Team:

In preparation for the upcoming tournament, we plan to post a clip of the day that focuses on competition. While World Jiu-Jitsu Championship clips are fun to watch, we also want to post clips on a variety of skill levels and divisions. The first clip is a white belt finals match. Prepare yourself mentally, beginning right now. Visualize the atmosphere, the nerves, and how you plan to deal with -- and react to -- a new environment.



See you on the mat -- tomorrow afternoon!

Team:

As instructor Scott mentioned in class tonight, the 2008 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Cup will be held at Spencer County High School on Saturday, Dec. 6. Competition isn't mandatory, but if you've ever thought of competing this is an incredible opportunity since it's in our own backyard.

There are gi and no-gi divisions, broken down by weight and skill level. To compete in one division is $40 and it's $50 for both. Registration must be received by Dec. 1. They will not accept registrations at the door. 


Visit www.kybjj.com for more information. If you're not interested in competing this time, no worries! However, please consider coming to support the team and make sure to wear your Spencer County Martial Arts gear. If you do decide to compete, play to win. Go for the submission.

Let's continue to support jiu-jitsu in this community. We'll be stepping up the intensity level in our training up to the tournament, so let's keep the focus and the encouragement for our competitors.

Here's a good article on mental toughness, courtesy of www.graciemag.com. If you haven't bookmarked that website, do it now. They have some incredible articles and training tips.

The Mental Predator

Over the last number of years, my training has focused on a number of different areas. As I continue to grow as a trainer, the art form of the training that I deliver evolves.

In the beginning, I was solely concerned with the strength and speed of my MMA athletes. When my athletes reached the upper boundaries of these areas, I began to attack nutrition. After the fighters had their nutrition cleaned up, I started to explore the area of strategy development. Once all of my fighters were prepared in strategic analysis, I was led to mental training.
 
When I talk about the mental aspect of training, I am not talking about intelligence, but a combination of drive, desire, confidence, toughness, will power, focus and fear.  What I am talking about is what I sum up as being a Mental Predator both in training and in the ring.  At first, I thought that being a mental predator was just the will to win or the ability to endure more pain than another athlete. 

Now, after years of studying my athletes of all ages, I know see how sophomoric those original definitions were.  Each year I gain more clarity when training my athletes.  I am beginning to hone in on who will make it and who will not at an early stage in all of my athletes training.  Yes, there are physical characteristics that help me to predict an athlete’s level of success, but I consider the mental toughness of the athlete far more important.
 
A mental predator has the ability to control himself under any situation.  Without the knowledge that you as an athlete control all of your emotions, or the ability to exert that control, you will be limited in higher levels of performance.  I believe that mental predators are both nature and nurture.  What I mean by this is that an athlete may have better gifts of self control in extreme situations, but all athletes have the ability to improve this area to increase performance.I feel that MMA requires an incredible amount of mental predation at the higher levels of the sport.  As I have walked out with my fighters at Pride in Japan in front of packed stadiums, I can only imagine the self control needed to stay relaxed and focused before a fight.  Then try to imagine being on your back in front of that crowd with a stalker trying to pound your lights out or squeezing for a submission.  It is here, and even following the fight where mental discipline is necessary to stay in control. I know that there have been many occasions in my own life that have held me back due to an underdeveloped mental game.  This area can surely be nurtured, but the athlete has to be ready, and the teacher has to be there.

Both the shark and the lion are famed predators.  When they attack, motivation in instinct, not something that they are forced to create.  The desire to finish their opponent is pure, and there is no emotion or remorse.  There is no anxiety or stress leading up to the event for the shark and the lion, it is simply part of their daily routine. 

There is, of course, risk of injury, but they do not allow fear to interfere. Their lack of abstract thought and the ability to question themselves is an advantage.  With questioning comes indecision, with indecision comes anxiety, with anxiety comes mistakes, and with mistakes comes defeat.

The shark and the lion have practiced and mastered many of their methods of attack.  There is no fear that they are underprepared.  There is no concern for what  could have been done or what might be missing.  This unconscious confidence is a huge edge, and predicts that the way things have been practiced are the way things are going to be performed.  The shark and the lion are master predators. 

That is what they do for a living.  Don’t get me wrong, they are not wild beasts with absolutely no plan.  There are distinct strategies that they are using, so thinking does occur.  This thinking is solely directed toward execution, not indecision.  This proves, that with great predators, thinking does not hold them back.

I have interestingly found with many of my athletes that this predatory zone is sometimes inversely related to actual experience and knowledge of the sport.  Sometimes when there is less knowledge or skill present, and athlete will actually enter a battle with more confidence and abandon of a predator than a seasoned athlete that now questions himself. 

Many athletes go into such detail that their thinking becomes paralysis by analysis. The mental predator must remember to keep things simple and in perspective.  No attack by the shark or the lion is ever bigger in their mind than any other.  We as athletes often make the mistake that an event is too important. This self increased pressure on an event again adds to indecision, stress and opens the door for an opportunity for defeat. 

The shark and the lion’s motive for victory is a simple one: survival. The knowledge of the true meaning behind what you do is critical to not only high level performance, but also fulfillment. As an mental predator, it is essential that you know exactly why you are competing.  There is no reason that is any more important than any other, you just need to know it. It is the core of who you are and what you do in sport. Without this knowledge, preparation will surely suffer, and eventually the quest will be all too easy to give up when the road suddenly gets rough.

I have heard other athletes call what I am talking about here as “being in the zone?"  This predatory zone can be seen as letting the subconscious take over and lead you to supernatural performance.  This zone is for real, and the ability to get there can be learned.  The first step on the trip to the zone is the removal of doubts and fears while letting performance happen.
 
The shark and the lion are both going to age. As this occurs with the mental predator, he must be ready to adapt and overcome.  With age, certain physical attributes are going to disappear.  Great predators will figure out a way to maximize their current gifts and continue to be successful.
 
There are many top MMA athletes out there today that are what I would consider pure predators.  Somewhere deep in their minds they know that victory is critical to the survival as who they are.  Their confidence has allowed them to remove fear. In this state, they are relaxed and prepared to dominate their prey.  Beware of this athlete as an opponent. Unless you are equally relaxed and prepared to engage in a war, he may be currently at a different mental level. 
Here is my quick list of 10 ways to increase your chances of becoming a mental predator:
1. Monitor your daily self talk.  Make sure that your comments to yourself are keep positive and supportive.

2. Surround yourself only with positive people that believe in you. 3. Develop defined goals and the reasons that you want to achieve them. 4. Develop the precise strategy for attaining your goals and follow it precisely. 5. Do not overemphasize the importance of any single event. 6. Stay busy.  Do not linger over upcoming events. 7. Do not forget that nothing replaces practice and hard work. 8. Monitor your breathing.  Make sure that you slow and control your breathing under times of stress. 9. Visualize success. Use mental imagery as a tool.  Picture yourself at the event and everything that is going to happen. Be positive. 10. Research everything about your opponent and train under the exact conditions you expect for the fight.

"Martin Rooney is director of the Parisi Speed School and conditioning coach for Team Renzo Gracie.  He has trained fighters for the ADCC, UFC, and Pride FC". His "Training for Warriors" book and DVD are at www.parisischool.com.

Team:

Here's some information concerning the new gis we received from Mike Horihan, the director of Master Sauer's association:

At long last it is finally here... well very close. We expect to have the final cuts at the KY camp and be able to take pre-orders to be delivered within a few weeks. They will be on the website store shortly after the camp. We have been working directly with Hatashita Sports who make the Fuji Gi's. After quite a long process we have approved a pre-shrunk light weight Gi that will come fully patch with the Association chest emblem, new woven back patch, embroidered team logo on shoulder and printed leg patch. The jacket is a very durable light weight single weave. Pricing on the Gi looks to be coming in at $115 fully patched and will be available in white only. Check on the site for additional details and availability.

Courtesy of Roy Dean. Enjoy, and we'll see you on the mat -- tomorrow night!

Team:

I originally wanted to just promote and encourage you to attend the upcoming Master Sauer training camp on Nov. 7, 8 and 9, but that would be doing a disservice to you. I would fall short if all I did was to say you'd be missing an incredible opportunity if you didn't attend at least one session.

I know we discuss this occasionally, but I wanted to talk about the early days of Jiu-Jitsu in Louisville and in Kentucky as a whole. The easiest place to begin is through my own direct experience in the martial arts, which began when I was nine years old, at what was then Shaolin Kempo Studios of Self-Defense in Jeffersontown.

Allan Manganello and Jean Arseaneau were my original instructors in the art, and, in many ways which would only be revealed as the years passed, they were pioneers who always had open minds and even more open hearts.

I grew up inside their academy and to say that both were mentors to me would be an understatement. My teaching pedagogy, commitment to solid technique, and the principles by which I try to live were all helped shape by their direct influence.

About four years into my training -- circa 1993 -- I'm taking a group Kempo class. Allan, whom many of you have met, was the instructor. After warm-ups, we did this new thing where a person lays on his back and the other gets on top. "Escape," he said, to the student on the bottom. After much struggle, the student replied, "I can't." Now, you have to remember that you didn't use four letter words in our Academy, and saying "can't" was definitely a no-no.

So, Allan jumps in and with what seemed like no effort whatsoever he was able to reverse the position by executing the "Upa". I remember being in awe, especially after I realized how easy it was to perform.
Even though he didn't say this at the time, we were learning Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

This was revealed to me one Saturday in a private class with Allan, only a few months after he taught our first technique. You have to also remember the timing of this experience. Royce Gracie, the guy who is now a legend in MMA and the art itself, had just won the second UFC.

I remember being so psyched when Allan revealed to me that he was learning directly from the Gracie Family, and was about to begin the first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu program in Louisville, and in Kentucky, for that matter.

The first formal Gracie Jiu-Jitsu class Allan taught had what seemed to be 40 people in attendance. Allan had just received his blue belt from Rickson Gracie, and he did more than just teach a few techniques in that first class; he laid the foundation of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in our region and helped pave the way for our access to the Gracie Family.

When Allan first started, he would travel to Cincinnati regularly to train with a blue belt. Yes, that's correct: a blue belt. That's taking nothing away from the instructor he trained with in Ohio, for he was incredibly skilled. In addition, Allan would often fly to Los Angeles for training and seminars. I make those points because today it's so easy to take for granted how much information and technique we're exposed to...and it's in our own Academy and back yard on a daily basis!

Master Pedro Sauer has been to Louisville numerous times to conduct seminars. On Nov. 7, 8, and 9, Allan, and our friends at Louisville Martial Arts Academy, have given us all a gift in helping to arrange Master Sauer's Fall Training Camp.

The advertisement is below with all the details, but, as a gift to yourself and a thank you to Allan and those who have worked so hard over the years to promote the advancement of the art -- including Spencer County's very own Scott Smith -- please attend at least one session of the camp. If you'd like to learn more about the guest instructors helping Master Sauer that weekend, click on their website below:

http://www.mauijiujitsu.com/
http://www.onzuka.com/relsongracie.html

As a Master Sauer affiliate, we'd like as many of you at Spencer County to attend if you can. You'll learn, grow, and form new friendships with practitioners from across the U.S. Please help us continue to advance this phenomenal art and support our family.

And, as you drive across town to train with Master Sauer, Master Relson Gracie, and Professor Heredia, think about those early days, and how far we've come.

See you on the mat!

Attention Chili-heads:

SCMA will host its inaugural chili cookoff this Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at instructor Scott's house. Scott would like to invite you and your family to his home for a "friendly" competition of culinary skills. All we ask is you bring your favorite chilli then we'll put all of them out to be judged.

We award the best chilli with cash and a trophy. It is $3 to enter per chilli, so please RSVP! Let us know at the Academy. Directions to Scott's house (which is only about five minutes from the Academy) will soon follow...

See you all on the mat -- Thursday night!

Team:

Nice job today on the mats! Instructor Scott covered a new judo throw (Harai-Goshi) to incorporate into your game as well as some ways to replace your guard after the person has almost (and the key is almost) passed.

"Harai" means "sweeping action with the leg or foot," and the throw is demonstrated in the attached video, courtesy of Mike Swain:



Here's another look at the throw being demonstrated in MMA competition (if you want to skip ahead, it's at the 4:31 mark):

Team:

For those who are planning their weekend I wanted to let everyone know that I can be at the Academy for open mat from noon until 1:30 p.m. this Sunday.

Please come prepared with a game plan and some techniques you'd like to work repetitiously. This would also be a good time to work what you know of the Blue Belt curriculum.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Team:

Although the quality isn't the best, the attached video is a relic. It shows Grandmaster Helio Gracie performing several self-defense techniques. Very cool stuff.



See you on the mat -- tomorrow afternoon!

Team:

Excellent work on the mats tonight! Here's a quick video montage of the material covered. Keep training hard and stay dedicated to perfecting your technique. We'll see you all on the mats this Saturday!



In addition, here's a video of the "V-Sweep" or "Pendulum Sweep" Scott covered in class. It's part of the blue belt curriculum, so be sure to work this into your game.

Team:

So I finally received my MacBook in the mail yesterday, and my first task was to edit the video we shot at Professor Bruce Shepherd's seminar at Spencer County Martial Arts earlier this month. We thank those who attended this and supported the Academy. If you weren't able to attend, don't fret; we plan to host Mr. Shepherd again in the near future.

His technique is superb and ability to communicate the material covered is second-to-none. This is a brief sample of what was taught during the two-hour seminar he led. Again, we want to thank Professor Shepherd for his time and insight into this awesome art known as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.



See you all on the mat -- tomorrow night!

Team:

Here's more great stuff from the Gracie family:



Don't try this one on me.

See you all on the mat -- tomorrow night!

Team:

Here is a selection of recent clips we've come across in which we'd think you'd be interested. Enjoy, and we'll see you all on the mat this Thursday!

See you on the mat -- tonight!

Team:

Here's an excellent post about the positive impacts jiu-jitsu can have on our lives, both on-and-off the mats:

I have had many excellent teachers in my life up until this point, but Jiu-Jitsu has been by far the greatest of them all. I am presented with new lessons each and every time I step on the mat. Some of these lessons I learned early, some only after many years of training, and with others I am still receiving my instruction.

Patience is a Virtue

It doesn't take much to see that we are living in a world addicted to instant gratification. People want results immediately. This impulsive state of being is fundamentally incompatible with jiu-jitsu. The art has two ways of punishing those who are not mature enough to be patient.

First, if a move is rushed it is much more likely to fail. If I become greedy for a submission I very often lose it. However, if I take my time and analyze the position - if I am patient enough to think before moving - the finish is far more likely to be successful.

Second, those that expect to acquire skills in a short space of time quickly become frustrated, and many even give up. Jiu-Jitsu is not something that can be rushed. True, their are ways to maximize the effectiveness of the learning process, but it still requires time. Very often our progress seems to plateau and it feels as if we are not improving. It takes patience to ride out these plateaus and wait for results to manifest.

I have learned through jiu-jitsu that patience is a virtue which improves almost all aspects of my life.

It's all about perception

When we are rolling, it's rare that we encounter a position or situation that has only a 'right' and 'wrong' response. Instead, there are usually 'ways' and 'better ways' of reacting. To me this offers an intelligent and efficient way of looking at the world.

Many years ago, while sparring with my first instructor, I found myself caught in a knee-bar. As I was about to tap, he asked me "Why don't you escape?"

"There's no way out of this!" I foolishly replied. He proceed to show me a simple movement which neutralized all of his leverage and allowed me to escape the lock. I had been, in his words, locked against my own perception. The escape had always been there - I just hadn't seen it before.

Similarly, when I was younger, there were many situations in my life where I was convinced that I had only one course of action available to me. By adapting what I have learned through jiu-jitsu, I have come to realize that there are always more than one or two possibilities. All it takes for us to be able to see these possibilities is an expansion of our perception.

Embrace change

So many people go through their lives resisting and avoiding change, much to their detriment.

The speed at which the world is changing can be intimidating. Just as the world is not the same place it was thirty years ago, so is jiu-jitsu not the same as it was during the time of Mitsuo Maeda and Gastao Gracie. Change is a catalyst for growth. Jiu-jitsu is a living thing like you and I, and all healthy living things grow.

If I keep attacking my sparring partners with the same submissions and set-ups they will soon learn to counter them and defeat me. Anything that stands still is soon overtaken. We need to adapt or we are unable to keep up with the dynamism of the art.

Jiu-jitsu has helped me recognize this need for constant change, and through this recognition allowed me to strive for continual transformation and progression in life.

Knowing when to yield

Bruce Lee said "Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind." This is a important characteristic of a jiu-jitsu practitioner and one of the most overlooked and important aspects of our art.

The literal translation of jiu-jitsu or ju-jitsu is "gentle or compliant technique".

Many forget this. Their standard recourse while fighting is to try and meet their opponent head on. This very often leads to defeat, especially if their opponent's strength in that particular area is greater. The more you try to resist an adversary's force the harder he will push against yours. Sometimes it's wiser to not resist his pressure, but instead to yield to it and then redirect it.

I believe that in life the same applies. Often people and situations may seem to overwhelm us. By thinking like a jiu-jitsuko, we can learn to determine when it is prudent to yield to these stresses and divert their force to our own ends.

What life lessons have you learned from the art? We look forward to hearing from you all.

See you on the mat -- tonight!

Team:

Let's all wish instructor Scott Smith a very happy birthday. He's still quite spry at his age, which gives hope to us all! Be sure to shake his hand tomorrow and wish him well!

Below you'll find some rare footage of Mr. Smith in action. Please excuse the video quality, as this was back in his "younger" days. :)



See you all on the mat -- tomorrow night!

Team:

Not only has Scott Smith trained with one of the Machado Brothers in recent weeks, but one Machado crew. They have brought back some incredible techniques and continue to increase the knowledge base of the Academy.

Here are some photos, as well as a video of Jean Jacques Machado. In case you don't know who the brothers are, they're cousins of the Gracie family who are highly skilled and fierce competitors.













See you all on the mat -- tonight!

Team:

Great work on the mats Monday night! We'd like to first thank Allan Manganello for joining us in class. He's the one who brought jiu-jitsu to Louisville and is the primary reason all of us are able to train today. If you didn't have a chance to work with him seek him out next time. You'll learn so much from working with him.

Scott began class with several warm-ups, then transitioned into some walking judo throws. Remember, once you've established your grips, you first take a step back with your left foot. At the same time, your partner steps forward with his right foot. You'll then take a step back with your right foot as your partner steps forward with this left foot.

Then, take one more step back with your left foot as you pivot on your right foot and throw. It's a 1-2-3 count, where you pivot and throw on 3. We worked the ippon seionage and morote seionage for this initial series.

Butterfly Guard Pass

After throws, Scott covered a simple and effective butterfly guard pass. When your opponent transitions to butterfly, it's important that you first block with your head by putting it on your opponent's chest. Your right hand will grab on his back and you'll use your elbow to isolate your opponent's left arm. Keep your elbow in tight at all times.

Your left hand will grab at the bottom of your opponent's gi bottoms on his right leg and keep constant pressure down towards the floor. From here, step away with your left foot and sit out towards your opponent's head. You'll end in cross-side.

Arm Drag Defense

Let's assume you're inside your opponent's butterfly guard when he attempts to arm drag and transition to your back. He'll take his right hand and cross-grip your right tricep. As he grabs your right tricep, you'll also grab his tricep (essentially a mirror image). As he trys to go to your back, you'll go to his back by pulling on his arm, basing out with your left hand as you work your left leg around to his back.

Immediately grab under his left arm with your left arm to keep him from moveing away from you.

Again, excellent job everyone. Keep up the great work and we'll see you all on the mats tomorrow night!

All of us at Spencer County Martial Arts would like to thank Professor Bruce Shepherd for conducting such a phenomenal seminar today. We appreciate him taking time out of his Sunday to travel several hours and instruct us. He covered some excellent techniques that are sure to make our games excel.

For those of you who couldn't make today's seminar, don't fret. We plan to have Professor Shepherd back again soon. In addition, we'll soon post photos and a sample video to give you guys just a small taste of what the day consisted of.

Please also don't forget to mark your calendars for Nov. 7, 8, and 9. Master Sauer's winter training camp is headed to Louisville Martial Arts. For just $195, you get to also train with Relson Gracie and Luis Heredia. There are four, three-hour sessions that will be conducted. Individual sessions will only cost $70.

To register, visit http://www.pedrosauer.com/.

Thanks again to all of those who attended today's seminar. We sincerely appreciate your dedication and support of our program. There are only great things ahead.

Until next time, we'll see you all on the mat!

Team:

This is an excellent example of attacking by combination. Too often we get tunnel vision; a hard focus on one line of offense. Think about it the next time you train. Did you miss that arm bar or sweep because of your speed, technique or timing....or, was it he wrong move at the wrong time?

Instead, once your body is able to execute a move smoothly without resistance, attempt it in "live-time" but always have a back-up, or Plan B. In the beginning of this process, you may only have one back-up move. For instance, upa to elbow escape, or vice versa. Later in your training, and as you progress, you develop not only a Plan B, but you also have a Plan C, D, E, F....and so on.

The video below is an example of this in action.



See you all on the mat -- later today!

Team:

Our recent promotion of three blue belts garnered some local media coverage from the Spencer County Magnet.

Congratulations again, guys!

Team:

Just a reminder to let everyone know that Professor Bruce Shepherd is coming to the Academy on Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. for a seminar. At $25, this is an incredible opportunity to learn from a master technician and second-degree black belt. His wealth of experience and knowledge of jiu-jitsu will only make us all better martial artists.

Space is limited, so please see Scott to let him know you'll be attending.

Let's all wlecome Professor Shepherd to Spencer County!

See you all on the mat -- this evening!

Team:

Ryron and Rener Gracie provide some good detail in the below video, which covers a standing guillotine choke defense:



See you all on the mat -- tomorrow night!

Team:
The man who started it all turned 95 today. The Gracie Academy issued the following statement via email:

Today, my father celebrates his 95th birthday. I spoke to him this morning and am proud to report that when I called, he was tanning at his ranch in Brazil and was in very high spirits.

If you would like to send him a note or a birthday wish, please email it to heliogracie@gracieacademy.com and I will do my best to have it forwarded to him.

Best Regards,

Rorion Gracie