http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZqDdx61miI

Bochecha launches foot attack at No-Gi Worlds. Photo: Dan Rod.

In the end, when is the right time to teach your students leg attacks and defenses?

In the 1980s and early 1990s, anyone resorting to leg attacks at a Jiu-Jitsu competition would be met with a salvo of boos. There was prejudice against the moves, seen as being crude and lacking in technique. “Cobbler, cobbler,” the crowd in the stands would chant.

Time went by, Jiu-Jitsu evolved, and below-the-belt attacks began to be seen as excellent attacking options. However, leg-attack positions can easily result in training injuries, especially among the less experienced. For that reason, some foot and knee holds are only permitted in sport Jiu-Jitsu starting at brown belt.

In the academy, though, it’s all up to the teacher. It’s up to him or her to decide when it’s the right time to start teaching a student to execute and defend against the maneuvers.

“The straight foot lock can be taught starting at blue belt so they’ll begin to understand the position, so they won’t go thinking all they have to do is grab a leg and sit back. They have to understand where the pressure goes, how to sink the position. Starting at purple belt, more variations can be added to the mix. If you start teaching these positions too early on, there’s a risk the kid could get addicted to the position and become dependent on it, making for a limited game,” opines No-Gi world champion Marcus “Bochecha”.

GRACIEMAG 178, on its way to a bookstore near you, brings you a complete dossier on leg attacks. Make sure to get your copy, and subscribe here to not miss any of the other succulent lessons that feature in the magazine down the road!

Following his solid run in the absolute at ADCC 2011, now Victor wants the open weight division at the European Open 2012. Photo: Daren Bartlett.

The European Jiu-Jitsu Championship officially kicks off the 2012 IBJJF competition season at the end of January, and big-time competitors are already stating their intent to be there—such is the case with Claudio Calasans, Otávio Sousa, Ary Farias, Lucas Lepri and others.

One of those big names promising to put on a show at the Lisbon, Portugal’s Casal Vistoso municipal sports complex is Victor “Carcarazinho” Estima, a Gracie Barra teacher living in England.

“Preparations are going great; I’ve stepped up the physical conditioning, and I’m putting the finishing touches on my game training with my brother Bráulio, Roger and Lagarto,” Estima told GRACIEMAG.com direct from Birmingham, England.

The middleweight took the last No-Gi World Championship by storm with astounding foot locks, and now he’s setting up further surprises for next year.

“In early 2011 I played an efficient game, but that was just at the start, so I wasn’t 100% fine tuned. Now, though, I’ve put it to practice for a full year and I’m anxious to see the results in Europe,” says our GMA in London, who is planning to be at all the major tournaments of the season. (Check out Victor Estima’s performance at the 2008 European Championship.)

“My plan for 2012 is to compete as much as possible. I’ll have more time next year, since I’m making some adjustments to my class schedule at the academy, which will free me up more for travel and training. I started out 2011 well but came down with an allergic reaction in the USA after taking an anti-inflamatory just before the Pan and missed my chance to compete. Because I didn’t have much time for travel, with all my responsibilities at the academy, I only competed at the ADCC and the No-Gi Worlds,” he added.

Victor came up short at the 2011 European Open, losing to Claudio Calasans in the semifinals. His head remains in the right place, though.

“No, I’m not thinking about getting back at Calasans, but I am prepared to face whoever comes up in my bracket, at weight or open weight,” the Gracie Barra black belt said with confidence.

To not miss out on the action at the European Open in Lisbon, click here to secure your spot. And subscribe to GRACIEMAG here to not miss out on the complete and exclusive coverage of the event in GRACIEMAG.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2ESXj1IDrI

Nothing really changed–I had the same amount of confidence leading into ADCC as well but I got caught there. After I noticed how fast I was healing and that I could still make the No-Gi Worlds, I switched my mindset from winning my first ADCC title to winning my second No-Gi World title, and I fully believed that it was my destiny. I knew that there was still something special for me in 2011, and it all worked out. If ADCC had gone differently, I don’t know if I would have had the same desire for the No-Gi Worlds or if I would have competed at all, so the moral of the story is to never ask why one thing didn’t work out but to continue working hard and to believe that there is still something special for you.

Lovato lets out a victory roar at the No-Gi Worlds 2011. Photo by Dan Rod.

What were the hardest and the sweetest moments on your path to World Championship gold?

The hardest moment on my path to winning the No-Gi Worlds was making the weight! I had cut for 8 weeks for ADCC, so to diet another month and cut to an even lighter weight limit was really hard! I was very smart and did it the right way. I was even able to eat a light sushi dinner the night before the competition. I was very motivated for that division and that made the tough diet worth it. The sweetest moment is always after the final match is over and you get the rush of emotion and glory through your body. I cherish those moments! They are with me for the rest of my life!

Now you saw yourself on the cover… was it almost like winning twice?

Yes, it is! It made me very happy! It was like winning a bonus prize. I’m very honored that I was selected to be on the cover, and I hope I can make it at least one more time. It was a great way to finish my 2011 year of competitions, and it gives me a lot of motivation to go strong for 2012!

To find out more about our GMA Rafael Lovato Jr., pay a visit to www.lovatojr.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2j8u69ynwI

“My recovery is going great. I started physiotherapy three days after surgery I’m feeling really good. I still don’t know when I’ll be able to get back to training, but I’m really dedicated to getting back quick; I don’t want to miss too many championships. Every day is a war, and I’m going to win and come back a hundred times better, you can count on it! When my name shows up on the register for an event, you can be sure I’ll be even better than I was before I got hurt!” says Tanquinho.

GRACIEMAG.com leads the cheer for the featherweight world runner-up’s return, bringing you one of the No-Gi World Championship 2011. At the competition, the Soul Fighters rep went all the way to the featherweight-division final, losing to Lucas Lepri by a lone advantage point scored just as time ran out.

Vitor trains with his back defense with GSP. Photos: Disclosure/ VitorBelfort.com.

If Vitor Belfort decided to polish his ground game, he seems to be on track.

After having the world champion Gilbert Durinho and the black belt trainer Alvaro Romano in the team, the fighter selected for UFC Rio in January, received the no-gi absolute champion, Marcus Bochecha, and the UFC champion Georges Saint-Pierre, who has recovered from injuries on both knees, which made him cancel his last fight.

“I’ve been here for a few days, and GSP arrived yesterday, everyone is very excited” said Bochecha to GRACIEMAG.com.

“It’s an amazing experience, we’ve just moved here in Vegas and we are in a very familiar atmosphere for Vitor’s camp.  I met a very good crew, such as Alvinho, Cesar Mutante, only tough guys. I was in California helping Lucas’s (Leite) academy (Milk), and Chris Franco, manager and buddy of Belfort, gave the idea. Vitor liked, Durinho supported, and I’ll be here for at least another week. I had already done some MMA training with Luiz Banha and Edson Barboza, and now I’m even more curious to do it”, he admits.

Bochecha and Durinho practicing.

“We put on the gloves, start the training on the floor and weak blows are allowed, just to practice. See, I’m liking it, I think I’ll fight soon just to see how it is, I think I’m not far from testing myself. But just to see how is it like, MMA career, who knows, it’s for the future”, Bochecha concludes, who intends to live in California once for all, where he is teaching Jiu-Jitsu at CheckMat.

Vanderson Gomes of Gracie Barra St. Louis is winding down the 2011 year, while already gearing up for the 2012 tournament season. The master’s division black belt is currently training and preparing to fight in the adult division next year. In 2011, he reached a level of success that has led him to believe he can still compete at that level.

At the 2011 American Nationals, Vanderson won silver in his ultra heavy weight division for the gi and silver again in his no gi weight division. He then clinched gold in the no gi open class. At the North American Championship, he won gold in his ultra heavy division and silver in the open class. At the U.S. Open in Las Vegas, Vanderson was a double gold winner, winning both his division and the absolute. He received a bronze medal at the 2011 No Gi Worlds in his weight class.

The interesting thing is that he didn’t get in a whole lot of training time in 2011. Vanderson says with all of his working and teaching responsibilities, it hasn’t been easy making time to train for tournaments. To add to that, in November, Vanderson moved from GB Costa Mesa in California to GB St. Louis in Missouri and became the head instructor there. Vanderson is also an IBJJF referee, so when he’s at tournaments, he has to ref all day and compete in between.

“It requires a lot of mental and physical focus and preparation,” the 32-year-old says of trying to keep it all together, “Now, I train after my students leave. I don’t have time to relax. I just change my clothes and get ready to go, but I am ready to start competing back at the adult level. I’m training hard every day, all day. I’m doing a lot of running and other cardio activities. I also work on specific training for grappling, which is known as Greco Roman.”

Vanderson says his goal for 2012 is to be faster and lighter, so he can succeed in his fights. He is hoping he can repeat some of the same successes he had in 2011. “I just want to do my best and improve myself each time I train and compete,” he says, “I have the energy and motivation to keep working hard. So, I’ve now decided to focus on all the big 2012 tournaments, competing at the adult level. I know I’ll have hard fights, but I’m ready for whatever is coming! There are no victories without sacrifices. So, I’m giving my best, and training up to my limits. When the time comes, I will be able to show our Jiu-Jitsu art on the mats. That’s the place where the street fighters should be, instead of fighting or killing innocents out there.”

Bia in the finals against Nicolini. Photo: Carlos Ozório.

Beatriz Mesquita enjoyed the no-gi events season of IBJJF. She won by weight and absolute in the Brazilian Championship and was the world champion in her division. In the midst of this rush, Bia put on her gi and fought. Last Sunday, in Manaus, she secured the title in the Trials for the World Professional JJ Championship (WPJJ). In the end, she even defeated her tormentor in the absolute No-Gi World Championship, Michelle Nicolini. GRACIEMAG.com talked to the Gracie Humaitá star.

You just fought the World No-Gi. How was like to fight in Manaus, with a gi on?

I was only training no-gi for the Brazilian and World Championship. I trained only one week with a gi and came to fight. It’s a little different and the fingers get all skinned. But I came with courage to try the trials title.  In Brazil, I couldn’t go to Natal and was thinking of assuring me in Abu Dhabi. I knew it would be a great opportunity to fight in Manaus.

You and Nicolini have made really hard combats…

My fights against Michelle are always hard! We both go for it, so we have to pay much attention not to make a mistake. She is a great athlete and is always on the top. She won the World Championship finals against Kyra won the World Absolute No-Gi  and was second in ADCC. She is an excellent athlete and our battles are very difficult. If you make a tiny mistake, it’s over. We had a very good fight here.

When you were a brown belt, you’ve already defeated many black belts. How is it now to be a black belt and face the browns?

It was better when I was brown (laughs)! I entered to win, but I seemed to have less responsibility. The brown belts are reaching us at full speed, and because they have less responsibility, they come with all they have. If not very focused, the black belt loses.  Thankfully, it seems next year they will separate the females of the brown and black belts!

We are at the end of the year. What surprises do you prepare for next season?

The opponent’s strategies change a lot from one fight to another. There are people who pull the guard, who knocks down, who mount … We have to be very complete. I’ll keep training everything and give enough emphasis on fitness, which is what has made ​​much difference among the top athletes. The first championship is European and to face that cold weather, leaving Brazil in the middle of the summer, I wanna be really prepared!

Lucas Leite in photo by K Jewel

Lucas Leite just keeps turning heads, for being the warrior of the mats he is. At the No-Gi Worlds early this month in California, the black belt added another gold medal to his mantel. And to do so he had to match strength and technique with the big guys.

“I was really pleased with my campaign, mainly because I competed at heavyweight [Lucas usually enters at light or middleweight]. I won three matches and am thrilled about it,” said Leite, who also shared the glory with his team, which took top spot on the podium.

“I’d also like to point out how our team, CheckMat, won its third No-Gi world title!”

With the end of the season fast approaching, the black belt recaps his performance in 2011.

“It was a good year. I taught a lot of seminars and classes. My students are getting better and I even took runner-up at the Pan, runner-up at the Worlds, won the No-Gi American Nationals and won the No-Gi World Championship,” he says in closing.