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[juliushandle]

Gary Tonon who normally competes at 155 won the light heavyweight (205 lbs) EBI championship this past weekend. he filled in for his injured training partner Gordon Ryan. amazing accomplishment for the grappler. i haven't seen it yet but will do sometime this week.

 

[PastorOfMuppets]

Gary Tonon who normally competes at 155 won the light heavyweight (205 lbs) EBI championship this past weekend. he filled in for his injured training partner Gordon Ryan. amazing accomplishment for the grappler. i haven't seen it yet but will do sometime this week.

Tonon is legit. I steal a lot of his moves. His leglock game is beautiful, his takedowns are creative and come from outta nowhere and I absolutely love the way he attacks the back with his rolling back attacks.

 

[Brerlappin]

Been a bit quiet in here lately, what's everyone been up to?

I've only trained once this week. It was a good class tho. I seriously need to focus on sweeps tho. I am so, so bad at them. Had some good rolls this week tho. I got into a situation where I was being collar choked, but had my chin tucked enough to block it. It was still painful as it was right on the jaw, and I felt like tapping to the pain. Instead I told myself "he's gonna burn out his forearms in a few seconds if I hold on". Sure enough he did, and when he let go I toreando passed his guard, got side control, then full mount and a shitty armbar attempt lol.

Also pretty happy I hit the Ezekiel twice on the same guy haha. Seems like collar chokes are still about the only sub I can land with regularity tho

 

[PastorOfMuppets]

I've been busy with an impending move so I haven't trained much lately. I been dropping in at gyms when I can though. No idea where I'll train after I move. Prior to the move, I was working a lot on back attacks.

Nice perk with being a black belt is I get my drop in fees waived. Also a nice perk is I get to represent the guy who gave me my black belt whenever I travel - he's very well known and a lot of people tell me he's a legend. Super proud I got my black from him.

 

[juliushandle]

I've been busy with an impending move so I haven't trained much lately. I been dropping in at gyms when I can though. No idea where I'll train after I move. Prior to the move, I was working a lot on back attacks.

Nice perk with being a black belt is I get my drop in fees waived. Also a nice perk is I get to represent the guy who gave me my black belt whenever I travel - he's very well known and a lot of people tell me he's a legend. Super proud I got my black from him.

Awesome, do theses schools you visit ask you to teach class?

 

[juliushandle]

Been a bit quiet in here lately, what's everyone been up to?

I've only trained once this week. It was a good class tho. I seriously need to focus on sweeps tho. I am so, so bad at them. Had some good rolls this week tho. I got into a situation where I was being collar choked, but had my chin tucked enough to block it. It was still painful as it was right on the jaw, and I felt like tapping to the pain. Instead I told myself "he's gonna burn out his forearms in a few seconds if I hold on". Sure enough he did, and when he let go I toreando passed his guard, got side control, then full mount and a shitty armbar attempt lol.

Also pretty happy I hit the Ezekiel twice on the same guy haha. Seems like collar chokes are still about the only sub I can land with regularity tho

Nice, I love the Ezekiels because I can attack it from half guard top or bottom. Especially from top against a really good guard player who's guard is hard to pass. I just work to half guard and attack Ezekiels with my arms and pass with my legs at the same time. It makes the bottom player work very hard at both defending their neck and keeping you from passing. Bottom player usually concedes the pass or gets choked. Of course, high level dudes won't even let me get an arm behind their necks.

 

[Fox318]

Has anyone here ever done NAGA before?

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Has anyone here ever done NAGA before?

Don't do NAGA.

 

[Fox318]

Don't do NAGA.

I'm already signed up lol.

It's been my goal.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

I'm already signed up lol.

It's been my goal.

Be careful with NAGA.

It's easy to get injured with them. They have weird classifications. Like, they group by time trained instead of belt level, or they used to anyways? They are very controversial. My coach went to NAGA once and as a blue belt and was grouped with a purple belt because they trained the same amount of time. You could very well be going up against blue belts who have been training "one year".

Be warned and stay safe.

 

[Brerlappin]

Had a dreadful class tonight. One of those "why do I even do this" kinda classes. Doing positional sparring and not once passed guard or scored any points. Was frustrating as fuck. About the only thing I can say in my defense was everyone I rolled with was better than me by a considerable margin so really I shouldn't have expected any different.

 

[Fox318]

Be careful with NAGA.

It's easy to get injured with them. They have weird classifications. Like, they group by time trained instead of belt level, or they used to anyways? They are very controversial. My coach went to NAGA once and as a blue belt and was grouped with a purple belt because they trained the same amount of time. You could very well be going up against blue belts who have been training "one year".

Be warned and stay safe.

The classification for no gi is based off time (under 6 months for me) and for gi it's based on belt (white 0 stripes).

Our coach is anal as fuck about making sure people are ready so I'm not too worried.

 

[Kiever Sher]

BJJ is definitely one of the most expensive MAs to train. I remember my face just dropped when they told me the price of my gym. 90 euro per month. Plus 70 for the Gi. I'm still surprised I even signed up

Wherabouts are you, in Dublin? If you're in Cork we should totally roll sometime! EDIT: Oh wait I forgot other countries in Europe use the Euro, I just assume Ireland for some reason.

I pay 65 a month for unlimited BJJ classes a week. It used to be for two classes a week but my instructor told me he was upgrading my membership with no extra cost. I'm just that good I guess







(I am not good at all)

 

[Brerlappin]

Wherabouts are you, in Dublin? If you're in Cork we should totally roll sometime! EDIT: Oh wait I forgot other countries in Europe use the Euro, I just assume Ireland for some reason.

I pay 65 a month for unlimited BJJ classes a week. It used to be for two classes a week but my instructor told me he was upgrading my membership with no extra cost. I'm just that good I guess







(I am not good at all)

Close!! I'm in Dublin alright. I train at Jorge Santos BJJ. I know he has a gym in Cork too, you're not training out of there are you?

If you're ever up in this neck of the woods definitely drop by for a roll, I'm happy to be smashed by anyone!

 

[PushingButtons]

I'm still on the hunt for a place I can afford. I've been on vacation for the last weekish or so, so I'll try to get to one of the free classes at a new spot soon.

 

[Shmuppers]

Just chiming in to say that you BJJ people are crazy. I wish I could do that stuff. (American boxer here)

 

[Kiever Sher]

Close!! I'm in Dublin alright. I train at Jorge Santos BJJ. I know he has a gym in Cork too, you're not training out of there are you?

If you're ever up in this neck of the woods definitely drop by for a roll, I'm happy to be smashed by anyone!

I didn't know he had a gym down here! I'm at the SBG affiliate, we've got John Kavanagh coming down for a Gi seminar on Dec 2nd. Super excited for that. He's been here before but it was mainly MMA stuff and just the little bit of BJJ he did back then was awesome so I'm looking forward to a full two hours it. Should be some belt promotions also.

Anyway same invitation to you if you're about Cork, lots of open mat time here.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Just chiming in to say that you BJJ people are crazy. I wish I could do that stuff. (American boxer here)

Boxers are nuts. Getting hit in the face? You have more courage than me.

 

[Brerlappin]

I didn't know he had a gym down here! I'm at the SBG affiliate, we've got John Kavanagh coming down for a Gi seminar on Dec 2nd. Super excited for that. He's been here before but it was mainly MMA stuff and just the little bit of BJJ he did back then was awesome so I'm looking forward to a full two hours it. Should be some belt promotions also.

Anyway same invitation to you if you're about Cork, lots of open mat time here.

Yeah I'm not sure how big it is but I've seen them share a few posts and such from JSBJJ Cork on Facebook. But damn man, 65 euro for an SBG gym is insane!! You're getting an amazing deal, I'm pretty sure SBG Dublin is like 150 a month.

Let us know how the Kavanagh seminar goes!

Just chiming in to say that you BJJ people are crazy. I wish I could do that stuff. (American boxer here)

Damn man I'd take rolling over getting punched in the face any day of the week!!

 

[Fox318]

How much do you all work on leg locks?

 

[ant_]

I'm going to my very first class in about 40 minutes. I'm excited & nervous.

 

[juliushandle]

How much do you all work on leg locks?

I use to work them a lot when I trained under a Cobrinha brown belt. At my new gym, not so much. Honestly, I'm just a blue belt and would rather spend more time passing guard. Glad I learned a bit of the game though as it helped my leg lock defense and don't mind rolling with leg lockers now.

I'm going to my very first class in about 40 minutes. I'm excited & nervous.

Enjoy and come back and let us know how it went.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

I'm going to my very first class in about 40 minutes. I'm excited & nervous.

How'd it go??

How much do you all work on leg locks?

Not much at all honestly.

 

[PastorOfMuppets]

How much do you all work on leg locks?

Leglocks are a huge part of my game. Probably 60% of my submission attempts are from the legs. It's one of the reasons I prefer nogi over gi as well because of the the lack of restrictions. I've pretty much been studying the Danaher system since I was a young purple.

 

[ant_]

Enjoy and come back and let us know how it went.

How'd it go??

Went great guys. Going back again today after work.

I was frustrated (a good kind) by how much I don't know.

 

[Brerlappin]

I think it's official that I am literally the worst jiu jitsu doing guy ever. I was sucking like a Dyson tonight. Another night of never escaping closed guard and having my brain go completely blank when I have someone in mine. Good grief

 

[juliushandle]

I think it's official that I am literally the worst jiu jitsu doing guy ever. I was sucking like a Dyson tonight. Another night of never escaping closed guard and having my brain go completely blank when I have someone in mine. Good grief

There's always somebody worse and always somebody better.

 

[Brerlappin]

There's always somebody worse and always somebody better.

True, just a shitty couple of classes this week, but I guess it's better to go to class and suck than stay at home and do nothing

 

[ant_]

I went to a class again today and kind of got to nervous and didn't participate. I did sign up.

I was intimidated by the amount of people (12-15?) and that everyone seemed to know each other already. I felt like me being so new (2nd session) I'd slow everyone down.

I'm still committed to doing it and am pretty happy with this gym. I signed up and will go again, but I'm going to the morning classes for now. I'm assuming there will be less people and that's what I want for when I first am learning.

 

[Brerlappin]

I went to a class again today and kind of got to nervous and didn't participate. I did sign up.

I was intimidated by the amount of people (12-15?) and that everyone seemed to know each other already. I felt like me being so new (2nd session) I'd slow everyone down.

I'm still committed to doing it and am pretty happy with this gym. I signed up and will go again, but I'm going to the morning classes for now. I'm assuming there will be less people and that's what I want for when I first am learning.

Don't worry about it. You're new, it'll take a while for people to remember you and get to know you. It can be intimidating at first but keep going and you'll make friends. And don't worry, you're not holding anyone back. In fact, rolling with newbies means the more experienced people get to try out stuff that they're working on, so you're kind of a fun BJJ guinea pig for them haha.

 

[PastorOfMuppets]

I think it's official that I am literally the worst jiu jitsu doing guy ever. I was sucking like a Dyson tonight. Another night of never escaping closed guard and having my brain go completely blank when I have someone in mine. Good grief

You realize that the closed guard is the most difficult guard to escape right? Even high level black belts develop their entire strategies around never being inside closed guard so they don't have to spend the energy to open it. In fact, all things being equal and assuming no strikes are allowed the guy on the bottom has a significant advantage over the guy on top in closed guard.

 

[Brerlappin]

You realize that the closed guard is the most difficult guard to escape right? Even high level black belts develop their entire strategies around never being inside closed guard so they don't have to spend the energy to open it. In fact, all things being equal and assuming no strikes are allowed the guy on the bottom has a significant advantage over the guy on top in closed guard.

Well that does make me feel a bit better, thanks lol.
It was just super frustrating, especially because as usual, after class i realized so many opportunities i had to either sweep or submit someone that i just didnt spot in the heat of the moment. Like at one point i had a guy in my closed guard, he was trying to stand up, i hooked my right arm round his left leg, controlled his arm, and couldve theoretically swept him or tried for an armbar, but instead i sat there thinking "wtf do i do now.."

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

I went to a class again today and kind of got to nervous and didn't participate. I did sign up.

I was intimidated by the amount of people (12-15?) and that everyone seemed to know each other already. I felt like me being so new (2nd session) I'd slow everyone down.

I'm still committed to doing it and am pretty happy with this gym. I signed up and will go again, but I'm going to the morning classes for now. I'm assuming there will be less people and that's what I want for when I first am learning.

Don't worry about it. No one knows you. Keep coming and they'll be friendly. They won't get to know you if you don't drill/roll with them. My class were a bunch of strangers but you're strangely far more friendly with people after you've rolled with them. It's like you're friends now and you know each other. It's like the jiu jitsu handshake. I know it's intimidating but sitting out won't help you learn. Smaller classes are good but you will get used to being destroyed by the same people week in, week out. At a point in the future when you get used to bjj (as much as you'll be used to at that point) try going to the bigger class. There you will find a larger pool of people, which will dramatically increase the amount of styles, situations, and body types to deal with.

If people seem cold at first, it's because bjj has a high quit rate. Most people don't last. I've met countless of new white belts over the months since starting. So it's hard to get emotionally invested if I know that 90% of the time I won't ever see you again, and if I do, it'll probably only be a few more times. Keep that in mind and make friends. When you show you've got some courage in your stomach, you will have earned respect and they will become your buddies.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Yeah so Slideyfoot's bjj history link is far better than what I wrote in the op and I'm replacing it with that.

http://www.slideyfoot.com/1982/06/history-of-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-bjj.html?m=1

I've talked to him about maybe adding a couple more details. He's a busy man and probably doesn't want to get sued by Rorion. Heh.

The history of bjj is still fucking fascinating to me.

 

[Weckum]

Been taking classes for four weeks now, twice a week.

Two things that suck for me: I have shitty grip strength and my weight control when in a dominant position still sucks.

Good things for me: I'm super tall which means I can throw my legs and arms everywhere and I seem pretty decent defensively.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Been taking classes for four weeks now, twice a week.

Two things that suck for me: I have shitty grip strength and my weight control when in a dominant position still sucks.

Good things for me: I'm super tall which means I can throw my legs and arms everywhere and I seem pretty decent defensively.

What kind of grip are you doing and how?

 

[Weckum]

What kind of grip are you doing and how?

My pistol grip is fine, my spider grip sucks.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

My pistol grip is fine, my spider grip sucks.

Are you remembering to keep your thumb on top with the spider grip?

 

[juliushandle]

Been taking classes for four weeks now, twice a week.

Two things that suck for me: I have shitty grip strength and my weight control when in a dominant position still sucks.

you've only been training 4 weeks, don't be so hard on yourself. no way you can be good at controlling grips and having a good base unless you've done some other form of grappling before.

heck, it took me 2 yrs before i was truly comfortable on top with my full mount. before that, i would take full mount then go back to side mount as i didn't have the technique, timing, and experience to have a proficient full mount.

advice to you guys just starting out. yes, you will suck but you will also improve with every hour you spend on the mat. don't be so tense, relax more, have fun, and have a goal to learn at least one little thing in every class. yes, you will be tapped by more experienced students but every time you do think about how you got in the position rather than asking your opponent how they did that move. for example; if you keep diving into triangle chokes well you're probably letting your partner get one arm in and one arm out. understand that and keep either both arms in or both arms out and there's no more triangle choke. new guys should only focus on passing guard, retaining guard, and protecting their arms and necks. you are improving even if you don't think you are. keep coming to class and soon you will be the more experienced guy. someone new will come along and when you roll with them you'll see the same mistakes you use to make.

btw, i had class this morning and only 4 people showed up. it is holiday time and the colder weather makes it harder for people to get out of bed. had some very productive rolls with white belts. i wanted to practice my berimbolos so i repeatedly would berimbolo, take the back, kimura trap, then either arm bar, or kimura. i never finished the subs, i was just drilling to flow, but doing this during live rolling. i'm not an asshole though, i do spend half the round letting the white belts work on their guard passes and retention with me.

 

[Fox318]

Tried to cut to 189 but I wasn't able to.

At least I'm weighed in now.

 

[Fox318]

I won second in no gi

 

[juliushandle]

Congrats

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Congratulations!

 

[Fox318]

It was fun but there were so many fucking people there.

There were and I wanted to stay and do Gi after no gi but my leg was acting up and its been hurting. Plus my coach who was supposed to be there to be in my corner had to run out so it wound up working out for me.

I'm at a catch wrestling school so this was kinda my first exposure to the jiu jitsu culture and everything. It was fun watching some of the matches though a 4 minute round wasn't always enough.

The craziest fucking people there were the parents of the kids competing.

 

[Rawr Its Ry]

I won second in no gi

Congrats! Maybe next year I'll gather the courage to try and compete haha

 

[Fox318]

Congrats! Maybe next year I'll gather the courage to try and compete haha

I enjoyed it.

Go for it.

 

[juliushandle]

Someb parents of kids at competitions are awful. I heard things like, "break his fucking arm off" come out of their mouths.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Someb parents of kids at competitions are awful. I heard things like, "break his fucking arm off" come out of their mouths.

...Do they do jiu jitsu too?

 

[juliushandle]

...Do they do jiu jitsu too?

Probably not. I'd like to think parents who train understand it isn't about winning and losing and that they'd be more respectful but that isn't always the case.

 

[Brerlappin]

I won second in no gi

Good job man