The way you learn makes a difference!

I have been training with a few newer students during the daytime, one in particular has come in from another school. We have had several people join from this school, people with previous experience, that have been training for a bit and the response has always been the same.  They are shocked at what they learn here with us and the methods we use to teach. Yesterday I trained with the guy I was referring to above and after drilling and talking about the positions we were in for about 30 min, he just looked at me and said he was blown away by how much he was learning at FargoBJJ after only a few classes. He follow this up by saying he couldn't believe he trained at this other school for as long as he did without covering the stuff we were doing as it seemed really basic. And it was really basic, all things that are covered in our fundamentals program which just goes to show you the importance of the method and environment in which you learn. Coming from the line of excellent instructors that George and Sarah come from, we are truly lucky to have all there experience and methods brought to us! We are also lucky to be able to learn in the environment that they created here. A relaxed comfortable environment :) An environment in which you have a chance to learn without getting roughed up, where everyone is encouraging and helpful. This is what makes a great academy. This is why FargoBJJ is great!

Fundamentals Class is the Place to Be

The title of this article sums it up, when you want to learn something you start with the basics.  This holds true to life not just Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and as you advance in life or BJJ you always go back to the basics.  Einstein started with 1+1=2 not E=MC^2 and do you think he never played with simple addition again after he realized how much energy was contained in an object?  Last week in the Fundamentals program at FargoBJJ we learned different escapes from the mount and the same thing happened to me that happens to me every time this class comes around. I realize that instead of working on x, y,or z move that what I should be working on is bridging. My bridge is weak, my bridge form is sloppy I lead with my chest instead of my hips, and no time is this more glaring than when I try to buck and roll people! And when I look back my BJJ game reflects this too, I would be so much better if I could fix this thing, and its a huge thing! When I introduce people to BJJ at the academy the first thing I tell them is that the single most important attribute in BJJ is the ability to move your hips. So it is embarrassing that I haven't been working on my hips, everyone says work on the basics if you want to be good, I say that, but do I. Not often enough! So what should I do about this? I need to practice my bridge. Where is the best place to practice this? In fundamentals class where my partner is giving me minimal resistance and I have the time to realize my mistakes and attention I need to correct my mistakes. If I were to just come in and train I would be less apt to concentrate on the little details as things would be moving much faster. So when its time to improve the game, you should look to fundamentals class and we will be killing it in no time :)

The Importance of Training with the Big Man

Yesterday was a full day of teaching and training for me. I woke up in the morning to this schedule: 10am Chiropractor, Noon teaching Fundamentals B Day, which was a great class by the way! 1pm Intro, 2pm another intro, 6pm open mat, 630pm KickBoxing, 730pm Masters Class. Now this is a long day with some running around and a very late lunch, it would be easy and understandable to not want to do something to wear you out before it even started. I had the opportunity to train with Matt at 11am before I started teaching; now Matt at 230 is 40lbs heavier than me, extremely flexible, very technical, and does not have the typical "big guy movement" but is very fluid. All my goals on the other hand need this training to accomplish, not only do I love competing but I love competing in the open weight and absolute divisions of tournaments too! Most bigger guys are slower and if they are bulky with muscle tire much much faster than me, but I do have a hard time dealing with their strength and sometimes get stuck and over powered. I need to confront this problem now as it only is going to get harder in the future. So I asked Matt if he wanted to train in the am Tuesdays and Thursdays 11am before I teach. And so it starts and Matt asks me what I wanted to work on. I chose the position opposite the one Matt's A-game revolves around. I need to get smashed and find a way out. So bottom of half guard it was... and I suffered... A LOT! I got tapped every couple of minutes over and over again, and the one or two times I got on top Okay Okay just the one time  I got on top, I swept and passed then stopped and went back to bottom. Why? Because a champion doesn't take the easy route he studies, works hard, and evolves. A champion is always looking for the next challenge to overcome. A champion does not stop trying, and I want to be a champion so I must follow this path. Its a hard path to start and and even harder path to follow but if you can find a way to make it fun, your rewards will be incredible. I had fun training with Matt yesterday and will again on Tuesday, I am sure of it. And you know what, what do you think I will feel win I step out on the mat to compete next time, when I face a weaker, less skilled opponent than my training partner? I will feel relaxed, I will feel comfort, I will feel my hard work pay off, I will feel victory, I will feel happy!

So Train with those who are better than you, those who smash you, Train with the Big Man and you will feel it too!

Midday Training with Kris F

Today while I was sitting at work, I had this sudden urge to do some drilling. At first I just kept working but the desire was persistent.  I just knew that if I trained something good would happen, something really good. So I made a few calls, put up a desperate plea on my facebook page and thankfully Kris F. was nearby and responded. First we worked breaking down strong posture in the guard, and where to go from the particular technique that we were using. Where did we go... to the back! Everything I have been training, drilling, and even thinking about involves going to the back. It was awesome, and it is really paying off! Next we worked on setting up the arm triangle from anywhere we could think of, and what to do if we couldn't finish from there. I bet you can guess where we went if we didn't finish; yeah that is right, we went to the BACK. Ask me any BJJ question, from now on, my answer will be go to the back LOL! Then as Kris headed out Joe came in and me and Joe picked right up working on taking the back from the arm triangle position. What a great attack, I am putting together an entire series from finish to start so stay tuned for more, but if you want to learn it come on in!!!

Watch the Gracies Break down Fedor vs Silva?

Want to know what Antonio Bigfoot Silva did right and what Fedor Emelianenko did wrong?

Great Friends & Great Times

This past weekend my girlfriend, Audrina, and I had dinner with Bill and Stephanie, some friends from FargoBJJ. The food was great: Baked Salmon, and Salad with Fruit and Nuts. After dinner the four of us competed in a dance competition using XBOX kinect was was an awesome awesome fantastic time, it also got me thinking. How many times have I hung out with people from the gym? How many weekends were filled with fun times, how many friends have I made there?

In addition to be a great place to train, FargoBJJ also provides a great social atmosphere, as it is filled with some of the best people I know. I moved to Fargo, not knowing anyone that lived here, to go to paramedic school at FMAmbulance. With school and clinicals taking up almost all my time and wearing me out I knew I needed something to balance my life with physical activity and socializing. I already had a membership at the YMCA but lifting weights all by yourself is boring and not satisfying my social needs. I had driven by FargoBJJ almost every day since moving to Fargo, and one day decided to stop in. I knew almost nothing about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu other than the fact it was grappling.  I figured I would get a workout in, and maybe make some friends, and if nothing else try something new... a little much needed adventure in my life. Well now its almost two and a half years later and almost every friend I have in Fargo is somehow tied to FargoBJJ. What great people to have in my life. I am so blessed!

Thank you for everything FargoBJJ Family :)

BJJ Rules the Night

Marcelo Garcia... WOW!!!

Why FargoBJJ?

There are a lot of reasons why I train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at FargoBJJ but they all boil down to one reason... It is SO fun!!!

The first reason is the atmosphere. People here are nice, it is as simple as that! We have gotten so many other people from other schools that come in here and say I went to x school and they beat the sh*t out of me, felt like a punching bag, they broke my ribs, I was scared to come in because I thought I would get in a fight ect. Not that injuries don't happen but here when someone comes in to learn, they are taught in a relaxed, non-threatening atmosphere, using technique rather than strength or power so that they can actually learn, and learn in a safe manner. And this is exactly the experience I had when I joined. I was a awkward 6'3" and when I stepped on the scale at the gym my first day I weighed 158... very very weak! Its not like it was easy, it was hard, very hard work, but my point is everyone one in here could have hurt me if they tried anything on me, I didn't even know what the guard was! But using a partner giving me no resistance I was taught how to protect my self, positional control, and how to attack. And what do you know... it worked. Within 6 months I went to my first tournament, held my own, and even won a few matches. Around about the year mark I beat a professional fighter in a grappling match who had been training years longer than me, and now I continue to improve learning the same way I did when I started. So what happened to that 158lber who couldn't defend himself. He now is a much more confident, lean and athletic 195lb man. All this success is due to the friends I have made who are now my BJJ Family! It is a great feeling to walk into the gym and know that everyone you see is a friend of yours, more than just a group of people with common interests and goals, but on a deeper level, a level that involves trust. I came to FargoBJJ looking to add some adventure to my life, and I found a lifelong passion. When I am an old man, I have no doubt that I will look back at the first day I walked through that door as one of, if not, the greatest days of my life.

Competition Team Training 2/9/11

FargoBJJ

Competition team training is starting to pick up in preparation for the Pan-American BJJ tournament this year :) I can't wait!!! The first half of the class we drilled setting up take downs that we want to become more proficient at while rotating with partners, trying the various take downs on different body sizes and types. I worked the duck under in particular trying different stances in relation to my opponents stance.  It was going well but I have a very very long way to go before I start threatening people with my take downs though. Ben you have your work cut out for you!

In the previous Competition Team classes we had been discussing the points systems, the need to be aware of the score always, and how to use the points to your advantage. So continuing this topic last night, the second half of this training session consisted of rolling where submissions meant nothing and the only way to win was to be the first to 10 points. This drill served its purpose well as almost everyone was starting to keep score in there head, while those who weren't were becoming aware of it!

Overall it was a great time, wish the team luck as we prepare for the Pan-Ams :)

MKG Absolute Match#2

FargoBJJ

This is my second of back to back 10min matches in the absolute of the MKG tournament that took place 2/5/11. Enjoy then come get a workout in!!! and the video uprights after a few seconds.

Wrestling 2/8/11

FargoBJJ

The importance of practicing from standing is extremely important, even for the guard pullers out there so you can develop confidence in your game. In order to do this you first need a great coach and boy did we get lucky when Ben decided to come here, what can I say, the man knows his stuff. The two-time div.II all american wrestler from MSUM has taken over the wrestling program here and it is going great. He showed a great series from breaking out of the clinch and what to do from there from the reactions and defenses of your opponent. I have been doing the wrestling class for over a year now and man there is a lot to learn. It is always new fresh stuff and like usually the stuff last night was killer. Now time to drill it a lot and work it into my game.

Kick-boxing 2/8/11

FargoBJJ

Awesome class!!! We got to work on something I needed a lot, how to move and cover up as to take as little damage as possible. Joe Keaveny ran a great progression drill, first having partners take turns throwing jabs then more and more complex combos at each other while the other one covered up and moved. As if it didn't get hard enough the last set of the drill included counters... If your thinking this sounds like light sparring, your absolutely right. It was a great way to get some safe controlled sparring in and reign in those who like to throw bombs. I can't wait for the next one, Well done Joe!

Fundamentals Noon Class 2/8/2011

FargoBJJ

The class was about half the usually size but this gave me a chance to give much more individual attention to each student, something that I am a fan of :) We started with front bear hug defense into a hip throw and I almost made the mistake of choosing Matt as my demo partner... Not that he wouldn't be a great one, but the man is a beast and not a small one either, maybe a silver back gorilla in a past life or something. So it was a great thing that Bill was there to save the day! Following this we covered different ways of holding and maintaining side control. Overall it was a great class thanks to the students who were there plus a cool dude named Ashley joined the FargoBJJ family making the day even better!

Fundamentals Program 2/7/11

FargoBJJ

Almost 30 people in class! Awesome :D

The Fundamentals program has two different classes every week. An A day for Mon. Tues. and Fri. and a B day for Wed. Th. and Sat. This A class was off the hook, so many people, awesome stuff. Class started with defending the front bear hug, with grips over the arms and under the arms. Man is that double under grip uncomfortable and dangerous too! What a great way to start class, the second half of the class covered different positions of side control and moving from side to side on your opponent. Some much needed positional control for all levels of BJJ. Boy did I get some good practice in training with the man beast I usually Chad Ferrigno, it really showed me the necessity of possessing the technique to overcome strength.

I love BJJ

Fitness 2/7/11

FargoBJJ

WOW did Stephanie have a good class tonight. More coming soon!!! My computer battery is about dead ugggh!

At FargoBJJ now :) Always a good feeling! Computer plugged in and ready to rock!!

So anyways Stephanie, she is a certified Crossfit instructor, EMT in the military, and a rumor has it she did 200 pushups in her last military PT test!!!! What a great fitness instructor too friendly, outgoing, always smiling!

Last night there was a circuit involving kettle bells, rings, pull-up bars, squats, and exercise balls. Use your imagination and include sweating and good times! And as if this wasn't enough afterwards there was squat and overhead press form drill followed by a overhead press burnout.

Believe me when I say she will get you into shape fast!!!

Advanced Class 2/7/11

FargoBJJ

Tonight was a great night of training and reflected a mistake made by a team member at the latest MKG tournament in Minneapolis: Kyle was getting smashed in the guard, his opponent having a arm wrapped around the head locked on an Ezequiel choke from inside his guard. The next thing Kyle knew he was asking his teammates what happened. Well what happened was we realized it was time to work on scenarios such as the one that just happened, and that is what we did. First review then up down out training having your partner give you different bad posture positions in the guard. Hopefully we all learn the lesson and continue this training outside of class and don't get caught off guard again (LOL horrible pun :p), because you can bet 10 years from now someone will be reminding Kyle about the time he was put to sleep by someone inside his guard!!!!

FargoBJJ Competition Team Results

FargoBJJ

Minnesota Kali Group 2/5/2011

White belt:
Conner 1st
Lucas 1st
Ben 1st
Joey Mack 1st
James 3rd
Brian 2rd


Blue Belt:
Doug 1st


Purple Belt:
Dave 1st


Open:
Doug 2nd 

BJJ Training - February 2011

FargoBJJ

Strength and Conditioning: February 2011

Monday

8:30am @ MaxTrain:
     5x10ea. leg alternating, Single Leg Jump Squat +50lbs 1 min rest in between sets
     Full Recovery
     6x12 Shoulder/Chest push pull burnout. up and down hydraulic cylinder 10, +heavy chains
     Foam Roller, Stretch

Welcome to My Blog

FargoBJJ

My name is Doug and my intention is to document my journey with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The ups, the downs, the good times, and the bad... I hope that you enjoy and benefit from my story :)