Do you know that you’re annoying to people around you? You probably don’t because no one sees himself as annoying. Here are some of the reasons why people will see you annoying and will turn their head on you when you’re looking for a sparring partner.

1. You talk too much. You use every single moment of sparring to say something. You always have some kind of advice or an excuse. You’re even commenting positions you’re in and if you combine it with your stinky breath it’s really bad. So, if you see a guy you’re sparring with just moving his head up and down with his mouth closed and he makes some weird “hahaha” sounds you know it’s time to STFU.

2. You’re spazzer. You don’t care about your sparring partners health, his injuries, his income to pay hospital bills, nothing. You don’t care for people sparring around you also as mat space is usually not big enough for you. And the worst thing about you is that most of the time you call the same people to roll with you every single training session.

3. You stink. Yes, you stink. Your GI stinks, your breath stinks, your rashguard stinks, your feet stink… You can stink in many different ways, but you usually stink when you didn’t wash your GI which started as white-colored GI but somehow you can’t pass IBJJF white GI color check. And the most annoying stinking is when your opponent gets you in the deep half guard and you didn’t shake your Excalibur long enough after peeing few hours before the training session.

4. You sweat too much. It’s not really your fault, but the crime of the mother of nature that does not make it less annoying. Sorry! There’s nothing more annoying than when you’re playing guard bottom and you think you’re under some hot waterfall and sweat is dripping in your face, mouth, eyes… Even you don’t like your sweat so there’s no reason anyone else does. And when you show up on no GI session without rashguard or any T-shirt, it’s time for everyone to go home.

5. You don’t roll light when you say “let’s go light”. You maybe roll light until you sniff a submission and after that, you suddenly forget what you said a few moments before.

6. You’re annoying! If someone finds you annoying nothing will make him think you’re less annoying in sparring.

7. You want to be like Wolverine. While Wolverine is a very imposing movie character you’re not imposing at all with your long nails on the mat.

8. You’re leg locking guy! Just kidding, leg locks are fine lately.

9. You’re an instructor. Feeling helpless is just a bad feeling and some people are trying to avoid it in their life as much as possible. And what about if you are THIS kind of an instructor?

Top Reasons and Warnings That Your BJJ Coach or Instructor “Sucks”

How would you react on a fact that you will be choked unconscious when you receive your belt? Is there any reason that justify this act?

If your brain is left without oxygen for some time it for sure leave some brain damage. Maybe not measurable brain damage, but why risking any damage or any consequences on your health?

This looks like normal procedure at Unified Martial Arts (UMA) academy.

Recently one of my White Belts asked for tips on remembering techniques when he rolled. He said that there is so much stuff going on, and he can’t remember techniques when he rolls. He just brain farts.

In this video I share an analogy about how BJJ is like music in a way and I explain how it’s a little different than what you might expect. And you should not try SO HARD to remember techniques.

Many people who are new to BJJ start by trying to develop the ability to consciously memorize techniques during rolling. When in fact, it doesn’t happen like that. We call it muscle memory for a reason.

More often than not. Your body will figure out how to put it all together well before you can consciously think about what exactly you’re doing. This is why someone can execute a technique without being able to appropriately break it down and teach it to someone else.

If you do end up being able to consciously think about the techniques when you roll, it’s usually an afterthought. The move has already started and it’s just a fleeting thought in your brain.

In most cases, if you have to think about the technique you plan to use too much. It’s too late and your opportunity will be lost..

Saulo Riberio has a great quote, “If you think, you are late. If you are late, you use strength. If you use strength, you tire. If you tire, you die.”

I think what he is touching on is the importance of your body executing techniques in BJJ intuitively. Without having to remember techniques.

In my opinion this intuitive ability is developed through mat time and drilling.

You’ll know you are starting to develop this ability when you begin going off of “feel” opposed to thought.

Also, if you’re new to BJJ. Be ready for the occasional “Aha” moments that will occur from time to time. Where things seem to fall into place.

I share in the video that doing BJJ is like playing an instrument.

As a musician feels the music and knows exactly which chords to pluck just off instinct. The more your abilities in BJJ develop. You’ll find yourself doing things, not because you thought about them, but because they felt right.

So stop stop trying remember techniques as a BJJ White Belt. Remember what you can and be sure to drill your techniques a lot, and let your body do the rest. Don’t let the mind get in the way.

Hope the video is helpful!
-Chewy

https://bjj-world.com/female-bjj-white-belt-defeats-male-bjj-black-belt/

THE STRUGGLE

I am getting my work knocked out and clearing my plate.  The trip to World Master Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship http://ibjjf.com/championship/world-master-jiu-jitsu-ibjjf/ is this week. I cannot stop the excitement. I cannot help but to be caught in the undertow of memories taking me back to my first Master World Championship tournament in 2016. It seems impossible (probably a good thing) to voyage the world of BJJ without its currents regularly pulling each of us back to those moments we will never forget.  Those moments that define the BJJ quest as a truly epic adventure.

I had just earned my blue belt.  Barely enough time to book my flights for the Master World tournament in Las Vegas. Sure, I struggled some in my mind on competing. A two-month blue belt?  The stepping on the mats against opponents that most likely were some of the best and probably had two years or more experience than me?  It would not make me a huge pick with the gamblers in Vegas! At the same time, I had worked hard to get the belt required to participate.  Trained overtime to be competitive. The deciding factor was that the tournament coincided with my 50th birthday. So I decided that it would be my birthday present to myself for surviving this world for 50 years.

There are many things that I could share about this adventure.  Meeting some well-known people such as Galvao, Pimenta, Megaton Dias, and Osiander (the list goes on and on). Seeing thousands of competitors and spectators. Watching some of the most incredible BJJ I had ever seen. Then there was the Acai bowls…do not get me started on the Acai bowls and the ensuing addiction to that purple treat (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/15/acai-bowls-recipe_n_5147465.html)! Despite all the starry eyed, first time experiences, the real impact came from somewhere I never expected.

THE BATTLE:

I sat in the bull pen for hours. My match was 3 hours behind schedule but finally it was time to walk out on the mats. I was ready. We slapped hands and bumped fists and the ref started the action. I got my first grip, got my second grip, (I could even hear my training partner in the crowd say “he has his grips”) and went to my best take-down! The attempt was too timid.  I did not put my full weight into the throw. He defended enough to stop the take-down even though he was caught off guard.  We went to the ground, neither scoring points, but he was in the dominant position. We battled and I finally tried a move to get out from under his pressure. As soon as I did, he was ready and passed to side control. We both knew things had changed. All he had to do was hold on to win and I had to make something happen. The longer the match went on, the more risk I was taking in order to overcome my deficit. I fought with all my skill and escaped several positions.  With each escape i learned that my opponent sensed the escape and moved to his next position ahead of me. I had never rolled with anyone that was so in tune with my movements.  He made no mistakes. This is not a fairy tale, come from behind story. When time expired, I had lost 6-0.

How did I feel to lose my match at the Master Worlds? Kind of sucky! I do not like losing a match, no competitor does. Other than that, it was one of the best moments of my life. My opponent was better than me.  He deserved to stand on the podium. I put it on the line and gave a good battle.  He needed his skill to get the victory. No shame. In a world where less than 1% ever step on a mat, let alone compete on the biggest stage possible in their sport, everyone at the World Master’s was a winner. For me to compete there for my 50th birthday is something very few will ever do!  Most importantly, it is something that no one will ever take from me! That is BJJ, it gives each person opportunities to be their best, no matter what they battle in life.

THE IMPACT:

The unexpected impact and the real story is this. My academy is one of 16 schools in our organization that spreads across the country.  Our organization had about 30 representatives competing at the tournament. My match was to be at three and didn’t start until six. Nearly everyone else had already competed.  It was well beyond time for some food and fun in Vegas. I am a 50-year-old businessman, diabetic, and brand new blue belt.  My experience was competing in only three other tournaments. Many on our team did not even know me and only a few enjoyed smashing me in training on a regular basis. Yet, when I stepped out on the mat, almost every one of them had stayed to support me!

The leader of the whole organization was there to coach me. When the match was over, they shook my hand and commented on a good match.  They did this with a respect that only comes from someone that knows what it takes to put it all on the line. Although surprised, as I never dreamed my team would support me this way, I knew this was Jiu-Jitsu at its finest.

Those that are just starting BJJ or maybe just watch will think it is an individual sport. Nothing could be further from the truth. Some of these guys taught me, some rolled with me, some crushed me, but every one of them supported me.  They all helped me be a better man!

If you do not realize that BJJ is a team sport, your voyage to circumnavigate the world of BJJ is far from complete.  Your understanding of the greatness of BJJ yet to be fully experienced. If you do understand what I am speaking about, I can only equate it to the bond of soldiers facing battle together. Pretty great stuff!  I will never forget this adventure while sailing on the high seas of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  Epic!

Garry Tonon did it again!

After the slap and fist bump in a friendly manner the match started!

Tonon immediately get on his back while Dilon was trying to pass.Most od the time Danis was in defensive mode against Tonon’s leg locks. But he managed to escape every single time. Garry did hit some nice double leg takedowns while Dillon danis was trying to get some backtakes but he was always missing a bit.

Tonon won via Unonimous Desicion probably because he was much more aggressive then Danis. After all they shook their hands and end it in a real sportsmanship.

Dillon said at the end of the match: I don’t think there’s anything to say. He best me fair and square. He’s a really good grappler. He did what he had to do.

Chelsi Sabbe, mom in British Columbia, Canada used her MMA training to fight a 35-year-old man who was trying to abduct her children.

The man grabbed one of her children and started running. Chelsi sabbe was running after him and when she finally caught him she jumped on his back and began to choke him until he fell to the ground and released the child.

Sabbe said she used her MMA training to leave the man bruised and bloody. After everything that happened Sabbe was left with just a few bruises.

Sabbe said:

“I hit him in the throat and knocked his feet out from underneath him,” Sabbe said. “I grabbed the five-year-old and put him up on top of the play centre and I jumped up there.”

She said she put six children up high on the playground equipment to keep them safe and began screaming for help, but the man then tried to grab a six-year-old girl.

“He starts throwing punches. He hits me in the face several times. I then knocked him down again off of the playground equipment.”

She says she then put the man in a headlock and told the children to run to safety.

“He jumps up, he again punches me several times in the head and we go at it,” she said. “At this time, it kind of turned nasty. I had to grab him by the hair and knee him in the face a few times, and then he ran away.”

Sabbe, who has mixed martial arts training, suffered bruises on her arm and neck, plus swollen hands from the punches she threw.

“I never expected myself to be able to take down a grown man, and unfortunately you have to get quite physical to do so,” she said. “He was very persistent and it had to get violent. I had no choice but to hurt him and get him on the ground. There was no way I was letting him get away with one of the children.”

In video below you can check Chelsi Sabbe’s heroic story.