Another reminder for this year's Will-Machado gathering in Melbourne. The dates are set - September 8th & 9th. On the Saturday, we will have our comp - with teams coming from all corners of Australia and New Zealand - while on Sunday, we'll spend a great day on the mat with grappling Genius, Rigan Machado.

ONLINE REGISTRATIONS can be made RIGHT HERE.

This is the one time in each calendar year that we can get together as a family - as a huge group of like-minded people, all sharing the same passion and purpose. This is the best networking opportunity of the year - so lock the weekend into your calendar now.

And this year - we will offer an open division for each rank - giving competitors at least several opportunities on the mat.

So make your travel plans now.  JBW

Technical Development ...

At elite level - in almost every endeavour I can think of - we see constant exposure to 'technical development' ... medicine, architecture, athletics, and yes, even combat sports like boxing and kickboxing. But as far as MMA goes, I do not see this happening as much ...

I was having a discussion with my pal Dave Meyer about this yesterday and we both feel it is simply because there are simply too many moving parts to the ever-evolving puzzle that is MMA. When we have fewer moving pieces (possibilities/techniques) we tend to hone in on one particular aspect more easily and refine and develop it - but with MMA, athletes have to cover so much ground (boxing, kick-boxing, stand-up clinch work, takedowns, BJJ, ground and pound) that most of the time is spent just getting the sparring done (in each of these areas) and participating in the general training for each of these areas (not even considering other things like strength and conditioning) - that there is little or no time left for 'technical development'.

I think this needs to change. Each day - some time should be set aside for very specific techical development. Ie: pick a specific problem/challenge, come up with a solution for it, design a training regime for that solution and work it. Maybe one problem a week - easy - by the end of the year you will have drilled for fifty odd problems. Now I get that this is over-simplifying - but it does need to happen - in some form or other.

Investing a little time in Technical Development - will p[ay huge dividends in the long term.
JBW

Unearthed problems are opportunities

We are problem-solvers.
We gain skills by developing solutions to problems.
before we can find solutions to problems we first need to do something that is at first, counter-intuitive - we must EMBRACE the problems. Embracing problems, facing them head-on is the first step to finding solutions to them - and the first step toward gaining the kinds of life-skills that really, really count.
On the mat - we contend with each other; not to determine a winner and a loser - but to help each other expose our weaknesses, so we can (together) ways to shore them up - and become more and more skilled. We contend to unearth each others weaknesses - to illuminate the 'problem' and take steps toward the development of a solution.
It is the same off the mat - problems, at first, can seem like obstacles standing in the way of our 'happiness' - the way I look at them though, is as 'training tools', as 'markers' guiding me toward an ever-growing set of skills that I can use to steer me happily and successfully through life. I love unearthing problems ... both on and off the mat: JBW

The 2012 Gathering

I have just finished preliminary planning for this year's Will-Machado gathering in Melbourne. The dates are set - September 8th & 9th. On the Saturday, we will have our comp - with teams coming from all corners of Australia and New Zealand - while on Sunday, we'll spend a great day on the mat with grappling Genius, Rigan Machado.

ONLINE REGISTRATIONS can be made RIGHT HERE.

This is the one time in each calendar year that we can get together as a family - as a huge group of like-minded people, all sharing the same passion and purpose. This is the best networking opportunity of the year - so lock the weekend into your calendar now.

And this year - we will offer an open division for each rank - giving competitors at least several opportunities on the mat.

I really look forward to this date ... loving it. - JBW

Two sides of the BJJ coin

BJJ has always been driven by competition. The competitive arena is where new techniques undergo the ultimate pressure-test. Counters are developed - new techniques and strategies are overhauled ... the process never ends. Such is the evolutionary process that underpins modern BJJ. new Guard Games, like the 50/50, the inverted style guards, reverse de la Riva and others have featured strongly over the past couple of years - and no doubt other evolutions will occur in feature over the next couple. But this whole trend represents only half of the BJJ equation ...

We should never lose sight of the idea that BJJ is a martial art. The original idea was to develop a method of self defence via physical control through deep understanding leverage and bio-mechanics. As far as self defence goes, we cannot afford to neglect rock-solid BJJ fundamentals ... fundamentals such as positional control, correct and tactical use of weight and solid finishing skills. These aspects of BJJ, and others, are of more use in 'real world' self defence than a berimbolo or deep half guard sweep; which have little or nothing to do with 'real world' self defence.

I am not sitting in judgement as to which side of the coin holds morte value - they are both important; one is more akin to high-end algebraic equations that are used to describe abstract mathematical concepts; while the other is like having a head for basic math that can be applied on the spot while buying our groceries.

I think we need a balance - as we do in all things. We should perhaps consider making a clearer distinction between the sporting and combative faces of the art we all love ...
JBW