Summary
Follow up set to Volume one, this time led by brown belt Miha Perhavec. Given Miha's preference for leg attacks, this set features a lot of heel hooks, kneebars and ankle locks. It's less old school dirty trickery compared to volume one, but still contains enough legal and non-IBJJF legal techniques to keep you busy and annoy your training partners for months.
Just landed in my store, a whole bunch of new products! I was worried they wouldn't appear this side of Christmas, but if you're fast, you might just be able to order and get them delivered before the 25th if you live in the UK. For the rest of the world, we'll definitely be happy to send them, but can't guarantee they'll arrive before the end of the year (we always say shipping can take up to a month.)
Summary
Black belt Nelson Puentes offers a broad repertoire of techniques to illustrate four jiu jitsu themes. The techniques and the concepts are straightforward enough to apply to beginners yet deep enough to offer experienced grapplers plenty of food for thought. The techniques range from takedowns to sweeps to guard play and guard passing, submissions and defensive work. All are connected by the concept-led focus. This e-book format gives readers useful background text to read as well as animated gifs and full form videos to view.
Available
This title is an online cloud based e-book via the Artechoke Media website.
Priced: $50
Following the success of my first BJJ themed colouring book (see here) I decided to create a sequel. This volume is based around familiar folk tales, children's stories and nursery rhymes, all given the jiujitsu twist that is the hallmark of my work.
The book is available now through Blurb: http://www.blurb.com/user/Meerkatsu
Blurb is a print on demand publisher. Each country will have its own local printer so check the website closely for pricing and shipping estimates. If you want it before Christmas I recommend ordering it before 11th December to allow time for it to be printed and shipped in time.
Here is a promo video:
Fairy tales were a genre that was ripe for jiu jitsu inspiration. Many of the story subjects end up having to fight off nasty enemies. If only they knew jiu-jitsu, maybe for some of them, the outcome would be different?
I hope you'll enjoy this book as much as you liked the first one. I'd love to see your coloured in works so hashtag #meerkatsu in your social media posts online. Thanks!
On Saturday I attended the Welwyn Garden City leg of Ricardo de la Riva's UK tour. It was an amazing seminar filled with nuance and detail that is expected from a true master of the art. Genuinely walked away with a head full of new stuff to think about and to try over the coming weeks and months. More about the seminar..
I took a gang of my students from Borehamwood BJJ down to the English Open this Saturday. Three of the team competed and scored some very very impressive results. The Mill Hill Team as a whole won a hugely impressive third place in the teams trophy. And a few Meerkatsu sponsored competitors also won themselves gold medal bling! Mini report:
When coach is teaching, where do you place yourself? Are you a get up and walker? Or a stubborn sitter?
Most times, coach will tell students best place to sit in order to see the technique, but if not, the optimum place to sit is where coach is directing his gaze and vocal delivery at the start of the technique. If coach can see you, he knows you can see him.
Of course there will always be parts of the detail that are obscured wherever you sit, but coach will know this and reveal those parts the second or third repeat of the technique. It is easier for him to do so if everyone is seated roughly in the same place.
In a large room with high ceilings, acoustics can be terrible, so sit where you can both see and HEAR coach talk.
Don’t be afraid to get up and move to a better place even in the middle of the coach’s delivery. Another problem with large rooms are that some of them have structural pillars so obviously don't sit behind them.
Sitting closer is of course good, but I’d say if you can reach out and touch the coach, it’s probably too close.
Ask questions if you couldn’t see something properly.
At very large gatherings and seminars, you sometimes don’t get much choice where you sit due to the large numbers of people. In such cases, coach should rotate and pivot around to show those behind him during his second or third repeat of the tech, but there will still be a natural ‘front’ when he begins.
That’s me in the photo lifting a weight. Something I have never ever done before. Not seriously anyway. A long time ago I did try to do a dead lift, once. But, at age 48, I’ve only now started to give lifting weights a serious consideration. I can't believe I've left it until now to do it! In this article, I report on how I found my first session...
Summary
In depth look at the knee slice guard pass and a neat round up of the Spider Guard by active competitor and top ten ranked brown belt Erin Herle. This set excels in its level of depth and detail of the knee pass and offers a good set of spider guard attacks. The techniques are ideal for those who, like Erin, require a reliable gameplan that suits the smaller grappler.
Details
Available through Digitsu On Demand only here.
Price: $29.99
Every so often I give my students a mini-lecture on the best practice when rolling. I feel it is important to remind everyone of the reasons why we roll and how best to do it.
In short, I think you get the best out of your limited time sparring by aiming for a specific goal. It could be a mini goal like say wanting to hit an armbar from the closed guard. Or it could be a wider aim, for example, trying to play a pressure style passing game or other more concept focused goal. Whatever the aim, having some sort of focus will be a much more effective use of your time.
A lot of rolls have a fair amount of wasted time however. Tying your belt, tucking your gi together, re-tying your hair, chatting, stalling, refusing to engage, running away, wiping away your sweat etc etc. All these things happen and easily avoided or ignored. One could easily waste 2 or 3 minutes of a five minute rolling bout not actually rolling. That's poor time management.
For me, the most important part of any roll is the very first hand slap and fist bump. This gesture is not merely a greeting or old tradition. I view it as an agreement, an understanding...that I and my partner will roll with the aim of trying our very best but without hurting each other.
Often you'll see more experienced, equally matched grapplers engaged in a to and fro sparring match, each smoothly countering and defending and attacking one another with great fluency. This isn't actually hard to do, it just takes a little practice and mat time. Sparring is a skill one cultivates over time, much like any other part of jiu jitsu training. In the video above, I narrate as I go along. The aim is to reveal my thinking and plans of action to observer so they can see how I deal with problems and opportunities mid roll.
Anyway, these are my own personal thoughts. Another instructor may feel differently. That's perfectly fine, jiu jitsu is a huge entity and can happily accomodate all sorts of methodology when it comes to training and teaching.
Summary
Ten times World Champion Roger Gracie finally releases instructional content in the form of Roger Gracie TV, a subscription only site that offers techniques and sparring videos. Most content is taught by Roger himself, but there are also a large number of videos taught by elite instructors. This review describes the content of the site and offers a few personal opinions on how it compares to other jiu jitsu learning platforms.
Information
Available online at: www.rogergracietv.com
Cost: £14.99 (GBP) a month / £144 (GBP) a year.
Disclosures: I have no business, financial or personal affiliation with Roger Gracie TV. My own instructor was promoted to black belt by Roger and I have met and trained with Roger a few dozen times.
My new BJJ Kimono design - the Grey Wolf - is available now at www.meerkatsu.com
It is an all grey coloured gi with black details. The jacket features an inner yoke lining where I've applied my drawing of a fierce wolf face. On the exterior, there are little wolfie designs and decals. The trousers are lightweight ripstop cotton and the jacket is a nice light 475 gsm pearlweave cotton. The entire package comes with a cool wolf gi bag.
Tonight I visited a group in my home town who run an English Martial Arts club. It was so awesome! I've sort of heard of bits and bobs about indigenous fighting arts, for example Cornish wrestling or Catch Wrestling. But there are guys who have looked at the historical side and tried to bring these arts alive by training them.
I got to play with medieval weaponry, tried some bare knuckle boxing, grappled a few old English wrestling moves. We even did a bit of an old English art called shin kicking (it's a real thing, or it was). It was hilarious fun and real eye-opener. Plus it was so much fun whacking, strangling, kicking, hitting and punching without having to worry about RULES!
Chatting with the school owner, Frank Docherty, he explained that a lot of their system stems from texts written during the 15th Century. Every country around Europe developed their own indigenous fighting arts. More than just learning how to hold and swing giant blades around, the system he teaches is based around core fighting concepts - especially those around distance management and angles of attack and defence. Even in our short conversation tonight, I realised there was a lot more in common between the old and the so-called new combat arts.
It was a great eye opener for me. If you get the chance to check out the gang or other local indigenous fighting arts, I really recommend you check them out too.
Summary
This set features 35 'fun' techniques that border on the fringes of acceptable sportsmanship (yet are still IBJJF legal). They have been chosen by BJJ black belt and Yoga for BJJ star Sebastian Brosche. This set also includes a few bonus techniques from BJJ brown belt Miha Perhavec. Although marketed as a 'dirty techniques' set, it isn't as dirty as you might imagine. I consider it more like a primer of 'old school' pain and pressure style techniques. When you view the whole set, you also get the fun bonus of being entertained by Sebastian and Miha's amusing bromance double act.
Information
Available as a digital download here: https://30dirty.com/
Cost: $30
Chapters: 35 techniques
Summary
A concise yet highly detailed overlook at a variety of yoga and mobility movements designed specifically for jiu jitsu practitioners (and other grappling arts). In a manner consistent with his approach to his BJJ technique videos, Nic Gregoriades takes a very concept based approach and shows the major exercises that he himself practices. Nic's personal approach and lengthy explanations to each drill mark his product differently to Sebastian Broche's Yoga for BJJ program. Unlike the latter (and Youtube yoga video in generals), Nic's set is not a 'follow me along' class video. Instead, it is more like a seminar where he shows techniques and how to do them, but you are left to repeat the flows and drills in your own made up routine.
Details
Yoga for Grapplers is available as an online purchase for £62 on this link here.
Video duration: 2 hours 36 minutes
I've been very fortunate to be asked to be interviewed on many occasions. Here is a list of appearances and mentions of me or my work within the BJJ media and blogger scene:
16th May 2017 - Panda's Odyssey
BJJ traveller Robert Barker visited my club, Borehamwood BJJ and conducted a video interview.
I cannot wait for this one to happen!
The highlight so far for me will be watching my nogi instructor and long time team mate and friend Daniel Strauss who will be fighting against Jake Shields. But I'm pretty sure all the matches on the card will be as thrilling as the past Polaris events.
Expect photos and report from my come the day.
Exactly one year ago today I launched Borehamwood BJJ. How time flies! At the time, I did not have any long term goal or plan other than to simply initiate a little training group here in my home town. Looking at the members I have with me today, I’m incredibly proud of their progress, dedication and commitment to the art - many of them were there with me on that very first day.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gyms all over the world are universally proud to display their group team photos. A good team photo is a front window to the wider world. But the presentation can vary quite a lot so I thought I'd take a look at the different approaches gyms take when it comes to the group photo and offer some of my own commentary on the topic:
Film maker Daren Bartlett is a true artist. Tradition is beautifully edited and produced. It captures a truly golden period in sport BJJ. The intimacy he depicted made me feel I was literally right there seeing, feeling, hearing, sensing every moment. It is wonderful stuff. Please watch it!
I just participated in the 2017 Bristol Grapplethon run by Can Sonmez, owner of Artemis BJJ at MyGym in Bristol. This year our efforts were focused on raising funds for SARSAS (Somerset & Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support).
Can has run these Grapplethons since 2012 and I've been a keen supporter, contributor and participant for each of these events. Follow on for some photos and commentary about my experiences this year...
Two new rashguard designs have just landed in my store!
Twilight Omoplata & Red's Revenge
They both come in unisex cuts but also there is a very small stock of women's cut sizes for the Red's Revenge model.
Buy them here: www.meerkatsu.com -> store -> rashguards.
I'm very pleased to announce the publication of my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Animal themed colouring in book.
You can buy it here on Blurb (UK link but check the top right corner for your own territory).
I have priced it at £9.99 UK pounds plus postage and packing. The best thing is to first select your country or language option (top right corner on blurb.com) and then search for 'Meerkatsu'
It is print on demand, so it takes around a week to arrive. If you are new to Blurb, sometimes they offer a discount for your first order. Check the Blurb landing page for details.
Summary
Jiujitsu.net is the online subscription learning site owned by black belt Dan Lukehart. It currently comprises over 600 videos with around 20-30 added monthly. Lukehart teaches most of the techniques but there are also a small number of guest instructors, such as Paulo and Joao Miyao.
There are two major selling points with jiujitsu.net: narrated competition footage analysis and the flow chart style open ended learning system.
Lukehart is possibly among the best at analyzing competition footage. His teaching style is also highly concept driven and much of the content on jiujitsu.net places emphasis on positions, transitions and flow with very little emphasis on submissions. If you enjoy both those facets to learning BJJ, then this site is well worth your time.
UPDATE! This auction is now finished and the final winning bid went for a staggering total of £1560!!! Many thanks to the winning bidder. The print is currently winging its way to you.
This is a signed, one-off edition art print, of my Graceful Kimura illustration. It measures 80x60cm and is printed onto 240gsm natural white archive quality paper. The highest bidder on Ebay will have the print delivered to them via post in a roll tube (ie the auction does not include framing). All profits from this item will be donated to the 2017 Bristol Grapplethon, which this year will be raising funds for sarsas.org.uk.
You can bid for the print on Ebay here from 17th March 2017. The auction will last 7 days.
[I only auction these prints once a year, read about previous year's charity art print auctions: 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013].
*** UPDATE: The whole fundraising team together raised a whopping £4,856 for sarsas.org.uk. inclding £1560 from the auction of my Graceful Kimura one-off art print *** 15th April 2017 we're set to embark on our next annual Bristol Grapplethon where we roll over a 24 hour period and raise funds for charity. It's a great event and so much fun meeting fellow jiujitsu enthusiasts from clubs all over the UK. This year we're raising funds for sarsas a charity dedicated to assisting and supporting survivors of rape and sexual abuse. Fund raisers who raise a certain amount will become eligible for this limited edition t-shirt designed by me.
Read more about how to join the fundraising team and how to pop in for a friendly roll here at the Artemis website.
Summary
Roll out mats are the perfect solution for people like me, instructors who require mats for part time use that are easy to transport, store and set up. I have been using these mats for over 7 months and they are perfect for my current needs. The most impressive aspect, aside from their portability, has been their durability and ability to withstand and absorb breakfalls and other high impact activity. There are of course some compromises and niggling little aspects to using these mats but the cons are more than outweighed by the pros. Read on for my full and detailed report.
Summary
Beyond Technique 2 is the sequel to the popular first volume of BJJ concepts by Nic Gregoriades and Kit Dale. This follow up alters the structure by adding many more examples of the concepts as applied to BJJ techniques compared with the previous volume. The usual high production values and easy to understand delivery from the two black belts ensures this set is a valuable addition to students regardless of level.
Availability
This video is only available as a digital download, see the JJB Store.
Cost: £40GBP (about $50USD)
Length: 1hr 15mins
The folks at London based company Full Guard Gear kindly sent me their latest product - soap and skin lotion. Here is a bit more information along with photos:
My name is Seymour Yang and I am an artist and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fanatic. I write and draw content under the name Meerkatsu. You can buy my art prints, BJJ fightwear and clothing over at www.meerkatsu.com or click on the Store links on the navigation bar.
