Those Gracie Boys

Ryron and Rener Gracie are the two eldest sons of Rorion Gracie, father of the UFC and the mastermind who popularized Gracie Jiu Jitsu in America.  Mr. Harris still regards Rorian Gracie as the best jiu jitsu teacher he’s ever had, in terms of presentation and clarity of explanations.  His sons don’t fall far from the tree, and have very clear and concise methods of passing on their skills to others.  Plus, these boys can fight!  Take a look at this lesson and I hope you get as much out of it as I did!

Aikido

Spectacular technique by Haru Matsuoka and Jiai Aikido‘s Un Pont Friendship Bridge Seminar.  Photo by Alicia.  Look for special pictorial on the seminar in the next E-Journal of Jujutsu.

zero two zero seven zero seven

Bow.

Stretch. 

Ukemi. 

Drill entry to kimura from guard.

Kimura from guard submission.

Hip bump sweep, off of resistance to kimura.

Foot drag mount escape back to closed guard.

Overhook feeding to cross lapel choke, from closed guard

Overhook, hip spacing, feeding the knee past the arm for triangle choke.

Loose triangle position, lift hips, push the arm past, or roll the elbow, straighten their arm, lift your hips, and then push it past your midline.

Triangle choke mechanics, “tightening the noose”, and the final elbowlock with your partner’s arm trapped under your armpit, lifting your hips, and finishing.

Rolling.

Bow.

Sunday Seminar

Quite a few things happening at the Academy.  First, I’ll be teaching a Japanese Jujutsu seminar this Sunday, from 12-3 p.m.  In it I will cover basic wristlocks and standing grappling approaches to grabs and strikes, and explore the connections between Japanese Jujutsu, Aikido, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  All levels are welcome, from experienced Aikido practiioners to the newest ground grappler or Karateka.  Cost is $50.  It’s also great preparation for those attending the Friendship Class with High Desert Aikido February 15th.

Second, I just received a shipment of instructional DVD’s from Mr. Harris:  BJJ 101 Revised and BJJ Over 40.  I highly recommend these titles, they will fill gaps in your understanding far more quickly than group classes alone.  BJJ 101 gives the theory, concepts, and basic techniques that all BJJ practitioners need to understand in order to advance their game.  BJJ Over 40 is featured in this month’s Black Belt magazine, and focuses on training methods, strategies and postures to moderate your energy expenditure against those 20 something whippersnappers.  Cost is $40 each, or $75 for both.

Finally, this Saturday will be the first weekend class of the Academy.  3-4 p.m.  Slightly more open format.  I have a feeling this will be a popular class!

Performance Menu Interview

I am honored to be the featured interview and cover story for this month’s Performance Menu.  If you’re interested in cutting edge training methods, dietary guidance, and functional lifting programs, this is the magazine for you.  Special thanks to Alicia for the photos, including the cover.

The editor, Robb Wolf, asked some meaty questions and I really gave an effort to provide concise, meaningful responses.  I shan’t say anymore, since there’s plenty of reading to do once the issue is downloaded.  Robb said it was one of the best interviews he’s every done, so what are you waiting for?

Download your free issue right now and check it out!

The E-Journal of Jujutsu Launches

At long last, it has arrived.  The E-Journal of Jujutsu (EJJ) is a digital publication providing specialized, technical expositions on modern jujutsu styles and stylists.  The content for the first issue is good.  The second issue is looking to be even better. 

Many thanks are necessary for those who worked hard on putting this together.  Rick Ellis, for the technical know how and his general programming genius.  Julie Wilde (who has shaped the look of the Academy in all things graphic), for the tasteful aesthetics and InDesign manueverings.  Thank you to all of my authors and interview subjects, for the first and second issues:

Roy Harris
Brad Hirakawa
Bruce Bookman
Daniel Camarillo
Richard North
Irie Yasuhiro
Jon Tessier
Robb Wolf

Huge thank you to Alicia for her beautiful photographs, which are used throughout this issue, and the next, which will feature a photo heavy article on Jiai Aikido’s Bridge Seminar.

Printing the EJJ is a recommended option.  One copy on stiff, high gloss paper looks sharp in a dojo. 

I would love to hear any reactions to the first issue, or individual articles, in the comments below.

Sprawl, Jump, Rollback

This is one of my favorite body movement exercises for BJJ, and I’ve been leading the class in it lately during the warmups.  Let’s see how Jimmy DaSilva does it:

It begins with the sprawl, hips low, head up.  The sprawl is useful for blocking wrestling shots or takedown attempts, and also for learning to drop your hips, or center.

Next, snap your hips up and bring your feet to your hands. 

Then roll on to your back smoothly, raising your hips up, and squeezing your knees together. 

Roll up to your feet and begin again.  It’s easy to see the live application of this solo exercise:

Elevation To Art

There are ways to do things.  You can do just enough to get the job done, or you can go above and beyond.  And in those endeavors you care deeply about, you should try.  Actions can be done so sublimely that it changes the perspectives of those experiencing those actions.  Many things can serve as examples, but I’d like to use this prank.  So elaborate, so well designed.  Compare it to Jackass, which I also like, but it’s totally different energy. 

I feel that technique is very similar.  You can tap a person roughly, going for quantity over quality, or you can smoothly catch them in a transition, perhaps the only submission you choose to take in that session, in a way that makes them go “Wow, that was cool.”  It’s your choice.  The end result is the same, but the effect is different.  You may have received the same label of a “victory”, but the experience on their part could be enlightening or inspiring. 

I Knew A Gentleman

I knew a Gentleman who inherited a ryu, or system.  He was a good man, and his father was a great man, with a lifetime of service.  His son took to his training quite late, and relied heavily on his friends for answers.  He managed to pass all of his dan examinations, receive his Shihan, and barely received enough votes from the members of the ryu to become the next Soke. 

But he had never been battle tested.  Some of his advisors had, and many hadn’t.  Some had never seen war, yet were more aggressively slanted.  The experienced warriors were more reticent.

The new Soke did his best.  Others may have been more qualified, but he was strong in his convictions, and sure of himself, fueled by by a deep faith in God.  After all, God had transformed his life.  His intentions were good and he was handed a difficult situation. 

Another smaller ryu, also fueled by unwavering faith, attacked a village under their protection.  It was both senseless and calculating.  Many were killed.  It was a terrible tragedy.  The martial arts community genuinely offered their condolences and support.

The Gentleman had vast numbers of warriors at his disposal.  Their fighting technology was very good, and battle tested.  They had generally shown great restraint in engaging in conflict before, more often assisting in other causes they deemed worthy.   

After much dialogue and posturing, the Gentleman’s ryu struck back at the rivals and their friends.  The Gentleman’s father had to deal with their friends before, so the son was going to finish what his father chose not to.  The Gentleman admitted, in private, that God told him to do so.  And how can you go against God? 

The Gentleman had not yet realized that choosing not to is sometimes more important than choosing to do something.  He was determined to set things right with a show strength, designed for shock and awe. 

He still didn’t realize how much sacrifice and energy are actually involved battles. The Gentleman had never lost a fight before, fair or unfair.  Because he had never experienced the reality of warfare, he was all too willing to send his warriors in to makes things right with the rival ryu, and capture their leader. Which they did. 

The Gentleman’s then staged a fair contest with an international audience, between the ryu’s best competitor and the rival leader, in a lengthy match geared towards submission. Of course the rival leader lost, with several referees shot in the process, and The Gentleman obtained his victory for all to see: a treasured win with little correlation to the real fight that his young warriors are engaged everyday.

Some of the warriors fighting for his God given vision are very young.  Lots of beginner ranks.  They learn the basics, then are sent out right away into the world of application.  Some right out of high school. 

These warriors are the quiet heroes of our society.  Fighting the fight they’re told to.  Those that actively insert themselves in harms way to advance the greater good.  Not just anyone has what it takes to ride the line of mortality so tightly.  They do so because they made a commitment.  The do so because they want to do their best for their cause, and their ryu, and their brothers and sisters beside them. 

And they do so because they have to, now that they’re this deep in the fight that was chosen for them by one who had never fought before. 

The Gentleman was slow in adapting to the news that the fight wasn’t going as planned.  The battle choreography they had mapped out looked nothing like what was unfolding.  They had undertrained and not studied enough film.  Their opponent used unorthodox tactics, with minimal exposure, designed to prolonge the game.  Not necessarily win the game, but play just enough to destroy any illusion of “victory”.  They don’t want to win.  They just don’t want the ryu to win. Even if the ryu itself doesn’t know which line in the sand constitutes the finish line for the “win”.  And this was to win what, again? 

Yet the fight was still righteous for The Gentleman’s ryu.  They believed in their belief.  They believed in their technique, even when it wasn’t working.  They chose to believe, in spite of evidence to the contrary.

I know The Gentleman sees the price that these brave souls bare.  He’s seen it for years.  And he feels it.  It is a burden he has chosen to bear, driving him to find deeper meanings in this fight, looking for validation by seek an elusive “victory”, and nothing else will do.  Sometimes even the champion is greatful for the final bell.  In a fight that most wish would simply stop, by whatever mechanism necessary.  Disengage, heal, reflect, grow, and allow those you are rescuing to grow and adapt as well.  Hold on loosely.  Some forces can be steered, but not fully controlled.  Be flexible and responsive. Walk softly.   

It was power vs. force.  The ryu has lost much prestige, but there was still hope.  A new Soke will be elected, and even The Gentleman himself has made large strides in adapting to the current reality. He even replaced one of the technical directors.  The principals of the ryu are what really fuel the liberties we enjoy under it’s protection.  And those that provide the protection should be honored.   

Do not let a victory or loss define you.  As a nation.  As an individual. View the experience objectively.  Through a camera lens.  Be intelligent, not emotionally reactive.  As a nation, and as an individual.  Nations should not have egos. Interests, yes, but not egos. Less suffering is a great victory in itself, more suffering is loss.  I don’t see how more loss will bring us greater victory than the victory these young warriors have already won right now.  Bring the them home and allow them to prepare for our next great challenge. 

Sweep The Leg

The Karate Kid was a very influential movie in my life.  And not just because I looked like Ralph Macchio in my younger days, creating a convenient halloween costume.  This movie had all the good lessons of martial arts, plus a genuine feeling of empowerment, from simply plunking down a few bucks and watching the John G. Avildsen flick.  How could you not want to be Danielson, or find a Mr. Miyagi, or even date an Ali with an i?  Some of the actors could continue with the characters as the movie spawned degenerative sequels over time.  But what do you do if you’re Johnny, and your Cobra Kai days are all used up?

Sweep the Leg is the answer.  The best part:  William Zabka, the man who played Danielson’s nemesis, wrote and directed the entire video.  Talk about embracing your fate.  Brilliance, I tell you.  Brilliance! 

I Can’t Believe My Eyes

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing last night.  The UFC, in mainsteam press.  Represented professionally.  Thank you NBC!

I remember watching UFC 2, and almost having a religious experience.  My parents couldn’t believe how much it captured me.  My mother would often say, “Roy, you should see your eyes when you watch that stuff.”  It held answers to martial questions I had been asking for years.  It was real.  It was exciting.  And it was the future.  I just knew it. 

But there were many years in between that kickoff and widespread social acceptance.  When it was banned in most States or was only available on satellite dish.  The heroes and champions of those eras are past, and many of their student’s primes are past, too.  There have been several evolutionary cycles to bring it up to this point.  And I owe those pioneers a debt of thanks for fostering a new sport and new martial tradition. 

The future has finally arrived, at the perfect time. 

How To Not Be The Next Bruce Lee

How to not be the next O’Sensei:

Study only Aikido, from those with no direct contact with the founder.  Criticize other styles.  Believe in your efficacy without evidence.

How to not be the next Bruce Lee:

Study only JKD, from those with no direct contact with the founder.  Criticize other styles.  Believe in your efficacy without evidence.

Apply this to religion as you see fit. 

The paths great leaders lay down are supremely helpful. 

However, that is not the path they had taken. 

They found their own path. 

As we all must.

Ikebana

In ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, less is often more.  Jiu jitsu is the same.  You need just enough strength to move yourself.  Just enough confidence to maintain your posture and position.  And just enough instruction to assist in understanding.  Too many words can obscure the truth, rather than reveal it.  See the shape of a technique.  And the space around it.

Academy Happenings

As a way of saying thank you to the foundational members, each will receive an Academy shirt, with additional shirts available for purchase at $25.  They look tight!  Be sure to represent liberally around town and spread the word…

Also, a joint Aikido/Brazilian Jiu jitsu class will be taking place on February 15th with our friends at High Desert Aikido.  Sensei Gordon and I will meet this Friday to discuss the format, but it should show the similarities between these arts that I’ve always felt were closely connected.

Due to popular demand, a Saturday afternoon open mat time will begin in February.  Tentative time is 3 p.m.  No instruction, but guys and gals can roll, drill, or just look pretty/cool, or pretty cool on the mat!

Finally, I will be implementing a stripe system for ranking, and awarding them in April.  Will it be one stripe, or two?  I know someone that’s getting four stripes on their blue belt!

Minor Speedbumps

Hit a minor speedbump with the E-Journal of Jujutsu (EJJ).  The first issue of the journal itself is complete, however the e-commerce system for distribution of the journal has turned out to be more complicated than originally anticipated.  But, applying jiu jitsu off the mat, I am quickly learning to adapt and work around the obstacle. 

Performance Menu is doing a rather meaty interview of me for their next issue, with a tie in to the EJJ.  Since the new issue will be distributed February 1, my new goal is to have a member signup and distribution system in place by January 25th, with the subscription enabled second issue of the EJJ ready for distribution on April 1.  Roy Harris, Bruce Bookman, Daniel Camarillo, and Brad Hirakawa are all featured contributors, as well as Alicia Anthony’s famous photos detailing the Aikido Bridge Seminar currently taking place at Jiai Aikido in San Diego.

Performance Menu publisher Robb Wolf was a founding member of Crossfit, before embarking on his own journey as head instructor of Norcal Strength and Conditioning.  His credentials are impressive, and his understanding of what combat athletes require in both nutrition and S & C is unsurpassed.  If you’re serious about your athletic training, PMenu may be just what you’re looking for.