How to Improve Your Success Rate in Applying Submissions

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What's in Store for My 33rd Year

Today is my birthday. I am now 33 years old. I have now been doing martial arts for more than half my life. And this year has great expectations for me as such.

A couple of weeks ago, I spoke with my Sensei, Ed Hiscoe Shihan, head of the style of Can-ryu Jiu-jitsu. He gave me my assignment for my Yondan (4th degree black belt) test. I've essentially been asked to write a thesis about knife defense, covering the history of knives as weapons, different types of edged weapons that are used, how they are carried by civilians, the attack & concealment methods used by the military, criminals, prisoners, and police officers. In addition, I am to describe how I would teach knife defense, as well as the reasoning behind my teaching methods. After my thesis has been submitted I'm also expected to teach a seminar on knife defense, drawing from my thesis, during which I'll be evaluated as an instructor.

I've decided that since I'm putting in all this research time anyway, I will structure my research for the purposes of writing a book. Who knows? I might even be able to get it published.

The second big thing for me in the martial arts world is that I've been asked to review the ground defense portion of the Can-ryu curriculum with the goal of putting ideas forward to help bring it up to date with the key tenets of our style. I'm to compile all my information and ideas in time for the next black belt seminar in January in Western Canada at which I'll be presenting them.

I am honoured to be asked to do this. Having spent a few years training in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and MMA, I have been combining it with my Can-ryu training to create an effective system of ground defense that I have been passing along to my own students. I am excited to share this with other instructors in the hopes that even more people can benefit.

When I look back at when I started training in Jiu-jitsu about 13 years ago at the age of 16, it's amazing to think about how far I've come, while simultaneously seeing how much more I have to learn. That's why I recently decided that I want to work toward an early retirement from the 9 to 5 working world (ideally by the age of 40) so I'll have more time to focus on martial arts and writing. That would be an amazing gift to myself when I turn 40. Here's hoping...

New Judo Rule Introduced to Prevent Cross-fertilization

Recently, the International Judo Federation announced that they were testing a number of new rules at the upcoming World Junior Championships. One rule in particular gave me pause. All techniques below the belt line are banned. Only techniques using leg against leg will be allowed, or if the hand grip in the leg is the continuation of another technique tried (ex. o-uchi gari which can develop into kata guruma). The purpose of this new rule is discourage Judo from being combined with other martial arts like wrestling, Sambo, or BJJ. I think this is a sad development for Judo for a couple of reasons.

First of all, this ban removes a number of techniques native to Judo. Morote gari (double knee pick-up), for example, is a traditional Judo technique. Sure, it also used in wrestling and MMA, but what of it? The argument is that they're trying to keep their art pure, and to do so, they're comprising the integrity of their art. How does that make sense?

Secondly, so what if a few wrestlers or Sambo fighters come in and do well in their tournaments? This is just an opportunity for Judo to evolve and learn to effectively counter different types of attacks. Unfortunately, there is a lot of pride/ego when it comes to the martial arts, and I believe these new rules are a way of ensuring that Judo students aren't tempted to add to their knowledge by cross-training.

That is the problem with competition though. If you look at the Kodokan, the original bible of Judo, there are a number of techniques featured that are no longer allowed in Judo competition, like shoulder locks, leg locks, etc. Because of this, and the emphasis on competitive applications inherent in Judo training, there is little incentive to show to teach these techniques in dojos, causing these native techniques to be lost to the art. I think it's all rather sad.

Defending Against the Shoot: Sprawl or Sacrifice Throw

In my last blog post, Gi Grappling vs. No Gi Grappling, I received many questions/comments about defending against BJJ/MMA takedowns. I promised to do a detailed post on this topic, particularly about defending against the shoot in a self-defense context. So here goes.

The first way I recommend to defend against the shoot is through the use of the sprawl. When done properly, this is the best way to defend as it keeps you on your feet (or close to it) and in a dominant position. It is very important to stay off the ground in a street defense context because of the risk of environmental dangers and of the possibility that there could be multiple attackers who could kick you while the first guy keeps you occupied on the ground. More on why you should stay off the ground in a self-defense context.

Here is an intro to the sprawl care of the the TV series, The Human Weapon:



It's important to note that the sprawl is not just a matter leaning into the attacker and throwing your feet back. Done this way, an experienced attacker won't have much trouble getting under you and forcing you off your feet. To do the sprawl properly you must redirect his energy downward by dropping your hip into them, using your shoulder, chest and arms secondarily for support as well as control.

It's also important to get a good sense of timing when using the sprawl. If you do it to early, an experienced attacker could fake you out and put you in a vulnerable position. If you do it too late, they'll likely get under your weight and take you down.

Here is a video by Tito Ortiz showing some good practice methods for the sprawl:



Note that if you're using the sprawl in a submission grappling or MMA context, you have the option to grapple your opponent from the resulting dominant position you get. Or if your opponent doesn't protect his neck properly a guillotine can be applied for the submission. But in a street defense context, you want to get up from the ground as quickly as possible, so once you've sprawled, strike your attacker to create the opportunity to get free and to your feet as quickly as possible.

If you fail to do the sprawl, you're going down so your best bet is to go with the energy and reverse it to your advantage with a sacrifice throw. The one I like to use best is the tawara gaeshi (rice bale throw). Here is a video showing its application:



In this video, the instructor uses both legs, but if you first attempted a sprawl, you're likely going to have one leg forward. This isn't a problem though, as the throw can be done with a single leg. If my right leg is forward, I plant the ball of my right foot into my attacker's right hip. Alternatively, you can hook your foot under the hip at the top of the thigh.

In practice, I always try to roll up and end on top of my uke and take the mounted position, but in the context of an attack, you might not get enough control to do this. In this case, you can just loosen the grip you have on the head with your arm and try to drive the attacker's weight over you as aggressively as possible to throw the attacker as far from you as you can.

If you have any further questions, please don't hestitate to ask in the comments. Have fun trying it out!

Gi Grappling vs. No Gi: It's All in the Grip

One other thing to come out of my training in Spartanburg was a short grappling match I had against a 220 lb. British shodan named Oliver who, in addition to his training in Shorinji Kan, has spent some time studying BJJ gi grappling. After some chatting at the bar, we agreed to have a go at it after one of the training sessions. I've always maintained that gi grappling favoured larger, stronger people when the face off. Never was this more apparent than when I grappled Oliver. But then it wasn't just the size and strength difference. There was technique on top of that.

When I had grappled world-class BJJ competitor Jennifer Weintz in the past, she was very skilled at using my gi to manipulate me from her back like a puppet master using strings. With Oliver, it was the other way around. Being much bigger it was a simple task for him to hold me down from on top, but the gi added something more. Without a gi on, I'm usually able to use my speed, flexibility and agility to keep myself out of tight spots, even against much bigger guys. Oliver easily got around this by taking grips on my gi that effectively pinned my shoulders to the ground in ways that made it impossible to move the way I usually do. Yes, his size made it easier to hold me there, but the grips he used are technical and could be used effectively even without the physical mismatch. After he tapped me out, I was quick to ask him to show me the gi control he had used.

Upon reflection on this experience, I've decided that I want to devote some time to developing my gi grappling. I've always liked no-gi for its speed and the way you're required to use your body to control the person through weight shifting and body positioning. Gi, on the other hand, uses the same principles but adds in another layer, a fabric layer that can be used for added control.

I've found that generally when people lack skill in grappling, they tend to take a death grip on the gi and forget all about body mechanics, which is why I encourage my students to grapple without a gi first. But now that I've gotten a decent base in no-gi, I want to turn my focus to gi so I can learn more about grips, grip breaks and gi controls. This type of training can have practical applications in street defense too, particularly if you live in a climate in which people need to wear jackets. I'm going to study from some of the books I have at home when I get back to Vancouver, but in the meantime, I started checking out some vids on YouTube. Here is one video I found on YouTube showing a simple grip break from guard:

Knee on Belly: A Solid Top Position Against Larger Grappling Opponents

In the last couple of months, I've been playing more with the knee on belly position when I grapple. It's not for everyone. To make the best use of it, you need to be fairly flexible in the groin. You also need to have great balance and quick reflexes. But I've found that as a smaller person grappling with larger people, it works really well for me as a top position.

Here are a couple of knee on belly videos I found on YouTube, showing how to apply an arm bar to either arm of your opponent:




The reason why knee on belly can be better than side control or scarf hold against bigger opponents is that it allows me to use my speed and agility to counter their efforts and getting me off the top. Even if I have a very solid side control or scarf hold, it requires that I put more of my body closer to my opponent where it can be used, attacked, entangled, etc.

With knee on belly, on the other hand, I can keep my body away from my opponent. And if he tries to shrimp away or push me off, I simply lift my weight off to keep control then re-establish the control point. Plus, there is the added benefit that I can drive all of my weight into the muscles that control breathing, causing my opponent to tense those muscles so that he doesn't lose his or her breath. This is great for tiring out a larger opponent, while conserving your own energy for a decisive attack. On top of that, if you're doing MMA, this position can be a great place from which to strike your opponent.

Anyway, it's been working out pretty well for me. Give it a try!

How to Grapple When There is a Major Size Difference

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Congrats to Jennifer on Her BJJ Brown Belt!

After having successfully winning 3rd place in the World BJJ Championships and the Pan-Ams this year, Jennifer Weintz recently earned her brown belt. I have always maintained that Jennifer is a consummate athlete who works harder than anyone I've ever met in the sport. Her promotion is certainly well deserved in my opinion. She is one of the most skilled BJJ-ers I've ever rolled with.

Jennifer was recently interviewed and written up in an article for FighterGirls.com. It certainly is nice to see her getting the recognition she deserves.

Experimenting with My Stand-up Grappling Game

Yesterday, I met up with Shelene, my new grappling buddy, to do some rolling. The thing I found most interesting was how different our stand-up grappling styles are.

Because of her heavy wrestling background, Shelene favours a stance in which her upper body is bent over and her hips are far back. It's an aggressive stance that lends itself well to leg takedowns, crotch takedowns, etc. My stand-up grappling game is more similar to Judo, favouring a more upright stance, bending low at the knees.

What I found was that while my style worked well defending against and countering Shelene's wrestling takedowns, I didn't find it very easy to engage her and initiate my own throws and takedowns because her hips were so far back I found it difficult to take her balance.

Since Shelene and I had such a great time rolling together, we definitely intend to do it again. It's rare to have the opportunity to roll with skilled female grappler. So for our next session, I intend to be more aggressive with my takedowns to see what opportunities I can create. With Shelene's skill, I'm sure that this experimentation will lead to her taking me down in new and unexpected ways, but it's the only way to learn new things.

Shelene currently does her submission grappling training at 10th Planet Jiu-jitsu Vancouver, a school that teaches Eddie Bravo's signature style of BJJ.

Introducing My Newest Grappling Buddy

Ok. I'm officially out of shape. I hiked the Chief (4.5 hours straight up and down a local mountain) last Saturday. Result: My legs hurt for several days after. Yesterday, I did my first upper body resistance training session with my coach since I started my movie work a month ago. Result: My upper body ached all over today. Tonight, I did some of the first sparring I've done since before I started the movie work. Result: One of my students owned me because I had become all flinchy.

Conclusion: It sucks getting back into the old training regime after having taken too long a break.

What I'm Gonna Do About It: Keep on pushing till I get back what I lost.

Fortunately, I did manage to keep doing some grappling here and there over the past month, so I'm still feeling on my game with that. Gotta focus on the positive too! So going with that theory, this Saturday, I'm meeting up with my new friend, Shelene Yung, whom I met on the movie set. She did competitive wrestling for 7 years and has now moved into submission grappling. Check out this video of her tapping out a guy at a recent tournament:



I like that she made the guy fight on her terms, like any skilled fighter should. Because of her experience, she's more skilled on her feet than on the ground compared to a student in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. So she kept the fight on her feet. Every time she took him down, she'd wait until he got back up, until she eventually choked him out with a slick rear naked choke (from standing, no less!).

Anyway, even though the movie work kept me from my training, it's nice that I was able to meet a number of skilled martial artists, particularly a few skilled women, which is a treat for me. And the way I see it, you can't have too many skilled training buddies. I'll let you know how it goes. :)

How to Do Martial Art Cross-training Effectively

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An Introduction to the X-guard

Last weekend, some of my students and I attended a Jiu-jitsu BC Society seminar. One of the concepts that was covered was the X-guard in Randy Martin Shihan's lesson. This is a handy position to be familiar with. It flows quite naturally from the butterfly guard among other positions.

Here is a video that shows some of the basics that were covered during the seminar:



The X-guard can be very useful for dealing with an attacker or opponent who is standing over you while you're on your back. It lends itself to a variety of sweeps and knee submissions. It is well worth exploring.

Tightening the Triangle

One of my students, a fairly strong grappler, has a narrow neck (we sometimes call him 'Pencil Neck' as a nickname) and high tolerance for neck discomfort. As a result, many of my students have difficulty tapping him out from chokes, myself included. I often just transition to the arm bar because it's generally an easier way to submit him, but last night I got in a nicely tightened triangle that tapped him out.

There are a number of tips on how to tighten the triangle. Here is a good video demonstrating them from Submissions101.com:



By combining all the tips in this video, including the head pull, I successfully tapped Pencil Neck out. Though even with it tightened to its max, he still lasted longer than you would imagine is humanly possible. He did, however, say that he needed a moment afterward as all the blood was rushing back into his head.

Have fun tightening those triangles!

JJJ vs. BJJ: Can't We All Just Get Along?

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Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Class with a Purple Belt

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...;).

Extra Training with a BJJ Purple Belt

This morning I woke up with a few extra aches and pains. This was the result of my grappling session with a new training partner, Jennifer, whom I met at the 10th Planet seminar a couple of weeks ago. The photo here shows her grappling at last year's Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Pan-ams. She took the gold.

I didn't know what to expect going in. I knew that she had trained for 7 years, mostly in gi grappling. I knew she would likely dominate me, but that's about it. But her technique was so amazing that she just completely owned me. She is also incredibly flexible and can put it to good use on the ground. I imagine she'll do quite well at the Pan-ams, the tournament which she is currently training up for.

It's no wonder she is so good at what she does. We talked in detail about her training regimen after class. She is a consummate athlete. She trains pretty much every day, often as much as 5 hours a day. She does weights, yoga, trains at multiple BJJ schools, and she maintains a strict diet. And all of this she tracks in complete detail in a training journal.

Jennifer has an excellent attitude towards training with other people, completely devoid of ego and attitude. She was quite open and willing to teach me anything that would help. She believes she can get something out of training with anyone, no matter what their skill level. Lucky for me since I see there is much I can learn from her. Being around the same size as her, she says she is able to practice moves on me that she wouldn't necessarily be able to use on the men that she usually trains with, so even though I'm not as experienced as her, she sees our training time as beneficial to her goals. I just hope that I can pick up everything she teaches me so I can be a better match for her eventually.

Anyway, I'm very pleased at how our session went. I'm even bringing her in as a guest instructor to teach a grappling class for my students on Sunday, Feb. 1. I'm certain that everyone will really enjoy it and learn a lot from her.

Double Bagging with Eddie Bravo

Yesterday, I attended a seminar that Eddie Bravo taught here in Vancouver's new 10th Planet affiliate school. Just like the last Eddie Bravo seminar I attended, it was fun, interesting, and informative. One of the main topics was the introduction of the latest permutation of the rubber guard, the double bag. (Yes, the names he gives his moves are at times a little odd. That's what you get when a bag of weed is part of your official list of training equipment. But the man IS amazing at what he does.)

As most of you probably know, Eddie Bravo was made famous for his win over Royler Gracie as a brown belt at the Abu Dhabi Submission Grappling Championships. His style is based largely around a position he developed called the rubber guard, a position that doesn't require a grip on a gi, making it useful for no-gi grappling and MMA.

What really impresses me about Eddie is his open-mindedness toward training, which has led to a highly innovative and constantly evolving style. He encourages his students to try out new moves and incorporate them if they work. He also encourages his students to continue their training in traditional gi BJJ in tandem with what he teaches. A number of his students come from other BJJ schools, but have to train in secret. Some of them go so far as to wear wrestling masks to keep their identities secret to prevent any possibility that their other school's instructor might find out. This is because many schools don't permit cross training and will go so far as to kick you out for doing it. Eddie, on the other hand, embraces it. "Gi and no-gi just aren't the same thing," Eddie says, "There shouldn't be any conflict of interest."

The double bag was borne out of this open-mindedness. One of his students discovered the move and found it to be effective against many people. After repeated successes, Eddie decided to try it out for himself and eventually incorporated it into his teachings. It's called the double bag because it's an even more secure version of the rubber guard. The seminar was filmed and the footage will be released on Eddie's new website, coming this February.

I love attending seminars. You get to meet lots of new people as well as learn new things. In addition to adding new concepts to my submission grappling repertoire, I also got to meet another woman who does BJJ grappling locally. There are so few, it's always a pleasure to meet them (there were only 3 women on that mats in a group of 50, myself included). Jennifer (middle in the photo below) is a brown belt in BJJ and has been training for over 6 years. She is preparing to compete in the Pan-Ams this coming March. I invited her to come train with me at open training at my dojo. I look forward to the experience! On the left is Tasia, whom I met at a submission grappling tournament last year and still continue to train with.

Young Boy Saves Girl from Dog Attack Using BJJ

This morning someone sent me a TV report on YouTube about a heroic 9-year-old boy who saved a little girl and her chihuahua from a vicious pit bull. The technique he use: the rear naked choke. Check out the report:



This boy had only trained in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu for 2 months yet he courageously stepped in to do what he could to help another. I couldn't help but be impressed. His trainer says that he encourages students to do what they're capable of doing without getting hurt to help others in trouble. I feel the same way.

In the past I have in a situation whereby I stepped in at my own risk to help someone who was being attacked. I didn't really think about what I was doing, I was simply overwhelmed by the instinct to help. That being said, there are times when the potential cost should give a person pause before helping.

A few years back a Vancouver woman tried to intervene to help a man who was being beaten by two other men. She was shot and killed for her efforts. If my memory serves me right, it turned out that all 3 men, both victim and attackers, were gang members.

There is no way to know what the potential costs of each and every heroic act. But if you're going to get involved, try to be aware as possible of all the circumstances and related risks. In many cases, the best thing you can do to help is call the police.

The Usefulness of Flexibility in the Open Guard

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Dealing with Size Differences When Grappling

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