Grappling | Utah Martial Arts and MMA

Archive for the ‘Grappling’ Category

17 Mar 2012

Posted by Utah Martial Arts Feeds

NAGA Utah Team Machado Utah Results

This Article comes from Ruiz Combat Grappling – Blog
To see the full original article click here

Team Machado Utah flashing their new bling.

Team Machado Utah had a very successful tournament at the NAGA Utah held March 3, 2012. The UCTC athletes lead by instructor Dave Johnson brought home a hoard of new awards along with some great memories. Below are the team and individual results. Congratulations go to Dave and the UCTC Team Machado Utah athletes!

Team Results
Total Medals:18
Total Gold: 8
Total Silver:7
Total Bronze:3

Individual Results
2 Golds           – Tommy Wagner Gold Medal GI (White) / Gold NO Gi Beginner
1 Gold            – Vyginitas “Vig”   Gold Medal GI (White)
2 Gold            – Joe Martinez Gold GI (Blue) / Gold NO GI – Intermediate
1 Gold 1 Silver   – Nick Lokeni (Stidham) Gold No GI / Silver GI (white)
1 Gold 1 Bronze   – Eric Gold No Gi Expert / Bronze Gi
1 Gold            – Mike Stidham No GI Expert
2 Silver          – Carter No Gi Beginner / GI (white)
1 Silver          – AJ Stidham GI (white)
1 Silver          – Loran Brumley No GI Expert
1 Silver          – JT (Jeremiah) GI (Blue)
1 Silver          – Dominico No Gi Intermediate
1 Bronze          – Angel Gi (purple)
1 Bronze          – Ma’fu Fosita No Gi expert (super heavy)

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14 Mar 2012

Fitness, Grappling, Jiu Jitsu, Judo

Posted by Utah Martial Arts Feeds

The Finer Points And Tips For The Triangle Choke (Sankaku Jime)

This Article comes from Nuclearchainsaw » Jiu Jitsu and Judo
To see the full original article click here

BJJ on an enormous crossword puzzle

The triangle is one of those chokes in Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that everyone loves…unless you’re caught in it and you try desperately to “answer the phone” before taking an ill-planned nap. There are many reasons to love the triangle…putting someone to sleep…the minimal effort it takes to choke…the ability to look down and watch what you’re doing to someone as they flail like a fish out of water…all good reasons. BUT there are certain tips that I’ve been picking up on over the last couple of years that may help out some beginning students when applying the triangle-sleepy-time-chokey-choke…all directions are from the position of the illustration (right leg over shoulders):

#1 GET TO 90 DEGREES (CLOSE THE BACK-GAP)

See the blue guy and the pink…I guess - girl up there? I’m using that position as a reference. Right now she is at zero degrees to her target…note her right computer-generated leg across Mr. Blue’s shoulders – this is correct. The thing is, most people try the triangle without that leg across the shoulders…mainly because they don’t get to 90 degrees before throwing it up there. Here’s an example:

Stand facing a desk about waist high…now pick up your right leg and try to lay your leg across your body flat on the desk in front of you with the outside of your knee and ankle both touching the surface…you know, it the shape of the triangle…hurts like a mother doesn’t it?

NOW, try that same thing butleanyour upper body to the right…easier huh?

So its the same principal – in order to get that right leg across the shoulders, you have to move your upper body to the right. This, in turn will keep your leg more on top of their shoulders when you bring your body back to zero degrees (the position of that robot-chick up there).

#2 GET YOUR HIPS UP

Look at pink alien’s hips – they’re off the ground. Once that leg is across the shoulder, your next order of business is to hump their face…so to speak. Shoot your hips up to their face and pull down with that leg you just got across the shoulders. Nice and tight…like your mom in college (burrrrnnn)

#3 PULL THE ARM ACROSS

In regards to the man in the blue hue…His right arm is going aross his face – you want this. Sure, the pink thing is holding the back of his head, but equally as effective would be to hold the blue guy’s right arm across his own face and your hips. What this does is bring his shoulder up to his neck cutting off blood flow to that crucial carotid artery. Remember when instructed on how to escape the triangle you heard “answer the phone”? Well, answering the phone is getting that shoulder off of your neck…ipso-facto, pulling the arm across should sink it in…plus it’s hard to answer anything if they have a hold of your arm…unless you’re trying to answer Freddy Krueger’s questions in person (get it? you have to be asleep for that…burrrnnn).

#4 GET THAT OTHER LEG OVER AND TOE-UP

Your left leg now goes over your right ankle and you come back to zero degrees…this shit should be tight…but here’s how to make it tighter…when your left leg comes over your right, usually a flailing opponent will loosen the hold up a bit. This is where you point your right toes up. What this does is bring your legs and knees closer together. Think of your foot as a lever that brings everything together…which brings us to the most important:

#5 SQEEZE THE MUTHA-FUGGIN KNEES

When you get the triangle and you’re ready to have someone pass out between your legs like your mom after college (burrrn), squeeze your knees together…that’s where the choke is and a lot of people miss that. Remember the shoulder you pulled across? Well squeezing the knees shoves that in deeper and shoves the other carotid into your right thigh…this is the point where it feels like your head is going to explode when caught in it.

Sure, there are variations, this is just a list of tips that helped me, and can maybe help you. My personal favorite isn’t grabbing the head, but keeping the arm across my body using my right hand and using my left to hold their head down with my forearm and grab the outside of my right knee with my left hand and squeezing harder than a constipated John Candy. Result – awesome, and like a constipated actor, I don’t poop.

Filed under: Jiu Jitsu and Judo

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12 Mar 2012

Grappling, Jiu Jitsu, MMA, Wrestling

Posted by Utah Martial Arts Feeds

Study Greatness

This Article comes from Ruiz Combat Grappling – Blog
To see the full original article click here

Study Greatness

If you would be great study greatness. Too many people study the loser and why they lost.
They study how not to lose. They try to figure out how they can avoid making the same
mistakes as the loser. Historians tell us the falsehood of “those who do not study history
are bound to repeat it.” I have yet to see anyone who has studied history not repeat it.
Human nature is a repeat phenomenon. Studying the history of losing will teach you that
there have been some major failures in the past.

This is fine if you want to continue to lose. You can’t study losing and
expect to win.

Your mind cannot dwell on the reverse of a thing. You cannot dwell on losing
and expect to win.

If you want to have more success in your endeavors study those who are
already successful. Study how they won. Figure out how you can repeat similar
successes as to what they have created. Borrow their ingenuity and example.
Develop the next step from where they left off.

If you think that studying history will help you for heaven’s sake study the
winning team! Study the dominant figures and systems of the past. Understand
what they did and why they did it.

Spending too much time on trying to understand someone else’s mistakes is the
surest way to avoid fixing your own. I would rather fix the holes in my own game
first. Jesus said ‘first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt
thou see clearly to cast out the mote of thy brother’s eye.’

As you study successful strategies you will start to see the world
differently. You will start to do things differently. You will find greater
effectiveness and efficiency. You will find more and better solutions to
problems both big and small. Your mind will expand and you will ask better
questions. When you start asking better questions you will start getting better
solutions.

Look for the way things are being approached. Look for the setups. Look for
transitions. Look for the finishes. Look for subtle things like timing and
positioning.

Learn from the successes of the past and you will have a successful future.

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11 Mar 2012

Grappling, Jiu Jitsu, Martial Arts

Posted by Utah Martial Arts Feeds

Gear Review: Luta MMA Performance Rash Guard

This Article comes from Arcanum Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Blog

I love rashies. For no-gi grappling, shirtless does not appeal to me, and loose t-shirts get in the way. For gi grappling, my experience is that most gis don’t feel good on bare skin. I wear rash guards when I work out, too; they have this magical effect of making me look and feel more buff than I actually am.

As much as I’m pro-rash guard, it’s surprising that I’ve never stepped outside of the Under Armour / generic brand arena. I own a couple of rash guards from our club (just OK) and the rash guard that came with the first-generation Origin Genesis (also just OK), but never made an effort to acquire a rashie specifically engineered for the sport.

When I got the Luta rash guard from Aaron at MartialArtsSupplies.com, I doubted that there could really be anything all that different about it. Turns out, there is. And now that I know what else is out there, I’ll not likely be going back.

I liked the Luta so much that it accompanied me on a journey around the Caribbean earlier this month. The stylish black and yellow added to my already considerable sexiness as I zip-lined and cave-tubed through the jungles of Belize in January.

(Click on any photo to view the photos as a slideshow.)

luta + hardhat = sexy

Notice the tapered shoulders.

Overview

Here is what the Luta MMA Performance Rash Guard purportedly offers (from the LUTA website):

Super lightweight polyester and elastane knitted fabric (175g/m2) that is robust yet breathable with 4 way stretch for both compression and comfort.
Quick drying fabric for a cool touch effect.
Six panel construction and raglan sleeve for complete freedom of movement.
Antibacterial airtex under arm panels for additional ventilation and freshness.
Ultra strength, performance flatlock seams for added durability.
Serves well as a technical multipurpose undergarment or training top.

I’ll spend a little time on each of these points, plus a couple of things I noticed on my own.

Lightweight

This rashie is indeed lightweight. Indeed, the first two things I noticed when removing it from the bag were the feather-light weight and the soft texture. Whereas my other rashies have an almost plasticky texture and sheen to them, the Luta looks and feels more natural to the touch. It’s soft and thin and breathable and hugs the skin pleasantly.

Compression-wise, it follows the figure nicely (more on the tapered shoulders later) but is not quite as constricting as my other compression garments.

Quick-drying

This definitely dries out faster than my other rash guards as well. There have been a couple of times when I wanted to wear it just after a wash, and a few minutes in a dryer virtually dried it completely. It’s also great at wicking the moisture away from the body.

Freedom of movement

The cut on the Luta is slightly different from your standard t-shirt layout. Rather than shoulders and sleeves that taper ever so slightly down from the neck, there is a strong taper along the shoulders and down the sleeves. Because the fabric is wonderfully stretchy, the result is almost like a second skin across the shoulders and back. It doesn’t effect comfort negatively at all. In fact, I actually agree that this makes the range of motion in the shoulders and chest (the places it really counts) feel extremely natural, almost as if there were no garment there.
Here’s another quick look at the taper on the shoulders and arms:

Notice the tapered shoulders.

I have no idea what the six-panel construction is all about, other than that the rash guard is a little Frankensteined together, so to speak. Which leads to the next point.

Under-arm antibacterial airtex

The panels under the arms are more of a mesh weave and purportedly work to fight bacteria. This may be true, but I’m not convinced it’s really that important of a feature. The open weave added a nice degree of coolness, but realistically people don’t just sweat under the arms. There was enough of sweat soaked into the rest of the rashie during each training session to make up for the anti-bacterial armpits and necessitate a thorough washing.

The under-arm airtex

In fact, I’m split on the under arm panels. Part of me really liked the added ventilation, but another part of me was annoyed that instead of one seam going up my side, there were now two seams, and I could actually feel them a little. I think I would prefer non-ventilated and a single seam. I wasn’t ever bothered by the extra seam while rolling, nor did it cause me to want to stop wearing the Luta – but still, if I had my ‘druthers I would probably eliminate it.

Flatlock seams

See previous section. They look pretty sweet with their yellow-on-black, but having two seams going up my sides rather than just one took a little getting used to. That said, I still prefer the Luta to any other rash guard I own.

Flatlock seams

Use as an undergarment or training top

I wore beneath a gi and in no-gi situations. I loved it in both cases, but particularly for no-gi because it is so light, breathable and nimble…and because it looks so good.

Branding

The Luta logo is printed on in plastisol, a less common choice in the age of sublimation printing. Still, I have been wearing it for over two months and have not seen any cracking or aging of the print. I’m neutral on this point – if it were a large print I’d probably knock off a few points for using plastisol but it hasn’t negatively impacted the look or feel of this product at all.

Luta logo in plastisol

Luta ingredients

Recommendation

Isn’t it great when things don’t go exactly as you plan, but turn out fantastic just the same? I originally planned to review a Scramble rash guard. The Luta was sent to me because the ever-popular Scramble was not available. But I couldn’t be happier with my acquisition. The Luta is on a completely different level than any other rash guard I own and is a pleasure to wear, even considering the extra seams for the side ventilation.

But is it worth the price? That all depends on your tastes. At over $60, the Luta is certainly more expensive than a generic athletic rash guard. If you really don’t care what you wear as long as it covers you, then don’t spend the money. If you are really picky about quality and willing to spend the extra, definitely give the Luta a shot. My conclusion is that it is what it claims to be: a high-performance rash guard, and there is indeed a difference between it and a generic athletic rash guard. And of course, thanks to Aaron at MartialArtsSupplies.com for providing the gear for review (the link will take you to the Luta page). The folks there are a pleasure to work with and I’d recommend their site to anyone.

Just testing the under-arm airtex anti-bacterial weave…

Support Team Ruiz for the 2012 Olympics!

This Article comes from Ruiz Combat Grappling – Blog

To see the full original article click here

Support Team RuizPurchase official Justin Ruiz merchandise and Greco Roman
Wrestling technique DVD here! Your purchase goes towards helping Justin Ruiz
(my brother) in going after his goal of the 2012 Olympic Games in London,
England.

If you’ve always wondered how you can actually learn Greco Roman
wrestling then Justin’s DVD is a great place to get started. Justin is a 7 x
National Champion and 2005 World Bronze Medalist. He gives great insight and
real world experience to his instruction.

Not only will it help the wrestlers out there but it will help
those of you training for MMA. Greco Roman wrestling has shown itself a very
dominant factor for some of the best at the highest levels, namely Dan
Henderson, Randy Couture, Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen. I highly recommend
picking up one Justin Ruiz’s DVDs asap!

http://justinruiz.com/sponsor-justin

Justin Ruiz: 7 x National Champion World Bronze Medalist Olympic Hopeful

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10 Mar 2012

Grappling, Jiu Jitsu, MMA, Wrestling

Posted by Utah Martial Arts Feeds

Sports Drink?

This Article comes from Ruiz Combat Grappling – Blog
To see the full original article click here

Sports Drink?

If you haven’t noticed there are a lot of mainstream products in the market
today marketed directly at “athletes”. I remember a few years ago, ok over a
decade ago, when Gatorade and Powerade were actually still useful as a sports
drink and a way to increase your hydration during and after exercise.

I guess if you’re into high fructose corn syrup and a lot of other junk in
your ‘sports drink’ they could still qualify. I see more and more of them that
are zero calorie or diet. Most of today’s major brand ‘sports drinks’ are
nothing more than soft drinks posing as something sporty.

As an athlete I need something that is going to provide more than just a
crappy sweetener and a ‘mega-brand’ label on the bottle.

Do I drink Gatorade and Powerade? Sure when I want a non-carbonated soft
drink that I consider about on the same level as drinking a soda.

Do I drink it during or after competition? No. It just doesn’t deliver in
regards to being a ‘sports drink’ for electrolyte replacement or rehydration.

So what do I drink? I drink Advocare Rehydrate.

I drink Advocare Rehydrate because it genuinely does make a difference in my
performance. It is the only electrolyte replacement drink that I have actually
felt a physical difference from when I use it.

I want you to be a more successful athlete. It is why I share so much of my
technical knowledge for free on YouTube.

If you’re not looking for the best products and using them then you’re
wasting time and money. I don’t have enough time or money to waste on junk that
is advertised on the bodybuildingdotcoms of the world. I don’t have time to fail
a drug test because the company that makes products doesn’t care about its end
consumers. I don’t have the patience to keep on sifting through all the garbage
out there and I doubt that you do either.

Advocare tests all of their products and they are safe to take if you’re
worried about being drug tested. Advocare products are allowed by the NCAA and
other sports organizing bodies, they have been used safely and successfully in
World and Olympic competition which are routinely tested by WADA (World
Anti-Doping Agency).

Rehydrate uses a low glycemic index sugar, has a balanced 1:1 ratio of sodium
and potassium to replace electrolytes, contains essential minerals, antioxidants
and contains the amino acids L-Glutamine and L-Arginine.

Gatorade gives you a crappy high fructose corn syrup based mix of sugar, a
crazy 4:1 ratio of sodium and potassium, no minerals, no antioxidants and no
amino acids. The only redeeming qualities that I see for drinking Gatorade are
that it is sweet and cheap.

Rehydrate is not a cheap product. It delivers results. If I have to choose
between buying a cheap soft drink versus a quality product that will improve my
performance I’m going to pick quality every time.

My wife did me a huge favor when she sent me off to the 2011 FILA Grappling
World Champinoships. She packed plenty of Advocare’s Rehydrate, Post Workout
Recovery and Meal Replacement Bars in my bag.

All I have to say is I’m glad she did.

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7 Mar 2012

Grappling, Jiu Jitsu, MMA, Wrestling

Posted by Utah Martial Arts Feeds

Studying Chess to Improve Your Grappling?

This Article comes from Ruiz Combat Grappling – Blog
To see the full original article click here

Grappling vs Chess…which is tougher?

Studying Chess to Improve Your Grappling?

Though at first glance chess and grappling may not appear all that similar they are both indeed a game of strategy and creativity. I found some very insightful thoughts on chess that I was able to relate to my grappling game by watching a chess video on YouTube.

I have no idea who the video’s creator is but he left me thinking about
several things that I can implement into my grappling game.

Here are the thoughts I took from it:

• Always look for the space left behind.
• In strange situations both players tend to miss things because they are playing types of positions
that they both unfamiliar with.
• You have to flow with the moment. Be open to every possibility. Don’t be flustered with the unknown. Move with the struggle. Enjoy the chaos. Trust yourself. You can figure everything out.

How can these be applied more specifically to grappling?

Controlling Space
In grappling there is always a certain amount of space
necessary for every technique to be performed. This space always allows for new
opportunities to attack or defend. The better you are at controlling the space
the better your chances are of successfully attacking and defending. The best
attackers and defenders know exactly how to create openings for attack and how
to simultaneously shut down space to nullify attacks.

Where are the spaces that you are leaving behind? Where does your opponent
have an opportunity? Where is your opponent leaving you an opening? Is there an
easier submission available?

Start looking for that “space left behind” and you will see new
possibilities.

Recognize Positions
One of my core philosophies is: The faster you can
recognize positions the faster you can turn it into an opportunity to attack or
defend. So much of what we do absolutely depends on recognition of body
positioning, yet how often do you actually train that? How often has anyone even
talked about that? In my experience it has been minimal. Most coaches often
overlook this all important philosophy.

If you look at the best athletes they are masters of understanding where they
are at all times and the accompanying pitfalls and opportunities. This is why
you will see some athletes naturally gravitate toward a control game or wide
open game. There are few that can or prefer to do both. This is due in large
part because recognition is different for everyone. Some do it by feel, some do
it by sight, some do it by mental calculation. No matter how you do it
recognition has to become a large focal point of your game.

Flow
You can only flow in grappling once you have the ability to control
space and recognize positions and opportunities. Without those first two skills
trying to flow will often be like riding down the river on the way to a
waterfall. There are so many great grapplers out there who just like the chess
master can predict 3,4 and 5 moves ahead because they understand openings and
recognize positions so well. There is always a little ‘key’ that they find and
unlock your whole game. You can learn to do the same thing. All it takes is
time, patience, practice and a little creativity.

Trust Yourself
Every time I try to figure out a black belt’s guard game I
have to ask myself; “Where are my arms? Where is my base? Keep the pressure
here. Look for the opening at this point.” Etc. I have to trust that my
abilities to execute are as good or better than his in the areas in which I plan
to attempt my techniques.

It is very much a situation of knowing where you want to go and looking for
the best path to get there because there is no ‘right’ or ‘perfect’ path. It
comes down to trusting in your physical and mental abilities as an athlete. You
have to believe that you can solve the problem and unlock the riddle that your
opponent presents.

For anyone interested in watching the actual original chess video and seeing
what you can glean for yourself here is the link.
ChessMaster GrandMaster Edition: Kogan A vs Waitzkin J
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygrb_yp-Hdc

Until next time good luck and good training!

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7 Mar 2012

Grappling, Jiu Jitsu, MMA, Wrestling

Posted by Utah Martial Arts Feeds

Quick Tip: Takedown to Submission

This Article comes from Ruiz Combat Grappling – Blog
To see the full original article click here

Brandon Ruiz locks up a Kimura vs Mikael Knutsson

Quick Tip -Takedown to Submission
March 7,2012
Here is a little tidbit that I thought might be helpful to you.

Capitalizing on Takedowns from both offense and defense. Whenever there is a takedown there is a possibility for submission both for the attacker (the one doing the takedown) and the defender (the one defending the takedown).

The takedown more than any other position lends itself to big openings. The
fact that both fighters go from their feet to hip, side or back leaves a lot of
wiggle room. Look for the openings available for your submissions the next time
someone takes you down. Look for openings the next time you take someone down.

My short list: (From my takedowns)
• Achilles Lock (Standing and
Downed)
• Step Over to Boston Crab
• Step Around Arm Bar

My short list: (From being taken down)
• Triangle Choke
• Arm Bar
• Straight Arm Bar (you push yourself off to the side and arm lock with his thumb pointed down)
• Kimura

Look for these opportunities more often and you’ll start finding more
submissions!

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7 Mar 2012

Grappling, Martial Arts, MMA

Posted by Utah Martial Arts Feeds

Knockout strikes from clinch (Quick Video Tip)

This Article comes from SLC MMA
To see the full original article click here

In class at the University, we practiced various clinch positions, including a reverse collar tie.

Here’s a fun video showing off some neat tech involving the reverse collar tie and below that, Tim Boetsch knocking out Yushin Okami with a crazy uppercut from a creative clinch position. Also, check out Anderson Silva’s DVDs on the Muay Thai Clinch for the textbook if you’re so inclined.

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6 Mar 2012

Fitness, Grappling, Jiu Jitsu, Judo

Posted by Utah Martial Arts Feeds

Your Instructor Knows You Have To Lose

This Article comes from Nuclearchainsaw » Jiu Jitsu and Judo
To see the full original article click here

If you’ve ever heard the term “quicksand”, used in competition, you know what I’m talking about…you lose once, no big deal. Lose again, you think it’s just a bad couple of months…lose again…uh-oh…something is wrong…then you think instead of react and lose more. Then you can’t win. You, my friend, are stuck in the quicksand, and it’s a lonnnng way to sink.

My “trophy wall” was riddled with silver….no gold. And It’s no secret about me – before Saturday I lost my last 5 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu contests…yep, last FIVE. The human mind can take so many losses before you start telling yourself that you just aren’t good. What it needs is someone to tell you that you are. Professor Hermosillo knows this, and he does it. He prevents the black hole of loss from happening every day with new students, frustrated students, and even instructors.

My first loss, I was told it was the nerves

Second was my conditioning

Third was my grip

Fourth and fifth went in one ear an out the other because I didn’t want to hear it - I had sunk into the sand. What I remember though is Mike not getting mad or frustrated. He said, “we’ll just keep working at it”…calm as a cucumber…not angry or disappointed or embarassed. So we worked on it.

…and I won. I won gold…finally. Gold…it had become such a big mountain to reach in my mind that it was built up as the end-all be-all of ANY competition. Some people loseoccasiionally. Quicksandhad me losing all the time. And now I was out.

Having a hand raised is a hell of a lot better than watching the other guys having theirs up.

That wasn’t the best, though. The best is when your coach walks onto the mat, laughing and giving you a hug and saying “you did it.” That made me feel good and feel confident that Mike knows what he’s doing. It also makes me realize what a shot my confidence had been taking.

Sometimes fighters need a rope to pull them out of the deep, dark, grainy sand and get back on track. That’s what coaches do – they throw you the rope and help to pull when you decide to pull yourself out. That’s what mine did for me and what I hope I do for others. Being a coach, I can tell you, they know you lose and somewhat expect you to in order to get experience, but more often than not when they pull you out of the sand, they’re a lot happier to see your face and clean you off than you think.