T h e 5 Essentials Y o u N e e d A f t e r E v e r y R o l l ! NUTRITION, CONDITION, TECHNIQUE, SUBMIT
! S D D O E H T T A BE ue Issue The TecquhesnYoiq u Ne ed To Kn ow !
a r d o Fa r ia n r e B p m a h C ld r o W ld D o u b le -G o Game e g ta en c er P h ig H is H s Shows U
17 Te ch ni
Bastos + MmiltTheon Back To the Podium Fro
Cover 42.indd 1
urself + DefendcaYo Has Some Tips! Claudio Fran
pediedaGuard Vocabulary ardor Adv + Guand anc You Exp
+ Sprints – Why t? el B ck la B ia ed M re You A Social ndon Injuries Te h it W g n li ea D + PLUS AYo + u Need Them
March 2016 Issue 42
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contents
I SS U E 42 M A RC H 2 016
Life
skills
Everything old is new to you
Master Claudio Franca gives
008 E d i to r i a l 010 W e i g hi n g I n Jiu-jitsu news you might not have heard
020 p ro m ot i o n s
080 back attacks Milton Bastos shows us back attacks that will have you on the
040 se l f - D e f e nse you some pointers incase you need them.
054 Be at T h e Odds! Current Double-Gold World Champion Bernardo Faria shows
Belts and Stripes
us some high percentage jiu-jitsu
036 s p ot l i g ht
072 Advan ced Guards
Who is Nick The Tooth?
Expand your jiu-jitsu vocabulary
podium in no time.
mind 114 Success
5 Post Training Essentials
body 032 Warm-up Ankle Stretches
Brian Edwards
104 Medic
fuel
Tendon and Muscle Injuries
022 Grub
What should make up a grappler’s diet?
096 G e a r R e v i e w
026 Supplements
110 GAins Sprinting and how it can change your jiu-jitsu
Hypnotik - Bearimbolo Gi
100 H ow-to Becoming a Social Media Black Belt
Meet The Experts L u cas Dyer
Marsh al D. Carper
Will safford
patrick flores
Jeremy Reid M.S.ED, CSCS, CISSN
Is a licensed and certified
Is a purple belt under
Certified Strength and
Is currently a jiu-jitsu
Jeremy is a nutritionist
Sports Nutritionist and
Sonny Achille. In addition
Conditioning Coach
purple belt under
and strength coach who
works with many SoCal
to owning Artechoke
who trains under Andre
Gracie Barra’s Rafael
works with MMA and
MMA athletes both pro
Media, Marshal is
Galvao in San Diego,
“Mosquito” Oliveira. He
jiu-jitsu champions. He
and ameteur. He’s also
the author of books
CA. Will specializes
has a bachelors degree
obtained his master’s
a licensed fighter under
like The Cauliflower
in mobility training,
in history and is currently
degree in exercise
C.A.M.O. and a Sargent in
Chronicles and Marcelo
injury prevention, and
working on an MBA. His
physiology from Baylor
the United States Marine
Garcia’s Advanced
kettlebell strength and
jiu-jitsu photography can
University. He is a
Corps.
Jiu-Jitsu Techniques.
conditioning. For more
be seen on Instagram
brown belt under Robert
His latest project is
info visit his website at
under the name
Drysdale.
WhiteBeltProblems.
ironwillathletics.com
BjjFotos.
com, a free open-source resource devoted to making jiu-jitsu more accessible for beginners.
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ON THE COVER Look for us Online: @jiujitsumag
032
warm-up
036
Spotlight
080
back attacks
Contents 42.indd 2
Double-Gold World Champion Bernardo Faria looks to make 2016
54 even better! Photo: Jason Boulanger
Ankle Stretches
Nick The Tooth
Milton Bastos shows us back attacks that will have you on the podium in no time.
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editorial
JUST FORGET IT!
B
EDITORIAL STA FF EDITOR & PUBLISHER.............................................. Mike Velez ASSOCIATE EDITOR................................................... Deb Blyth ASSISTANT EDITOR............................................ Patrick Flores MANAGING EDITOR................................................Areum Kim CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS.................................... Matt Corley, Dr. Ethan Kreiswirth, Will Sanford, Marshal Carper, MacKenzie Arrington, Dr. Lee Day, MD, Dr. Jeff Nishii
ART & PHOTOGR A P H Y ART DIRECTOR................................................. Dave Palacios CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS............Jason Boulanger, John Cooper, Kenny Jewel, Patrick Flores, Mike Calimbas, Alberto Marchetti
BOB DYLAN WROTE A SONG TITLED “I’VE FORGOTTEN MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOW.” IT’S A SAYING I’VE HEARD BEFORE, USUALLY SAID TO ME BY SOME OLD GUY ABOUT A PARTICULAR TOPIC. When it’s said to you, your first inclination might be to take it as an insult. It’s really not, at least the times it’s been said to me I didn’t take it that way. As you get older, or more versed on a
PRODUCTION & ADV E RT IS ING
subject, you’ll see why. I think the first time it was said to me had something to do about car repair,
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR................................ Paula Fountain
maybe it was my grandfather, I can’t really remember. Looking back twenty something years later,
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he was probably right. I used to work on my own truck as a teenager but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve
CIRCULATION MANAGER................................ Tom Ferruggia
lost the desire to do much more than change the oil on my cars these days. The saying came to mind the other day when I was going through some back issues of the magazine. You’re holding in
Address change & S UB S
your hands our 5th Anniversary issue. I didn’t realize it until someone asked me when we started the
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magazine. The Feb/Mar 2011 issue was Issue 1. I guess last month could have been the anniversary,
Web: jiujitsumag.com
but for this editorial, this is the anniversary issue. So back to my original thought – looking back at 41 issues before this one and the literally hundreds, over 400 maybe even 500 specific jiu-jitsu
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techniques we’ve covered, I can honestly say I’ve forgotten more than I know or remember. At
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some point I knew the techniques, but now I’ve forgotten many of them. That’s not to say that I
Jiu-Jitsu Magazine
couldn’t find them in my mind somewhere if put in a position that I absolutely had to in a roll, but
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as I was looking through some back issues, I was amazed at how many I had forgotten. Many of
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the techniques were ones that at the time I didn’t see myself using. Either my style or my body
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type wasn’t very conducive to the techniques being demonstrated. Or I just didn’t understand how or when to use them effectively. I remember the first time we did an article with Lucas Leite; it
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either getting there after recovering from a mount, or it was the last piece of refuge from someone
NATIONAL/INTERNAT IO NA L NEWSSTAND DISTR IB UT ION
working on passing my guard. I saw the position as a place to catch my breath or hang on for dear
The Curtis Circulation Company
was Issue 3 and the topic was half-guard. At the time, I would get to half-guard as a safety. I was
life. When Lucas showed his techniques, I was disappointed, I didn’t feel like I could use any of them because they were too fast, too advanced, and not what I was looking for at the time. Now I use all but two of the techniques he went over in that issue in my game, all the time. My jiu-jitsu caught up to the techniques he was teaching.
Jiu-Jitsu Magazine (ISSN 2157-6173) is a publication of Recon Media Inc. Phone: 877.834.3552; Fax: 909.517.1601 email: subs@jiujitsumag.com. Subscription rates are $39.99 for 12 issues (1 year), $59.99 per year Canada, and $99.99 per year for foreign airmail. All rights reserved, The entire contents are copyright 2016 Recon Media Inc, and may not be reproduced in any manner in whole or in part without written permission
If you continue to train, eventually you’ll feel a little bit like Neo at the end of the Matrix when things slow down and he sees the code. No matter where you are in your jiu-jitsu journey, if you continue to train, learn from your mistakes, and learn from other people’s mistakes, you’ll finally see the code. Eventually, all of us will have forgotten more than we’ll ever know.
from the publisher. The views and the opinions of the writers and advertisers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Recon Media Inc., the Publisher, or the editorial staff. The Publisher assumes no responsibilities for advertising claims, errors, and omissions. Some of the techniques described in this magazine can be dangerous. Always practice safe procedures and use common sense. Recon Media
Keep Rolling
Mike Velez
Editor/Publisher mikev@jiujitsumag.com
Editorial 42.indd 1
Inc., and the Publisher can not be held responsible from any injuries or damage caused by these techniques. Perform at your own risk. Jiu-Jitsu Magazine (ISSN2157-6173) is published monthly by Recon Media Inc., 3857 Schaefer Avenue # D, Chino, CA 91710. Periodicals Postage Paid at Chino, CA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to iu-Jitsu Magazine, PO Box 2405, Chino hill, CA 91709
2/9/16 3:20 PM
TRAIN FOR LIFE Yuri Simoes 2014 Double Gold NoGi World Champion 2015 ADCC Champion www.facebook.com/GamenessFightwear @GamenessFightCo www.gameness.com Yuri Gameness.indd 1
11/12/15 7:39 AM
Weighing In
REMEMBERING CARLSON FEBRUARY 1, 2016 MARKED THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF CARLSON GRACIE, SR.’S PASSING. VETERAN JIU-JITEIROS WILL NEED NO REMINDER OF GRACIE’S INFLUENCE ON THE SPORT. As one of the Gracie family champions, Gracie was one of the world’s original MMA fighters, taking on challenge after challenge to prove the effectiveness of jiu-jitsu. Outside of the ring, Gracie was a jiu-jitsu missionary, sharing the art with the world and producing a host of legendary fighters in the process. We don’t have enough space in our magazine to do the legacy of Gracie justice, but for the newer students that might not be familiar with his role in the growth of the sport, we hope this motivates you to learn more about his life.
Marcelo says, “Everything is going to be alright” In a brief interview with MMA Leech, Marcelo Garcia offered his advice to white belts. Because of Marcelo’s long list of accomplishments as a competitor and now as a coach, the jiu-jitsu world is listening, and the video spread across the community faster than a Meek Mill diss track. Garcia talked about how white belts should be open to learning as much as they can rather than specializing in particular positions. When asked what he would tell himself if he was able to go back in time to when he was a white belt, Garcia candidly admitted to being quite nervous when he competed as a white and a blue belt. He said that he would tell himself that everything is going to be alright. If a white belt like Garcia got nervous, then it’s probably okay for you to get nervous too.
News 42.indd 1
New Scramble Rashguard Features Singaporean Art Scramble’s business oozes style. From their products to their marketing, nearly every step that Scramble takes builds upon their unique brand with unprecedented swagger. Recently, Scramble secured big-name license deals that brought The Warriors and Godfather fight gear to the community, but their roots have always been in Asian fight-culture, mostly Japanese. Their new Tebori rashguard shines the spotlight on Singapore, featuring artwork from Feroze Mcleod from House of the Baskervilles Tattoo & Barbers. The result, a design that looks like what the Peaky Blinders would have worn had they trained jiu-jitsu in Asia. SCRAMBLESTUFF.COM
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011
BITING INTO SPORTS NUTRITION
Mackenzie Dern Gears-Up for the Cage FLO GRAPPLING RELEASED AN INTERVIEW WITH MACKENZIE DERN WHERE SHE TALKED ABOUT HER NEW MMA TRAINING AS WELL AS HER THOUGHTS ON OTHER FEMALE MMA
Venum sponsors some of the top athletes in MMA including Lyota Machida, Fabricio
COMPETITORS. IF YOU DON’T FOLLOW THE
Werdum, Carlos Condit, Jose Aldo and more. In the jiu-jitsu space, they’ve worked with
WOMEN’S COMPETITION SCENE, YOU MAY HAVE
some of the top athletes as well including multi-time champion Leandro Lo. Knowing
MISSED THE EXCITEMENT SURROUNDING DERN,
the demands that these fighters put on their bodies with intense training regimens
SO HERE’S THE BACKGROUND. Dern, the daughter
puts Venum in the unique position to enter the sports nutrition field. Venum is now
of Megaton Diaz, has always been known as a
launching a complete line up of some of the most common supplements used by
tough competitor, and recently she dethroned
jiu-jitsu athletes. At the launch, they introduced a Mass Gainer for those looking to
grappling legend Michelle Nicolini at the 2015
move up in weight, 100% Whey Protein for everyone who trains, a low calorie pre-
Worlds. The match was exciting, and Dern’s victory
workout complete with Beta-Alanine, and a post training BCAA amino blend with
signaled to many that a new generation of female
added electrolytes for recovery. All of these new products are made here in the
grapplers were poised to take the stage. In her
USA at a FDA registered facility and made to the highest GMP standards. We’ve just
interview with Flo Grappling, Dern noted that her
gotten our hands on some samples and are eager to try them out. We’ve got some
style of grappling wasn’t the greatest for MMA, and
recipes in mind for the whey that we think you’ll like. Look for those in a future issue,
she humorously struggled to answer a question
but until then, you can find out more about Venum Nutrition at their website.
about Gabi Garcia’s recent MMA fight. Definitely a
VENUM.COM
video worth watching.
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Weighing In Move Over Ed O’Neill: Scott Caan Earns Black Belt You might know Scott Caan from his role in Hawaii Five-O, but around the offices here, we will always remember him for his banter in Ocean’s Eleven (let’s not talk about the rest of the trilogy). After fifteen years of training, Caan earned his black belt from Marcus Vinicius at Egan Inoue’s Grappling Unlimited Academy in Hawaii. Caan now joins the ranks of other celebrity grapplers, but it’s nice to see that Caan earned the belt the hard way. With other celebrities earning rank at an oddly accelerated pace, saying that a celebrity black belt is like the rest of us can sometimes be hard. In Caan’s case, we are pretty sure he’s a mat rat just like us. And that’s cool.
IT’S GOOD TO BE THE KING Apologies if we’ve used that headline before, but it’s just too good to pass up. No matter what type of crown you wear, you can always feel like a king in one of these handmade premium 100% cotton belts made of pearl weave kimono material from Kingz. They’re two inches wide,
That’s a Stretch
have embroidered labels, and will last for many years of hard
When it comes to no-gi fight shorts, you
training. Available in sizes A0
never want to have your shorts to interfere
(98 inches) to A5 (138 inches),
with your game. In order for you to be
there’s one to fit around any
working right, your gear needs to work right
size king or queen. Five different
too. That’s the idea with the new Submission
adult colors are represented:
Pro Series Fight Shorts from Newbreed
white, blue, purple, brown, and
Fight Gear. These new shorts are made of
black. As you move up in rank,
true fourway stretch polyester material that
show some pride with a unique
truly moves like you do. When you factor in
and high-quality belt around
the 5” side slits, you’ll have so much range of
your waist. No matter how many
motion you’ll be pulling off some of that crazy
gis you own, it’s the one piece
flexible move that would make Eddie Bravo’s
of equipment you wear every
jaw drop. To make sure you’re not showing the
time you roll. With that in mind,
crowd too much, a Velcro front closure and
the $27.95 price tag is a steal.
drawstring will help make sure these shorts
For more details and sizing
stay on your waist. Available in either red,
information, check them out at
blue, or black, and available for under $60.
the Fighters Market website.
NEWBREEDGEAR.COM
FIGHTERSMARKET.COM
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Weighing In Join the Pride with a New Ranked Rashguard Famed jiu-jitsu artist Meerkatsu unveiled a new set of short-sleeve ranked rashguards. The rashguards feature a new design by Meerkatsu, a regal lion face drawn with what appears to be a slight tribal influence spans the front of the shirt from neckline to waistline. The black and white design—much like an inked illustration—
The IBJJF Thought Police
makes it exceptionally suitable for the
The internet by default is angry, and an awkwardly blurry photo of
various rank colors. Since Meerkatsu is
a match awoke the online jiu-jitsu beast. Milton Bastos and Alex
loved by the community and seems
Canders met at the San Jose No-Gi Open, and the photo of Bastos
to be friends with everyone, you’ll
having his hand raised appeared to have been manipulated to
probably see these on a mat near
blur the Canders’ 10th Planet logo. Internet detectives quickly
you soon. Note: We wanted to
concluded that the blur was intentional and out came the
make a Katy Perry “Roar” joke in
pitchforks. In an unusual moment of awareness (unusual for an
here somewhere, but Meerkatsu is
organization that refers to anyone that emails them as “athlete,”
probably friends with her too, and we
if they respond at all), the
don’t want to risk ending up on the same
IBJJF released a statement,
side of a dispute as Russell Brand.
explaining that the blur was
MEERKATSU.COM
the result of a hastily taken smartphone photo rather than anything intentional. Not one to shy away from a good conspiracy (jet fuel can’t melt steel beams!), much of the online BJJ community remains unconvinced. What’s not clear is what would motivate the IBJJF to go through that much trouble to intentionally blur a logo.
Scott “Einstein” Epstein Wants to Know WTF is Wrong with Your Jiu-Jitsu Academy Scott Epstein is a 10th Planet Black
The video seemed to hit a chord with
Belt under Eddie Bravo and was one
the members of the sport frustrated
of the early representatives of the
by anti-reaping rules and increasingly
10 Planet style. In a video filmed in
nuanced scoring systems. Despite his
his car while driving, Epstein indulges
cursing, Epstein’s views seem to have
a small rant on jiu-jitsu curriculums
merit with the community, and he
taught around competition rules. He
seems fully committed to not allowing
suggests that jiu-jitsu schools should
rules to eliminate learning. His no-
not teach to a particular ruleset and
holds-barred philosophy applies to the
should instead teach what is effective.
rules of the road as well, apparently.
th
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Weighing In The Power of the Triangle! We’ve had our eye on these guys for a while. Out
Pyramid line of ranked rashguards. Each rashguard
they’re high-quality, high-density, and made from
of Texas is a brand that’s big in the Lone Star State
features a unique design that pays homage to the
material designed for reduced pilling from use, anti-
and about to blow up on the national scene- it’s
journey from white to red. They’re long sleeved
bacterial, and anti-odor. Each rashguard is sewn
Ground Fighter. Their newest product is the Triangle
and IBJJF legal. These aren’t giveaway rashguards-
together with reinforced triple/flatlock stitching that lays flat against your skin for less irritation. Available in five colors, white, blue, purple, brown, and black, and in sizes XS through XL. A sizing chart is available on their website. We’ve seen long sleeved rashguards of this quality to sell for a lot more, but these are only $49. Check out their ad in this issue for a discount code that will get you free shipping. GROUNDFIGHTER.NET
News 42.indd 5
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017
THE VULKAN DEATH GRIP Although the Vulkan Death Grip might not be
also limited edition and comes in black with
legal in jiu-jitsu, these new gis from Vulkan
blue accents. It also features a modern cut and
are. Vulkan just went big time on us with three
clean reduced logo placement. Last up, and
new gi designs hitting the mats in just the
the most recent release is the VIPER Pro, it too
last few months. The first is the NAVE Pro- it’s
is limited edition. How limited we don’t know,
limited edition and features an improved cut
but this one is available in both navy blue and
over past Vulkan designs. Gone are the giant
white, pearl weave top with twill pants. All
patches of old, instead the NAVE Pro features
these new gis are available in sizes A1 through
embroidered logos, contrast stitching, a
A4 and made in Brazil! For pricing and sizes
medium-soft rubbe lapel, pearl weave jacket
charts, find out more at their website.
and reinforced twill pants. The BRAVO Pro is
VULKANSTORE.COM
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Weighing In Feel The Flow
News 42.indd 7
Flow Kimono is known for making some of
a few more bells and whistle? Then the Pro
the best, most affordable hemp gis on the
Series 3 might be what you’re looking for. It’s
planet. But did you know they also make gis
a bit heavier with a 480GSM jacket made of
made of cotton? Maybe not. Currently they
combed cotton that’s super soft and actuall
have two models available, the Air that starts
stronger than common carded cotton. There’s
at just $120 and Pro Series 3 which starts at
added ripstop in the shoulders. Speaking of
$150. What’s the difference you ask? Let me
ripstop, the pants are made of 8oz ripstop
tell you- the Air is a lightweight training gi
cotton. Other features include taping in the
made of 100% 420GSM pearl weave cotton,
cuffs and clean embroidered logos. The Air
the pants are made of 8 oz ripstop material.
is available in white and the Pro Series 3 is
Why is it called the Air? The smallest A1 size
available in white as well as black and blue.
tips the scales at just 2lbs 10oz, and the
The colored gis run $10 more than the white.
largest A4 isn’t much heavier, it’s only 3lb
You can learn more about these gis along
9oz. Perfect for the coming summer months
with the amazing things Flow is doing with
or if you’re not sure about making weight at
hemp at their website.
your next competition. Want to move up with
FLOWKIMONOS.COM
2/9/16 5:53 PM
0 19
KILLER SMILE Show the competition your killer smile with this official
licensed rashguard from Fusion FG.
They’ve won the licensing on many classic DC Comics including Batman and this rendering of the most evil of all DC villains, the Joker, as he emerges from a chemical waste bath to become the Joker in the 1988 graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Brian Bolland, “Batman the Killing Joke.” But this rashguard isn’t just about looks, it’s fully functional and highquality. Check out this and countless other cool jiu-jitsu gear at the Fusion FG website. FUSIONFIGHTGEAR.COM
Rodolfo Vieira Prepares for MMA Debut Perhaps inspired by Mackenzie Dern’s MMA
has the potential to become a successful
training (no, not really), Rodolfo Vieira is
MMA fighter. But one thing has us worried.
reportedly training for an October MMA debut.
Vieira told Portal do Vale Tudo that he
According to Bloody Elbow, the fight will
hadn’t “had the chance to train MMA yet.”
take place under the banner of the Japanese
Here’s hoping that Vieira puts the time into
Real Fight Championship. With four jiu-jitsu
becoming a well-rounded fighter to avoid
championships under his black belt and a
joining the ranks of awesome grapplers that
clearly visible reservoir of athleticism, Vieira
jumped into the cage too soon.
News 42.indd 8
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promotions THE MOST DANGEROUS THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES!
Protecting, Serving, Submitting! STUDENT: KEVIN ORR SCHOOL: CAGEWORX BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU LOCATION: PORT ANGELES, WA Being busy with work is an excuse most people give to not show up to class. Not Kevin Orr though of CageworX BJJ. Although his job as part of the Border Patrol keeps him away
STUDENT: JENN LOZADA
from training, he tries to find
SCHOOL: CAGEWORX BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU
local gyms wherever he goes.
LOCATION: PORT ANGELES, WA
In addition, he takes in as much jiu-jitsu as he can, whenever he
Smaller females constantly have to deal with fighting bigger males in jiu-
can! After three years of training,
jitsu. It forces development of more technical jiu-jitsu, really bringing out
he received his blue belt from
the essence of the martial art. Jenn Lozada is barely 100lbs but doesn’t let
Professor Cody Houston!
her size stop her from training every time she can. Head instructor Cody Houston recently awarded her a purple belt. Congratulations Jenn!
Going for Three STUDENT: JONATHAN HEDDEN SCHOOL: NAVA BJJ LOCATION: MESA, AZ For many, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is not the first introduction into the martial arts. For students like Jonathan Hedden, it could be their second or third art that they’ve studied. After already holding a 2nd degree black belt under John Barrett Martial Arts, and a black belt in Kajukenbo (a hybrid martial art), Jonathan has received his purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Paul Nava, of Nava BJJ, in Mesa, AZ. When Jonathan is not training, he keeps busy managing several businesses and a family.
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021
CLASS HONORS! STUDENT: VARIOUS
SCHOOL: CARLSON GRACIE TEAM LOCATION: CHICAGO, IL
❖❖ Anthony Monahan receives his black belt from Carlson Gracie Jr. ❖❖ Rudy Jimenez awards purple belts to Leon Aguilar, Aril Pena, Nicasio Sanchez, and Louis Taylor.
❖❖ Rudy Jimenez receives his first degree on his black belt from Carlson Gracie Jr.
The Long Road to the Top
Blue Hair Coming Next?
On The Road To Black
STUDENT: RICARDO AMARAL
STUDENT: WILLIAM G. LITTAUA
STUDENT: SCOTT SPERLING
SCHOOL: GRACIE BARRA ESCONDIDO
SCHOOL: COMPRIDO BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU
SCHOOL: YAMASAKI ACADEMY
LOCATION: ESCONDIDO, CA
LOCATION: BLOOMINGDALE, IL
LOCATION: SPRINGFIELD, VA
The road to black belt isn’t always a straight
After two years of training and an incredible
Recently Scott Sperling of Yamasaki Academy
line, or a continuous one. Ricardo Amaral
journey thus far, Professors Rodrigo
was promoted to brown belt. After ten years
started training jiu-jitsu in the late 90’s under
“Comprido” Medeiros and Marcelo Cazuza
of training at many different locations, Scott
Rickson Gracie. He stopped training during his
promoted William Littaua to blue belt on
Sperling has spent the last three years
battle with cancer in the 2000’s – a battle which
December 19th, 2015. Keep up the good work!
at Yamasaki Academy. His coaches Joe
Ricardo won. In 2013, he began training again at
Cunningham, Francisco Neto, and Fernando
Gracie Barra Escondido. On December 12, 2015,
Yamasaki surprised him with the promotion.
at the young age of 61, Ricardo received his black belt from Big and Lil Magid Hage. Ricardo’s story is inspirational and we congratulate Ricardo on the well-earned black belt!
Promotions 42.indd 2
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grub
NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF
WORDS: LUCAS DYER
JIU-JITSU ATHLETES
D
For more info on Lucas visit www.FITTnutrition.com
DO YOU EVER WONDER HOW SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL AND
work in the MMA/jiu-jitsu industry. Big deal, right? Well, the difference
OLYMPIAN ATHLETES MAINTAIN SUCH DISCIPLINE IN THEIR NUTRITION
is you have to shop, prepare, and cook our own foods which take time.
AND EATING REGIMEN? OR WONDER HOW THEY FIND TIME TO SHOP,
How nice would it be to come home and your personal nutritionist has
PREPARE, AND COOK THEIR FOODS, WHILE MAINTAINING AN ELITE
your meal already cooked? Portion sizes are perfect, daily caloric intake
TRAINING PROGRAM? Athletes of all sports have unlimited access to
is exact, and your macronutrient intake is a perfect 15% fats, 30% protein
online information: books, blogs, social media, and magazines when it
and 55% carbohydrates, which by the way is the exact performance
comes to nutrition. It seems just about anywhere you train, somebody
intake recommended for massive, power athletes, driven by the very
has the latest and greatest methodology when it comes to nutrition,
short-term, immediate energy system used in jiu-jitsu. In this article,
and the “secret” has been unleashed- the challenge is weeding out the
I will lay out a solid foundation of foods and provide you with some
BS. The truth is that many professional athletes have their own personal
important must know information along with several meals to help ease
nutritionist and they can afford top notch sports nutritionist such as Robb
the burden. Think of this as a nutritional guide for the jiu-jitsu athlete.
Wolf, Diamond Dallas Page, Mike Dolce, just to name a few, all whom
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023
GOOD
Inflammation is Bad
BAD
First there are a few things that need to be cleared up. I am sure you have heard of foods causing inflammation, so what exactly is inflammation and why should you be concerned? Today we know that inflammation is at the root of many major diseases. Cancer is perpetuated by inflammation- tumors grow larger as the inflammatory process takes hold. Likewise, the swelling and pain of arthritis, fibromyalgia (widespread pain, tenderness, and stiffness f muscles), rhabdomyolysis from that awesome workout, even diabetes and obesity, have been linked with chronic inflammation in the body. For the athlete, inflammation is bad and anti-inflammatory foods are good. Foods that eliminate inflammation are: nuts, avocado, spinach, cherries, olive, colorful vegetables and fruits, pineapples, turmeric, ginger, onions, and garlic. Eat more of them! In order to avoid inflammation and to stay at top physical peak, eliminate these inflammatory foods: gluten, white flour, casein, sunflower, soy, processed meats, fried foods, dairy, syrup, soft drin s, and fast foods.
Several Foods to Add to Your Nutritional Arsenal:
To be the best, you have to eat and train like the best. Here are some great foods to be adding to your eating habits. KEFIR: (kee-fer) is cultured milk with a tart to sour taste plain. They have flavored options also, but they have twice the sugar per serving compared to plain. The benefit of kefir is it adds good bacteria into your body which benefits your body both inside and out. It aids in eliminating bad bacteria in your intestinal tract, leading to a healthier immune system and gut, which
CHIA SEEDS: just like the chia pet on late night
TURMERIC: You’ll look funny buying a root at
TV, chi, chi, chi, chi, chia. Besides getting stuck
the grocery store, but it’s worth it! Turmeric is
in your teeth, they vaunt several positive
an orange colored spice which is part of the
health effects such as boosting energy,
ginger family. It helps block the enzyme that
stabilizing blood sugar levels, aiding digestion
is linked to head and neck cancer, a powerful
and lowering cholesterol. They also contain
antioxidant, and a potent anti-inflammatory
calcium, manganese, and phosphorus, and is a
additive. Cook it with a small amount of
great source of healthy omega-3 fats.
healthy fat like coconut oil to maximize flavor. You can also use it in powder form for a rub on your meats.
helps eliminate excess waste which can help you be on your way to being lighter and healthier than you ever imagined. It will take a few swigs to get used to the plain tart taste!
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g r u b
-
N u t r i t i o n a l
n e e d s
o f
j i u - j i t s u
a t h l e t e s
Your Grocery List Sir: Next time you head to the local supermarket, take this shopping list with you and shop the outside perimeters of the store. There isn’t much benefit in shopping down the aisles unless you need cleaning supplies.
How Food Affect Your Body:
1.
Lean meats and protein digest into amino acids and turn into muscle.
2.
Inflammatory causing grains/
PROTEIN: low sodium (no salt
CARBOHYDRATES: (if it comes from the
FATS: Almonds, coconut oil, flax
added) chicken, lean turkey,
ground you can eat it!) sweet potato,
seeds, chia seeds, avocado,
breads digest into
salmon, eggs, Greek yogurt,
brown rice, rolled oats, beans, quinoa,
pecans, almond butter, peanut
sugar which turns
kefir, tuna, white fish, lean
apples, berries, buckwheat, whole grain
butter, and salmon.
into fat.
grass-fed meats, whey protein,
tortilla, or Ezekiel bread. Another option is
and cottage cheese.
to try and decrease or eliminate all breads
3.
and pastas from your eating habits for
fiber, turning into overall health
approach works very well for someone
wellness and
who is looking to lose a little weight.
provide energy.
Breakfast Option 1: 4 servings of egg whites
Lunch Option 1: Sweet
into an omelet, 1 cup
potato cut into thin slices
of chopped broccoli,
(topped with coconut oil
asparagus, and 1 avocado
and baked at 425° for 1
sliced.
hour), half of an avocado with lemon juice and
Breakfast Option 2:
pepper sprinkled on it,
Acai Bowl: 1 packet Rain
brown rice and grilled low
Forest Acai, 1 Greek Lemon
sodium chicken breast.
Yogurt, 4 strawberries, 1/2 Lunch Option 2: Black
1 cup of crushed ice and
bean veggie burger with
BLEND while adding
quinoa (mash and mix
1tbsp of raw agave. For
black beans and quinoa
toppings, add chia seeds,
with coconut oil to make
blueberries, coconut
burger patty), grilled
shavings, whole almonds
colorful vegetables.
with sesame seasoning, and raw pumpkin seeds.
into energy and
to when you were consuming them. This
Lunch/Dinner Options:
cup kefir (plain), 1 banana,
and fruits digest
a few weeks and compare how you feel
Your Meals Laid Out Breakfast Options:
Colorful vegetables
Dinner Option 1: 1 8oz grilled low sodium chicken breast, 1 large grilled banana with cinnamon
on top, 1 avocado cut
4.
Good healthy fats digest into vital molecules and
into slices with squeezed
turn into good
lemon juice and pepper
cholesterol and
and 1 cup of kefir.
provide energy.
Dinner Option 2: 1 pound of lean ground turkey with garlic and turmeric
5.
Fast food and fried foods digest into
spice, organic bell peppers
fatty acids and turn
stuffed with ground turkey
into fat.
with a sweet baked potato.
Snack Options: Option 1: 2 servings of egg whites or 6 boiled eggs and 1 cup of quinoa mixed with lemon juice,
Food Fact: Food doesn’t have labels, products have labels.
cut up tomato and sliced kale. Option 2: 1 tomato sliced into four pieces with grilled low sodium chicken strips sprinkled with chia seeds.
and turmeric sprinkled
Well, what are you waiting for? Head to the grocery store, buy what’s mentioned above and only what’s mentioned. Go to your kitchen and prep, cook, and eat! Then if you are up to it, go win some medals. For questions or if you would like more information on meal planning, contact me at lucas.dyer@ fittnutrition.com. As always my friends, eat healthy, eat clean, and eat often.
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supplements
AFTER TRAINING ESSENTIALS
5
I
WORDS: JEREMY REID
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED AFTER ROLLING
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TRAINING, OUR BODIES ARE STARVING FOR
NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTIONS. It is during this time that we must ensure
NUTRIENTS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR RECOVERY. THERE IS A WINDOW
we refuel our bodies with the proper substances.
OF ABOUT 30 MINUTES AFTER TRAINING THAT IS CRUCIAL FOR
Protein
There are two critical things you must consume
Powder or food? While ingesting any type
of whey protein. If you have issues with it and
after training. One of them is protein. Protein
of protein will be beneficial, whether food or
don’t realize it, you may not be digesting and
is critical for muscle repair. Protein is made up
powder, there are certain types that are more
absorbing all of the amino acids needed. If you
of amino acids, which are the building blocks
favorable at this time. I suggest powder over
do have any issues with whey protein, you may
of skeletal muscle. During a training session,
whole food, simply because it’s convenience
want to switch to a different source. I would
our muscles are being stressed and broken
and speed of digestion. However, whole food
suggest egg protein, as it is an extremely high
down. Following the training session, our
can be used and is better than nothing. Whey
quality protein and is available in powder from.
muscles are primed for recovery and rebuilding.
protein is probably the most well known and
As for how much protein? The best dose is 20-
They are literally starving for amino acids. The
talked about type of protein post-workout and
30 grams. Research has shown that there is
sooner we ingest protein, the sooner we can
for good reason. Whey protein, a derivative of
no further benefit above 30 grams. If you are
get amino acids to our muscles to stop protein
milk protein, is digested and absorbed into the
trying to gain a lot of muscle mass or had a very
breakdown and start protein synthesis (building
bloodstream very quickly. This unique property is
intense training session, you can ingest another
muscle). Protein synthesis is necessary for
the reason why it is extracted from milk protein
20-30 grams an hour or two after the first. This
recovery between workouts, increasing muscle
for supplemental use. Whey protein is probably
will be more beneficial than trying to ingest 60
mass, strength, power, and endurance. It also
the best choice for immediate post-workout due
grams at once.
prevents loss of muscle mass, strength, power,
to this rapid absorption. The quicker the amino
and endurance during weight cutting. Thus,
acids can get to the muscles, the quicker the
stimulating protein synthesis via ingesting
recovery and rebuilding. However, since whey
protein immediately post workout is critical.
protein is derived from milk, you may have
Hopefully by now, we get that we need protein
gastrointestinal issues with it. It is important to
post-workout. But how much? What kind?
pay attention to how you feel after ingestion
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S u p p l e m e n t s
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a f t e r
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e s s e n t i a l s
CHO The second of the two absolute
much? Simple CHO, or sugars,
insulin spike is critical at this
must have substances after
are the best choice due to their
time and therefore, ingestion of
training is carbohydrates, or
digestive properties. Like whey
simple CHO is as well. As for how
CHO. Glycogen is a term for CHO
protein, sugars - such as sucrose
much? That is going to depend
within tissues, mainly muscle.
and dextrose, are digested
on duration and intensity of your
Muscle glycogen essentially
and absorbed very quickly. The
workout, as well as your goals. But
serves as your “fuel tank” during
faster the CHO gets into the
I recommend at least 30-40 grams
training sessions. Immediately
bloodstream, the faster they can
for 30-45 minutes of live training
after training, this “fuel tank” is
be converted to glycogen. Simple
or rolling. If you had a very intense
empty or close to empty and
CHO also causes an insulin spike.
workout or a longer workout you
needs refueling. This is a critical
While normally this is looked at
will need to increase that number.
time to ingest CHO. At this point,
as bad, it is very important and
your body is primed for refueling
advantageous at this time. Insulin
and the only way to do it is with
is responsible for pulling nutrients
CHO consumption. However, this
out of the blood and into tissues
window for optimal “refueling” is
(muscles in this case). The insulin
very short and therefore must be
spike helps refuel and rehydrate
taken advantage of immediately.
our muscles. It will also pull amino
Studies have shown that delaying
acids from protein into muscles
CHO ingestion by a few hours can
for protein synthesis and increase
cut glycogen replenishment in
absorption of all other nutrients
half. So, what type of CHO? How
or supplements we ingest. This
❖❖ Non-fat chocolate milk is an excellent post workout drink to get the CHO you need to recover.
Creatine Creatine basically is the most researched and
time when our bodies are primed for nutrients.
saturation. Due to this fact, we are learning that
proven supplement for increasing performance.
Essentially, we can “piggy back” creatine with
spreading out creatine ingestion into more small
It has been proven to increase muscle mass
CHO and protein to get into the muscles. Also,
doses, leads to greater muscle saturation and
and strength and increase exercise capacity in
after our workouts, our bodies are recreating
therefore the greatest increases in free creatine
high-intensity intermittent activities, such as
PCr inside the muscles from free creatine levels.
levels. Instead of ingesting your 5-10g serving
repeated sprints, resistance training, and interval
But one of the most prevalent reasons comes
of creatine in one dose, try spreading it out into
training. It does this by increasing our levels
from very recent groundbreaking research. This
two or more small doses throughout the day.
of free creatine in the muscles and therefore,
brand new research suggests that there is a
You will experience greater gains and more
phosphocreatine or PCr. Our body uses the PCr
limit to the amount of creatine our muscles can
benefit by splitting up your doses pre and post
to regenerate ATP, which simply is our body’s
become saturated with at a given time and thus,
workout instead of just one or the other.
form of energy. Immediately post-workout is the
ingesting more creatine will not lead to further
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If it’s green it’s probably healthy so just eat it.
Beta-alanine Beta-alanine is the rate-limiting substrate
increase absorption, but more importantly,
for carnosine production in the muscle.
like with creatine, we are seeing that
Ingesting beta-alanine will lead to greater
spreading out doses induces greater gains
levels of muscle carnosine. Carnosine in
then one large dose.
the muscle is responsible for buffering excess hydrogen ions and maintaining muscle pH. Very simply, carnosine delays fatigue! The greater your muscle carnosine levels, the greater your ability to delay fatigue. Research has shown that betaalanine supplementation is effective at increasing muscle carnosine levels, increasing work capacity, and decreasing time to fatigue. For the same reasons as creatine, we can use the insulin spike to
Antioxidants Training sessions put heavy
which can safely interact
too much, as the excess
demands and stresses
with free radicals before vital
will be eliminated in urine.
on the body. This leads to
cells are damaged. Although
I recommend 500mg after
large oxidative damage and
there are several enzyme
training sessions. Vitamin E,
production of free radicals.
systems within the body
however, is fat soluble and
Free radicals are basically
that scavenge free radicals,
thus must be taken carefully.
unpaired electrons that can
the principle antioxidants
I recommend no more than
damage cells inside the body.
are vitamin E and vitamin C.
400IU. I also suggest making
Following exercise, there are
Therefore, ingestion of these
sure to consume fruits and
a large number of these free
vitamins or other antioxidant
vegetables in the next meal
radicals floating around and
rich substances can be
following post-workout
causing cellular damage.
beneficial following training
refueling.
Our body’s defense to free
sessions. Since vitamin C
radicals is antioxidants.
is water soluble, there is
Antioxidants are molecules
no real threat of taking
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warm up
ANKLES WORDS: WILL SAFFORD
I
IT’S EASY TO NEGLECT WARMING UP THE SMALL JOINTS IN YOUR ANKLES AND FEET; HOWEVER, INEVITABLY YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN COMPROMISED POSITIONS ON THE MAT THAT THREATEN THESE AREAS. OFTEN, THE FEET ARE THE FIRST POINT OF DEFENSE AGAINST THREATENING PASSERS, AND ARE HIGHLY ACTIVE WHEN PLAYING GUARDS LIKE DE LA RIVA, SPIDER AND BUTTERFLY. As you progress through the belts, more submissions to the feet become available like straight ankle locks, toe holds, and sometimes heel hooks. These warm-up exercises will help you maintain mobile, healthy ankles that will help you stay resilient to injury, and provide for strong hooks and active feet. Be sure to remove your shoes for all of the following drills.
Manual Ankle Rolls Start warming up your ankles with
The next drill will improve dorsiflexion
manual ankle rolls. This is an easy way to
of the ankle, or the motion of pulling
bring blood and mobility into your ankles,
the toes upward toward the shin. Poor
and gently increase the range of motion
dorsiflexion can result in things like knee
in your joints. Start by sitting upright
and hip pain, poor posture, and will affect
on the ground with both legs straight
the depth of your squat when exercising.
in front of you. Bend the knee of one leg and pull your foot up so it’s crossing
Start by sitting on the ground with both
over the thigh of the other leg. Hold the
knees bent in a figure-4 position (see
lower shin of the bent leg with one hand
main photo). Lift your hips up off the
and grab around the outsides of the foot
ground, and put your chest on the back
with the other. Now, roll your ankle in a
of your knee. Without allowing your arch
circular motion forward for 10 reps, then
to collapse or your heel to lift, puls
backward for 10 reps, trying to increase
forward, putting pressure downward on
the range of motion with every rep. Finish
your knee. Make sure that your knee
with exploring all ranges of motion,
does not collapse inward and your heel
pulling your ankle toward you, pushing it
remains on the ground as you stretch the
away from you, and flexing it downward
Achilles tendon and calf muscle, bringing
and upward. Be sure to repeat on the
mobility to your ankle. Repeat pulsing
other foot.
forward for 60 seconds on each leg.
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Standing Ankle Rolls Once you’ve gained some range of motion in your ankles, move on to standing ankle rolls. The goal of this drill is to safely push the limits of your range of motion, effectively increasing your ability to withstand ankle locks, toe holds, and heel hooks. The goal is not to become immune to these submissions, but to reduce your likelihood of injury. Don’t forget it’s always smart to tap! Start in a standing position, ideally on a mat, but a hard floor will also work. Step one foot back and place the toes down on the mat so the top of your foot is on the mat. Next, gently pulse the knee forward of the front leg, stretching the top of the foot on the rear leg. Continue pulsing for 10 to 20 reps. This should feel like a straight ankle lock. Next, allow your heel to drop outward on the rear leg and continue pulsing for 10 to 20 reps. This should feel like a toe hold. Finish the series by turning your heel inward and toes outward, and gently roll your rear knee forward. This is a very small movement and will feel like a heel hook. Continue this sequence on the other foot and be sure not to push too hard or aggressively, as you can injure yourself.
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Looks like a speical dance step we don’t know about.
Prescription
As a warm-up before training, start with 10 manual ankle rolls forward and backward before exploring all ranges of motion for another 30 to 60 seconds. Continue on to Figure-4 Ankle Rolls, spending a minimum of 60 seconds on each foot, trying to increase your range of motion on both sides. Finish your warmup with standing ankle rolls, pushing your ankle range of motion for 10 to 20 reps on each foot position: toe down, heel dropped outward, and heel inward. Your ankles will loosen up over time with consistent effort. Don’t overstretch your ankles in the first few training sessions, but allow your ranges of motion to increase with time.
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Spotlight
NICK “THE WORDS & PHOTOS: PATRICK FLORES
A COUPLE YEARS AGO, I STARTED LOOKING INTO WRITING AND TAKING PHOTOS FOR JIU-JITSU. IN SEARCH OF INSPIRATION, AND THAT JE NE SAIS QUOI OF WHAT MADE FOR GOOD CONTENT, I STUMBLED UPON THE WORKS OF NICK GULLO OR BETTER KNOWN AS NICK “THE TOOTH.” I began reading articles he wrote that ranged from fighter interviews to eyebrow raising training techniques such as urine therapy. I had the pleasure of meeting Nick during a jiu-jitsu tournament a couple years back when I was just starting to write and take photos. I recognized him looking through the viewfinder of a camera and introduced myself, never thinking at the time I would be interviewing him for Jiu-jitsu Magazine. He was kind enough to even give me my first piece of professional advice and even a lens recommendation that I still use today. It’s almost impossible to categorize Nick as any one type of person (and I think he likes it that way). He’s purely someone that always follows his curiosity regardless of where it may lead. Sometimes it brings him octagon side of a UFC fight, other times to the podium of a jiu-jitsu tournament. Recently, his curiosity brought him running naked into the freezing Atlantic Ocean. As a former wrestler, and author of Into the Cage: The Rise of UFC Nation, Nick knows his way around the combat sports world. As a jiu-jitsu practitioner training out of the Art of Jiu-jitsu Academy in Costa Mesa, CA, he learns the art under the instruction of the Mendes brothers. Through Nick’s grappling pedigree and life experience, he provided us with a unique perspective to some of the deepest questions we had about the world of jiu-jitsu…
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THE TOOTH” GULLO
The Art of Jiu-Jitsu Academy is an iconic jiu-jitsu gym. I’m also a big fan of Rafael and Guilherme Mendes’ jiu-jitsu style. What made you choose AOJ and to learn under the Mendes’ brothers? I first rolled in 1999 with Dana White and Jon Lewis downstairs in what is now the UFC corporate headquarters. Having watched the first few UFCs, I was familiar with the sport, but I’d never tried it out. It was just one session, and I wasn’t interested in grappling at that point. I wrestled from ages 8 to 18, and there were so many other things I was exploring like surfing, etc. But four years ago, I started working on the book, Into the Cage: Rise of UFC Nation, and for my research I decided to start training. I’m friends with Pat Tenore, founder of the clothing company RVCA, and he told me to hold off on joining a gym because he was soon to open Art of Jiu Jitsu with the Mendes Brothers. I had no idea who they were, but I trusted Pat and knew he was a black belt under Alan Goes, so on day one I walked through the glass doors
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and I’ve been there ever since—almost four years now. First and only gym I’ve ever rolled at.
Do you have a preference between gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu? I train both gi and no-gi equally. I dig the no-gi classes at AOJ because it’s a very core group of six to twelve of us and I get a lot of one-on-one time with Rafa, whereas up to sixty people attend the gi classes.
If you could travel back in time to when you were a white belt, what would you tell yourself? People always say, I wish I would have started earlier, or I wish when I first started I knew X or Y or Z. But I wouldn’t change anything. Jiu-jitsu is just another detour down this strange surreal journey we call life. My goal is to enjoy the scenery while trying to make mine worthy of the limited time I’ve got.
You’ve been at the forefront during the rise of the UFC and MMA as a sport, as detailed in your book Into the Cage: Rise of UFC Nation. Do you see any parallels with the rise of
sport jiu-jitsu the last several years? Jiu-jitsu and MMA are synergistic in the sense that jiu-jitsu birthed the UFC, and in turn the popularity of MMA exposed jiu-jitsu to the masses and lured many into grappling. Jiu-jitsu competitions allow us to test ourselves not unlike how our MMA heroes test themselves, only without the trauma endured from striking.
Do you ever see jiu-jitsu gaining the popularity to make it into the mainstream? What challenges do you think the sport/art of jiujitsu must overcome and how would it accomplish that? Jiu-jitsu is already mainstream in the sense that many people are at least aware of the art. Celebrities practitioners like Anthony Bourdain and Ashton Kutcher further expand that reach. But I don’t see it rising to the participation levels of football, baseball, or basketball, because those sports are already woven into the social fabric, and as far as growth in spectators, the sport is just too nuanced for mass consumption. Even many people that train find the sport boring to watch.
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S p o t l i g h t
-
n i c k
If you could change one thing about sport jiu-jitsu, what would it be?
“ t h e
t o o t h ”
g u l l o
point you need to get paid. While medals and accolades might translate to seminars, they don’t directly pay the bills. Neither do Facebook and/or Instagram likes. The IBJJF is a
I love competing in jiu-jitsu tournaments,
for-profit organization, which means they are
but I’d like to see Eddie Bravo’s submission
in it for the money. Why should a BJJ player
only format in a gi tournament- a single ten
think differently? However, if elite athletes
minute round followed by a round where
want to get paid by the IBJJF, they must
both competitors start from the back, and
band together and protest the exploitation
the competitor with the fastest submission,
of their names and matches to sell tickets
or in the event of no submission, the fastest
and live video streams. In so many ways,
escape, wins. That would be dope.
until they get paid, it’s not a “real” sport.
I enjoyed the pilot for Looking for a Fight with Dana White, Matt Serra, where you travel in search of MMA talent. With jiu-jitsu athletes such as Kron Gracie, Gary Tonon, and Mackenzie Dern expressing interest in MMA, do you see a future for jiu-jitsu athletes in the UFC? they are transitioning to MMA, the first thing
Fighters like Roger Gracie were not able to adapt to MMA as well as others. Take Jacare Souza for example. Do you think this is due to the difficulty o adapting the striking game? Jacare seems to have done this very well while others like Roger relied heavily on their jiu-jitsu. What advice would you give to jiu-jitsu athletes looking to make the change?
I ask is if they ever wrestled. Elite wrestlers
Best thing I ever heard was, “A wise man knows
enjoy such an advantage over elite BJJ players
what he doesn’t know.” For this reason I urge
because there is no guard in wrestling—the
anyone interested in fighting to seek out and
entire fight is about putting someone on
train at an established camp, like Kings MMA,
their back, and resisting that position. And
or Blackhouse, or with Greg Jackson, or Urijah
in MMA, playing on your back is a major
Faber. Fighters and trainers in these camps
disadvantage. Now that’s the rule. The
can accurately assess ability and help plug
exceptions are Demian Maia, Brian Ortega, and
holes in an athlete’s game. Me, not so much.
Whenever a top jiu-jitsu competitor tells me
Jacare. That’s why the UFC roster is stacked with wrestlers. It’s also important to note the difference in caliber between UFC athletes and other organizations. Honestly, if I were an elite BJJ player, I would test the waters in Asia where there is intense fan interest in BJJ pedigrees, and the competition is not as stiff.
Do you think jiu-jitsu athletes making the switch to MMA reduces the talent pool for jiu-jitsu? It’s ridiculous to think, given the “amateur” status of BJJ players, that these athletes owe any allegiance to the sport. At some
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You’ve done a lot of different things, traveled to different places, and you’ve been called a Renaissance man. Anything over the years that has stood out as the most memorable? The day my wife gave birth to our daughter, Carson. Nothing beats family. Family is the cake, the rest is just icing.
You can currently catch Nick on the UFC Youtube show Looking for a Fight.
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SELF-DEFENSE TECHNIQUES WITH MASTER CLAUDIO FRANCA
WORDS: MIKE VELEZ | PHOTOS: PATRICK FLORES
A
Claudio Franca JiuJitsu Pioneer
received his black belt from Master Mansor in
hosted the first US Open in 1996 with about
1990. Throughout his life, he’s been competing
150 competitors. In 2007, Claudio decided he
down in Brazil and in the United States.
wanted to expand on the success of the US
AS A YOUNG CHILD, CLAUDIO HAD ASTHMA
Competition In His Blood
AND DIFFICULTY BREATHING. HIS DOCTOR TOLD HIS PARENTS THEY SHOULD GET HIM INVOLVED IN SOME SORT OF SPORT, SO THEY PUT HIM IN JUDO AND SWIMMING. He didn’t care for the swimming too much, but really enjoyed judo. He trained for a few years until his judo school closed. At that time, he discovered jiu-jitsu and began training with the legendary Francisco Mansor (one of only six people outside of the Gracie family to receive their black belt under Helio Gracie). In 1994, Claudio came to the United States to visit friends and to teach some seminars. Before that, he
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Open and did his first competition with kids and adults; that was the America Cup. In 2014, he’s branched out to start the BJJ Tour with the goal of making jiu-jitsu bigger than ever and in the
From 1984 to 1994, Claudio ran the successful
minds of people around the country. Claudio’s
“Copa Atlantico Sul” tournament in Brazil. It
goals including bringing larger sponsors to
was among the biggest jiu-jitsu tournaments
the sport so that more and more athletes can
in the world with a long list of competitors, all
dedicate and train jiu-jitsu without having the
names you’d recognize in the history books;
aspiration of needing to make the switch to
Renzo Gracie, Jean-Jacque Machado, Carlos
MMA in order to make a living. Another goal
Machado, Rolles Gracie, you get the idea. After
is bringing the attention to the sport that he
his visit to the states, Claudio decided there was
feels it deserves. The US Open and American
great opportunity in the United States. In 1995,
Cup are broadcasted online with a production
he moved to California and soon after opened
value that is unbelievably well done.
his own school in Santa Cruz, California and
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To capitalize on the growth of the BJJ Tour last year, Claudio brought in the expertise of Marcos Sotto to help grow the tour and reach the goals Claudio has set forth. We sat down with Marcos and asked him some specific questions about the tour. Q&A with – Marcos Sotto, Marketing and Business Development Consultant and increasing sales. We built a
When did you start working with Claudio Franca on the BJJ Tour?
unique and attractive BJJ Platform to give our sponsors some highly valuable benefits. We have been
About four years ago, I started to
doing some road shows, and the
work with him on the US Open,
feedback from the prospective
All Star, and American Cup.
sponsors has been excellent.
We created a new website and
I’m also trying to bring some brand
new logos for these events. The
experience and technologies
following year, we met in Brazil
to improve our events. We
and Claudio said he wanted to
are planning to build our own
take the events to other U.S. states
Loyalty Program and CRM tool to
and also bring in more sponsors.
maximize our relationship with our
From that day, we started talking
registered BJJ competitors as well.
and creating the BJJ Tour.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope I can help Claudio
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in
Now, as the Marketing and
the country, attracting competitors
Business Development Consultant
We have big plans for the BJJ Tour.
from around the world. We can do
for the BJJ Tour, I believe with my
Claudio’s dream is to develop
the same with the BJJ Tour for sure.
background and the experience
jiu-jitsu into a mainstream sport and the BJJ Tour provides the opportunity to do that.
How can your experience in marketing help the BJJ Tour grow?
of the rest of our team, we can achieve our ambitious goals.
We are already in Northern and
I have been in sports marketing
Southern California, Texas, Nevada,
about 15 years, and I worked at one
Florida, and Connecticut, and we
of the biggest sports companies
What new ideas are you bringing to the BJJ Tour from your experience with major sporting events?
have plans to expand throughout
in the world. I have a good
All the major events I’ve worked on
the U.S., and even into other
expertise in major events such as
use a different business model and
countries, such as Canada and
the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil,
sponsorship proposal. I’m trying
Brazil. I know we have a lot work to
Olympic Games in Rio, F1, and
to do the same with the BJJ Tour,
do, but we believe in ourselves. The
Volleyball World League. I also have
focused on how to deliver results
US Open started as a small, local
strong experience in marketing
for our sponsors. When I talk about
event, and now has grown into one
and strategic planning for big
results, it is not only about brand
of the largest and longest-running
companies and soccer clubs.
exposure, but also about improving the relationship with the consumer
Franca develop jiu-jitsu into a mainstream sport, bringing big companies out of the Jiu-Jitsu market, attracting national media, and keeping the idols in the sport, according to his vision. Jiu-Jitsu Magazine has committed to provide coverage in 2016 to all BJJ Tour events. Competitors at each event will be given the option to receive a free copy of Jiu-Jitsu Magazine featuring the event they’re competing at. All the more reason to compete in a BJJ Tour event this year. For more information, including a complete schedule of events, go to bjjtour.com.
Jiu-Jitsu For Self-Defense When we made it up to beautiful Santa Cruz,
a small percentage of the greater population
On the street there are no rules- things
California, to sit down and interview Claudio
that has some basic understanding of what to
happen quickly. And although your opponent
Franca, we asked him which techniques he felt
do if a fight were to reach the ground. However,
might not get into the proper position as a
were important to share, and what are some
against a bigger, stronger, maybe younger,
technique demonstrated here, it’s important
of the fundamental skills that he thinks all
attacker that is trying to do you harm, much
to drill these techniques, practice them,
students should be aware of. His immediate
of that goes out the window. When someone
and get acquainted with them. That way,
response, without hesitation, was self-defense.
is trying to punch you, things are much more
should you ever find yourself in a similar
In the world of sport jiu-jitsu and tournament
different from doing Berimbolo or X-Guard
situation, you’ll be much better prepared to
mindset, it’s easy to lose sight of why jiu-jitsu
drills. In this article, Master Claudio Franca is
act accordingly and increase your odds of
was developed in the first place. If you’re
going to share with you some techniques that
getting home unharmed. Avoid confrontation
reading this magazine, then you probably have
might come in handy should you find yourself
if at all possible; however, if you’re under
at the very least a rudimentary understanding
in a dangerous situation in a real world fight.
attack, your first priority should be to get
of jiu-jitsu. Having that knowledge puts you in
Tech - Claudio Franca.indd 3
home unharmed. That means defending first.
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Ideally you’d like to be attacked at a dojo with mats and padded walls.
STRAIGHT ARM CHOKE DEFENSE
In a confrontation on the street, there might be a hesitation by your attacker to throw a strike, instead they’ve chosen to push you up against a wall with a hold of your throat and with the threat of throwing a strike. Regardless, it’s go time! You’re in danger. Do not hesitate one bit to reduce the threat and counter. Step 1
Step 2
In this attack, the
It’s important that
attacker has one
you quickly find your
hand on your
base, meaning you
throat and has the
have your knees
other in a position
bent slightly and
to throw a punch.
you’re ready to move, rather than standing completely
Step 3
play video
upright and stiff.
Quickly turn your head slightly towards their attacking arm and using the same side (their right, your right) hand that your attacker is choking you with, bring it across and forcefully swat it out of the way. Throw this like a hook-punch rotating with the hips, but using an open palm to increase the odds of making contact with their forearm at the wrist.
The more forward pressure your attacker puts into the choke, the more off balance they will be and the more likely you will catch them off balance when performing this defense.
Step 4 Throwing a proper hook will rotate your hips enough so that you’re immediately able to come back with a right elbow to their head.
Don’t hesitate! In a situation like this where your life is in danger, you must dig down deep and use those animal instincts. The moment they lay hands on you, you must quickly react. This goes for all of the techniques mentioned in this article.
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BENT ARM CHOKE DEFENSE
If your attacker is choking you with their arm bent and is closer to you, your defending technique must be modified. The quarters are tighter, the odds of successfully throwing that cross and landing it where you need are reduced and probably wouldn’t have the same effect. Instead, Claudio demonstrates this position.
Step 1 If you haven’t already, establish your base, bend at the knees and get in “fight” mode.
Step 2
play video
With the opposite side (their right, your left) grab at their wrist and pull down to relieve some of the pressure from the choke and hold it against your chest so they can’t quickly back away.
Step 3 Quickly bring your other hand, open palm, to their choking arm elbow and swat it across and up. As soon as you make contact with the elbow, close your grip and grab the elbow.
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Officer Claudio is on duty!
Step 4 As you’re making this swatting motion across your body, step your same-side foot across and in front of your other foot so that you’re lifting their elbow up high and you’re off to the side of your attacker. Continue this motion by turning towards your attacker and stepping your other foot back so that both of your feet are behind your attacker. Bring their arm and elbow up high enough so that you can get behind the arm by lowering your level by bending your knees rather than leaning forward and losing your posture.
Step 6
Step 7
Reposition your grips so that your hand on their wrist is now controlling their
You now have two controls over your opponent, the arm and the neck.
wrist behind their back - think of a Kimura. Once you have their arm behind
If you’re still in immediate danger, you can continue the choke until
their back, let go of the elbow and bring your arm up around their neck.
they pass out. You can lift up on the arm and break something. Or, you maintain the control until help arrives.
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ESCAPE AND COUNTER
This one, when demonstrated, looks too easy. It’s a simple and effective escape if someone is leaning into you and trying to control you against the wall. You have no idea what their intentions are, it could be a head butt, a groin attack, or anything. For those reasons, you do not want to be here for long. Step 1
Step 2
Your attacker has
The first thing to do is to use
both of their hands
your hands to control them. If
on you and they’re
their arms are at their sides,
pushing you against
grab their arms just above
the wall by using
the elbows. This will give you
their weight to keep
some level of control should
you pinned down.
they pull back an arm to strike you. It will also position you correctly for what you’re
play video
going to do next.
Step 3 Quickly get your base, bend your knees, and get some spring in your step. Pick a side and quickly step one leg behind the other while using your grip of them and their weight to drive them into the wall. This is the part that will seem too easy. It’s easy because they’re pushing into you. Their pressure and momentum, along with a little help from you, will bring them to the wall.
Step 4 Now it’s time to counter - knees to the body or groin, or a double-leg to take them to the ground.
Think of this one like the table clock trick where the magician pulls the tablecloth out from under all the tableware. That quick burst of power along with the forward force from them makes this one possible and effective. The act of stepping your leg back while rotating your body is key. You’re “rotating”, not just stepping to the side.
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DEFENDING PUNCHES FROM THE MOUNT
Somehow your attacker has you on the ground and you’re mounted, not a good position for sure. Here are two different defenses you can use depending on what type of strike they’re throwing.
Against Hooks
Step 1
play video
Step 2 As the first punch is thrown, use an open palm with your hand cupped, to catch the throw at their biceps. Don’t
Your attacker has you mounted; Curl your body slightly and keep your head off of the
try to catch the hand, it will be more difficult. Block by
ground while keeping your hands up in front of your head.
cupping your hand against their bicep.
Step 3 Quickly overhook and control the arm that just threw the punch. Bring it in tight to your body so that it’s out of the game. Wrestlers call this overhook control a “whizzer.”
Step 4 If he throws another punch with his free hand, do the same block and overhook control pulling him tight into you.
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You’ll notice the agility level is high on all these techniques. That’s because in these situations you must move without hesitation.
Step 5 Turn your head away and bring your chin to his shoulder to help defend against a headbutt.
Step 6 Pick a side, trap the leg from basing out, and uppa, or bridge up and in that direction.
Step 7
Step 8
As you’re bridging over, escape your arms from the overhook so that you
Once you’re in his guard, control his biceps. From here, use your jiu-jitsu
don’t get tied up and get rolled over back to the bottom in a struggle.
to pass their guard or strike.
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Against Straight Punches Step 1 Again, you’re mounted. Bring your arms up to your face. In an actual fight, your first priority is to survive with minimal damage, but in this instance bringing your hands up to your head serves two purposes, to block a dangerous blow if one got through and to have your hands in position to counter their intentions.
Step 2 When you see that they’re going to throw a straight punch, you’ll see that they have to pull back for it to be effective. As they pull back, they will be off balance. At this moment, bridge with both feet to the floor and drive them forward with all your power.
Step 3 Your bridge will drive them forward, and unless they want to land on their face, they will have posted out their arms.
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Step 4 Reach up with one arm to quickly overhook one of their arms first, then the other immediately after.
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Even though he played the bully here - Chris Balthasar is a pretty nice guy. Thanks for helping out!
Step 5 Keep your face close to their body so that it’s harder for them to headbutt you and perform the same uppa/bridge to one side so that you’re back in their guard. From
Don’t end up mounted in the first place.
there, pass or mount a counter attack depending on the level of
If you can’t get away from them, get
danger and circumstances.
close to them. The clinch is your friend. Trying to go for a choke or some other technique from the mount puts you in the danger zone. Everything’s different when someone’s trying to knock you out. Both of these escapes are effective in sport jiu-jitsu, with or without the gi. Rather than looking for a punch, just be aware of when you can capture the arms and bring them into a clinch to perform the bridge to reverse the fight. Or in the case of the straight punch defense, when they posture back.
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Technique
Tech - Bernardo.indd 1
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055
HIGH PERCENTAGE JIU-JITSU WORDS AND PHOTOS: PATRICK FLORES
Raw Data Powered by BJJ Heros
FULL NAME: Bernardo Rocha de Faria NICKNAME: Bernardo is often called “Bê”, short for Bernardo
Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Sergio Souza > Ricardo Marques > Bernardo Faria
Main Achievements/Record ( B lac k B e lt ): ❖❖ IBJJF Pro League Champion (2014) ❖❖ BJJ Pro Cup Champion (2011 Absolute) ❖❖ World Champion (2010, 2013, 2015 Weight & Absolute) ❖❖ Pan American Champion (2015 and 2010 Weight & Absolute) ❖❖ Brazilian National Champion (2010 – Absolute) ❖❖ European Champion (2010, 2011, 2012) ❖❖ World Silver Medalist (2011 Weight & Absolute) ❖❖ European Silver Medalist (2012 Absolute) ❖❖ World Bronze Medalist (2009) ❖❖ European Bronze Medalist (2010 & 2011 Absolute)
FAVORITE POSITION/TECHNIQUE: Wheel Sweep, Half Guard I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF BERNARDO FARIA
out there no matter what the outcome. At the
COVERING EVENTS LIKE THE WORLDS AND
2015 Worlds, Bernardo ended up defeating
PAN AMS HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Joao Rocha by points in the Super Heavy
THE FIRST THING THAT STRUCK ME WAS THE
Weight final. In the semi-final of the Absolute
FACT THAT HE HAD NO PROBLEMS SHOWING
Division, he submitted Leandro Lo with an
HIS EMOTIONS ON THE MAT. After a hard fought
armbar. This might as well have been the finals
match, he didn’t care if they were calls of agony
match because Alexander Trans was unable to
and disappointment or joy and confidence, you
compete in the Absolute Finals, which meant
always knew when Bernardo was on the mats.
Bernardo’s win over Lo was for the Gold. I was
I’ll be honest, looking back I’m a bit ashamed
happy for Bernardo then, and I’m even happier
to admit it, but at first I didn’t care for it. I would
for him and his accomplishments so far in his
think back to that scene in Pumping Iron when
career after having gotten to spend some time
Arnold tells Lou Ferrigno “(It) has to be very
with him. In this article, Bernardo goes over
quiet in here, like in a Church.” I don’t know
some very high-percentage moves that anyone
why it bothered me, but it did. After seeing
can do. What does high-percentage mean in
Bernardo compete more often, I began to see
this context? That means that if you practice
through my own opinion and realized that
these techniques and understand them, the
this was a champion that was so dedicated
odds will be in your favor the next time you go
to his craft that he’s willing to lay everything
to pull them off. They work more often than fail.
Tech - Bernardo.indd 2
WEIGHT DIVISION: Super-Heavyweight (100kg – 221lbs) or Heavyweight (94kg – 201lbs)
ASSOCIATION/TEAM: Alliance Jiu Jitsu (former BTTJuiz de Fora/Academia Vida e Saúde)
When I go to compete, I know I’m not the best one there. But I know I have a lot of will and desire, and this can beat anyone.
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Bernardo’s Game Bernardo describes his game as being very
way to receiving his black belt under Ricardo in
teaches seven days a week but is focused on his
effici
2009. At that time, Bernardo had just finished
own training. In addition to his jiu-jitsu training,
techniques and positions that he’s been
up his schooling at the university there in town.
he does strength and conditioning training along
doing for years so that when it comes time to
Ricardo told Bernardo to go train in Sao Paulo
with wrestling. Since his loss to Rodolfo Vieira
compete, he knows each position much better
under Fabio Gurgel and join Alliance. This would
at the Worlds, he’s made a new commitment to
than his opponent might know the counters.
give Bernardo the training partners he needed
improve his wrestling.
During his career, he’s seen others change focus
to reach his full potential.
t. He focuses his training on the
Bernardo has no aspirations of making the
with every new guard or position that comes along. Instead, he thinks it’s better to focus on
Upon arriving at Alliance, Bernardo was met
switch to MMA like others before. He’s realized
what he does best and really work to perfect
with some of the best training partners he
that many jiu-jitsu athletes that make the switch
those positions and increase his probability of
could imagine: Michael Langhi, Bruno Malfacine,
don’t reach a championship for about 10 years
getting the finish he wants. With that said, he
Sergio Moraes just to name a few. While training
of MMA competition. Being 29, and realizing that
doesn’t close his eyes to other positions, he
at Alliance HQ, Bernardo sharpened his skills
anything short of a championship is incomplete,
tries to learn everything he can, but that doesn’t
and managed to win his first black belt world
Bernardo plans on sticking with jiu-jitsu. We’re
necessarily mean that he’s going to use them.
championship. In 2013, Marcelo Garcia made the
all lucky for that. Watching him compete over
Bernardo’s strengths according to him are his
call to Fabio letting him know that he needed
the years has been a pleasure and learning from
single-leg half-guard, deep half-guard, and
someone to come up and help teach at his
him even better!
pressure passing.
school in New York. Bernardo immediately came to mind. Bernardo made the move once
Advice From Bernardo
Bernardo began training jiu-jitsu in 2001.
again at the direction of his instructor and has
There’s still a lot of ego out there. I’ll see people
Bernardo has two older brothers and one of their
been training at Marcelo Garcia’s academy
that train until they get tired because they don’t
friends, who was the smallest, would always
in New York since 2013. Yet again he finds
want to tap. I go beyond being tired. I want to
get the best of his brothers when they would
himself surrounded by some of the best jiu-jitsu
train with the toughest guys. I go until my limit,
wrestle around for fun. Bernardo was impressed
practitioners in the world, including Marcelo
until they tap me a bunch of times. Keep the ego
by this. He was later invited by another friend
Garcia himself, Jonathan Satava, Dominyka
away and train as hard as you can always.
to come to a class and check it out. He started
Obelenyte, Matheus Diniz, Dillon Danis, and a
training with Ricardo Marques and went all the
ton of purple belts that are just killers. Bernardo
ATTENTION SUBSCRIBERS! You can access many of the first three techniques in this article online at our ne w w e b s it e , ji u ji tsum ag.com . H ave our Ren ewal Code handy. If you’re not a subscriber, you can do it now at the sam e a d d re s s.
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Bernardo has used this pass in almost all of his recent finals matches.
OVER UNDER PASS
Bernardo has been perfecting this pass since he was a yellow belt back in 2002. That’s a long time. It’s among his favorite passes. Step 1 It doesn’t matter if Bernardo is standing or on his knees. The first thing he wants to do is capture one of his opponent’s legs under his hip, this means a foot will be trapped between his legs.
play video
Step 2
Step 3
Bernardo then scoops his arm under the untrapped leg and immediately
With the left hand that’s under the leg, he’ll grab onto something with
closes the distance. He places the other arm over the trapped leg and
that hand, the pants, the gi, and the collar. Anything he can to secure that
gets nice and tight to his opponent.
arm. The arm is tight against the bottom of his opponent’s thigh.
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Step 4 Once that grip is secure, he lifts up his hips and gets on his toes, using his right shoulder to put pressure into his opponent’s diaphragm.
Step 5
Step 6
Bernardo needs to stretch out the captured leg, so he’ll move to his right
With his right hand, Bernardo grabs the captured leg by the pants and
slightly and drop his right hip. This creates a better angle for the leg to be
pushes it through his legs.
stretched out.
Step 7 Once the leg is through, Bernardo steps back to the middle so that he’s more squared up with his opponent.
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Thanks to Alberto Crane at Legacy Jiu-Jitsu in Burbank California for the use of his school
Step 8
Step 9
In this position, Bernardo brings his thighs together to keep control of the leg
When the time is right, Bernardo steps his left leg over his opponent’s
and he’ll wait a little bit. He’s in no rush to pass, the pressure he’s bringing
leg and immediately puts it against his opponent’s leg to keep them
down on his opponent is uncomfortable and he’s in relative control.
from trying to regain a guard.
Step 10 Once he passes, Bernardo brings his right hand to his opponent’s belt and pulls his left arm
When Bernardo gets to his
out from under the
toes, he’s not standing like
leg and looks for an
a tripod, he’s got his right
underhook on the
knee and hip lowered so that
farside arm. From
he can apply more pressure
here, he gets his
with his shoulder onto his
points for the pass
opponent.
and establishes side control.
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OMOPLATA ESCAPE
Bernardo loves the omoplata. He considers it one of his favorite submissions. His half-guard game is really solid and as opponents know this, they will look to avoid his half-guard. So a submission he likes from the guard is the omoplata. When he goes for it, it’s for the submission, not the sweep. Spending a lot of time using the omoplata has given him keen insight on knowing its weaknesses and counters. Here’s a very cool escape from the omoplata that will have you scratching your head thinking, “Why have I not thought of this?” Step 1 Grant has put Bernardo in a position where his arm is trapped. His next step is to sit up and control Bernardo by the armpit so that he can finish the omoplata. Bernardo knows this so he wants to keep that armpit out of Grant’s reach, or anything for him to grab onto, hips included.
play video Step 2 As soon as Bernardo feels that his arm is trapped, he wants to get at a 90º angle to his opponent so that they have nothing to grab onto. This means Bernardo scoots his hips around to his left side.
Step 3 By creating this space away from his opponent, Bernardo has space under his body and he can shoot his free arm through, dropping his shoulder to the mat and kicking his body up overhead and onto his back.
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Step 4 As soon as Bernardo performs the roll, it frees his captured arm and he hugs his opponent’s left thigh tightly. Failing to do this might expose him for an armbar.
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Step 5 With control of the leg and the momentum of the roll, Bernardo completes the roll to his knees and ends up clearing his opponent’s legs.
Step 6 Bernardo went from a bad spot to a good spot that he can now use to pass his opponent’s guard.
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TRAIN FOR LIFE Caio Terra 10 Time World Champion www.facebook.com/GamenessFightwear @GamenessFightCo www.gameness.com Caio Gameness.indd 1
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SCARF CHOKE FROM SIDE CONTROL This is a lapel choke that’s extremely effective and very difficult to escape from when set up correctly. Bernardo likes this because it’s a no risk finish. If he has his opponent in side control, the submission he thinks about are the ones that still leave him in a strong position if he isn’t successful. That’s the case with this collar choke. If he doesn’t get the finish, he still ends up in top in north-south. Step 1 Bernardo has his opponent (Grant) in side control.
play video
Step 2 Bernardo opens up his gi with his left hand, the side near his opponent’s feet. Then he adjusts the gi so that he’s holding the end of the lapel in his left hand and returns down into the side control.
Step 3 Since Bernardo’s head and shoulder were blocking
Step 4 Next, Bernardo feeds his left hand between his opponent’s farside arm and his body.
his opponents view, he’ll sit back into the side control and hope that his opponent doesn’t know he has his own lapel.
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I’m getting the DVDs, these techniques are awesome.
Step 5
Step 6
Now Bernardo passes the lapel from his left hand to his right hand and pulls the lapel close to
Bernardo brings his left hand back to block his
his opponent’s neck.
opponent’s nearside hip.
Step 7 While blocking the hip, so that his opponent can’t follow, Bernardo moves his legs to his right, pivoting on his opponent and getting into the north-south position.
If your opponent doesn’t tap when you switch your head, you can bring your left hand to the collar and pull harder to finish the choke. If you don’t get the tap, you’re still in the north-south
Step 8
position on top.
Once at the north-south position, Bernardo posts his right foot and dips his head over to the other side of his opponent. This movement finishes the choke and produces the tap.
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KNEEBAR FROM OVER UNDER This is a kneebar that Bernardo has used successfully in seven of his last 15 matches. It’s a high-percentage submission for Bernardo. Step 1 This finish starts off at Step 5 in the Over Under Pass from the beginning of this article. Bernardo has his opponent’s leg between his legs. Bernardo is sure to be hugging that left thigh with his right arm.
Step 2 Instead of stepping his left leg over to clear his opponent’s guard, he crosses his left leg over and onto the back of his right leg.
Step 3 Making sure that his hips are above his opponent’s knee and his left leg is below the knee, Bernardo drops down. In competition, he raises his hips up and drops down quickly with force, otherwise in training he lowers his level slowly to give his training partner time to react.
Step 4
This is a nasty kneebar and can come on quicker or slower depending on the size difference between you and your opponent. Be sure to practice this technique before attempting it in a tournament.
To finish the knee bar, Bernardo
This will let you know how well
straightens out his legs to put
it works for you depending
more upward pressure on his
on your opponent’s relative
opponent’s lower back while
height. When training this
dropping his hips down to place
position, don’t do the quick
more pressure on the thigh.
drop, instead lower your knee and hips slowly to give your training partner time to tap.
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OMOPLATA FROM CLOSED GUARD
Earlier we told you that one of Bernardo’s favorite finishes was the omoplata. This article wouldn’t be complete if Bernardo didn’t show us his very favorite variation of the omoplata. Step 1 Bernardo starts off in his opponent’s closed guard and gets a pistol grip of his opponent’s right sleeve with his right hand, a cross grip if you will.
Step 2
Step 3
Using his legs, Bernardo curls his body to lift his opponent a little bit forward and scoops his left
As he’s scooping the leg and hipping out to his
arm under his opponent’s right leg, through his bent knee.
right, he slightly opens his guard.
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Step 4 Bernardo brings his right foot to his opponent’s far shoulder to push them away. His opponent’s natural reaction is to lean in a bit but with an angle.
Step 5 As his opponent leans in, he lifts his hips up off the mat, extends his left leg, and sweeps it to his right, over his opponent’s right shoulder.
Step 6
Step 7
As soon as he can, Bernardo gets his left foot under his right knee and
Before he can scoot away, Bernardo tucks the captured arm between his
closes the triangle over his opponent’s shoulder.
thigh and stomach and reaches over to grab his opponent’s belt. This is so that he can’t use the omoplata escape he showed us earlier.
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Grant isn’t still smilling is he?
Step 8 Using the grip on the belt, Bernardo quickly sits up and reaches over to control his opponent by his far side
If your opponent doesn’t
armpit.
give you the right angle to bring your leg over for the omoplata, you can quickly bring that foot on his shoulder across the back of the neck
Step 9 Finally, Bernardo
and shoot your hips up to get the triangle.
can finish by raising his hips, bringing his feet around and whispering into his opponent’s ear to finish the omoplata.
BERNARDO’S DVD
All of these techniques can be found on on Bernardo’s new 4-DVD set called High Percentage Submissions. In this set, he goes over 47 different techniques that you can use immediately and with confidence that you’ll get the sub! Go to www.highpercentagesubmissions.com
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Technique
THE GUARD: ADVANCED VOCABULARY WORDS: MARSHALL CARPER | ILLUSTRATIONS: DAVE PALACIOS
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073
L
LAST MONTH, WE INTRODUCED A SERIES ON THE GUARD. THE GUARD
With some of the basic guard terms already covered on our previous
IS ONE OF THE STAPLES OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU AS A STYLE, AND THE
installment, we can move on to more advanced guard positions. You are
NATURE OF HOW WE DEFINE “GUARD” AS A POSITION MEANS THAT THERE
less likely to encounter these guards in every roll or in your fundamental
ARE DOZENS OF OFFSHOOTS AND VARIATIONS. For a new student, keeping
classes. These guards are instead to be specialized pieces of a highly
up with the terms, let alone the strategy or the application of these varying
evolved strategy. You might not choose to use all of them, but if you train
positions, can be confusing and frustrating. In truth, even long-time
long enough, you will find someone that uses them on you.
students who take their eyes off the competition scene for a few months will find themselves scratching their heads at the newest innovations.
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Deep Half Guard This approach to guard takes the traditional half guard and rotates you directly underneath your opponent. You are still controlling one of your opponent’s legs with both of your legs—hence the half guard label—but now you have more access to your opponent’s base. Through a series of leg hooks or gi grips, you can off-balance your opponent to either tilt them forward or backward. The challenge with this position can be achieving it in the first place and learning how to capture your opponent’s base without carrying his or her weight on your chest.
RECOMMENDED GRAPPLERS: Bernardo Faria, Caio Terra
X-Guard
The X-Guard might look similar to the deep half guard but there are a few key differences. Typically, your opponent is standing, and your feet are hooked on your opponent’s knee and hip instead of having your legs wrapped. Mechanically, the X-Guard has a lot in common with the butterfly guard because of the interplay of the hooks, and it is a powerful tool for setting up sweeps, single legs, back takes, and potential leg locks. At one time, the X-Guard was considered a complex position, but it has now become a common part of curriculums because of how well it integrates into a number of guard games. You will probably learn it as a follow up to a butterfly sweep attempt, but you can also find yourself using X-Guard out of De La Riva guard or half guard.
RECOMMENDED GRAPPLERS: Marcelo Garcia
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We’ve heard of Triple Leg X-Guard but have yet to see it.
Single Leg X-Guard
Devoting an entire section to a variation of
X-Guard might seem redundant, but the Single Leg X-Guard has blossomed into a powerful position in its own right. Where the traditional X-Guard requires you to be between both of your opponent’s legs with one leg on your shoulder and one leg controlled by your hooks, the Single Leg X-Guard takes the powerful sweeping mechanics of the X-Guard and applies them to what might look more like an ankle lock attack at first glance. In the hands of a skilled guard player, the Single Leg X-Guard can be the primary path for a sweep or potential leg lock entry, or it can be part of a web of X-Guard counters or recounters.
RECOMMENDED GRAPPLERS: Marcelo Garcia
Reverse De La Riva Guard
Like many of the guard systems that were once considered new fangled
oddities, Reverse De La Riva guard is quickly becoming a standard mustknow guard position. Prior to its development, if an opponent stood in your guard and succeeded in stuffi one of your legs between his—a common guard passing tactic—your options for control and for counters were limited. By establishing a De La Riva hook with your trapped leg, instead of the outside leg, you suddenly have access to many of the mechanics that make the traditional De La Riva guard powerful. You can fight for a sweep, set up a few sneaky positions, or potentially spin under to take the back.
RECOMMEND GRAPPLERS: Miyao brothers or any modern competitor that utilizes De La Riva guard.
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Lapel Guard From here on, things get weird. The
manipulation to an extreme. The
open-ended nature of the guard
untucked lapel becomes an analog
means that creative problem solvers
for an additional limb. You can set
can take some simple ideas and run
your foot against it like a spider
them down what might look like an
guard or you can loop it like a lasso
entirely impractical rabbit hole. The
hook or an omoplata. It’s a bit funky
expansive De La Riva guard system
to watch, but the mechanics can be
started this way, evolving from the
quite powerful.
kernel of how useful a single hook
RECOMMENDED GRAPPLERS: Keenan
in the outside of the knee can be.
Cornelius
The story is similar for lapel guard. Jiu-jitsu instructors have long had a bag of secret lapel tricks that they pull out at seminars, but lapel guard takes the concept of lapel
Worm Guard
The Worm Guard is a stranger branch of the lapel guard tree. While there are a lot of guard systems that you are likely to get more mileage out of if you are new to jiu-jitsu, you will probably hear someone reference Worm Guard in the gym or in fight commentary. This guard hinges upon lapel manipulation and ends with you having your opponent’s lapel wrapped around your leg, tucked between his legs, and passed to your inside hand. It’s a Pollack painting in gi form, but there is a method to the madness. Keenan Cornelius made this guard famous, and other grapplers quickly added their own little spins to it. If you can secure the position and understand your options, your opponent will find it very difficul to defend.
RECOMMEND GRAPPLERS: Keenan Cornelius
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Technique that never relies on one’s strength… Technique that never requires speed or athleticism… That technique that never depends on “Beast Mode” to be e ective. That is Trujitsu
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Donkey Guard
The Donkey Guard began as a bit of showmanship on the part of Jeff Glover. In a Metamoris match, Glover turned his back to his opponent and invited him to attack. When he got close, he immediately rolled into a leg lock. After naming the position, he started to use it with more frequency in competitive matches.
50/50 Guard
Few jiu-jitsu positions have inspired as much controversy as the 50/50 guard. The 50/50 is like a guard handshake: If you set it on your right side, your right leg is laced through your opponent’s right leg, and your options are virtually the same. You can attack the legs with ankle locks or heel hooks (which might open up the odd armbar opportunity), or you can stand to complete the sweep. Since your opponent has the same options, the battle becomes an extremely technical, often very slow, chess game of grips and subtle shift in positioning. A few grapplers have used the position to great success, but jiu-jitsu “purists” have accused 50/50 of being impractical/boring/unfair/dangerous/satanic. Whether you plan to use it or not, you should probably learn it because someone will use it on you.
RECOMMENDED GRAPPLERS: Ryan Hall
While it’s unlikely that Donkey Guard will ever be a guard position you learn in your fundamentals classes, the mechanics at work are not as alien as the goofiness of Glover’s presentation make it look. Countering a back attack from standing with a rolling leg lock is not anything new, and inverted entries for a number of attacks are not new either. In this sense, Donkey Guard is more like a standing inverted guard. If you like inverted attacks and don’t mind a bit of a gamble, Donkey Guard might actually be useful.
RECOMMENDED GRAPPLERS: Jeff Glover
Williams Guard The Williams Guard takes its namesake from Shawn
Williams, the primary pioneer behind the position. This style of guard enhances the power and control of the overhook by bringing that same side leg into the game. Instead of simply overhooking one of your opponent’s arms, you overhook his arm as well as your own leg. This criminally underrated guard position has a few mechanics in common with the rubber guard (wanting to get a hand to the mat and using your leg to trap it there), but the Williams Guard requires much less flexibility and is just as versatile.
RECOMMENDED GRAPPLERS: Shawn Williams
And so the second installment of our guard vocabulary series comes to a close. Though we have covered a number of positions, we still have not covered them all. There are dozens of noteworthy positions and strategies and variations that have substantial merit. Just because we didn’t cover a position here, does not mean that we are passing judgment or rating one guard as being more effective than another. Instead, our goal was to give you a basic starting vocabulary to help you establish a general comfort with the guard. From here, you should continue your study and start to explore the positions that interest you and feel like they fit your style and body type. No matter what position you dig into, you are bound to uncover a wealth of knowledge that will take you years to process and absorb. So get to it.
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Milton Bastos
FROM THE BACK
TO THE PODIUM
WORDS & PHOTOS: PATRICK FLORES
O
ORIGINALLY HAILING FROM SAO PAULO, BRAZIL, MILTON BASTOS RÉSUMÉ
guys we’ve met in the jiu-jitsu world. That says a lot since most people we
SHOWCASES AN IMPRESSIVE JIU-JITSU BACKGROUND ALONG WITH A
tend to run into are really nice jiu-jitsu people. Don’t let the nice guy smile
STRONG WRESTLING PEDIGREE. AS AN ACTIVE COMPETITOR AND FULL
and personality fool you in thinking he can’t beat you up on the mats.
TIME INSTRUCTOR, HE KEEPS FAIRLY BUSY WITH A LIFE REVOLVING AROUND JIU-JITSU. Now receding in Mountain View, CA, Milton performs
Milton shows us a sequence of techniques that would work well at any
the typical day-to-day duties you would expect out of an academy
level. Opponents often will try to turtle to avoid giving up any points, but
owner. Milton also travels to the local Google offices where he trains the
Milton showed us some awesome moves I’m sure to incorporate into my
employees in the art of grappling.
jiu-jitsu database.
As a founding member of the Ares Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Association, you can say that Milton stays very active. He’s also one of the nicest and happiest
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MILTON BASTOS Q&A How did you get into jiu-jitsu?
I trained Judo when I was younger, but my cousin wanted to train jiu-jitsu because we saw it in the UFC. They opened up an academy across the street from my home, but my cousin never went. I did and didn’t really stop.
Who did you get your black belt from? Professor Franjinha of Paragon Jiu-Jitsu
How did you get the job at Google? I was teaching the kids class over at Caio Terra’s and working at T-Mobile. I saw a post about teaching at lunchtime. I wasn’t doing anything around lunchtime so I applied and sent over my résumé and credentials. It could have been anywhere and this wasn’t planned, but it worked out.
How often are you teaching at Google? Twice a week.
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What kinds of students are at Google? It’s a mix of people. Some who have never trained jiu-jitsu, and even some black belts. My academy is so close to the Google office that a lot of the guys who want to train more come over here.
With all the different tech companies around here, you could do a mini tournament. Haha, yes, that would be cool. I know other companies (tech companies like Apple) have classes and think it would be fun. Some of them actually come here to train too.
You referee a lot, can you sympathize with referees making mistakes? No. It makes me very upset.
Do you have to cut weight when you compete? Not really. When I fight, it’s at light-feather or rooster.
What are you eating two weeks before?
Eat a lot of fruit and salads. I
If you could change one thing about sport jiu-jitsu, would you?
don’t starve myself or am ever
No, I wouldn’t change anything
at the point to where I feel sick.
because there will always
When competing do you do any special training? Not really. I do everything on the mats. I do some conditioning training just because of my neck injury.
What happened to your neck?
be something that someone won’t like. It is what it is. I like to go there, learn the rules, and go with the flow.
If you could go back and tell yourself one thing as a white belt, what would it be? Don’t stop jiu-jitsu. Even though
I was in someone’s guard and
I focused on wrestling, I should
they neck cranked me pretty
have done both. It was hard as a
hard. I submitted them real
student to justify both wrestling
quick after that, but it was
and jiu-jitsu. At the time, wrestling
enough to do some damage.
was paying me money, and jiu-
Do you have a go-to move? Chokes. I like to choke the guy. It
jitsu was costing me money. It was a difficult cho e.
footlocks or toeholds. Armbar and
Do you use wrestling or incorporate it into your jiu-jitsu?
those attacks (triangle, omoplata,
Haha, well, I usually pull guard and
etc...) if it’s there, but I really like to
I like to fight off my back. I’m pretty
attack the neck and choke the guy.
confident I can defend a takedown
doesn’t always work but I like to go for the neck. I don’t really like to use
from a wrestler, but I like the guard.
2/9/16 5:27 PM
Don’t let Eduardo Telles catch you reading this.
TAKING THE BACK FROM TURTLED OPPONENT
Often as a defensive strategy, an opponent will turtle leaving few options for attacks. The following technique is useful to take them out of the turtle position and obtain back control.
TIP: Don’t grab the lapel too deep or they may roll
Step 1
you over. Instead, stay tight
Move to your
and grab the lapel a little
opponent’s side,
lower. Your elbow should
and with the far
be closer to their
hand grab their
hip.
lapel. Block their knee with your knee.
Reverse
play video
Step 3 Begin to sit on your side, bringing your opponent’s foot towards you.
Step 4 Finish by placing
Step 2
your hooks in and scoring your points.
Move the inside leg (the one not blocking the knee) in between your opponent’s feet.
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OPENING UP THE TURTLE
Here’s a real tricky one that you can use on the unsuspecting opponent. It’s starting to become one of my personal favorite moves. It’s another way to get to your opponent’s back when they turtle up.
play video
Step 1 Stay tight on your opponent and bring both of your feet inside of their legs. Hook both of their feet with yours.
Step 2 Squeeze your knees together and sprawl your feet out. Pick one side and roll to that side.
Tip: Step 3
Use the hook around your
Get your bottom
opponent’s foot to
hook, as it’s the
control the leg if
most important,
necessary.
and follow it up with your other hook.
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PLACING THE SECOND HOOK
Most people will find that placing one hook in is easy. It’s the second hook that most will fight to defend. In a sport jiu-jitsu situation, this could mean giving up four points, thus the severity of the situation. On the other side of that equation, you just earned a back position, and that hook is critical to ensure your efforts thus far were not in vain. Here, Milton shows a slick transition to place in that second hook. Hopefully you got in that first hook (bottom hook first), and this technique works well when fighting for the top hook.
play video
Step 1
Step 2
Hook your opponent’s foot with your top foot.
Keep your knee in tight and bring that foot back to you. Bringing in your knee will create additional pressure for
Reverse
your opponent’s knee, making the leg easier to bring back.
Do NOT grab around the ankle. When held here, many people are strong enough to straighten out their leg.
Step 3 Grab around the toes. If your opponent tries to stretch their leg out to escape, it will create pressure on their own ankle.
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Step 4 Bring your foot/leg over to obtain the second hook and your four points.
LEG TRAP TO RNC
Similar to the previous move, however, this technique will allow you to trap the top leg all together and submit your opponent. Step 1 Similar to the previous technique,
play video
hook your opponent’s foot and bring it back to you. Remember to keep tight pressure with your knee.
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You could probably call this “playing footsies.”
Step 2 Grab your opponent’s toes and extend your leg out
Step 3 Come around the top and trap your opponent’s leg. Place your inner thigh around your opponent’s ankle and keep tight.
Step 4 You can stretch your opponent out, helping you get a rear naked choke or submission of your choosing.
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KIMURA FROM THE BACK
Now that you’ve taken your opponent’s back and scored your points, it’s time to finish them. Milton shows us an effective Kimura attack that works at every level of the game. Step 1 Grab the blade of your opponent’s hand and bring it back to their chest to achieve control of that hand.
DO NOT bring the hand down. Your opponent will have greater leverage there and will escape.
play video Step 2
Step 3
While keeping your opponent’s
Use your top leg to block
hand close to their chest, open
your opponent’s hand
your elbow up. For added
from escaping as you
effectiveness, attack your
bring their arm around the
opponent’s neck with your
back to finish a Kimura.
other hand. They will worry more about the neck, putting less attention on their arm.
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I wonder if this will be in Pete’s new DVD?
WRIST LOCK VARIATION
This variation works well if your opponent brings your hand around their head in an effort to get their back to the mat.
play video Step 1 Start again by grabbing the blade of the hand and breaking the grip.
Step 2 Now release the grip on the blade of your opponent’s hand and grab the side of your opposite wrist. Keep your thumbs pointing towards your face and squeeze for a wristlock.
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LAPEL CHOKE FROM THE BACK
This technique works well when an opponent tries to escape your mount and is able to trap a foot.
play video
Step 1 Drive forward to get head control. Apply
Reverse
a lot of forward pressure to make your opponent uncomfortable.
Step 2 Undo the gi lapel and feed it under the head for control.
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2/9/16 5:02 PM
The next Polaris - Zuckerberg Vs Brin?
Step 3 When you feel your opponent push back to relive forward pressure, push their arm across into an arm triangle position.
Step 4
Reverse
Drive forward and bring the free leg really close to your opponent’s head.
Step 5 Sit back and grab your opponent’s wrist as you fall back.
Step 6 Fall back and finish the Brabo choke by pulling their wrist to you and squeezing.
Google It!
Sport jiu-jitsu has many strategies that can earn a victory. You can either submit your opponent or win by points. Some people have very good defenses that can really neutralize even the most dominant offensive players in jiu-jitsu. In some situations, a strong defense could be the smart play. Say you’re up on points and there’s less than a minute to go in a match. It could be a good idea to turtle up or play a really defensive game. Some may oppose this strategy, but it’s a reality of the sport. However, if you’re down on points, it’s critical to make something happen. Milton showed some great ways to bypass common defenses you’re sure to run into at all levels of jiu-jitsu.
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Gear Lab
Hypnotik
BEARIMBOLO
BAMBOO GI
T
bjjwarehouse.com
THERE’S NOTHING LIKE WEARING A GI THAT FEELS GOOD. BEYOND JUST THE FIT, HOW DOES IT FEEL? Given my position with the magazine, I’ve probably rolled in many more gis than the average grappler. It’s great when a gi feels like it was cut just for you; it’s even better when it feels like you’re rolling in your pajamas, or whatever you macho guys sleep in. When I first picked up the Bearimbolo gi from Hypnotik, the first thing I thought was, “Damn, this is soft. bet it feels good wearing it.” That first instinct was correct. Here’s my review of the Bearimbolo gi from Hypnotik after getting to roll with it for a few weeks.
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097
Bamboo
The Jacket
The Bearimbolo gi is made from a blend of
The jacket is made from a 50/50 cotton/
cotton and bamboo. This is done by breaking
bamboo blend of single weave 620GSM
down the bamboo into a viscous solution that’s
material. Brown contrast stitching can be
then made into Rayon that can then be blended
found throughout the jacket and pants. All
with the cotton yarn to create the super soft
the important seams are triple stitched with
material used for the Bearimbolo gi. According
reinforcement material in the armpits and in the
to Hypnotik, the bamboo used for this gi is
skirt slits. The collar has a thick feel, and is on
grown in accordance to international standards
the flexible side, great as a weapon, however
and is 100% naturally grown without any
be aware if it’s used against you. The inside
chemical pesticides. Bamboo grows fast and is
cuffs on the sleeves feature “Bearimbolo”
very sustainable.
branded nylon tape. I’m a fan of minimalist
the left shoulde with an angry looking panda
design, but the Bearimbolo is not. A very large
stitched into the right side. There’s also another
“BEARIMBOLO” embroidered logo runs along
large logo sewn into the back skirt.
The Pants
I’m not sure why, but Hypnotik chose to offer the Bearimbolo with two pairs of pants. I’m not complaining, the pants are comfortable. They are made of the same material but in a twill blend. There are reinforcements in the gusset, along the waist, triple stitching in key areas, padding in the knees, and reinforcement tape along the leg cuffs. A corded drawstring keeps them on, along with six drawstring loops that are placed very close to each other in pairs. The gusset is made of the jacket weave and runs very long down the inseam, almost to the knee. As for branding, there’s a Hypnotik logo on the bottom right pant leg along with a sewn on patch near the waist.
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Gear Lab Fit and Feel
e
Aside from the comfortable material, the cut of the A2 gi I tested fit me perfectly. With the initial fit, the sleeves were just a bit long and it felt like there was plenty of room. I’m 5’8, 200lbs, with a somewhat athletic/dad bod build. After washing the gi a few times, the softness st yed and it shrunk a bit so the sleeve length was perfect. The pants tied onto my waist nicely without any sag.
A 63” B 32.5” C 22.5” D 6.75” E 22” F 40” G 9.25”
AFTER 3 WASHES AT 40º C
BRAND NEW (A2)
Measurements
f
a A 62” B 31.5” C 22”
d
D 6.75” E 21” F 38.5” G 9.125”
b g c
Rolling In It In the past when I’ve tested gis that were super soft, had a problem with the sleeve stretching after getting sweaty. I’m glad to say that I didn’t notice that being the case with this gi, even after getting stuck in some mean spider guards. The gi is comfortable not only for the material but the construction. I wasn’t sure about the gusset being so long, but it seemed comfortable to me, moved nicely, and didn’t bunch up when seated with my legs together. The collar is softer than many
Highlight & Specs ❖❖ 620GSM single weave bamboo/ cotton blend ❖❖ Contrast stitching ❖❖ Offered in white
gis and very pliable. This could be a problem if you’re
❖❖ Five sizes, A0 – A4
not careful. Just be aware of it. I did notice the tape
❖❖ Comes with two pairs of pants
in the sleeves became a little scratchy after a few washes. It wasn’t really too much of a concern but worth mentioning. I also noticed that the material has a “slick” feel to it and makes it just a tiny bit more difficu to grab onto than just plain cotton. That’s a plus!
CONCLUSION
❖❖ The material breathes nicely
Verdict If you want comfort and durability, this is the gi for you!
PERFORMANCE VALUE QUALITY OVERALL
The Bearimbolo is a nice gi, super soft, and one f the most comfortable I’ve ever rolled in. It’s held up well after about a dozen days of training in it. It’s heavy duty but super soft and omfortable. Originally, this gi sold for $249, but is now offered at bjjwarehouse.com for $189.99. At that price, when you factor in the extra pair of pants, this is a great value. The only fault I could find with this gi is the branding- it’s not quite my taste, but that’s as subjective as it gets. You might love it. All in all, it’s hard not to recommend this gi to anyone wanting a durable trainer that should last him or her for years to come.
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Grapple Games.indd 1
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How-To
HOW TO BECOME A SOCIAL MEDIA BLACK BELT
M
WORDS: HEATHER RAFTERY
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BECOME A UBIQUITOUS PRESENCE IN TODAY’S WORLD. IT IS NO DIFFERENT IN THE JIUJITSU COMMUNITY, IN WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA IS USED TO DOCUMENT YOUR JOURNEY, ANNOUNCE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND GENERATE SUPPORT AND FANS. Of course, you already know this. Do you know, however, if you’re using your social media like a black belt?
Here are 10 tips to take your social media game from white belt to black belt (or at least brown belt). While the examples I use are with the jiu-jitsu practitioner in mind, these are tips that can easily translate into other lifestyles, professions and interests.
1.
Create an Identifiable Brand
Your personal brand makes a
it should also be an honest
statement about who you are and
reflection of yourself, and should
how you want to be known. Not
consider your individuality and the
just a nickname, it is a broader
way you interact with others. There
concept that incorporates your
are numerous resources on the
expertise, personality, passion or
web for creating a personal brand,
interests, or role or position within
but a good simple strategy is to
a particular community. While
brainstorm some ideas, create
many martial artists have focused
a list of words or phrases that
their brand around a nickname –
describe that idea, and determine
which creates exceptionally strong
how well those align with who
brand recognition – this doesn’t
you are. And it never hurts to get
favorite Instagrams to creep on,
work for everybody.
an outside opinion. As your brand
and an excellent example of an
is going to be used by others to
identifiable brand. A simple glance
Keep in mind that your personal
identify you, you want them to
brand should be unique, but
easily make that connection.
How-To - Social Media BB.indd 1
❖❖ This is probably one of my
at @pizzajitsu’s Instagram and it is obvious that he is all about two things: jiu-jitsu and pizza.
2/8/16 8:18 PM
101
2. Mix It Up Variety is the spice of your social life. Maintaining variety in your social
❖❖ I might be biased, but Cyborg really does
media posts does three important things. One, it keeps your “core group”
this brilliantly... from
of followers interested (the avid likers and sharers of your content). Two,
group shots in the
it increases engagement within your broader group of followers. For
academy, to videos
example, maybe some followers are not jiu-jitsu nerds, but they
of him lifting weights,
are interested in your cross-training regime or what you ate last
his morning acai bowl
night. And three, it creates engagement with new followers.
to paddleboarding in Miami and riding camels in Egypt, his
A good strategy for maintaining variety is to periodically skim
posts are varied and
back through your last 5-10 posts and assess whether the
always interesting.
content is starting to look alike. If it is, shake it up a bit with some inspirational quotes, reposts of cool techniques, or pictures of your cat. Also, consider content in terms of categories – such as mat time, food, workout, quotes, personal life, etc. – and try to avoid having multiple consecutive posts be in the same category. Your posts should be like puzzle pieces that together create the greater picture of who you are.
3. The Window into Your World We get it... you love jiu-jitsu/
4. Be an Authority There is a reason why experts and celebrities have thousands to millions of followers: they are authorities on life, or at least the kind of life many of their followers wish to achieve.
MMA/[insert activity here]. So it’s understandable that 90% of your
To do this, you have go
posts are going to be about your
beyond the “what”, and
passion. What that 90% should
show or explain the “why”
not be is a monotonous drone of
or “how”. For example,
the same pictures, text, or emojis.
instead of posting a picture of your acai smoothie
Think of your social media as
with “Nothing like an
the window into your passion,
acai smoothie to start
and allow your followers to see
the day! LOL,” tell your
all of the different elements that
audience how you made
define it. Get a shot of the mat
it. “Breakfast of jiu-jitsu
strewn with cast-off belts. Recall
champions... one package
a clever or funny phrase from
acai, 1 cup almond milk,
your professor or training partner.
1 banana (cut into pieces
Document a “eureka” moment
with a 200 year-old
regarding a specific technique.
samurai sword).” Instead
Get up close and personal with your new cauliflower ear. Capture spontaneous moments of laughter,
❖❖ This up-close and personal image of taped fingers is so common a
of reposting something, repost it and give your own
sight on the mat, it can easily be
personal insight or opinion.
overlooked as an interesting shot,
Instead of posting a video
Granted, it’s difficul to always
but to outsiders it gives a fascinating
of your flying omoplata, tell
have your phone at hand, but
peek into the jiu-jitsu world.
how many hours of drilling
you can give it to someone who
it gives you excellent authoritative
it took, or the super-secret
information regarding the image
isn’t training and have him or her
trick to making it work 60%
(homemade turmeric shots), but it’s
take some shots. Just expect the
of the time, every time.
exertion, or mat shenanigans.
possible selfie-bombing you might
❖❖ I love this caption not only because
an insightful glance into his particular jiu-jitsu journey, delivered in “real talk”.
find in your image library later.
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1 0 2
H o w - T o
-
B e c o m e
a
5. Be Responsive
s o c i a l
m e d i a
b l a c k
b e l t
7. Keep it Classy
It is obnoxious when someone speaks at you, instead of to you. The same principle applies to
Unless your brand is intentionally offensive (ahem, Uncle Laranja), it is generally a good idea to
social media. “Social,” by its very definition, requires
maintain a level of class in your posts.
an interaction. While a post made by person A, seen and liked by person B, does qualify, it’s very
In today’s hypersensitive world, it is impossible to keep from offending someone, but you can
“one-way”. A more effective strategy is to engage
consider how the majority might respond to your post. That’s not to say you should avoid
in two-way interactions, in which both sides are
posting an unpopular opinion, as long as it is honest and aligns with your brand identity. As
actively communicating with each other. This might
you accumulate a large following, you should also consider your position as a role model
sound like a no-brainer, but to make this translate
or authority within your network. What you say or post in the public sphere will be seen,
into greater engagement, you have to add some
potentially shared, and could have unintentional consequences. If you have sponsors, you
depth into your communication.
should consider your role as a representative and ambassador of their brand, and whether your post could jeopardize
For example, if someone comments on your
that relationship.
Instagram photo, instead of replying back with a
When announcing
“Thank you @jiujitsufan1234” or a thumbs up emoji,
an achievement, tag
take a second to check out their page and reply
those who played a
with something that speaks to them directly. This
part in your success.
creates a genuine connection, which then makes it more likely that @jiujitsufan1234 will like, comment
It is also classy - and
on, and share your future posts, and encourage
good social media
others to follow you. Of course, if @jiujitsufan1234
karma - to attribute
gets a little too chatty,
your picture, repost, or
you can still rely on
quote to the original
the thumbs up emoji
source. Give credit
to signal the end of
where credit is due...
the conversation.
and consider potential
❖❖ Renzo is a social media
copyright issues. For
animal. Of course it’s
example, you should
impossible to respond
not assume that
to everybody, especially
crediting a particular
when you’re such a high-profile figure, but his responsiveness
❖❖ The ultimate example of a
❖❖ Megan always keeps it classy. Here,
social media “keep it classy” fail.
she didn’t achieve her desired
photographer allows
Remember kids, think twice if you’re
result, but she honestly detailed
you to use that image,
about to say something that could
her loss (losing 0-13 isn’t something
be taken as offensive... even if you
many would reveal) and ended on a
think you’re “off-record”.
positive note “I’m happy I went.”
is simply impressive.
especially for your own
Seriously, how does he
commercial gain.
find the time?!
6.
It’s not “all about me”. It’s easy to fixate
comment made by someone else. Search
on your own profile – finding and creating
for or click on interesting hashtags to see
posts, monitoring your likes, responding
related posts. Repost something that
to your faithful and growing fan base –
appeals to you and bolsters your brand
but don’t forget to initiate interactions
identity. Check out who else liked or
yourself too. The power of social media
commented on an interesting post, and
is the ability to interact with anyone,
comment on their posts. Initiate an emoji
anywhere in the world, at any time. This
or meme war (“@jiujitsufan1234, I see
makes the potential to grow your social
your Captain Picard meme, and raise you
network limitless, but it requires effort.
a Keenan Cornelius GIF”).
Interact with Your Network
For example, instead of machine-gunliking all of the posts on your home feed, comment on them or respond to a
How-To - Social Media BB.indd 3
❖❖ Of course it’s easy when you have talented artists as fans, but Kit Dale does a great job of recognizing his follower-base.
2/8/16 8:45 PM
Turn the tables and creep out Heather @jiujitsugypsy
8. Proofread, Proofread, Proofread Does this even need to be explained? Just do it.
10. Timing is Everything Too infrequent? Too often? Too early? Too late? There is a lot of research dedicated to the “science of social media timing” – such as what hours of the day, or days of the week, are best to post what, on which social media. For Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, a good rule of thumb is to post at least three times per week, and no
❖❖ Don’t be lazy. (*Note: Not a jiu-jitsu related one, but this is far more
more than three times a day. Less than that and the
entertaining and makes a stronger point.)
strength of your engagement tends to weaken. More than that and it becomes more difficul to maintain variety
9. Hashtag g i n g D o n e R i g h t
and consistent interest in your posts. In regard to timing, consider when your audience will be most active on their
The trick to using
computers or mobile devices. For many, lunch hours
hashtags effectively to
and right after work are hot times to be active on social
build your social media
media during the week. On the weekends, activity is more
engagement is to think
dispersed throughout the day. Additionally, consider
of them as “signals”
whether your post demands “timeliness”. Is it something
that link your content
that should be posted the moment that it happens, or can
to larger discussions.
it wait for a more opportune and high activity time?
You want to create strong signals that
On that note, big life events are grounds for breaking the
directly relate to the
“too often” rule. For example, if you’re participating in a
specific content of your
major tournament, your followers will likely be interested
post, so that others ❖❖ Hashtagging done wrong...
in the social media universe can find and engage with your post.
A fe w c o n s i d e r at ion s:
in a blow-by-blow of the day, as long as it isn’t every
how these “on fleek”
second in the bullpen. Then again, that could also work,
❖❖ Because this has everything
eyebrows have anything to
in a single stop-action point-of-view video post. If you
to do with #jiujitsu… A tacky
do with armbars and RNC’s
advertising strategy.
is anyone’s guess.
exercise some creativity in your posts and maintain
❖❖ Create a unique and identifiable hashtag
variety, you can certainly get
❖❖ Do not spam. Using every conceivable
away with posting
for your brand. This allows others to
hashtag you can think of to link your
link content to you, your brand, or your
post to every conceivable topic or
message. Sometimes these can even
conversation, for the sole purpose of
a single day without
become trending or native hashtags.
obtaining more visibility and followers,
experiencing a drop-
is called “spam”. It also looks really tacky
off in engagement.
❖❖ Identify and use native hashtags. If
numerous times in
and displays a lack of social media savvy.
you’re joining a conversation, see what hashtags are being used. If you start a conversation on a similar topic, you can
❖❖ #Do #not #hashtag #every #word. See how silly that looks?
exception to the rule. This is obviously an
then recycle that hashtag to capitalize on existing social media momentum.
❖❖ An example of an
❖❖ Have fun with your hashtags. Hashtags
old photo, but rather
don’t need to be boring. Aside from
than let it gather dust
creating strong signals, they can
in the recesses of his
your cat, unless said cat is sinking an
also be intentionally misused to add
Facebook, Kristian
RNC on your neighbor’s dog, do not use
some color and context to your posts
recycles it, and with
#jiujitsu. Choose hashtags that make
(#ingLikeABoss).
the caption “Every
❖❖ Use relevant hashtags. If you post about
sense for the content of your post.
day is leg day” gives it a timeless quality.
Finally, measuring the success of your social media strategy can be relatively simple, such as monitoring the numbers of likes and comments, and whether there are any new faces in the crowd. Or it can be more sophisticated, by using the in-built analytics dashboard or an external analytics tool to identify posts that capture more interest, analyzing why that is, and revising your strategy accordingly. Whatever your goal may be in regard to your social media presence – whether you hope to get the attention of important people, or you simply want to have more followers than your cousin Tony – using these tips will help you achieve greater, and more quality, engagement through your social media.
How-To - Social Media BB.indd 4
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Medic
TENDON AND MUSCLE
INJURIES CHRISTOPHER INGSTAD, PT, DPT, MTC, ATC, FAAOMPT
A
ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT COMPETING IN A JIU-JITSU TOURNAMENT THIS YEAR? ARE YOU OVER 30-YEARS OLD? Have you hurt a tendon or muscle before? Have you been inconsistent with your workouts or training up to this point? If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, this article will be a good read for you. Tendon and muscle injuries are among the most common at Masters tournaments. This article will discuss tendon and muscle injuries, talk about how to reduce your risk of injury, and what to do if you should sustain a tendon or muscle injury.
Medic - Tendon Muscle Injury.indd 1
We Aren’t Getting Any Younger A normal part of the aging process is invariable
jiu-jitsu is lifestyle driven whereby one continues to
muscle, tendon and joint stiffness which starts to
train and move through a lifetime. It encompasses
occur in a majority of people after 30 years of age.
flexibility, strength, and agility, so the hope is that
This stiffness is not preventable, but the process
when injuries to these areas do occur, we can
can be slowed. How do you slow this process
minimize the length of time that we deal with them.
down? Movement is the key in this prevention. Unfortunately, technology has driven us from a “standing-and-moving” workforce to a “sitting-infront-of-a-computer-for-a-majority-of-our-day” workforce. Then we get off of work to deal with the challenges of life and hopefully get some exercise. A recent study found that regular exercise for one hour is not enough to offset sitting for 6+ hours a day. So maybe you decide to go train for an hour. Are your tendons ready to accept this force after you did almost nothing stressful to your body for most of the day? One advantage here is that the nature of
2/8/16 8:24 PM
105
Tendinopathy Over the last 20 years, we have
pulling. However, this can happen to
learned more about these tendon
any tendon within the body.
injuries than what was previously known. Terminologies have changed
There are several different causes for
as well, which makes it sometimes
these tendinopathies, ranging from
difficul to follow. These terms
unaccustomed activity/overloading,
include tendinopathy, tendinitis, and
direct trauma/contusions, muscle
tendinosis, which unless you work in
weakness, muscle tightness, and
the medical profession, most people
other muscle imbalances. There
will use interchangeably. The most
are also intrinsic factors (things
common current nomenclature is
inside our body) that predispose us
tendinopathy, which is an umbrella
to tendinopathy, which are muscle
term for an injury to a tendon. A
tightness, muscle weakness, body
tendon is the flexible but inelastic
structure, and our overall training
cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue
regime. If you train too little, your
that attaches muscle to a bone.
tendons become weakened, easily stressed, and become injured.
Tendinopathy is one of the more
Remember the adage “Use it or
common musculoskeletal injuries
lose it.” If you train too much, you
that occurs to a tendon, particularly
repetitively stress the tendons
in jiu-jitsu. These commonly occur
excessively, leading to tissue
to the patella tendon (anterior knee),
breakdown and subsequent injury.
common extensor tendon (lateral elbow), common flexor tendon
There are additional extrinsic factors
(medial elbow), biceps tendon
(environmental or what you put in
(anterior arm), and the Achilles
your body) that may make you more
tendon (posterior ankle). In jiu-jitsu,
predisposed to these as well. These
the more common locations are in
include medications, current/past
the shoulder and elbow because of
health status, medical conditions,
the constant gripping, pushing, and
and social activities.
Normal
❖❖ When you see illustrations like this one the tendons are typically represented in white.
Rotator Cuff Problems Inflamed/ Torn Tendons
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M e d i c
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T e n d o n
a n d
M u s c l e
i n j u r i e s
Medicinal Impact on Tendons Medications are supposed to help us, but sometimes they can cause side effects or adverse reactions in certain individuals. Antibiotics that contain fluoroquinolones, which are used as an antimicrobial agent, are known to cause tendon damage commonly seen in the Achilles, the quadriceps, rotator cuff, and lateral elbow tendons. Approximately 40% of the cases were in Achilles tendon as rupture injuries. And the onset of this is very rapid, with a median duration of eight days. If you have had a tendon injury previously, you are also more at risk than those who have not sustained one previously.
Statins are used to control cholesterol and
Normal
have also been found to cause tendon
Tendinitis
damage. This problem is not immediate and generally takes 10 months or longer for symptoms to occur, while about one third of these cases are tendon ruptures. Similarly to fluoroquinolones, they affect the Achilles,
Achillies
rotator cuff, and lateral elbow tendons. Â
Tendon
Corticosteroids, or cortisone, are used to treat injuries, due to their strong anti-inflammatory properties. These can be taken orally or injected directly into the tissue. They are known to negatively affect tensile strength and localized collagen synthesis, which creates a
Tendon Rupture
Tendinosis
weakened tendon that requires less stress-load Tiny
to cause injury. This has been shown in both
Tears
human and animals studies. Unfortunately, people tend to focus on these corticosteroids for the pain relieving aspect, with little thought to the potential negative impact, especially with multiple injections. It has been suggested that if one sustains a tendon injury that is considered chronic or degenerative, that a cortisone injection can cause a tendon rupture because the tendon is already in a weakened state.
Anabolic steroids have been
Social activities like drinking,
do not get the nourishment needed
used for many years to enhance
smoking, and the use of
to stay healthy. And when we get
muscular strength and mass.
recreational drugs can also impact
hurt, our ability to heal is much
Regrettably, their use can
our tendons and muscles. Alcohol
slower if we smoke. Recreational
also have a similar effect as
is a diuretic, thus depleting our
drugs can impact our ability to heal
corticosteroids. The impact is often
tissues of valuable water for
as well, and the cause will depend
repeated tendon injuries, and
rolling sessions. Smoking causes
on which drugs are used.
eventually tendon ruptures while
vasoconstriction of our blood
performing under the these drug
vessels, which means our tissues
loads. This also tends to increase with age if anabolic steroids
Diabetes
High Cholesterol
Rheumatoid arthritis
were used at a younger age.
Infections
Inflammatory bowel disease
Psoriasis
Gout
Thyroid disease
Connective tissue disorders
Obesity
Tumors
Menopause
Your overall health can also impact your tendons. Certain medical conditions may predispose you to tendon and muscle injuries. Here is a chart of some of these medical conditions.
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M e d i c
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T e n d o n
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M u s c l e
i n j u r i e s
What can I do to treat this? If you should sustain a muscle or tendon
beyond a few days without improvement,
injury, immediately stop the activity, ice
as this may indicate a more severe injury.
and compress the area. A bag of crushed
A physician may prescribe non-steroidal
ice or frozen vegetables works great
anti-inflammatory medications and
and should never be applied for longer
recommend rest or exercises. A physical
than 20 minutes at a time (longer will
therapist will carry out a thorough
can create adverse effects). If you use a
examination to determine the severity
commercial gel pack, be sure to have a
of the injury and begin intervening
barrier between your skin and the pack
immediately to get you back to the
to prevent a freeze burn or frostbite. It is
mats. These interventions may include
recommended to refrain from training jiu-
stretching, specific exercises, joint or
jitsu and any other activity that causes
tissue techniques, and a home exercise
pain to reduce the tendon loading until
program. They will explain the cause
the injury is healed. This can, in some
of your problem and the best way to
cases, take up to 8-12 weeks. You may
address this for your specific needs. This
also consider seeing your healthcare
is then followed with a gradual return to
professional should the injury persist
training on the mats.
What can I do to reduce my risk? As with most things in life,
your jiu-jitsu game. A regular
walk every 30 minutes. You
you need to careful about
strength training program
may even consider using a
what you do. If you have been
that includes body weight
standing workstation, which
working a lot, are fatigued,
exercises, weight training,
has been shown to increase
malnourished, stressed,
dynamic movements, and
productivity and prevent
and do not get adequate
endurance activities are
decreases in metabolism.
sleep, then you are more
equally important for your
susceptible to injuries and
health and to your tendons
Ultimately, you also have to
sickness. Make sure that you
and muscles. These exercises
know your body and realize
take the time to properly
will increase the tensile
your limitations. If you are
warm up before you train
load to the tendons. If you
hurt and you train hurt, you
jiu-jitsu (don’t run in late to a
have a desk job or sit for
are exponentially at risk
class and jump right in). Along
a large part of your day,
of further injury. If you are
with proper warm up, be sure
consider getting up every 30
always hurt, then training is
to incorporate a regimented
minutes and move yourself
difficult if not impossible. So
flexibility program. Flexibility
to prevent stiffness in your
get healthy, get strong, and
is good for your tendons and
tendons and muscles. Some
get to training.
muscles, as well as good for
suggest a quick two minute
CONCLUSION When it comes to jiu-jitsu, being flexible,
strong, healthy, and agile are necessary to reduce your risk of injury without missing training days. Incorporate strength training to load your tendons, which increases their tensile load. Do this early and do this often. Starting one month before a big tournament is not going to cut it. The better a tendon can resist this load, the less likely it is to be hurt under these loads. When exercising, always stay in control. Controlled movements allow the muscles and tendons to work while shortening and elongating (concentric and eccentric), which are different ways to load the tendons. Flexibility improves the capacity for the tendon to elongate, which is another type of loading to the tendon that improves tensile resistance. Lastly, it is important to train regularly, but don’t overtrain. This keeps your tissues consistently loaded and does not allow them to be overloaded. Overloading leads to injury and is ultimately preventable. Again… So get healthy, get strong, and get to training. See you on the mats!!!
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2/9/16 5:09 PM
Gains
SPRINTING FOR JIU-JITSU
o
WORDS: WILL SAFFORD
OFTEN OVERLOOKED FOR MORE STYLISH EXERCISES LIKE BATTLE ROPES
system, and can actually improve your endurance. In fact, sprinting is one
AND KETTLEBELL SWINGS, SPRINTING HAS A LIST OF USEFUL BENEFITS
activity that all humans can benefit from, regardless of goal, and best yet,
THAT CAN HELP ANY JIU-JITSU PLAYER. WHETHER YOU’RE A HOBBYIST OR
no equipment or gym membership is required. Just find some open space,
ACTIVE COMPETITOR, SPRINTING WILL IMPROVE YOUR CONDITIONING,
lace up your running shoes, and get ready to reap the rewards of some
BODY COMPOSITION, AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS. It has been shown to
hard sprint work.
improve the efficien
Gains - Sprints.indd 1
of the heart and lungs, benefit the circulatory
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111
Understanding the Energy System Jiu-jitsu is a demanding sport that requires all of the body’s energy producing mechanisms. The body makes energy
by breaking down ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) through three systems: the Phosphagen System, Glycolytic System, and Oxidative System. The first two might be the most important for grapplers, and involves supplying the energy for short-term explosive movements lasting one to ten seconds via the Phosphagen System, and slightly longer bursts lasting ten seconds to two minutes through the Glycolytic System. We’ll spare you the boring science talk, but realize these systems are extremely important for performing jiu-jitsu type movements and can be trained and conditioned through short and moderate duration sprints.
Lateral Shuffle
Improve Your Conditioning One of the best reasons to add
sprinting to your exercise routine is to improve your conditioning. Even the best-trained elite black belts need to develop and progress their conditioning, and sprinting has been shown to improve lung function and maximum oxygen uptake. This means sprinting will improve your lungs ability to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide, as well as how much oxygen you can take in. When you’re having
sprinting, in combination with the aforementioned factors, will increase your overall endurance by improving the ability of the body to remove waste products. It may seem counterintuitive, however, short and moderate sprints will expand how long your body can endure physical demands.
Improve your Body Composition
Athletes can also use sprint work
a hard roll, your muscles, brain, and
to increase muscle, lose fat,
body are in immediate need of oxygen,
and cut weight for an upcoming
and the ability to take in more will
competition. Sprinting has been
delay the time for you to fatigue.
shown to burn more fat than steadystate running and at a faster rate. So
Gains - Sprints.indd 2
Sprint work also improves the
if you need to cut weight fast, adding
efficien
sprints to your routine will serve
and rate at which your
body can recover those previously
you better than long, slower-paced
mentioned energy systems. Through
runs. Additionally, sprinting has been
various sprint protocols, you can
shown to burn fat without burning
train specific energy systems like the
muscle. In fact, sprints will increase leg
Phosphagen and Glycolytic Systems,
muscle while targeting your fast twitch
along with your heart’s ability to
fibers, which will make you quicker and
recover. Being able to recover quickly
more powerful. Sprints also improve
means you’ll have the energy needed
your mental toughness and are more
late in a match to impose your game
time effici
and hopefully win the fight. In turn,
conditioning.
t than other forms of
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1 1 2
G a i n s
-
s p r i n t i n g
f o r
j i u - j i t s u
Sprint Variations
Sprinting can do a lot to improve your conditioning and body composition; however, it can also put stress on your joints and aggravate nagging injuries if you’re not careful. For many of us, it may be easiest to hit the pavement, but this is the hardest on your joints and can cause issues over
❖❖ On the start,
time. If you have access to a beach, sprinting in the sand is more forgiving
keep your head
on your joints, requires less in terms of recovery the next day, and actually
down and drive
burns more calories. Running on grass or turf will also have less impact
the ground
on the joints, as will running up hills, which is also more challenging and
aggressively
will deliver greater benefits in less time. If running is not your thing, similar
away from you .
benefits to running sprints can be had from cycling, swimming, rowing, and sled pushes, which are all also easier on the joints.
❖❖ Optimal arm position with elbows driving forward and backward, kept at 90 degree angles.
Tips On Technique ❖❖ Keep your arms bent at 90 degrees at all times. ❖❖ Drive your elbows hard backward and forward to maximize speed ❖❖ Six to ten sprints of 35 yards with 10 second of rest between is optimal for power and fat loss.
and stride length. ❖❖ Keep your chin up, not too high, and not tucked, which will affect your breathing. ❖❖ Keep relaxed shoulders and do not allow them to shrug upward. ❖❖ Keep your hands open, wrists straight, and drive your arms straight ahead, never across your body, which will slow you down.
❖❖ Maintain tall, upright posture, and attempt to strike the ground with your foot
Gains - Sprints.indd 3
❖❖ Your foot should land underneath your body when upright, and not in front of you. ❖❖ Keep your core tight
directly below
throughout the length of
your body when
the sprint and maintain
upright.
good, tall posture.
2/8/16 8:09 PM
Butt-Kicks, Butt Kickers, whatever you call them someone’s butt is getting kicked.
butt-kicks
Do your sprint work on its own day separate from weightlifting. Be sure to start with a total body dynamic warm-up and a few light sprints before sprinting all out. Do each of the following for forty yards, or twenty yards there-and-back.
high-knees
❖❖ Butt Kicks
❖❖ Side Shuffl
❖❖ High Knees
❖❖ High Skips
Warm-Up Sprints: 50 yards at 50% 40 yards at 75% 30 yards at 85% Workout 1 Short sprints - for power, fat loss and conditioning Sprint 35 yards 6 to 10 times at 100% Rest 10 seconds between sprints
Workout 2 Moderate sprints – for fat loss, conditioning, and mental toughness Sprint 100 yards at 75% - rest 90 seconds Sprint 75 yards at 85% - rest 60 seconds Sprint 50 yards at 95% - rest 45 seconds
high-skips
Sprint 25 yards at 100% - rest 30 seconds Sprint 25 yards at 100% - rest 30 seconds Spring 25 yards at 100% - rest 30 seconds
Workout 3 Hill Sprints – for fat loss, power, conditioning, and mental toughness Sprint up a hill for 30 seconds, walk down halfway and jog the rest of the way down, then repeat 5 – 10 times.
Workout 3.5 or 4 You can add this to Workout 3 or do this as a separate workout. Sprint up a hill for 15 seconds, walk down and repeat 5 – 10 times.
Gains - Sprints.indd 4
2/8/16 8:09 PM
success
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BRIAN EDWARDS From Good To Great
B
BRIAN EDWARDS WAS A BIG GUY (HE WEIGHED 240LBS) WHEN HE STARTED TRAINING JIU-JITSU EIGHT YEARS AGO. THAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT AT SIX FEET FOUR INCHES TALL, WE’D SAY THAT’S PROBABLY ABOUT RIGHT. He found jiu-jitsu not out of a desire to make some life altering change, but looking for the best form of self-defense he could. Little did he know then that jiu-jitsu would change his life for the better in many, many ways. He recently received his black belt. He’s a Pan Am Brown Belt Gold Medalist, a 2x Brown Belt World No Gi Gold Medalist, a 19x NAGA Gold Medalist, a 14x SC State Gold Medalist, a 4x US Grappling Gold Medalist, a 6x Monster Cup Gold Medalist and a Fight Lab Grappling titleholder. To date he’s competed in over 200 competitive grappling matches since 2008.
Success - Brian Edwards.indd 1
Age: 42 | Height: 6’ 4” | Starting Weight: 240lbs | Current Weight: 195lbs Hometown: Florence, SC | Home School: SwampFox Jiu-Jitsu | Instructor: Tim Jones
How did you discover jiu-jitsu?
What’s been the biggest challenge so far?
I discovered jiu-jitsu by researching the most
My biggest challenge so far has been time. I am the
effective forms of self-defense. I started out taking
father of five beautiful little girls. Fortunately, my
private lessons and training in a garage out of town
oldest three girls train BJJ. But time is a commodity.
until our local school opened in 2008.
I have had to find ways to workout and train at odd
What motivates you to train? Several factors motivate me to train - jiu-jitsu makes
times and even bought mats for our bonus room in our house.
I am 42 and in the best shape of my life. Jiu-jitsu and
What’s been the best benefit from the changes you’ve made?
competing motivates me to eat right and workout
The biggest benefit from the jiu-jitsu lifestyle is just
on a daily basis. My best friends are now my jiu-jitsu
a better, more fulfilling, and all around happier life.
partners. We share the same bond and love for jiu-
A better well-being. I am happier in my own skin
jitsu. I am not sure I could quit even if I wanted to!
than I have ever been. More content than ever. It’s
me a better father, husband, and all around person.
What else do you do for physical fitness? I lift weights and do metabolic conditioning five times a week. Mostly concentrating on movements and lifts that complement jiu-jitsu.
How have you changed your diet?
paradoxical, but somehow getting beat up regularly and tapping is good for a man’s soul.
What advice would you give to someone else looking to make the same sort of change? The best piece of advice that I can give is to set goals and stick with a plan. Change and progress
Jiu-jitsu has caused me to greatly change my diet.
take time. Do not listen to the naysayers and
I have given up processed foods and try and stick
surround yourself with people that lift you higher.
with lean meats and vegetables with occasional fruit.
There will always be bumps in the road, but let
I try and focus on foods that help with performance
nothing derail you. It’s worth it. Anything worth
and recovery.
having is hard work. And read JJM!
2/9/16 3:51 PM
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