Inspiration from the Worlds - Roger Gracie

A couple of weeks back the Mundials (for the young-ens) was held in LA. Roger Gracie had 9 black belt matches.

He won all 9.
He won his weight class division and the absolute division.
He won all 9 by submission.
He won all 9 from mount position.
He won 8 of 9 with some version of an "X" choke (the other one was and Eziakal Choke)

Impressive?

No.

MIND BLOWING.

He is grappling against the best in the world, and he is still able to execute his game plan. He remains calm at all times. He stays poised, focused, and on-track. Wow. Great stuff! ! !

Fuel for the fire. Enjoy the video ... I know I have. Inspired.

TO

Days to the Senior Mundials

I am going to fulfill a life goal ... go to Brasil and compete in the Worlds.

What an adventure! Great training, great challenge, great life.

Positional Hierarchy

I orginally got this from Jude Ledesma from Berkeley. However, I think it was in a Gracie book; though not sure which one.

I like it because it helps give a beginner a structure to work by ... an understanding of what positions are strategically considered more important than others. I find that it has helped clarify / guide my game. It is a great guide.

Read from top to bottom. It goes from best positions to worst positions in BJJ:

Back with hooks / opponent belly down with you on his back
Back with hooks / you on your back with opponent on you
Mount
Knee to belly
Cross-sides
Turtle / quarters
Half guard
Guard (bottom)
- - - - -
Guard (top)
Half guard
Turtle / quarters
Cross-sides
Knee to belly
Mount
Back with hooks / you on your back with opponent under you
Back with hooks / on your belly down with opponent on your back

Introduction

Video Summary

Goal of Jits Journal – to participate in the broader conversation about Jiu Jitsu and to help other come to love the sport.

The components that I will focus on:

1: Basic movements and fundamentals
2: Positions – Guard, Cross-sides, Mount, etc.
3: Theory – braces / frames, pressures, mobility, leverages, flow, etc.
4: Learning and Coaching
5: Miscellaneous / Whatever comes up

In good health and for the love of the sport,

TO

Let the Learning Beginning

I'm been inspired by Christian Graugart's Zhooshutzu do Gruagardo. His blog is mind blowing ... and is impressive -- not only its scope, but in its honest attempt to share information and enlighten folks about grappling and martial arts. Since first finding it about a week ago, I can't stop thinking about it and go back to it. It is an extremely inspiring piece of work ... a living, growing piece of work.

Jiu Jitsu is a journey. I feel very fortunate to have had jits in my life a long time (going on 15 years). I don't say that to brag ... (as a matter of fact, for the amount of time I've been training, I should be a lot better than I am). The first 5 years of training, we were COMPLETELY in the dark ... doing almost everything profoundly wrong. Yet, through the process of trial and error, and constant training ... we have grown and evolved. I see my commitment to record my study of grappling in Jits Journal as the logical next step in my evolution and growth as an athlete and a coach.

I love to roll ... and love to teach. Jits Journal is my attempt to contribute to the greater conversation of jits. It is to help me better understand the intracies of the sport ... and to hopefully help others learn too. I write not in the belief that I know something others don't ... but instead to share what I know ... and don't know ... and share the discoveries as they come.

To learning. To the journey. To jits.

TO