Carlos Machado is a Red Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He has been teaching BJJ in the United States for over 20 years.  He moved to Texas in 1995, and he is now running 6 BJJ schools. He is the oldest of the five legendary Machado brothers.

We talk about

• A little bit of history about early BJJ in the United States
• His style of rolling
• Why he rolls for 20 or 30 min at a time
• How his Jiu-Jitsu is getting better as he gets older
• Using proper breathing techniques
• Benefits of proper breathing
• Why he feels that he could beat the younger version of himself
• Examples of different breathing techniques (chew chew chew, 1,2,1,2)
• What his brothers are up to
• How he tries to make the techniques he already knows better
• Some tips on escaping the mount and how he has changed his escape over the years
• How he teaches complex moves by breaking them down
• Advice for blue belts
• Advice for competing in your first tournament

Vegas July 4 weekend 2014 Martial Arts SuperShow
Carlos is teaching an arm triangle July 1, 9:00 am
Carlos and John are also going to be at a booth for Q&A!! Swing by and check it out my friends!

Summer camp in Dallas Tx, starting July 7th for 4 days, and a second week starting on July 14th also for 4 days.

Thanks to our friend Jake Burroughs from The Ground Never Misses for setting up this interview with Carlos Machado.

Quote of the week: “The measure may be thought bold, but I am of the opinion the boldest are the safest” Haratio Nelson.  This Quote was presented by Nick Albin (Chewy) check out a full explanation about this quote from Chewy here. Chewjitsu.net

Article of the week: "BJJ for Beginners: A simple plan for weight loss" From http://alchemymartialarts.net/

Carlos Machado's website is www.carlosmachado.net
Like the Carlos Machado facebook page here

Check out our sponsor Fujisports.com enter to win a Moko Rashguard or a Robo Rashguard

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

This week we have more stories from our listeners.  These are stories about getting injured and overcoming the injury. This episode is packed full of great advice for anyone who has been injured, or if you have a teammate that has been injured. It is important to know what to expect and the advice will help get you back on the mat my friends. Tommy- Our friend Tommy shares his story of his battle with testicular cancer.  He was diagnosed in 2010 with cancer after he found a lump on his testicle (Symptoms and Signs of Testicular cancer). He had surgery and then went through chemotherapy. The chemo was more difficult than the surgery. We talk about getting back on the mats and getting life back to normal.

Adam Sachnoff (Big Red)-

Check out some of Adam's accomplishments here.  Adam tore his ACL about five years ago doing judo and did not get it fixed  He did physical therapy and continued training and competing without an ACL.  He re-injured his knee while training for ADCC years later. After his ACL surgery he had very bad nerve pain in his foot. He gives a strong warning about the misuse of prescription pain killers. Adam has his own school, if you are in San Mateo be sure to check it out.

Jon Haskew- He is only 32 years old and has had 9 surgeries. The surgeries include 2 ACL and a MCL. He also has a bulging L5 disk, and 2 major staph infections. His knee injuries have contributed to his bulging disk. Jon got a staph infection with each ACL surgery. The infection was bad enough for the doctor to put in a picc line in his arm. Jon is now a big advocate of using Defense Soap to prevent getting staph infections. Check out Jon's gym here.

Michael Crampon-
 Michael suffered a broken rib while drilling take-downs. His training partner landed with his elbow directly on his rib.  He was off the mat for about 2 months to heal. He did lung exercises on an hourly basis to keep his lungs healthy. Since his injury he has had no lasting effect of the broken rib.  We also talk about some of the mechanics involved in his injury that involve grapples falling to the mat.

Mike- 
He tore his pectoral muscle trying to escape a kimura. Mike shares some of the test that his doctor had him do that help diagnose the problem. The doctor explained his options and Mike decided to get surgery to help get his body back to full health. For a while the only workout that he could do was the stationary bike. He was off the mat for about two months. Now he is back and trying to take it easy. He is selective with his training partners and wears a bright color sleeve on his bad arm so his training partners are aware of his injured arm.

Wil Horneff- 
Wil had a herniated disc and 5 bulging disks. This happened by lifting too much weight and being too tried during his kettlebell exercises. He decided to use a recovery tool called Antalgic machine. A year after using this machine he competed in the nogi brown belt pan am and won. After his initial recovery he worked hard to strengthen his core mostly doing planks. Besides being a serious BJJ athleate Wil was in the movie Sandlot. Check out his gym here!

Quote of the week: “What to do with a mistake: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.” Dean Smith Article of the week: "4 Keys to Better BJJ" from scienceofskill.com by: Willie Laney FujiSports.com is giving a listener a free rash guard.  There are two rash guard to choose from. The Robo and the Moko.

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

This week we have stories from our listeners.  These are stories about getting injured and overcoming the injury. This episode is packed full of great advice for anyone who has been injured, or if you have a teammate that has been injured. It is important to know what to expect and the advice will help get you back on the mat my friends.

Devin Pirata-(14m20s)

Devin was in his junior year of high school wrestling when he sustained what he thought was a shoulder injury. The injury came back in to play years later when he was a blue belt at a hard training camp.  He experienced intense pain in his right arm and shoulder.  Devin soon lost a lot of muscle mass due to atrophy. He found that he had a complete herniation of c5 and c6 and was told by his doctor that he would never train BJJ again.  After neck surgery he was able start training in three months and has since regained the muscle he had lost from the atrophy.  Devin occasionally has a stiff neck, but he has no major lasting effects.  Devin also gives some great advice for anyone who is going through a similar situation.

Michael Green- (34m40s) Michael suffered a torn labrum from a keylock submission while drilling.  This is a very rare situation in BJJ that someone gets injured during the drilling portion of the class.  About a month later Michael went to his doctor, he was told that he would need surgery to get better.  Michael credits his full recovery to taking his time in getting back on the mat and doing the proper rehab.

Mike- (45m19s)

Given enough time most of us doing BJJ will get ringworm. Normally it is no big deal and can be treated with an over the counter ointment like Lamisil.  Mike got ringworm on his scalp. He was given a topical treatment which actually made things worse.  It drove it deeper into his skin.  It then appeared to go away and come back even stronger, with a resistance to the medicine.  He was eventually able to get rid of it with tea tree oil.  Mike also talks about how this gave him a condition where he was very sensitive to ringworm and would get it even if he was not on the mat.

Jim- (59m50s) Jim's back was injured as a young man. About 25 years later his doctor told him that he had a major problem with his back from his old injury and it required surgery.  He found the best surgeon he could to do his spinal fusion.  Jim gives us a valuable warning about researching surgery online and the people who tell horror stories. BJJ has actually helped him get back into shape and strengthen his back.  Jim recommends being in the best shape that you can be in and finding the best surgeon for the job. We then talk about breaking the addiction to the prescription pain killers.

Arielle- (1h23m55s) Arielle shares a recovery story of when she injured her knee.  She had a full thickness tear in her ACL, MCL and a partial tear of her meniscus.  Her teammates did the drawer test to her leg and they knew that she had torn her ACL.  She was on crutches for two months and slowly got back on the mat after about 5 months. Arielle did yoga to help get her knee back to health.  After almost a full year she feels that her knee is 85-90% back to normal.  Arielle also gives some really good advice about overcoming the mental side of the injury.  Check out Arielle's gym here.

Dusty Grant- (1h42m26s)Our friend Dusty tore his ACL and medial meniscus during his first BJJ competition.  The drive home was over 2 hours and his knee got very sore sitting in the car.  Dusty got some bad advice from his first doctor and then he went to a specialist and his injury was confirmed.  Dusty was off the mat for a little over a year. Today his knee usually feels great, but it is a little stiff sometimes.  He credits his recovery to doing the rehab that was prescribed.  Dusty is in a great 5-piece metal/hard-rock band called Empire Falling.  He also let us play the song "Guilty" for the closing music.  Check out Empire Falling here!!

FujiSports.com is giving a listener a free rash guard.  There are two rash guard to choose from. The Robo and the Moko.

Quote of the week: "There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs."

Article of the week: "Separation Anxiety: How To Instantly Improve Your Guard Game" by Stephen Whittier on http://40plusbjjlive.com/ 

This week we take a break from having a guest on the show and Gary and Byron talk about making changes to your BJJ game.

In this episode we talk about:

• When to make changes to your game
• Why we prefer certain types of styles
• Why making changes creates a lot of growth
• Why it is difficult to make major changes to your game
• Changing your habits of your rolling style
• Making changes to get over a plateau
• Making changes can be a lot of fun
• When not to make changes
• Making changes during a match

  

  Enter to win one of these great Fuji Sports rash guards.

We are giving away a Fuji Sports rash guard (Moko or Robo).  We are doing a contest over the next four episodes. We will pick one of the four episodes at random and then choose a random winner from that episodes pool of people.  You will have 24 hours to respond, then I will try someone else. Ways to enter the contest:

• Leave a comment on this episodes page.
• Facebook- Go to our Facebook page and comment, like, or share this episode or the picture later in the week of the rash guard.
• Double your chances on Facebook by changing your profile picture to the rash guard picture.
• Twitter- Re-tweet this episode.

The quote of the week: "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own

Article of the week: 3-star Army general earns his black belt  armytimes.com

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

Ostap Manastryski is a brown belt under Elliott Bayev, he trains and teaches at OpenMat Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Toronto Canada.  Ostap breaks down BJJ videos on his YouTube channel, this is a great resource for anyone wanting to better understand BJJ.

We talk about

• Ostap's YouTube Channel
• Some of his notable tournament victories
• Traveling and training BJJ for an extended amount of time
• Teaching BJJ full time
• Common mistakes in lower level BJJ
• How he breaks down tournament footage
• Advice for students that are going to do their first tournament
• His first tournament experience
• Competing a lot in a short amount of time
• Preparing mentally for a tournament
• The book With Winning in Mind, and how it has helped him
• Coaching at a tournament and how to not be a "remote control coach"
• Tips for coaching
• Different Mantras that he uses during a match
• Advice for blue belts overcoming difficulties
• Researching different BJJ schools
• Having the proper motivation for training
• What a full day of training is like for Ostap
• Training yoga to help deal with injuries
• His long term goals
• The new double guard pull rule
• How to get Ostap to break down your videos

Quote of the week: "Don't be a Jack of all trades be a master of one"  This quote was presented by Jonathan Thomas.  This saying is a big pet peeve of his and he explains why.  Check out Jonathan's interview here.

Links
Ostap's YouTube Channel
OpenMat Mixed Martial Arts Academy
Book With Winning In Mind
Ostap's Facebook page
More info about Ostap
Ostap's Email ostapbjj@gmail.com

Article of the week- "3 Ways to Deal With Injuries in BJJ" Grapplearts.com

Check out these videos

BJJ Video Anaylsis - Otavio Sousa omoplata attack vs Lucas Lepri
Ostap Analysis - Ostap vs Joao Miyao, Worlds 2012

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

This week we are joined by Jonathan Thomas.  Jonathan was recently awarded his black belt from Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti. You will find Jonathan training, teaching, and positional sparring at The Alliance headquarters in Atlanta.

This interview we talk about:

• Jonathan's goal in his first tournament
• Why developing a good guard is so important for beginners
• Jonathan's basic definition of recomposing
• Why recomposing is so important to BJJ
• What attracted him to Jiu-Jitsu
• How Jiu-Jitsu is like a large series of mini games
• How he was able to train less than most of his competition and still win
• Having a logical process to how you train
• Why mindless drilling does not do much for your development
• How Jonathan likes to positional spar and break down positions
• The current rules and how they could change
• Why passing the guard can be more difficult than using a specific guard
• How the sport would change if the guard puller got a -1 point
• His goals in competing
• His mindset during competition
• Doing Tabata for cardio training
• Managing stress levels to clam down and not get tired
• Developing long term development by focusing on positions

  

  2011 Mundials Jonathan Thomas

Quote of the week- "Fail, fail again, fail better" Samuel Beckett.  This quote was presented by New York Times bestselling author of The Talent Code Daniel Coyle.  Check out our interview with Daniel Coyle here

Sponsor- Fujisports.com Save 10% off your purchase at Fujisports.com with the coupon code “BJJBrick”

Links

Article of the week- "5 Things to Focus on When Teaching BJJ to Children" from blog.gameness.com

Alliance

Jonathan's facebook page

Find more info about Jonathan Thomas here

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

Daniel Coyle is a New York Times bestselling author of The Talent Code and The Little Book of Talent.  He is one of the leading authorities on developing talent.  He may not be a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but his ideas about how to practice can help you understand how you learn.  The methods he has found could help catapult your game to the next level and beyond.

We start off with these basic definitions:

Talent Hotbed- A place that has an unusual amount of extraordinary performers.  These places can be studied and we can learn about their different training techniques.

Muscle Memory- This is a not a real thing, all your muscle is controlled from your brain.  Muscle has no memory.

Myelin- When you build new skills they are insulated by a myelin sheath.  This sheath gets thicker as you practice and push yourself.  The thicker it becomes the faster and easier your connections become.

Deep Practice- This is the sweet spot when you are putting a lot of myelin between your connections.  People who continually put their selves in a deep practice learn quickly.  An example of this would be sparring with someone who is a little better than you.

We talk about:

• The class structure of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• The difficulty of learning in a group setting
• The learning environment that is created by leaving your ego at the door
• Having the high intensity of a BJJ workout with a safe environment is a great place to grow
• The best way to give feedback is to ask questions
• Why it is important to design a training environment that forces people to ask questions
• The large benefits to all of the students of having colored belts help teach techniques
• Why you should be careful about the 10,000 hours rule
• Quality of training is far more important than quantity
• Why in some of the talent hotbeds they don’t spend all day practicing
• The Bruce Lee quote “I fear not the man who has practiced ten thousand kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick ten thousand times.”
• How YouTube has effected learning BJJ for good and bad
• The better you get the more important the fundamentals become
• Building fundamentals is like building a tree in your brain.  Make the trunk of the tree strong, so you can add things on to the tree.  With a strong trunk you can add things quickly and easily.
• The survival zone, and why no learning happens in this zone
• Some advice for a student who is competing for the first time
• What is going on the mind of a top competitor?  Turns out that it is not much
• The science of group success is a project he is currently working on keep your eyes open for this my friends

Quote of the week- “We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle.  This quote was presented by Ryan Hall.  If you missed Ryan’s interview with us it can be found here. Episode 30.  In an amazing coincidence this quote is in the first few pages of Daniel Coyle’s book The Little Book of Talent.

Article of the week- “Starting BJJ: What to Expect on your First Class”.  From Grapplearts.com

Sponsor- Fujisports.com If you are looking for a great first gi you cannot go wrong with the AllAround Gi.  It is a high quality gi and has a very good price.  Save 10% off your purchase at Fujisports.com with the coupon code “BJJBrick”

Links

Daniel Coyle’s website

The Talent Code

The Little Book of Talent

In Episode 30 of the BjjBrick podcast we talk with Ryan Hall.  Ryan is widely considered one of the best lightweight submission grapplers in the world.  Ryan owns 50/50 Jiu-Jitsu in Falls Church, Virginia.  He is a Black Belt under Felipe Costa and a professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter representing Tristar Gym.  Check out a more detailed bio of Ryan Hall here.

In this interview we talk about:

• Ryan coined the term “50/50” for the widely used position
• His new gym that he opened and why he moved
• How his style of Jiu-jitsu will translate to MMA
• His goals for his MMA career
• Some of his negative experiences with competing in Jiu-Jitsu
• Getting back into competitive Jiu-Jitsu
• The different focuses and challenges of training MMA and BJJ at the same time
• Making the transition from submission grappling to MMA
• His next MMA fight on May 31st
• Using actual MMA fights for live training and ring experience
• Some common mistakes that BJJ athletes make when doing MMA
• Performing to the best of your ability and nothing less, and being happy with that
• Ryan shares some of his thoughts on Metamoris 3 Eddie Bravo vs Royler Gracie
• His instructional DVDs- The Triangle, Passing the Guard, Arm Triangles, Back Attacks, Inverted Guard, The 50/50, and Deep Half.
• What he is focusing on to get a competitive edge in MMA
• Ryan shares the experience of his first grappling competition
• Advice for the first time competitor
• Why Ryan was attracted to the martial arts
• Ryan’s self-defense story that took place Jersey Shore with Seph Smith, Dave Jacobs, and Jen Flannery
• Using Jiu-jitsu in a street fight, and common misconceptions
• “Regular people fight as well as they play hockey” a quote from Ryan Hall.  Fighting is a skill, if you don’t know how to do it you will not do it well.
• Ryan gives advice for new blue belts that may be struggling
• What could be next for his DVD’s

Quote of the week: This quote was presented and broken down by Stephen Whittier, “Just when you think you have all the answers, I will change all the questions”. I was unable to find who said this originally.  If you missed it be sure to check out our full interview with Stephen Whittier here.

Sponsor- Fujisports.com Check out the light weight gi.  It is great for competition weigh-ins and staying cool in the summer heat.  Save 10% off your purchase at Fujisports.com with this coupon code “BJJBrick”.

Links:

Article of the week: “Losing is Good for You” NYTimes.com

Ryans DVDs www.groundfighter.com

Watch Ryan’s next fight here gofightlive

Watch Ryan’s restaurant fight here

Ryan’s website

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

Stephen Whittier is a black belt under Roberto Maia.  He has an academy in Wareham Massachusetts Called SBG East Coast.  Stephen has become a huge resource for the over 40 grappler.  He has lots of great advice not just for the over 40 grappler, but anyone who steps on the mat.

In this interview with Stephen Whittier we talk about:

• Why having a specific style can hold you back
• Why the fundamentals are so important in Jiu-Jitsu
• Getting on the mat as a 40 plus grappler
• Dealing with instructors that may not know how to coach the older grappler
• The differences between teaching and coaching
• The Aliveness component of jiu-jitsu
• Starting BJJ as someone in their 50s or 60s
• The social differences between the younger BJJ students and the older students
• Finding the right gym for you
• Why people quit jiu-jitsu after training the first time
• Why people are drawn to try jiu-jitsu
• Competing for the first time
• Why stripping your attributes (speed, strength, flexibility….) out of your training can help you get better in the long run
• How BJJ has changed over the years
• How fundamentals are different than basics
• Focusing on these three things- Posture, Pressure, and Possibilities
• Tips for getting over common frustrations
• We wrap up by talking about some of his products that he has to help the over 40 grappler

Quote of the week “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.  The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”  Mark Twain

Links

Article of the week- “3 Simple Things Great Teachers do” TheTalentCode.com by Daniel Coyle

Free email series: 40plusbjjlive.com

40 Plus Membership Site and Online Academy: 40plusperformanceacademy.com

Stephen’s Youtube page

40 Plus BJJ Facebook page

Stephen’s email Info@40plusbjj.com

This week we talk to Dwane Clifford about training BJJ and how supplements can be a tool to help you reach your goals.

Dwane is a friend that we met on the mats. He has a passion for supplements and helping people reach their goals. Dwane has a philosophy of discovering the customers goals and then helping them find the right supplement or training to help.

We talk about:

Supplements that help with flexibility
Supplements that aid with stamina
Why Jiu-Jitsu players should steer clear of products with a lot of caffeine
Taking care of your joints
How supplements can help lubricate your joints
What fish oil does and does not do for you
Some tips for cutting weight, and how using supplements is really a last resort
Tips on cutting weight without using supplements
Gaining size and strength
How to tell if you are in a bad supplement store
Common myths in the supplement industry
Some of the bad things that happens in the supplement industry
Advice if you are new to taking supplements
Our Sponsor- Fujisports.com Coupon code “BJJBrick” for 10% off your order. Check out the Fuji All Around BJJ Gi. Gary and Byron both have this gi. It is affordable, comfortable, it is great for training and competing. This gi will last you for many years. Great value with this gi, and save 10% today!!

Quote of the week: Allen Hopkins (last weeks interview) gives us his favorite quote. He got this from Master Pedro Sauer. Allen asked him “what is the most important thing in Jiu-Jitsu?” Master Pedro Sauer responded with “to always be a gentleman”. At first this quote did not mean much to Allen, as he learned more about Jiu-Jitsu and life he realized this was truly a great quote and a great way to live your life.
Links:
Article of the week- “Surviving (Socially) the Beginner Phase of BJJ” by Valerie Worthington
TheSupplementU
The Supplement U facebook page
Call Dwane at (785)833-2188 Mention this podcast to Dwane and he will give you a discount and free shipping.

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

Allen Hopkins is a 3rd degree black belt under Master Pedro Sauer. His school is in Hattiesburg Mississippi. He attended his first seminar July 13, 1991 it was thought by Grand Master Rorion Gracie. After that seminar Allen Hopkins was hooked on Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

We talk about:
Training Gracie Jiu-Jitsu before the first UFC
His training in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu
Attending early Gracie Jiu-Jitsu seminars
How Gracie Jiu-Jitsu got it's start in the United States
The Growth of Jiu-Jitsu
What is was like to attend the first UFC
Some differences between Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
His match back in the day with Eddie Bravo

Sponsor: Fujisports.com Coupon code “BJJBrick” for 10% off!

Quote of the week: “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything if it were a nail.” Abraham Maslow

Links

Article of the week: “Safe Training Rules for Women” Fifty/50 BJJ Cailn
Allen Hopkins website

Team Hopkins Association

Pedro Sauer's website

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

In this weeks episode we talk to Tom Machowicz (Mac) from Fuji Sports. We cover everything from getting your first gi to helping a seasoned veteran figure out what gi is best for competition.

This Gi Guide covers:
Why do you need a gi?
Advantages to training in a gi
How judo gis are different from BJJ gis
Basic types of gis
Tips for getting a gi for kids, women and men
How the location the gi is made can effect the quality
Different types of weaves
How to get a gi that fits you
The advantages of Rip-stop
Different types of collars
How to take care of your gi
Shrinking your gi to get the best fit
Common mistakes with gi care
How to get your gi dry quickly
Putting a patch on a gi
Custom gis for your team
What makes a competition gi?

Quote of the week: We got this quote from an email from our friend Santiago. “My teacher is my opponent, my ego is my enemy” Renzo Gracie

Article of the week
30 Signs You're A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Addict- Matadornetwork.com

Our Sponsor- FujiSports.com use coupon code "BJJBrick" for a 10% discount!

Links
The Neppon Edition Gi 
Fuji All Around BJJ Gi (both Byron and Gary have this gi)
Size chart
Call our friend Tom at (212)769-1823 if you have any Gi related questions

This week we have an interview with Amber Oxford. Amber is a Blue belt that trains at Wichita Jiu-Jitsu Club. Amber is holding a free event called Girls in Gis on April 12 at the Wichita Jiu-Jitsu Club. When she is not on the mats Amber is a full time nurse and she recently bought a salon it is called Tranquility Salon. Amber also finds time in her busy schedule to compete on a regular basis.
Girls in gis started as an open mat for women, it has gotten much bigger. Girls in Gis is a nonprofit organization that helps promote BJJ to women.

Amber talks about:
Getting more women on your BJJ team
The Girls in Gis organization
Her experiences competing
The benefits of women doing BJJ
How to get a Girls in Gis event to your area
And much more

Support us by checking out our sponsor Fujisports.com Coupon code "BJJBrick" for 10% off your purchase. Check out the women's Gi selection!

Quote of the week: This quote was brought to us by Coach John Connors “Commitment requires an endless series of small painful actions” Phil Stutz

Article of the week: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – A Female Perspective
Links
Girls in Gis
Amber's Salon Tranquility Salon
Fujisports.com
Wichita Jiu-Jitsu Club
Ambers event on April 12th

This week we talk about the four basic types of matches you could find yourself in BJJ. We gave each match a symbol, to make it simple.

1) The straight line or arrow (------, ------>). This is a one-sided match that progresses smoothly. This match goes from start to finish with one of the competitors dominating the other. A tip for a tournament is to watch the rest of your bracket as they compete. You might see someones game plan and be able to avoid the dominant parts of their game.

2) The Figure 8. This is a chaotic match. This type of match is typically at the lower levels, because the higher level competitors are more controlling and better at using any dominant position. If you find yourself in a match like this, you can win this match, but you are going to need to fight for it. Try to use the transition to your advantage. Decide your strong part of your game and find a way to get your opponent to that place. If you find yourself behind in a match, you might look for ways to make it more like a figure 8 match.

3) The Circle O. This match is like a loop (like the movie ground hog day). The competitors find themselves doing the same things over and over again. If you are winning keep this going. If you are on the wrong end of this match find ways to break the loop, you need to change some things that your doing.

4) The Dot . This match is when nothing is happening. Be ready for your competitor to try to score at the end of the match. Try to find a way to get the match going.

We also give some training tips, because you will encounter these types of matches in training.

Quote of the week- This quote was brought to us by Coach John Connors from Episode 23 “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” Albert Einstein

Article of the week: I'm not ready for a BJJ competition, From Chewjitsu.net

This week on the podcast we bring you an interview with coach John Connors. John is the author of the e Book “Quick Start Guide to Complete Jiu Jitsu Competition Readiness”. This is a great guide for someone who is an experienced grappler or just starting out.

At the age of 35 John found himself in the business world and lacking the fun and excitement of a sport. John started BJJ with Roberto Maia, and the fun and excitement was put back into his fitness. John eventually got his black belt in 2006 from Roberto Maia. John is now 51 years old and is very active on the mat and he also has a passion for coaching.

John Connors talks with us about:
Meeting goals off the mat
Coaching BJJ and MMA
Grappling for older people and not getting hurt
Making a game plan for competition
Developing key moves
Positional sparing
Limiting your training to get better faster
Making the most of your training time
Coaching during a match
Setting different goals for your competition
Sparing like it is an actual match with a referee and a coach
Dealing with an adrenaline rush
Getting better at winning scrambles
The advantages to getting a fast start to a match
Advice for the non competitor
Setting new challenges outside of your comfort zone
How competition can help you get better at BJJ
Advice for someone's first day at BJJ

Quote of the week: “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” John Wooden

Article of the week: 3 Steps for Returning to BJJ After Injury – Breakingmuscle.com

Links
Get John's Ebook for competition for free here
Rickson Gracie Documentary Choke
Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers (this is a link to the entire book as a pdf!!)
Email John Connors at John@dedhamjj.com
John's Facebook page
John's Twitter @Connorsmma

This episode we are covering some of the basics. We are going to break down some of the main positions in BJJ and give you some guidance for each one.  

We give tips and general strategies for:
Guard
Side Control
Mount
Back
Standing
Turtle
Quote of the week: “When you loose say little, when you win say less.” Matt Hughes

Article of the week: nuclearchainsaw.com “11 Things Your Jiu-Jitsu Instructor Won't Tell You”.

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunes, and Stitcher radio

We both spent a significant amount of time working on escapes. We have had a big increase in confidence with our grappling by getting better at our escapes. It is good to know that you will be able to escape a position.

Escapes fall into two categories: Escaping submissions, and escaping positions.

Tips:
You need to be proficient at escaping from both sides (left and right), you do not get to choose what side is attacked.
Put yourself in bad positions, the more you train at them the better you will get at escaping.
Escape fast, if you get out of a position fast enough your opponent will not score points.
Know the areas that you are weak in and work on them.
Roll with people that can push you.
Try working on two escapes at the same time.
Ask questions, your teammates will be happy to help.

We also give some tips for escaping these common submissions:
Armbar
Triangle choke
Guillotine
Chokes in general

Quote of the week: “What you everyday matters more than what you do once in a while”. Gretchen Robbin

Article of the week: Jijitsuvortex.com – Why and how to keep a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu notebook

our email is BjjBrick@gmail.com

It is important to take a step back and look at your grappling game.  Are you in a mode where you are trying to accomplish a goal?  Or are you just trying to get better at BJJ in a particular area?  

Some examples of the goals mode that we talk about:

You have a tournament coming up that you want to do well in.

Achieve the next belt in BJJ.

To drop some weight.

Your goals should be:

Tangible

Realistic

Have a time frame

Results focused

Some examples of some areas that you might consider for growth:

Get a better defense.

Get a better offense.

Experiment with a new technique of strategy.

Ways to help develop your growth

Go in to a deep study of the area you are growing.

Use rolling as an opportunity to try your new stuff.

Ask upper belts for help.

Make sure you are growing in the correct ways, get some guidance from your coach.

You may need to try your new techniques on lower level oponents.

Quote of the week: “you can never defend someone else belt, that is their job.”  Sean Roberts If you catch a higher belt in a submission you should go for it, and there should be not revenge.

Article of the week: “How to be a BJJ Soccer Mom”  This article was sent in by our friend Mat, thanks buddy!  This is a great article that gives you some advice on how to support your team at a tournament.

This episode is in iTunes, and stitcher radio

This week we have another preview of Metamoris 3. We talk to Sean Roberts, he has a match with Zak Maxwell (last weeks interview).

Sean Roberts is a Black belt under Ralph Gracie, he is currently training with Checkmat.

We talk to Sean about:
-What he does to relax
-What got him started in BJJ
-His thoughts on Royler Gracie Vs. Eddie Bravo
-The way he approaches the rules of Metamoris
-How the Brown belt Kumite helped prepare him for Metamoris
-His thoughts on how Zak Maxwell will approach the match
-He shares a couple of personality traits that have helped him get better at BJJ
-What he does before an important match, and how it has changed over time
-What he was like as a blue belt and purple belt
-Tips of competing for the first time, and building your confidence before a competition
-His cross country BJJ tour he recently took, and his plans to do another one
Quote of the week: “Every kick in the ass is a step forward” Unknown. If you get kicked in the ass and you don't take a step forward, you fall down.

Article of the week: The art of losing 1- Sandhillsbjj.com By Roy Marsh

Links
OTM
Gi Soap
Newaza Apparel
Sean Roberts Facebook page

Episodes Mentioned:
Epi 17 Roy Marsh
Epi 18 Zak Maxwell

Today we bring you the first episode of our Metamoris 3 preview.  We have an interview with Zak Maxwell, he will be competing in Metamoris 3 against Sean Roberts.  Zak is a black belt he is currently training at Gracie San Diego.  

Some of Zak Maxwell's accomplishments:

Pan American Champion as Purple and Brown belts.

World Champion as a Brown belt.

Pan American Absolute as a Brown belt.

3X ADCC pro trials as a Black belt.

Metamoris 3 will be the first time Zak has been in a submission only match.  We talk to him about his match with Sean Roberts.  Zak also tells us what it was like for him to start training as a kid.  Zak also offers some of his competition tips.

Zak Maxwell's Gi sponsor is HyperFly.  Swing by their website and if you get a Gi tell them thanks for supporting Zak!

Quote of the week- “Look at what you have, not what you want.” Roy Marsh

Links

Article of the week- 10 Tips to help the Non-Competitors Stay Motivated. From Groundworkbjj.com

Zak Maxwell's Facebook page

Gracie San Diego

HyperFly

Our Roy Marsh interview

Next week we have an interview with Zak Maxwell's opponent Sean Roberts.

This week we bring you a very educational interview with Roy Marsh.  Both Gary and Byron got a lot of knowledge out of talking with Roy, we hope you do too.

Roy Marash is a Black Belt under Royce Gracie. He has been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 2001. Roy's game is always changing but he prefers a top game with a lot of top pressure. His go to guard is the butterfly guard. He trans a lot with the military.
Roy talks about:
Self defense- he gives some ways he adapts training for his BJJ students to deal with real world situations.
Training for a tournament- He give some great advice on developing a strong tournament game.
Breaking everything in BJJ down- Roy breaks BJJ down into four factors the two big factors are distance and angle, the two smaller factors are timing and pace.
Staying positive after a tournament- If you have something bad to say about your tournament, you should also say something good about the tournament.
Roy's House Theory- He wants to fight you in areas that he is good at, this is his house. Have places in each position that you are very good at.
Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone- He is a firm believer in this, find what works for you and find ways to work around your own limitations.
The BJJ community- We have such a great community and friends in this sport.
Roy will be putting out a DVD this year on back control. Look for this DVD and we hope to have him back on the show to talk about back control.
Quote of the week- "I can be paralyzed and miserable or paralyzed and happy, I choose to be happy." Brian Freeman. You can catch a entire interview with Brian in episode 16 of the BjjBrick Podcast.

Article of the week- JiuJitsubrotherhood.com Roger Gracie- Understanding the phenomeom.

Links
Team rok
Roy Marsh's website

Next week we start our Metamoris 3 preview!

This week we are very lucky to have a interview with the very inspirational Brian Freeman.
Brian is a disabled vet with a T4 spinal cord injury with Brown-Sequard syndrome. He is from Rockingham, North Carolina. Brian enjoys training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, his 8 year old daughter convenced him to get on the mat. He started by taking private lessons first then transitiond into the regular BJJ class.
Brian shares with us how BJJ has changed his life. BJJ has caused Brian to be more active then he was and also helped him with his lack of appatite. Jiu-jitsu has also given him more confidence.
we also talk about Brian's:
-First UFC experence
-Favorite techniques
-Unique challanges
-Goals
-Rwards that BJJ gives
We thought it would be ineresting to talk to Brian's coach BJJ Black Belt Roy Marsh (Team R.O.C.). Roy is co-owner of the Martial Arts Academy of Southern pines and he is the head instrctor of the BJJ program. Roy was kind enough to talk to us about training with Brian. Roy is a firm beliver that BJJ is for everyone. When Brian showed interest in learing BJJ Roy was happy to help.

Article of the week:

Freakoutandshutdown.blogspot.com "Getting Tough"

Links
Daniel Coyle's website
Teamrock.net
Sandhillsjiujitsu.com
Brian on twitter @wheelchairjitsu

We talk about the David and Goliath and other underdogs that found a way win.  What do these underdogs have in common?  If you are an underdog how can you turn it to your advantage?

We talk about a book by Malcom Gladwell: David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants.  This book sheds a new light of the David and Goliath story.

We compare David to Royce Gracie, in the early UFC.

We also talk about Nick Newell, the one armed MMA fighter that continues to win fights.  And Anthony Robles the champion wrestler who is missing a leg.

Quote of the week: both of these are from Rickson Gracie “Where there is discomfort there is fear.” “You have to find comfort in uncomfortable situations.”

Links

Article of the week: Zombiebjjpa.com “3 Tips for Beginners in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu”.  If you are new to bjj even if you have some experience this article makes some great points.

Here is the video Gary sent to Craig.  Enjoy! Then send it an unsuspecting friend.

Malcom Gladwell’s books: Outliers, Blink, The Tipping Point, What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures, and David and Goliath.  All these books are interesting, my personal favorite is probably Blink.

Daniel Coyle- The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How.  Here is my review of this book.

Seminar with Dallas Niles

Don’t break the chain calendar, 100% free just open it and print it.

Short Bonus episode:

What happened to Anderson Silva's leg?

Today I am wondering like many of you, what happened to Anderson Silva?  Why did his leg break from his kick?  Can this type of injury happen to me?  How can I prevent this from happening.

I call up my favorite medical professional, Paramedic Craig.  We don't know for sure what caused his leg to break but he says that a stress fracture is a likely cause.  We talk about what a stress fracture and what are the causes of them.  Craig also talks about the signs and symptoms of a stress fracture (tenderness, swelling, pain even after rest).  Stress fractures will go away on their own with proper rest and nutrition.

Recovery for a broken tibia and fibula, is about 3 to 6 months.

We briefly talk about what to do for a injured classmate and how to splint this kind of injury.

We wish Anderson Silva the best of luck with a full and speedy recovery.

Link to Episode 9 an interview with a paramedic, what to do when someone gets hurt in class.

Link to the podcast in iTunes

Link to the podcast in Stitcher radio

This podcast is available in iTunes and on Stitcher radio.

Just about everyone will need to deal with an injury from time to time, this is a contact sport.  Today we talk about healing quicker, training with the injury and when to take some time off.  It is important to listen to your body, if it hurts it may be trying to tell you something.

Craig talks about having problems healing due to cholesterol medicine.  Here is an article talking about the side effects of some cholesterol medicine.

Gary and Byron both share stores of dealing with rib injuries.  Gary recommends keep working out with something, even if it is not BJJ.  He takes salmon oil from supplement u.  Gary will use a foam roller to help get rid of neck, back, and muscle pain.

With some injuries like ribs or back, it will be painful to move so it will be too difficult to roll.

If you can’t train, you can study a select move or two intensely.  When you return to the mat, you will have some new stuff to work on.

We talk briefly about the need to have health insurance to help you financially if you get seriously injured.

Jiu-Jitsu does not really have an offseason, like many other sports do.  Most sports go months when people don’t train much.  In BJJ we just keep rolling, often this means that our bodies will not fully heal.

Injuries to people in their first year can convince the person that the sport is not for them.  If this happens to one of your training partners you should contact them and try to encourage them to get back on the mat once they are better.

It is important to help your injured teammates get back on the mat. 

It is especially important to keep safety in mind when rolling with a new person.

A good way to prevent injuries is to leave your ego at the door and get rid of a negative attitude.

Quote of the week-“If man were to say something deep in woods and no woman was around to hear him, would he still be wrong?”

Article of the week- Tap out 101- Tips if you Starting BJJ Over Forty

The free don’t break the chain calendar just open it and print it!

Today we have a good friend Craig on the show.  Craig has been in the emergency medical field for over 32 years, he is a paramedic.  Craig has been training Jiu-Jitsu for approximately 8 years.  He shares some of his knowledge about dealing with injuries that might happen during class.  We cover a lot of stuff in this episode! You could find yourself needing to know this information on or off the mat.  This episode should help you make the right decisions after an injury happens.

 Craig helps us learn about these topics:

How to determine if it is a serious injury and if you need to call for help

What happens to your body if certain bones are broken?

Tips on splinting an injured extremity, and when you are not going to be able to splint something

When you should not splint an injury

What to expect when an ambulance is called

Internal bleeding

What is an open fracture, and why you need to call an ambulance

Tips on minimizing pain after an injury

Tips on what should you do before the ambulance arrives

What you can do to help someone that could have a serious neck injury

A tip to help healing is the acronym R.I.C.E (rest, ice, compression, elevate)

How quickly do you need to get stitches?

Why chest pain is not to be ignored

Why abrasions are more likely to get infected than a cut

Signs of an infected scrape or cut, and the consequences

Why it is so important to have good hygiene and a clean gi?

How to help someone that get choked unconscious

Dealing with a concussion

Signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke

Tips for staying safe when you are training in a high heat environment

Some things that should be in a first aid kid at your gym- 4X4 bandages, band aids, a sling and swath, antiseptic gel, medical gloves, ice packs, aspirin, scissors, safety pins, and tape.

Quote of the week- “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” Nelson Mandela

Article of the week- A easy way to stay out of trouble in the guard By Stephan Kesting  Stephan gives some great tips for avoiding getting attacked if your posture temporarily gets broken.

Links 

Craig recommends sportsinjuryclinic.net as a great reference.

A guide to splinting injuries

How to immobilize someone’s injured neck

Ozz grappler soap

Absolutely free- Don’t break the chain calendar, just open it and hit print

We have a good mix of people talking about gi vs nogi training.

Byron likes both, Gary is a nogi guy, and Matt likes the gi more but the nogi rules.

The gi game can be described like a game of 5 vs 5.  More technical and slower pace.

·         More difficult to escape

·         Grips make a huge difference

·         More techniques

The no gi game is like a 2 vs 2 basketball game.  Fast pace and lot more hustle.

·         Underhooks and overhooks are the “grips “ of no-gi

·         Leg locks become a big factor

·         More scrambles

We talk about starting out your grappling career with the gi or without it.

You should be rolling any chance you can.  With our without the gi.

If you are interested in belt promotions you need to be training with the gi.

Some of the best grapplers in your gym may be training with the gi.  Put a gi on and join them.

Quote of the week: Keep your friends close and your elbows closer.

Article of the week: this week it is a video! Cobrinha break down from adcc 2013. From Ostapbjj

We break down and discuss the 12 commandments.  We don't always agree with the commands but they have a great overall message. 

1. Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

2. Speak to every one of happiness, health, and prosperity.

3. Give all your friends the feeling that they are valuable.

4. Look at things from a positive point of view and turn positivity into a reality of life.

5 Think only about the best, work only or the best, and always expect the best.

6. Be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are of your own.

7. Forget about past mistakes and concentrate your energy on the victories of tomorrow.

8. Always make those around you happy and keep a pleasant attitude to all those who address you.

9. Apply the largest amount of your time on self-improvement and no time in criticizing others.

10. Be too big to feel unrest, too noble to feel anger, too strong to feel fear, and too happy to tumble in adversity.

11. Hold a positive opinion of yourself and tell it to the world.  Not through words of vanity, but through benevolence.

12. Believe strongly that the world is in your side, if you keep true to what is the best within you.

Quote of the week: "don't suck" from Jake Fox

Question from Facebook: We talk about drug testing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Links

Fox Fitness: Jake Fox joins us again in this episode.

Good times at our Facebook page.

Article of the week: Texas Kids Fight Bullying With Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, By Teresa Woodard

Today we talk to Jason Bircher.

• He is a black belt under Renato Tavares, he has a BJJ club in Kansas City.
• Jason talks about his history in BJJ.
• He gives us several tips for competing.
• He will give you some great advice with developing your game.
• Throughout the interview you can tell Jason has a deep passion for BJJ.

This interview is available in iTunes and Stitcher radio.

Quote “The man is the size of his dreams” from Andre Tim Monteiro

Article of the week- From Innerbjj.com “The Bjj Contrarian”

Links
KCbjj.com If you are in Kansas City check out Jason’s gym. He is a great instructor and leads a fun class.
Innerbjj.com “The Bjj Contrarian”
Facebook page

We talk to Andre about

• His nick name “Tim”
• How BJJ has helped him reach his dreams
• He has 2 different types of BJJ games (in the gym, competition)
• Overcoming his first big loss as a kid
• His training schedule (he trains every day!)
• Andre gives great advice to students who are going to compete for the first time
  • Get a game plan
  • Train your game plan at the gym
  • Stick to your game plan at the tournament
  • Please listen to your coach on the side of the mat
  • What he the does before an important match
  • The slow progress in your own BJJ, and how to look at it differently
  • The current rules in BJJ
  • Should or could BJJ be in the Olympics

Quote of the week: “Don’t practice until you get it right.  Practice until you can’t get it wrong.” Unknown

Links

Andre’s Facebook page

Andre’s website

Andre’s sponsors: Koral Fight co. Fightertech

Today we talk to John Castillo about BJJ and self defense.

John Castillo:

·         BJJ Black Belt under Renato Tavares , he has been training BJJ since 1996. 

·         Midwest representative of Kapap under Avi Nardia

·         Trained with Moni Aizik in commando Krav Maga

·         Trained with Mordi Glam in Israel, doing Israeli Krav Maga

There are three main aspects of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

1.       Vale Tudo (MMA)

2.       Tournament Jiu-Jitsu

3.       Self defense (mostly viewed as a 1 vs 1 conflict without any weapons)

Going to the ground in a self defense situation can be very dangerous.

·         You could get attacked by other people (human soccer ball)

·         Many people have knifes on them, it could be more difficult to get away from a weapon

Some advantages of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in a self defense situation.

·         It is a contact sport and you are more accustom to the stresses and discomfort

·         You could be able to hold someone down and not need to hurt them

·         You are less likely to get beat up by one person in a “fair fight”

Things you can do to make sure you are more prepared to survive a self defense situation.

·         Learn some strikes (jab cross combo, basic kicks, knees and elbows)

·         Understand how weapons can be used against you

·         Try to increase your situational awareness

·         Do some escape drills (learn what it takes to escape a room full of people)

·         Train with a fake gun or knife

·         Don’t go to places where violence is likely

·         Try the Hubud drill ( a Filipino martial art drill)

·         Go to a Kapap or Israeli Krav Maga class

You can win the fight and still lose big.  You could get sewed, kicked out of your BJJ gym, lose the respect of your community or coworkers.

Your main goal in a street fight is to survive; the best way to survive is to avoid the conflict.  The best move you can often do is to go home.

Contact John Castillo at Johnnyjiujitsu@yahoo.com or phone 316-265-0722

Castillo Jiu-Jitsu facebook page

Quote of the week- “The harder work the luckier I get” Thomas Jefferson

Article of the week “Rickson Gracie Advice that was echoed by a fantastic highschool principal.” By Part time grappler.

We also talked about the desire to win vs the goal of performing at your best.

Tips for bringing a friend to your BJJ class

Your main goals should be to keep your friend safe and to have fun.

                Keep them safe by helping them to roll with experienced grapplers that will not injure them.

                They will have fun if they are able to relax, BJJ is naturally fun.

You are an ambassador for BJJ. 

                To anyone that you know that doesn’t train, you are most like the best BJJ practitioner they know.  You may have only been going a month to BJJ class, but in their eyes you are the only person they know that trains.  You are their “Jiu-Jitsu guy” or “Jiu-Jitsu gal”.

 Tell your friend what to expect for their first BJJ class.  They will be less nervous if they know what to expect.

What is the format of the class? Warm up, technique, rolling….

Tell them about mat etiquette.  They don’t want to break these rules, but if they don’t know the rules they might be breaking them.

Tell your friend what to bring.

What should they wear?  Do they need to bring water? 

Drive your friend to class if you can.

This may seem odd but they will really feel like you are doing everything you can to help them.  The conversation you will have on the way home could mean the difference between your friend being frustrated about the class or excited.

What friends should you invite?

                Invite anyone that asks you a few questions about BJJ.  Or anyone that seems like they would give it a try. 

Bonus tip- Call them the next day and ask them what they thought, try to make it with them to their next class.

3 Tips for helping the new student that does not know anyone.

                Be outgoing and welcome them into the group.

                Show them around and answer any questions they might have.

                Treat them how you would like to be treated if it was your first day on the mat.

Quote of the Week- “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” Babe Ruth

Article of the Week- “Attending BJJ Class While Injured: You’re Still A Part of the Class and We do Want You Here” By- A Skirt on the Mat

The gyms Gary mentioned in this episode.  Fox Fitness, Wichita Jiu-Jitsu Club.

BjjBrick radio is available on itunes.

 Facebook.com/BjjBrick

·         Practice leg locks- The more you understand and train leg locks the safer you will be.

·         Don’t force the leg lock- Submissions should not take all your strength to work.  Don’t strain too hard, be smooth.

·         Control your partner- Before you start applying the pressure have good control of your training partner. 

·         Work leg locks with more skilled people- Avoid putting leg locks on new practitioners; they will be more likely to get injured.

·         Tap when you get caught- It’s no big deal, if you get caught just tap.

·         Be aware of your own feet- You are often in danger when you are attacking someone’s leg. 

·         Tips for when to tap to- Heel hooks, Achilles lock, and Toe hold.

Quote of the week- “Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own.”  Bruce Lee

Article- “It’s All in the Hips: Hip Care 101 for BJJ Practitioners” By Samuel Spiegelman

Legal Leg Locks for BJJ by Roli Delgado- The App Gary talked about.