Home at last ...

It's great to be back home after my trip to mongolia/Siberia.
See the site for a small bit on wrestling with Mongolians at the beijing airport - an event, which set the tone for my whole 9 day trip. As those who have travelled extensively know, we are so very, very lucky here in Australia/new Zealand - our standard of living is the highest in the world - my recent trip re-enforced this concept for me.
The Mongolians in particular, are an amazing people - seeing four year old kids pull themselves up onto horseback and gallop off into the wilderness, is in itself an amazing sight. Their three 'manly sports' are horsemanship, archery and wrestling - and as a race they take great pride in being proficient at these three things. A passionate people, a wild country - and beautiful landscape.
So it's back on the mat for me tonight - and I am looking forward to it. This weekend, i will be travelling to Canberra to conduct a seminar for danny Weir's school, and then i will be working the following day for the Australian Defence Forces, before coming home and spending a precious sunday with my family.
Good training to all - see you on the mat soon.
Best regards,
JBW

Mapping your game

Try thinking of your grappling game like this - you have just arrived in a new city to live, you don't know anything about it, you just know where you live; you have no street directory but you need to find your way around becasue you start work as a taxi driver i a few eeks time - what do you do?
Well - instinctively, you will be drawn to the najor landmarks - you will work out how to find your way to a few well-known locations at first, and gradually begin to build yourself a mental map. Over time, you wil begin to establish convenient relationships between the various locations - relationships that will become incresingly more familiar as time goes by - shortcuts, work-arounds, etc. As more time goes by, you will get to know all the major landmarks and a considerable number of lesser-known ones, and so your mental map begins to fill out.
This is just one of the ways in which are minds work - we are natural explorers and we all have this amazing ability.
So try looking at your grappling game the same way - first of all, begin by identifying the few 'major landmarks' where you feel comfortable (read: positions) , then clarify how you get from one to the other (without getting lost); then do the same with your 'attack plan' - try identifying little 'sets' or 'groups' of attacks from the various 'landmark positions' and strat to build yourself a 'game map'.
I like using this method with beginners, as it works naturally with the way we have evolved as humans - it utilises the way in which our brains process information and try to put things into an organized structure - and so, it works quickly. You may even take the process a step further and try drawing this as a map on a large bit of laminated paper with a white board marker(so you can amend and change as you learn) - or just pick one small part of your game - like your 'guard' for example: Do you know how to go from 1/2 guard to hooks guard, from hooks guard to closed guard - and visa versa - have you got those transitions clearly 'mapped' then once you have the guard you want, are you equally clear on what your initial/preferred attack is going to be - becasue you need to be clear; if you're not clear, then while you are busy 'head-scratching', your opponent is doig stuff, evil stuff, and we don't like that! So map it out - bit by bit - don't be frustrated by the process - because the fun is IN the process - and it takes a long time.
This is a good starting point for beginners though - and will offer good results. Have fun - I will be away for about nine days - of to Mongolia/Siberia - where's that jacket??
Safe training - look after each other.

JBW

Off to Monglian Siberian border

I will be away next week - for about 9 days. As I'm heading to a remote part of Mongolia - up near the Siberian border - there will be no access to computers or technoogy - so i will be off radar completely for a bit. I may regale you all with tales of fermented yaks milk and the like upon my return.
i will more than likely get another chance to post before i head out - or perhaps again from beijing, on the way - but until I return, good training and good living to all. i look forward to catching up with those who I do not often see on the rest of my seminar schedule later this year.
Best wishes,
JBW

Boost for W.A

I've just arrived back from Perth - where i taught seminars for Steve Stevenson, Mike Holmes, Paul Marsden, Adam Metcalf and Troy Flugge. It was a milestone trip for W.A as Adam metcalf was promoted to brown Belt, making him the highest ranked BJJ instrcutor in that state. he is well deserved of his new belt, as he has been a major driving force behind BJJ in Perth for quite a few years now. Adam runs the tournament scene - and has developed a strong cadre of blue and purple belts of his own. Whilst there, i also graded Stacy Cartwright to the rank of Purple belt; this also reflecting here outstanding perfomance as one of the top female competitors on the planet. Well done both.
Thanks to all over there - especially to my good friend Steve Steveson who chauffeurs me around from place to place and keeps me fed! Although, the likelyhood of him reading this blog - is next to zero.
Thanks again - safe training.
JBW