Normal World Fridays

Last two days have been no jits days. Usually I manage to get an informal session in with some of the guys down at Canton where we meet up without an instructor, drill a few moves and then roll for however long. But this week it didn't happen so I have deprived of training for 48 hours! This led to me doing a bunch of random bits and bobs which needed doing. Since me and Rach are moving back to Bahrain in less than two weeks, I spent most of the time sorting out my clothes, paintings, cooking books and all my other things so I can decide what I want to take with me immediately, what to ship and what to leave behind or give away.

Also my new Tatami gi arrived yesterday so managed to it down to size. It looks pretty slick with some nice patches on it and the material feels pretty good, but thats a post for another day! I was a bit skeptical about getting a black gi as I always felt that a black gi should be reserved for higher belts, but since both schools I train at are allowing them I figured what the hell!

Another thing on the cards is a one day trip to Amsterdam to sort out some family business (and possibly indulge in some perfectly legal substance abuse!). Booked my tickets on EasyJet and I'll be heading out this Thursday. Unfortunately I will need to spend a night sleeping at Gatwick Airport as my flight leaves early in the morning and the trains won;t get me there on time.

On a less positive note, Thursday is the designated day where I can break from my usual diet and go out to a restaurant with Rach and eat whatever I want, but all this extra imposed time off led to me eating more than my fair share this week via an Indian takeaway, several pastries, a huge chocolate chip cookie and not too long ago a crazy big plate of fish and chips! I'm not sure why but on the days I don't train I crave junk food much more than the days I am training. Oh well, will need to fit in a few extra runs or gym sessions this week and all should be good!

To continue with the complete random direction this post is taking, I have started watching two TV series which are really great. These are 'True Blood' and 'Burn Notice' ... highly recommended for non juijitsu days! Anyway, the intro clip for True Blood is freakin awesome! Its weird, religious, sick, time distorting, vampire goodness. Oh, and the sound track is sweet! Check it out:

Deep Half Guard Sweeps

Over the last few competitions I was really struggling to connect my top game to my bottom game. While I was scoring points and getting submissions on top, if I ended up on bottom in guard I was finding it hard to end up back on top. I started looking at different solutions and various positions to initiate sweeps so I could have a 'complete' plan. After trying a few different things, Tolly let me borrow his Marcelo Garcia X guard book. What a cool book! Loads of cool moves in there and a nice biography on Garcia. Some nice pictures too. However, after trying out a few of the moves, I quickly realised that for me to develop any sort of X guard game, I first needed to refine and improve my guard game (which is exactly what Marcelo Garcia reccomends in his book). And that got me thinking about delving into half guard...

However, practicing 'half guard' would seem to be a very, very broad statement. Within 'the half guard' there is deep half guard, quarter half guard, Z guard, butterfly half guard and a bunch of other ones I am sure I havn't come across yet! After messing around with a few of the different positions, I decided to dedicate a couple months to the deep half guard. Check out these cool sweeps :)














These sweeps have been great fun and I feel they have made me really comfortable in half guard. There seems to be so much to do from this position! Anyway I just wanted to post these videos, more for myself so I can find them easier than anything else.

Tatami Gi Review coming up!

Since me and Rach are heading back to Bahrain in a couple weeks as we both have finished our university courses here in the UK, we both agreed we needed to go back with a good stock of gis, as they are hard to come across in the Middle East! Seeing as I have been pretty much broke for the past month, my selection was limited to UK based companies (due to lower shipping costs and shorter mailing time) and heavily influenced by price range. The best deal that I could find was between the Tatami fightwear competition gi and the Feral fightear gi. I briefly considered a Faixa Rua gi, but as far as I am aware they don't do them in black! And seeing as I have a Feral gi already, I decided to go for the Tatami one. I wasn't a huge fan of the white trim on the sleeves of their forte BJJ gi series, but this was of little concern as I decided to go with their Competition BJJ gi series, which is all black. Rach ordered one as well so hopefully there will be two new reviews floating around the web in the next couple of days! Check this space for updates!

Where to find BJJ Gis in the UK

I keep having this dilemma of browsing for new gis online and finding some really kick ass ones, only to find out that the shipping is almost the same price as the gi! However, there are a bunch of online retailers based in the UK or Europe who sell top quality kimonos. Since I am planning to buy a few more gis in the near future, I thought I'd put up what I find and, where possible, give a quick review of the gi in question :)



Feral Gis
This is an ebay based company that sells single weave gis for just 45 pounds, with shipping included! I have had my Feral gi for a couple months now and am very happy with it. They are NOT preshrunk, so I highly recommend buying a size up. I originally bought an A2 size and this turned out to be a bit on the small side, even though my A2 Koral gi fits perfectly. I am definitely going to get another Feral gi as they are a great design, good quality and amazing price, but this time an A3. Also, the customer service is excellent with Mr Feral answering emails almost straight away. A few posts down is a more in depth review of my feral gi if anyone wants to read anymore on them. To find them just plug Feral GI into the ebay search and they will come up!



Koral Lightweight Gis
My first gi was a Koral double weave which has been great! I've worn it to all my competitions and for many months it was my only gi so its had its fair share of being worn, yet it still holds up great. The MKM series and double weave all sell for between 105-140 pounds, which is a bit steep for me these days, but for those interested in getting a very good gi and have money to spare I would definitely recommend them. The new Koral lightweight gis also look pretty slick and come in at 80 pounds. I managed to try this gi on at the last competition and was very happy with how it fit and looked! both the MKM double weave series and the lightweight series can be found at www.grabandpull.co.uk If you want a seriously flash Koral gi (e.g.: camo, red, urban, etc) www.mmafightwear.com sells them for around 150 quid.



Faixa Rua Classico Gis
I am not too familiar with these gis, but I have heard good things about them! At 60 pounds a pop, they are a great price. I'm not going to say too much on these, as Meerkatsu has an insane review for this gi. Enough said. Here is the link:

http://meerkat69.blogspot.com/2009/07/geek-gi-review-faixa-rua-classico.html

If you like these gis you can get them at www.faixarua.net



Big Dog Fightwear Gis
This is a brand new company based in the UK with some hot stuff. Since they are based out of Eastbourne, alot of the BJJ, MMA and Muay Thai schools in the local area have been getting alot of exposure to their products. They have a huge range of great stuff, from hoodies and T shirts to BJJ gis and MMA gloves. At least 5-6 of the guys at BTT Eastbourne have bought some of these and the gis look gooooood! The black gi is especially nice and has some nice patches in the form of Brazilian and UK flags, and a cool company logo. I don't own one of these gis so can't give an in depth review and they havn't been around long enough to see how the gis stand the test of time, but they definitely look promising! At just under 80 pounds its another great bargain for someone looking for a high quality gi that looks good and is a reasonable price! Check out there stuff at www.bigdogzfightwear.bigcartel.com



Blitz Lutador BJJ Gi
Personally, I am not a fan of these gis. This was the only gi available at our club when BJJ first started so alot of the guys have them. The patches seem to come off and the fit seems to be a bit baggy on most guys. Priced at just over 60 pounds, there are plenty of other gis which are higher quality and look better for less money. Here is the link http://www.blitzsport.com/Products/Adult-Jujitsu-Suits_2



Manto BJJ Gi
I like these! No one I know owns one, but I have tried them on at the British Open competition as they had a stand there. Fit was nice and snug with no wizard sleeves or baggy armpits! The design looks nice and the logo kick ass! I have a Manto BJJ T shirt which I think is great and if the gi is anything like that then this will be a quality gi. http://www.fightshop.com/GIS-Category-156.html



Lucky Gis
Do I need to say more? Probably the coolest gis ever made! Excellent design with loads of cool bits. Amazing print on the inside of the gi, ace of spaces on the wrist, 'get off my back' printed on the rear of the jacket and other cool bits and bobs. Some subtle but sweet colour schemes such as black with red and a brand new blue one too! However, priced at 200 pounds these gis will leave a huge hole in your financial pocket. If anyone wants to get me a Christmas present, you need go no further :) find them at www.mmafightwear.net/gis



Tatami Fightwear Gis
Again, priced at 45 pounds you can't ask for more. Simple, clean designs with a nice trim on sleeves and the bottom of the jacket. Plus, you can buy a kick ass red gi for 50 pounds! You also get a free gi bag with any gi purchase. I can comment on quality or fit as I don't own one, but these are definitely tempting me if I don't go for another Feral. Find them at www.tatamifightwear.com

Edit - red gis do not look good




Black Eagle Gis
Not a huge fan of these. They seem to fade loads from the original colour and the patches are not that great. Then again, it may be that the only ones I have come across are old and have been used for ages! If they want to send me a free gi to review I would be happy to :) www.black-eagle.co.uk

Eastbourne BJJ

Just thought I'd do a quick post on where are the places to train Brazilian jiujitsu in Eastbourne. There seems to be alot of new people coming to class these days so it might help a few more find their way to the various schools. As far as I am aware, everyone in Eastbourne trains under T, currently a purple belt under Ze Marcello of Brazilian Top Team.

At the moment, classes run out of Canton Martial Arts (101 Bourne Street) three times a week and last for 90 minutes. Mondays and Wednesdays start at 8.30pm, Saturdays at 1230. There are also Muay Thai and a small MMA class at the same facilities for those interested.

On Saturdays there is an open mat class run out of Sparta MMA Gym (37 Vine Street), another Brazilian Top Team affiliate. The class is usually run by either T, Adam or the highest belt that shows up. It starts at 2.30pm, but sometimes starts a bit later as if the Canton class runs over then it takes a bit of time for people to wonder over to the Sparta Gym. The Sparta Gym also has a daily MMA/ wrestling class (apart from on Sundays) which starts at 8.30pm.

For those looking to train more than the 3-4 sessions currently available, there are a few of us who go up to Slough with T two or three times a week to train with the Brazilian Top Team under Ze Marcello. Usually this is on Tuesdays and Sundays, but can also be on Thursdays sometimes. Its a long drive but the quality and level of BJJ is well worth the travelling!

And thats about it really! Its a bit scattered all over the place but there is somewhere to train almost everyday of the week! On top of this, we regularly get 3-4 people together who want to do some extra rolling and meet up at one of the gyms, organising a time suitable for everyone in advance. Here is a summary:

Monday: 830pm Canton Martial Arts
Tuesday: 640pm (leaving time) BTT Slough
Wednesday: 830pm Canton Martial Arts
Thursday: 640pm (leaving time) BTT Slough
Friday:
Saturday: 1230 Canton Martial Arts, 230pm Sparta Gym
Sunday: 930am (leaving time) BTT Slough

3rd Brighton Grab and Pull

Crazy times! Last weekend was the 3rd Grab and Pull tournament held at the King Alfred Leisure centre in Hove, right next door to Brighton. The Eastbourne branch of BTT UK, took up a big team for such a small town, with around 12 of us competing across most of the white belt categories. The last tournament saw only 4 of us taking part, so this was a huge improvement and a good reflection on how BJJ is really taking off, especially in Eastbourne!

The venue was set up with 8 huge matted areas and several cameras, which were used for a pay per view on the event - pretty cool hu? As usual, the competition was running a bit late, but once the rooster and feather weights had weighed in, they started the fights quite quickly. One thing I noticed straight away was the level of BJJ was very high, with almost all the competitors demonstrating alot of skill, strength and technical ability. Usually theres quite a few real beginners competing, but not this time!



While I know I should warm up properly, stretch and drill some technique before getting called up, I'v developed a bad habit of doing some half hearted stretches but nothing else before stepping on the mat. I prefer to sit around and watch everyone else fight and just try to relax and chill out. The first fight always seems to be the hardest for me and it takes me some time before I get into the game plan! This first fight was no different - we started and my opponent pulled guard, which I was very happy about :)! I quickly set up my standing guard pass, stood up and passed top side control, before moving to north/south. Then I set up my favourite choke and finished the fight. The next two fights were pretty much the same with my opponents pulling guard and me using the same guard pass and choke to finish the fights! I almost got stuck in a triangle, but thankfully we have been drilling triangle escapes to death and all the hard work paid off! Its strange, but I have only ever used two submissions in competition - the near naked choke and a particular north/south choke.

The semi final fight went a bit differently :P. After a bit of messing around standing up my opponent got a sweet double leg takedown on me. I managed to get a sweep from half guard, but then I got swept and had my half guard passed. Ended up loosing on points. Ah well! The winner of the lightweight whitebelts was some 16 year old Brazilian kid who came and cleaned up with some pretty sick armbars!



Overall it was a great competition! My one complaint was the cancellation of the white belt absolute division because the tournament was running too far behind schedule. It was great to see many of my team mates compete in their first BJJ tournament, as well as other more experienced friends medalling in their categories! Everyone did really well with Pete killing it in the heavyweight division, getting gold, Rach and Sophie cleaning up the women categories with 2 golds, a silver and a bronxe between them, and myself getting a bronze in the light weight!

Feral Gi Review

Got my Feral Gi today! Its a blue one and an A2. First impression is that it looks ALOT better than it does on the ebay pictures. The shoulder patches are a great black/yellow and look very slick! I tried it on before washing it and it was literally a few centrimeters too big. the trousers are definitely made for slimmer guys and are very fitted, with almost no extra material around the upper leg, leading to a narrow sleeve at the bottom. The jacket has perfect sleeve length for me (I am 5'9/ 177cm and 75kg), with the skirt being on the short side compared to other gis I have seen. To be honest it fit quite perfectly on me - no complaints!



I soaked it in a bath of cold water with a good sprinkling of salt for an hour to help the colour set and let any exccess dye come out (apparently a couple cups of white vinegar sets the colour quite well but I didnt have any). After that I stuck it on a 20 degrees long wash with extra spin cycles to get it semi dry. When I tried it on after, the sleeves had shrunk a very small amount and the trousers were still a good fit. However, I think I am going to have to be careful with this gi as even a semi hot wash or dryer might see it shrink more than I want it to, as right now its perfect!



Overall, this gi seems to be a really good buy. At only 45 pounds (with shipping), it seems to be made of high quality material, good design and an excellent fit for slimmer guys. I had a bad feeling that I was going to end up with a Blitz type of Gi but was plesantly suprised to find it was comparable in feel and fit to my Koral. Give it a few weeks and I will do an update post to see how it is holding up with training and a few more washes to its name! The pictures were taken after it was soaked, washed and air dried.