The BJJ Counselor podcast -Ep. 2 Worse than Average
In this episode of the BJJ Counselor Podcast, we discuss the Worse than Average Effect and how you can hold false beliefs about your grappling skills. You can listen to the episode here:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2uBnB7xk0qNNYJcDWzacZI
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/ba17
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/BJJ-Counselor/dp/B0B6T5V9RS/ref=sr_1_13?crid=3F511IYWM6VH9&keywords=bjj+counselor&qid=1658866370&sprefix=bjj+counselor%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-13
Apple Connect
Google Podcasts
Brought to you by Psychology of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu-Submission-Wrestling-ebook/dp/B00BV2822O/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=psychology+of+bjj&qid=1623947447&sr=8-3
BJJ Counselor podcast – Aikido & BJJ
In this episode of the BJJ Counselor Podcast, we discuss Aikido in BJJ and ask if it is effective. If so, how much? You can listen to the episode here:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2uBnB7xk0qNNYJcDWzacZI
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/ba17
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/BJJ-Counselor/dp/B0B6T5V9RS/ref=sr_1_13?crid=3F511IYWM6VH9&keywords=bjj+counselor&qid=1658866370&sprefix=bjj+counselor%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-13
Apple Connect
Google Podcasts
Brought to you by Psychology of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu-Submission-Wrestling-ebook/dp/B00BV2822O/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=psychology+of+bjj&qid=1623947447&sr=8-3
She Kissed Me – Second Night Back -Jiu Jitsu Class
Man, it feels so good to be able to do what I love! This was my second night back since my injury. I helped with the coaching of the kid’s class first and it was packed. There were 16 children there tonight, according to Storm, and you could feel the energy. A lot of new faces tonight too.
The kids were doing F2 tonight, which is:
Guard (pull person close -they posture)
Hip bump sweep
Americana (person defends by using the other arm to pull arm back)
(Soul crush armbar) to
Arm bar
A funny thing happened in class as well. Storm asked all the children to get in a circle and used me as an uke to demonstrate how to get out of mount. When he flipped me over onto the mat, I fell right in front of my daughter, and she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, and everyone laughed. Now, how sweet is that.
For the adult class, we were working on the B Series (Hail Mary’s). Storm showed a few new entries from the shin-on-shin. For instance, switching to the opposite side for the ashi garami if you meet too much resistance. He also showed some variations at the point where we do the Marcelotine such as using the Hindulotine and using varying grips (using the okay grip).
For the positional battles we started off on shin-on-shin and then from bad positions (in turtle with the person having an over under wrap on you). That sucked trying to get out. I also realized I really need to work on my shin-to-shin (using it and defending it). But that is why positional battles are so good. It points out your weaknesses and lets you work on things you never would.
Doing roll time, I rolled with Wes, Solomon and Storm. With Wes I tried working on a Quarter Nelson when the person tries to wrestle up and you have sprawled. I was able to push his head down and connect for the grips, but I forgot what direction I was supposed to spin in and so it only half worked. I’ll keep working on it.
When rolling with Solomon, I tried working my buzzsaw pass, but he has caught onto it (Wes has too) and I couldn’t work my foot placement for entry. At the end of our roll, I tried to jump into a toehold on Solomon from his Z guard and almost immediately regretted it. I usually play a conservative game with him as he has about 40 pounds on me. Let’s just say I won’t try the toehold on Solomon when it places him in a position to slap it on me too.
With Storm, I tried to work on my shin-to-shin entries. I don’t know why I always try new stuff on him. However, at the same time you get to see how it can be shut down and learn what you are doing wrong almost immediately. He told me after our roll that I need to either pull the leg in immediately (like Danaher), lean on the leg (like Sean Applegate) or push on the opposite leg with the free hand (like Firas Zahabi). You can defend it, by leaning in and pressing on the near side hip and then pummeling your leg.
All in all, it was a good session, and my back is feeling good. I need to make sure I keep stretching and massaging it.
Peace!
You can read Bakari’s books: Grappling 101: How to Avoid being Bullied on the Mat, Psychology of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling Games: BJJ & Submission Wrestlers, Tapmonster: Ideas about Grappling for BJJ and Submission Wrestlers, Grappling for Newbies, 20 Ways to Increase Grappling Skills off the Mat, The Lazy Man’s Guide to Grappling and much more.
It’s Good to be Back (After Two Weeks Off)…
Man, it felt great to be back on the mats again after sitting out for two weeks. I have still been coaching during that time though. That has been helpful as I have had to nurse little aches and pains as of late and serving as a coach for the kid’s class keeps me close to grappling even when I can’t be on the mats.
Last night, I assisted Nel in coaching the Kids’ class as Storm and his daughter couldn’t make it.
After that, Marc came in and coached the adult class. We started off with a wrestling move I asked about that I have been trying to work on (the Fly by). It’s a move where both opponents have collar ties on each other, and one person shucks the other past him. Once this happens you can take the back and get an easy take down.
From there we worked sit-outs, a basic sit, sit out to a submission and a sit out from being slammed from behind. We also worked on funky ankle locks – a last resort ankle lock when the other person has you in ashi garami where you take the toes and place them under your armpit and then heel hook the other person. Following that we had positional battles starting from ashi garami (from standing).
When it was time for rolls, I felt good. I rolled with Richard, Wes and Marc. Richard is relatively new, but is 6ft and 300 lbs. I was worried about wrestling after just returning so I sat down. Mistake! I tried to work a shin on shin entry with a Reverse De la Riva and I couldn’t budge his leg. He ended up passing to my side and I spent the next two minutes framing and shrimping until I could get enough space to get up and get on top. I ended up working my Kesa gatame and holding him down when he escaped and turtled up.
With Wes I continued working on my Andrew Wiltse Buzzsaw pass and of course the Kesa. I also tried to work on my Kimura from topside, but he was able to reverse it and sweep me. We had a couple of transitions and it led to a good roll.
I tried the Buzzsaw pass on Marc too, but landed hard on his stomach and we had to stop for a second. The Buzzsaw pass is quick, so I need to make sure I do it smoothly as Wes kneed me in the head a few weeks ago while I was passing his guard. Anyway, I eventually switched to Kesa on Marc and he quickly flipped me over and worked me over until he was able to get the tap by pressing my nose bone into his body. When I asked him how he did it, he said something to the effect of, “I don’t know. I just knew you were uncomfortable, and I squeezed.”
It was good to be back on the mats!
You can read Bakari’s books: Grappling 101: How to Avoid being Bullied on the Mat, Psychology of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling Games: BJJ & Submission Wrestlers, Tapmonster: Ideas about Grappling for BJJ and Submission Wrestlers, Grappling for Newbies, 20 Ways to Increase Grappling Skills off the Mat, The Lazy Man’s Guide to Grappling and much more.
Tai Lopez interviews Rorion Lopez
This is a very good interview. They talk about the history of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, diet and life in general. Rorion also shares some of his Hollywood history.
You can read Bakari’s books: Grappling 101: How to Avoid being Bullied on the Mat, Psychology of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling Games: BJJ & Submission Wrestlers, Tapmonster: Ideas about Grappling for BJJ and Submission Wrestlers, Grappling for Newbies, 20 Ways to Increase Grappling Skills off the Mat, The Lazy Man’s Guide to Grappling and much more.
Tito Ortiz, MMA Legend Retires – Learn English with Slow News
One of the projects I have been working on is to teach people how to speak English (as well as Spanish). I have been creating videos to help people with the language and I decided to cover Tito Ortiz with my latest one. For almost 20 years I have watched Tito Ortiz and I am amazed that he has fought that long. He has been entertaining and a pillar in the MMA community. To check it out click the link: Tito Ortiz, MMA Legend Retires .
You can read Bakari’s books: Grappling 101: How to Avoid being Bullied on the Mat, Psychology of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling Games: BJJ & Submission Wrestlers, Tapmonster: Ideas about Grappling for BJJ and Submission Wrestlers, Grappling for Newbies, 20 Ways to Increase Grappling Skills off the Mat, The Lazy Man’s Guide to Grappling and much more.
You want to be on the ‘A’ side of this Beating!
This 10 year old girl, Evnika Saadvakass, lays the hammer down on this tree. I would never want to be on the B side of her fists. Even her grunts are scary (Unh-unh-unh-Tit-ti-TOW!). Check out her video by clicking the picture or here: Fastest Girl Boxer
The father states he has a revolutionary system for training athletes. It may be true. Russia has created a slew of top tier tennis players, hockey players, a few MMA artists and other solid athletes with their training regimens. I would love to check out his program.
You can read Bakari’s books: Grappling 101: How to Avoid being Bullied on the Mat, Psychology of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling Games: BJJ & Submission Wrestlers, Tapmonster: Ideas about Grappling for BJJ and Submission Wrestlers, Grappling for Newbies, 20 Ways to Increase Grappling Skills off the Mat, The Lazy Man’s Guide to Grappling and much more.
Fighters shouldn’t retire until 46-BJ Penn
*Check out Youtube video of post here: Fighters shouldn’t retire until 46
Okay, BJ Penn is coming out of retirement again to fight Yair Rodriguez. After a two year lay-off he is at it again and wants that UFC gold. That’s great. I will never knock a man for chasing his dreams. Trust me, I want Penn to win. I bought his books, watched his BJJ channel religiously and even learned a couple of his boxing combinations. I never used them because I thought the four punch combo would leave me too open.
However, Rodriguez is a live wire, unpredictable and has momentum. He is 24, full of fire and venom and has been training non stop for the past few years. Penn just turned 38 and has had long layoffs in the sport. I think this is a dangerous fight for him on many levels and not just because of his age. Age is a factor, but I think retirements are a major factor in tripping up many fighters who return to their sports.
I am recognizing a trend that is prevalent in many sports, but more so in combat sports such as boxing and MMA. Fighters retire and then come back after long lay-offs and put themselves in dangerous positions. They are convinced they are hanging up the gloves and going off into the sunset. However, since a fight is a fight and anything can happen a retired fighter can almost always get an upper tier or championship fight after doing nothing for years. Therefore, they keep coming back.
STOP IT!
When I say stop it. I mean stop retiring. I propose that instead of fighters retiring, they instead state they are placing themselves on Inactive Status until the age of 46. By doing this they can avoid many things.
1: Lessen Ring Rust
By claiming an Inactive Status they will know that they will most likely fight again. Therefore, they can continue to train, learn new techniques, evolve as a fighter, stay up to date with inevitable changes in the sport and always be in shape. No, they do not have to train at full tilt. However, they should train hard and smart enough to maintain skills, flexibility, endurance, etc.
2. Spend less Money
By training and staying in shape they can avoid bad habits retired people and people with a lot of money and nothing to do fall into. These habits include eating too much, traveling too much and spending money on unnecessary items to entertain oneself.
3. They will be realistic
Many fighters who go out on top or near the top still believe they can ‘whup’ anyone placed in front of them. All they need is to join up with the best trainer and a great camp. Hogwash! Yes, I said hogwash. They do not know how much they have declined and carry false ideas of greatness.
It is similar to the 40-year-old who thinks he can beat his nephews who run high school track because he used to be a Division I track athlete. He remembers his old glory and doesn’t realize how much he has declined. However, by claiming an Inactive Status (with the full intention of fighting again) he will continue to train and will know how he measures up against up and comers. He will not get surprised. People in your camp and who you bring in to spar and help you out are not going to tell you that you don’t have that “It Factor” anymore. They are just going to pump you up and in worst case scenarios, collect a check.
4. Avoid Missing the Game and coming back to do something stupid
Finally, by claiming an Inactive Status and continuing to train with the full intention of getting better and improving I believe many of the guys who do eventually return will fare better. They will accept or take more appropriate fights and know their limits or if they have any. Also, it will lead to a more disciplined life. When they turn 46 they can hang it up knowing that they had a full fighters experience and don’t have to return to try to check off some boxes they left untouched.
***Fighters who have suffered severe injuries, concussions and other health maladies should never continue fighting. Fighters should always train safely to minimize the effects of CTE and other maladies that come along with combat sports.
What do you guys think?
You can read Bakari’s books: Grappling 101: How to Avoid being Bullied on the Mat, Psychology of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling Games: BJJ & Submission Wrestlers, Tapmonster: Ideas about Grappling for BJJ and Submission Wrestlers, Grappling for Newbies, 20 Ways to Increase Grappling Skills off the Mat, The Lazy Man’s Guide to Grappling and much more.
Building a Better World Through BJJ
In the video above, Frank Curreri (a BJJ Black Belt and journalist) proposes a way to train kids in BJJ who have no means to experience it. He also uses Meisha Tate as a helper to demonstrate the art. The video is interesting and he says some things that are truly shocking about his experience with BJJ.
Here are my thoughts on a perfect BJJ World:
My view of the perfect BJJ world would be to have a permanent BJJ mat (the size of half a basketball court) in every community. This mat would be self cleaning and could survive the rigors of rough weather. People would come and work out like a local gym and experienced grapplers would help the younger grapplers to improve their skills. If all you wanted to do was use it for open mat, then so be it. No monthly payments, just free grappling.
*Instructors and school owners, you do not have to worry. If we had grappling in every neighborhood you guys would be needed as coaches in every school in the nation. You could make a living in the hierarchy that would exist.
What would your perfect BJJ world be?
Another Ted Talk you can watch: JiuJitsu: When Martial Arts become a Philosophy
You can read Bakari’s books: Grappling 101: How to Avoid being Bullied on the Mat, Psychology of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling Games: BJJ & Submission Wrestlers, Tapmonster: Ideas about Grappling for BJJ and Submission Wrestlers, Grappling for Newbies, 20 Ways to Increase Grappling Skills off the Mat, The Lazy Man’s Guide to Grappling and much more.
Guy promotes himself to Brown Belt
Wow, if life was that easy.
If you watched the BJJ vs the Vacuum Cleaner video on Peter Soto’s Youtube page, then you probably saw the video of a guy who promoted himself to Brown belt. If not, here is the video below.
I get it. I understand the frustration and the wanting to buck the system. I often felt that I deserved a little more rank than I held. However, at the same time I know how difficult it is to say how good you are because there is always someone who can beat you in BJJ in the lower ranks. Or the guys and gals of your rank spank you so often it is difficult to claim that you deserve a higher belt. All kind of variables can be interjected in trying to figure your belt level.
I also suspect the Dunning Kruger Effect plays into self-evaluation. With the Dunning Kruger Effect it is found that advanced students and those who make the better grades have a more realistic idea of how well they will perform when taking exams. They even underestimate their abilities. Those who have lower grades or are poor students overestimate how well they will perform on exams. (Time spent studying also plays a role.) I have no idea of this guy’s skill level, how good a BJJ student he is, etc., but I know self-evaluation can get you into trouble.
When I earned my Ph.D. and I was out celebrating with family and friends, I had a person come up to me (not in my group) and say she was going to get a Ph.D. at one time but decided not to. She didn’t say try to earn either. I didn’t get angry, but it rubbed me the wrong way. The lady said it as if claiming it could happen, it would happen. As if my five years spent obtaining it was reducible to a bold claim.
Most of us have been awarded a title, rank or achievement by others after passing a curriculum. If after studying the curriculum for a period of time and you feel you did not receive the proper recognition, would you promote or award yourself a designation?
In the end. It is only a belt. Redd Foxx once said he and a friend were walking down a street in St. Louis and a man jumped out of an alley into a Karate stance and said, “Give me your wallets, I’ve got a Black belt.” Foxx’s friend pulled out a pistol and said, “Good, they are going to need it to lower you a@# in the ground!”
I loved tapping out Brown belts when I was a Blue belt and I tapped out a few Black belts at purple belt. To have someone ask, how long have you been a Blue belt or why are you still a ____ belt was gold to my ears.
What do you think about self-promotions?
Bakari is the author of Grappling 101: How to Avoid being Bullied on the Mat, Psychology of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling Games: BJJ & Submission Wrestlers, Tapmonster: Ideas about Grappling for BJJ and Submission Wrestlers, Grappling for Newbies, 20 Ways to Increase Grappling Skills off the Mat, The Lazy Man’s Guide to Grappling and much more.
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