Grand Master Francisco Mansor Seminar, 29 Nov 09

Today Chelle and I had the opportunity to meet with, and train under, a living legend in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. GM Francisco Mansor came to our gym and gave a 2 hour seminar for Coach Thomas. GM Mansor is in our direct BJJ "lineage" and is currently the most senior black belt in all of BJJ. The seminar was amazing. He spent the two hours focusing on the basics (which I LOVE), specifically controlling someone in side control, scarf hold and north/south. It was the details that he provided that really made the positions. It was awesome to see someone who even after 55 years in jits still focuses on the basics of a position instead of the "fancy stuff."

However, I think that the real meat of the seminar came when GM Mansor talked about life, focus and family. It was refreshing to see someone in martial arts really talk about reassessing your priorities and putting your life in focus first for your jiu jitsu to be worth anything. He talked about touching other peoples lives through kindness and always being open to improving the well being of friends, family and strangers. "Jiu Jitsu is about being happy, not angry." His point was that "angry" jiu jitsu is bad for you, which means if you're focusing on jiu jitsu as "one fight" and not as a life long journey then your focus is completely out of whack :)

I've been to several seminars during my 25 years of martial arts training and have had the chance to meet some pretty big name people...but GM Mansor is by far my favorite. Its his life philosophy that connects...not his technique. I think his amazing jiu jitsu is just a by product of a life put into perspective and balanced correctly.

Chelle, GM Francisco Mansor, and Me

One of the MILLION reasons why my wife rocks!

Well, today Chelle indulged my geek-ness once again :) Last year for Christmas she got me a red Atami gi for jiu jitsu and we took to calling it the "superman" gi. That gave me the idea to seek out and buy old comic book character symbols and use them as patches for it. See, I grew up reading Captain America, Superman, Batman, Spiderman, The Green Lantern, The Hulk, etc comic books and I have always loved the classics :) So...with out further waiting here is the first edition of the patches, with more to come of course!

You'll notice that the bottom left pants cuff is still empty. That, my friends is reserved for the Amazing Spiderman.

No I didn't die....just went into a Turkey coma!

Wow, its been over a week since I updated this...DAAAAAANG. So, there has been some awesome training in the mean time though. Last week I spent time with some great friends - Johnny, Rich, and Phil - training ISR in San Marcos TX. I also met some new friends while down there as well.

Day 1 - 4pt - 7 pt drill. "A" framing from the 50/50 clinch, defending the punch from the same side collar grip (variations with collar/cuff grip, double collar grip), and the "Breach".

After training Johnny stayed on the mat and worked some jits basics.

Day 2- 4pt - 6pt drill. "Shoe shine" punching, 4pt with elbows, "A" frame from 50/50 (adding the cup check, cup check w/ cross punch, walk through, and kicks or knees), "A" frame to arm drag to harness, the "Breach", the "Chin strap".

Day 3 - 4pt drill (arm drag, harness, escort to harness to dive), "A" frame with kicks and knees or with foot sweep into wall, single and double collar grips from "A" frame.

After training I had the chance to roll with Devon (the owner of Solidarity Jiu Jitsu where we trained). He's a great guy and a technical purple belt. It was a fun time and I loved getting more mat time in.

Part 1

Part 2

Me rolling with Devon - purple belt coach of Solidarity Jiu Jitsu in San Marcos, Tx.

Monday - 23 Nov 07

Workout: Strength training, core

Cardio: Bike, 30 mins

BJJ: No jits tonight. Chelle's Dad and step Mom came into town for the Thanks giving holiday so we spent time with them.

Wednesday:

Workout: Strength training, core

Cardio: Bike, 30 mins

BJJ: Tonight Coach worked us out of an open guard position. We focused on turtling with your opponent attempts to pass your guard. Next, we covered the reverse (while your in all fours position) by sitting out and rolling with your opponent when he attempts to take move behind you from front. I rolled several times after drilling. I had several white belts that I was rolling with that I worked sweep A from half guard when you can't shuck and take the back, as well as working from their guard with a double arm under pass. Well, it worked really well right up until I rolled with Dylan (purple belt) and he exposed the faults in my pass :) I was not controlling him near well enough by either an arm our his collar which diminished my ability to apply pressure to him when I stack....which led to me getting triangled...not once.....but twice :) Good times!

I'm sorry these explanations are so lame...I promise to be better next week and stay on top of this! It was a great two weeks of training which has ended in me NOT working out today (Friday) after stuffing myself on Thanksgiving yesterday :( LAME! I'll pay for it next week I'm sure.

16 Nov 09

Workout: Strength Training, core workout

Cardio: 8 mile speed bike ride

BJJ:

13 Nov 09

Workout: Strength Training, core workout

Cardio: 30 minutes on bike

12 Nov 09

Swim:

5 x 100 meter freestyle

1 x 500 meter freestyle for time

11 Nov 09

Workout: Strength Training, core workout

Cardio: distance bike ride

BJJ: Today was a great day for jits. It started at 10am this morning with a private I shared with three other people. We covered a lot of side control (bottom) defense and escapes. I'd like to share my secrets....but I won't :) You'll have to see on the mat.

Class tonight Coach worked us out of half guard again. We started the class position sparring out of guard though. Coach put about 8 people down on the mat to start in order of rank and then had everyone else line up and work their way through us. I worked my regular guard game for awhile and was able to stay on the mat. About half way through I started to try half guard stuff instead of working full guard and, once again, I was passed....but learned a bit more than last time :) After position sparring we worked a half guard reversal by controlling the whizzer arm of our opponent, diving deep under and grabbing the opposite side foot, hooking your outside leg over your opponents leg, switching your hips, and then driving into them and pushing them down. After that Coach showed the alternative to this reversal that deals with your opponent pushing back into. You basically go to option "A" from half guard and sweep them over their whizzer arm.

No rolling for me tonight. Rachelle had to leave early to pick up Kaelyn from play practice and since we brought the two youngest with us to jits, I had to leave and get them ready for bed.

New family picture...and no swim

Well, Hunter stayed home today with stomach cramps so there was no getting to the pool for me today. It's alright though because my body is liking this rest day in the middle of the week :) It'll be back to the grind tomorrow though!

On a different note, we had family pictures taken on Sunday evening just before sundown. We went out to Lovers Point near Pacific Grove and had a photographer snap some shots. This is one of my favorites -

9 Nov 09 - Day two of "month of the half guard" and lots of frustration

Workout: Strength training, core workout

Cardio: 30 minutes Bike

BJJ: Tonight we worked out of the guard, which is my safety position! We actually started with a sit out drill from all fours position to take the back, but then went to guard position sparring for several rounds. After position sparring Coach taught "Sweep A" - which is a fav of mine. After that he showed us a great defense for "Sweep A" when you're the one in the guard. From the knee up position you have to grab the outside arm's cuff, bring your inside arm to your opponents knee (on the same side you grabbed the cuff) and then stand up - and back. Next you pull them to the side and kill their hip with your foot while taking knee on belly position. It was pretty dang awesome...and simply...which made it even cooler :)

First roll was with Ryan C. (white belt). Ryan's a great guy and about 15 lbs smaller than me so I have to really focus on technique so he doesn't sneak out of anything :) Second roll was with Chris (new white belt). He really didn't know much and after subbing him several times I spent some time working with him on his defense in positions he found himself in...and how not to get there! Second to last I rolled with Mark G. (purple belt). He's always a great roll - and very smooth and technical. I pulled guard, attempted half guard, and he blasted past and put me in North/South. I defended subs and even got out once or twice, but thats pretty much where we stayed the entire roll. Last roll was with Dev K. (blue belt). To say it was embarrassing would be an understatement! I can count on my fingers the number of seconds it took him to not only crush my half guard, but to rip through it and man handle me. I got some great pointers and setups afterwards though and thats the beauty of training with Dev. Just like me, he'll give you the secrets to his success and expect you to exploit them next time :)

Bottom line for me tonight is this - I have to fail to succeed. I will never get better in this sport if I do not open myself up to be tapped, crushed, passed and humiliated.

"Impossible is just a word the lazy use to justify their reasons for never learning from their failures."

- Mike Sian, after being ripped apart on the mat on 9 Nov 09 :)

6 Nov 09

Workout: Strength training, core workout

Cardio: 30 minutes running

After Hunter got home from school we headed out for the Cub Scout "Dad and Lad" camping trip. Three days of all boys, woods, campfires and hiking. Good times :)

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

Hunter outside the tent - Day 1

On the archery range

Learning how to use a sling shot (watch out windows!)

BB Gun rifle range

Finished bird house. He measured, cut and built it himself!

5 Nov 09

Swim:

2 x 100 freestyle warmup

3 x 100 freestyle fin speed drills

5 x 100 freestyle speed drills

1 x 500 freestyle

4 Nov 09 - Day one in "month of the Half Guard"

Workout: Tri brick workout - bike/run

Cardio: See above :)

BJJ: Tonight I felt like I found Willy Wonka's golden ticket! Coach taught the entire class in half guard...YES! We started with the basic "plan A" which is bottom half guard. In "plan A" you setup a good under hook and stone squirrel cross face defense. Next you extend your same side leg as the under hook and shuck your opponents arm and take back control (how convenient for me since I worked back all last month - ha!). "Plan B" was a sweep when your opponent whizzers. You lock down the whizzer arm with your elbow. Next dive deep under your opponent and grab the opposite knee. Next sweep them over in the direction of their whizzer. After bottom side sweeps and reversals he showed a "sit out" negative half guard to improve your position, as well as a head walk around to get in negative half guard as well. The second I'd never scene before but have attempted something similar before......with very poor results :) At least now I have some idea of what I should be doing, and even used it several times during rolling.

Rolling went well...I guess :-p I have a rule that during this month I have to start out my fights from half guard. Not as easy to get to when you tell your opponents "I'm working half guard this month. If you see me doing it then crush it anyway you can." Yeah, good times for me. Anyway, I gamed my opponents tonight and intentionally picked white belts so that I could work some half guard without being immediately crushed. First, I rolled with Billy S. ( white belt) and had a good time trying to get into half guard and keep it. I even got a sweep from there tonight...bonus! Next I got Renato (white belt). Also swept him from half and arm barred him a couple times. Lastly I rolled with Courtney (white belt). Same thing as Renato.

Again, the money was after class when I rolled with Coach for over 30 minutes. Lots of great pointers from him about controlling your opponent, not rolling over and letting them get to top (just fight for it damn it!!! - that was for me), and transitioning to butterfly if your half guard is failing. It has been an amazing experience getting a chance to roll and talk with him after class over the last month. No matter how exhausted I am from the day's workouts I feel like a million bucks after getting it handed to me by him. Great, GREAT night! What a way to start out the "month of half guard"!

3 Nov 09

Swim:

2 x 100 freestyle warmup

3 x 100 freestyle buoy

5 x 100 freestyle

1 x 500 breast stroke

2 Nov 09

Workout: Weight training, core work

Cardio: 30 minute 3.4 miles

BJJ: No jits tonight. I volunteered to work security for the 10th Avenue North concert at Monterey Church.

1 Nov 09 - Defensive Tactics

Defensive Tactics: Good training today. We covered the "triple threat" from the under hook and pike. Like always we started light with a lazy hook with a helmet defense into the U/P. We covered the three basic variations of a leg grab attempt, head lock attempt and a stand up attempt. After that we worked it into a combative drill from a last week ending in the "S" position.

Lazy hook/helmet/under hook and pike/triple threat

- Foot grab attempt

- Headlock attempt

- Standup attempt

Jab/cross/double defense/jab/cross/round kick/helmet/under hook and pike

- Partner picked what "triple threat" attack to make

Next week Steve T. will be coaching combatives at the NPS gym while Hunter and I are camping with cub scouts.

30 Oct 09

Workout: Strength Training, core workout

Cardio: 30 mins Elliptical