. Ming took Lee down very early in the round with a big slam and moved easily into side control. Once he applied the hold, Lee had no choice but to tap.

Match #2: Pan Wen Zhan def. Lee Chen Han due to referee stoppage early in the 2nd. Pan took Lee down a number of times in the early part of the first round with some big slams. Pan was disinclined to follow Lee to the mat, much to the vocal surprise of those in attendance. Eventually, the two did engage on the ground, and the round ended with Lee on Pan's back. Early in the second, Pan landed a big right uppercut to Lee's left eye. Lee was reluctant to continue, forcing the referee to step in and call a stop to the fight.

Match #3: Owa def. Pan Wen Shi by triangle choke late in the 1st round. Despite sustaining a cut over the left eye - which had the medical staff in attendance busy for a spell - Owa pulled off a good victory in a fight which had action both standing and on the ground.

Match #4: Ye Mu Han def. Ho Yi Hen by rear naked choke with 1 second remaining in the 1st round. The two heavyweights slugged it out for much of the first round, with shots which missed as often as they found their mark. Both fighters had dominant positions at one point or another on the ground, and it was unfortunate for Ho, who broke his thumb during the fight, that he couldn't hold on for the end of the round, the horn sounding moments after he tapped.

Match #5: (Fight of the Night) Andrei Liu def. Zhang Jing Xiong by judges split decision. In close fight, Taiwan BJJ And Taiwan Muay Thai's Andre Liu won his second consecutive fight by judges decision against a much-improved Zhang. The first round seemed to belong to Liu, and the second to Zhang. The third was probably the closest round, and could've gone either way.It was Liu who finished the fight in a dominant position, landing strikes from inside Zhang's guard.

Match #6: Nick Leconte def. Zhong Rei Fong in the middle of round 1 by kimura. Leconte, who made the trip from Korea for this fight, kept his cool against the powerful Zhong in a display of, in his own words, "BJJ 101". After taking Zhong down early in the round, Leconte found himself in an attempted guillotine choke. While Zhong squeezed, Leconte worked patiently at escaping, eventually getting side control. Immobilising Zhong by trapping his left arm and head in an upside down triangle, Leconte quickly finished the fight with a kimura on Zhong's right arm.

Match #7: Jason Bukich def. Lee Zhi Fong with a rear naked choke @ 55 secs. in the 1st round. The final fight of the night saw the incredibly popular BJJ black belt and coach Jason Bukich take on Taiwanese Olympian judoka Lee Zhi Fong. After some very brief striking, Bukich took Lee's back and secured a tight standing rear naked choke. Lee, in a last-ditch effort to rid himself of the impending loss of consciousness, flung himself backwards onto the mat. This was to no avail, and Lee tapped immediately to give the magnanimous and humble Bukich the victory.

Gareth Griffiths & Royal Chiou

NIKO HAN ON FIGHTWORKSPODCAST

Be sure to check out the recent interview with Niko Han, Synergy Jiu-Jitsu black-belt, on the THEFIGHTWORKSPODCAST online-radio show. -Luke
...From there Dan’s interviews take us to Indonesia, with Niko Han. Niko has been the pioneer in bringing Brazilian jiu-jitsu to his corner of the world and is now a black belt. We will hear all about the interesting passage of BJJ to Indonesia from Niko himself.

SEABJJ SHIRT-SIGHTING & EVOLVE MMA COMMENTARY

Here's some commentary from a teammate that is always on the road. While work keeps him busy he still manages to find time to train at various schools and most recently he had a chance to stop by EVOLVE MMA. -LukeHi to all BJJ Addicts,

During my last visit to Singapore I tried for the first time the new Evolve MMA gym. It was highly recommended by a friend that trains there - especially the world class instructor - Rafael "Gordinho" Correa de Lima -".

First of all the hospitality was very open, with a big smile and a real martial arts atmosphere. Rafael is a very relaxed and professional instructor that focused both on technique and cardio - I don't remember even a water break during the advanced bjj group training!

Rafael and evolve are building a strong group empathizing attendance and long term training - and the price is parallel. If you want to train with the best and be the best, for my opinion, this is the place in Singapore.

Hoping to see the evolve guys in Bangkok open this upcoming September.

-OFER

SYNERGY JIU-JITSU: CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Synergy Jiu-Jitsu has moved to a new location in Bali. Don't miss out if you are in the area to train with BJJ black-belt, Niko Han. -Luke

Synergy Jiu-Jitsu Academy
Jl. Nakula,
Kawan Mini Market 2nd Floor
Kuta - Bali

Schedule: MWF 17.30 – 19.30

ALL LOCATIONS:

BALI

Synergy Bali
Jl. Nakula
Kawan Mini Market 2nd Floor
Kuta
Schedule: MWF 17.30 – 19.30
Instructor: Niko Han
Hp. +62.856.1808804
Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:hardiankristiady@yahoo.com" nikohan@gmail.com


BANDUNG

Jl. Cisatu II No.12A
Cimbuleuit
Schedule: WF 18.30 – 20.00
Instructor: Budi Wibowo
Hp. +62.819.32170779
Email: mitsu_bw@yahoo.com

Synergy D'Groove
Jl. Soekarno Hatta No.27.
Schedule: TTH 19.30 – 22.00 & SAT 10.00 – 12.30
Instructor: Riko Suci Alam
Hp. +62.812.20190902
Email: kocilam@yahoo.com



JAKARTA - CENTRAL

Gold's Gym
Menteng Huis
Jl. Cikini Raya No.2-4
Menteng
Tel. +6221.39831855
Schedule: T 20.00 – 21.30, TH 19.00 – 20.30
Instructors: Hardian Kristiady
Hp. +62.856.8571617
Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:hardiankristiady@yahoo.com" hardiankristiady@yahoo.com


JAKARTA – NORTH

Ade Rai Fitness Center – Muara Karang
Muara Karang Block P3T/32
Jl. Pluit Karang Cantik
Pluit, Penjaringan
Tel. +6221.6617556
Schedule: MW 19.00 – 20.30
Instructor: Fransino Tirta
Hp. +62.815.9640058
Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:fransino_tirta@yahoo.com" fransino_tirta@yahoo.com

Ade Rai Fitness Center – Kelapa Gading
Wisma Gading Permai Apt. 5th Fl.
Kelapa Gading Boulevard
Kelapa Gading
Tel. +6221.45843686
Schedule: TF 20.00 – 21.30
Instructor: Max Metino
Hp. +62.812.1991119
Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:maxmetino@yahoo.com" maxmetino@yahoo.com

Lifespa Fitness Center
WTC Mangga Dua, 12th Fl.
Jl. Mangga Dua Raya No.8
Tel. +6221.30018833
Schedule: MTH 19.30 – 21.00
Instructor: Max Metino
Hp. +62.812.1991119
Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:maxmetino@yahoo.com" maxmetino@yahoo.com



JAKARTA - SOUTH

Synergy Cibubur
Complek Ruko Mansion Avenue No.62
Kota Wisata, Cibubur
Schedule: MWTH 19.15 – 21.00, Kids: 17.15 – 19.00
Instructor: Stanley Pesik
Hp.+62.817.783533
Email: fjpesik@yahoo.com

Synergy Cilandak
Jl. Terogong Raya No.14E
Cilandak
Schedule: MW 20.00 – 22.00
Instructor: Rolly Polandos/Doddy Lestyanto
Tel. +6221.99061471/+62.857.80976653
Email: spiderjujitsu@yahoo.com

Combined Martial Arts Academy
Ruko Tetrapak Building, 2nd Fl.,
Jl. Buncit Raya, Kav. 1
Warung Buncit
Schedule: TF 19.30 – 21.30
Instructor: Irwan Hermawan
Hp.+62.878.77096710
Email: synergy.hermawan@gmail.com

Grande Bodylife Fitness Center
Pasaraya Grande, Theater Building, 7th Fl. 
Jl. Iskandarsyah II No. 2
Kebayoran Baru
Tel. +6221.7263425
Schedule: TTH 19.30 – 21.30
Instructor: Fransino Tirta
Hp. +62.815.9640058
Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:fransino_tirta@yahoo.com" fransino_tirta@yahoo.com

Newbody Fitness Centre
Jl. Murai Raya No.1,
Sektor 1, Bintaro Jaya
Schedule: Tuesday 19.00 – 21.00, Friday 18.00 – 19.30
Instructor: Rolly Polandos/Doddy Lestyanto
Tel. +6221.99061471/+62.857.80976653
Email: spiderjujitsu@yahoo.com

Oceania Fitness Center
Hotel Bumi Karsa, 3rd Floor
Komplek Bidakara
Jl. Gatot Subroto Kav.71-73
Pancoran
Tel. +6221.83793555
Schedule: MW 20.00 – 21.30
Instructor: Bramono Lunardi
Hp. +62.816.1645546
Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:bramono.lunardi@gmail.com" bramono.lunardi@gmail.com

Permata Hijau Apartments (Kids Class)
Jl. Raya Permata Hijau, Blok B No.8
Permata Hijau
Schedule: MW 18.00 – 19.00
Instructors: Leo Krishna
Hp. +62.817.9111921
Email: leo_krishna87@yahoo.com


SOLO

PMS Building
Jl. Ir. Juanda No. 47
Warung Pelem
Tel. +6271.5814417
Schedule: TF 17.00 – 18.30
Instructor: Johan Mulia
Hp. +62.818.02522417
Email: hanjiujitsu@yahoo.co.id


SURABAYA

Atlas Sports Club
Dharmahusada Indah Barat III/64-66
Tel.+62315.961313
Schedule: MW 20.00 – 21.30
Instructors: Roy Kurniawan
Hp. +62.815.53013662
Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:earth1511@yahoo.com" earth1511@yahoo.com

TECHNIQUE: YEAR 1 (INTRO)

The latest addition to the techniques segment of BJJ-ASIA comes to us from Aaron Le Boutillier. I met Aaron over a year ago through a friend while he was on holiday in Bangkok. Over the course of a year I got know about Aaron's extensive background in martial arts, self-defense and security training. While his discipline is primarily in Wing Chun Kung Fu under the Kamon branch with Master Kevin Chan, Aaron has been practicing a variety of martial artists since the age of 16. It's only in the past year that he's taken a heavy interest in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and grappling but it's with a degree of focus that you don't see too often.

Aaron recently approached me about the notes he's kept over the past year about his training and what he's done for himself to maximize his learning from privates and group classes. I thought it a great opportunity to share what he's done and hopefully inspire others to take the similar steps in improving their ability to progress in jiu-jitsu. -Luke

From Aaron:

After a long history of Martial Arts training and many years of playing with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but only really a seminar here and a training session there, I decided after a chance meeting with Darryl Evanoff of Canada to commit one year to training to achieve a basic understanding of the system.

I catalogued the majority of drills, submission and escapes with brief notes for each photo. This was never designed to be a training aid but thought all you blue belts and above may enjoy reviewing some of the drills I have been through and may even bring back memories from your early days of training.

I throw this out there only in the hope that at least one person may see a photo or a drill and remind them of the importance of the basics to this system and jog the memory of a drill that has been forgotten over the course of time.

I am still far, far from understanding the complexities of this art but my passion for learning is matched only by my passion for sharing, so please enjoy and via this blog please feel free to offer extra foot notes or tips on how to improve a few of the techniques that I have learned to date.

None of this would have been possible without the following people, some of which were very brief but none the less have given me something to digest Darryl Evanoff for hours, days and months of personal tuition, in-depth explanation and of course friendship.

Professor Adam Shahir Kayoom for inspiration, friendship and fine tuning of technique that only he can do in his unique way.I will be posting a new addition from Aaron's collection of notes on techniques/drills each week.

ARTICLE: PROMOTIONS

In the last month or so there's been a lot of talk about online-grading and it got me thinking about what students and instructors expect from each other when it comes to this issue. I still believe there is a mystique to promotions as each school varies in their practice. Some are competition based while others provide tests with preset requirements for each belt. With the increasing amount of information and access to instructional DVDs, books and everyone's favorite youtube, the source of a student's education can be blurred.

While I am not offering any definitive answer to how things should be done, I would like to hilight some of the issues that are being discussed that may set one school apart from another. I do believe as the art/sport develop there will be a greater need for regulation and unified cooperation in order to maintain the quality of instruction, grading and credibility.

TABOO/MYSTIQUE
One of the elements that attracted me to BJJ was it's casual and sometimes informal nature. Not to say there was an absence of respect and tradition but it didn't feel as dogmatic as other martial arts. And in that absence there was a mystique in how you progressed from one belt to the next. While fellow students would remark that if you competed well and came regularly that it would set you on the right track but I noticed it wasn't always the case. Now the reasons could vary from anything from time, personality or investment. The point is I had no concrete idea but had faith my instructor knew best.

The subject never came up, there was never an outline of requirements on the school website or bulletin board. When I first started out I didn't know the difference between a blue and a purple-belt other than the purple typically dominated the blue (not always true). So it wasn't clear what I needed to accomplish other than to get better and beat and tap-out everyone at my belt-level. Now some schools offer stripes to distinguish levels within each belt and I had earned some stripes for tapping visitors that came in with a wrestler's background or looked to be physically tough. I tell you, those matches were not fun but in the end, if I proved to be a good soldier I got a stripe. So up to that point my understanding was that I had to win and not tap to my fellow white-belts and hunt the blues. Also my fear of seeming needy for affirmation kept me from asking the instructor what it took. It just didn't seem appropriate. While jiu-jitsu is a personal journey we can't help but compare ourselves to others. Whether it be in the club or at competition, we aim to out do our partner/opponent. So for several years this is what I knew.

Fast forward two years later in all honesty it started to get to me why others were promoted faster than myself while they didn't pose a particular threat to me or dominate me on the mat. I was still fearful of asking which only added to my confusion but in the end I just stopped caring about it. There was a tournament coming up and I was intent on destroying everyone in the white-belt division. By that point my white-belt was a nice grey/brown/yellow and wreaked to high-heaven. My dream of sandbagging the white-belt division came to a stop over a bowl of noodles. Just two weeks prior to the tournament, my coach at the time, promoted me to blue while eating dinner and that was that.

I get my blue-belt but couldn't articulate what was different about me at the time, if anything.

CRITERIA
From my personal experience thus far, promotions appeared to be based on performance both in the club and at tournaments. Over time I've come to realize it's a bit more complicated than just being a bad-ass on the mat and I think it's here is that each school begins to have their own (perhaps unspoken) criteria for each belt. I think it's another thing to point out that some schools are more articulate about teaching both technique/concepts so that each student has a micro/macro understanding of jiu-jitsu and no just a step-by-step memorization of techniques. Over time you come to understand them but whether the instructor has set a foundation for the students to learn directly or by experience alone is something to take note of.

Here are two references I'd like to put out there in regards to criteria and example of how jiu-jitsu can be articulated, Dave Camarillo and Roy Dean.

WWW.DAVECAMARILLO.COM (attitude, active, ability)
The link above goes to Camarillo’s Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu: The Three Principles, touching on the subject of criteria for promotion. Not so much an itemized list of moves but more so a guideline. I've been fortunate enough to train at AKA when visiting family in San Jose, CA and always leave with a better understanding on how to train jiu-jitsu both physically and mentally. Besides the technical instruction I notice there's an emphasis on attitude and how a student can appoach jiu-jitsu mentally which I find really interesting.

The second reference is from Roy Dean. Here, a purple-belt student performs a demonstration for his brown-belt. What I found interesting about this is that the demonstration is an elective and not a requirement. The student has already earned the promotion but is given the choice as to receiving the belt in class or after a demonstration. According to Dean, most opt for the demonstration. If you have a chance, take a moment to ready Roy Dean's article on being an uchideshi as an Aikido student. I think it illustrates a lot about the life of a martial artist and his path.

brown-belt demonstration at Roy Dean Academy: I think these are both excellent sources for how jiu-jitsu can be articulated in a manner that allows the student to fully realize their potential in more ways than the physical ability to perform technique or compete well.

CLUB-BELT VS COMPETITION-BELT
Coming back to performance, I do see a difference in what I'm sure most can understand as a 'club-blue' versus a 'competition-blue'. I'm referring to the difference between two persons with the same colored belt but with different attributes and abilities in the academy versus tournament. When it comes down to it one can be considered a regular guy who may or may not compete while the other is a beast in competition. One could be quite knowledgeable about technique but not the strongest competitor. The other can tap you every which way but couldn't tell you how he/she did it. It's all interchangeable but we can at least recognize there is a distinction between the two types given any color belt.

A very athletic person can win based on their attributes and a few key moves but when brought back to the academy, may not have the complete knowledge and understanding required of the next belt/level.

I don't believe that one is particularly better than the other nor do I think either should be favored exclusively. Earlier when I posted on the topic there was the statement that one type pays the bills while the other promotes the school's name. I believe there's some danger in this comment. It implies that the attraction and value of the school is based on the success of a few individuals (champions) but considering the personality/talent/discipline this person could potential be a champion at any other gym/academy. I think what will prevail is the quality of instruction and the ability for the instructor to nurture a community of students to be great examples and ambassadors of jiu-jitsu. Not every champion can teach and some are just blessed.

PERSONAL GOALS
All this talk about what it takes to be promoted, I think it only fair to ask yourselves what do you want out of all this. What do you hope to accomplish in your journey? What's the value of each level and accomplishment and how does this effect the way you see yourself?

I have a fulltime job which requires that I travel regularly throughout the year, I will be a father soon, I write this blog, I manage my own bjj academy, produce t-shirts and gear and I train jiu-jitsu as often as I can while teaching every Saturday morning. My goal in BJJ is to do this as much and as long as I physically can.

INSTRUCTOR/SCHOOL
What was it like for your instructor to get where he/she is now? In an interview with one of Rickson Gracie's top students, Luis “Limao” Heredia, he shared that he was a blue-belt for 6 years. 6 years! Without asking outright I think your instructor's story can give a lot of clues on what you can expect or contrary to.

SETTING AN EXAMPLE
The further we go in our journey the more we understand that it's not an easy one and I think it's safe to say that we all take pride in the fact that these things don't come easy. I think it's safe to say that when given the opportunity, we look to represent what we want each belt to be at its very best. It's a responsibility we hold to ourselves, to our instructors and to each other.

2009 THAILAND BJJ/GRAPPLING OPEN (09.19-20.2009)

Fellow Athletes,

The 2009 Thailand Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/ Submission Grappling Open is just 3 months away!

The team in Bangkok is working hard to put on another exciting event with the quality you have come to expect. In 2008 we had just under 200 competitors with all weight and belt-levels represented and we believe this year’s Thailand Open will be a highlight of the 2009 competition season. We have competitors from all over Asia, Europe, Bahrain and the USA returning to compete this year.

We are now updating our online-registration system and will make it active soon. The last day for online submission will be September 16th at 6pm Bangkok time. No walk-up entries will be accepted.

Our competition will be conducted under IBJJF rules http://www.ibjjf.org/rules.htm on Day 1 (Gi) and under ADCC rules http://www.bjj.eu.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=289 on Day 2 (No Gi). Please take some time to carefully read them. Please note that the weight classes in these documents will not be in effect. Our website is currently under construction (www.thailandbjj.com) but will be sure to alert when you when it is ready to check as it will have all the pertinent information regarding the tournament. Tentatively it is scheduled to be ready within the month.

Weigh-ins will be conducted in the morning on both days. If you are competing on both days of the competition, you will need to weigh in twice. Please plan on making weight. If you do not think you can make the weight class that you signed up for- you need to email us at thailandbjj@gmail.com BEFORE September 16th at 6pm Bangkok time and tell me what weight class you need to be placed in. Put "Weight Class Change" in the subject line of the email.

We will increase the number of trips for the shuttle bus to and from the tournament site to facilitate those that have a later competition-time or would like to return to their hotel early. The pickup and drop-off will be at the Golden Palace Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 1. The hotel has offered the same discounted rates as last year. If you're looking to book in advance, please contact mkt@goldenpalacehotel.com and CC to bjjasia@gmail.com with subject "BJJ competition".

Key Features of Our Competition Include-
• Expansive competition mat space covering more than240 square meters High quality
refereeing committed to protecting the safety of competitors
• First-aid support from an international hospital will be on hand
• Distinctive, presentation-grade medals and trophies
• First 100 competitors with paid registration will receive a custom-made rash guard
• Prizes for Most Technical fighter, Most Submissions and Absolute Champions
• A new line of BJJ/Grappling gear from Southeast Asia will be sponsoring this event with BJJ
gis and grappling shorts! • Great competition T-shirts & more
• Amateur MMA matches on Day 2 (No Gi)
• Entry fees waived for Brown and Black belt competitors
• Separate, private changing areas and clean bathrooms all weekend

It is going to be a great weekend full of top quality competition. Don't miss this exciting annual event and join us in Bangkok on September 19th & 20th. Spread the word and see you there.

TRAIN HARD-
BJJAT TEAM

TOURNAMENT LOCATION:
FUTURE MART
295 Rama 3, Rd Bangkorlam
10120 Bangkok Thailand

WEIGHT CLASSES: (same for both gi & no-gi)
under 60 KG
under 64 KG
under 70 KG
under 80 KG
under 90 KG
under 100 KG
over 100 KG

GI CATEGORIES:
white, blue, purple, brown, black

NO-GI CATEGORIES:
Novice: less than 2 years
Advance: more than 2 years
Elite: Purple-belt & up

TOURNAMENT FEES: (all fees for brown & black-belts are waived)
2-DAYS (ADULT) - 1500 BAHT
1-DAY (ADULT) - 1000 BAHT

2-DAYS (KIDS) -1000 BAHT
1-DAY (KIDS) - 700 BAHT

6TH ANNUAL BJJ/GRAPPLING TOURNAMENT: TAIPEI, TW (07.25-26)

FROM TAIWAN BJJ:

Hey guys,

I just want to let you guys know that Baret Yoshida has confirmed to come to Taiwan again for the elite grappling division. Brown and Black-Belts are welcome to enter in this division without fees.

Currently confirmed to compete in the open elite grappling division will be:

Baret Yoshida- undisputed

Andy Wang- undisputed/taiwan bjj

Jason Bukich - apex/ taiwan bjj

Makoto Ogasawara - taiwan bjj

This year, to promote more purple belts to compete, we will also be giving out prizes to purple-belt winners. Again a great chance for them to compete against other purple-belts without having to fly to japan or the US.

Thank you for helping us make this tournament a success.

Taiwan BJJ Academy,

Warren Wang

BJJ-ASIA:
2008 RECAP
2008 TOURNAMENT PICS

NEOFIGHT 12: RAY ELBE VS CHANG KOO LEE

Here's the latest from MMA Phuket's Ray Elbe. Having returned from the US, Ray is back in the ring doing what he does best. -Luke

from youtube:
Making a successful return to the ring after a disappointing loss on the UFC's Ultimate Fighter Season 9 reality TV show against Finalist Damarques Johnson, Elbe traveled across the world to compete in Seoul South Korea.

Facing rising Korean prosepct, Chang Koo Lee, Elbe was the Superfight for the Neofight 12 event. Going into the fight Chang Koo Lee had a 6 win, 1 loss MMA record and is a member of the Ansan BJJ team.

PLUMA WRAPPED IN A PESADO

I joke that in my mind's-eye I am not a big guy (198 lbs/90kg @ 5'10"/175cm tall) but in fact a pluma stuck in a pesado's body. There's no doubt I use my weight and strength to my advantage, especially with those that have equal skill and or attributes. You could ask me to stop using my strength and I would return and ask you not to be so fast, slow down so I can catch you. But that's not the point that I'm trying to make and it's not what's been on my mind lately. I've been spending a lot of time thinking about perspectives and how understanding both halves of a position is what allows you to see how they complement each other. Understanding both halves of the a position like knee-ride can give you the tools to execute and defend the situation properly. It's situations like these that are bringing me back to the fundamentals of jiu-jitsu and the concepts that govern success or failure. There is always someone bigger, stronger and faster but we're all functioning within the same set of physical limitations.

So in the process I've been easing up on my 'A' game when rolling and taking my time with a number of positions. Can't stay here forever but it's an interesting spot in my journey with things being more relaxed. Not sure if this makes sense but everything feels very open and loose right now in contrast to preparing for a tournament where there's little room for untested elements. I've also been warned not to get too complacent in just playing a certain position and to put equal emphasis on the transitions which I guess is part of the next step, connecting the pieces to create a larger sequence of possibilities.

Nothing ground breaking here but just thought I'd share a bit of what I've been working with. With the blog, upcoming tournaments, work, family and all it's nice to come back to something more personal and just mine. -Luke