Boring weekends (sleeping in);Training; Guard Passing, Posture and the Falcon Trust - Last Week at 50/50 BJJ Academy

So when I last left off I had my equivalent of the near death experience - melodramatics aside I did learn a valuable lesson that you need to keep hydrated when you're training on a day in day out basis and this lesson is heightened when you're in the middle of a heat wave in an area known for not only  heat but high humidity.

As I had mentioned previously; my sleep schedule was way off and as a result I slept in on the Saturday of my visit and missed out on the open mat.  I woke up around 2:30-3:00pm, showered, and made my way out. The plan had been to go out walking and take some pictures around Alexandria.  If you're familiar with my trips to Brazil you'll know doubt be aware that I do like to go exploring the city and area I'm living in on foot and take pictures.  So upon planning this years trip I made sure to pack my camera.

Anyhow I made my way out the door and and down the block and figured that I'd head out towards the Potomac Center then head south from there as I had seen some nice buildings and architecture from afar.  As par course with my trip thus far I was soaked in sweat a block or so from the 50/50 hotel (as it is called).  I had made sure to pack lots of water and some Gatorade to make sure that my previous days experience was not repeated.  I made it up to the Potomac Center then headed south.  I had walked maybe about 10 minutes from the center when I realized that I was not going to be doing any picture taking as it was just too hot out and the sun was beating down hard (it being mid-day).  At this point I turned around and headed back to the Potomac Center.  I went in to the Target as it was the nearest store and I was burning up by this time.  I did some window shopping to cool down then made my way down through each store.  I finally arrived at the Barns & Noble/Starbucks and sat down to veg out and try to figure out what I was going to do with my day.


As it turns out there is a movie theater in the Potomac Center and I figured that the best way to get out of the heat and do something other than sit around was to go to a movie.  So i hopped on my phone, found the listings and decided that I was going to go see the newest Harry Potter movie.  Not really being a movie critic all I'll say is that I liked the movie and it was nice to veg out and get out of the heat.  After the movie was over I walked back down the stores, grabbed some food, then sat in a different Starbucks for about an hour or so then made my way back to the house to kill time on the internet.
 Here is a picture of my movie stub for proof...ha ha:

When I arrived back to the house the Kenny and Seph were home - I do believe they went to some sort of get-together/party and Seph was a little tipsy. Other than that my Saturday was uneventful.  As per usual I stayed up late, slept-in on Sunday.

Upon waking up on Sunday I figured that I better get my traveling - I had initially decided I was going to Grayhound bus it to Charlotte but after a talk with my Ma she convinced me that perhaps trying the train would be a better option.  After some research I discovered that the Amtrax train station was not far from where I was staying and it would work out much better as I could only find a grayhound bus station in Richmond and the only bus to Charlotte leaves everyday at around 8:00am ish.

So I went on line and managed to figure out which  buses I need to jump on to get there and back.  After a long, long wait the bus finally arrived at the bus stop and it was about a 15 minute ride to the train station.  I purchased my ticket ($102.00 for a one way to Charlotte, NC from Alexandria, VA.)  After another long wait at the bus station I caught my bus and made my way back to the neighborhood where I was staying.  I decided that I should grab something to eat so again I made my way up to the Potomac Center.  Grabbed a bite to eat, headed back home and tried to prepare myself for my last few days of training at Ryan Hall's academy.

Monday was pretty much my same routine, get up, shower, make my way to starbucks for a coffee and late lunch/breakfast.  Come back to the house, shower, hop the bus, train, hop the bus back to the house.  Get off at my bus stop.  Stop at 7-11 on my walk to the house to grab a hot dog and a coke zero.  Shower, change, eat something and then veg out on the computer till I fall asleep.

During  my time at the 50/50 academy I was exposed to a whole different approach/style than I had  been previously used to.  Most notably the deep half guard and the one foot x-guard.  I've been working on the x-guard for about 2yrs now; of course my training has been spotty.  And I have found myself in the position of x-guard/deep half so my time at Ryan's academy was well spent.  Of course I think that about least a month at the academy would have been what I needed to make a real impact and work the deep half, x-guard, and one footed x-guard.

Overall there was nothing too outrageous to talk about; training, sleep, eat, and veg out.

However, one thing stands out from my last few training sessions at the academy. During the fundamentals class we worked on posturing in the guard, breaking open the guard and passing to side control and eventually the north-south choke.

Anyone familiar with being in the closed guard will no doubt know about the concept of posture which involves a few things going on at once.  For the unfamiliar I'll break it down as best I can.

you need to control the hips (of the guy holding you in his closed guard) which in most cases, in the gi, is done with one hand gripping the Gi Jacket roughly around where the ribs would be so as to create discomfort is your opponent should try to sit up.  Your other hand should be controlling his Gi pants near the waist area so as to control his hips.  You should also be looking straight in front of you (keeping your head up).  Finally, you should be, for the lack of a better explanation, thrusting your groin area into his butt so as to further immobilize his hips and create a very strong posture from which you can begin to stand up and start opening and passing the guard.

Ryan had observed us and from what I figure we we for the most part getting the gist of it.  While we were drilling the guard passing Ryan stopped us and corrected and pointed out a few things that we needed to work on.  One of them being thrusting your groin area in so as to create that strong vertical pillar that is essential for strong posture in guard.  In order to get this through to us Ryan mentioned if anyone had seen the youtube clip "FALCON THRUST" from what I can recall no one had and he said this is exactly the motion he wanted us to use when posturing up in guard.  He laughed a bit and did what I call the "Duff Man" motion from the Simpsons tv show.  Anyhow, after training I made my way back home and followed my usual ritual.

Here is the clip of the infamous "Falcon Thrust":



For some reason this clip has been labeled as offensive so it might not embed or you might have to log into a youtube account.  If so I am sorry - but you know how Puritan youtube has become in the last year or so.

Anyhow, that is the type of hip movement/thrust that Ryan wanted stress to us that we needed to use when creating that good posture to successfully open and pass an opponent's guard.

My last night at the academy was more of the same; warm up, drill, positional spar.  Like I had mentioned earlier I wish I could have stayed longer to take advantage of all the new and exciting techniques that I was learning but life is such that most good things must end.  Here are a few pics I snapped from my last night at Ryan Hall's 50/50 academy:

The first two are of Ryan, myself, Seph, and Kenny (in the arm sling). The second is of Ryan and Seph talking some strategy/technique???  The third pic is of a fellow named Courtney (last name???) that I met at the academy and was one of the guys that I got along with really well and was also very helpful with some of the techniques that I was unfamiliar with.  And finally another pic of Ryan and Seph engaged in some deep Jiu Jitsu conversation.

Thus ended my almost 2 week vacation/training excursion to Virginia and Ryan Hall's 50/50 academy.  Much like my experiences at Gordo's academy in Brazil I found that I was welcomed in to the academy as not only a foreigner (me being a Canadian) but a Jiu Jitsu student who comes from a different camp (I would consider myself a Gordo/Josh Russell student of BJJ).

I feel that in some parallel universe or another parallel life - that I'm in Virginia training everyday at 50/50 academy and loving life - despite the heat (perhaps in this parallel world it's not so hot and humid in VA.    Just as in another parallel world I'm kicking butt in Brazil and training everyday with Gordo and the jiu jitsu beasts in Barra da Tijuca in Rio.

After the photo taking Ryan thanked me and again mentioned that he felt honored that I chose his academy out off the academies in the world.  But lets be honest the honor is all mine and I have met some really good guys in Alexandria/Arlington and I hope fate and life brings me back that way as I really felt at home and good training there.

I've talked to a friend of mine from my home academy in Calgary - Gracie Barra Calgary - and he is a big fan of Ryan's and we had talked about perhaps taking a trip down that way sometime next year - I'm thinking the Easter Holiday.

If you should ever get the urge to train at a welcoming academy with lots of good jiu jitsu players and a world renowned instructor and aren't to keen on traveling to Brazil then I suggest that you contact the 50/50 academy at the address below:

http://5050bjj.com/

And ask about the 50/50 hotel - Kenny Savercool and Seph Smith would be the ones to talk to about staying there.

So that is pretty much it for this portion of my summer 2011 Jiu Jitsu trip - the next stop is South Carolina and Jeremy Arel's Great Grappling Academy - stay tuned for adventures from there.  Till then....



Peace, Love, and Happiness (whatever happiness is to you)

Andre (the king of Broken-Heart'd Jiu Jitsu...haha!!!)

Going to the mall - taking the wrong bus back: Adventures in Public Transportation - & various goings on...

I have not written an update in while (well a few days at least.) Alot has changed and gone on since my last post. So here goes:

1. We've had some new people move into the house and they taken over the part of the house i was initially staying in. They're 14 people from Ecuador living in that part of the house. They mainly keep to themselves and seem to have their own private bus service. They arrived last saturday - the day that Johnny and Nicky left. They ended up being really loud their first night here - they were up having some sort of dance party till at least 7am Saturday night/Sunday morning. Not very fun at all. They seem to have cooled down and are training but not sure where. someone said they are training at Gracie Barra or Minotauro's gym. Either way they are usually gone all day and come in during the evening make noise, go to sleep, then do it all again the next day. They will be here till the weekend then they will leave to go back home. Which is good because I will be able to move back to my little part of the house. right now there are 4 of us in one common room which leaves little "Alone Time." Long short - they can't leave soon enough.

2. The 3 English guys left - first it was Nick and Johnny on Saturday. Then Antony left early Monday morning. So the house is a bit more quiet then it was when I first arrived. They were all really great guys - I'm glad that I got the opportunity to meet all 3. Safe journey's to all of them.

3. The weekend was hell. I got not sleep Friday as the guys went out because Nick and Johnny were leaving. They came back at like 5am and Antony and Jordan ended up getting into a big time argument that almost came to fist-a-cuffs. so that keep me up Friday night. Then i had to wake up early because the large group from Ecuador were arriving that morning. Saturday was more of the same - Antony, Jordan, Fernando, Bas all got drunk then came back with some gals and loudness ensued. Of course once they settled down the Ecuadorians decided to have their dance party till 7 am. Needless to say it was a crappy weekend for sleep. I was pretty pissed off. I think anyone would be.

4. Training is going good but my age is showing as everyday it's like being run over by a trunk. I hope that i can keep this up and stay relatively injury free. I would be so upset if i got a major injury. right now my elbow are sore - sorta like a tennis elbow thing. We did some judo throws last night and that always does it for me.

5. I'm starting to find my way around the Barra (my part of Rio) and i've begun to explore and do some picture taking. There is alot of down time in between training in the morning and training in the evening. It's been kinda of chilly the past few days so the beach is outta the question. I do worry that I'll attract the wrong attention with my camera. But you know you have to take a chance on life and hope for the best - which is exactly my attitude.

6. I think I will try to do a private lesson with one of the black belts this week (Friday or Saturday) to help with my Guard passing. I do believe it will be Homeo (not sure of the spelling) that I'll have to talk with about doing a private session for guard passing as that is his forte; or so I've been told.

7. There is a really pretty gal that lives on our street and one of the guys that stays here - Ipar(not sure of the spelling but he is from Germany) said he's seen her around here before. So maybe, just maybe there is some hope to forget about that Blue Eyed Heartbreaker from Raymond Alberta. I hope so - I'd love to meet somone new.

8. So today I decided to go to the Barra Shopping Centre - which is the largest shopping centre in South America - Again i've been told this so I'd have to clarify this for sure. But it is huge - i only explored one floor because it was that big and after a morning training session I was super tired and did not want to do so much walking. I was told that it was very expensive there and that it was not worth buying anything there. Upon my visit to Barra Shopping this was confirmed. Everything is so over priced. For instance, i was looking at some Addidas shoes and they were R$68,00 but this 5 payments of R$68,00. Most people cannot afford to buy them outright so they have the option of paying for shoes in installments - that's hard to wrap my head around. That is life down here.

I wandered around then decided to head home and go to sleep so I could attempt to train tonight. I took some pictures of the mall - but got told that taking pictures is a no-no; which is strange because I was told it was okay to do so. Anyhow, the pictures are of some of the sights at Barra Shopping. After picture taking i made my way to the bus stop and waited for number 175 bus - lots of buses came and went and finally I noticed a bus approaching that had 175 on the front. So took my R$2,20 and got ready to board it. Payed my fare, grabbed a seat and prepared to get close to home so I could walk home and get some sleep. Well the plan took a big detour. I cannot say for sure where I ended up but all I know is that we hit some free way and went into a long tunnel. Once we exited the tunnel we passing by a Favala (those shanty towns that are off limits to anyone not from there.) So at this point I started to freak out a bit. I took out the map that Dennis gave me with the address for the house and took it to the money lady on the bus (you pay the lady and she give you change if you need it and she lets you in the turn stile. Anyhow, she said that i was on the wrong bus and that i would have to wait till they got to the central and I would have to find the bus to Barra da Tijuca.

So we got to central - which I assume is downtown. The lady pointed me in the direction of the buses I needed to check for the 175 Barra da Tijuca. Eventually I found the right bus, payed my fare and then sat on it for about an hour till i got to the main bus stop in Barra. Needless to say i was tired, hungry, and a bit shocked at my busing adventure. The only problem was that I did not take pictures because we passed some shady parts of town and I did not want to take the chance of being robbed, or worse.

on the upside i got to see the areas of Copacabana and Ilmpana - the places I was going to stay originally. Let me tell ya - I'm glad I did not as it is way, way, way too far from Barra. So despite the packed house - I'm glad Im here as I've met some cool house mates and they've all helped me find my bearings here in Brazil.

so that was my big adventure - Barra Shopping then the two hour, scenic route, bus ride.

I skipped training tonight as my arms were still killing me and I was dead tired from my days adventure. I will wake up early and get to the morning training and hopefully my arms are feeling better so i can Train twice tomorrow.

Well that is my little update for now - I hope that I don't take as long to update next time. I just got busy and did not have as much time to write.

take care and all the best to anyone who reads this.

A.

No Retreat, No Regrets!

My Mantra for the past 10 months (copped from a Gaslight Anthem tune) has been as source of self-preservation of sorts.  One may be inclined to ask, how so?  The particular line is from the song “Meet Me by the River’s Edge” has struck me since the first time I’ve heard the song – to be honest all of the Gaslight Anthem catalog has had a profound effect on me but that’s another story.  The ending of the song is as follows:

 

Sally said, Sally said

“I can’t take no more regret”

It cut us too deep into our souls

Came and climbed into our head

Sally said, Sally said

Meet me by the River’s Edge

Were going to wash these sins away

Or else we won’t come back again

Now no retreat, no regrets (3x)

Meet me by the River’s edge

 

Here is the Youtube clip of the song:

If you ever had the pleasure of hearing his particular song you’ll know doubt be familiar with the urgency in which the song and the line “No Retreat, No Regret” are sung.  The kind of urgency and honesty that really good music has; I won’t get into the farce that the world of music has found itself in – and yet again as Hammy Hamster would say “that’s another story.”

 

Long story short – this particular line has become my inspiration whenever times are tough – and lately they’ve been fairly rocky.  And over time it has become my theme for the year 2009.  2009 is to be my year of change and reclamation of the self I used to be.  A ‘self’ that had confidence, hope, happiness, dreams, and the willingness and courage to chase those dreams. If you know me well then you’ll know what I’m planning on doing and what dream/desire I’m chasing; as a result I will not go in to details.

 

When you up and decide to leave everything behind and try follow a dreams and chase those rainbows – in the hopes that the pot of gold will be at the end of that rainbow – you’ll no doubt question whether or not you’re making the right decision.  I question myself everyday; “is this the right path to follow?” “What am I thinking?” “What am I leaving behind?” “What, if anything, am I going to come back to?”  I’ll be honest – these ‘doubting’ questions plague me on a daily basis and all I can do is hope that my choices are the correct ones.  But in the end is not better to follow your heart, chase dreams, and try to find that happiness that is out there for the taking?  I think that slowly but surely I’ve come to realize that it is far better to fall short while chasing your dreams then to just sit back and watch the days go by till one day you’re too old walk up a set of stairs without tiring; let alone running worlds away to find that pot of gold.

 

Now back the line and song – I know the pain of regret all to well.  And it is true – it crawls deep into your soul and eats away at you little by little.  Always nagging away at your conscience reminding you how you’re wasting the days away watching the world and your dreams pass you by.  To quote main protagonist Andy in the movie (short story) “The Shawshank Redemption” “get busy living or get busy dying.”

 

Yes, that is really how life works – you can sit around watching the world pass you by or get up and catch that west bound train to your own personal promised land.  As the punk band Rancid once sang (and titled their 1998 album) “Life Won’t Wait.”

 

The other day I began to have those doubts creep in to my brain.  In the past I’ve usually let them bring down or bring my head back down out of the clouds.  But no longer, nowadays when the ‘negative’ creeps into my head, I close my eyes, think of my dreams and repeat over and over:

 

No Retreat, No Regrets!

What will life have in store for me?  I'm not sure but I'll do my best to make sure I don't feel the sting of regret any more....