Xande vs Keenan

Great fight from the weekend!
I enjoyed the build up the two of them had and the fight was my favorite from the last Metamoris!

Xande as always looked solid (only 2 people have passed his guard on competition), a true bjj legend with a game second no none in some areas. Im really enjoying the Ribeiro Bros challenge series online and cant wait for the next episode.

Keenan as always come to prove a point and he had a solid match against Xande who is known for his intense pressure passes. I was really impressed to see Keenan use his worm guard against one of the most threatening guys to have in your guard in the first place.

These pictures were taken just fter the fight by a sports photographer so props to that guy for these awesome photos. Look at both their hands, wrapped up to the max! Keenans finger weaving is intense but I know why as my hands are jacked too!

Swimming for endurance!

When I got my purple belt I had a few things in my mind that knew I needed to do for my health and swimming was one of them.

Always been a fan of swimming and it was my favourite past time when I was young. I used to sneak away to the pool and spend hours day there and that led to swimming training in the citadel centre.




I was always able to do full lengths under the water and it was good to bench test myself to make sure my lung capacity was of a decent level and so that I can start to track my progression.
(I can do 30m underwater approx tested 4/5/15 and can swim over 1000m without breaking so far and that wasn't pushing me to 100%)

Another reason that I wanted to start was the allure of open water swimming in Barcelona and I'm considering joining a club as after only a few weeks of swimming at least 2-3 times a week I can feel the benefits setting during BJJ.

Personally I feel swimming is the perfect compliment to BJJ as it takes a certain level of hard work and dedication to master.

Holding your breath, properly breathing in rhythm and staying calm is key for swimming and that can be translated to your BJJ training as whoever loses focus, endurance and rhythm will lose.

I like to alter my breathing from the 2nd down to the 6th stroke and then back again to get used to altering when ill take a breath. This is challenging but when mastered I can see how my CV endurance will be through the roof.

Ive found a large increase in my focus when drilling BJJ recently due to the repetitive motions and prolonged periods of pool time. Not only is it good for me to be doing a exercise which pushes my endurance and lung capacity but during the swim I think about my BJJ flowing.

The benefits of swimming go beyond that to increased strength, flexibility, definition and even helps lower stress and depression.

So yea! Be Water!

Techniques of the week!

This week was open guard and I drilled for 5 morning sessions last week on these set pieces.

We were running over DLR, Berimbolos and RDLR which I needed to get the numbers in for as of recent Ive been working a lot of top side-control.

Setting up sequences and combinations which makes training fun and flowing.

Ive really been working on the twister hook to get into the truck where I can attack the twister, the legs and take the back easy to attack the neck with a RNC.

A mix of new and old.

(RNC has been along nicely and Ive been working a few hand traps so that I have more 2on1 control when attacking.)

DLR - Entering + Setups + Retention
DLR - Triangle.
DLR - Omoplatas and setting up high shoulder pinch with knees.
DLR - Ankle Picks
DLR - Single legs + Feeding the sleeve grips
DLR - Easy Sweep
DLR - Single leg X - Leglock setups
DLR - Back + Armbar Variation w/ arm  trapped
DLR - Overhead Sweep
DLR - Berimbolo

Berimbolo - Back
Berimbolo - Twister Hook - Back or Roll Back to Leg Drag (In video above)
Berimbolo - Mount
Berimbolo - Toe Hold + Kneebar
Berimbolo - RDLR

RDLR Retention
RDLR - Back take -KOTD
RDLR - Tornado Sweep
RDLR - Overhead sweep
RDLR - Berimbolo
RDLR - 50/50
50/50 - Back

After getting some numbers in I did have a some fun with a mix of spider, lasso, shin on shin, dlr spider combos and setups leading in to most of these pieces. Good to see some progression.

Same again this week!

Technique of the week!

Sweeps, sweeps and more sweeps!

Tbh I actually new this sweep for a while but it was never something I put the numbers in on until recently.

I guess when I got my purple belt ive been looking backwards alot and trying to go over the pieces I already have, refine then and then move on rather than just accruing new techniques.

This sweep is great as I play alot of half guard, deep half, 9-3 guard, z guard, g roll.

Ive inbedded the sweep from Vitor Shaolin himself as he made it more popular of recent and I will enbed a few videos of myself and the other options available that I have found so far!

Enjoy it as much as I do!