This past Sunday, Jennifer came to our dojo at my invitation and taught a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu class for me and my students. I met her at a recent Eddie Bravo seminar and we later met up to do some grappling together. She is uber-talented (unsurprising considering that she won last year's pan-ams for her division) and really showed me what the art is all about. I was very grateful that she was willing to come in and share the experience with my students.What's really great about Jennifer is that she is a small woman (around 5'5", 125 lbs.) as opposed to most BJJ instructors who are usually big guys. This means she understands how best to cope when grappling with larger opponents. The materials she taught that day weren't unfamiliar to me, but she added little adjustments that altered the techniques subtly and had the potential to improve a person's chances against stronger opponents.
After class, Jennifer even grappled with a few of my students to give them a few tips on how to improve their approach. Here she is in a video working with one of them:
I look forward to grappling with Jennifer more in the future as she gets ready to compete in this year's BJJ Pan-Ams. The advice she has offered has been invaluable and I've even started to put it to use a little on her while grappling (for all the good it does...;).
She seems very well trained. Great hip movment when shrimping. Im sure she will do well.
ReplyDeleteI also like the way she helps her obviously less experienced sparring partner instead of just subing him ever ten seconds like some would.
What a fun video to watch. She pushed your student enough to make him work, and didn't let him get away with anything. But at the same, she let him work stuff out and helped him.
ReplyDeleteThat was terrific. Thanks for posting it.
It's actually not "Bow and Arrow." It's a slight variation we've coined, "Bo and Harold." It is one of Jen's signature techniques. Jen applied this same technique to render one of Vancouver's top mens' Brown Belts unconscious in a pool of his own slobber during a closed door challenge match once.
ReplyDeleteWow, really? Sweet! Thanks for the additional insight. :)
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