Fedor v Cro Cop HL Pride Final Conflict August 2005

Cael Sanderson - HL Clip

Wrestling as a sport in this country goes mostly unnoticed but as combat athletes wrestlers are second to none. Well renowned for their base, balance, cat like reflexes and aggression the goal is to get a pin or takedown whilst never stalling the game. Unlike jiu-jitsu they never land on their back at all costs, which can attract some bad jokes, think Roy and HG. Many wrestlers have paved the path in MMA including Henderson, Couture, Koscheck, Lindland, Randleman and Coleman. When good wrestling is combined with boxing skills and a solid submission defence you have a very difficult opponent indeed. I like wrestling because it provides a great contrast and balance to jiu-jitsu training which can be very laid back and lazy at times where as wrestlers always go at 110%. One of the best things about training at Extreme is that John Donehue and Chris Brown bring this perspective to our training. Developing our takedowns and clinch skills are vital to becoming a well rounded grappler and wrestling should be your blueprint for these skills.

Cael Sanderson is an American wrestler and current head wrestling coach at Iowa State. A 2004 Olympic champion, he also went undefeated in four years of college wrestling (159-0), including four consecutive NCAA titles (1999-2002) and was the first NCAA wrestler to go undefeated with more than 100 wins. Sports Illustrated named his college career as the No. 2 most outstanding achievement in college history. He was also the 2003 World Championship silver medalist, and a three-time national freestyle champion (2001-03). Not bad eh? Enjoy this clip of some of his international matches. At the 2.39 mark of the clip Cael breaks his opponents nose after snapping his head to the mat, and the guy dosent miss a beat and just keeps wrassling. Now that is commitment. I named one of my sons after this guy because I really Iike the name but also out of respect and admiration of his achievements as a combat athlete.

Champions Cup Photos From Flickr

Here is the link for a series of 34 photos taken at the recent Champions Cup........

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienelaroche/sets/72157602129941196/

Lots of fantastic high quality shots of the Extreme Crew. Also some photos from the ADCC qualifiers held earlier this year.

Randy v Gonzaga HL clip.

Jiu Jitsu in MMA HL Clip Part 2

Pan Pacs 2007 7 weeks away

Just a reminder that the Pan Pacs is only 7 weeks away this Saturday. To be held at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Saturday 17th November from 10am. So if you are interested in competing let me know and we can start getting organised. I have listed the adult weight categories below so if you need to cut or increase weight you can get started now. There is a 3kg Gi allowance. The weights are in Portugese (and kilograms!). Am keen to get a group of guys from Mornington to the line with this tourney. We had a great time last year so lets try and do it again. Please dont wait until the last minute to decide, now is the time to start increasing your mat time.

ADULT WEIGHT CATEGORIES

Peso Pluma - Under 61 kilograms
Peso Pena - 61-67 kilograms
Peso Leve - 67-73 kilograms
Peso Medio - 73-79 kilograms
Meio Pesado - 79-85 kilograms
Pesado - 85-91 kilograms
Super Pesado - 91-97 kilograms
Pesadissimo - 97+ kilograms
Absolute - Weight Unlimited

Shinya Aoki Flying Arm Bar

After missing watching Jason finish the final of his division at the Champions Cup with a flying arm bar I thought I would post another master of the move, Shinya Aoki, teaching the setup for the technique from both an orthodox clinch and same foot forward. Enjoy.

Aoki flying armbar
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Marcio Feitosa -Open Guard Sweep Sequence

Some great details and concepts in this clip in dealing with someone standing with grips on your shins, isolating an arm and then setting up the basic tripod sweep from open guard. This is then repeated and turned into a partner drill. Also interesting is letting go of the arm once sweep is completed, instead of hanging on as usual, to stop the other person re-establishing their base and recovering position. Notice how Feitosa posts on his own elbow and foot and then stands with the foot he has control of only when the other person attempts to sit up. This would be a great sequence to drill.

BJ Penn Instructional Clip No-Gi 101 Sequence

Why do we roll light?

Last Tuesday we started the second class by rolling lightly without any submissions. This as usual lasted at least 30 sec before the ego kicked in and everyone tried to force their respective games. I stopped and asked what the benefit of this type of relaxed sparring was aiming to achieve. And as a group the right answers all appeared, things such as working on weak areas in our game, improving our ability to anticipate our partners movements, try techniques/positions we wouldnt normally use, improve our escapes and develop flow. Essentially all these elements accelerate our technical progress in jiu jitsu. For me, the teaching formula has always been very simple. Teach, Practice and Apply. Combine these three things with Progressive Resistance, Drilling and Proofing and all bases are covered. But as a student/teacher it is always important to realise what your objectives are in each exercise you do on the mat. Are you there to learn or to compete? When competing gets in the way of technical progress then we have a problem. If you are not sure, then ask. Better a moments embarrasment than a lifetime's worth of ignorance. Improved technical abillty allows you to compete, when it actually matters, with more success and confidence in an upward spiral. The opposite happens when your ego gets in the way and you always want win, when it actually doesnt matter, instead of learning. You do the math and decide what's best next time we roll light. As an example watch these two nobodies play guard passing for ten minutes.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu legends BJ Penn and Leo Vieira sparring

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Jiu Jitsu in MMA HL Clip

Kid Yamamoto HL Clip

Style or Substance By John Donehue

This is a re-print of an article that appeared in FightTimes magazine back in October 2005 by the Head Coach of Extreme Jiu Jitsu and Grappling.

Style or Substance by John Donehue

Developing your own style or game in BJJ or Grappling sometimes can be one of the most confusing things for the beginning to intermediate level student. Should I be a guard player and if so open or closed. Or maybe a half guard specialist. What about playing from the top, always keeping the pressure to pass or looking for the takedown. Or maybe I will just be a submission guru and submit everybody no matter what position I am in.

Here also lies the problem of when we see a standout competitor who plays a certain style and we think well that's cool I'll just do what he does. He's coming out here soon so once I have done the seminar I will be a lot closer to playing his game as I will learn all the secrets there.

Unfortunately that just never is the case or at least to the degree that we would like it. Let's look at a few examples:

Marcello Garcia who has a great half-guard game that everybody knows is coming but he still manages to use it effectively against his opponents even when outweighed considerably.

'Jacare' who is and incredibly gifted natural athlete. Some of his moves are so explosive and unexpected that most of his opponents don't know how to deal with him.

'Leozinho' moves like no one else. He always looks to be a step ahead of his opponents. His speed and reflexes are pound for pound better than anyone else out there right now. He comes up with the most unexpected moves that make it very hard for his opponents, as they don't know what is coming next.

'Pe de Pano' has a great guard that almost always ends up in a sweep or a submission. He uses his size very well. He has come into a few competitions not in the best of shape but can get away with it to a point because the game he plays is so strong.

Now in going back and looking at all these competitors they all have their own style that works well for them but sometimes it's for a few reasons. One of the common threads is their physical ability but you also have to look at their genetic traits.

Garcia for example is short and stocky which means a low centre of gravity with very flexible hips. Having shorter strong limbs makes a lot of the things he does easier than someone who for example is tall and skinny.

'Jacare' is an athlete who would most likely excel in most dynamic type sports. No matter how many weights or plyometrics you do you cannot beat genetics and fast twitch fibres if that is appropriate for your sport. You can certainly improve it but you cannot beat it.

'Leozinho' is like a smaller version of Jacare but with more natural feel and sensitivity. His ability to be a step ahead and his superb fitness are hard to beat.

'Pe de Pano' is again genetically gifted for the game he plays as he around 6'5 and 260 pounds with most of the weight in his legs and hips which means it is very hard to resist the combined strength and weight of his lower torso.

The other thing to bear in mind is none of these guys really have the same game as their instructor. They are individuals who have a genetic disposition that they used very well to develop their own style. Obviously their instructor has been instrumental in their development but they have all developed their own style.

Now does that mean that I am wasting my money going to their seminar? No not at all. If there is one thing that you can pick up that can help your game improve and you're serious about your training then it is worth it. If you go to a seminar that seems to be more about the 'wow' factor and the hug photo than substance then that is a personal decision on how you choose to spend your money and everyone is different.

Just don't go to the seminar expecting to walk out with the half-guard from hell like Garcia when you are 6'5" or be doing on your knees Pe de Pano big hip sweeps when you weigh 100 pounds dripping wet.

Go there looking to add something different to your game because years down the road that's what it will be... your game!

Art of the Takedown HL Clip

Art of the Takedown (Zen Master Blaster)

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Single Leg Takedown's

Here is a short clip of a Standard Single Leg....
Single Leg Takedown Demonstration

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From a high crotch set-up and a follow to takedown....


HL Clip of 8 good single leg attacks in junior wrestling with a variety of finishes to achieve a takedown...

Braulio Estima - Keeping your open guard

Mayhem Miller-Ninja Roll

Here is a funky little move to play with.......bit of a party trick.

Jason Mayhem Miller Nija Roll Choke

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Cael Sanderson - Setting up Takedowns

Carlos Machado-Hooks in Sweep with Double Sleeve Grip

A bit deep for some but here goes......

Had lots of good feedback about Matt Thornton, so here is another interview that in some ways goes a bit deeper than just functional martial arts training and teaching methodology. So it may not suit all but I share his views entirely, infact I find it inspiring in my dream to open my own full time gym. Build it and they will come. Normal programming will resume again shortly.

Rigan Machado - Hooks In Guard Pass x2

Here are two clips of Rigan Machado teaching two guard passes with Cindy Omatsu. Bad audio but if you turn up the volume you can get the idea.

Marcio Feitosa -No Gi Standing Guard Pass

Cesar Gracie- Basic Standing Guard Pass

Aliveness in Martial Arts Training

Here are two clips of Matt Thornton of Straight Blast Gym (SBG) talking about his training philosophy and teaching methodology.
It is all aimed at improving functional aspects of martial arts training and I would suggest you watch these clips at least seven times. (yes, seven.)

Larry Papadopolus v Akihiro Gono 2000

Here is a HL clip of Boxing Works head coach and Extreme Brown belt Larry Pap fighting a shooto bout back in Japan in 2000. The result is a contentious draw. Thanks Paul M.

Quest for the Belt Part 4

Takedowns from Clinch Randy Couture

Bad dubbing (think Bruce Lee movie). But go away and let this download overnite or for a few hours and come back and watch it. Randy is a great coach and the master of the clinch. I have the VHS tapes of this series if anyone wants to borrow them and still has an ancient operational VHS player.

Clinch Work Randy Couture

Thanks for your support...

Have had lots of great feedback about the blog. Please feel free to leave some comments about clips by clicking on the comments icon below the entry. I would appreciate any feedback or questions to increase dialogue. This blog is aimed at being a resource for information and a scrapbook of sorts for anything I find thats interesting. I will also aim to add material relevant to what we are working on at any particular point in time. Check out Aesopians blog for his recent article on learning BJJ in a more structured fashion, really cool stuff.

Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro HL Clip

Intermediate Guard John Machado

Here are some options when your closed guard becomes open either by choice to get the game moving or if your legs are forced open by the person passing. Pay attention to the cross grips, foot placements, sweep set-up and triangle entry.

UFC 75 Unacceptable

UFC 75 - Unacceptable

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That's priceless. Reminds me of the Saturday MMA class for some reason.

Short Judo Training Film 1965

This is the longer version of the clip I posted previously on Kimura Sensei. It details the training trip of Doug Rogers a Silver Medalist at the '64 Olympics in Tokyo in the over100kg It was made by the Canadian Film Board and is about 20min long.

2007 Worlds HL Clip

U88kg Final ADCC 2007 Demian Maia v Flavio Almeida

ADCC 2007 - 88kg Final
Uploaded by adccpl

When you figure out what and how he gets caught drop me a line and explain it to me very slowly.

U99KG Final ADCC 2007

Shaky amateur footage but here is the final of the U99kg earlier this year bewtween Xande Ribeiro and Braulio Estima. Some say it was the best fight of the competition. Frantic start before points are scored to gain a leglock submission and then more strategic fighting later to accumulate valuable points.

ADCC 2007 - 99kg Final
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ADCC 2005 Semi Final Roger Gracie v Xande Ribeiro

ROGER GRACIE X XANDE RIBEIRO
Uploaded by CondeKoma

After winning the BJJ Mundial Absolute title this year for the first time this clip is from 2005 ADCC where Roger tapped all of his opponents to win the absolute final. An amazing effort.

UFC 75 Preview Kongo vs Cro Cop

Ufc 75
Uploaded by Benjo_zg

2007 Champions Cup

On Saturday 22nd September the 2007 Champions Cup will be held at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. I will be competing in this event so there will be no classes held on that day. Please come down and support your Extreme team mates during their matches. If you are considering competing in future competitions this is an ideal opportunity to come and see what BJJ tournaments are like. Hope to see you there. Entry forms and further information is available at afbjj.com

UFC 75 Preview