An Uncertain Week

I am just about to leave for the airport - on my way to Bangkok.
With the PAD (peoples alliance for democracy) rebels having taken over the BAngkok airport, all my arranged flights have been cancelled. In fact, the country sits poised for what could evolve into a military coup.
When my travel agent told me it was impossible to get there - I had to come up with a scheme of my own. A friend (and student of mine) Craig Moorfoot, is in the same boat as I am - and so we have decided to attck the problem together. We will fly into MAlaysia, catch a flight tomorrow night to Phuket, hire a car and do the radical ten hour drive through the hills and up the peninsula to Bangkok. That's the plan in any case. Forty eight hours from now - all being well - I'll post again. I am sure there will be problems to solve and hurdles to overcome before then. But that's life - and we are problem-solving beings; so hopefully it will all work out. I need to be in Bangkok to keep an appointment on monday at lunchtime - we shall see.
Be well - gotta run.
JBW

New Zealand to Bangkok

Just finished the seminar in Napier at Shane Cox’s school. We had a blast going through a load of new open guard concepts, some high-crotch takedown principles and some new angles to take the back. At session’s end, the night was topped off with two new purple belts being awarded – one to Gareth Burke and the other to Daffydd Sweatman – as well as a few new blue belts; among them, Shane’s eldest son, Josh! After pics were taken and goodbyes all done, we headed home to Shane’s place for lovely dinner cooked up by Sue Cox (my lovely hostess) before hitting the sack.
After a great breakfast down at the waterfront with Shan, Phil and I began our four hour drive back up to Hamilton (thanks again Phil) in time to conduct an MMA seminar for Steve Wallace’s Incorporated Martial Arts group. This was my first time at Steve’s school, and what a nice bunch they are there. Sadly, Steve himself was away on a trip to Nepal – I am sorry to have missed him – in any case, we still managed to have a blast with the chief instructor, Reid, coming up from Taupo for the session. I look forward to sharing more mat-time with IMA in the new year.
The next morning, I headed to Wellington, where long time friend and Black Belt Geoff Grant picked me up from the airport. We had lunch at one of our cheap and nasty (but favourite) haunts. After heading back to Geoff’s place to jam my somewhat dirty Gi in the washing machine, we made our way down to Mt Victoria Dojo where I took a kids class for Kyokushin Instructors Chris and Jill Gower. Forty kids and an hour and a half later, I kicked off with an MMA class for the Kyokushin adults. We worked on Thai head control, counters, escapes and set-ups for the high-crotch takedown. A great session. That ended at 7:45pm and so I had 15 minutes to eat some protein and hydrate before the 8pm BJJ class were good to go. The mat, as usual, was totally packed – and our advanced BJJ session finished up around 10:30pm. After goodbyes were said, it was back to my hotel and four hours sleep before heading back to the airport at 4:30am. By 8am I was back in Australia where I was picked up at the airport by Melissa and Felix (wife and son).
I was supposed to be on the 2:30pm flight to Bangkok today, but as it turned out, my flight is cancelled. A mass of rebels have taken over the Bangkok International Airport and so all flights into Bangkok have been cancelled. I am trying for Friday or Saturday at this point – so it’s all a bit up in the air (no pun intended) at this point.
I best get out there and buy a couple of red and yellow T-shirts (what the rebels and Government group are wearing) just in case I need to blend in – in a hurry.
Home tonight with my family – what a bonus! More from Bangkok – if all goes to plan.
JBW

Here in New Zealand right now. Visiting good friends and conducting my last series of seminars for the year. Geoff Aitkens fantastic new school in Christchurch is very likely the biggest school in New Zealand. He and leonie have done an absolutely remarkable job in growing their school over the past two years. What an amazing accomplishment. I am in awe of their efforts.
I also had the distinct pleasure of being able to award Scott Benson his brown belt. Scott is a fixture as Geoff's academy and a real asset to the school. Congratulations Scott.
After leaving Geoff's place, I headed to Auckland to do a full days training for Ground Control, run by Mike Fooks and Glenn tarrant. We did an MMA session for the first two and a hlaf hours, had a quick bite and then did a solid 2 and a half hour BJJ session. These guys (and gals) are totally hard-core! Again, we conducted those sessions in the brand new Ground Control Academy - love the smell of new mats in the morning!
I write this blog in Hamilton, after teaching for Karl Norton this morning in Auckland and Phil Beale in Hamilton this afternoon. Karl has started a dedicated BJJ class now and numbers are growing - I am excited to see how well it will grow over the next 12 months; they have a very solid core of starters.Phil in Hamilton is a very nice guy; his group is also growing well, with their first Hamilton-grown blue belt being awarded the rank today - congratulations Errol. Nice to see Travis playing such an active and important role in the growth of the Hamilton club as well. Nice to see so much of you this weekend Trav!
Tomorrow morning (not that far away), Phil is driving me down to see my friend Shane Cox in Napier. We always have a blast there - I can't wait.
Best go - time to call my family - and check a few e-mails.
Back on in a day or two - before I head to Bangkok for some Muay Thai training.
Best wishes,
JBW

Game Diagnostics

Here is a very powerful method (one that I often employ as a professional coach) of identifying a starting point to improving someones 'game'. I developed this diagnostic tool about 15 years ago, and it has helped me help others ever since.
HERE'S WHY IT WORKS:
Almost in every case a student is exposed to and learns BJJ techniques in a very 'unbalanced' way. For example, they may know 10 ttacks form side control, 12 sweeps from the guard - but not know one thing about escaping the 'north-south' position. Another way of putting this is that they may have a blue or purple belt level of skill in some areas of their game but a white belt level of skill i other areas. obviously, this is not ideal. My diagnostic model simply highlights those areas of the game where we have weakness and allows us to address them and make our game more well-rounded.
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:
We make a chart that highlights all of the main positions that occur during grappling. Firstly, for each and every one of those positions, we must assign a technique that we can employ with no hesitation. These techniques we call 'IA's' - or Immediate Actions. In short a students 'game' is determined by the IA's he or she assigns to each position.
Secondly, there must be three IA's assigned to each position - our preferred ATTACK - our preferred TRANSITION - and our preferred ESCAPE.
The ATTACK - should be the attack we feel most confident about.
The TRANSITION - if we are losing our position we should have exit strategy in place. Ie: where are we transitioning to if we are losing our position.
The ESCAPE - if we are the one's caught in the position (eg: under the mount, etc) wich is our favourite escape.
The important thing here is that each of these Immediate Actions - should be just that 'IMMEDIATE'! it is important that we access them right away and don't find ourselves scratching our heads and trying to decide which technique to use - when under pressure. In the high-end military and law enforcement world for example - they use the Immediate Action strategy for many situations that require a learned and appropriate response under pressure. The firearm jams - we 'drop-tap-tap-rack'. IA's save lives!
I am very confident that everyone will find my Diagnostics Model to be very useful.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MY GAME-DIAGNOSTICS TOOL >>

Hand in the Gourd

I suppose most of you have heard of the old Monkey Trap, wherein the Monkey reaches into the Gourd to pull out the banana but can't take his hand out without letting the banana go - end result, he is still stuck there two or three days after first reaching in to extract his delicious treat.
What makes this so interesting to me is (as always) why it works. I am almost certain it goes like this .... the monkey is looking for a one-step solution to a two-part problem.
To remove his hand, he needs to complete step one: let go of the banana before moving on to step two: pulling his hand out. His brain seeks a one-step solution - which doesn't exist - and so he can't make his escape.
The exact same principle exists within the landscape of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Escaping a tight 'side control' for example, almost certainly requires a multi-step solution - but our first (natural) instinct is to seek a one-step solution. Almost always, a one-step solution does not exist - and we remain stuck the side control.
Once we get our heads around the fact that the answer lies in the multi-step approach - things start to look a little better.
Another way I like to explain this idea is by asking students if they think they can pick up a woollen sweater and rip it in half - pretty difficult. But by finding the right thread, it may be very possible to start pulling and eventually unravel the whole thing. This idea is key to developing effective escapes. We should begin, not by trying to blast out in one big move - but by looking for the right thread that will begin to unravel the opponents position.
if we are 'deep in it' - then it will almost always take us a series of steps to dig ourselves out. if we are only a little way in trouble, then the process of getting out may indeed be a single-step process.
Deep in - start digging - small steps - find the thread.
Hope this helps,
JBW

technology

Although I harbor a deep love of things natural, wilderness adventures, etc - I have to admit, I also love technology and the opportunities it brings.
This week, for instance, I taught three 'remote classes' to students living in different time zones - something, that a few years ago, would have been an impossibility.
All we needed to make it all happen was a computer at each end with a camera.
At my end - I use my Apple Mac laptop, all of which come standard with a camera built into the screen and i-chat software. An internet connection completes the picture and we are all good-t0-go. My students, usually with the same kind of set-up, just plonk their computers on the mat where they are ready to go with their training partner. The only pre-requisite for this arrangement to be a success, is that the students must be able to respond well to verbal instructions - and although that sounds easy, it isn't an arrangement that suits everyone. They must also be appreciative of detailed instruction that really helps.
This kind of teaching is actually a little harder than me getting on the mat with the student in person - as it requires an almost endless stream of conversation - fairly taxing after 45 minutes or so. But we get great results - and the fact that people can be trained up technically, despite the hassle of great distances, is really amazing.
Fifteen years ago, if I wanted learn something I didn't know anything about, I had to spend thousands of dollars, getting on a plane and traveling, being away fro work and family to achieve my goals - now, that is no longer an absolute necessity.
technology has really made the world mat - a smaller place.
JBW

Finding Energy

The past week has been a very taxing one for myself and my family. As the 'new age' types would put it - 'we have had a few challenges' this past week. That, coupled with a super-hectic seminar schedule on the weekend, followed by my usual swag of private classes and lessons this week, has left me feeling in need of a holiday. But the reality is that I have a couple of classes to teach only an hour or so from now - and for me personally, a big part of being a martial artist, is finding the wil to take another step forward when I feel like lying down.
Paradoxicaly, no matter how I feel, once I step onto the mat, I seem to rally the energy to complete the task ahead. That's the funny thing about 'energy' - when you put out the effort, and the sweat starts flowing, you always feel better for doing so.
It seems that there is a universal law at play here - the more you give, the more you receive - the more you put in, the more you get out. Training in the martial arts has always been an uplifting and highly positive experience for me - one that always leaves more fully charged for having participated. Every day I train - is simply a better day.
When in doubt - simply step onto the mat.
JBW

Flying Visit

This is another AIRPORT Blog. Waiting for my flight home from Sydney - and, as seems 'par for the course' with Jetstar Airlines, the flight has been cancelled and is now leaving three hours later. Time to write a blog!
I have just finished a big weekend in Sydney - after flying up on friday and heading out to Bargo to teach for David a Jacqui Suker. Firstly, I have to thank my good friend Steve Perceval, who did the airport pick-up and driving. He also arranged my accomodation in Penrith (something he certainly doesn't have to do - but always does) - he is such a good friend and loyal student; I appreciate both his company and his help, every time I come to Sydney!
After we finished our session at Bargo, we sat down to the great home-cooked feast that Jacqui always prepares for us. Chicken, steaks, salads, fresh roast vegetables, etc. It is always such a pleasure to sit down and eat with the Sukers at their great facility in Bargo. These people are the salt of the earth!
After a short nights sleep, I was picked up again next morning by Steve and taken over to Luke Pezzutti's Lions Den in Kingsgrove. Luke, owner and operator of CFC (cage Fighting Championships) has been a long time student and black belt of mine. He has put a load of work into his CFC show - which is without doubt, the best in this art of the world.
After Luke's session, we headed back to Penrith, to Steve's Ultimate Fighting Arts Centre. There we went through some advanced escape principles and some attacks from my own 'secret stash'. All were sworn to secrecy!
Then we leapt into the car once again and headed into the city to Rick Spain's school. This Australian martial arts legend is a real favourite of mine. Constantly re-inventing himself and redefining his approach to the study of martial arts, Rick runs one of the best schools in Sydney. I had the pleasure and the privelage of being able to grade him to the rank of Brown Belt this visit. Congratulations Rick!!
The best candidate for the most 'enthusiastic student of the year' award, would have to be George Adams. I have rarely met anyone who was more excited about training than George. As someone who has suffered more than one life-threatening accident, he is in many ways, a real inspiration. George attended Steve's seminar and followed us over to Rick's for more. Afterward, he treated Steve and I to dinner at a Brazilian Churrascaria! Yum! Thanks George - that was awesome.
Another quick sleep and it was time to be picked up by my mate Richard Sargeant, (student of Steve Percevals') and taken over to Michael Scotts in Cambelltown. Michael has a mat full of fantastic students, all a pleasure to teach. I taught the basics of my new 'open guard' method - something that I have developed over the past two years. We had a blast.
I was then picked up by the always awesome Kathryn Hamblin and taken over to Fari Salievski's school in Liverpool. Fari was trying to make it back from England in time for the session but came directly from the airport just as the session was winding up. Sorry you couldn't make it Fari - all I can say is beware the anti-Fari techniques that I just taught your students! They loved it. I am sure you will too!
After saying a quick 'hello and goodbye' to my friend Fari - I spent several hours with Joe Ingrati at his school in Maroubra. We covered a load of my new MMA concepts and training ideas. I am sure that Joe's students will be in for some fantastic classes in the weeks and months to come.
Well - that was my weekend; I now have an hour or two to eat, answer some emails and finish writing this blog before I head back home to Geelong. Looking forward to the next weekend - when I will be spending time with my much missed family.
Have a great week,
best respect,
JBW