Open Mat Training Session

New Year's Eve Wednesday we will be training at 10:00am. Show up and get a workout in for an hour or two. See you there!

Bunny Slope

I hope you all had a great Christmas and were able to spend time with family and the ones you love. I had a great Christmas with my family and am enjoying my time in Mammoth Lakes on the snowy mountain. Today I saw my daughter ski for the first time and she did great. When she was done with her ski lessons, she looked up at the big mountain, where the experienced skiers were coming down the run, and said "I want to ski up there." I was happy for her enthusiasm but explained to her that she needs to practice a bit more on easier runs before tackling the advanced slopes. Had I let her find this out the hard way, she would have discovered that she wasn't quite ready and might have lost confidence and enthusiasm in her ability. This happens a lot in Jiu-Jitsu. A new guy comes into the academy and you get to grapple with him. You beat him and gain a boost of confidence in your Jiu-Jitsu game. All of a sudden, you find yourself on top of the world and are ready for the next challenge. You roll with a more experienced guy who puts you in your place and your once elevated ego is now deflated by reality. Does this mean that we shouldn't roll with guys who are better than us? Absolutely not! We must, however, manage our own expectations and realize that we learn more from losing than winning. Take the tough challenges and walk away with more knowledge than you had before, but also take the time to learn on the "bunny slopes" and work on your technique before moving up to the more difficult runs. I look forward to the new year and to the progress in your lives and Jiu-Jitsu.

Jiu-Jitsu Students

The progress I have seen in my students makes me happy. I love to see students growing in their grappling ability and in their knowledge of Jiu-Jitsu. So here is what I cannot stand about the direction that Jiu-Jitsu is taking, something that I have noticed more and more as of late. Jiu-Jitsu, to me, is everything - It is my family, my friends, my training, my health, my sanity, my therapy. Those who understand the true essence of the Jiu-Jitsu that was passed down to me, know that it is much more than a fighting art - it is a way of life. They understand that the art takes a lot of time to learn and is never perfected. The journey is a long one that rewards those that are dedicated and give themselves selflessly to elevating the gentle art. Nothing is sweeter than seeing a person who trains Jiu-Jitsu and because of that training exudes humility, loyalty and quiet courage. So here is what I see about the future of Jiu-Jitsu that I really don't like. In reality, it has nothing to do at all with the art itself, but rather the application of the learning process as it is currently transpiring. Students today have access to countless resources like the internet (youtube), books, magazines, instructional videos etc. While these things are good for reference, they are not teachers or instructors of the art. In the fast food society we live in, Jiu-Jitsu is now being bought and taught by the "drive-thru" crowd who wants the fast track to Jiu-Jitsu knowledge. What they don't realize is that by attempting to learn technique from these resources, they are receiving "fast food" or "junk" Jiu-Jitsu instead of collecting the right ingredients and adding them to the recipe in the right order and allowing the goods to cook for the right amount of time. There is a process to learning Jiu-Jitsu that is just as special as the end result. When you decide and commit to train at an academy, you are submitting yourself to a set of principles and trusting that the instructor will give you what you need to succeed. You may not always agree with the methods or even like it all the time, but you are the student - it is your place to learn. I told my wife the other day that youtube would eventually kill Jiu-Jitsu. I believe this is true because students will attempt to shortcut the learning process and miss out on valuable growing pains that will make them wiser, tougher Jiu-Jitsu players in the higher ranks. Jiu-Jitsu books and videos are an aid to training, but have been used as primary instructional tools instead, and have developed a style of Jiu-Jitsu that is incomplete and awkward. Students today think they know more than their instructors because they spend more time on the internet, researching technique, than training on the mats under the supervision of an experienced teacher. Jiu-Jitsu is precious - It should never be given away. If we believe this, and I do, then we should wonder why these guys are posting technique videos online for every last person to see for free. They are not doing their part in preserving Jiu-Jitsu and they are doing it all for internet fame. They are not helping to elevate the art but rather misleading "wannabe" Jiu-Jitsu players into thinking that they are improving their game by simply watching three minute clips online. Take the time to learn the Jiu-Jitsu that your instructor is teaching and be patient enough to endure the growing pains that will make you stronger in the long run. If you want to learn via books and videos, then stay home. Put on your gi, sit in front of your computer and practice your moves and give the credit for your success to whomever wrote the latest and greatest book. As for me, I'll be on the mat with the gladiators....see you there.

Note - Things I did NOT say in this blog:
All instructional videos are bad.
All Jiu-Jitsu books are bad. In fact - Saulo's new book "Jiu Jitsu University" is a great reference to complement your Jiu-Jitsu. I would advise purchasing a copy.

Happy Holidays! We will be closed from December 24th to January 5th. Please continue to check this site for updates as we may have some open mat training sessions throughout the holiday break. Stay tuned for posts.....

Graduation

Check out http://www.lutasdonorte.com.br/noticias.php?ID_NOT=388 for some photos of my graduation in Brazil.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Take the time today, amidst the family, friends, cooking and eating, to spend at least 5 minutes alone. Reflect on all you have. Give thanks to God for your life, the air you breathe, the food you eat, the people you love and even those you don´t like so much. Give thanks for Jiu-Jitsu and the lessons that we learn when we dedicate ourselves to the art - humility, respect, hard work, dedication etc... Tell those around you that you love them today...Thank them for the way that they affect your life. These are things we should do each day. The more we give thanks, the more we realize all that we are given. In turn, the more we can give to others who need us.

Brazil is great...Learning a lot! We can´t wait to share our experiences with all of you.

Thanks to everyone at Axis for being a part of my life this year and I look forward to being part of yours for years to come.

Don´t get fat today....Remember - You are Jiu-Jitsu ATHLETES!!! Treat yourself like one!

Brazil

We are in Brazil now and the trip is turning out to be everything we expected and more! We were received here with great warmth and excitement from the athletes at Club Pina Jiu-Jitsu. The made sure that we stayed out all night on our first night here by taking us to what we agreed was the biggest party we have ever seen. The Brazilians know how to party! We maintained our composure, of course, and managed to get home in one piece....a feat in its own if yo have ever seen Brazilians drive. Picture a NASCAR track with street lights and sharp turns..oh and people and motorcycles on the road too! On the first night we had two different drivers. The first one liked to reacj out and shake hands with motorcyclists at speeds of 60+ mph. Josh and I almost soiled ourselves in the backseat. The second guy to drive us around had no headlights and tailgated everyone to piggyback on their lights. I was seriously scared for my life more than once! Red lights?? they are just a suggestion. First one to the intersection goes...
We took a boat on the river on Saturday and swam in the Black River - very warm water. On Sunday, we went to the jungle to a ranch owned by a student at the academy. It was about an hour away from where we stay and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful place I have seen. Today we trained hard!! These guys are absolute animals and we are holding our own against these beasts. We trained at 7:30am, 4:00pm, and again at 7:00pm. They like to train a lot!! They are all the nicest guys you would ever want to hang out with - Very friendly and welcoming to their club. Josh and I were also on TV today. They took us to a studio where they film a sports TV show that covers the state of Amazonas and interviewed us about what we thought of the Jiu-Jitsu in Manaus. What an experience....TV stars on our third day here! We were alongside world champion, Carlos Holanda in the interview...He is a celebrity here and trains at the academy where we are staying. We are celebrities because we are Americans. If you want to be famous, just come to Manaus and train! We stay in a real nice apartment on top of the academy and Carlos Holanda, Diego, and Mestre Pina all like to hang out there with us and make sure that we are shown a good time. Well, that is all for now...
More later..stay tuned!!!

Trip to Brazil

So Josh and I are headed to Brazil this week to meet up with Diego and the guys from Club Pina in Manaus. Club Pina is well known in Brazil for producing world champions Bibiano "the Flash" Fernandes and Carlos "Esquisito" Holanda. It is also home to Carlos Diego, who was just with us at Axis Acaedmy this summer and shows great promise in the Jiu-Jitsu world - He just won the absolute title in the Northern Brazilian Championship. That said, the training will be tough and lots of fun! We are going there with clear minds and happy hearts, ready to soak in the Jiu-Jitsu of the Amazon.
For those who don't know, Carlos Diego (we just call him Diego) will be at Axis Academy in the spring and will stay through the summer with us. He will be training and teaching at our school while competing in the world's largest tournaments. This will be a great addition to our team and we look forward to building the Jiu-Jitsu team in Redding for upcoming competitions.

While we are gone, classes will continue on regular schedule. Professor John Dill and Rod Rice will be teaching classes and will be sharing their great insight and technique with you. We will be closed on the 26th of November through the 30th of November for the Thankgsgiving holiday and open again on December 1st. Use this time to reflect on everthing you are thankful for. We all, undoubtedly, have much to be grateful for and people to love. Reflect on this, medidate on positive things, share your passion with others.

If all you have is a gi, a belt, and a beating heart, then you have a family. Spend time with those that need your time. Be around those you need the most.....give thanks together!

I will be training hard on my trip to Brazil, and I expect all of you to do the same here on the homefront.

Path to the Black Belt

If you are training Jiu-Jitsu at Axis Academy then consider yourself on the path to Black Belt. This is a very long and arduous journey....Trust me, I know! On this path you will go through a lot of growing pains, frustration, plateaus, mental blocks, and the proverbial blood, sweat, and tears. Let me be the first to tell you that a Black Belt (Faixa Preta) in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a very difficult thing to achieve and for those that make it, the reward is great. Our belts are earned and never, EVER given. Each belt is special....Every promotion you receive puts you into a more elite group of athletes and earns you an immense amount of respect in the world of fighting. Here is a perspective on what you can expect.

You must spend your time as a white belt. At this level you will become familiar with every basic Jiu-Jitsu position. You will learn the basics here so pay attention, because the fundamentals that you learn as a white belt will be your foundation for all of the techniques you will learn later on. If your fundamentals are weak, then your entire game will be weak. As a white belt, you will get beat...A LOT! As you should...after all - you are a white belt. Make your defenses strong at this level. Worry about the offense later. Learn to survive first from every position, and then begin to work on your attacks. This will make you a much better blue belt.

As a blue belt, you begin to look like a Jiu-Jitsu guy. You probably throw a lot of "hang loose" signs, own a couple of different kimonos (gi), have shaved your head at least once, grown it out twice, and can pretty well thump any white belt that walks into the academy. It is at this level that you begin to learn the attacks of Jiu-Jitsu and how to chain one technique into another. As a blue belt, you can begin to coach newer students in their technique and your own technical knowledge and maturity should begin to show in the way you grapple. Once you get the blue belt, do not rush to learn fancier, more sophisticated techniques. Instead, polish up your basics and become really good at executing the smallest details in the fundamental techniques. Also, you should know the self defense techniques and be able to teach them to new students. You should also know the history of Jiu-Jitsu and understand the rules of sport competition. Remember......You are a target for every white belt and they are using you to track their own progress. In a white belt's mind, if he can tap a blue belt then he should BE a blue belt, so be prepared to back up your belt because those guys WILL be after you. They want what you have!

Purple belt is a very special level. At this point you have begun to develop your own "style" and game. You are a monster to every white belt, and the blue belts love to roll with you because they enjoy the tough challenge you provide. Purple is the first belt that gains you true credibility. Once you wear the it, people know you have paid your dues. At purple belt, you should begin to choose the techniques you like and really strengthen these techniques as your "bread and butter" moves. You will fall back on these a lot and begin to be known for your favorite moves. You should also be honest about your weaknesses and work to close those gaps through hard practice. You should now move ahead of your opponent by 3 or 4 steps - always ahead of him and knowing where he is in relation to you at all times. At purple belt, you become a master of escaping. Use this time to become an escape artist - someone who just can't get caught with simple techniques. If you can't be tapped, then you win. At purple belt you will also teach classes and be responsible for lighting the Jiu-Jitsu torches of new students. Let me warn you, though. Purple belts think they know it all and begin to slow in their learning. They think they have seen it all and often try and debunk the technique that others show them because they have a "better" way. KEEP LEARNING. I look back now at when I was a purple belt and I think I learned more during that time than I did in all of the previous years leading up to it.

At brown belt, you will refine every technique in your arsenal. You will polish each move, study every detail, teach every move and detail and have a thorough understanding of Jiu-Jitsu as a way of life. Your time here is a trial before you reach the coveted Black Belt. This is where your instructor will watch you closely to see what you teach, how you teach it, how you fight, how you live your life, how you love the art. Think of this as your probationary period before the next promotion is finalized. Relearn all of the basic techniques, all of the self defense techniques, and have a clear understanding of what works and what doesn't - always moving forward in the progression of Jiu-Jistu. Stay current with new techniques and cherish the old ones enough to not forget them.

Faixa Preta (Black Belt) is the greatest reward in the Jiu-Jitsu life. Your hard work and dedication paid off and you reached the end of the road, only to find that this is truly only the beginning and that the path does not end here but goes on forever. You now represent Jiu-Jitsu so represent it well. Always know yourself, your limitations and be true to yourself and those around you. Surround yourself with those that enrich your life and will push you daily to be a better black belt - a better person. Focus on your students more than yourself and give them the same happiness that you have in your life. Infect them with your positive outlook and listen when they speak. Teach your students everything you know but be able to discern when and at what pace to teach it. Be honest with your students and create a sense of trust with them. Learn from your students as much as they learn from you. The longer you practice Jiu-Jitsu, the more you understand the deeper meaning of the art. Understand Carlos Gracie's 12 teachings and apply them everyday in your life.

Congratulations on whatever step you are on....We are all on this journey together. Enjoy the ride!!

Carlos

New Schedule

Starting on Monday the 1oth of November, our schedule will undergo the following changes:

We will add an early morning Jiu-Jitsu class at 6:00am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This will allow students to get their training in before work.

There will no longer be a MMA class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Instead, Jiu-Jitsu Fundamentals will run from 5:30pm - 7:00pm and Muay Thai will begin at 7:00pm and run until 8:30. Athletes who wish to compete in MMA will have to attend Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai classes, reach an acceptable level of competence in these styles, and THEN join the MMA Competition team which will practice at their own appointed times. Athletes who wish to compete in Jiu-Jitsu will now have more time available to train technique.

Thanks to all for bearing with me as we adjust the schedule to fit the needs of our students while maintaining the ideals and standards of Axis Academy.

12 Teachings of Carlos Gracie Sr.

1. Be so strong that nothing can disturb the peace of your mind.
2. Talk to all people about happiness, health, and prosperity.
3. Give to all your friends the feeling of being valued.
4. Look at things by the enlightened point of view and update your optimism on reality.
5. Think only about the best, work only for the best, and always expect the best.
6. Be as just and enthusiastic about others' victories as you are with yours.
7. Forget about past mistakes and focus your energy on the victories of tomorrow.
8. Always make those around you happy and keep a smile to all people who talk to you.
9. Apply the largest amount of your time on self-improvement and no time in criticizing others.
10. Be big enough so you can feel unsatisfied, be noble enough so you can feel anger, be strong enough so you can feel fear, and be happy enough so you can feel frustrations.
11. Hold a good opinion about yourself and communicate that to the world, but not through dissonant words but through good works.
12. Believe strongly that the world is on your side, as long as you stay loyal to the best of yourself.

Elections

Don't forget to get out and vote on Tuesday, November 4th. This is an important day in our nation's history so don't screw it up!

Fight like hell.....

You don't have to go too far to see that the world around us is changing fast and for most, the change has been a negative one. Perhaps you have lost your job or are facing the possibility of being laid off. Your hours have been cut at work and your income does not satisfy your daily necessities. You are now finding yourself depressed, demotivated, weak and on the verge of giving up and surrendering - succumbing to the situation. In Jiu-Jitsu, we are often faced with challenges and obstacles on the mat. We face adversaries who are strong, big, crafty, flexible, tough, technical etc... We often get put in situations where we are forced to tap or make a move to escape. Sometimes the move we make is not sufficient enough to break the submission hold and we are forced to fight like hell - like a wild animal - to make the escape. Life is not different than the mat. In fact, it is quite parallel and one reflects the other clearly. If you are patient, you will realize what you must do to change your situation and improve your position....but you MUST move. You cannot wait for your opponent to go away simply because you want him to let go. He wants to choke you...He HAS to choke you. I must improve MY position and by improving my position, I can now begin to launch my own attack. There is no sweeter breath than the one you breathe immediately after escaping a chokehold. In the same regard, there is no better feeling than the one you get when you have kicked the world's ass and escaped the struggle of finances, failed relationships, unhappy thoughts etc..... If you have to fight like hell to get ahead, then do it....No excuses, no hesitations! This is where we find out who we truly are.
Train Jiu-Jitsu, have a happy heart, think good thoughts, love everyone!

Helio Gracie Wisdom

Gui Valente (A Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt) recently spent some time with Helio Gracie on his farm in Brazil. Worried with the world financial crisis, Valente asked Helio about what should be done to cope with such difficult times. The Grandmaster said: “In moments of crisis the most important investment one can make is in himself, in a healthy diet, in the elevation of thoughts, in physical exercise and especially in Jiu-Jitsu, which brings us tranquility and increases our confidence."

Food for thought....

Jiu-Jitsu Life

I often think about my reasons for being a Jiu-Jitsu person. I've never felt comfortable attaching myself to any group - simply because I enjoy my individuality and the freedom to express thoughts and practices the way I want, the way that my own beliefs lead me to. I fear that I will be associated with members of a group who I have nothing in common with or even disagree with on fundamental levels. For me Jiu-Jitsu is different. Jiu-Jitsu is very personal and very unique to each individual. It looks different to each person and each one's expression of the art is his or her interpretation of the many concepts that make up the Jiu-Jitsu. So I feel comfortable saying that I am a Jiu-Jitsu guy because my Jiu-Jitsu is just that - mine. The experience is my own and the journey belongs to me.
I was talking with a friend of mine the other night. My friend is an avid surfer. Let me rephrase this - My friend is a surfer. If you are not avid, then you are not one....We were talking about our passions and he began to speak about "the search". Surfers live in search of that perfect wave - the perfect ride. They are just as excited about the waves they will surf later than the one they are riding right now. These guys will drive up and down the coast endlessly just to find the right spot to get in the water. This is why I train Jiu-Jitsu.....It's a journey to find the perect "roll" - the perfect session - the mental challenge, the dynamic movement, the physical exertion, the submission, the camarederie, the smiles. Each time I roll, my Jiu-Jitsu gets better - My training partners get better - the sessions get better. The journey is what makes it great. The search makes it worthwhile. Even though I find it every single day, I still keep searching. This is my Jiu-Jitsu.....my journey....my life. Put on the gi and search on!