Ask The Black Belt: Roberto Atalla

Roberto Atalla is a 3 time BJJ world Champion in is one of the founders of Rio Grappling Club that has affiliated schools in ten countries. Roberto was kind enough to answer our list of questions:

What rank do you currently hold in BJJ and who awarded it to you?

I was just awarded my fourth stripe on the black belt by my Master Sergio Souza Bolão last Saturday after 14 years holding a black belt.  

When did you start doing bjj and how would you describe your first experience?

I started in 1990 and it was very humbling, with smaller guys dominating me at will... 

What drove you to start doing BJJ?

I was sick of capoeira and its loose ethics and discipline so when i first saw guys fighting in the ground, i was surprised with a sport with so much leverage and technique and wanted to learn more and more until I got sucked into it and quit everything else to dedicate my life to BJJ. 

What is the most important thing you learned from your coach?

 Impossible to mention one thing only, I learned a lot not only from him but also from previous coaches, training partners and even from my fellow opponents in competitions. BJJ helped me in so many ways in life that is hard to come up with only one thing. 

What do you like about teaching BJJ?

The opportunity to travel around and meet people from different backgrounds. 

What makes a good BJJ coach?

Dedication, love for the sport, commitment to the group, experience, skills, patience, leadership and more patience... 

Do you think competition is a good way to improve your skills?

Yes it is the ultimate test and everyone should give it a try. You may not become a World Champion but the wins and losses will teach you many things impossible to learn if you limit yourself to train inside your own group. If you don't compete, you will take longer to learn and will always miss that important part of the sport. 

 What advice would you give to white belts who want to improve their game?

Choose carefully your coach and the group first of all, and try to learn properly the basics. Learning the Tornado or Deep Half Guard will not take you to the next level, but learning well to escape from the mount and the side control in real sparring will. 

BJJ has often been likened to chess, do you think that is accurate?

Well I have said that a couple of months ago to my friends and followers in Facebook, BJJ is actually a lot more complex than Chess. In Chess you use the brains and you and the opponent make one move at a time, and in BJJ you must also train the body to follow your mind, your heart must step up to the challenge, and you both move simultaneously, there are a lot more options and less time to think, all in all BJJ is a lot more than a physical chess in my opinion.  

What are your three favorite techniques?

I have tens I like but I prefer to repeat what I heard once from Rickson Gracie: if you like BJJ, you must enjoy everything, from the best situation to the most uncomfortable ones, this is the only way forward if you want to excel in BJJ 

Roberto will be visiting South Africa in April and will be visiting his affiliated schools in Gauteng, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and he will also be visiting Windhoek in Namibia for the first time. For more info on his South African tour go to riograpplingclub.net or got to http://www.riograpplingclub.com for info on Rio Grappling Club. 

We here at My Jiu Jitsu Blog would also like to congratulate Roberto with the receipt of his fourth degree last week. 

Ask the Black Belt: Rodney King

Rodney King is famous for his revolutionary approach to the martial arts and is known as the creator of the Crazy Monkey Defense System. He has also taken BJJ and applied the Crazy Monkey philosophies to it and Monkey Jits was born. We got the chance to get a little spot in Rodney's busy schedule to ask him a few questions.

Photo from: kdta.blogspot.com 

What rank do you currently hold in BJJ and who awarded it to you?

I am a 2nd Degree BJJ black belt under Professor Rigan Machado. 

When did you start doing bjj and how would you describe your first experience?

I started BJJ at the end of 1997. To be honest, there was no one in South Africa doing BJJ outside of one person in Cape Town. We were the first two people to officially offer training in BJJ. When I started coaching I was a white belt. In 1998 I brought my coach Rigan Machado out for a seminar and was awarded my blue belt. 

What drove you to start doing BJJ?

By chance I met someone from the USA who already had a blue belt in BJJ, got to roll with him, and realized that while I was excellent at stand up, knowing how to survive on the ground was paramount. To add to it mixed martial arts was on the rise, and I was really impressed with how Royce Gracie was able to win against some tough opponents on the ground. Although I had a brown belt in Judo, it simply was not the same. I liked how BJJ focused on finishing the fight on the ground, no matter where you found yourself with a submission.

What is the most important thing you learned from your coach?

The uncomplicated game of jiujitsu. Keeping it simple was the key. I have kept this philosophy both for my personal game and those I coach.  

What do you like about teaching BJJ?

My personal take is focusing on BJJ as a self-preservation system. How to use it to maximize the ground, but also not to buy into the hype that all fights go to the ground. So what I like about teaching BJJ is keeping my clients grounded, giving them the skills to survive on the ground, but also to know how to get back up and fight on their feet 

What makes a good BJJ coach?

Someone who can get past his own ego and sense of self-importance. You (are) teaching a game. It needs to be fun and playful. When you can set your own self-importance aside, you can just get down on the mat and grow alongside with your clients. 

Do you think competition is a good way to improve your skills?

It can be. I never competed. I am not the competitive type. Most people would say I have a pretty decent BJJ game. I think if you coach your clients without holding back, giving them the correct tools from the beginning, you can develop excellent game.  

 What advice would you give to white belts who want to improve their game?

Just have fun. Seriously, view it as a game, a game you would play when you were a kid wrestling with your buddies. Keep your game simple, focus on the fundamentals, and be consistent. There are no shortcuts to success. 

BJJ has often been likened to chess, do you think that is accurate?

Well it depends. It is a game of strategy. But great chess players see the whole board, and several moves ahead. Often times when the chess analogy is used it is within the scope of move for move. Only amateur chess players, play move for move, grand-masters are already at the end of the game, when you are just starting:) 

What are your three favorite techniques?

Triangle, choke, triangle :)

Photo from: www.crazymonkeydefense.com/   

 

For more info on the Crazy Monkey Defence Program or Monkey Jits go  to www.crazymonkeydefense.com/ 

The Wisdom of Jigoro Kano

In the days of feudal Japan it was noticed by the Samurai that there was a need for a hand to hand combat system that would be effective against armored opponents. The martial arts available in those days were based on the Kung Fu imported from mainland China that comprised mostly of striking techniques. It was realized that striking was ineffective against armored opponents and that the armor worn by the Samurai was so heavy that it affected the balance of the person wearing it. A system of grappling was developed that relied on throws and how to pin and kill opponents on the ground. The first Jiu Jitsu school was started by Takenouchi Nakatsukasadaiyū Hisamori  the lord of Ichinose Castle in Sakushū and the system was known as Takenouchi-ryū Jiu Jitsu. Jiu Jitsu spread across Japan and soon all Samurai were studying it as an essential part of warfare. After the Samurai became obsolete Jiu Jitsu was taught to those who were not part of the Warrior cast and Jiu Jitsu became even more popular. With the systematic formalization of Jiu Jitsu into an art taught by masters, a young man named Jigoro Kano started training Jiu Jitsu in 1877. After training Jiu Jitsu for three years he discovered a basic flaw of traditional Jiu Jitsu: only techniques were taught to students and the underlying principles of Jiu Jitsu seemed to be lost. Jigoro Kano studied these principles and started his own system of Jiu Jitsu by removing the techniques from the system and changing the name to Judo to distinguish it from Jiu Jitsu. With the newly rediscovered principles of Jiu Jitsu, Kano also developed a grappling system that adhered to these principles. A different school of thought soon entered the Judo world and it was known as Kosen Judo. Kosen Judo practitioners believed that an efficient ground game is more effective than a throwing game. One of Jogoro Kanos students, Mitsuyo Maeda was a member of the Kosen Judo school of thought and was the person that introduced Judo to the Gracie family who developed BJJ.


Based on the above history it is possible to say that the Jiu Jitsu principles, researched by Jigoro Kano, are the principles that are at the foundation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In this article I will discuss these principles and philosophies as written by Jigoro Kano.

Prof. Jigoro Kano
Photo from  http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/File:Kano_Jigoro.jpg
 

In his book "Kadokan Judo" Prof. Kano wrote the following:

"The words jujitsu are each written with two Chinese characters. The ju in both is the same and means "gentleness" or "giving away". The meaning of jitsu is "art, practise," and do means"principle" or "way"..."Jujitsu may be translated as "the gentle art," Judo as "the Way of gentleness," with the implication of first giving way to ultimately gain victory."..."To understand what is meant by gentleness or giving way, let us say a man is standing before me whose strength is ten, and that my own strength is but seven.If he pushes me as hard as he can, I am sure to be pushed back or knocked down, even if I resist with all my might. This is opposing strength with strength. But if instead of opposing him I give way to the extent he has pushed, withdrawing my body and maintaining my balance, my opponent will lose his balance. Weakened by his awkward position, he will be unable to use all his strength. It will have fallen to three. Because I retain my balance, my strength remains at seven. Now I am stronger than my opponent and can defeat him by using only half my strength, keeping the other half available for some other purpose. Even if you are stronger than your opponent, it is better first to give way. By doing so you conserve energy while exhausting your opponent." 

On the subject of training Prof. Kano wrote:

"The primary training methods"..."are (1) kata and (2) randori." (Kata in judo are the same as drills we do in BJJ.) "Kata, which means "form" is a system of prearranged movements that teach the fundamentals of attack and defense." (Randori in Judo is what we in the BJJ world call rolling or sparring) "Randori means "free practice." Partners pair off and vie with each other as they would in an actual match. They throw, pin choke and apply joint locks"..."all movements are made in conformity with the principle of  maximum efficency."..."The object of this sytematic physical training is to perfect control over mind and body."..."Both kata and randori are forms of mental training, but of the two, randori is the most effective. In randori, one must search out the opponent's weakness and be ready to attack with all the resources at his disposal the moment opportunity presents itself"..."Another tenet of randori is to apply just the right amount of force - never to much, never to little." 

For all BJJ practitioners it is important to practice Judo and I don't mean the system of throws and grappling (even though that will improve your game), I mean Judo as in "the way of gentleness", the principles that I mentioned above as written by Jigoro Kano in his book "Kadokan Judo". For a Jiu Jitsu player to learn Jiu Jitsu (the art of giving way) he must first learn Judo or how to give way (the way of gentleness).

I hope this helps one understand the principles a Jiu Jitsu player must keep in mind when training Jiu Jitsu.

How to deal with finger injuries

Finger injuries are probably the most common injuries in sport and can cost you a lot of training time. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu there are many ways of injuring your fingers like posting with your hand and hyper extending your fingers, getting your fingers stuck in your partners gi and (the worst) accidentally grabbing the inside of a gi sleeve or pants. Injured fingers are a nuisance because firstly they HURT, secondly injured fingers take long to heal and lastly it keeps you off the mat. In your grappling career you will have to learn how to deal with finger injuries and to do that we will go through the different types of injuries you may encounter on the mat.


Friction Burns:

                                                                             Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FileRopeburn
                                       


Friction burns are especially common with beginners and happens when your fingers chafe against the gi material and leave those painful, red and raw spots.
Treatment:
Anti-Inflammatory cream and gauze that allow the wound to dry out.
On the mat:
Cover the injured area with porous tape to prevent further friction  and still allow the wound to keep as dry as possible.

Sprained Fingers:

                                                              Photo: notesofaharpist.typepad.com   


This is also a common injury and is usually caused by hyper extension of the finger and is a result of damaged or torn ligaments in the finger. Depending on the severity of the sprain, healing time will take a week to several months.
Treatment: See your Doctor to make sure nothing is broken and (in severe cases) to find out if surgery is needed. Ice the sprained finger as much as possible but for no longer than ten minutes at a time to prevent tissue damage. Try not to bend or straighten the finger untill it feels better.
On the mat:  If you have clearance from your GP to train, you may want to strap your finger. I prefer stretchy water proof tape but any tape will do. Taping strengthens your finger, oreventing further damage and hyper extension. The following are the most common strapping techniques:

I-Wrap

X-Wrap

Buddy-Wrap

Broken Fingers:

Photo: orthoinfo.aaos.org

Broken fingers are the result of, well, broken bones in the finger and are extremely painful. Severity ranges from cracked bones to shattered bones and this injury will keep you off the mat for months.
Treatment: Go to a Doctor or Hospital immediately because a broken finger left untreated may regrow in a broken position leaving the finger crooked and with limmited usability. In most cases the finger will have to be broken back to its originality position and in some cases surgery may be needed. After the finger is repaired it will be placed in a splint and you will have to rehabilitate the finger with exercises.
On the mat: Don't use the broken finger under any circumstances and if you do you will be sorry.


Dislocated Fingers:

Photo: skatedc.org                                                       

This happens when one of the bones in a finger joint gets separated from the joint and usually leaves tissue and tendon damage. Dislocated fingers don't hurt as much as they look bad and will be a problem for a couple of weeks.
Treatment: Go to  a Doctor or Hospital immediately so a doctor can put the separated bone back in its joint.  From personal experience i can say that the actual dislocation does not hurt nearly as much as the relocation so you might want to get sedated for this and you will have to rehabilitate the finger with exercises.
On the mat: Strap the finger and try to use it as little as possible.






The best way to deal with an injured finger is simple don't use it. Try to use your hips and legs when rolling and keep you arms crossed on your chest to keep your hands safe. Not only will this protect your injury but it will also improve your Jiu Jitsu game a lot. 

The 5 step armbar from the guard.

The 5 step armbar is one of the first submissions that a white belt is taught and is used successfully in competition at all levels. If you want to be good at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu you need to be able to do this in your sleep. The best way to learn the 5 step armbar is to learn each step individually and then drill all the steps together. You will want to get the transition between the steps so smooth that it actually becomes only one step. Try to go for this armbar every time you are in the guard and try to use it against as many people as possible, remember people react differently to submissions and you need to get used to dealing with these counters.




STEP 1:

 Start off by getting a sleeve and high collar grip and use the sleeve grip to pull the arm as straight as possible. Pull the collar towards your belt to give you enough space to move to the next step.

 STEP 2:

 While maintaining pressure on the sleeve and collar move the foot on the same side as the straightened arm and place it on your opponents hip and squeeze your knee towards your collar gripping hand. This will trap the arm and stop it from being pulled out.

 STEP 3:

As you push down on his hip move your other leg up into your opponents armpit and keep your knee bent to control his posture. It is important to move your leg up as high as possible, This will force your opponents torso to turn away from you. As a rule of thumb, by this step you will want to look into your opponents ear.

 STEP 4:


At this point you will let go of the collar grip and move that hand to grip the elbow of the trapped arm. Once the arm is secured you can let go of the sleeve grip and use that hand to grab your opponents head and push it down as you throw your leg over it. Now move your hands to the wrist of the trapped arm.

You want your leg to be over the head and not the neck as this will stop your opponent from standing up or stacking. You will want to keep your legs bent   and move your knees as close to each other as possible.

 STEP 5:



To finish pull down on the wrist and lift your hip up as you keep your knees bent. Remember to do this slowly because you don't want to break your training partners arm.

Well there you go, the armbar in five easy steps. Remember practice makes perfect and repetition makes permanent.


I would like to thank Jacques Wagner from Crazy Monkey Centurion in South Africa for demonstrating this technique for the camera, for more info go to http://crazymonkeycenturion.co.za/.