RED BELT: MOVIE REVIEW

Taken from www.OnTheMat.com, a review of David Mamet's Red Belt. I had posted a while back Mamet's podcast interview on TheFightworksPodcast so if you haven't had a listen, be sure to visit the site or sign on as a itunes subscriber. by: Gumby

As an instructor, you come to realize that you cannot truly understand something until you have the ability to explain it someone else. In this way Red Belt, the new movie from Dave Mamet, is his attempt to explain to the masses what Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is.

A word of warning however: those of you expecting the Enter the Dragon or Karate Kid to spark a revolution in Jiu Jitsu enrollment, Red Belt is not that movie. Red Belt is essentially a drama with large amount of the back and forth dialogue Mamet is known for. The main theme is not so much Jiu Jitsu itself in that Jiu Jitsu is as much a metaphor for one man’s value system that not necessarily compatible with the world of today about him.

Since we here at OntheMat rarely do movie reviews, we feel compelled to talk about this film on two levels, first and foremost on how successful of a movie this is and secondly if the portrayal of Jiu Jitsu rings as authentic.

Knowing what I was getting into definitely helped my enjoyment of the movie; people I attended with who were expecting a more straight forward action picture were bound to be disappointed. There are certainly some intense action sequences but this is hardly the focal point of the movie.

The story centers around instructor owner Mike Terry (a great performance by Chiwetel Eliofor), a man dedicated to Jiu Jitsu and the concepts of old world principles and honor. While he has a handful of loyal students and is content with his program, he’s also barely making rent on his studio. Tradition versus commercialization is certainly a theme that can resonate with many activities, but it will particularly hit home with an audience of Jiu Jitsu enthusiasts. A chance encounter a shaky Laura Black and an accidental gunshot through the academy window sets off a series of events that will take Mike through the seedier elements of Hollywood and the world of Mixed Martial Arts, which he initially disdains. It’s an enjoyable ride, filled with a few surprising plot twists I won’t give away here culminating in a MMA tournament that doesn’t exactly go as everyone would have expected. The ending is bound to controversial from a few different perspectives, but it invites the viewer to make several conclusions on their own.

Throughout the movie Mamet uses his opportunities to showcase Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, most obviously in the action sequences, but more often in the teachings and the words of wisdom from Mike Terry. I can see instructors and students alike uttering lines like “there’s always an escape” and “I teach people to prevail, not to win” across academies. As a vehicle to promote Jiu Jitsu it may not necessarily excite the uninformed view into wanted to sign up with a local academy, but it will certainly give them a lot to think about and hopefully an appreciation of the art. People well versed in Jiu Jitsu may have a few new insights because of Red Belt as well.

The authenticity of the Jiu Jitsu in Red belt is high, and fans of the art will certainly enjoy recognizing many people who worked on the film. Randy Couture has a fairly substantial speaking role . John Machado has a big role in this movie as well (fair to mention he had a starring role in his own movie, Brazilian Brawl which is somewhat of a cult classic among BJJ affecdionados). A major fight scene takes place Renato Magno (who also happens to be Mamet’s instructor) and Ricco Chipparelli. Ed O’ Neil, the actor who introduced Mamet to Jiu Jitsu and now a black belt himself, has a small walk on role as well. The legendary Dan Inosanto portrays the Grandmaster.

The action sequences showcase a number of popular moves, although sometimes because of the cinematic choices and direction the action is a bit hard to follow. It is nice that Mamet is able to showcase a few different aspects of Jiu Jitsu, including academy training, sport/sport fighting and self defense, the last one showcasing some version of stick fighting in addition to Jiu Jitsu. The action is for the most part believable and the final sequences are very exciting. A few points do require a bit of a suspension of disbelief; it’s a little difficult to believe that the California Athletic Commission would sanction the type of handicapping of bouts that Red Belt suggests (and in an interview Mamer does declare this was a work of Hollywood fiction, however I can vividly remember having train with one or both hands tied in my belt at times.)

In the end this Red Belt is an entertaining film and it portray Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in a positive light, so it’s easy to recommend this film. Ultimately, this movie is about a modern day samurai and sticking to one’s principles in a corrupted world and I think (as Jiu Jitsu Jitsu students and instructors ourselves) we can certainly relate to the main character of Mike Terry.

TRAINING PARTNERS/TEAMMATES

Things have calmed down a bit with so many tournaments week after week and it's given me some time to reflect on some aspects of training. From observation there is a growing number of black-belt instructors making their way to Asia that are permanent to semi-permanent which is great. And while not every school is blessed with that leadership and direction of having such a person, I thought I'd write about teammates/training partners which is the other half of the equation. Having started jiu-jitsu in New York at a great school, I moved to Bangkok with a strong introduction to the art. And while I've had some fantastic instructors and mentors over the years, I always give credit to my teammates. Regardless of who is leading the class, it's these guys that have seen me through my ups and downs in training. Not to take anything away from my coaches but this isn't was this article is about. What I want to hilite here is the importance of the company you keep at your school and on the mat. When I first arrived to Bangkok there was only one place that I knew to train BJJ and this is where I would meet the core group of guys that have been around for the past 3+ years. Granted I live in a city of transient workers/friends but luckily enough this core group of guys have been here for me.

TRUST
The relationship you have first starts with a mutual respect and trust. I respect the fact that you are trying to push your game as much as I am in return. I trust that you play at a pace/level that you know to be safe and without intention of hurting me or yourself. Now whether you take this for granted or you simply don't care, I believe this is an aspect that aids to the familial nature of most schools. These are your brothers and sisters that come in day after day, putting in their time and making themselves available to train with you.

EXCHANGE
These are the guys that know your game best. They have the luxury of training with you regularly and have learned from or adapted themselves to you. This has effected me in several ways both good and bad, depending on how you look at it. In one case I was able to use my favorite choke several times over on one of the larger guys in the academy. Besides being a natural athlete, he's a very quick learner. So eventually he asked me what I was doing that was catching him and not wanting to be stingy, I explained to him some of the details. Well, within the week it was nearly impossible to catch him with that choke. So while I may have temporarily ruined my favorite choke, it gave me a better training partner. There are no secrets in jiu-jitsu really. If not from me than someone else would have explained it to him. So why not take the moment to share with him? Since then, I've asked him plenty of questions that have helped me deal with his game and potentially with those that might apply the same technique in tournament. All in all, we're all responsible for our own progress. You get as much as you give.

SUPPORT
I had written earlier that with more comp time I am able to hear my buddies coaching me from the sidelines better. I don't know about everyone else but I would say that we're a pretty vocal team when it comes to coaching and talking our buddies through the match. We keep time, take video and alert our friend to a better position/submission. Now he/she can choose to follow our suggestions but at the same time, the opponent is able to hear it all so it can play both ways. Even though I am the one that is fighting I never feel alone, I have my whole team backing me up.

HUMILITY
We're all working to improve and with that, you're going to have your good days and bad days. Cause we're all improving more or less parallel to each other, I don't waste my time thinking who's better than the other. So regardless of how I may see myself and my skills, there's always that moment when you get caught. Give credit to your buddy, don't take it away from him/her by making excuses cause this is the time to tap, in training. Be honest with yourself and do yourself the favor of figuring out why. If you've been open, I'm sure your buddy is more than willing to share with you how it went down. The moment you take the attitude like you have nothing to learn from your training partners is when you stop improving. Man, when you get caught and it was spot on, I actually am happy for my friend and get even more amped to do better.

The topic has been on my mind for quite some time since moving here to Southeast Asia. There have been times when training was at it's most ideal and other times when it kinda sucked, haha. Regardless, it's been my teammates that have given me so much of themselves and hopefully I have done the same in return.

This month, I will be losing two teammates as they are leaving Bangkok. I want to dedicate this article to them and in particular Mr. Scott 'Momo' Calver. Scott is moving to Singapore, the city in which he came from prior to living in Bangkok for 3+ years. I am sure the guys out there will appreciate having him back cause the man is a beast. A key figure in my training as it's been a motivating factor to deal with the man's pressure, kung-fu grip and persistence for the kimura from every-which-way. He's saved me on and off the mat, a good friend. We'll miss you Scott. And to Pat, best of luck back in the US. I will miss your beyond-octopus-flexibility. -Luke

Scott 'Momo' Calver and Andre Galvao (CPDHK2)

ARTICLE: MACAU DAILY TIMES

Sara Farr, a Macau BJJ representative, was kind enough to share the article she had written for the Macau Daily Times on this weekend's tournament. Check out the link: HERE

It's great to hear BJJ getting press and that more women are taking an interest in the sport. I hope to see the number of female competitors grow as there's a lot of talent out there.

***note: The only flying-armbar (and a successful one mind you) was accomplished be a female competitor this past weekend.

-Luke

BUTTERFLIES

With the upcoming tournament this weekend, I thought I'd write a bit on what I've experienced from my first time on the mat to where I am now. Not to say that I've got it all figured out, far from it. What I'd like to make comment on is the process of taking these experiences and how they effect the future. One of the attractive elements of jiu-jitsu for me is that when you're in it, there's nothing else but that moment. At the same time, that moment is an expression of all those hours spent on the mat training. Sometimes it pans out and other times it's a platform for reflection and improvement.

The first time I had competed I was so nervous that I felt my stomach was going to drop to the floor and my hands were shaking. As soon as the ref said go my body tensed up as we fought for grips and both my shoulders and legs locked. Imagine going in for a single-leg with your back and legs completely straight. Basically it was 4 minutes of standing as the other guy was a newbie as well. We were warned several times to take action and if he hadn't of pulled guard, we probably would have stood for the entire match. Anyways I won by passing his guard but attribute it more to his inability to move than my skill at the time. The entire match, I couldn't hear a damn thing. As if all my senses had been shut down and the only that that would register was what was right in front of me, complete tunnel vision. Afterwards, both my hands locked up into a claw and my forearms were way over stressed. My second match that day it was more of the same but this time we spent more time grappling than standing. I had done better to defend but got stuck at open-guard and gave my opponent time to set up his pass. I had lost. I found myself in a position that I didn't understand or wasn't prepared for.

With each following match, would come small victories but just as many mistakes and shortcomings. It's a process that I've learn to accept. The point is to not give up.

Since then, I have competed in roughly 5-6 tournaments which is not a big number but considering the circumstances, I take what I can get. With each match, my nerves get a little better and I can hear more clearly my teammates coaching me from the sidelines. Slowly, I can recall more and more from my matches without too much help from video. I'm more relaxed and am doing a better job of breathing. I wouldn't be able to make this kind of progress without taking what I've learned, applying it to my training and getting back on the mat to compete. For most of us here in SEA, the amount of comp experience can vary but most may have to settle with 1-2 tournaments a year while in other parts of the globe, a comp can be found every month. I heard in Japan there is a monthly tournament just for white-belts. What a great idea.

Outside of learning from your mistakes and improving your technique or fitness it is also about being comfortable in the competition environment. There you are in front of everyone watching, screaming and rooting for you to fail or succeed. For some the anxiety is too much while for others it's a rush. When I think about the environment of competition, it reminds me of my experience as a swimmer. Prior to BJJ, the only sport I had ever dedicated myself to was swimming. I had done it for 10+ years winning state titles, broke some local records and placed nationally. Towards the end of my swimming career, all the anxiety and nervousness was at a level that I could control or be comfortable with. If anything, just being familiar with those feelings and to know it's a part of the experience made it that much easier to just relax and focus on the task at hand. I even had my own little breathing ritual before each race as our names were called to the starting-block.

So now I find myself having to go through the very same process with BJJ, gathering my experiences and finding that comfort zone on the mat. Granted, I am now faced with an opponent that wants to armbar or choke me. A far cry from just me and the water, haha. I know there are a lot of guys that don't have any interest to compete but I do think it's an aspect of BJJ that should be given some attention. At whatever level, I think it's important to put yourself through that stress/pressure of applying what you know against an opponent. And I mean this outside of your regular training in class. So much changes when it's not just a part of your daily class training. In class I can see a guy trying to be Leo Viera with all these flips and acrobatics but come the tournament, their game becomes so conservative, like night and day.

If you haven't yet, I recommend giving it a try at least once. Afterwards you can decide whether it's for you or not but at least challenge yourself and get to know what you're capable of.

-Luke

THE GEEZA: HOW TO WRITE A SET OF BJJ TRAINING NOTES/DIARY + 23 SUBMISSIONS

by: The Geeza

1. Make a BJJ Positions Outline in a word-processor file (you can cut and paste the Chapter titles below!).

2. Take a note book to each BJJ class you attend and make notes during the technical section of the class paying careful attention to the details that the coach highlights; the fine points emphasized are often what make the difference between the technique working or failing.

3. When you get home, spend 15-20 minutes transferring your written notes into your Microsoft word file. Over time, your file will grow into an impressive collection of notes and knowledge about BJJ.

4. Think of a question or two to ask your coach or training partner at the next class.

Learning BJJ is all about having an answer to the problems you are presented on the mat. You have to master two types of tasks; defensive ones and offensive ones. Virtually all situations you encounter will be in one of a number of standard positions, such as being in your opponent’s guard or in their half-guard. So you need to structure your thinking (and notes) based on the position skeleton outlined below. Think of each BJJ class you attend as a piece in the overall jigsaw puzzle that is BJJ. Here is a basic positions outline to get you started with some section titles for your notes. You can keep one file for no-gi and one file for gi.

Some Starter Chapter Titles for Your Submission/BJJ Training Notes

1. Stand-up

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

2. Opponent in My guard

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

3. Opponent in My Half Guard

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

4. Opponent has Side Control

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

5. Opponent has Knee on Belly

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

6. Opponent has Mount

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

7. Opponent has My Back

Defensive techniques
Offensive tips

8. Me in Opponent’s guard

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

9. Me in Opponent’s Half Guard

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

10. I have Side Control on opponent

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

11. I have Knee on Belly on Opponent

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

12. I have Mount on Opponent

Offensive techniques
Defense techniques

13. I have Opponent’s

Offensive techniques
Defensive tips

14. Linking Moves and Fight Strategy

Until you have a set of moves you can perform in all these different positions, it is unlikely you will think much about how to link your moves together. But the real gains and jumps in knowledge, and in your learning, come when you start putting groups of moves together. This last section 14 of your training notes will be where the real value added comes for your game. There are some money moves in BJJ that can lead to a big lead in points which in turn means you can then be more aggressive in your submission attempts. So here are a few examples of Cash-Combinations to stimulate your thinking about linking moves together.

1. Jumping over the guard to mount – this gives you 7 points – a good lead in any match!

2. Hip Bump Sweep to Mount – 6 points.

3. Passing the guard straight to knee on belly – 5 points.

4. Also failing these cash-combinations can nevertheless rack up useful points. Let us that say you attempt #2, The Hip Bump Sweep to mount, and fail, and end up in your opponent’s ½ guard. You will get 2 points for the sweep, advantage for the mount attempt and advantage for the ½ guard. 2 points and 2 advantages for what is actually one movement!

5. Also certain submission attempts link together really well – for example, chokes can lead to arm bars, arm bars can lead to triangles, triangles can lead to omaplata which can lead back to triangles, which can lead to shoulder locks, which can lead to wrist locks and so on. The combinations are endless and you have to find what works best for you.

So why write training notes?

BJJ takes a long time to learn and anything you can do to help speed up your progression is worth doing. Writing down the techniques that your coach shows you will accelerate what is inevitably a slow learning process. Also, you can look back at your notes months and years later and if they are well written, you will be able to visualize (and hence practice), the techniques that you learned and notated. It is easy to leave a BJJ class and forget most of what you were shown if you do not write it down; no-one can remember everything they are told (especially of you are moderately retarded like me). Writing well organized notes is your single best aid to memory. Furthermore, if you keep good notes you can see where you have holes in your knowledge without having to wait until you get on the competition mat to find them.

When you write your notes on a particular technique, write them as a series of bullet points. Also write them as if you were describing the technique to someone over the telephone and that way you will have to be crystal clear exactly what it is you are describing. Make special note of where each hand, arm, foot, and leg is, and also what you are doing with your head and hips. In the long run, the 15 minutes you spend writing up each class/technique will save you having to learn the same techniques over and over again, will ensure you have actually taken a technique away from class and will make you a better grappler faster.

Here are some links to submissions filmed mostly at EU BJJ Tournament, Lisbon, January 2008. Please do let me know if I have spelled any names wrong.

Submission #282 - Victor Estima vs Renato Tavares
01:13
Victor Estima vs Renato Tavares (colored belt). EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Jan 2008. This is not a move that just came up - it is a carefully rehearsed part of Victor's arsenal.


Submission #273 - Victor Estima vs Jonatas Novaes
01:10
Victor Estima (white gi) vs Jonatas Novaes. EU BJJ competition Lisbon, Jan 2008


Submission # 275 - Otavio Sousa vs Black Belt
03:22
Otavio Sousa (white gi) vs Black Belt (anybody know who?). EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Jan 2008


Gracie Jiu Jitsu vs Pencak Silat - Big Match #4
08:50
Pencak Silat is a martial art practiced in Indonesia and around S.E.Asia. Jiu Jitsu is a martial art practiced around the World. This video starts with a funny story about Fransino meeting some Pencak Silat guys with a view to swapping techniques and sparring. The second half of the video is to show what can happen when a martial artist trained in Pencak Silat spars with a BJJ player.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_L9q-d4XOI


101 Submissions By Geeza #48 - Jean Paul Grodin
09:24
Highlights from the 5 matches Geeza had at the EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Portugal, Jan 2008.
1. Geeza vs Andy Costello.
2. Geeza vs Kevin Leavitt.
3. Geeza vs Jean Claude Grodin.
4. Geeza vs Rafael Skymanski.
5. Geeza vs Andy Costello. (more) (less)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGe2lXQGZZw


Submission #269 - Ryan Hall vs Guillherme Baudoin
02:28
Ryan Hall (white gi) vs Guillherme Baudoin. EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8pQfEZt7Z4


Submission #267 - Reinaldo Ribeiro vs Bernardo Pitel
04:12
Reinaldo Ribeiro (white gi) vs Bernardo Pitel. EU BJJ Tournament, Lisbon, Jan 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5x8ZefOfAU


Submission #281 - Louis Shark Serao vs Marcus Erarus
04:50
Louis Shark Serao (colored belt) vs Marcus Erarus. EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Jan 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaetF-vMqtM


Submission #279 - Paulinho vs Alexandre De Souza
06:21
Paulinho (white Gi) vs Alexandre De Souza. EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g74oXg2TYTU


Submission #278 - Alan do Nascimento vs Michel Correa
07:08
Alan do Nascimento - brasa - (blue gi) vs Michel Correa. EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Jan 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbZ4RZjuIqI


Submission #277 - Luis Felipe De Oliveira vs Jose M Rangel
00:43
Luis Felipe De Oliveira (bottom) vs Jose M Rangel. EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Jan 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AXz6Hn2zIc


Submission #276 - Jonatus Novaes vs Cawr Truus
09:08
Jonatus Novatus (white gi) vs Cawr Truus. EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Jan 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L4kEByS6BA


Submission #274 - Anderson Ailva vs black belt
10:00
Anderson Ailva vs Black Belt - (anybody know name?). EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Jan 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFUw0X4pNGg


Submission #272 - Ryan Hall vs Vince Parra
03:13
Ryan Hall vs Vince Parra (colored belt). EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Jan 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixaB95VDDh4


Submission #271 - Pedro Quinta vs Mark Jones
06:34
Pedro Quinta (colored belt) vs Mark Jones. EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Jan 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_PGddcB_T0


Submission #270 - Martin Jonsen vs Pedro Santos
04:58
Martin Jonsen (white gi) vs Pedro Santos. EU BJJ competition, Lisbon, Jan 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8u9NDsq6Lk


Submission #268 - Sergio Rosalan vs Yolan Untman
03:36
Sergio Rosalan (colored belt) vs Yolan Untman. EU BJJ tournament, Lisbon, Jan 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewee_Y0Tm9I


Submission #266 - Eyrick Hellman vs Johannes Andersen
03:55
Eyrick Hellman vs Johannes Andersen (colored belt). EU BJJ tournament, Lisbon, Jan 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlbycL56pYY


Submission #265 - Daemon Stascha vs Grest Jatoh
02:36
Daemon Stascha (blue gi) vs Crest Jatoh. EU BJJ Tournament, Lisbon, Jan 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVEffKxftEM


Submission #264 - Pedro Galao vs Franca Lopez
06:57
Pedro Galao (colored belt) vs Franca Lopez. EU BJJ tournament, Lisbon, Jan 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qub9XB9mxY


Submission #263 - Bentley Smedu vs Henri Putin
03:02
Bentley Sedu (colored belt) vs Henri Putin. EU BJJ tournament, Lisbon, Jan 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgzwx4UPgd8


Submission #262 - Kenzo Fry vs Ahom Bazi
05:03
Ahom Bazi (blond hair) vs Kenzo Fry. EU BJJ tournament, Lisbon, Jan 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd-uY8f1THo


Submission #261 - Giuseppe Meletti vs Stanislav Wykcz
05:28
Giuseppe Meletti vs Stanislav Wykcz (colored belt). EU BJJ tournament, Lisbon, Jan 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfv8Q-a7yOk

THE GEEZA: HOW TO WRITE A COMPETITION MATCH/FIGHT DIARY

by: The Geeza

This article makes three main points.

1. Get a friend to film every competition match you have so that you can remember exactly what happened during the match.

2. Write up every competition match you have in a standard format as soon as possible after the match.

3. Target your training activity after a tournament toward overcoming the mistakes you made at the competition.

If you are not a professional martial artist, whether you win or lose in competition is not as important as whether you learn something from each particular match. If you are a professional, you compete for only one reason; to win. But whether amateur or professional, if you win every match you enter, you are not competing at the right level; you are simply competing against people you can beat. And less is learned from Wins than Losses.

In ALL BJJ/Submission grappling matches there is one winner and one loser. So on average, if you are competing at the right level, you will win 50% of the time and lose 50% of the time. So by way of example, when you first become a blue belt you should expect to lose more than 50% of the time. And just before you become a purple belt you should expect to place in your weight bracket at major tournaments.

Competition is a good way to assess where you are in the BJJ learning process. But to learn effectively from a competition match, you need to analyze what happened in the match. The single most important tool for doing this is a video camera. It can be extremely hard to recall exactly what happened during a competition match as you have so much adrenalin flowing through you that your memory filing system gets a bit warped. Video cameras these days are cheap and last a long time; I have been using the same Sony camera for 4 years now. Tell whoever films your match that they must hold the camera completely still (a tripod works best), and turn the camera on for them; that way you can be sure you catch the action!

Once you have filmed your match, watch it a few times and then write it up using the following sections.

1. Match description - write a full and complete description of what happened during the match.

2. Technical lessons - what specific steps, in particular moves, did you do wrong or could you have improved upon?

3. Submission lessons – what mistakes did you make while attempting a submission or a submission defense?

4. Lessons related to points – what lessons did you learning about scoring points and advantages (both for and against you) during the match?

5. Mind-set lessons – what was your mental activity like before, during and after the match?

6. Fitness lessons - How was your stamina? Your breath control? Your strength? Your flexibility? Did you burn your grips? How was your pace?

7. Any general you lessons learned that maybe related to; preparation, venue, arrival time, warm ups, injuries, referees, coaching, rules, your game-plan, the crowd, opponents, stalling, your gear or any other aspect of the game you need to learn about; even your video-taping of the match (I learned to never rewind and replay video at the venue the hard way – I wound back to watch, and then recorded over, one of my matches!!)

Why go through this process? The competition match write-up is an important learning tool. It helps you to avoid repeating the same mistakes and directs your training toward your weaknesses. Additionally, every competition match is different and you will learn something new at every contest.

Here are some submissions from the 2007 Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship, one from 2005, and one from Manila 2007 that I had filed away and neglected for a while.

11 second flying arm bar!!! - Submission #259
00:36
Bramono Lunardi (blue rash guard) vs Rizky Suud. Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8wf-iPpiNs


101 Submissions By Geeza - #17 Joao Leonardo
04:33
Geeza vs Joao Leonardo. Heavyweight Division Finals match plus 3 takedowns from the Absolute division (Normal, Nasty and Nice).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnk0boy5ACw


Submission #260 - Gordon Preston vs Luis Blanco
04:48
Gordon Preston vs Luis Blanco (army shorts). Philippines Grappling Challenge, Dec 3 2007, Manila.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXPqidmSrEc


Submission #258 - Fransino Tirta vs Dodi Al Fayed
01:49
Fransino (red shorts) vs Dodi Al Fayed. At the time of this match Fransino had an unbeaten MMA record with 13 fights. Indonesian Fransino (red shorts) vs Dodi Al Fayed. Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPGHAoB9dPU


Submission #248 - Patrick vs Mustadi
02:03
Patrick (white shorts) vs Mustadi. Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcxgZJy6rf4


Submission #252 - Mustadi vs Teja Nataarmaja
01:30
Mustadi vs Teja Nataarmaja. Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdnvOsTN0vM


Submission #249 - Roy vs Resa
01:55
Roy vs Resa (blue knee). Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srXZacc4crQ


Submission #251 - Nick Shearman vs Eko Adrianto
05:31
Nick Shearman (blue rash guard) vs Eko Adrianto. Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJtuDVMiLLo


Submission #255 - Rico Suci Alam vs Agus Subagyo
01:48
Rico Suci Alam vs Agus Subagyo.
Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6TuuXMLQ9g


Submission #247 - Nano vs Dodi
01:19
Nano (white t-shirt) vs Dodi. Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZc_6_TNam4


Submission #254 - Fransino Tirta vs Stanley
03:07
Fransino Tirta (red shorts) vs Stanley. Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKIAoQwpNPs


Submission #253 - Agus Subagyo vs Jansen Setiawan
00:42
Agus Subagyo vs Jansen Setiawan. Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg7vF9l1C1Y


Submission #257 - Fransino Tirta vs Alexander Sumardi
01:00
Fransino Tirta (red shorts) vs Alexander Sumardi. Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucy7qsI2eJI


Submission #256 - Eko Adrianto vs Yudianto Spanko
05:32
Eko Adrianto (blue rash guard) vs Yudianto Spanko. Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbI9xnhBLgw


Submission #250 - Roy vs Stanley
05:01
Roy vs Stanley (white t shirt). Indonesian Submission Wrestling Championship. November 24, 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMli68vwhTg

TRAVEL ETIQUETTE

I would say that I'm fortunate in that I get to travel for work and do my best to travel with my gi or at least my belt. With each visit I make new friends that add to the network of exchange and mutual respect. Living in Bangkok also provides me opportunity to host a number of visitors that share the same practice of traveling with their gi. While each school will have their own practices and may differ in approach, I've always made conscious effort to be open-minded and to do 'when in Rome...'. It's not my intention to impose my opinions to the mat of another school nor is it my intention to keep from learning what new ideas or attitudes the school has to offer. Training BJJ is an exercise in humility as I am reminded of how much I don't know and that makes me even more hungry to learn. Being that I am away on business now, I thought I'd might share some of the small things that I do when visiting a new school. While this may be nothing new and mostly common sense, I would hope that visitors to my school would have the same respect and appreciation when being welcomed to a new place. -Luke

1.CONTACT SCHOOL
-When I can, I like to contact the school in advance to introduce myself and the days I will be in town. In this introduction, I tell where I am visiting from (Bangkok) and who I study under. The years of experience I have in BJJ and what belt I currently hold. This is also good to know if the schedule is accurate and which classes are good to attend for your level.

2. PAYMENT
-Some schools will insist on a mat fee and this can vary according to where it is and whether it's a single drop-in or a week's worth of classes. On some occasions, I've been given a quote but upon arrival, the drop-in fee was waived. So you never know but I would never intentionally avoid paying if that is the school's policy.

*In addition to the mat-fee, I've also been asked to sign a form that forbids me from sharing techniques learned from this school to anyone else. Now I won't get into whether I support this concept or not, but it is something to think about when considering the environment. While BJJ is quite informal in comparison to other martial arts, it has not lost it's sense of loyalty and family ties. (There is a clear difference between visiting schools when traveling and floating between schools)

3. LESSON PLAN
-At my main school in Bangkok, a hard warm-up is a fixture in our routine but this is not the case in other places. While training in Japan, there was no cardio or plyos done but a quick stretching session and right into technique. My comparison is not to argue which is better but to share that the difference in experience. Keep your mouth shut and do as you're told. Don't cut yourself short and object to something because you're not familiar with it. Decide that when you've completed the class and you have time to yourself to decide either way, 'Yes, I really like the drill they did today and would like to share it with my teammates.' You never know, you may learn something that is completely new. Save yourself from saying, 'But we don't do it that way at my school.'

-That's not say you can't ask questions but they should be in a tone that is asking for clarity or better understanding, not in opposition. Again, get all the information you can before you decide whether it is for you or not. Make an informed decision and get the best you can from each experience.

4. ROLLING/SPARRING
-I have never visited a school where the local guys (especially same belt level) didn't bring their 'A' game when rolling with me. So it would be naive of me to assume that I can relax as if I were at my home academy. But regardless of where you are, respect for your sparring partner should always be present. There are way too many meat-head-jerks so why would you want to be one when visiting another school? You're only asking for a major ass-kicking from a higher belt at the academy.

-Admit it when you've been beat and tap. You'll learn a lot more getting back to the action then wasting your time fighting an armbar as if it were the Mundials.

-If the guy you're sparring is refusing to tap, don't power through, transition and alternate your attacks. Keep things moving so that you learn and try not to play too tight of a game.

-I would also wait for an invitation to roll with a higher belt and ask either same belt-level or lower myself. Be respectful of what the belt represents in each school. Some places are really informal and it doesn't matter but until you know for sure what the vibe is, I'd play it safe.

-Unless you're hurt or have to leave at that very moment, it's rude to say no when someone asks you to roll. Granted, use your common sense when with each situation.

5. TIPS
-I started the practice of buying a t-shirt from the schools I visit. Some have them and some don't but it's a nice souvenir of where you've been and I'm sure they school appreciates the support. If you have t-shirts from your club, you can always offer a trade.

-Be sure to thank the resident black-belt/instructor and all those you've rolled with.

-Help clean up when appropriate.

-If I know I will be back, I try to keep in touch with the head instructor or office manager. This way you can thank them for their hospitality and will be remembered the next time you're around.

SCHOOLS I'VE VISITED/TRAINED AT:
AKA (Dave Camarillo)
Alliance NYC (Fabio Clemente)
Axis Jiu-Jitsu Tokyo
Bangkok Fight Club
EMAC (Adam Kayoom/Pedro Schmall)
Kowloon BJJ
Lotus Jiu-Jitsu WA (Tony Smith)
Micheal Jen CA (private)
Ralph Gracie SF (Kurt Osiander)
Renzo Gracie NYC ( John Danaher)
Tinguinha Academy LA (Mauricio Mariano)

TAKEN FROM CLAUDIO FRANCA'S SITE:

1. Always show respect to your instructors, training partners, and fellow human beings. Respect in training means: do not seek to harm fellow students physically (e.g., by cranking a submission harder than necessary to make them tap) or emotionally (i.e., by calling them names or making jokes about hurting them). Respect also means that you must train seriously and hard enough for you and your partner to improve his or her skills, conditioning, and fighting spirit. Not giving your best during training detracts from both you and your partner’s experience.

2. Maintain good hygiene (i.e., shower and brush your teeth regularly). As you can imagine, it is difficult to concentrate on technique when you find your partner’s smells distracting!

3. Keep finger and toe nails short and clean to prevent injury to yourself and others.

4. Bring a clean, dry gi to each class. Also, always keep a rash guard or T-shirt in your gym bag for no-gi classes.

5. Keep shoes off the mat, so that we can keep the mats clean and sanitary.

6. Do not walk outside with bare feet. If you have to go outside, wear sandals or shoes. Items (5) and (6) are especially important to prevent the spread of skin conditions such as ringworm.

7. Do not shout loudly or use profanity in the dojo. This should go without saying.

8. Do not talk while the instructor is talking. It distracts those who are trying to learn and is disrespectful to the teacher, as well as other students.

9. Stand, sit with your legs crossed, or kneel during class. No lounging. Studies show that people learn more effectively when seated in upright postures.

10. Please wear your gi, a T-shirt, or a tank top while in public areas of the Dojo. No bare backs!

11. Do not leave the mat during class without the instructor’s permission.

12. Keep cell phones off during class. Again, they distract those who are trying to learn.

13. If the instructor has not changed the task, then continue doing the task he or she has given (i.e., don’t sit around talking because you feel you have done a technique enough times). You can NEVER do a technique too many times.

BJJ TERMINOLOGY (PORTUGUESE)

(01.20.2008)
Update for list at: The Fightworks Podcast

Portuguese is as foreign to me as when I first started training outside of the occasional word like 'omoplata'. Even so, I have to come across two sources that recently deal with this language gap in BJJ terminology. As mentioned in Stephen Kamphius' article on training/competing in Brazil, an understanding of the basics is a must.

While I know there are multiple names of the same move, I thought I'd share these two references and hopefully start a log of terminology we can all share. Whether you find it applicable or not, I believe it to be a part of BJJ culture. One that I am guilty of not knowing better.

Taken from Bill Koplitz's blog, "words words words" is a list he's compiled. Bill resides in Porto Alegre, Brazil having moved from London.

Parts of the Body:
Hips: Quadril (!)
Throat: Garganta
Neck: Pescoço
Foot: Pé
Head: Cabeça
Shoulder: Ombro
Knees: Joelhos
Toes: Dedos do pé
Calf (The muscle not the baby cow):
Arm: Braço
Belly: Barriga
Hand: Mão
Costas: Back
Elbow: Cotovelo
Shoulder Blade: Omo plata (I’ve done some searching on this but am not 100%)

Postional Stuff:
Posture: Postura (!)
Escape the Hips: Fugir de Quadril
All Fours: Vira De Quatro
Arm Bar: Arm(y) Lock(y)
Knee Bar: Leg(y) Lock(y)
Foot Lock: Chave de pe.
Americana: Americana
Kimura: Kimura
Side Control: Cem kilos
Guard: Guarda
Mount: Montada
Choke: Estrangulamento
Triangle: Triângulo
Rear Naked Choke: Mata-Leão
To Roll: Roll (Pronounced “Hole”)
Pushup: Flexão
Situp: Abdominal (?)
Grips: Pegadas
Queda: A throw
Hook: Gancho
Puxe: Pull. This one is a bit tricky, it sounds like “poo-shay” , so you would think it means push. It doesn’t.
Empurre: Push. “em poo hey” Like Spanish.
Saida: Escape
Sweep: Raspar
Clock: Relogio
Wristlock: Mäo de Vaca
Half-Guard: Meia Guarda
Encinma: Above, on top of
Debaixo: Below, beneath.

Colors and Kit:
Belt: Faixa
Sleeve: Manga
Collar: Gola
Lapel:
Mat: Tatame
White: Branco
Blue: Azul
Purple: Roxa
Brown: Marron
Black: Preta

The second source that I've come across recently is from the podcast show, The Fightworks Podcast. Alex Brandao, a Fabio Santos black-belt, is interviewed and gives several examples of phrases and terminology you'll likely hear from the sidelines during competition.

I will post this list to the BJJ-ASIA FORUM so that is can grow and improve.

Thanks to both Bill and Caleb for the references.

Luke

TIPS FOR COMPETING/TRAINING IN BRAZIL

by: Stephen Kamphius
If you love Brazilian Jiu Jitsu there’s no better place to train than in Brazil where new techniques and skills are being developed everyday. Having the opportunity to train and compete in Brazil is an experience not to be missed. Brazil still has the highest number of winning competitors in worldwide tournaments. At the Mundials, nearly 90% of all the medalists come from Brazil. For the past five years, I have been fortunate enough to go to Brazil for competition and training, this has giving me a first-hand look at the way Brazilians train and compete and a better appreciation of the Sport.

Training with Brazilians

Having both trained and competed I thought it may be of interest to pass on some of tips to others who also may also decide to train and compete in Brazil.

To start with, unless you are moving around, my advice is to find just one school to train with while in Brazil. Building up a relationship with the other students and the instructor is the best way to learn, you will make many new friends and have a great support group while you stay in Brazil. If you compete it is a big help to have a group of guys looking out for you. If your school has an affiliated school in Brazil go to this school they will be very happy to have you train with them.

Many schools will charge you a flat monthly fee; it does not matter if you train for just a night or for the whole month. Private classes with the Black Belt instructor are also available, and highly recommended if you can spare some cash. However, do not expect the instructors to show you their latest game plans unless you are connected with the school.

Unlike BJJ schools outside of Brazil most of the guys on the mats are high belts you will find it is the reverse of what you are used to, there may be more Black belts than White and Blues belts on the mat combined.

Another thing that is different about training in Brazil although a few guys are out to prove a point, many of the guys train hard but train quite light, it is more about learning as you roll, perfecting techniques, experimenting and working positions, quite the reverse of training in the States where I have been a couple of times.

New techniques: you will learn a lot from all belt levels, training and watching. Many guys are specialist and their Teammates know their games so well you see some good contests and counters. The fun part is when you jump in and do not know how any of the guys fight; it will be a great learning experience as you may end up being in many unfamiliar positions.

Teaching; most classes are taught by the Black belt students while the Instructor teach’s now and again and focus on private classes. I have found all the classes to be a great way to learn from a variety of people.
If you want to perfect your techniques or learn about what’s new the privates are best way to go, but as I mentioned loyalty to the school counts.

Accommodation / Travel Expenses

If you intend to stay for more than one week, it is best to book an apartment. I have been staying in Copacabana on my past visits to Brazil. Although it is not the safest place at night, it is the closest to the school I train at. Late night strolls at the beach are not recommended as it can get dangerous after 10pm. On one occasions I had street kids who distracted me from the front while some another tried to grab my pockets from behind.

Below is a summary of the expenses you should anticipate when staying in Brazil:

Accommodation
Rates vary from about US$35++ depending on the location and the size of the apartment.
You can book online, or book a hotel for a couple of days and find a cheaper accommodation when you arrive.
The guys at the gym will often know someone who can help out
Airport Taxi
Getting around
I just go out side and get my own taxi, but if you are not confident about this just book at the airport (it is a little more expensive though).
Buses are great and very cheap only 2 Real or so, There are private busses as well which are more expensive but more comfortable. Be aware public buses get held up.
Transit Vans are more expensive than a bus but makes fewer stops and you get a seat.

Food
Food can be quite cheap at the small take away shops, and they have great fruit salads and Acai drinks. Many restaurants base their prices on a per kilo basis so you are charged by the weight of the food on your plate. The supermarkets are everywhere; it may also be convenient to cook your own food if you have time.
Money Exchange
I find using a credit card to get money from an ATM the best way to get cash while traveling. Withdraw from the ATM’s during the day for your own safety. I was there a few months ago and the exchange rate was 1.7 Real to the US dollar, which has dropped from 2.8 Real over the last few years.

Laundry
In Copacabana there are plenty of Laundromats, as most apartments do not have their own washing machines. Take at least a couple of Gis’s or buy one there.

Shopping
In Rio there is quite a few places that sell BJJ/ MMA gear. The best way to find them is to ask the guys at the club, some of the gyms may have special relationships with a certain store or Gi manufacturer so you may get items at a discount.

Competing on Brazilian Soil
Sign up early on the net or ask the gym to sign you in. You can also make the trip by bus or Taxi to Gracie Barra and signed yourself in. You may have to do this as to compete in a CBJJ comp you may need to have your grades registered in Brazil especially at the Brown / Black belt level. Make sure you recheck your division and the fight schedule online a couple of days before the comp, look for the time and day of your division.

Joining tournaments in Brazil has given me a first-hand experience of the competition scene on Brazilian soil. As a foreigner, there is always a sense of anticipation when you compete in Brazil.

You will get the chance to see some of the latest techniques and variations of old favorites. The comp has a great atmosphere and you will see some great matches at all belt levels. There is always a few big names competing or supporting their teammates.

The area in refereeing which I have observed as the most inconsistent is the awarding of penalties to competitors. One referee may restart the match while another may award a penalty.

Make sure you bring some spare pants in case they get ripped and make sure your Gi complies with the International standards. If it does not meet the criteria you will be disqualified. Weigh in will be just as you go onto the mat to fight.

How foreigners get caught?

If you are fighting a close match it is quite easy to be penalized for minor infringements like stepping out of the mat area. This can sometimes make all the difference to winning or losing.

Any perceived stalling will cost you and I find sometimes the spectators seem to influence the reffs. Even in positions like half guard in both positions if it appears you are stalling you will be penalized. It can be difficult to stay tight and make small adjustments, as you must be aware that the referee may penalize you at any moment. With a lack of international competition experience and exposure from different referees, players that compete Internationally for the first time in Brazil can do so with a false sense of the rules and their application.
It may help if all local comps mirrored the application of the rules in Brazil, the point system may be the same but the awarding of penalties and advantages may not be as strict. It can be confusing for players who compete locally under different rules and then go to Brazil not quite sure of the way things are done at International comps.

The higher you go up the belt level in international competitions, the less submissions you may see. Many fights are won by advantages and penalties. The rules play an intricate part in determining the outcome of the match. In this situation a good referee is vital for a true and fair outcome.
Communication
You spend most of your pre-fight time trying to listen for your name, division and your team name, which are called in Portuguese through an almost inaudible sound system. Once on the mat the referee may give you some instructions, which are in Portuguese, so you just nod your head and act like a local. If he is warning you of a penalty it will also be in Portuguese, which makes it difficult to be aware of what is going on. You are not allowed any coaches in the competition area but they can be close by outside of the barriers.
Mat size
I often wondered why the mat area is so small, being only 6 x 6 meters of mats, as a competition area. Once you are out of the green area, any techniques executed on the yellow area are not counted. In fact, I have been penalized for attacking in this area. Once you see the Tijuca tennis centre you will understand, as this seems to be the only size that can fit into the facility.

Having said all of the above, the experience is well worth it. You will enjoy the training and find many new friends who love this sport.

If you are going to compete in Brazil, try and get a respected coach who speaks Portuguese and English to corner for you. It will help keep the referee on their toes. And most of all, HAVE FUN! You will find that Brazilians very friendly and the trip as enjoyable as expected.

3 BJJ MATCHES, 3 DISQUALIFICATIONS, 4 LESSONS

by: The Geeza
You could spend a good deal of time watching BJJ and never see a match that ends in disqualification. The reason is simple. Out of every 1,000 BJJ matches, in less than 10 a player is disqualified. Further, you have probably never read an explanation of why a referee disqualified a player. In this email there are links to 3 matches that end in disqualification and an explanation of why the referee (me) did it.

There are 4 lessons that I want you take away from this email.

1. Your reputation precedes you.
2. Take any comments the referee makes seriously.
3. Do not follow your base instincts.
4. Grapple in silence.

Lesson #1 – your reputation precedes you
Your reputation is what people think about you and it is held in different constituencies. You have a reputation with people in your belt rank, people below your belt rank and people above your belt rank. You have a reputation with people in your weight class, people above your weight class and people below your weight class. You have a reputation with all your training partners. You have a reputation with your coaches. You have a reputation with grappling fans and a reputation with the general public (including the people helping out at tournaments). Finally, you have a reputation with referees.

The best time to give coaching advice is as soon as someone steps off the mat. The tide going out on all that adrenalin makes their brain highly receptive to ideas and feedback. So if I am a referee, I make a point of giving people detailed observations straight after their match to help them become better grapplers. I learned to do this from a referee at the Pan American games who made a big impression on me. When I give coaching advice to a grappler after a match and they tell me that they do not care what I think, nor care what other people think about what they have just done, I know that I will have to keep a close eye on that player if I have to referee a match of theirs in future and I tell them as much. Remember this - your reputation precedes you.

Lesson #2 - Take any comments the referee makes seriously.
As a referee, I expect not to have to talk to the players during a match. But if a referee does talk, it is really important that players understand that referee comments must be taken seriously. Dean Thompson vs Cipriano Madayag; this was an important match; it was the finals of the super-heavyweight no-gi division. At 18 seconds (on the video), I warned Dean about eye gouging as he had his right hand fingers over the left eye of Cipriano; not in itself dangerous, but inappropriate and carrying the potential to be dangerous. At around 42 seconds Dean’s right hand comes into contact with Cipriano’s right eye socket and I give a further verbal warning and take a point away (once I feel that Cipriano is temporarily safe). Dean is verbally abusive at 46 seconds and some referees would have disqualified at that point. Watch the match to see the final outcome. Remember this - take any comments the referee makes seriously.


Lesson #3 - do not follow your base instincts
There are two kinds of submission – a tap from pain and a tap from panic. Chokes are almost always panic taps. A choke well done does not hurt; it simply cuts the blood off to your brain. An instinctual adrenalin fuelled response is immediately initiated as the oxygen available for your brain decreases and your body does a kind of fight or flight last second scramble. Experienced grapplers just tap when they know they are about to go out. Less experienced grapplers can go nuts and eye gouge, bitch slap or slam. If an opponent has a good choke on you, there is no escape and you are about to go out, there is only one course of action; tap. So remember this - do not follow your base instincts.

Frederic Martinoli vs Burt Sunico; this too was an important match; it was the finals of the absolute intermediate no-gi division.


Lesson #4 – Grapple in Silence
I feel it is really important for players to firmly believe that the referee will step in and stop the fight if they are in danger of being injured. When I referee, each time a new player steps onto the mat I always say the same thing (in the second round I just get the players to shake hands). This is what I say:

Do your best to win the match.
And I will do my best to make sure you do not get injured.
Listen to my instructions carefully.
Follow my instructions.
If I say – stop don’t move; then stop and don’t move.
Fight in the middle.
Shake hands.
Fight.

After they hear that, it should be crystal clear that I will stop a match if injury seems likely or possible.

This third match was also an important match; it was the finals of the masters division. Mark (white Kimono) attempts an arm bar on Wilson. If you listen carefully at 2.20 you can hear Wilson make a yelp/Aaargh noise and the arm bar attempt ends. I immediately step in and tell the players to stop fighting. The match is over. Mark released the arm bar at the moment Wilson yelped. Wilson yelped because he was using that extra bit of power to free his arm that comes with vocalising. But from a referee standpoint we have to look after the safety of the fighters and when a submission is being attempted, a yelp is equivalent to a submission. Mark was a good sportsman about the incident and offered to just keep going. But a referee decision is final. So remember this – grapple in silence.



As an aside, there were 3 totally different reactions from each of the disqualified players and I leave it to you to guess which one did what.

Reaction #1: His coach later sent me an email saying the DQed player was now totally cool about the DQ as he did not know the rules at the time of the match.

Reaction #2: He was immediately remorseful and asked me to help him analyse what went wrong by sending him the video.

Reaction #3: He consistently denied any and all wrongdoing and later sent me an email saying he thought I was a prick.

And here is a resend – just in case you missed it.

Do you think the referees should allow matches like these to continue?

HOW TO HANDLE THE 4 MOST DANGEROUS TYPES OF PEOPLE ON THE BJJ MAT

by: The Geeza

Two years ago I was sent a funny email that listed the different types of behaviour you encounter on the mats. The inventory included chatters, farters, sandbaggers, bullies and old goats, and was an almost endless register of the crass conduct you might come across. While it was hilarious, it was not that useful. This email is less amusing, but aims to be more useful. It describes the 4 kinds of people that will cause you huge problems on the mats if you do not handle them correctly. This email also illustrates 3 other personality types that you will definitely encounter. It details some tactics for how to handle each of the 7 behaviour styles and how to get the best out of people to accelerate your BJJ training process.

There are four key personality traits that can cause trouble on the mat. Below I have ranked them in order of their potential to cause problems for you. A BJJ player can have any combination of these traits to a greater or lesser degree in the make up of their personality.

1. Mr. Psycho - is anti-social, psychopathic, egotistical, ruthless, vengeful and dangerous.
2. Mr. Me-Me - is in love with himself and seeks power and admiration.
3. Mr. FlipFlop - is unstable and impulsive and he creates disasters
4. Mr. Emotion - can never get enough attention and will do anything to get it.

There are 3 other personality types that are much less dangerous, but need specific handling.

5. Mr. Victim - is helpless and submissive.
6. Mr. Perfect - likes to be in control.
7. Mr Shame - fears rejection and disappointment.

Mr. Psycho – is anti-social, psychopathic, egotistical and ruthless.

About 1% of people are psychopaths. I estimate that amongst BJJ players about 10% of people are psychopaths and in MMA my guess is around 50%. Mr. Psycho has no conscience. He has no regard for laws, rules, norms, rights and the interests of others. In general, Mr. Psycho is easily bored and is drawn to exciting and risky activities such as extreme sports, drug abuse and provocative behaviour. He is dishonest and untrustworthy. However, he is a master of seduction and knows how to persuade others that his intentions are honourable. This last fact makes him the most dangerous type of person you can meet in competition or in training because he will mess you up and then talk his way out of it. His creed is to hit you before you hit him. He is impulsive, reckless, fearless, and lacking in empathy. He is incapable of putting himself in another’s shoes. However, he is extremely good at pin-pointing and exploiting other people’s weaknesses. Punishing him does not lead to repentance as he feels little regret or shame. When confronted about his behaviour, Mr. Psycho reacts aggressively or turns on the charm. If you are an honest, decent, simple training partner, Mr. Psycho is your worst nightmare. But at least he is easily recognised; his reputation always precedes him.

How to handle Mr. Psycho on the mat

Mr. Psycho seeks revenge. If he thinks you have wronged him, he will do whatever he can to get you back. Be careful to ensure that you give him plenty of time to tap and make sure that you tap early when he catches you in a submission. Insist upon rigid discipline on the mat – do not EVER allow him to do anything that is against the letter and spirit of the rules. Directly confront him when he breaks the rules or does inappropriate things. Bitching about him behind his back will have ZERO effect; get in his face. Mr. Psycho will always try to get away with infractions, but tackle denial and manipulation immediately. Do not trust him. He will attempt to over-come your initial mistrust with generosity and geniality, but do not be fooled. Do not allow him to distort your own values and drag you down to his level. Do not accept any favours from him as this will be used against you later. Use Mr. Psycho mainly to practice your defence. Ask Mr. Psycho to highlight other player’s weaknesses to you and ask him to teach you how to attack. Finally, remember that Mr. Psycho is largely unaware that he IS the way he is.

Mr. Me-Me – is in love with himself and seeks power and admiration

The words most closely associated with this type of person are vanity, arrogance, pride and conceit. Their fantasy is to be noticed and admired. They are preoccupied with appearance, success and power. Mr. Me-Me tries to make himself stand out and be special by way of what he considers his exceptional talent. However, Mr. Me-Me cannot stand criticism because his vanity and smugness is fragile. Any success he feels is short-lived and transient. Some Mr. Me-Mes free themselves from what they feel is a growing burden of criticism by changing jobs, partners, academies and social scenes frequently. The successful Mr. Me-Me is easiest to spot as he has a position of power and status. An extreme Mr. Me-Me always comes to a sorry end. The mistake they make is that they start to consider themselves invulnerable. (Witness the horrible track record of some great BJJ names in their early MMA matches). In time, they can become bitter and cynical. The attractive outward appearance of Mr. Me-Me hides a restless and distrustful personality. He fears being anonymous. If adoration is withheld, or criticism voiced, Mr. Me-Me suffers a sudden loss of confidence. A key characteristic of Mr. Me-Me is that he cannot or is unwilling to take others into account. Although he may seem charming, in reality he is cold, calculating and distant. In the final analysis, everything revolves around him. His attractiveness can draw you in, even though you know you should know better. Whatever wrongs he commits, Mr. Me-Me finds forgiveness over and over again.

How to handle Mr. Me Me on the mat

Pay him compliments to make him amenable. Flattery does not mean you have to agree with everything he does. But remember - there are good reasons that Mr. Me Me is in love with himself and therefore you can learn a lot from his abilities. Ask his advice. He will be happy to show you his particular interpretation of a certain move – after all he knows, and he wants to show you, that his way is the best way! If you need him to do something for you, present him with a set of alternatives that makes the choice you want inevitable. Put up resistance if Mr. Me Me makes unreasonable demands from you; if you do not, he will lose all respect for you. Stand your ground. Never allow Mr. Me-Me to categorise you as an easily manipulated person. Be prepared for Mr. Me-Me’s mood to swing in your direction once you have stood up to him. Do not make the mistake of thinking that Mr. Me-Me’s wisdom will grow with age; their character traits grow more pronounced with the years. Be aware that Mr. Me-Me never sees himself as part of a problem; fault always lies elsewhere. It is best to go along with this vision when you are attempting to solve a problem that involves Mr. Me-Me. Do not criticize Mr. Me Me, the price he will make you pay is too high and may include injury. If you really need to give him feedback, do it through someone you know that he admires.

Mr. Flip Flop – is unstable and impulsive and he creates disasters

The key word for Mr. Flip Flop is crisis. He is unstable and impulsive, and suffers from extremely rapid mood swings. He can arrive on the mat in a great mood, lose his temper, and leave feeling depressed. This can be confusing for the people around him. He has no trust in other people and he has no trust in himself.
At his core Mr. Flip Flop thinks that the world is evil and dangerous, and that he is vulnerable, powerless and inferior. He craves love and acceptance, but often acts in a way that invites rejection. He thinks in terms of black and white, therefore his relationships with other people are subject to enormous pendulum swings. Mr. Flip Flop generates chaos and disorder. He likes conflict and if there is none, he will generate it. Of all the personality types, he is the most likely to have been the victim of violence in his childhood.

How to handle Mr. Flip Flop

Mr. Flip Flop is volatile and unstable and will keep testing your boundaries. You must maintain clear consistent limits – make it clear at the start of a roll what injuries you have and what submissions are off limits. You may even need to remind Mr. Flip Flop during the roll – for example, he may suddenly do a move that he saw on YouTube and that has popped into his head. Make sure that you never break any of the agreements you make with Mr Flip Flop because he will never forget that you broke that agreement and he will never forgive you. Ask Mr Flip Flop for his ideas on set-ups as he is an expert at setting traps for people. Ask Mr Flip Flop about his defensive strategy and escapes, his distrusting nature allows him to see the traps that others are setting for him well in advance. The good news is that Mr. Flip Flop mellows with age.

Mr. Emotion - can never get enough attention and will do anything to get it

Mr. Emotion cannot get enough attention and to get it he has a theatrical personality. He hates it when he is not the centre of attention. To stay in the spotlight he will use any means at his disposal. His main method is exaggeration – both in dress and in behaviour. He expresses strong emotions and all kinds of emotions to make an impression. He is hypersensitive to rejection. He is as hard as nails and unable to form lasting relationships. Although his emotions may seem phoney, they are being genuinely and intensely felt. His mental world is hazy, sketchy, vague, generalised, impressionistic and unarticulated. He avoids intellectual discussions. For him, just feeling something is enough for action. If he is angry he feels he has the right to express extreme fury and to vent outrage – even over small things. Sometimes he even flings his emotions into battle just to get a reaction from another person. The emotional house-keeping of Mr. Emotion is immature (think of that two year old screaming in the mall!) When he lets loose, he does not consider what the consequences might be. He sees issues in black and white terms and cannot see shades of grey. Mr. Emotion is highly macho. People quickly grow weary of a Mr. Emotion, and therefore, Mr. Emotions tend to seek each other out as they are more forgiving of each other’s lack of control over their emotions. This personality type is often combined with a dose of Mr. Me-Me.

How to handle Mr. Emotion

Mr Emotion is prone to sudden violent outbursts on the mat especially if he thinks he has been wronged. The best thing to do if you upset Mr. Emotion accidentally (such as an unintentional elbow to the face during an escape) is to immediately apologize and repeatedly ask for forgiveness before his emotions escalate. The most important rule for handling Mr. Emotion is to keep your own emotions under control. Do not let his extreme emotions lead you astray. No matter what antics he displays, behave consistently toward him. Keep your expectations low. He can have emotional outbursts over the way you are grappling, missing a turn, rule infractions (however minor), even the way you shake his hand and in countless other situations. Do not worry if one minute he gives you a lot of attention and then the next he hardly seems to notice you, it says nothing about you personally; so adopt an attitude of acceptance toward him. Mr Emotion has a natural tendency to jump from one topic to another and therefore, it will not take long before his emotional outburst resides and something else grabs his attention. So learn to duck and cover. They have exaggerated opinions about other people and therefore, discount anything they say. Be careful not to give them a chance to damage your personal reputation as they are supreme trash-talkers.

And now three much less dangerous personality types you will meet on the mat.

Mr. Victim – is helpless and submissive

Mr Victim considers himself weak, incompetent and incapable. He will make a good first impression on you as he is considerate, flexible and cooperative, and he is a good listener. On the mat, he will show a lack of determination and a reluctance to initiate attacks. Mr Victim wants to be cherished and protected and he hates criticism, but he ends up being dominated and even exploited.

How to handle Mr. Victim

Do not ask too much of Mr. Victim. You will meet strong resistance if you ignore the central fact that Mr. Victim genuinely sees himself as helpless. Ask him for advice on how to heal injuries. Ask for opinions about who to avoid on the mat and how to handle the most dominant grapplers at the academy. Mr Victim is frequently adopted as the instructors pet and therefore is a good source of useful inside information. Never forget that if Mr.Victim trains long enough he will become a black belt.

Mr. Perfect – likes to be in control

Mr Perfect loves neatness, order and perfection. He is rigid. He has the capacity to learn one new technique roughly every six months. But whatever techniques he does know, he will know them better than anyone else so try to get him to share that knowledge. Mr. Perfect pays so much attention to detail that he loses sight of the big picture. He has incredibly high standards for himself and for all those around him.

How to handle Mr. Perfect

Mr. Perfect is stubborn and he needs to do things his way. If he is showing you a technique, he will have good reasons for a doing it in a particular way – it is worth understanding all the detailed points he makes. Mr. Perfect knows all the rules and will follow them meticulously. He expects the same of you too. Mr. Perfect is mean with money and mean with his time so do not expect too much in these arenas. Try not to get bogged down in the details when Mr. Perfect is your training partner. Mr. Perfect can make you feel like you are being sloppy or thoughtless in your technique. Do not let his compulsiveness get to you.

Mr. Shame – fears rejection and disappointment

Mr. Shame fears failure. He is extremely concerned about what other people will think of him and avoids rolling and competing as a result. He has a fear being rejected and fears being made to look a fool. Mr. Shame seeks cover and avoids eye contact. He is scared of being hurt and rejected, but his greatest fear is that he will make a fool of himself.

How to handle Mr. Shame

Mr. Shame rarely ventures outside a small group of training partners, so grab your chance to train with him when it comes up. Mr. Shame rarely if ever competes. But if he does, he is the most likely personality type to get caught in a flying arm bar because that is what he fears the most. Do not throw Mr. Shame in at the deep end; do not go full on during your first few sparring sessions. If you want his particular body-type as one of your regular sparring partners then take it easy on him and do not grapple under the instructors nose; go to the far end of the mats. Do not expect him to come and chat to you – as you will need to initiate all social contact.

SO WHAT ABOUT ME AND WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Well of course, all this analysis of personality types begs the question of what kind of Mr. am I and what kind of Mr. are you? Well the truth is that when I think about all the time I have spent on the mat, I can see little bits of each of the personality types in my own behaviour at different times and in different situations. But more importantly, I know people who fit exactly into each of the personality types. What about you?

I hope this helps. Stay healthy and enjoy analysing your mat mates.

Geeza

ARTICLE: A REAL HERO

The Greatest Ever BJJ/Submission Grappling Match In Asia - A Real Hero!!
By: The Geeza

Of the thousands of BJJ and submission grappling matches that I have watched from all around Asia, only a few truly stand out as being genuinely great bouts. I am writing you this email to highlight without doubt Asia’s greatest ever BJJ/Submission grappling match.

Greatness is a concept heavily dependent your perspective and bias. But we can all agree that if the following ingredients were combined during a long encounter, a great BJJ/Submission grappling match would be the certain outcome;

1. Two clearly distinct grappling styles; BJJ versus Wrestling.

2. A weaker player exhibiting superior technique against a stronger more assertive and dominant opponent.

3. In one corner, a game underdog player who is a calm, smiling and noble man displaying intense personal charisma on the mat....

4. ....fighting against a defending champion who is an accomplished national athlete and an unrepentant, aggressive rule-breaker; he is the heavy favorite.

5. An inexperienced referee committing gross negligence with respect to the rules and the safety of the fighters.

6. Three consecutive offences that each should lead to disqualification followed by a strangely ironic moment when the players actually roll underneath the officials table to find no sanctuary there, moments before the match reaches its final immensely satisfying climax.

7. A winner emerging after overcoming extreme adversity using the most prestigious submission that every BJJ player dreams of achieving at least once during his competition experiences.

And here is the most amazing thing; even though I have revealed so much about the plot of the match that if it was a movie you would not go to see it, you will still be enthralled.

There are three phases in the match. Phase 1 is the period up until the moment when the first yellow card is issued for eye-gouging. At the end of phase 1 we can surmise the following:

1. The referee will not follow the rules exactly – eye gouging should have led to disqualification and instead a yellow card is issued.

2. There are serious doubts now about Noriadi’s sportsmanship as the eye-gouging seems intentional.

3. Hardian is undoubtedly the weaker player, but maintains good spirits.

The second phase of the match is the period leading up to the second eye gouging. At the end of phase 2 we can conclude the following.

1. It is now apparent that the referee does not know the rules and therefore will not apply them.

2. It has become crystal clear that Noriadi has bad intentions.

3. Hardian has placed himself in great personal danger to prove that BJJ is the greatest grappling art. He had the right to tap on the first eye gouge and claim the match, but instead he wanted to win while staying within the rules despite the fact that his opponent had stepped outside decency boundaries for a second time.

In the remainder of the match, phase 3, there is a further rule infraction that should have led to disqualification; Noriadi runs off the mat to escape a triangle. But it is now no surprise that the referee does nothing. Hardian voluntarily disengages off the mat and the players are brought back to the centre of the fight area. At the re-start the referee does not put the players back in exactly the same positions thereby allowing Noriadi to take advantage by putting his second arm inside the triangle and easily escaping the submission. Finally, the end of the match provides a sublime moment of pure joy.

I do not expect Hardian’s remarkable achievement in this match to be overshadowed for years to come for two reasons. Firstly, referees in Asia are getting better. The match is superlative because it continued despite one of the players committing three offences that should have led to instant disqualification; he eye gouged twice and then ran out of the competition area to escape a submission. If it any point he had been disqualified it would have been just another humdrum day on the mats, with one guy sent home to ponder his evil deed and the other through to the next round. But the referee was inexperienced and allowed the match to continue after each infraction. Today, Asian referees have gained more knowledge and practice; they now make fewer mistakes. Additionally coaches and players are increasingly demanding fair play and fair treatment.

The second reason that this match will stand as one of the all time greats is because in the early days of submission grappling tournaments the competitors chasing the prize money were a rag-tag bunch of Jeet Kune Do, Judo, Wrestling and Fight-Club veterans who were not particularly versed in submissions. At the latest Djarum IWS Championship in November 2007, virtually all the players were schooled and trained in BJJ. The rag-tag bunch stayed away from the contest because in previous tournaments they got tooled by those people who were regularly training in BJJ. Therefore, this particular kind of match up is increasingly rare.

In this exemplary match as each offence was committed (and not appropriately acted upon by the referee), a richer texture was added to the human drama unfolding. Drama involves a performance and roles being played. Hardian was playing the role of the hero. He was a brave man; a conqueror. And the tool he used was BJJ. A hero is someone that in the face of danger and adversity (or from a position of seemingly insurmountable weakness), displays remarkable courage and the will for self-sacrifice for some greater good. Additionally, the martial valor Hardian displayed can also be interpreted as a more general moral excellence.

The literal meaning of the word hero is protector, defender or guardian. In this match, Hardian was defending his body from an extreme and unusual attack and late in the match he dislocates his shoulder, yet fights on. But more importantly, he was also playing the role of a man defending the values of honor, courage, respect and sportsmanship that are so important in the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and submission grappling.

We get our ideas of what a hero is from films, the media and books. In movies, a hero is often simply an ordinary person placed against their will into extraordinary circumstances and who then prevails despite the odds being stacked against them. In some movies the hero has some superhuman characteristic such as extraordinary strength or endurance that makes him nearly invincible. Movie heroes often have a foil, a villain; typically a charismatic evildoer who represents or embodies the struggle the hero is up against. In contrast, the media typically portrays a hero simply as someone who gives up their life in the line of their normal duties. Alternatively, post-modern fictional books foment the increased popularity of the anti-hero; someone who does not follow common conceptions of heroism.

Films, the media and books are all trying to sell something. The heroic images they promote have one big flaw. They need to attract as many people as possible to their heroic ideals. The need for this mass appeal and hero identification means that the heroes they promote are frequently just a combination of symbols rather than an actual person. In order to appeal to the widest possible range of people, movies, media and books relegate the hero to a type of person which everyone wishes themselves to be, such as a good person or a brave person or a self-sacrificing person. The problem is that characters then are created that have an appeal that is so universal we can all identify with them somewhat, but none of us can identify with them completely.

I will never try to sell you anything. And the reason this Jiu Jitsu match is so outstanding is that it is a real hero, in a real situation, acting in a way that virtually none of you reading this would be capable of. I have been eye gouged by an opponent trying to escape a submission and I lost my lid. But at no point in this match does Hardian lose his temperature. He does not force a disqualification, he does not insist on perfect position on the triangle re-start. He takes what he is given and with guts he does the right thing. He served us all a moral lesson in how to behave on the mats. Hardian Kristiady is a true sports hero and the star of the best ever BJJ/Submission Grappling match in Asia.