Higher Level Training

In our quest to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and attempt to master the techniques and positions taught to us, it is extremely important to always seek a higher level of training and instruction. “Specialised Knowledge” as it is sometimes referred to can save us tremendous amounts of time and head aches especially when we are able to tap into the minds of those who are further ahead  and more experienced in their Brazilian Jiu Jitsu journey than we are.

As a student, competitor and even a teacher it is important to always strive to maintain an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Learn from experienced coaches, take private lessons, attend seminars, watch dvds, study online and work with more advanced training partners whenever you can!

You don’t even have to be working on new techniques/positions when you are learning from or training with a Higher level training partner… Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs in you training will come just through situational drilling/rolling  even in the most basic positions and unlocking a deeper understanding of what you are trying to achieve and how you can better apply your techniques and leverage! When you work with a higher level training partner, not only will you see what they are doing but you will feel their movement which will greatly aid you in attempting to replicate this feeling in your own techniques!

For me, the less techniques I work on and the more thoroughly I work on a technique or position the better I develop my understanding through “Deep Cell” learning. And for some strange and unexplained reason the movements just become internalized and automatic much quicker when you spend enough time working with higher level training partners. Perhaps it is due to the additional concentration and engagement of the brain as you are being pushed or tested by a more experienced partner, who knows but I do know that I really do feel like I absorb movements into my game much faster than when I just drill reps with a partner.

So the lesson for the week is to seek Higher Level Training as much as you possibly can in whatever way that suits you best. And most of all, have fun when you are training! You will learn faster and retain more if you enjoy what you are doing.

 

Good Luck With Your Training and Happy Rolling!

Felipe Grez

Jiu Jitsu Kingdom

Level 1 / 4-6 Flinders Street, Darlinghurst

0414 472 243

www.jiujitsukingdom.com

“Latest News at Jiu Jitsu Kingdom”

Ok so a lot has been going on behind the scenes at Jiu Jitsu Kingdom as of late and I thought it was about time that we share some of the great and exciting news and things that we have planned for the very near future! Firstly if I seem like I have been a little disorganised as of late I apologise. My wife is due with our second child any time now so between family time, Jiu Jitsu Kingdom, work and a whole bunch of other stuff I may have been spreading myself a little thin as of late!

Ok so first things first. With regards to seminars Andre Galvao will be teaching a  two-day seminar (Gi and No Gi) on the 11th and 12th August at Liam Resenkov’s VT-1 Gym in Chatswood. Liam is a friend and supporter of Jiu Jitsu Kingdom so let’s do our best to support him and keep the latest Jiu Jitsu talent coming out to Australia to share their knowledge with us. If you can make either day or both I highly recommend them as Andre Galvao is one of the best Jiu Jitsu competitors on the planet at the moment!

The next upcoming seminar is the legendary Royler Gracie, son of the founder of Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Widely considered one of the most technical people in the Gracie family and arguably the most accomplished in Gi, No Gi and MMA competition. Royler Gracie will be teaching a seminar at Gracie Sydney/Humaita headquarters in Alexandria on the 18th August. Another seminar not to be missed!

Then we have 6 time World Champion Michelle Nicolini, arguably the best female Jiu Jitsu competitor in the world coming to Sydney, Australia to teach a series of seminars and classes at Jiu Jitsu Kingdom! Michelle will be teaching a special two-day women’s only seminar as well as an open seminar while she is here. In addition to this Michelle will also kindly be helping out and teaching some classes at Jiu Jitsu Kingdom for our members and seminar attendees only! Michelle will also be available for a limited number of private lessons. Please talk to me if you are interested in booking some! Pretty exciting!

The second half of 2012 is going to be HUGE for Jiu Jitsu Kingdom so get ready… Because you aint seen nothing yet!

 

Good Luck with Your Training and Happy Rolling!

Felipe Grez

Jiu Jitsu Kingdom

“Dont add Fuel to the Fire!”

So today’s post is about the great Anderson Silva defeating Chael Sonnen by TKO in the second round at UFC 148. I will start by saying I like and respect both fighters a lot but I’m glad that Anderson Silva, the Martial Artist prevailed. Again I like Chael, he’s tough as nails and never takes a backward step. I find him entertaining, funny, witty and great at hyping up a fight but he crossed the line with this one. He insulted Anderson Silva personally, his family, his friends, his coaches and even his country… And that was a mistake!

The Anderson Silva that we saw today showed tremendous focus, determination, killer instinct  and a fierce will to win that allowed him to decimate the UFC’s number 1 contender in Chael Sonnen. Chael simply could not match Anderson’s intensity and spirit on this night and learnt a tough but important lesson. “Don’t Add Fuel to the Fire”!

The question you have to ask is, how would this fight have gone had Chael been more humble and respectful after their previous encounter? I believe all the trash talking by Chael woke a sleeping dragon and added a tremendous amount of motivational fuel to the fire! Even if Anderson was hurt in their first encounter (which I truly believe he was, just watch “Like Water”), Chael still fought a hell of a fight and pushed the champion into deep waters like no one else before him. Chael Sonnen fights great but Anderson Silva is a Great fighter and the last thing you want to do is piss off and motivate a great fighter to take your head off in the octagon! I believe Chael’s trash talking backfired and not only did he not get into Anderson’s head the way he wanted to, Anderson got into his head especially during the Weigh In… Chael was shocked and you could see the hint of doubt and dare I say it “fear” in his eyes!

The lesson to take away is “Don’t Add Fuel to the Fire” and it applies to a Martial Artist’s life in many ways. From the simplest of things such as going hard against your training partners after saying you will go light and getting injured or injuring your partner when you both turn it up and roll too hard. Both outcomes suck and just shouldn’t happen. The Gym is a place of learning and you are supposed to help each other sharpen the sword and get better not hack each other apart with them!

You can apply this principle in a potentially volatile situation when someone is getting angry and becoming aggressive. You need to remain calm and deflect their aggressive energy with a relaxed and confident demeanor. Talk to the aggressor, don’t interrupt them, be polite but firm and most importantly take your ego out of the equation. Every fight that you can walk away from is a fight won! Learn the art of “Verbal Jiu Jitsu” and go around the aggressor’s energy. Defuse the situation rather than add fuel to the fire with ego even if you are in the right morally. No one really wins a fight especially if it is a serious one. If you walk away the victor after a physical encounter, consider yourself lucky but realise you just missed an opportunity to strengthen your spirit and you quite probably hurt another human being which is never a good thing. It takes a lot more courage and confidence in yourself to walk away from a fight than to go all “Axe Murderer” on the aggressor! Martial Arts training is about character building and strengthening the spirit so take every opportunity to do so, set the standard and be a positive example for everyone around you!

 

Good Luck with Your Training and Happy Rolling!

Felipe Grez

Jiu Jitsu Kingdom

www.jiujitsukingdom.com

“Never Contest Strength!”

One of the things that you learn in Jiu Jitsu is that there is always someone bigger, stronger and more athletic than you… If you are strong and athletic then you often get away with combining your athleticism with technique to be successful very early in your Jiu Jitsu journey. However the beauty of Jiu Jitsu lies in the use of technique and leverage over strength and power.

Therefore it comes as no surprise to find that often the smaller and weaker individuals and women  really start to focus on learning and mastering technique early in their Jiu Jitsu journeys. And although they may not fare so well at the beginning sooner or later a few years have gone by and they are terrors on the mats rapidly climbing the belt ranks! One of the reasons the learn so fast is that they “Never Contest Strength”, not necessarily by choice but because they aren’t physically able to do so and are forced to find another way to survive and go around their partners’ power.

I think  it was Roy Dean who I first heard use the phrase “The Curse of Strength”! What he meant by that is because stronger people are able to get away with executing their techniques half correct and their attributes doing the rest for them it often happens that their technique doesn’t develop nearly as fast as those who never contest strength. Now the funny thing is that in the beginning the stronger individuals will be way more successful when rolling than the smaller weaker individuals particularly when training No Gi. But in the long run if they don’t learn to shelf their attributes and master technique and leverage, the smaller and weaker individuals will continue to sharpen their techniques and eventually run rings around them!

So the lesson for the day is “Never Contest Strength” or never use strength in place of correct technique. Learn to shelf your attributes and strive to understand and master the technical aspects of Jiu Jitsu. If you can do this you, not only will you get better faster, but you will be more fun and safer to train with for everyone!

 

Good Luck with Your Training and Happy Rolling!

Felipe Grez

Jiu Jitsu Kingdom

www.jiujitsukingdom.com