Interpreting the ranks in BJJ ...

On my recent visit to Perth last weekend - i was asked by a few people to explain the relative differences in the various ranks of BJJ. I thought others may be interested , so here;s a quick overview:

Blue Belt: this is the rank awarded to someone who has a good overall understanding of groundwork. He or she has not necessarily developed any "favourites" yet - but is equally conversant with passing, sweeping, attacking with chokes, armbars and armlocks and has basic escapes from most common positions. All in all, this rank is about a good, overall solid foundation.

Purple Belt: This person has absorbed and understands about three times as much material as the new blue belt. So technically, has many more options in terms of attack and defence. Apart from the extra time and experience on the mat, and having a lot more "arrows in the quiver", the purple belt is someone who us starting to define and conceptualize his or her "game". In other words, this is someone who has worked out a few favourite passes, sweeps and finishes, and knows how most people react to these "favourites" and has a set of plan "B"s. to back them up. So as well as extra "breadth" to their game, they are starting to develop depth.

Brown Belt: The brown belt is someone who has been on the mat for quite some time - 6 to 8 years, on average. And so has a tremendous wealth of knowledge in terms of technique and strategy. What separates the brown belt from the purple is usually the ability they have at solving problems. The brown belt understands the language of bio=mechanics and leverage - they are able to "work through" the problems that arise on the mat, and begin to solve problems regularly, hence, they are at the threshold of being able to coach/instruct well.

Black Belt: Basically, a mature brown belt. Loads of experience, with not only an extremely broad knowledge base, but lots of depth to it as well. By this I mean, that for most techniques, the black belt will understand how people are most likely to react to specific techniques, and has drawn his plans to include these reactions when formulating combinations and instructing others.

I hope that helps with some planning issues - the journey is so much fun; so apart from these guidelines, remember that the most important thing is to enbjoy the training and have fun all the way.
I won't be hitting the keyboard for another week or so - I'm on the operating table later this week, so will slow down till mid next week at least. till, then, train well and avoid too many hyper-extensions.
JBW

head to head ...

Hello all - again, forgive the typo's - got to be quick , hitting the mat for a morning of privates in 10.

A few white belts have asked me this question of late - (how to prevent an opponent from always driving us backward and forcing us to always play guard) there may be others with the same problem - so here are a few tips:

Ultimately, you will need to learn and develop a couple of good attacks from 'head to head' (starting position). And not just leg shoots, where if it fails, you are underneath.
Starting this way at the beginning of a session is just an artificial start and so doesn't really metter - as fights don't start that way - however, there all loads of times when you find yourself 'head to head' and so you do really need skills there: eg: when you shoot for the legs and he sprawls - when you escape side control to your knees - when he backs out of your guard and you follow him up ....

Anyways - basics for not going back into guard from head to head:
1 - stay on your knees - not up one one foot.
2 - 'gorilla back- ... ie: belly pushed forward , shoulderspulled backward and hips down as low as you can get them - so that your spine is very straight and not curved (hunchback)
3 - 'bulldog neck' - ie: weld a steel plate at the back of your neck the same way you do when someone grabs your head in thai neck control
4 - 'tyranosaurus arms' - ie: arms held in tight - not to give your oponent levers to grab.

Now - no-one should be able to push you over backwards - you may slide backwards along a very slippery mat - but you won't fold over backwards.

Strategies: from there, try working to a position where you get you butt heads with your opponent - then angle off to the side and get your head 9and body properly lined up behind it) angled into the side of your opponents head - if you do this - you can now just drive forward and you will turn anyone over with leg-driven power. In other words, get you head to the side of theirs, and drive in hard - they wil be the ones going back into guard.
This advice comes with a money-back guarantee - enjoy

JBW

Training with injuries

it has been a while since i last logged onto the blog page and said hello. my apologies to those who have taken the time to visit our site and check up - i shall try to be more frequent with my ramblings.
A week ago i suffered a serious elbow dislocation - throwwing a punch in the air of all things - and the next day, when it was being pulled (tugged and wrenched - commonly called 'manipulation') back into alignment, a bone spur apparently broke off and is now stuck/jammed in the joint. I am waiting for surgery - and so typing this is a bit of a hassle.

Training through injuries is something i have always done - unless I can't walk, and even then, i try to do something. this keeps you in good tone - and helps with post-op recovery. i have had four operations on my knees - and the last two saw me back on the mat within a week of surgery. this is largely due to the fact that i kept up good muscle tone right up to the day of surgery. So as long as we don't make the injury worse - i always suggest to people, 'push on' , find a way to train with the injury. it may even give you a chance to work other parts , areas of your game, that you would have otherwise neglected.
here's hoping you are all off to a good start in 2006.
See you on the mat soon,
JBW