Improving Your BJJ With Yoga

Like a lot of you, I was introduced to Yoga as a youth through Street Fighter II and the character "Dhalsim." As a youth, I viewed Yoga as some mystical thing that included meditation and ultimately could make me breathe fire and slap fools from across the room with my super-stretchy arms that I (somehow) achieved through said mystical practices that involved elephants.

 Eventually, I grew up enough to learn that breathing fire is (probably) fake and can't be achieved; but I'm not a Yoga expert. Flash forward some years and shake in some BJJ and watch Rickson Gracie's "CHOKE" documentary, and then I remembered that Yoga was a cool thing, so I reached out to someone who's proficient with BOTH Yoga and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to drop some knowledge on us. Sam Dei Lune is a life long martial arts practitioner and a certified Yoga instructor, who has used that knowledge to help MMA fighters and other professional athletes improve themselves in their respective fields with Yoga. So take off your gi pants, replace them with SPATS (not Yoga pants, but you can if you're a girl. Guys, no), and let the powerful and wonderful friend of WBS take it away. Ladies and gentlemen, Sam Sarahbi:
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   Yoga not only is an invaluable tool for breath control, but also will improve a jiu jitsu practitioner’s balance, stability, and flexibility.  I will break down some aspects of yoga and their benefits for your use in practicing martial arts:

Breathing: Hot yoga, or yoga practiced at 105 degrees and 40 percent humidity, will increase your awareness of your breath by focusing on breathing through discomfort.  If you’re new to rolling, something like a solid knee mount, or a tough scramble/battle for position can be very draining if you hold your breath throughout, or breathe without a proper rhythm.  Breath control is paramount to advancing/finishing position and escapes, and can assist in controlling of the heart rate as well as mental focus and awareness.  Vinyasa yoga is a moving meditation, much like rolling, and most proficient rollers seem to prefer this type of yoga for their asana practice.  I engage ujjayi breath with my students, six seconds in through the nose, six seconds out through the nose, with a slight constriction in the back of the throat to build heat.

Flexibility: Vinyasa yoga at what would be considered normal room temperatures are probably the most helpful for flexibility.  While you may get a deeper stretch and you may be able to push your body further in heat, this is an artificial depth that you are unlikely to be able to sustain while practicing jiu jitsu.  For the most part, practice your yoga at the same temperature that you will be rolling to be better in tune with how far your body can be pushed.  Poses that spread your hips will help you wrap a higher and tighter guard.  Pigeon pose is a popular hip opener among martial artists and one that I use every day when working with fighters.

Balance:  Balance is essential in avoiding and initiating sweeps and takedowns.  If you only have time for one balancing pose and you are a beginner, I suggest Tree Pose.  This pose will have you balancing on one leg at a time.

Core Strength: Every submission, movement, position, and defense requires core strength.  Every yoga pose engages the core in a manner that can stretch, and strengthen your muscles and joints, which makes it ideal cross training for jiu jitsu.   Specifically, Boat Pose is an intense core strength builder.

Spine Strength: I include a complete series of spine strengthening in every class that I teach because it is important in preventing injury, as it is important to counterbalance some of the movements your body makes in Jiu Jitsu.  Floor bow is a full counter pose to the bending and pressure you will put on your spine during your martial arts practice.

Even though I have included some poses here, it is important to note that I suggest a full yoga sequence, with a warm-up, cool-down, and a full range of motion in between.  Make sure that you are entering and exiting each pose properly, and that you keep balance in your movements, doing a back bend each time you bend forward, doing poses on both sides, and twisting both directions.  Always consult your professional healthcare provider before beginning, or making changes to any fitness regimen/ exercise program.

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Incredible, right? Sam is awesome. Over the course of WBS becoming 'a thing,' she and I have got to be pals. She's always insightful and has a lot of great things to say about everything from MMA to just life in general. She's a great example of what can be the result of incorporating multiple disciplines into your life. 

Get more familiar with Sam Sarahbi at her website: http://www.samsarahbi.com/

Her Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamSarahbi

and if you really want to be the coolest of the cool, and want to get more into what she can offer with her Yoga, you can pick up her book The Sequence at Barnes and Noble, or on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Sequence-Vinyasa-Yoga-Script-Cues/dp/0692294880/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411882584&sr=8-1&keywords=SAM+DEI+LUNE

in closing, here's Rickson doing Yoga (skip to 3min to get real)

  

Gi'ed Up From the Feet Up

So now that you've got a gi, how do you take care of it? That might have been something you've already considered, but maybe not. I'm sure by now you've see some ripping, tearing, stitching, and patchwork on the gis of your training partners, and you've just spend some good quality dough on your gi, so you probably want to avoid that sort of thing for as long as possible. In this post we're going to take a look at gi maintenance and how to care for your new suit of armor so that you don't end up with a rip a lot sooner than you should...errr, or will.

Photo Cred: Shin Zen Bi/Flicker

 Eventually, your gi will rip, tear, and/or fall apart. General wear and tear is just a fact of life. But you can take some steps to prolong the life of your gi by just being more aware of what you're putting it through. One of the first things to consider is: What is my gi made of? The majority of the gis out there are going to be 100% cotton, which means they're going to shrink. Even some pre-shrunk gis will shrink (on average) 3-4%. Keep that in mind; because if you're working in something 'a little snug' with someone else pulling on it, chances are you'll rip a seam, or bust through a knee altogether if that's the case. Sewing that is an option, but the material is already compromised and the stitch will most likely tear again. Sewing a tear and covering it with a patch is a good option in that case. Personally, I've never heard any arguments against it--other than the happenstance that the placement isn't conducive to BJJ. Some gi manufacturers even try to anticipate that by placing their company's name/logo patches in areas that are going to get the most wear and tear like collars, knees, shoulders, and sometimes the odd case of the back seam.

Photo Creds: Kelly Labor, SCMA

So check me out in the GroundGame Titan Energy gi, (also available in BLACK, if that's more your style) from this week's sponsor, GroundGame Fightwear. You can see GroundGame's patchwork displayed on the gi top where I'm most likely to get some gorilla pulling on me and potentially causing enough stress that it might cause a rip and ruin my day.





You can also see the pants are a little special as well with built-in canvas covers over top of cotton pants. The extra layer does exactly what you think it would: more protection. Also, the canvas is tougher than cotton--if you didn't already know that--so you shouldn't get those pesky knee-rips as we illustrated in the first picture; but that's not without some compromise to flexibility. Like all things in BJJ, you give something for another, and in this case you're giving up some flexibility for durability. But don't be so quick to count that out.  I like the option to add some more armor on some days. Sure, giving up my flexibility for a class can be a bummer, but not as much as going to the advanced class and having someone rip your pants all because you wanted to push yourself a little, ya dig? (Good. I knew that ya could.)




So now that we're all done laughing at my hair in those pictures (I swear it doesn't always look like that), let's rap a little about washing your gi. You're going to hear a lot of sides to this story as to what it the best method. Personally, my wife washes mine in our normal washing machine on COLD water. Weather permitting, I'll hang dry outside because I like to try to be traditional, but I live in Pittsburgh, PA and sometimes it's colder than hell and snows, so in those instances, I (she) does put then in the clothes dryer and I've never had any problems. I've heard of guys who refuse to subject their gi to the physical beatings that a washer/dryer session can put on a gi by hand-washing it. (A training partner told me that Garry Tonon told him that he puts his in his bathtub with some soap and stomps on them like he was making wine.)  Look, on that front, do what works best for you, but PLEASE just be sure you're getting it clean. Just whatever you do: DO NOT USE BLEACH. Bleach will weaken the fabric so bad that it will rip 1,000,000x's faster than it would have in normal circumstances. I didn't even consider that when I came home with blood splatters on my gis. I'd spot-treat the areas and think it was fine--it wasn't. The areas were all weak and ripped too easy.
PRO TIP: If you're going to throw them into the washing machine, knot-up your pants string so that it doesn't get all wibbly-wobbly and pulled out while it's in there.

Hang Drying for Jesus to bless my gis w/ luck

But what if you WANT to shrink a gi, well, okay. That's going to take some guesswork, but it can be done. If you're one of those BJJers who's in between sizes, buying a size up and shrinking down is a good option. To do that, more or less, do the opposite of what I just mentioned about washing/drying. To shrink a gi: Wash that sucker in a washing machine on HOT water, then dry it HIGH heat. But tread softly, young white belt. Overdoing it is easy. You don't want to have super-short sleeves on your new gi, and not be allowed to even use it in competition. Because there are IBJJF Rules about that sort of thing, but that's a topic for another day.

Finally, transporting your gi. Seems dumb, but it's a real thing. If you're lucky, the gi manufacturer will provide a gi bag with your gi. Check out the nice one GroundGame gave me. Some guys will wear their gi to class, some even carry it like a school boy carrying books using their belt like a bookstrap. It's my personal opinion to transport mine in a bag. I'm scared of spilling coffee on it while driving to class. There's also the weather factor--rain, mud, sleet--getting onto it before class. Also, if you use public transportation, I'd prefer that you didn't rub your gi in my face that was just laying on a spot where who knows was sitting and farting (not to mention taking it home all sweaty). Any kind of bag is fine, but if your gi manufacturer is nice enough to provide you with a gi bag, use it, man!

BIG THANK YOU to this week's sponsor, GroundGame Fightwear.
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Ain't Nothin But a Gi Thing (Baby)

So it's time to buy a gi; but where do you even start? There's a lot to consider when it's time to buy a gi, especially when you're new to the whole process, and in the coming weeks we're going to take a look at the ins and outs and do our best to give you some guidance so that the process is as painless (and inexpensive) as possible,

There are a lot of gi companies out there, and all of them want your business, and that's fair. Just like any other product, the manufacturer wants to make their product more appealing, but also recognize that they're in a niche market with a specific demographic. Some gi companies stay more conservative and traditional by specializing in traditional white gis. While others like to add more flavor to their product by putting them out in various colors, perhaps with patches, and even with built in rash guards. When you're considering a gi (and probably your first) you should consider your gym's rules first. It's not unusual for some gyms to require a more traditional approach--only allowing white, and sometimes blue as well--while other gyms may be a little more loose on their gi policy. I only mention it because it's an easy oversight and you don't want to be the new kid who shows up to a traditional school with a $200 USD+ black Shoyoroll that you can't even wear.

Once you've determined what your gym allows, you're next step is where to buy a gi. Some gyms sell them on-site, but if you're not lucky enough for that and don't have a Gis-R-Us in your neighborhood, the internet is your best friend and enemy. It's your best friend because it's basically the only place that you can shop, but it's also your enemy because you can't look at your perspective purchase in person to make sure the fit is perfect. (SPOILER: The perfect fit is rare.)

The first thing you need to consider in buying a new gi is the price. Don't go shopping out of your budget. A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi can be an expensive venture, but it is an investment; and like most things, the more you invest, the better the product, and the bigger the risk. You're new to Jiu Jitsu, that means you're not certain you're going to love it forever and ever, so it's dumb for you to spend a lot on a flashy new gi. It could be a waste of money if you end up quitting after a few months, but more importantly, you'll look like an asshole if you show up in the flashy new gi as a new kid to the sport. Others might downplay that a little, but it's true, you'll be 'that guy' and in the process, look like an asshole. All BJJ gis are essentially the same, though. I say that because you can get a good/solid gi for under $100 USD that will work just as well as the expensive ones--they might not last as long, but they work just fine and are a safe, calculated investment. One of the best things on the internet for this process is http://www.bjjhq.com/. BJJHQ sells 1 BJJ-related item a day at a discounted rate; and usually have at least a gi a week on there. If you haven't already been to the website, get ready for your new addiction. You'll find a lot of great stuff on that website (everything from mouthpieces, cups, and rash guards, to gis, DVDs, and no gi shorts), but it's a great website to find a good gi for sale at a nicely discounted price. 

Since we're all not the same size of human, gis come in different sizes. Assuming you're an adult, your sizing will start in the category "A1." "A" meaning "Adult" and "1" meaning the smallest adult. As the number goes higher, the gi increases in size. Most (if not all) manufacturers have a size chart associated with their product. In my experience, all of the charts measure differently. By that I mean that some measure across the chest/shoulders, while others take that measurement vertically (as seen below). 

  Confusing, right? Yeah. It's a real trial and error process. Generally speaking though, if you eyeball the size chart and order what you think will fit best, it probably will. You might swim in it a little, but that's okay--it's better than it being too small. (Pro Tip: Pay attention to what others your size are wearing and ask them what they like/don't like about their gi, and keep mental notes). If you're especially tall, or short, for your weight, you're probably going to bump into some issues but it shouldn't completely hinder your time on the mat. Remember when I said that the gi companies pander to a niche community? Use that to your advantage--feel free to reach out to them via email or a phone call to ask questions. They want, NAY!, need your business, so it's in their best interest to provide good customer service to you. 

'But what about weaves? What's with all this weave business?' Weaves are the type of stitching the manufacturer uses to make the gi top strong(er). Dependent upon what weave your top is, can determine its durability over time, strength, its level of shrinkage, and so it. The world of weaves is intricate, and Fenom Kimonos summed it up perfectly here so I won't try to rephrase what they've already done perfectly. 

In closing, you're going to need a gi. Get something that abides by your gym's rules, isn't super-flashy, and makes sense for you and your size. It's a lot to digest, but it ain't nothin' but a gi thang.

Do You Even BJJ, Bro? First Class Survival Strategy

So you've been hearing a lot about this 'Jiu Jitsu thing' and you think you want to give it a try. You figured out that it's not MMA/UFC and now you know that you're (usually) not going to get punched in the face; so you're on-board. GREAT! Welcome to the best thing you've ever decided to do. But now that you've decided to do it, and (let's just assume) you've found a gym, what can you expect in your first class and then going forward? In this post we're going to look at what a typical BJJ class is like, what to wear, and how you should conduct yourself in your first class.

If you've never been to a BJJ (or any martial arts) class before, relax. Being nervous is natural, but you'll find that the majority of your training partners are going to be very nice, kind, helpful, and excited at the chance and opportunity to share their knowledge and help with you. Your first day is a big deal, so loosen up and try to enjoy it. Make sure that you arrive to the gym early. If you haven't already, you're going to need to sign some paperwork like 'Hold Harmless' agreements and/or your membership contract. So arrive early enough that you can introduce yourself to the instructor, sign the paperwork, and get changed for class. All of that shouldn't take too much time, but I'd suggest come about 20 minutes prior to the announced class start time. That time will also allow you to get acclimated with any rules the gym may have, get a tour of the facilities,

If you don't already own a gi, that's cool; just show up in sweat pants and a t-shirt. Your school should have a loaner gi and white belt at the school for new guys to use for their first class, but don't bank on that. But most likely you'll wear your sweat pants, t-shirt, and the gi top that the school will loan you for that class. Obviously, it'll be a bad look if you need to borrow that gi top every class, so the sooner you get your own gi/belt combo, the better. Check out http://www.bjjhq.com/ for good (daily) deals on all sorts of BJJ gear--they usually sell a few gis a few times a week. But if you're training no gi, just show up in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. You'll eventually want bottoms without pockets, so get on the ball to secure those. That way your partner isn't breaking off fingers/toes in your pockets.

Once the papers are signed and your changed into your new uniform of awesomeness, it'll be time to get class going. Prior to warm ups, it'll be common for your new best friends to be hanging out on the mats waiting for class to start. Don't worry, we'll recognize you as new, but introduce yourself. You're probably going to work with a higher rank, and of about equal size, so that'll be a good place to start making friends. Just say "Hi" and smile. Soon enough warm ups will start. That will vary from school-to-school, but generally expect some form of standard calisthenics and stretching. After about 10-minutes of that, you'll move on to "Line Drills." Line Drills are your basic fundamental ground movements of Jiu Jitsu. The class will form a couple of single-file lines, then replicate the  instructed movement down the mat (SO PAY ATTENTION). Here you'll learn some basic body movement and mechanics that will help you out down the line. You can expect a handful of drills that will teach you--and your body--how to roll, fall, and wiggle out of situations all while continuing to limber up. 

After that you'll move on to the actual 'class' part of class where your instructor will teach technique. You'll partner up with someone your size; it's likely that your instructor will do that for you though, and select someone to partner up with you for the night. Once that's established, you'll watch your instructor demonstrate a technique and explain what they're doing to the other person (SO PAY ATTENTION). Generally they'll show it broadly once, go into a little more detail the second time they show it, and show it a last time more dynamically, but with less detail on the third time; then tell you to go give it a try. Your partner will usually go first since they're more experienced with everything and and help you out. Generally, you'll switch off every three repetitions. That process is called "Drilling." After some time passes, your instructor will call everyone's attention back to them where they can demonstrate another technique. The process will repeat itself from there one, or maybe two, more times that night until you learn/drill a few new moves/techniques. During the drilling process, it's important to remember to be aware of what you're doing. Try to replicate the instruction perfectly as possible, but also remember that you're just drilling and not trying to kill your partner. Also, if you're drilling any kind of submission (be it a choke, strangle, or joint lock) remember to tap out when it gets uncomfortable. You can submit and let your partner know you've had enough, and want out, by: Tapping them with your hand (anywhere (that's not too odd/weird)) on their body until they let go, Tapping on the mat with your hand or foot (make sure you do that hard, and loud), or by verbally tapping out by literally saying "TAP," which usually comes out as "taptaptaptaptap!" When any of that happens, a good training partner will recognize that and let go immediately.  After you've drilled your techniques for the night, the last 15-20 minutes of class usually consist of a sparring session that's generally called "Rolling."

Some schools will ask the new white belt to sit out the first time, watch how the roll goes, then ask them if they'd like to hop in on the second one. Some schools won't let new guys roll on the first night at all; while still others let the new guy hop right in there and go. There's no wrong approach to that, but expect to roll on your first night. Jiu Jitsu is a sport that the more you do it (mat time) and apply what you know, the better you get and the faster you get better, I won't sugar-coat this, you're going to get smashed your first time--unless you're some All-State wrestling champion or something. In most cases, your sparring partner will know you're new and won't twist you up too bad, but in that same hand, we're not doing you any favors by taking it easy on you either. A good training partner will know when to push you and when to let off. There are times when you need to turn up the intensity, times to dial it back, and times not to be intense at all. When you dial it up all the time, and use your muscles to get out, you're "spazzing." All white belts spaz, that's just how it goes. Until you know more technique than you know muscle, you're going to spaz. The goal is to use your smarts and know-how via technique to conquer and not your muscle. Think of a wolf caught in a trap: the wolf gnawing off his own let to get out is "spazzy," where if the wolf pulled out a headlamp and tool kit to disassemble the trap, that's technique. The trouble to that is, you don't have a lot of technique right now. But don't worry about that, it'll come with time. In the meantime, though, just try not to elbow anyone as you flail about, relax, learn, and try to have fun. After the rolling is over, your instructor will call an end to class where you will line up, get some encouraging words, then do a bow-out of class. If you're a new white belt, line up in the back. Don't line up in front of a higher rank, ever. Be respectful. Then, when the instructor calls the end (usually in their own personal way) everyone will bow and that will conclude class. At that point I like to go back to my training partners from the night, shake hands, say "thank you." That is also a good time to shake your instructors hand as well and thank them for their help and assistance.

You've made a great decision in starting to train Jiu Jitsu. There will be benefits upon benefits to your mind, body, and soul that you won't believe. Yours will be your own, and at the same time mirror many of ours as well. Be patient. Listen to everyone's advice. Remember to breathe. Have fun! Laugh at yourself. Be respectful. If you feel like you should bow, bow. And if worse comes to worse, just watch what everyone else does--fake it till ya make it, homies!

Special Thanks this week to: The Paleo Coffee Company

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Game Planning for Class: Strategy vs Tactics

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you'll hear a lot of talk about 'going with the flow' or 'flowing with the go,' when it comes to rolling. The sport does have a very laid back approach, but that's not to say that your time training should be taken lightly. Your time on the mat is valuable--you do pay for it after all--so don't do yourself the injustice of consistently going into class and letting whatever happen, happen. Going to class should be a lot of things--fun, instructional, exhausting, etc.--but all of those things you should focus on your intent, i.e. implementing your game plan or strategy. In this post we're going to look at setting up a game plan,  when to implement tactics over strategy, and keeping track of your progress,.

Sometime before class you really need to be thinking about what it is you want to accomplish in this mission. You can consider it a 'little bit of' goal setting, if you'd like; but it needs to become part of your training regimen. Setting up a game plan prior to walking into your gym is another tip that can help take your game to the next level. Now, that isn't to say that it'll sky rocket your game (it might, but most likely not), but it will help get you to those steps/levels a lot faster than if you weren't doing time. For instance, if you're a white belt who is having trouble with getting a triangle to work properly, a good game plan is to 'work' triangles when you're rolling, or utilize your training partner's help to drill them when you have the time. In my school, like many others, foot locks, knee bars, and ankle locks were all looked down upon when you're still a white belt. But once I got my blue belt, I wanted to immediately start working on them. Not because I gained some high-level secret access club, but because I know that if I didn't start, I'd be ruling myself out of 50% of the available submissions. Thus my game plan became learning and training various locks from the waist down. In that example, I'd tell my training partners ahead of time that it was what I was working on, so 'help me drill it when we're working together;' which might have been during a roll or maybe an open mat session. In your case, however, whatever your game plan is, you need to go into the gym with it in mind and be ready to act on it.

But game planning is a strategy, and sometimes that gets thrown out the window. Sticking with the same example(s), if I told a training partner that I was drilling leg locks, they might understand that as I want them to hide their legs from me so I'd 'have to work for them;' and thus not allowing me to work my game plan, and ultimately resulting in the night's strategy going out the window. This is where you have to abandon strategy in favor of tactics. Tactics are the employing the available means to accomplish an end. i.e. abandoning Plan A (triangles/ leg locks) for Plan B (whatever this guy is giving me). Getting away from your game plan is okay. You're not going to be able to implement it 10/10 times anyway. But what's important is that you stick to your game plan as often as possible until you meet your goal--in this case becoming more proficient at triangles/ leg locks. 

You might think that game planning might not be for you; well, you're wrong. If you continually go into class just looking to learn something new to add to your BJJ Utility Belt, then odds are you're just going to turn into one of those guys who knows a trick or two and never submits anyone with anything else. But game planning isn't all about trying submissions either. Your game planning can be trying new sweeps, escapes, maintain mount, etc. But just because you're learning, doesn't mean you're growing; or developing. Utilizing a game plan will help you improve on the areas you need to improve on as well as expand your game into new areas that you might not have otherwise dipped your toes into. 

So now that you've got a grasp on what a game plan is and how to implement it, let's look at how it'll help keep track of your progress. By improving on your lacking areas, or branching out into brand new ones, having a game plan is obviously going to make your bjj game better. We've already talked about The Notebook and how it can help you remember all those techniques, but keeping a mental notebook for your game plan will help you understand your game and how it's progressing. Personally, I don't know if I'll ever become proficient at an Inverted Guard; but I do know my leg lock game is getting pretty solid. The reason why I know is because for weeks I went in to classes, attempting to play inverting and failing. Adversely I did the same thing with the leg locks, and over the course of 4 weeks, I've gotten pretty good at them. Progress tracked. I still may come back to Inverted stuff, but for know I know where I stand. By drilling it over and over, for weeks until I/you realize that I/you can or can't do something is truly the best way to determine whether it is worth adding into your game or not. And through doing that, I'll be beat into your head and that mental notebook will be much easier to keep track of than you think. 

So, let's recap: If you want to try new stuff, or get better at something, go into class with the game plan that that's your area of concentration until you feel comfortable to leave it and move on to something else, It's also okay to abandon it in class if your training partner makes you use tactics over strategy, that's when you'll dip back into your knowledge base and BJJ Utility Belt. 

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White Belt Survivor Series w/ Mike Pinero

The White Belt Survivor Series is going to be an on-going series of guest posts from those who have survived the White Belt stage of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and have words of advice, encouragement, and/or a unique story to tell to help inspire off of you to keep going through the valleys and get back to those peaks. In this inaugural post, BJJ Blue Belt, Mike Pinero who trains under Josh Griffiths of Clockwork BJJ (650 Broadway, 2nd Floor, NYC) talks about how he got into BJJ and how it lead to him losing 120 pounds. So, without further adieu, Mike Pinero...

At the end of the day, we all start Jiu jitsu for a reason. Some of us for personal reasons, some of us for athletic problems, and some of us because we watched a UFC and said: ‘hey, f*ck it, I wanna try this out.’ At the end of the day we all do this for one reason or another; and some days this thing we do is going to hit us in the face like a brick wall. Your time off the mat is going to feel off. Your training that day you come back is going to feel like you can’t do anything right, everyone is tapping you, or your getting caught up in side control or half guard all the time. It sucks I know, I have been there too. I have had those days where I want to do is go home and bury my head and quit, even now after 2 years.

I recently had a visitor from another school come in and roll with me; and choke me out—I mean out like lights out. He caught me with a choke I had never seen before and he put me out. When I came to I was light headed and sat out for a few and then kept going. That night, after I left class, I felt embarrassed and very discouraged; because I felt like I had let my coach and my team down. Like, how the hell do I let someone who doesn’t even train with us come in and do that? It’s as if some stranger came into my house ate my food and put his feet up on the table. And also because I know I am better than that, to just let that happen. 

So for a few days after that, even when I came back to class, I felt like my world had stopped. I was letting myself be discouraged mentally over something that, in reality, happens A LOT. A couple of days later I sat back and then remembered why I joined Jiu jitsu and what got me to where I am today—hard work and determination.

I remembered I once weighed 310 lbs and now had lost 120lbs. I remembered that at the end of the day, I worked really hard to get to where I was; and I wasn’t going to let this one little thing get me down any more. And sometimes it’s okay to have a bad day on the mats, and it’s okay to feel helpless or that things aren’t clicking the way you think they should be. But always remember why you got into this, remember what motivates you, what drives you to be here day in and day out, and remember that one day you will achieve the things you need to with this sport. Then, when you do, you’ll look back like I did and laugh about it. Because at the end of the day, it’s all one big learning lesson; all black belts, brown belts, purple belts, and blue belts were once white belts. And this thing we do is evolving day in and day out. So everyone is always learning, just like you. Some days are going to be better than others but dig deep and remember what brought you here in the first place and stick with it.

Check out Mike's testimonial in the YouTube video above. Truly, his story is an inspiring and motivational one. We all do this for one reason or another, and like Mike says: "rememeber what brought you here in the first place," and keep going. For more of what Mike has to say, check out HIS BLOG HERE and tell him how much you appreciate him sharing his story with us and letting all of us know that we can do it. Mike got his blue belt last August, and truly is a White Belt Survivor. 

When Hugs Get Dangerous: Guys Rolling w/ Women

Up till now, your contact with women has (probably) not involved trying to avoid chokes and joint locks. You’re probably used to exchanging hugs, handshakes, and other forms of non-aggressive contact. But now you’re in an environment where all of that is probably going to happen with the inclusion of avoiding being choked or submitted by a joint lock, and you’re not sure how to handle it. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is getting comfortable in the uncomfortable and adapting to the situation; and for a lot of us, rolling with the opposite sex can be a point of voyaging into weird waters. First of all, that’s a normal feeling, so don’t feel like you’re the only one who doesn’t know how to roll with a female. In this post we’re going to take a look at different approaches, schools of thought, and my advice for getting comfortable with the new situation.

When you’re asked to roll with a female by your instructor, remember that they are pairing the two of you together based on closeness of size and rank. If your instructor feels confident in pairing you with someone (regardless of age, ranks, or sex) you should feel confident in their decision too; and go with it. But what if you’ve never trained/rolled with a female before? Relax. Don’t lose sight of what makes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu work—by design its purpose is for the smaller/weaker person to be able to get into positions to win. Even if you’re roughly the same size as the female you’re working with, as a male, you have more muscle and skeletal mass than your partner—which means you’re going to feel heavy. It also means that while you’re about the same size, you’re probably a lot stronger. That’s just science. In those cases, remember to be fair. The purpose of training is to perfect your technique and not have to use all the muscle anyway. 

I’ve asked a few of the women that I train with about some advice they’d offer to newbies (like yourself) on how to train/roll with a female. I wanted to know if they preferred the guy to scale it back and ‘let them work’ or maybe they felt like that was a slight. Maybe they didn’t want the guy to hold back. The answers I got were a mixed bag of both. Again, you’re about the same size anyway, but I think that it’s your job as the (stronger/heavier) guy to keep it even and fair; and if that means holding back sometimes maybe that’s the best option. But don't do anyone any favors, either. Fellow white belt, Rebecca Reuben who trains at Romulo Melo BJJ in San Francisco, says “We are stronger than you think! And [we] will let you know if you are being too rough, personally I don’t mind the roughness; it’s good preparation.” Which is worth considering because taking it too easy on your training partner isn’t helping them get better or learn to help them train against larger opponents—or attackers.

(Rebecca Getting to Work!)

I think the best way to approach a training situation with a female that you’ve never trained with before is to start off my introducing yourself. Even if you’ve been training in the same classes for awhile now, a polite introduction will help you both feel more comfortable. Then ask your partner if there is anything that she’d like to train or drill with you. If so, great! But if not just reassure her that you’re going to do your best not to ‘Hulk out’ on her and focus on technique, but not let her have any gimmies, either. If you’re able to accomplish those simple steps in the time you have between getting assigned the new partner and when the roll starts, then you should be able to expect a good, fun, quality spar with a new friend and training partner.

I’m sure you’re also worried about the taboo topics of accidently grabbing/touching a breast, butt, or any other uncomfortable body part—I am too. It’s something we as male training partners have to be aware of. Accidents happen and our female training partners know that, too. It’s our duty as good training partners to always be considerate, but going back to the previous points, don’t avoid going for a collar grab because you’re too scared of brushing up against a boob. As in all things BJJ,you’ll get better at it with experience. As long as you maintain a high level of respect for all of your training partners, you should never run into any awkward problems. But most of all, treat your female training partners with the same respect you’d give anyone. Otherwise you might end up like homie down here…

The White Belt's Guide to Good BJJ Books

I’ve always been a believer that putting in the extra time would produce better results—in anything. So, as a newer guy, where do you even start to supplement your training with books? Yes, I said “books.” In today’s modern age, there are a wide variety of media sources to which you can get your information—things like DVDs, YouTube, and athletes own subscription-based websites are all great—and we’ll cover some of those on future posts; but books are always going to be a foundation of supplementing your training with resources outside of class. Books are also, traditionally, going to be more cost effective than some other choices, too—and considering that you might have just dropped a couple hundred bucks on your first gi and membership dues, your BJJ Budget might not be ready for an expensive set of DVDs. But a book is (usually) cheap, and not nearly as cumbersome as loading a DVD or online video.

     Now, I’m not suggesting that books are the be-all-end-all of Jiu Jitsu education; because they’re not. Nothing can replace the training from your instructor or time on the mat. But what’s difficult is that sometimes you learn something in class that plays to your game well and you might not be able to make the next class where the follow-up technique is taught. Or maybe you really want to learn more on developing a good closed guard and how to retain it, but it’s just not being taught at your academy at the moment. That’s where, and why, supplementing your training through books comes in handy.

     There’s been an explosion of books on the sport in recent years. If you were to just Google Search "Jiu Jitsu Book" you’d see there’s enough books to fill an entire bookshelf in your study. So what books are the best ones for beginners? Well, there is no official grading system; but there are some that are always in the conversation. Now, I admit: I have not read every book out there on the subject; but I have looked into the topic enough to know what books are always brought up and suggested by people way smarter than I am on the subject—and for that reason I’m suggesting these four books as starting points to supplement your training.

Recommendation 1: A Roadmap for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu By Stephan Kesting

 http://www.beginningbjj.com/BJJ%20Roadmap%201.3.pdf

I’m sure you’ve have to seen Stephan by now. His ubiquitous presence on the Internet has made him one of the main faces of the community for at least as long as I’ve been paying attention. In this FREE online PDF, Stephan gives a detailed introduction to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu by identifying positions, defines terms, reviews direction to take/look for from each position (hence “Roadmap”) among other things. Sincerely, a printed out version of this PDF should be handed to each new student with their white belt.

Recommendation 2: Mastering Jujitsu By Renzo Gracie and John Danaher

http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Jujitsu-Martial-Arts-Series/dp/0736044043

If you’re new to the sport you probably know who Renzo Gracie is—or at least his famous last name is recognizable enough to lend credibility. But you might not be so familiar with John Danaher. John’s a black belt under Master Renzo, and generally considered to have one of the best minds for BJJ, receiving praise from such grappling minds like Greg Jackson and Vinicius “Draculino” Magalhaes. Not good enough? Danaher is Georges St. Pierre’s submission coach. This book will go over fundamentals, principals, techniques, tactics, and strategy. Considering the source, it’s what I consider another ‘must-have’ in any BJJ library.

Recommendation 3: Jiu-Jitsu University By Saulo Ribero

http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-University-Saulo-Ribeiro/dp/0981504434

Saulo recently shot back into the spotlight with his match in Metamoris 4, but before all of that, Saulo is one of the best BJJ competitors that the sport has ever seen. He’s a black belt in both BJJ and judo, a 5x Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world champion, and won the ADCC (the biggest/most important submission grappling even in the world) twice. And here, he’s also wrote one hell of a book. The book covers theory for every belt level—ascending from white belt to black belt—speaking to where your focus needs to be at that development stage. In the white belt portion, Saulo speaks to a lot of the simple techniques that often get overlooked in classes (since there’s no day/class dedicated to guys taking their first class) because they might be considered ‘too simple’ or ‘common knowledge.’ But here, Saulo focuses on teaching the white belt how to “survive,” something I find close to my heart—and I hope you do too.

Recommendation 4: The Cauliflower Chronicles: A Grappler’s Tale of Self-Discovery and Island Living By Marshal D. Carper

http://www.amazon.com/The-Cauliflower-Chronicles-Grapplers-Self-Discovery/dp/0982565879

     This is the leisure-reading portion of this post. You can’t focus entirely on technique or you’ll go mad. In this non-fiction selection, the author breaks up with his long-term girlfriend and moves to Hilo, Hawaii to train with BJ Penn. Not sold on that yet? Consider this: Marshal’s co-authored with Marcelo Garcia, Matt Kirtley, and Neil Melanson; and The Cauliflower Chronicles is on Gracie Barra’s list of Great Books for Jiu Jitsu reader. The book follows Marshal’s exploits and misadventures on and off the mat. He talks about his struggles to overcome injury, his time going head-to-head with BJ—and various local insects—as well as his off the mat time with colorful locals. It’s a fun getaway from life while still staying in the right (BJJ) frame of mind.  

So there you have it; four really great books to get you started. Pick one--or all 4--and get crackin' on your off-the-mat Jedi Mind training. :)

Don't Tap to Staph: A Primer on Hygiene

This post sponsored by Defense Soap. Offense wins matches, Defense keeps you on the mat.
Go to http://www.defensesoap.com/

Respect for your training partners, and gym, begins with your personal hygiene. Regardless to whether you’re still spazzing out on the mats, or still talking too much when rolling, your training partners are going to notice your body odor, bad breath, skin condition(s), and/or hacking cough way before your other bad training habits (Just like the time And you found ‘the stinky guy’ of your gym—and if you haven’t, it’s coming). As you've—no doubt—found out by now, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a very close-contact sport; where you’re in contact with your training partner and training surface at all times. But your personal hygiene is about more than just splashing on some after shave, or popping in a piece of gum before you walk into the gym. You have to take care of yourself, your training gear, and ultimately your training partners. In this blog post I’m going to point out a few up-front issues, skin conditions and how to try to prevent them, and what makes Defense Soap so cool.

A few points to make sure you’re covered on before you get in the gym are:

•             Fingernails/Toenails- Are they trimmed down enough that they won’t cut or scratch your training partners or hold any dirt? If not, you need to take care of that before you ‘suit up.’
•             No shoes on the mat! (Ever)
•             Pre-workout Cleanliness- Please do not come straight from replacing a sewer pipe to the gym—or any other activity that might call for you to get a shower immediately after. Yes, you will need to shower after, but don’t be gross.
•             Breath- We’ll all come with coffee-breath once in awhile, but try to be considerate. As crazy as it sounds, a lot of athletes will still use tobacco products, too, that will leave your breath coming out real harsh into your training partner’s face. Go the extra mile and brush up, or at least hit a mint before you hit the mat.
•              Clean/Fresh Training Clothes- Wear a new gi to class, not the unwashed one you wore to the previous class. Same goes for all training clothes. Wash them. They’re gross.
•             Hair Product- We’re going to sweat. Your hair product is going to mix with your sweat and get on your training partner and the training surfaces; and that’s not cool. As your training partner, I've already accepted some things, but when hair product gets in your eyes it stings and can lead to worse issues. Plus, you don’t know who’s allergic to what 

Now those things are probably pretty obvious, but what’s less obvious is avoiding skin conditions. Skin conditions (Ringworm, Impetigo, MRSA, etc), bacterial, and viral infections are all things that you could pass on to your training partners (and then ultimately their families) and training surfaces if you’re not taking the proper measures of prevention. The first line of defense is not training when you’re infected—with anything. If you’re sick, please, stay home. But in addition to spreading your germs on your partners, you’re going to be transferring it to the training surface(s) as well. Think of all the training equipment that you use that you might not usually wash (headgear, grappling dummies, support braces, the inside of your gym bag, even flip flops) that will host those germs until they can latch onto some other unfortunate soul all because you just had to hit the mat. I do believe in my heart of hearts that gyms do keep their facilities clean, but what good is a clean mat if you’re rolling with someone who’s carrying some nasties on them? 

“But, Jesse, I wash my hands all the time!” and I bet you do that with anti-bacterial soap, too, don’t ya—and that’s part of the problem. Using anti-bacterial soap kills the natural flora (the good germs) on your skin that fight off the bad germs when they come looking to ruin your day; and it doesn’t kill fungi like the kind you get with Ringworm. So when all of the bacteria on your skin is dead, and your nicely washed clean hand makes contact with something that can host some bad germs, the bad germs just take over because you killed all of your good troops—good job. Crazy to think right—but it’s true. So how do you stay clean without killing off your entire good flora? The answer is: Defense Soap.

     Defense Soap cleans your skin and kills all of the bad germs while keeping your natural flora safe, happy, and intact ready for war. By using a form of alchemy known only to the good people of Defense Soap, they combine essential oils into a wonderful concoction that not only kills the bad germs that can cause skin problems, but it smells great as well. So when you get home from your training session, you’d want to shower with something that’s not going to ruin your body’s natural defense systems and then compromise your health.

So, in keeping with White Belt Survival tradition, please be clean when you get to the gym, bring clean gear to train in, and clean both yourself and your gear when you get home.

A special Thank you to Defense Soap for sponsoring this week's post, go to http://www.defensesoap.com/ to keep clean, stay clean, and keep on the mat; and to the winner of the giveaway contest, Thomas Beckett