Gracie Barra Mansfield | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

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Kids Grapple Thursday! July 7th 2016

July 11, 2016
Got “Jiu”? What is the “Jiu” in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

While teaching the standup throws portion of a class at Gracie Barra I was trying to communicate to the class ( largely made up of white belts ) the idea of using your opponent’s momentum to set up the opponent for the throw. I paused and asked the class “Does anybody here know what the “jiu” in jiu-jitsu stands for?” Several sets of shoulders shrugged and blank stares were the response. I saw that I needed to explain further.
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July 10, 2014
5 Things Jiu-Jitsu Newcomers Should Know

5 Basic Things You Need to Learn about Jiu-Jitsu

SO there you are finally deciding to get off your couch and try out that awesome thing that you saw in MMA being shown on primetime TV. You finally said, “hey, my body is a huge mess, and girls dig MMA fighters. Right?”

And then you walk into one of them Gracie Barra schools, or any school that you would normally drive pass by. You park your car and step into the gym. You have never seen so many people in one place your entire life! You decided to sign up. Get your very first Gi, a rashguard.

Welcome to the wonderful world of BJJ.

As a newcomer, I applaud you for choosing to start your journey in BJJ. As thousands already have, you are now a member of a wonderful brotherhood / sisterhood of martial artist. I know you are really fired up, however, there are things that you will need to remember to become AWESOME in this field.

Things to remember ARE:

Becoming a black belt takes years

Yes. Getting a blackbelt takes around 5-8 years of training. Depending on your training and your will to be promoted, belt ranking is actually done regularly. Be prepared to brush up on your lessons. From basics to advance. There are exemptions to this, of course. I believe BJ Penn received his in 4 years. The kid’s a prodigy,

If you are expecting to be a black belt in less than 2-3 years, think again. I think Jiu-Jitsu is not for you, or Gracie Barra is not the school that will provide that. A black belt is just something dark-colored and that goes around your waist. That’s about it. It’s not the color that makes the fighter, but the fighter to who fights and doesn’t quit training.

There some who claim that you can get it in just 2 years. I believe they trained at McDojo BJJ. No offense meant.

There is a thing called over training

Unless you are superman, or heals like Wolverine, you should look out for signs of overtraining. This occurs when well, you spend a little too much time training. At first, it’s your body that takes in the first blow. Then your start to lose focus. You lose strength in your arms. Running seems laborious, and grappling such a task.

The answer: take some break. Probably giving yourself a day or two from training will work. The logic is quite simple: if an employee needs a vacation, what more for a budding martial artist?

Listening actually WORKS in BJJ

Ok. I’ve seen some BJJ newbies that are struggling. The core root cause is the lack of listening skills. I have noticed a lot of them spacing out while being instructed moves. Some have difficulty in listening because they think that YouTube videos actually are the best ways to learn. While there is no evil behind learning in YouTube, it is far better that you first develop these new techniques and follow the basic rudiments of the art. IF you plan to reinvent the wheel and come up with your own training regimen,

Prepare to Fail

Ok. Don’t get this wrong. Seriously. But there will be a lot of heartaches in BJJ. Well, in anything that rewards anybody will not be easy. Prepare to fail on your first to attempt to submit someone. Failure is normal. If all boxers succeeded in knocking out someone the very first time, they threw a punch, it wouldn’t the boxing that we all know today.

Expect to Succeed

Success is not measured by the number of opponents that you were able to beat on the mats. Well, at least for me, that is. Success is measured by how far you have improved as a person while and after doing Jiu-Jitsu. Expect that you will succeed. Expect eventually you will get to that rank. Expect that you will win that gold.

Jiu-Jitsu for everyone!

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July 3, 2014
BJJ Lifestyle: Spar and Learn

Sparring is going against a teammate in a fight, where enough rules are set to avoid injuries. Often sparring is a good way to gauge someone’s skills, especially in BJJ.

Now the big question is, should you spar? Or better yet, are you ready to spar?

I can still remember the first time I was asked to spar. I sparred with this blue belt guy. In sparring, no one gets to lose (well, getting choked or being submitted counts as losing.) The idea of the spar is quite simple: knowing your skills so when you hit the competition arena, you know where you stand, and know how well you can do.

Anyhow, I sparred with the guy, and sad to say, I was submitted 8 times within 5 minutes. After all, his belt level is higher than mine – but it was a tough lesson to learn: there is no BJJ miracle. You have to work hard to get the skills to become really good at it. I thought that I was going to get a submission, but it was far from happening back in the day.

However, sulking as anyone should be after being submitted that much in less than 5 minutes, I began to focus on what I needed. I began working on a gameplan: not getting submitted.

In the following weeks of sparring, I was able to ward off attacks and subs, but I knew that it would not get me anywhere if I did. However, being able to learn how to defend myself is the key to learning the very basics of the guard and the counters.

With sparring, I started becoming very good at my skills. I started to learn how submissions really work. And it’s all because of sparring.

I’ve seen students who refuses to spar, or at least are too shy to. But the lessons to be learned from sparring are really great. Remember this: BJJ is a skill-based art. It’s something that you need to be able to do and not just know how to do. It’s training your body. It’s feeding your mind to develop muscle memory.

Make it a point to spar at least once a week. Think of it as a culmination of an entire week’s worth of training. Apply what you have learned. Get used to it and be good at it!

June 26, 2014
The 7 People You Meet Training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
The 7 People You Meet Training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Anyone who has trained in martial arts long enough will be exposed to a wide range of people and personalities. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is no exception and can arguably have the greatest diversity. As one of the fastest growing forms of self-defense, it attracts people from all walks of life. The following types are commonly found in every Jiu-Jitsu academy.

#1 The MMA Junkie:

The popularity of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can largely be attributed to the rise in Mixed Martial Arts. Since BJJ is vital to the success of a mixed martial artist, it has highlighted the art for the mainstream. Many MMA fans flock to Jiu-Jitsu academies hoping to learn armbars, triangles, and omoplatas. The UFC’s Joe Rogan does a fantastic job of breaking down techniques for viewers but nothing compares to the actual experience.

#2 The Weekend Warrior:

Doctors, lawyers, teachers, parents, and even the occasional movie star can be found rolling at academies across the world. These individuals have professional careers and generally work full time. They somehow find time in their busy schedule to train. Don’t let someone’s mild mannered background fool you. Clark Kent is Superman after all.

#3 The Competitor:

Competition is an aspect of Jiu-Jitsu many embrace. These students train in order to compete at the highest level of the sport. Often they supplement training with additional strength and conditioning. They push themselves for the rush of competition and the chance to stand on the podium when it’s over.

#4 The Future Instructor:

The head instructor can’t be there to watch every moment. Often times, they recruit the help of other students. A fair amount of instruction may actually come from one or two experienced students who have been in your shoes. Remember, a black belt is just a white belt that never quit.

#5 The One Addicted to BJJ:

This may be a phase every Jiu-Jitsu student goes through at one point. These students fall head over heels for the sport and take in the lifestyle. You or someone you know may fall into this category! This person…
- Subscribes to more Jiu-Jitsu channels on YouTube than they can watch
- Attempts new techniques on friends and loved ones
- Has a pet named Kimura, Ezekiel, etc.
- Finds themselves hip escaping while sleeping
- Spends more money on coconut water and acai than gasoline
#6 The Comedian:

These are the people that make the time off the mats just as enjoyable. They like to chat, and crack jokes (sometimes even while rolling.) They have an upbeat positive attitude and are a joy to be around. They always have the best stories and remind us how much of a bonding experience Jiu-Jitsu can be.

#7 The One Nobody Expects:

Every now and then someone walks into a Jiu-Jitsu academy that you really wouldn’t expect to see there. From beauty queens, to senior citizens, Jiu-Jitsu demonstrates people breaking away from social stereotypes. They prove to everyone Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu really is for everyone.

Credits: Patrick J. Flores
Gracie Barra Chino
June 22, 2014
Grappling vs Striking Martial Arts

Grappling vs Striking Martial Arts

Philosophy

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling martial art similar to Judo or Wrestling, where you learn utilize proper timing, technique, and leverage to control/submit an opponent after closing the distance and taking them to the ground. This goes against the philosophy of most traditional striking martial arts (Karate, Tae Kwon Do) that utilize kicks and punches to incapacitate an opponent. Striking martial arts, such as these, are actually quite limited in their practical application. They are really only effective when there is enough distance to launch an attack and when your opponent is smaller/weaker than you (i.e. a small person trying to punch/kick a 260-pound man is most likely just going to aggravate the situation). Unfortunately, both of these scenarios are quite unlikely in most self-defense situations, and even so, there is always the possibility of your opponent landing a ‘lucky’ strike that incapacitates you, regardless of their striking ability. BJJ’s approach to self-defense greatly minimizes the chances of this happening by taking the fight to the ground where there is no opportunity for the opponent to get ‘lucky’. This philosphy is put so eloquently by RCJ Machado:

“The ground is my ocean, I’m the shark, and most people don’t even know how to swim.”

Training

Another drawback to striking martial arts is that it is near impossible to train with the necessary intensity required to properly master the techniques. Because the striking arts are designed to injure an opponent with kicks and punches, you cannot go very hard while sparring, without great risk of injury. This makes it very difficult to get the proper feel for how quickly things happen in a real fight. As a result, you either have champions forced to retire early because of the damage sustained in training/competition (i.e. Muay Thai Kickboxing) or very impractical form-based training (Karate, Tae Kwon Do) that is simply a water-downed version of the original martial art it now mimics. Because BJJ has little use of strikes, relying instead on chokes, arm locks, and other submission holds, it can be practiced almost exactly the same way it would be in a real fight, without great risk of injury.

Application

Another important difference to distinguish between martial arts is the option of inflicting great bodily harm to an individual. Striking martial arts, by nature of the techniques utilized, require you to do physical harm to your opponent via punching/kicking. There isn’t an option to not injure the individual, which in many cases of self-defense, might have undesirable consequences. This is where BJJ really excels as a martial art. If the person you are facing is a friend who is temporarily out of his senses, you can control him/her without hurting them. However, if you are dealing with a criminal or a deliberate act to injure you or a loved one, you can apply a more suitable level of response. Because of this, BJJ is particularly sought out by people whose job is to subdue individuals without hurting them; such as bar bouncers, policemen and security personnel.

“Nothing is so strong as gentleness. Nothing is so gentle as real strength.” – St. Francis de Sales

June 16, 2014
Great Tips for Women about Getting into BJJ

6 Great Tips for Women Thinking about Getting into BJJ

Everyone Can Get into Jiu-Jitsu

Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone. There are no exemptions to this rule. Everyone can practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu!

Women will no longer go down in history as the stiletto-sporting gender in corporate wear. Nowadays, beneath the lipstick and the make up lies the alter ego of a kimono clad warrior that are equally able to take on the world.

Here are some great reasons (and also tips!) for women who are thinking about getting into the gentle art.

Keep an Open Mind

As with anything new, enjoyment and learning will come easier when keeping an open mind. This will be something new. This is a sport where there will be contact. There will be times that both physical and mental pressure will get to you. But as you journey becomes deeper, soon you will be able to appreciate its benefits to you and everyone around you.

Start Slow

Regardless of your background (whether you are a practitioner of another martial art) you have to start slow and go with the pace set by the coaches and the professors. This will be for your own good. Starting slow will help your body adjust to the rigors of physical training. Take this pace as a chance for you to learn the techniques.

Trust your instructors

Your instructor knows best. They will guide you through the phases from the beginner’s class to the advanced classes. They will be there to answer your questions and help you in your journey. They will give you feedback whenever it is needed. Your instructors are there to support you.

Make Connections with Other Members

The best way to be comfortable in a new environment is to make connections and Gracie Barra is a warm and welcoming environment. Making friends won’t be a problem. Finding training partners will be easy as well.

Join Amateur Competitions

Competing is one of the most effective ways for you to become good. The world of Jiu-Jitsu is packed with female competitors. There are literally hundreds of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialists. Get inspiration from them by competing as well.

Should you have doubts about competing, you may always ask your BJJ professor about your readiness as well.

Make Time for BJJ

You will need to dedicate time for you to improve your jiu-jitsu. Time does the following: widens your avenue for learning, provides you with the chance to absorb and get to know the different facets of jiu-jitsu, and it will enable you to grow with it.

Patience and time will improve your jiu-jitsu. Making connections, competing will help you out.

See you on the mats!

June 12, 2014