While packing and planning for any trip can be a feat, accurately preparing for a trip that involves training or competing may differ your plans.

For those who are embarking on journeys, make sure you follow all of these tips from Oliver Geddes, a black belt under Roger Gracie and traveling connoisseur.

No stranger to traveling for Jiu-Jitsu related endeavors, Oliver rounded out a 60 day trip in the summer of 2012 where he went from his hometown of London, England to Toronto, Las Vegas, Chicago, Boston, Montreal, Los Angeles, Atlanta and finally, New York. He trained at academies, competed at competitions and garnered good ol’ Jiu-Jitsu hospitality allowing him to better budget his adventure.

Whether you are competing, visiting many academies or just managing a get-away from the family to train once during your vacation, you can learn from these tips and perhaps they will inspire you to plan a thorough training tour of your own:

Packing. You don’t need to bring as many clothes as you think you do. Since you’re going to be washing gis everywhere you go, don’t pack heavy. Your back will thank you for it.

Anyone who subscribes to or buys GRACIEMAG at the newsstand every month always has an arsenal of tips, pieces of advice and teachings on hand to help them out in training when they need it most.

You have your doubts? Today, GRACIEMAG.com serves up seven lessons for practitioners of any age or level. Stick to the seven and your Jiu-Jitsu will start improving right away.

1. Consistency means not making haste

Use your mind, not your body’s strength. After all, it’s better to practice Jiu-Jitsu three times a week for an entire lifetime than seven days a week for three years and then quit. Balance is an important ally in your evolution as a practitioner. Don’t overuse your muscles and ligaments and you’ll go far!

2. The most important muscle

The most important muscle for anyone who does Jiu-Jitsu is the heart, the endless desire to tap out but be back the next day to learn some more. Another vital part of our body is the ear. Keep your ears well trained to listen for and respect the pointers from all your companions at the academy, especially those older and higher ranked than you but also rookies and white belts.

3. There’s always a way out

If your game has reached a plateau at the academy, that doesn’t mean it’s time to make a stink about it or think the gentle art’s not for you. All black belts have been through that and persevered until they reached a solution. Want an example? Check out how Professor Marcos Schubert transforms a dreaded position like the knee on belly into a catapult to reverse and win:

4. The path to fighting on automatic pilot: repetitions

It’s the greatest Jiu-Jitsu lesson, cultivated as much by your instructor as by the superstar Rodrigo Minotauro: you only get the finish on automatic pilot if you repeat the position ten, 50 times. Invest time in creating a solid foundation by repeating basic moves during warm-up. With the basics firmly entrenched, you’ll be able to build solid Jiu-Jitsu with no openings.

5. Believe in yourself until it transforms you

To improve, you need to be the first person who believes you can do it. Trust in the art, believe in your efforts, turn Jiu-Jitsu into your conviction, and the changes will occur quicker than you’d ever thought possible. Don’t think before going to training, just stick your gi in your backpack and head to the academy.

6. Flood your body with health

You can never have too much fruit, fresh water and pure air. Cut the stuff you KNOW is bad for you. Take good care of the instrument that is your body. Only thus will you be able to age and still do the same activities you enjoyed in your youth.

7. Nourish your hobby with good reading!

Want to find out more about the gentle art and have fun with some intelligent, interesting and at the same time laid-back reading? GRACIEMAG’s the magazine for you, the Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. Subscribe to GRACIEMAG for a special price by clicking here.

Whether you are a white-belt just starting out in 2015 or have been practicing BJJ for many years now, it doesn’t matter. We all should read these 10 tips in order to get the most out of our BJJ training and make sure we’re up to speed in the future.

1. Trust and be trustworthy.

NEVER hold a sub past the tap-out. When in doubt as to whether your training partner has tapped, let go—better safe than sorry. By striving to be a more reliable training partner and trust your teammates and coaches, the environment becomes a safer and more pleasant place in which to learn. If you’re not having fun, none of it makes any sense. BJJ is something you carry with you for the rest of your life. Each stage should be great; after all, the art is the most wonderful addiction you could possibly have.

2. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is done in a gi.

As much as no-gi is a sport in its own right, make sure to have a good understanding of the techniques in classical BJJ before venturing into no-gi. It’s easier to adapt your gi techniques to no-gi than the other way around.

3. Don’t ask black-belts to roll.

You can train with black-belts, but make sure you’re invited. This tip is kind of old-fashioned and is often resented by recently promoted students. What happens is that the higher-ranked feel like they are being challenged when a lower-belt fighter asks them to roll. You have to realize that they know who is available just by the way the person looks at them. Look at them humbly and make it clear you’re available—if they want to, they’ll invite you. And take my word: it’s always more rewarding to roll when you’ve been invited than when you do the inviting.

4. Find the best instructor for you.

Students are often discouraged when their start in jiu-jitsu is less than ideal, so it would behoove the beginner to do some research before committing to a class, making sure the instructor they pick enjoys what they do and is kindly to all students, not just their best ones. If after starting classes you get the feeling the instructors aren’t paying you enough attention, don’t accept that as being normal—it isn’t. A much better alternative to quitting is to switch to a gym where you feel welcome.

5. Have faith.

Believe in the techniques. As frustrating as it may be at first, try your best to defend by using the techniques already in your repertory. If you feel like you’ve run out of options, have a word with your instructor; they’ll be glad to get input on your needs.

6. Communicate.

One of the coolest things about jiu-jitsu is the exchange of ideas on how to perform a technique. Feel free to ask the more experienced students questions. Ask what you could have done to foil an attack or pull off that submission you were so close to getting. They’ve surely been through those situations before and can clue you in on all the ins and outs. Higher-ranked students tend to enjoy being appreciated and get a kick out of being able to help.

7. Do your homework.

It’s frustrating to a teacher when they do their best to teach a new move or concept, and then a short while later a student has already forgotten it. Doing lots of repetitions is essential, even if you feel a particular technique doesn’t fit your style. Keep in mind that as a beginner, you don’t have a set style yet, so what seems useless to you today may turn out to be your greatest asset tomorrow. Besides doing repetitions, take a few minutes each day to go over the techniques in your head.

8. Tap out.

Nobody wants to see a student intentionally tap out, but good students aren’t afraid to take chances or put themselves in positions of disadvantage. If you do tap, so be it; let it serve as a lesson. During moments of real danger, your chances of prevailing are all the greater when you’re accustomed to such harrowing situations.

9. Try new things.

There’s no point in sparring like you’re fighting in a championship final the whole time. Sure, there are times when you should go hard, but let your coach be the judge of when that should be. Generally speaking, I recommend always trying new things, putting the move of the day to practice. The more diversified your game is, the better the tools you’ll have at your disposal in the future.

10. Self-defense is of the essence.

There are plenty of teachers out there who are oblivious to the importance of teaching even basic self-defense techniques—some for lack of familiarity, others because they feel they moves are outdated. Down the road, self-defense techniques will provide you with an understanding of moves you so far haven’t a clue about. Not to mention that they’re fun. Keep in mind that each of the current techniques, even the tournament-level techniques, in some way or another originated from the basics. Knowing and understanding the basics is like a lesson in history, and will keep you from making basic mistakes.

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Bow Pose

Feeling tired or overworked after Jiu-Jitsu?

Try this 4 Yoga poses to relax your body and get a better night of sleep.

Release any tension performing one set of the four moves after training or before going to bed:

Upward-facing dog with lion breath

Technique: Lie face down. Exhale as you press your hands into the floor by your site and straighten your arms. Allow the tops of your tights to lift, keeping your bottom relaxed. Inhale through your nose. Then, exhale through your mouth making a “ha” sound and opening your mouth wide. Inhale and relax your face, then exhale and release back down to the mat. Repeat this sequence of movements as many times as you feel is necessary.

Forward Fold

Technique: Sit on a mat with both legs stretched out in front of you. Inhale and reach your up overhead, lengthening your spine as you do so. Exhale and reach forward folding over your legs and resting your hands on your shins or toes. Breathe deeply and relax for at least a minute in this position.

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose

Technique: Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Bend your knees, put your feet on the floor, then slide your left foot under your right leg to the outside of your right hip. Lay the outside of the left leg on the floor. Step the right foot over the left leg and stand it on the floor outside your left hip. The right knee will point directly up at the ceiling. Exhale and twist toward the inside of the right thigh. Press the right hand against the floor just behind your right buttock, and set your left upper arm on the outside of your right thigh near the knee. Pull your front torso and inner right thigh snugly together. Continue the twist of the torso by turning it to the right; or counter the twist of the torso by turning it left and looking over the left shoulder at the right foot. With every inhalation lengthening your spine a little more. Twist a little more with every exhalation. Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then release with an exhalation, return to the starting position, and repeat to the left for the same length of time.

Child’s Pose

Technique: Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes together and sit on your heels, then separate your knees about as wide as your hips. Exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs. Broaden your sacrum across the back of your pelvis and narrow your hip points toward the navel, so that they nestle down onto the inner thighs. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of the pelvis while you lift the base of your skull away from the back of your neck. Lay your hands on the floor alongside your torso, palms up, and release the fronts of your shoulders toward the floor. Feel how the weight of the front shoulders pulls the shoulder blades wide across your back. Stay here for a few minutes.

Source:

http://www.yogajournal.com

There’s still time to register for the 2014 Pan

Every UFC champion has been through it—dealing with their first amateur competition. Entering a gymnasium awash with Jiu-Jitsu fighters and the deafening ruckus of cheering sections is enough to make you tremble at the knees. When they call you to weigh in, your heart speeds up and the adrenaline dump starts to transform you.

When it’s time to hit the mat—that’s when the pressure builds. Yes, the first time is no walk in the park, we know. But GRACIEMAG.com is always watching out for Jiu-Jitsu fighters, from white belt all the way to success at black. Here are some pointers for you, who are about to stick your neck out in competition.

1. RULE NUMBER 1: IT’S NOT AN OBLIGATION

Participating in a competition gives you butterflies in your stomach, that feeling of being overwhelmed. But ever since your first class, Jiu-Jitsu has taught you to muster up the calm you need to evaluate your best exit route. Don’t put demands on yourself, keep calm, imagine the match is just another roll at the academy, and put what you’ve learned to practice without overthinking things.

2. KNOW THE RULES

Ask your Jiu-Jitsu professor about them, discuss them at the gym, and read up on them on the internet. To win, you need to be up to date on competition rules, which moves are off limits and whatnot.

3. SCORE POINTS, THEN FINISH

When you make it to an advantageous position—like the mount, for instance—, make sure you stabilize it before all else. Firstly, so you don’t go off halfcocked. Secondly, so the ref will award you your points. Attacking right off the bat will put you at risk of losing the position too soon and leave you without precious points.

4. ALWAYS KEEP A MOVE UP YOUR GI SLEEVE

Make an effort to practice move variations. Having two or more options for the same attack, sweep or pass are of the utmost importance. And don’t forget to practice your defenses for the moves.

5. DEFEAT DOESN’T MEAN THE END OF YOUR CAREER

If you’ve never been successful, don’t bow your head in woe. Pick yourself up and seek to correct your mistakes. Have a talk with your Jiu-Jitsu professor, pick up on tips, and ask about where you went wrong and what you can do to improve. For sure next competition will go differently.

6. GET CLUED IN TO THIS BASIC DOUBLE ATTACK

When the going gets rough, a double attack may be your saving grace. Pay attention to how important it is to distract the opponent’s attention before applying the choke. Out of concern for his neck, he ends up leaving his arm attack prone.

Xande hits the weights hard with Alejarra. (Photo by Carlos Ozório)

What does it take to get your physical conditioning right? What’s the best way to prepare your body for the demands of Jiu-Jitsu training?

If you’re counting the hours before you can hit the mats again, whether because you were gallivanting around at carnival or other reasons, today GRACIEMAG brings you three plum tips plucked from issue 181.

Oriented by the practitioner Leandro Medeiros of Equipe Liboni, an expert on the subject from Unicamp University, we bring you a list of three common mistakes committed by Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in their physical-conditioning routines.

Mistake 1: Neglecting Jiu-Jitsu and focusing only on pumping up in the weight room

The intensity of movement in a Jiu-Jitsu match varies between peaks and plateaus, and you thus have to perform different types of muscular exertion during the course of combat. There are moments where you’re required to exert explosive force, while at others you rely on isometrics or even endurance. To be effective in wielding all these different manifestations of force, VARIATION should be a cornerstone of your strength training or weightlifting routine. You can develop your muscles for all of these forms of muscular exertion by doing specific workouts in the weight room or even on the mat. Often Jiu-Jitsu practitioners are influenced by aesthetically-minded weight lifters who focus only on muscular hypertrophy (for example, 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions at moderate speed with 1- to 2-minute breaks and performing standard exercises). Most of these methodologies meant to pump up muscle fibers don’t provide the right sort of gains in strength, power and endurance. Getting that would require combining sets/reps/load/speed with movement/rest-interval and workout/varied exercise types. Now, muscular hypertrophy does indeed have its importance for Jiu-Jitsu fighters, as it means gains in power (explosiveness) and injury prevention. But you should only work on hypertrophy once you’ve laid a solid foundation of muscular endurance. Immediately following a strength workout and depending on how far off a competition is, you should place greater emphasis on power building. Remember, you want the performance of a fighter, not a bodybuilder. (Tip: reading Martin Rooney’s column in GRACIEMAG will help introduce you to useful and diverse exercises.)

Mistake 2: Failure to adjust workout volume or intensity in training

In a nutshell, training volume is a composite of different variables that hinders how long a weight-training workout lasts. Like number of repetitions and different exercises, for example. On the mat, volume is the number of matches and their duration. Now, intensity is all about the different aspects related to quality of training. For example, in weightlifting it’s the load being lifted. On the mat it’s the “level of difficulty” of the matches—that is, the amount of force employed in the movements.

A Jiu-Jitsu match is overall more intense than it is voluminous, unlike a marathon, for example. Therefore, as a competition approaches, it is only natural that you bring the volume of training down, making way for intensity work, which is closer to what actually transpires in competition. What ends up happening a lot of the time, though, is that training plays out almost exclusively on the mat. The result of that is that you’ll perform with bursts of endurance but won’t be able to reach peak muscle strength and power. Furthermore, you’ll tend to be physically drained as you step into competition. The thing to do is build up a solid foundation of endurance early in the season through volume training, to later bring down the volume and boost the intensity as you go. At most stages of your training, you should avoid raising volume and intensity at the same time, which can lead to fatigue, overtraining, and osteoarticular and muscle injuries.

Mistake 3: Lack of planning affecting adaptation to desired body weight

To count for the whole season, your training has to be firmly grounded in the principles of sport science. Slapdash training routines thrown together randomly don’t do your physical conditioning a bit of good. Truth is, often they’ll do more harm than good, hampering your results in training and competition. And when it comes to making your target weight class, you should plan your weight cut well so it will happen in a natural manner.

It’s important to bear in mind that, unlike in MMA, in Jiu-Jitsu weigh-ins take place on the day of competition. And it’s not uncommon to see competitors having to shed ten or so pounds on tournament day, forcing them to run laps around the gymnasium while wrapped in plastic, sweatshirts or two gis, without eating properly or drinking water. The product of all these harrowing procedures is a weakly, dehydrated and debilitated athlete dragging his feet around the match area.

Planning and periodizing your training in a sensible way is of the utmost importance for you to make it to competition day at the right weight and in good physical shape to compete. By doing so, there’ll be a greater chance of your physiological functions being better adapted to a lower weight division once the big events roll around.

Bruno Frazatto attacking from back control in sport Jiu-Jitsu / Photo de Ivan Trindade

If you’re into mixing it up in competition, it’s worth keeping in mind that getting back mount is worth four points in sport Jiu-Jitsu—that is, when an athlete puts both hooks in at the opponent’s thights after gaining back control.

The basic escape for this recurring technique is well known. You have to protect your neck, bridge backwards and remove one of the hooks, slipping your hip out to the side where the hook was removed.

What about when it goes wrong?

GRACIEMAG.com took the back of three wizards of the gi, who were swift in intercepting the attack, and they asserted: nothing is more vital than to defend the neck with care.

Check out how they go about doing that:

1. SIMULTANEOUS MOVES ARE A SALVATION IN JIU-JITSU

“My pointer for you,” Vinicius Cruz (Carlson Gracie) begins, “is to move your arm, the arm of the hand on the side of the hand holding your collar for the choke, to the other side of the neck. At the same time, you need to remove the hook with your other hand, keeping in mind that you have to bare the weight of your hip down on the opponent’s leg, and creep your back out to the side.”

2. EVEN WHEN DEFENDING, MAKE YOUR OPPONENT UNCOMFORTABLE

“The important thing is to cause your opponent discomfort by baring your weight back on him, never letting him feel at ease. And defend your neck the whole time. Then it’s all about getting one of the hooks out and trying to flounder out,” recommends Thiago Maia (SAS-Ceará).

3. DON’T TURN YOUR NECK IN AGAINST THE LAPEL

To wrap up, Abraão Amorim (Evolution) put together a video showing how he escapes back control. He recommends never turning your neck towards the lapel pressing against it, and shows a hip move often used by Kron Gracie.

In the video below, the athlete of Gracie Humaita recalls the best moments of her career, shows how she trains and speaks of the competition that has marked her path in the gentle art.

Furthermore, the current absolute world champion once again plays in controversy and asks for a fight against Ronda Rousey, UFC champion: “It would be great to fight Ronda and show that Jiu-Jitsu is very professional, different from what she said. She should be more careful with her words,” said Bia.

Watch the full interview below and comment: who would win a superfight between Bia and Ronda?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV_u3Y6Ru8U