Monthly Archives: April 2011

Rear Half-Naked Choke

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Lex

Below is a video of Dustin Denes showing what is essentially a rear naked choke that is assisted by grabbing your own gi. Ignoring the obviously quirky personality of the instructor, to me this is another reminder that the possibility of creative … Continue reading →

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“There are black belts, and then there are BLACK BELTS”

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Lex

This line that I heard come out from the mouths of several MMA commentators (UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator) frustrates me to no end. It is true that, in general, rank is not necessarily an absolute indicator of skill level. Moreover, for … Continue reading →

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Never Quit

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Lex

I got the chance to witness the promotion of two guys to black belt that truly are inspirations on the mat (even though I’ve known them only a short time): Chris Tufts and Mike Ammon (aka “Pop Pop”). The picture … Continue reading →

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My Experience at the IBJJF New York Open

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Lex

Today, I competed at the 2011 IBJJF New York Open. It’s a big tournament that I think is envisioned to be the East Coast brother to the Pan Ams. My division (blue belt, middle) had 37 guys. I won my first two matches, … Continue reading →

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Taking Time Off Before a Competition

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Lex

Last year I competed, on average, every other weekend. Mostly judo, but some jiu jitsu too. What made competition an enjoyable experience for me was competing often and treating it as just another hard training session (where my opponent tries harder … Continue reading →

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Brief History of Gracie Jiu Jitsu

Posted on April 8, 2011 by Lex

A few quick notes on the origins of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu… It started with Maeda, a japanese judoka and fighter that supposedly had over a thousand fights, never losing. He is pictured to the left. In 1914, Maeda settled in … Continue reading →

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Omoplata Guard at the 2011 Pan Ams

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Lex

I’m slowly making my way through footage of 2011 Pan Ams (20 hours of it). It’s definitely very useful to study what high level competitors are doing, and nothing stands out as much as the fact that they are ALL … Continue reading →

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Arm Drag Details

Posted on April 3, 2011 by Lex

One of the big holes in my game is the armdrag. I love playing butterfly guard. And in trying to close the distance, if my opponent runs, the arm drag is there. Instead, I’ll just aggressively pursue the double under butterfly or … Continue reading →

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