Glimpses of Alaska (Part 1)
Gracie Barra Alaska Grand Opening
A very special day at the new Gracie Barra Alaska School, with a four black belt seminar and 80 participants on the mat. I was honored to share the mat with Professor Nelson Monteiro and former world champion Rafael “Gordhino” Correa, head instructor at Renzo Gracie’s Academy in New York. A 2 hour seminar, followed by a grand opening ceremony and reception. A fantastic facility, and an extended family under the guidance of Professor Ted Stickel. RDA member Brian Dunagan was also at the seminar, which was filmed and will be dropped to DVD in the future. We were skunked in First Annual Black Belt fishing competition, sitting on the Kenai River and chatting it up. More pictures and insights to come.
2008 BJJ World Championships
The 2008 World Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships took place this last weekend, and although many struggle for top position, few make it at this level of competition. Pan American Champion Andre Galvao steamrolled through the competition and won his division handily (even humiliating this opponent after he attempted an illegal heel hook), until he was stopped in the open weight category by Roger Gracie. The highly touted Kron Gracie, son of the legendary Rickson Gracie, competed as a black belt for the first time, and was submitted in the first round by the eventual division champion, after an incredible win streak where he had submitted his opponents in 40 straight matches as a brown belt. And check out this 16 year old purple belt phenom. The level of skill in this sport continues to rise, which confirms that the art is alive and well.
Sandan for Demonstration
Thanks to Jim Shand for posting this. I highly encourage the use of any of my music to promote the arts, martial or otherwise. Bright future for these two!
Monterey Notes 2008
Shihan on the Rocks: Ivo Belmans and James Campbell in 2007, taking in Big Sur the day after the seminar.
It was a wild ride this year at Yosokan Dojo’s annual Tai Kai, where Shihan Ivo Belmans of Belgium was the guest instructor. Several years ago my good friend and seminar host James Campbell extended the invitation to come to the seminar and stay at his beautiful home in the canyons near Monterey, California. I took him up on the opportunity, loved reconnecting with Jamie and was also duly impressed with Ivo Belmans. Ivo Belmans was the first Shihan (master rank, 5th dan) of Irie Yasuhiro, who was the premier practitioner of Hakko-Ryu Jujutsu for many years before leaving the organization and forming KoKoDo Jujutsu. Ivo’s technique is amazing. Extremely painful. Tighter than tight. You cannot move fast enough at times, and have to be on your game when taking ukemi. He knows how to move you, and just where to press.
Just to be around somebody who’s at that level in their technique, even if it is in a style that I do not practice regularly, is good training for me. So I make it a point to train that weekend, get ready to take some ukemi, and get to reconnect with Jamie, his lovely wife Cesca, and their son Eric. Eric has known me since I was an uchideshi at Seibukan Dojo, so we’re like brothers, who reunite once a year to throw each other around and drink a little whisky with the Shihan.
This year, instead of staying at the house, I stayed with Margarita Jimenez, who’ll be hosting my Morgan Hill seminar June 20th. This seminar will help launch the opening of her new facility, Train For Life, which is an enormous 13,000 square foot center that holds group classes for Crossfit, Zumba, personal training, yoga, etc. No weight machines, only scheduled classes. There’s also a dojo attached, which offers a variety of arts.
Margarita has also known me since I was an uchideshi, and she has also expanded her arsenal to include shinkendo, grappling, an open minded approach to cross training in general. She knows what she’s doing, with weapons or empty hands. The beautiful Margarita has also done bodyguard work for A list Hollywood celebrities, adding to her mystique.
So I flew into San Jose, where Margarita picked me up in her silver Z, and we sped off to her “old” training hall in Morgan Hill, Seikishin Dojo. There I gave a private lesson to Isiah, an 11 year old wrestler who also happens to be the national champion, and showed him and his training partner Nico a few jiu jitsu techniques that would add on nicely to their favorite attacks. Nico and Isiah were so smooth with their single legs, you could tell the number of repetitions that had gone into that flow. Thousands. I’ve seen many a martial arts master without the same level of flow these boys had. Which adds to my notion that wrestling really is just another martial art, which I must learn better. But I digress…
Margarita and I caught up over dinner and then went to bed early for the next day’s seminar. She had private lessons in the morning, and I did a little yoga before breakfast, then we shot down to Monterey for the seminar. There were so many wishing to train with Ivo, that Jamie had divided it into morning and afternoon training sessions. We were part of the afternoon crew, and arriving in Monterey a bit early, we drove down to the beach.
A fabulous day with sunny blue skies and many boats on the water, we took off our shoes and walked along the beach. Margarita told me about racing in the British Virgin Islands with a billionaire boyfriend of hers, and how she took her martial arts summer camp kids to that very beach for running. Luckily we weren’t running, just getting warmed up for getting our wrists twisted and wrung.
The seminar was fantastic. Shihan Belmans used me for ukemi a few times, but I was largely unscathed from this seminar. I realized that my shoulders are very tight for many of the pins they use, and I should probably work on that in addition to my strength training.
We went back to Jaime’s house after the seminar, for a quick shower and refreshments before heading to a student’s house for a small barbecue. I had a little wine and caught up with Laurie, one of Cessca’s friend, whom I met last year after my seminar in October. Laurie’s daughter Lauren was there, visiting from Arizona, who looked 15 to me but was apparently 20, and served as a sure reminder that I am getting older, not being able to decipher even slight gradations in age.
Long story short, we head to the barbecue, where it was rum and coke for some, wine for others. Then, back to the Jamie’s house for the ritualized drinking with the Shihan. This is where things began to unravel. We drank whisky, straight. I don’t even like whisky, but it was all part of my training. That’s how these boys roll. Throwing down drinks with the masters, listening to “Party Like a Rock Star” on Lauren’s pink iPod, it was surreal. Ivo had one of his Ukranian instructors, Yuri, come for the seminar, and that night he invited me to participate in several contests of strength, all of which I lost handily. It’s a good thing I know technique, because I could train my whole life and never get as strong as Yuri’s grip! One of the contests involved hooking our middle fingers together, then making a fist to play a game of mercy. I quit when he squeezed his hand! No, I need those fingers, thank you very much. Unbroken, please.
Eric and I closed the house down, as is our tradition, but the next morning was not easy. It was a very quiet breakfast. I had two private lessons the next day: one with Margarita, and the other with Paul Pedrazzi at Seikishin Dojo. I apologized in advance to Paul before the lesson but he paid no mind to the single malt scotch oozing out my pores. It was a great lesson, which was stimulating to me because I was able to give advice and guidelines in a very different way than Academy instruction. During private lessons I am more of a “technical advisor” and can cater to filling in holes and offer alternative points of view. You can read about Mr. Pedrazzi’s lesson here on his blog. Paul also showed me a great set up into the bread cutter choke off an armlock set up that I use all the time. The learning goes both ways. Always.
Purging whisky from my body made it a rough 7 hour transit back to Bend. But as usual, it was a great trip, and I’ll be back to Margarita’s new gym for a seminar on the 20th. Do swing by if you’re in the area.
(Author’s note: This blog entry is about 2 weeks overdue, as my life has had new demands thrust upon it with surprisingly good DVD sales and the arrival of my girl. More blogs coming this week!)
Heatherman Blue
Congratulations to Paul Heatherman! He showed great fighting spirit in his blue belt demonstration. Thanks again to our new blue for hosting the UFC that night, where there was amazing jiu jitsu and striking displayed.
No class tonight due to Memorial Day. Wednesday will be no gi!
Jonesy Blue
Here’s the footage of Jonesy’s test, from 30 minutes of technique, and 30 minutes of sparring. Bravo!
Paul Heatherman, I hope this gets you amped up for this Saturday! Paul will be testing for the blue, so be sure to make it. 2 p.m. start time.
Paul has also generously offered to host the UFC also at his house that evening. Sparring line up will be Donald, Jonesy, Rick, and myself. Coronas will follow that evening.
Monterey notes soon to be published.
Congratulations Jonesy!
Big congrats to Jonesy for showing all the requirements for blue belt, then rolling for a half hour to pass his exam with flying colors. We wish him the best of luck on his next adventure in Hawaii!
Friday’s day class with be taught by Anthony, and Saturday’s by Donald. It’s going to be a scorcher this weekend, so this Saturday will be no gi.
I will be hopping on a plane to San Jose, California, for the Tai Kai at Yosokan Dojo in Monterey, California. Shihan Ivo Belmans will be leading another seminar and I’m looking forward to attending. His technique is amazing, and it’s always good to cross train and expand my skill set. I’ll give a full report of the weekend when I return on Monday.