The Path to Become a Great Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Practitioner

February 26, 2015February 13, 2015 Martial Arts Guy Leave a comment

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is quickly rising into one of the most popular forms of martial arts today. Just about everywhere you go you’ll see someone wearing a trademark Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi. However, if you look close enough, very few ever have the honor of wearing black Brazilian Jiu Jitsu belts.

This is mostly because it takes quite a long time to become a black belt in this specific martial art but it is also because many practitioners quit when they reach the blue belt. Many feel complacent and satisfied with the skills they have while others hit a wall and encounter sudden difficulty to move up the ranks.

Work on Body Mechanics

Body mechanics are your bread and butter when it comes to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Even when you are at home you need to practice the basic movement of an arm lock defense, a half guard sweep, and more. If you cannot perform them on your own then what are your chances of doing them when sparring?

You don’t need a sparring partner to do these moves – after all, if you were defending yourself in a fight, you wouldn’t look for a partner. You should be able to perform the moves on your own and that requires mastery of the body and every basic Jiu Jitsu move.

Do these in the morning, during your break time, before you go to bed, or even when you’re already at the training center. Compare it to cooking a single dish – the more you do it the more you’ll be able to do it without a guide. It’ll become natural and sooner or later you’ll have the confidence to experiment.

Just about all of the more difficult Jiu Jitsu techniques are built upon the basics so the only way you’ll get up there is to continually practice body mechanics.

Don’t be Afraid to Use Online Resources

The world of today is littered with online sources. With just a few clicks on the web and you’ll find all sorts of resources. The best resource is still YouTube because you’ll almost instantly find tutorial videos and others.

There is one issue with this though: you’ll most likely find videos that won’t do you any good. There are just so many tutorial videos that you could easily get lost amidst the dozens of choices. Some might be ideal for your needs while others will only lead you astray.

Some videos are made and sponsored by real Jiu Jitsu schools and have been carefully supervised by real Jiu Jitsu instructors, ensuring that everything you watch is intended for students to learn and pick up. Others are made by people who only think they are masters of Jiu Jitsu but may have never stepped in a real Jiu Jitsu school and have never worn a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi other than for a cosplay or for show.

The best way to get around this is to make sure you watch videos from official schools and certified instructors. The next step is to only focus on videos that emphasize techniques you are already good at or are currently learning.

Working on What You Know

As mentioned above, it isn’t advisable to learn a new technique from the internet. The best way is to still learn the moves from your instructor and then practice them with a sparring partner. When you do look online for a Jiu Jitsu video, get those that work on techniques you are already familiar with.

If you’re working on a specific guard or grapple, look online for videos that show the basic form is executed and then videos on how it can be manipulated. These will give you a lot to work on and you won’t find them difficult to comprehend because the technique is already familiar to you.

There are a lot of resources too. You’ll find online videos of Marcelo Garcia, Andre Galvo, Saulo Ribeiro, and other renowned Brazilian Jiu Jitsu masters. All it takes is a few clicks and you’ll be learning from the very best in the field.

Just don’t waste too much time watching videos when you should only be using them as a reference point for techniques you already know. These videos should on supplement your technique and refine what you have.

Stay at the Dojo/Academy

Always make it a point to be present at your dojo/academy. While you may learn a lot on your own, especially if you have fellow practitioners to spar with, nothing beats the environment of being with fellow students and learning from certified masters.

If you relocate often, make it a point to find a dojo and stick to the schedule. If you are busy with work, kids, school, or other commitments then at least try to come by once or twice a week so that you have something to work on when you are at home.

There is no shortcut to become a master Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner. It takes time and a lot of dedication but these tips will help you master the art. Soon you’ll be climbing up the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu belts before you know it.

Fundamentals That a White Belt Jiu Jitsu Student Should Learn

February 22, 2015February 13, 2015 Martial Arts Guy Leave a comment

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is not for the faint of heart – it is a very brutal martial art that has grown over the years into worldwide popularity. A lot of people are starting to realize how great BJJ is and many are even taking the time to give it a try. Some white belts move on and many others do not.

The white belt is the most novice level. As a white belt a person will only begin to understand the concepts and philosophies that define what Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is. It’s not about the fancy Jiu Jitsu gi or what rank a person is amongst the colored Jiu Jitsu belts.

It’s about mastering the very bare basics.

Master the BJJ Positional Hierarchy

There are many positions in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu but many instructors help their students identify which are the best and which are the worst. A white belt should be able to identify which position will put them in trouble and which positions they are dominating a match.

This hierarchy also adds a sense of order in a chaotic match. A fighter will be able to take a moment, realize what position they are in with their opponent, and strategize how they can move up the hierarchy ladder to win.

From best to worst, the hierarchy of positions is as follows:

Rear mount
Mount
Knee on Belly
Side control
Half Mount
Guard TopGuard Bottom
Turtle Top / Turtle Bottom
Half Guard Bottom
Side control Bottom
Knee on Belly Bottom
Mount Bottom
Rear mount Bottom

4 Questions for Dominant and Losing Positions

By understanding the hierarchy of positions a white belt has an advantage when it comes down to a match. Even when they are not in the dominant position and are threatened to submit, they can ask these questions to help strategize and take over the situation.

If a fighter’s opponent is the one in the dominant position then they should be asking themselves these two questions:

How can I properly and safely re-position my balance, limbs, and posture so I can avoid being submitted while in this current position?
How can I safely escape this current position and then move up to the next higher position on the position hierarchy?

If a fighter happens to be on the dominant position in a match then they should be asking:

How can I maintain my opponent and control my opponent so that they do not break free and escape this current position?
What are the most effective submissions I can do from this position?

These questions will help a white belt understand if they are winning the match or if they need to make immediate adjustments so they can turn the situation around to their favor.

Understand the Body Mechanics of Your Basic Techniques

A majority of a white belt’s time will be spent learning new techniques. After some time a white belt will be overwhelmed with the plethora of escapes, sweeps, throws, and submissions. This is where mastering of basic body mechanics becomes important.

You need to understand what each part of your body is doing. What is your left hand doing and where does your right hand go? What do your feet do while executing a certain move?

You also need to take consideration your weight and posture. Do you shift your weight to the side and turn as you grab and take the opponent down? Understanding how your body reacts to each basic movement is a crucial step in mastering each new technique.

The best instructors are those who focus on teaching the techniques like a dance. A technique can be split into several steps that the student will master slowly and surely as they put those steps into a continuous flow.

Do Not Eye the Gi Patches and Belts

As a white belt it is very important to stop paying attention to the fancy Jiu Jitsu gi patches and higher ranking Jiu Jitsu belts. Unlike other martial arts, it takes years for a person to escalate up the ranks of Jiu Jitsu. So stop worrying about your belt color and focus on your current lessons.

This is an area where many people fail. They often hear how long it takes to go up the ranks and immediately lose interest. Others fee complacent after learning the basics and fail to continue studying, thinking they have learned all they needed.

Stop looking at the blue belt. It will take months or even a year before you can wear that belt, so don’t waste time dreaming about what is inevitable. Instead, focus on what you need to learn right now and master every movement, every drill, and every technique bestowed upon you from your instructors.

They always say you need to keep your eye on the ball and that saying holds quite true for Jiu Jitsu.

Fun Facts About Kung Fu

February 18, 2015February 13, 2015 Martial Arts Guy 6 Comments

Kung Fu is one of the most popular martial arts in the world. Everywhere you go you will see Kung Fu movies, silk and satin Kung Fu belts or Kung Fu gi being sold for tournaments and students, and numerous schools that specialize in one or two different concentrations of Kung Fu.

However, as popular as it is, a lot of people look at Kung Fu the wrong way. Many people think of it as a dying, ancient art that is riddled with silly mythologies. Others only know what the movies show. That’s still a good thing because if it wasn’t for people like Jackie Chan then the world would’ve never paid attention to the art at all.

Don’t think that Kung Fu is all just about Shaolin monks with flying fists – the art is a very integral part of Chinese history and culture.

It Started as a Military Combat Art

The ancient legends state that Kung Fu may have started from the ancient Xia dynasty (c. 2100-1600 BC) and that it was a gift from the legendary Yellow Emperor Huangdi. The veracity of these legends is questionable since there are no written records but one thing is certain – Kung Fu was made for war.

The art of Kung Fu originated as a style of hand-to-hand combat for war. It’s mixtures of unarmed and armed techniques were designed to give soldiers an advantage over their opponents no matter what they had – or didn’t have – in their hands to fight with.

Written records about the earliest forms of Kung Fu date back to the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) but formal Kung Fu as people know it today became a concrete school of fighting during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD).

Kung Fu Doesn’t Use a Dojo

The word dojo is so common that everyone thinks it refers to any martial arts school but that is not the case. The proper word for a Kung Fu training center is Kwoon.

Dojo is word used for Japanese martial arts such as Karate, Aikido, and Judo. Foreign martial arts that have sprung from Japanese origin such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu also use the word Dojo. However, Kung Fu is Chinese in origin therefore it is only proper to use its original term.

Upon entering the Kwoon, a practitioner must bow 45 degrees and the hands are positioned at the chest, with the right hand in a fist while the left hand is an open palm. This represents the cycle of Yin and Yang. The open left hand, which is in line with the heart, represents the person is at peace.

Do Kung Fu Practitioners Wear a Gi and Belt?

When you think of martial arts it is almost impossible to not imagine men wearing a white gi made of woven cotton and a thick colored belt. However, the Kung Fu gi and Kung Fu belts are vastly different from most martial arts.

The concept of a white gi and a colored belt is purely from Japanese martial arts. Judo was the first martial art to introduce it during the early 1900s. When the first Judo school opened, they used altered the traditional kimono to become more appropriate for fighting.

Back during those early days, the belts were only white or black. White was for the beginners and black was for the advanced students and instructors. When the concept reached Europe and Brazil, more colors were added to help students identify what level they are in their road to mastering the art.

Kung Fu doesn’t really use these concepts. Some Western schools of Kung Fu will implement the use of belts – and these are beautiful, silk or satin belts – but as you go closer and closer to China the tradition tends to fade away.

The gi is also different for Kung Fu. Kung Fu gi pants are tight around the ankles instead of dropping loose and the same concept applies to the wrists. The frog-button clasps on the jacket are also very distinguishable, making a Kung Fu artist stand-out amongst his Japanese peers.

Drunken Style and the Five Legendary Animals

Jackie Chan popularized the drunken style of Kung Fu with his movies but the real drunken style, known as Zui Quan, is vastly different from what was shown. The techniques in the movie are all made up and the idea of actually drinking wine is also false.

Real Zui Quan is about imitating the movements of a drunkard to confuse the enemy. It is a very sly and complicated art. It is also widely practiced in Shaolin temples.

You’ll hear about all sorts of Kung Fu styles based on animals but in Chinese history there were only five: Crane, Deer, Tiger, Bear, and Monkey. Other styles such as Dragon, Leopard, Praying Mantis, and Snake were introduced much later.

These five animal styles are some of the oldest Kung Fu styles in China and were even second-hand documented during the 13th century.

How Jiu Jitsu Has Become More Practical Now Than Ever Before

February 16, 2015February 13, 2015 Martial Arts Guy Leave a comment

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a very brutal martial art when you’ve come to master it. It may take ten years to become a seasoned black belt but the pay-off is well worth the wait and effort. People who dare agree should just look at the professional BJJ fighters participating in MMA tournaments.

BJ Penn is one of the most renowned BJJ fighters in the world and is one of the only people to have earned the black belt in just three years. He has since switched to MMA after his appearance in UFC and his historical ladder of success has been a reminder to the world how powerful BJJ can be in the right hands.

There are many others like the members of the Gracie family who started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu after learning and altering the original art of Judo, Antonio Rodrigo Noguiero, Nick Diaz, and Jake Shields. If you need proof that BJJ is a formidable art, all you need to do is look at the masters.

Size and Strength No Longer Matter

One of the main issues with striking arts like Karate is that the force of an impact depends greatly on size and strength of the practitioner. A small person always a disadvantage compared to a hulking brute. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, this problem is eliminated.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is designed so that grabs, submissions, and locks are the most important techniques. Even a small person can throw and arm-lock a bigger opponent into defeat. The advantage of size and strength are gone because even a smaller, weaker opponent can outsmart their foe with a quick counter-lock and grapple.

This is mostly because of the use of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi. The gi allows any opponent a chance to grab and manipulate their foe.

Of course this is also why some critics call it impractical on the streets – in real life, people don’t wear gi or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu belts to distinguish skill and experience so how are you going to fight them then?

Fighting Outside of the Ring

Without the gi, without the belts, you would think that the techniques of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fall on the side. However, as any experienced Jiu Jitsu fighter would tell you, that misconception of the art is very wrong.

For one thing, people wear shirts, jackets, pants, and others. It’s illegal in just about every place in the planet to roam the city naked. If by some chance the person is wearing something that isn’t easily grabbed, Jiu Jitsu teaches its practitioners how the moves are done empty handed.

This means every technique is easy to manipulate so that they can be done in the real world. All the brutal throws, submissions, locks, and others can be done for self-defense and more.

Differences Between Kung Fu and Karate

February 13, 2015February 13, 2015 Martial Arts Guy Leave a comment

For the uninitiated, Kung Fu and Karate may seem quite the same. Both are Asian martial arts and both are quite popular in movies. However, there are many distinct differences that set one apart from the other – and it’s not just a different of Kung Fu belts being fancier than Karate belts.

As a matter of fact, the aesthetic of their uniforms are just the bare icing on the cake. Even a person untrained in these martial arts can identify one from the other. Their differences go beyond that though as their history and cultural revolutions are both entwined and separated at the same time.

Meaning of Kung Fu and Karate

Kung Fu is a very general term for all Chinese martial arts. There are a myriad of Kung Fu techniques and all of them are different from one another. The word “wushu” is the Chinese term referring to combat arts. Kung Fu or Gong Fu means “to reach enlightment/achievement through hard work”.

Karate is Japanese for “open hand”. This is a direct reference to the style because it primarily focuses on skills of an unarmed fighter. The older term was “kari te” which meant “China hand” and this refers to the history of the art’s Chinese origin.

History of Kung Fu and Karate

Kung Fu is the older of the two martial arts. The earliest forms of Kung Fu are, according to legend, as old as the quasi-mythical Xia Dynasty in China. This would make these original forms around 2,000 years old. They were said to be developed by the Yellow Emperor Huangdi to empower his soldiers at war.

Concrete forms of Kung Fu, which have gone on to form the modern arts used in China today, were developed during the Ming and Qing dynasties (from 1200 AD onward).

Kung Fu wasn’t just used for war. Its origins collide with ancient Chinese philosophies and were often taught to instill peace of mind and tranquility in a person’s life. It was built as a philosophical art as much as it was a physical combat form.

This became apparent when Shaolin monks took up the art and integrated Kung Fu into their daily lives at the monastery.

Karate, on the other hand, originates from the Ryukyu Islands, particularly in the area now known as Okinawa. Legends have it that an Indian Buddhist monk who was trained in Chinese Kung Fu visited the islands and bestowed his skills and knowledge to the locals of Okinawa.

From there, it grew independently from the styles of China and became its very own martial art with very different techniques, philosophies, and forms. Karate has branched out and now includes many sub-styles such as Shotokan, Shorin-ryu Shidokan, and Budokan.

Difference in Style

Kung Fu is often identified through the use of circular, flowing movements. There is often no pause in between technique training – the practitioner continues his flow of movement as he moves from one basic move to the next.

Karate is often identified as a more rigid martial art that utilizes linear strikes and crisp movements. There is a noticeable pause during the practice of Karate kata (movements).

This is why many think of Kung Fu as a soft style while Karate is a hard style. This isn’t a very accurate distinction because there are dozens of Kung Fu styles and all of them are different, so generalizing them into soft or hard categories won’t do them justice.

Difference in Uniform

The Karate gi is very distinguishable and easy to identify. Its origins are connected to the Judo gi since Judo – another Japanese martial art – was the original progenitor of the system wearing a gi and colored belt.

When you see someone wearing a white gi and a black belt, you know they are a practitioner of Japanese martial arts.

Kung Fu uses a very different uniform. Traditional Kung Fu gi is based on the silk and satin clothing of old men in China but it is altered to better fit for combat. Unlike the Japanese gi which uses loose and open sleeves, the Kung Fu gi is tight around the ankles.

Another distinguishing feature is the Kung Fu jacket. Where most Japanese gi are a combat spin-off of the traditional kimono, the Kung Fu gi is a comfortable jacket with frog-clasps that close the jacket down the middle.

Belts are also very different. Karate belts are colored to distinguish rank and skill. They are made from thick wool or cotton. Kung Fu belts are wide, soft, and made from silk or satin. In China they are only meant to close the jacket but in Western Wushu schools they are also used to determine rank and skill.

Which One is Better?

There is no determining which of the two is better. In theory, both martial arts are so different yet somewhat similar that neither has the advantage over the other. It all boils down to the skill and experience of the practitioner as well as their dedication to the martial art of their choice.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a Very Practical Form of Martial Arts

February 13, 2015February 13, 2015 Martial Arts Guy Leave a comment

When it comes to martial arts, many question whether the old traditional arts are practical when taken out of the ring. Some arts are purely for sports and there are now many wondering if grapple arts like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can be just as efficient in real life as they are on the mat or cage.

There has been a new growing interest in practical martial arts, particularly in striking arts like Filipino Kali, Pencat Silak, and Krav Maga. Judo, which is still the second most popular sport in the world despite its lack of presence on TV, is waning a bit because some people don’t think it works in real life.

The Practical Situation

Here’s why people don’t think Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Judo are practical for real life situations: one reason is because these martial arts depend greatly on the gi and the second reason is because they focus a lot on grapples and throws.

Striking arts like Karate, Wing Chun, and Kali are great for street fights because they allow a person to retaliate instantly. Judo and Jiu Jitsu need to be up close and personal in order to grab and manipulate an opponent. This is said to be a disadvantage when fighting several people at the same time.

That’s the theory, anyway.

The Internet Crowd

However, it is important to take note that most of the people stating these comments are people who have never stepped into a Judo or Jiu Jitsu dojo in their life. They mostly base their assumptions on videos and posts from forums.

They are the “know-it-alls” who flood the internet and continually make it a point to voice out their complaints whenever someone defends their chosen martial art. They think they have a vast sea of knowledge when in fact they haven’t earn their first belt.

Unfortunately, many people often believe what is posted on the Comment section of a video presentation than what the video itself. It is a remarkable study recently conducted – tested using mock medical videos and mock comments – and it shows that a lot of people put their trust in strangers commenting on the Internet.