Can Acting Like Spiderman REALLY Help Grapplers on the Mat?
I know, it sounds crazy! But before you call me a kook, hear me out for a minute while I tell my story.
Last week, I was training with a couple of students and while I was rolling with one of them (who I'll call Grappler X), I was putting a lot of 3PP discomfort on him from the top positions.
The entire time I was doing the pressure game, he was smiling and cracking little jokes about having me in trouble and telling me how what I was trying to do wasn't working.
One of the guys on the sidelines said to him, "This probably isn't a good time for you to be cracking jokes.'
Grappler X replied, "Hey, I'm just like Spiderman. He cracks jokes EVEN when he's getting his azz kicked!"
Of course, I laughed because I thought it was funny and remembered all the times I read ol' Spidey talking about how fat the Kingpin was before, during, and after their fights.
But then I got to thinking about what the joke-cracking did for Spidey and it occurred to me that the jokes did three things
1. It hid how he really felt about his situation from his opponent
2. It kept his attitude positive when he was in deep chit
3. He always joked his opponents on an area where he knew it would get to them mentally (e.g. the fat jokes with the Kingpin)
And the more I thought about it, I realized that Spidey was actually using mental mindset tactics against his opponents!
Imagine that... Spidey was an OG ahead of his time!
That doesn't mean that you should make fun of your partner's weight or their speech disorder while training, but if you can hide how much trouble you're in, keep your attitude positive while being smashed, or poke fun at one of their positions (e.g. your guard sucks), that would be along the lines of something Spidey would say.
So, as I finished rolling with my joke-cracking student, I realized that he was way ahead of many of his teammates because he had the ability to mentally endure and escape 95% of all tough situations he would encounter on the mat. Once he gets the technique to go with it, he'll be a wrecking machine.
So, the next time you're in a tight spot and just about ready to quit, think of something ol' Spidey would say and see how both you and your opponent responds to it. I think you'll be surprised at how well it works for you.
What Lessons Can You Learn From an 8 Year Old Learning How to Multiply?
I'm the victim of coercion and can't do a dang thing about!
How is this possible, you may ask?
Well, sit down, get comfortable for a moment and I'll explain my situation to you.
I'm being coerced by an 8 year old that has a hip-hop learning CD that she uses to practice her multiplication and I'm helpless to do anything about it! I can't report her to anyone because no one will listen to me; not her mother, grandmother, teachers, local or federal law enforcement, etc.
No one will make her stop!
So, I'm literally being held hostage in my own car, forced to listen to that blasted CD for AT LEAST 25 minutes while driving her to school, depending on how good or bad traffic is that day!
Truth be told, it's really not that bad. It has a catchy beat once you get used to it and she loves it.
And while watching her practice each morning, I started noticing a familiar behavior pattern that I didn't expect to see in her at such an early age.
I noticed that she: 1. Carried the CD with her everywhere she goes so that she can practice. 2. Was very determined to play that CD and any answer other than "Yes, I'll play the CD for you." is unacceptable. 3. Doesn't have to be told to practice, stares at the clock to see how much longer she has to keep practicing, or has to be convinced that practicing is good for her. 4. Doesn't complain about the information being "too basic" for her (even her "1-sies and 2-sies') and needs something more advanced. 5. Tries to do all the numbers from 1-12 when time permits and when it doesn't, picks up right where she left off the next time. 6. Doesn't quit because she gets something wrong, but keep practicing it until she gets it right. And as I thought about how she's approaching how to multiply at 8yrs old, it finally hit me like a brick in the forehead.
She's has discovered the success key to reaching any goal that she sets in front of her to achieve at such a young age.
And as much as I'd like to take credit for all of it, I can't because I realize it's the environment (home, school, bjj classes, etc.) that have contributed to that mindset.
So, the next time I see her teacher and instructors, I'll have to thank them for their role in creating a success mindset in my kid, maybe ask them to reveal their success secrets to me.
Next step, figure out a way to bottle it and sell it to grapplers!
6 Mat Tips to Improve Your Closed Guard Defense! Part 1
Here's the magic question: If I said that I could provide you with 6 simple tips that could make your closed guard defense more threatening to your opponents, would you be interested?
If you're a grappling nut like I am (and at this stage in your grappling journey, you need to accept the fact that you are), the answer is yes and these tips were made just for you!
Be advised that the simplicity of these tips is the reason that they are so effective, easily applicable to anyone's grappling game, and should not be underestimated because they seem "too basic." They could mean the difference between you surviving long enough to pass your opponent's guard or being revived and informed that you were just put to sleep and the match is over!
Here are the Tips 1-3 for improving your closed guard:
Tip #1: Always maintain good posture every minute you're in the guard - This may sound like a "no-brainer" comment, but the reason most (if not all) grapplers get triangled, swept or armbarred is because of bad posture. Good posture is established when you are sitting back on your heels with your hips in front of your head while staring at the wall in front of you. The minute your head moves in front of your hips (e.g. when you look down at your opponent), it's easier for your opponent to pull you forward and break your posture. When you look at your opponent, move your eyes only to focus on him as if you would get into trouble if someone saw you move your head. This will allow you to see what your opponent's doing while maintaining your position and making them work harder to pull off their closed guard attacks.
Tip #2: Don't ignore or keep fighting thru your opponent's grip when they grab your gi or wrist, deal with the problem - All too often, I see grapplers inside their opponent's guard ignore it when their opponent grabs their lapel or another control point while they're passing the guard. What they don't realize is the fact that their decision to ignore a grip has created a problem which will make passing the guard more difficult, even if it's not apparent to them at the moment. This is what usually happens when a guard pass fails and the grappler gets snatched back into the guard position or into a triangle. Fighting through a grip may work early in a match when you're not fatigued. But as the match goes on and your energy declines, it gets harder to fight through control grips. So, stop fighting thru them and remove them when they occur.
Tip #3: Use your hands to control your opponent's body on the mat and to break their attacking rhythm - When you're sitting back in good posture, your hands (which also includes elbows and forearms) are responsible for keeping your opponent's back on the mat, monitoring your opponent's hip movement, and grabbing your opponent's hands, wrists, and forearms (not the biceps because it requires you to lean forward and takes you out of posture. It's not wrong, just something I don't recommend unless someone is punching you in the face or you're an advanced grappler), which will force them to stop their attack so they can free themselves of your grips. If you control their body movement while tying up their hands during an attack, you will stifle their attack while frustrating them at the same time.
Apply these three tips and you should notice that your opponents will find your guard more difficult to pass as well as providing you more opportunities to set them up for your favorite attacks.
In the next article, I will reveal Tips 4-6 for improving your closed guard defense.
6 Mat Tips to Improve Your Closed Guard Attacks! (Part2)
In the last Wise Grappler Ezine, I wrote about the first 3 mat tips necessary to improve your closed guard.
In this ezine article, I want to cover the remaining 3 mat tips for improving your closed guard:
Tip #4: Your hands must always be making controlling contact with your opponent at all times while they're in your guard - Too often doing a grappling match, a grappler will be holding on to his opponent and, once fatigue starts to settle in during the match, the grappler will let go of his grip and do something like put his hand behind his head or sit up on an elbow without executing any kind of technique. If you break contact with your opponent so that you can sit up to breathe or give your hand a rest because it's tight from gripping so hard, how are you going to stop them from passing your guard? You won't!
Tip #5: Learn to dictate your opponent's bodyweight and base by the way you "drive their head" - Everyone has heard at one time or another to grab your opponent's head and pull it down to your chest. But rarely do you hear what to do next. Most times, grapplers will pull their opponent forward by grabbing their head and pulling it to their chest, waiting for your opponent to free their head and hoping they create space for you to sit up once they re-establish their base. That's possible, but requires a reflexive action to take advantage of during that transition which may be difficult to execute at the right time, especially when you're fatigued during a match. But what if you steered your opponent's head by grabbing the back of your opponent's heard and turning it like you would turn the steering wheel on a car? You would force your opponent to break his own base by crossing his centerline while trying to free their head, making it easier for you to sweep to one side of their body (due to putting too much weight on one side) while creating space on the other side that would enable you to maneuver from underneath them.
Tip #6: Transition from closed to open guard BEFORE your opponent's breaks your guard AND attack immediately - Most grapplers have heard that you shouldn't wait until your guard is broken before you move to the next position (which tends to be open guard), but the problem is the fact that many grapplers do absolutely nothing immediately after making the transition. Transitioning from closed to open guard should give you the ability stay one step ahead of your opponent while attacking them from a position since they haven't made the full adjustment to dealing with since they're still concentrating on opening your legs or maintaining their posture.
And there you have the remaining three tips that should improve your guard attacks. Make sure that you practice these steps often and don't get discouraged if your guard is passed while trying to perfect these tactics. With patience and persistence, you'll have one of the most feared closed guard attacks at your academy.
6 Mat Tips to Improve Your Closed Guard Attacks!
If I said that I could provide you with 6 simple tips that could make your closed guard more threatening to your opponents, would you be interested? If you're a grappling nut like I am, the answer is yes! But I have to warn you, the tips that I'm going to provide you aren't anything profound like discovering a cure for the common cold. And yet while these tips may seem basic, they could mean the difference in you controlling and submitting your opponent or just waiting for your guard to break down before you get hammered.
Here are Tips 1-3 for improving your closed guard:
Tip #1: Don't allow your opponent to get their grips - When grappler are sparring and they start out in the guard position, all too often I see the grappler on the bottom allowing the grappler inside their guard to get their grips first. Whenever you allow your opponent that's trying to pass to your guard to get their grips first, you give them an advantage over you that will enable them to pass your guard. You need to attack their grips and force them to deal with you tying them up instead of passing your guard.
Tip #2: Keep your opponents head in front of their hips - Someone may be asking right now how I'm supposed to make that happen while sparring. You do that by forcing your opponent to keep leaning forward in bad posture and not allowing them to sit back trying to get correct posture. The easiest way to do that is by pulling your opponent forward off his base by bringing your knees towards your head while keeping your heels pressed down on their lower back. You should do that along with pulling down on their head while keeping them from establishing their grips (Tip #1). If your opponent can't keep good posture, it's highly unlikely they'll be able to pass your guard.
Tip #3: Try to get into your opponent's "blind spot" by using angle attacks - Whenever you start with your opponent in your guard and you're aligned or parallel with each other (as if your opponent could lean forward and head butt you with ease), your opponent has you in their full vision. But once you start breaking down their posture while scooting out your hips off their centerline (requiring them to have to turn their head to keep you in full view), you're in their "blind spot" and that makes re-establishing their body alignment more important than trying to pass your guard because they're vulnerable to sweeps and submissions.
Apply these three tips and you should notice that your opponents will find your guard more difficult to pass as well as providing you more opportunities to set them up for your favorite attacks.
In the next article, I will reveal Tips 4-6 for improving your closed guard.
Magic Pill Transform You From Mat Bum to Grappling Machine in 7 Days!
Imagine that you're just relaxing one day after a frustrating training session where it seemed that nothing that you tried on the mat worked and you pick up a copy of the latest grappling magazine to make you forget the sound thrashing you just received. And while you're looking through the magazine, you just happen to see this ad:
"Amazing New Magic Pill Transforms Mat Bums into Grappling Machines in Just 7 Days!"
At first, you laugh hysterically because the idea of taking a pill for a week to make you a better grappler seems totally ridiculous! But in spite of how impossible it may appear to be, you still go to the website( http://www.makemericksonwithouttraining.com) and check out their outrageous claims.
But guess what? It turns out their claims of making novices into grappling experts in 7 days is well documented and proven to be true! And now that your BS-meter has been turned off, you wonder just how much such a wonder product would cost. Your initial thought that it must cost thousands of dollars, but you are astonished that a 7 day supply costs only $5 (with free shipping and handling)!
Now you break into a cold sweat as you think of the possibilities! You can become an expert grappler for as little as five bucks by just taking a pill! No more bumps, bruises, hard workouts, or sitting in the parking lot after a tough training session trying to figure out why everyone you trained with kicked your butt! Those days will be gone forever by simply buying those pills.
The question is... do you buy the pills or not?
As much as I'd like to think that most grapplers reading this article would prefer to endure the training hardships associated with become grappling experts, I realize that those pills would be sold out overnight and bought by every grappler that wants the mat success without putting in the work. And for that single reason alone (wanting success before work), that's why so many grapplers are horrible on the mat!
The issue isn't whether the pills work or not, but the fact that so many would rather take it instead of putting in the work to earn their expertise the old fashion way... by earning it! A $5 pill seems too good to be true because it is. But its appeal is more of a reflection of a need for immediate results that exists within the grappling community and society at large.
Success comes with a heavy price that can ONLY be paid with an investment in time, money, commitment, sweat, frustration, sacrifice, humility, and determination.
Bottom line: Many grapplers (in theory) want to be as good as Rickson Gracie (or other high-caliber grapplers) on the mat, but only a few will put in the time necessary to be that good. You don't need a magic pill to be as good as Rickson or any other grappler that you pick as your role model. Just put the time and commitment as they did and you'll get the same results.
They didn't need a magic pill, why should you?
Should You Have Sympathy For The Sandbagger?
Imagine that you’ve been grappling for about 9 months and have been considering competing in your first tournament in the beginner division at the next tournament in your area. Initially, you’re somewhat apprehensive about competing ecause you’re not sure if your skill level will be good enough for you to represent yourself and your school well. Fortunately, your instructor encourages you to give it a try since it’s just a beginner division and there will be other guys in the division just like you that are new to grappling.
So, after getting over your apprehensions, you decide to go for it!You put in the extra training days on your schedule, you watch your diet the weeks leading up to the event to make sure that you’re right on your competition weight, and do all the other things necessary to make sure that your debut is a success.
The day of the event, you feel confident and ready to go. For your first match, you encounter a guy who’s so good that he shuts down everything that you try or even think about doing. His moves are so perfect that you wonder where he trains to be SO GOOD as a beginner. And after he beats you during your match, you go over to introduce yourself because you want to know about him and where he trains. You talk briefly and then you go to watch the rest of the tourney. You initially feel bad about losing your first match, but once you see that the guy who lost to actually won the division,you don’t feel so bad about your performance.
A week later, you do a Google search on the guy that you competed against and discover that the guy owns a MMA school and has been training for at least 5 years! At first, you’re shocked by the discovery because you can’t believe this to be true. Would a martial arts school owner that’s been grappling for at least 5 years really compete in a beginner division and then put the fact that he brought home a goal medal up on his website (without mentioning the division)?
Of course he would because that’s what sandbaggers do! They lie about their experiences so that they can be bumped down to a lower skill level to ensure victory. Sandbagging has been going on since competitions have existed and, most likely, will continue to exist. And as much as I would love to say that I made the story up above,it wouldn’t be true because an OG told me about this experience just recently and wondered what he should do about it.
At first, I used to be mad at sandbaggers, but then my anger turned to sympathy for them. I mean, when you think about it, they really are a pitiful bunch of grapplers. If a guy would go through the trouble of deciding to compete in a beginner division when he’s been training MMA (grappling with punches and kicks) for 5yrs. Then conceal that fact from the tournament promoters and go out and do his most advanced techniques against beginners that can’t detect or know how to stop it. And afterwards celebrate the victory like he just submitted Rickson Gracie, Marcelo Garcia, and Jacare all in the same event before standing on the podium to get his 1st place medal without any guilt or remorse. And finally have the nerve to go back and write on his website that he brought home another gold medal (without mentioning that it was in the beginner division) for their dominating competition team, how can you see them as anything other than pitiful?
So, the next time that you’re watching a tournament and you see a guy doing a flying triangle in the beginner division, feel some sympathy for that poor, miserable soul… then go report him to the tournament promoter!
Instructor or Forum Buddies: Who Teaches You?
Let me tell you a story about Grappler X that decides to join a grappling gym after looking at a few MMA fights and a few episodes of TUF. After doing some research and finding the best school in the area (which is where every newbie wants to train), he makes his decision and joins the team.
After a few lessons, Grappler X isn't too satisfied with his progression rate and decides that he needs something else to make him better. He's tired of getting submitted in class and isn't doing all the fancy moves that he's seen on cable, DVDs, and in the magazines.
As Grappler X is getting dressed in the locker room one day after class, he hears some guys talking about a cool website where he can go and download all the cool grappling DVDs and a forum where guys get together to discuss grappling techniques. Grappler X decides to check out the sites and he's completely blown away at what he finds. Finally, the entire encyclopedia of grappling from A-Z is at his disposal and access to grapplers around the world to give him the best advice on how to progress.
Months go by and Grappler X STILL isn't happy with his progress. He's knows more techniques than his classmates, but isn't quite as good as they are. He has a better understanding of advanced techniques than they do, but doesn't really know how or when to apply them. Since his skills aren't developing and he doesn't know what the problem is or how to fix it, he places blame on the obvious target...the instructor and team. If it wasn't for them, he would be better than he is. So, he decides that the answer is to change schools (from the recommendation of his grappling expert buddies on the forum) where they'll be more receptive to "his way of learning" techniques. Unfortunately, the cycle repeats itself and Grappler X runs into the same problem, only this time, he loses interest and quits grappling.
This story happens far too often and at every belt level when a grappler reaches that "fork in the road" to decide who's going to teach them: the instructor they see in person each week or faceless grappling forum experts that dispense training advice, routines and instructional DVD recommendations, mostly while rarely training as much as they advise themselves.
With the abundance of grappling material these days, it's very easy to fall into self-deception and believe that we can coach ourselves into top-notch grapplers. And the more advanced you are as a grappler, the easier it is to fall into the self-deception trap. And though there may be some exceptional athletes capable of doing it, they are the exceptions, not the rule. It's the wise grappler that realizes that it's better to follow a guide that has successfully completed the journey instead of listening to someone who "has an idea" of what should happen along the way.
The bottom line is this: if you want to be the best grappler you can be, listen to the instructors and coaches that know you on the mat (observing your strengths and weaknesses) and avoid the faceless, unproven "experts" dispensing their mat wisdom from the safety of their keyboards and DVD recommendations.
Do You REALLY Know How to Learn From Instructional Videos and DVDs?
Here's a question for you. With the number of grappling instructional videos and DVDs that are on the market these days to help the typical grappler expand their technical expertise, why is there so little (or no) information on a method to study these training materials to get the maximum benefit?
Initially, I didn't see there was a need to know how to study instructional or that there was an approach to studying them. That was until I took note of how I study them and how I've benefited tremendously since implementing my approach as opposed to the days when I just threw an instructional DVD into the player and watched it until I'd had enough for one day.
So, here's my approach:
Viewing 1 - Watch the entire video or DVD with two goals in mind: get rid of the "wow" effect that seems to linger around the promise of learning a new move and to categorize every technique on the video into one of three categories (Yes, No, and Not Now).
The 'Yes" category consists of techniques that can be immediately implemented into my game with little or no disruption to my current game. The "No" category consists of techniques that I have NO CHANCE of implementing based on physical limitations or if implementing a new technique forces me to abandon my current gameplan to implement it (e.g. I stop finishing opponents in my closed guard and let them survive so that I can try to learn a fancy new open guard sweep). The "Not Now" category consists of techniques that you can probably work into your gameplan over the next 4-6 months to augment what you're already doing, but it's not a high priority.
Viewing 2 - Watch the video or DVD a second time two days after the first viewing, but ONLY focus on the "Yes" category techniques. Play each "Yes" technique in regular speed, slow motion, and paused. Each one of these speeds will provide you with a view that will give you more detail with each viewing than if you just looked at the moves once and gave in to the "I got it, next move!" mindset. Also, you should close you eyes after each "Yes" technique to visualize it in your head as well as doing a "shadow walkthrough" drill of each technique.
Viewing 3 - Repeat the Viewing 2 routine two weeks later to re-enforce the "Yes" techniques. Pay attention to how many additional details that you pick up with each viewing that you didn't notice during the past viewings.
Viewing 4+ - Review the video or DVD monthly after the third viewing to review the "Yes" techniques and to get your mind prepared for integrating the "Not Now" Techniques into your gameplan. And if you have some slack time and want to put your mind to work, imagine what defensive counters you would do if someone tried to execute a "No" technique against you.
With this routine, you'll view the video 3 times in a 3-week time frame that will help you internalize the instructional technique. Does it sound like a lot of work? Absolutely, but that's why it'll work for you because 95 percent of the grapplers that own the instructional products WON'T DO IT! And champions do what challengers don't have time to do.
Remember, there's no rush when learning from videos or DVDs. In fact, the slower that you digest the information, the chances are greater that you'll actually learn the technique and be able to execute it successfully in your grappling gameplan.
What's On Your "Grappling Blame Wheel?"
Are you familiar with the term, "The Blame Wheel?" It's a business term that describes how people to create a blame association pattern to rationalize and justify poor performance and failing to achieve objectives and goals. And if you need a visual description of the Blame Wheel and how it works, think about the big spinning wheel that they use on the game show, "Wheel of Fortune", that has dollar amounts around the wheel and contestants spin the wheel to determine what dollar amounts each letter will have. Well, if we modify that wheel so that it becomes a "Grappling Blame Wheel" and replaced the dollar amounts with reasons (or excuses) why a grappler underachieves, we can see why so many grapplers never get beyond being average on the mat and life in general. For example, here's what I think a typical Grappling Blame Wheel for an underachiever would look:
instructor only teaches basic techniques
- instructor has lower belts teach classes
- school only has classes 3x per week
- school doesn't participate in local competitions
- teammates are a-holes and not nice people
- teammates don't want to drill after class
- work too many hours during the week to train
- can't get out of house to train due to family commitments
- spouse or significant other hates it when I train all the time
- not enough time during the day to train the way I should
- classes cost too much to train enough to get good
- instructional DVDs that will help cost too much
All the reasons mentioned above can be seen as valid reasons for not achieving maximum improvement, but what's missing from this list? That's right...the grappler! There is absolutely NO MENTION on the Grappling Blame Wheel of the grappler being:
- too lazy to go to class
- doesn't pay attention and misses key technical details
- a know-it-all and don't know when to shut up
- doesn't drill the movements outside of class
- rather spar so that you can brag about who you've tapped
- doesn't want to be anyone's drill partner, especially when you're tired
- never ask your instructor how to practice at home or when on travel
- always looking for "free gold" and too cheap to invest in a product or instructional DVD that will help
That would be a more accurate Grappling Blame Wheel and more closer to the truth as to why grapplers underachieve. For every reason that's mentioned above, the grappler has the ability to create a workaround solution that will enable them to continuously improve, even if only by one percent each day! Unfortunately, the easiest thing for the grappler to do is to find reasons to justify their mediocrity and accept no responsibility at all.
How do you fix it? Create your own Grappling Blame Wheel and write down every reason (or excuse) that you used in the past to justify why you couldn't train and see how often your name pops up on the blame list. Once you realize that you're not as "innocent" as you thought, come up with a plan to workaround all those "reasons" and keep moving forward. And if you don't know what to do, ask someone who does like your instructor, teammate, or any wise grappler that you may know!
Does Your Grappling Training Think Outside The Box?
The other day, I was having a conversation with one of my students and he wanted to know what gave me the idea of using a folding chair to demonstrate and teach the proper posture for the "Bullfighter" Guard Pass (as he saw in on the OG Clinic DVD) since he had never seen anyone use furniture to teach a grappling concept before. I told him the reason I was able to use the chair to successfully teach the concept of proper body placement and weight distribution was based solely on the fact that no one ever told me that I couldn't use a folding chair to teach my students. And since no one told me I couldn't use a chair (or anything else that comes to mind), my teaching was bound ONLY by my creativity.
The motivation for using the chair was to teach my students the proper hand positioning and to show them where the weight should be distributed to neutralize their opponent while doing the pass. The reason I used the folding chair was the fact that they're light and mobile, which allows me to put several on the mat at one time to create a unique drill for the students that immediately catches their attention and presents them with a simple training tool that most of them have in their homes and workspaces. Once they put their hands on the chair in the proper position, the feeling they feel in their hands lets them know exactly where the weight is being distributed and if their feet and hips are properly positioned for successfully neutralize their opponent for a successful guard pass.
The whole idea of using a folding chair seems so foreign to many grapplers (of all experience levels and ranks), but that's one of the reasons that so many grapplers can't improve outside the traditional setting or without black belt level instruction. They lack the imagination and creativity required to help them learn, understand, and to teach grappling techniques and concepts outside of the traditional setting that you see in lots of training academies, grappling books, and instructional DVDs.
Would I consider myself an innovative genius for using chairs (among other things) as training props? Well...yes and no! I am innovative because I haven't seen anyone else doing it and no one's accused me of stealing it from someone else...yet! At the same time, I know that I don't own the patent on training creativity and quite certain that there are TONS of non-traditional training methods being used in gyms around the world that teach grappling concepts that are unknown to the masses.
THAT'S what I consider "thinking outside the box" in grappling.
So, if you've got some "crazy" idea that helps you or your students understand a grappling principle, keep up the good work and continue to think "outside the box!"
What Do OGs And NY Giants Have In Common?
The Super Bowl: the crown jewel of the National Football League has come and gone. And with the conclusion of the Super Bowl, "experts" get to stand around and congratulate themselves for being right by picking the champion or try to rationalize why they were wrong. And with this year's Super Bowl, so many of those "experts" had to explain why they were wrong.
This year's game was supposed to be the coronation of a champion (New England Patriots) after having completed the perfect season with a 19-0 record. And though it would've been a historical moment to see that achievement and a great story to write and talk about for years to come, that happy ending left out the underdog New York Giants and how they felt about "having no chance to win" this game. And I sat there watching the Giants celebrate their victory, I couldn't help but notice the similarities between the NY Giants and OGs.
The Giants started off the season terribly; they had star players refusing to come to training camp, there was some infighting going on within the team, they had an ex-teammate throwing hate on the club as a commentator, there was open talk about firing the coach mid-season or who his replacement might be, they had some embarrassing losses during the season, and critics even talked about how goofy and clueless the team's quarterback looked (which has absolutely NOTHING to do with winning championships). And in spite of all that, they beat the team that was being considered as one of the best teams (if not the best) of all time.
How did this happen? Well, the Giants realized that all those things that happened to them during the season didn't have to have a permanent effect on the season's outcome. They realized that it really doesn't matter how strong you start the race, but how you strong you finish. They realized that they could still achieve what most people thought impossible if they worked harder than everyone else, didn't give up on each other, united and listen to their coaches, used the blueprint adopted by other teams that had success against the Patriots, and played hard right down to the last second.
For those of you that haven't figured it out yet, THAT IS THE STRUGGLE OF THE OG AS WELL! Each OG (in our own way) has to believe in ourselves when others are telling us to hang it up. OGs have to train harder and longer than the person next to us. OGs constantly flirt with the idea of quitting because things aren't turning out the way we expect them, but NEVER yield to the urge to quit. OGs must believe in our coaches that tell us we're progressing when we have little or no evidence to support it. And finally, OGs have to fight for everything we get (like being considered serious, competent, and tough grapplers to be taken seriously on the mat) right down to the last second.
I know when I initially coined the term "OG", it was meant for older and non-traditional grapplers and it will always apply to them. As "The Nation" continues to evolves, I'm forced to see that "being an OG" also embodies the struggle of being the underdog. And that struggle has no age limit.
So, I ask you this question. With all those similarities between us and them, how can the Giants NOT be considered OGs?
What Did You Learn From Your Year-in-Review?
As I looked back over 2007 during my "year-in-review", I realized that 2007 was a really big growth year for me. Through my successes and a WHOLE LOT of failures, I learned a bunch of stuff that made me a better instructor, coach, and human being. I took a lot of steps with "blind faith" and, on most occasions, came out of the situation in good shape.
Unfortunately, there were some occasions where "blind faith" led me off a cliff and I had to pay the price for not knowing the cliff was there. But in spite of it all, I appreciate every goal that I made for myself at the beginning of 2007, every goal that was attempted and succeeded, and those goals that were attempted and came up short. And with every high (and low) that I've experienced last year, I'm grateful for the outcomes because they taught me important lessons and have me prepared for my goals in 2008.
Now, some of you may be reading this and trying to figure out exactly what point (if any) I'm trying to make. Well, here's the point in the form of several questions.
How did you finish 2007 and how has it prepared you for 2008? Did you finish 2007 with lots of good momentum that has you looking forward to an exciting year of change and success? Or did you drag yourself through last year and expect more of the same this year? Were you successful in doing the things that you always wanted to do, meet the people that you've always wanted to meet, or seen the places that you've always wanted to see last year? And if you didn't do the things you wanted to do, what's going to keep history from repeating itself this year?
Each year that passes brings us closer to that inevitable date with our own mortality. Older folks don't like to talk about it and younger folks think they're going to live forever. But the reality is that we're all leaving one day and how we live those days leading up to our departure is our decision to make. So, if you don't want more of what you had last year, do a year-in-review of your life and make the changes now....cause no one guaranteed there will be a next year!
New Year's Resolutions or New Year's Lies?
Another year has come and gone. And with the ending of a year, the upcoming year is filled with promise of the wonderful things could occur in our lives. This forces people to create their annual "wish list" of the changes they're going to make in their lives, most commonly known as the New Year's resolution.
Empowered with their resolutions, people charge into January filled with energy, enthusiasm, and determination to make that year the best ever in their lives. Unfortunately, most of that energy, enthusiasm, and determination are all exhausted by March (usually February) and the "wish list" gets thrown into the back of the closet until it makes its next cameo appearance next January.
If we're honest with ourselves, that has happened to all of us at one point in our lives. I'm sure there are many reasons that people can come up with to justify why they stray away from their annual change, but are those reasons valid?
The answer is no. Each year, people fall prey to their own self-deception by trying to convince themselves (and others) that they're dissatisfied with their lives and they want to change it for the better. Well, that's a partial truth since most people ARE dissatisfied with their lives. But most people won't do anything about it but complain.
And why will they do nothing more than complain and make promises of change to themselves and others? Because it's easier to stay miserable than to take charge and improve your life. And people will never change if they associate more pain with implementing change than the pain they associate with staying mired in their miserable circumstances.
What's the solution to a prosperous new year? The solution is to be honest with yourself and what you really serious about making a commitment to achieve this year, without needing an external force to motivate you to do it. Once that external motivation fades, so does your commitment! And change should be constant throughout the year, not something that occurs at the beginning of the year.
Change that's implemented in any month other than January has a better chance of sticking, especially when it's not attached to a "resolution."
So, what kind of year will 2008 be for you, a year filled with new beginning and exciting change...or a year filled with giving up on goals, leading to an early start to your 2009 resolutions?
Jumping Guard - Valuable Technique or Hiding Flaws (Part 2)?
Last week, I wrote "Jumping Guard: Valuable Technique or Hiding Flaws?" as part of my weekly ezine feature article. When I wrote it, I had no idea that the topic would spark a debate between me and other grapplers. Some agreed with my position, some didn't, and that's ok with me. And for those that didn't agree, they gave some interesting reasons as to why they thought my position on the topic was wrong. So, I thought I'd share some of their "reasons" why they think I'm wrong about jumping guard issue.
Reason #1: I pull guard because there's not enough time to practice everything in a training session.
If you have 5 minutes that you can spare during or at the end of a class, then you have time to drill takedowns. I know for a fact that you can drill at least 10 takedowns in less than a 5 minute period (provided that you're not goofing off and stay focused during the drill). "Not having enough time" is a totally unacceptable excuse, especially when I have seen (and participated in many times) takedown drills (before, during, and after class) where you have to execute a maximum takedowns with partners within a certain time period (e.g. 30-60 sec). With a drill like that, you can probably do 10 takedowns in 30 seconds!
Reason #2: Pulling guard is a good move because it's foolproof
Have you ever seen someone try to pull guard and have their guard passed before they even hit the mat? Of course, you've seen it because it happens at EVERY tournament. In fact, I'm willing to bet that you've probably seen just as many bad guard jumps and pulls as you've seen good ones. Pulling guard successfully requires practice pulling guard. And if you're going to "practice" pulling guard, why not practice a takedown?
Reason #3: It keeps me from getting thrown on my head.
Getting thrown on your head is a legitimate concern in a competition for a youth/senior competitor, but not something a young gun should be focused on avoiding. I'm not saying that getting injured isn't serious, but if your biggest motivator for not learning takedowns is concern about getting hurt, you probably shouldn't be out on the mat because your focus on "not getting injured" is eventually going to get you injured. And if you been around BJJ long enough, you've probably seen more injuries happen on the mat than with takedowns anyway.
Reason #4: It keeps me from wearing myself out with the tie-up and gripfighting so that I'll be fresh when I hit the mat.
I'm sure every wrestler and judoka in the country wanted to scream after reading Reason #4. One person's view of "not being worn" out when they hit the mat can also be viewed by another competitor as a conditioning problem instead of a grappling strategy. And if you're proficient with the tie-up/gripfighting, it's easier to make the less-confident grappler pull guard on you out of frustration, providing you with a dominant positional and mental edge.
Reason #5: If it's good enough for Marcelo, Fowler, Glover, Hall, and Cooper, then it's good enough for me.
I agree; it works VERY well for those guys. Unfortunately, 90% of the people that are doing it because those guys do it lack the discipline and commitment to PRACTICE perfecting those moves (and all the follow-up moves from those positions in response to their opponents) that they make look so easy. Those guys (and others) are exceptional in their training preparation and that's why they get the success they do. And I'm willing to bet that any technique those guys add to their arsenal (whether it's a guard jump or a takedown) fits into their game plan strategy, not them trying to avoid developing a certain aspect of their game.
Again, let me repeat my position just in case you didn't see Part 1 of this article. I think jumping/pulling guard is an acceptable option to take the action to the mat and good for kids and older grapplers to reduce the chance of injury, but should not be considered the "primary" method to getting the action to the mat at the expense of developing takedowns (especially for beginners). Some people think it's acceptable for beginners to pull...but wrestling, judo, and Sambo have beginner practitioners as well. And I don't recall ever hearing about them coming up with "reasons" why it's ok to sit down on their butts and learn takedowns later.
Jumping Guard - Valuable Technique or Hiding Flaws ?
Another weekend has come and gone. And with the closing of another weekend, another set of grappling tournaments have concluded. And even though those tournaments are in different locations throughout the world, they have things in common: competitors that are willing to take the challenge by going out to test their skills against one another (which is very admirable of them). They also have something else that I don't understand...competitors that lack any takedown skills.
Now, I really struggle with this because I just don't understand how "jumping" or "sitting" into guard can be the first takedown option for lots of grapplers. And the more I think about it, I still can't come up with an answer that acceptable to me. I don't think "jumping" or "sitting" into the guard is a bad thing when it is an option for a grappler and part of a strategy. It should NEVER be the first option for a beginner grappler, in my opinion. When I see a beginner/intermediate grappler jumping guard, that tells me they've probably spent too much time drilling the "fun" positions (i.e. ½ guard, mount, etc.) and consider mastering those positions more valuable than perfecting their takedowns, even though securing a takedown can give you a point advantage (as well as psychological one.). And the reason that grapplers continue to do it is because the weakness of having no takedowns hasn't been exposed in a match in the past and feel that sitting (or jumping) to their guard is all they need to get to the mat during a match.
But what happens if they're going against someone that thinks the same as they do? Have you ever seen a match between two guard jumpers? I have and I gotta tell you that the first minutes of the match has the potential to be boring if both are trying to get into position to jump and neither knows how to execute a good takedown. A few years ago, I coached one of my teammates against a competitor that I had noticed jumping guard in the two previous matches before meeting my guy in the semi-finals. Since our guy was good at doing a double leg takedown (as well as jumping guard), the strategy was to defend against the guard jump and jump guard on him instead. I figured that a guy that seemed so anxious to jump guard probably wasn't used to having the script flipped on him and I was right because the strategy worked beautifully! My teammate blocked his opponent's guard jump, did the guard jump on him (to his opponent's surprise), and finished him with an armbar from the guard.
What lessons should the opponent have picked up from that match about his grappling game?
- He had no takedowns
- He had no clue what to do if unable to jump guard
- He didn't know how to stop someone from jumping guard on him
- He had never considered what strategy to use if grappling against an opponent who had a style similar to his own
I can't help but wonder if he actually (or his coach) recognized the problems and they did something to correct them...or did they just consider it a bad day and continue to jump guard in every tournament after that day. If I had to bet my mortgage on it, I'll go with the having a bad day to explain his performance.
Drilling takedowns may not be as "fun" drilling submissions, but they're a vital part of every grappler's arsenal. No grappler should consider takedowns as something that they only work on the week before a tourney, but must be put into the drilling schedule just like you would an armbar or triangle. There's no guarantee that jumping guard will work and I haven't seen a match outside of training start on the knees yet.
Do Winners Whine After An Embarassing Loss??
Let me say for the record that in professional football, I'm a Washington Redskins Fan. And last week, the Redskins had to play a game against the New England Patriots. Now, what made this game so important was the fact that the Redskins' Defense was ranked in the top 5 for the entire NFL and the talk around DC was that the Patriots hadn't played a top-ranked defense this year. So, the town was set to see the Patriots take their first loss of the year at the hand of the Redskins.
What ended up happening was a Redskins' beatdown from the Patriots by the score of 52-7. Now, part of me was shaking my head trying to figure out how "the best practice that the Redskins had all season" (that was the week before the game as described by the players) turned into such a one-sided thrashing. Well, I understand that in competitive sports that everyone (or every team) can (and will at some point) take a beatdown at any moment. But what really ticked me off about the game was the number of Washington Redskins Players that felt the Patriots had shown no class by "running up the score" when it was obvious that the game was out of reach for a Redskins comeback. And the more I heard the players (and reporters) talk about it, one word kept popping up in my mind...disappointment.
I say disappointment because I've had the pleasure of being around and training with many martial arts champions (and a few pro football athletes) over the years and the one thing that I'd never heard any of them do was expect mercy from their opponents. Those champions understood that it was a contest to see which person (or team) was superior on that particular day. And they understood that it was their goal to dominate their opponents, hoping to leave a permanent scar on their mental psyche that would make their opponents to never want to tangle with them again. And if the outcome didn't turn out the way those proud champions expected it to, they took their beating with pride and expected NO MERCY from their opposition! They didn't get mad at the end of the contest for getting publicly embarrassed; they took it upon themselves to stop the embarrassment or to store the anger from the embarrassment for payback in the future! They didn't try to gain support from the media or rationalize the beating they received from the opponent with their fan base. They took their beating like champions, focused on what they could've done differently with their preparation, fix the mistakes, and hope for a second chance for redemption in the near future.
I'm not sure where this attitude of "losing with dignity" came from...but it stinks and anyone that thinks losing with dignity is what a real champion would do is completely off the mark. I'm not saying that champions don't lose because it's obvious they do, but a real champion would NEVER look down at his opponent and expect mercy or an explanation for why there was a need for such a public humiliation. A real champion would consider it his responsibility to do something to stop the beating during the contest. And if they couldn't stop it, then they'll just take the beating without expecting or asking for mercy. And truth be told, a real champion understands that if the shoe was on the other foot, that they would've done the EXACT same thing by showing no mercy to their opponents. That's why champions stand out from the pack of contenders.
If you want mercy, stick to competing in little league and high school events because there's a place for it. But once you've elevated your competition above those venues, you need to know how to finish your opponents once you have them in trouble. And not only should you expect to receive a merciless thrashing from your opponent some day...but you should be prepared to give one as well. And if this "classless act" doesn't suit you, then get used to being a contender for the rest of your life!
Is it Possible to Do Submission Grappling Without Getting Injured?
Is it possible to be a grappler and train injury free? By some reactions that I've received in the past, many tend to think that grappling "injury-free" is very possible. Some grapplers like to believe that most injuries could be avoided if training partners were more considerate and less competitive while training.
While I agree with that on some level, I think there's a point that's overlooked. Grappling, like any other physical sports activity, has the ability to inflict injury upon the participants in ways that can be considered deliberate (due to a reckless partner) and not-so-deliberate (unexplained things that just happen). Unfortunately, those facts have to be hidden from new grapplers because it would probably discourage them from the sport. And even though they're not openly discussed in the beginning, all grapplers have to face the reality of the fact that injury is 100 percent guaranteed (in varying degrees of severity) and, at some point, everyone will be forced to decide whether the pain being inflicted upon them due to grappling injuries is worth the effort.
I'm sure some of you reading this are probably saying..."100 percent guaranteed, you're kidding right?" Well, I'd love to tell you that I was kidding, but I'm not. It's a reality that all grapplers have to face and learn to ignore while training, especially since there's no way to determine which injury will occur and how it will happen. It's easy to point out the obvious injuries that occur as a result of an overzealous partner, but then there are the injuries that can go unnoticed at times:
- Your partner doesn't hear you tap while drilling or training because you tap the mat instead of them
- A partner accidentally loses their base and stumbles forward while advancing a position, dropping their knee onto your hand or foot
- Slipping on a sweat spot on the mat while doing the warm-up
- Failing to warm-up and pulling a muscle
- Being exhausted and you don't respond fast enough to a submission
- Jamming or breaking your toes in between the mats when they separate and form gaps on the training surface
- Dislocating your fingers while getting them caught inside someone's lapel while gripfighting
Do I say these things to discourage grapplers from training? No, that's not my intent at all. My intent is to make them aware of the fact that injury can and will happen at some point. And when they do, it will test their resolve to be grapplers. If a person's training just to get out of the house a few nights out the week, they're probably going to quit when the injuries start to happen. But, if they've made up their minds that injuries come with the territory and that no injury (as long as it isn't completely debilitating) will keep them from their goals (i.e. BJJ Black Belt), they will be successful.
The injuries may prolong the journey, but remember this is a marathon race...not a sprint. So, stock up on the Motrin, keep plenty of ice ready, and enjoy the race!
Are You Helping to Build a Championship School?
What responsibility does a student have for the success of his training environment? Is the student just responsible for showing up to train, writing a check each month and then going home? Or is the student responsible for the development of the championship attitude at the school and their teammates into top-notch grapplers (and people)?
I've asked a number of people this question over the years and I'm always shocked by the answers that I hear from most grapplers. Most students tend to think that championship schools and environments are created by the instructor only and that they bear no responsibility over the type of environment that exist within their schools. And what most of them don't realize is that's part of the problem.
So, what exactly do I mean when I say a "championship school?" For starters, when I say championship school, it DOESN'T have anything to do with competition. When I say championship school, I for students such that when they're starting the program, they feel comfortable, welcomed, a part of the team/family, feel that the people at the school have their best interest at heart, and capable of developing students into good grapplers and better people, on and off the mat.
Does it sound a bit "touchy-feely" and impossible the way I described it? It probably does sound that way, especially if you've never been a part of that environment or ever seen it in action.
Championship schools start with the instructor, the way they treats their students, and how they regard them. A championship instructor views their students like family (not just car payments) and wants the very best for them. And if that feeling is sincere, it's obvious to all present in the gym. If the instructor takes care of their students and doesn't allow them to be abused by anyone (including assistant instructors, visitors, and other students), students will enjoy being around their instructor and teammates, whether it's in the academy training or at someone's house having a cookout.
Once the championship student feels that his instructor has his best interest at heart, they also adopt the same attitude towards the instructor and fellow classmates. Championship students take ownership for the success of the school by helping out the instructor wherever they see a need (not when being bullied into doing something) because they feel that the school belongs to them as well. Championship students also get involved with the development of their classmates. Championship students understand that they are responsible for pulling their teammates on the rank line behind him up to where they are (not afraid of being passed) and for pushing the teammates on the rank line in front of them towards the next rank by keeping them sharp (not trying to prove that they belong on the rank line with them).
Another benefit of the championship school is the effect it has on new students after they've joined the team and see how things are done. They will either conform to the environment and contribute to it like everyone else or leave. And if people don't want to conform and contribute to a good, friendly environment (some don't), you don't want them to be there anyway and good riddance!
So, the next time someone tells you what doesn't happen at their school, ask them what they're doing to change it.
Are You Helping to Build a Championship School?
What responsibility does a student have for the success of his training environment? Is the student just responsible for showing up to train, writing a check each month and then going home? Or is the student responsible for the development of the championship attitude at the school and their teammates into top-notch grapplers (and people)?
I've asked a number of people this question over the years and I'm always shocked by the answers that I hear from most grapplers. Most students tend to think that championship schools and environments are created by the instructor only and that they bear no responsibility over the type of environment that exist within their schools. And what most of them don't realize is that's part of the problem.
So, what exactly do I mean when I say a "championship school?" For starters, when I say championship school, it DOESN'T have anything to do with competition. When I say championship school, I for students such that when they're starting the program, they feel comfortable, welcomed, a part of the team/family, feel that the people at the school have their best interest at heart, and capable of developing students into good grapplers and better people, on and off the mat.
Does it sound a bit "touchy-feely" and impossible the way I described it? It probably does sound that way, especially if you've never been a part of that environment or ever seen it in action.
Championship schools start with the instructor, the way they treats their students, and how they regard them. A championship instructor views their students like family (not just car payments) and wants the very best for them. And if that feeling is sincere, it's obvious to all present in the gym. If the instructor takes care of their students and doesn't allow them to be abused by anyone (including assistant instructors, visitors, and other students), students will enjoy being around their instructor and teammates, whether it's in the academy training or at someone's house having a cookout.
Once the championship student feels that his instructor has his best interest at heart, they also adopt the same attitude towards the instructor and fellow classmates. Championship students take ownership for the success of the school by helping out the instructor wherever they see a need (not when being bullied into doing something) because they feel that the school belongs to them as well. Championship students also get involved with the development of their classmates. Championship students understand that they are responsible for pulling their teammates on the rank line behind him up to where they are (not afraid of being passed) and for pushing the teammates on the rank line in front of them towards the next rank by keeping them sharp (not trying to prove that they belong on the rank line with them).
Another benefit of the championship school is the effect it has on new students after they've joined the team and see how things are done. They will either conform to the environment and contribute to it like everyone else or leave. And if people don't want to conform and contribute to a good, friendly environment (some don't), you don't want them to be there anyway and good riddance!
So, the next time someone tells you what doesn't happen at their school, ask them what they're doing to change it.
Are You Too Advanced to Learn the Basics?
Here are some questions for you: are you too much of an advanced grappler to learn the basics? If your school has a basics class, do you attend it occasionally or have you "outgrown" the class? And what about seminars, would you be offended if you attended a seminar and the host taught techniques that you already "know", even though you can't finish anyone with it during live sparring? Would you be mad if you paid for a private lesson, allowed the instructor to recommend a technique for your game, and the instructor showed you different setups to apply a paintbrush?
I'm sure that most of you would probably answer "no" to most of my questions, but experience has shown me that "yes" is the likely answer to come from most people. Why do I say this? I have nothing to rely on but history of hearing fellow classmates talk about how boring class could be when reviewing basic techniques before I was a black belt and having to convince students as an instructor to stick with the basics instead of something flashy that they've seen online, in a magazine or in an instructional DVD.
It's always refreshing as an instructor to see students that don't have a laundry list of "fancy and secret" techniques that they want to learn at the expense of their fundamentals. Exceptional grapplers realized that they had some deficiencies in their current game and wanted to address them instead of ignoring them while adding an overly complicated move that will make the crowd go "ooooh", but with a low execution percentage. And that's a rare thing to find these days, especially with so much grappling footage being put up on "youtube" and beginners having access to so much grappling material. And with so much advanced material available, the basics are viewed as boring. I've known students that wanted to learn the flying triangle when they couldn't properly apply the triangle from the guard!
But only the misinformed think the basics are "boring" and an insult for them to have to spend lots of time drilling them. That's why I think grapplers with wrestling backgrounds are the better BJJ students; you don't have to "convince" them to drill the basics. They don't have to be "convinced" that the ankle pick they learned in high school will also work at the Olympics. And if you listen (and look at) champions from every field of sport, they ALWAYS tout the benefits of mastering the basics. The same applies to grappling/mma matches as well. People are still winning with basic double leg takedowns, armbars, triangles, and yes, even the basic paintbrush from the mount. And that's what's so powerful about mastering the basics...the idea that you're using a technique that everyone knows and it's STILL effective!
So, do you need to be "convinced" that the basics are the key to your grappling success?
5 Lessons My Big Toe Reminded Me Of This Week!
I hurt the big toe on my right foot a few weeks ago. In fact, I think I even mentioned it during one of my previous ezines about how I hurt it and how I was going to do the right thing by having it checked out with the doctor and allowing it time to rest and recover so that I could resume my training. Well, that was the intent...I think...because it weeks later and it's hurting more now that it did when I initially hurt it! I'm certain when I made that promise to take care of that I said it with conviction and planned on doing the right thing. Regardless of intent, my toe hurts and now I'm forced to do something about it...again!
As I was sitting on the side of my bed this morning holding ice on my toe, I started thinking about all the injuries that I've had over the years and thought about the lessons I've learned as a result of being hardcore" and "working through it":
1. The first thing it taught me was how a minor injury can haunt you forever by becoming an annoying, lifelong companion just because of my refusal to take some time off to let it heal instead of being worried about getting out of shape or breaking my training routine.
2. The second thing that it taught me was how a minor injury becomes a major injury because I was too hardheaded to let it rest and did more damage to the body part that happened during the initial injury.
3.The third thing that I learned was the fact that no matter how many times that I tried to play doctor and perform a self-diagnosis on my condition and treatment, I was wrong most of the time. My injuries usually weren't serious until I made them serious by waiting too long to do the right thing.
4. The money that I complained about spending in insurance co-payments didn't seem that important after being told the five words that every specialist loves to tell a patient and every athlete hates to hear, "You need to have surgery!" And doctors always seem so happy when they have to operate on you. Cutting people up must be fun for them.
5. No matter how much sense you think it makes, it's NEVER a good idea to have surgery during a holiday! I had my surgery the Monday before Thanksgiving in 1999 and I guess it should go without saying that was the WORST turkey dinner I've ever had i n my entire life!
So, what's the lesson for you to take away from this? If it hurts, stop training immediately, go see a doctor to get it checked out, and do exactly what you're told to do. And don't grumble about the co-pay if you go to the doctor and it's nothing serious. At least you know what's going on and that better than trying to figure it out yourself.
As for me, I better get it together quickly or expect another Thanksgiving recovering from surgery (ugh!).
Is Not Sparring During a Private Lesson a Rip-Off?
I read a thread on a grappling forum from a grappler about taking a private lesson that wanted to know if he was getting the maximum benefit from the private lesson since the instructor wouldn't spar with him during the lesson. And as the thread started to grow, most of the posts took the position that taking a private lesson without having the opportunity to spar with the instructor wasn't that different from taking a regular class and a rip-off. And since I've been both student taking private lessons and instructor giving private lessons, I thought I'd give my opinion on the topic.
As a student (white-purple belt), I used to enjoy private lessons because the emphasis was on getting an edge over my classmates and for measuring how I performed against the person giving the lesson. With each private lesson, I would try to go in there and roll to see how tough I was against a superior grappler and maybe even be noticed for being a dedicated grappler and encouraged to work harder. And I found out that when the opportunity to roll with the instructor giving the private lesson wasn't available (or that I had to roll with one of his students), I used to consider the lesson disappointing and not worth the money. The emphasis was more on me rolling with famous black belts than picking their brains for grappling knowledge. I also found myself taking recommendations that those black belts would give me and consider them "profound", even when my instructor had been telling me the same advice prior to the private lesson and I chose to ignore it.
Once I hit brown and black belt, the emphasis became more of gathering detailed information from the private lessons than trying to see how I ranked with them on the mat. I learned to see more value in the knowledge that they had to pass and not the need to be able to brag to my teammates about how "I gave Black Belt X a run for his money" or that "he couldn't finish me." I realized that the black belt could dissect my problems by sitting on the side (with no stress or distractions and with a clear view of me), watch me train, and provide great training tips just as well (if not better) than he could if he was out on the mat rolling with me.
Am I saying that a student can't be coached effectively during a private lesson if there's no sparring? No, I'm not saying that at all. What I'm trying to say is that there's value in learning with both approaches. I've had private lessons where I was able to roll with students and correct them as we're rolling and that's good for them. But what they didn't realize is the fact that I had to focus on two things (rolling and observing) with them instead of just one. And I've also had private lessons where I've watched a student train and roll with an uki which enabled me to provide them with a thorough critique since my only job was to observe their performance and note their mistakes that needed correction.
I know this article probably won't change the mind of the die-hard grapplers that think they've been cheated if they don't spar with a black belt during their private lesson and that's fine with me. Call me crazy, but I'd like to think that if Helio or Rickson Gracie (or any other credible grappler) sat on the sidelines and watched me roll with someone for 10-15 minutes, they could make improvements to my grappling game without ever having stepped out on the mat to roll with me.