my Arte Suave

Here I am, 21 months later. Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Tim Burrill! I earned it training 2 sometimes even 3 times a day and hard work, now its time for me to prove I deserve to be at the top of the heap at purple. I didn’t realize it right then when I got promoted but after everyone had left, I thought: “wow there are some really tough guys at purple”. Guys im not sure if they have received their promotion yet or not. I am looking forward to ripping it up this year! 

On the top of my list is Nogi pan-ams, and nogi worlds! I didn’t get a chance to compete at the Mundials, but I will still have a shot at being a world champion nogi. I havent written recently besides my highlight of NY Open, but I have switched up my classes that I teach during the day. instead of all of them being gi, now 2 of them are nogi and 1 is gi. I am having a ton of emphasis on wrestling, takedowns, and finishes right now. Making the switch from gi to nogi is a tough one for me. I know i am still effective without the gi, but to have the same kind of confidence I do outside the gi is lacking for sure. Recently My confidence has been raising up nogi. I have been watching a ton of instructional’s for wrestling. I am learning how to drill wrestling stuff. Stuff i wished my wrestling buddies would have taught me instead of just techniques. Because I am realizing more and more that grappling isn’t about single techniques when you get up in belt and up in experience. Its the tiny little details of positions, transitions. I am pretty good at the flower sweep, and you will still catch me drilling the crap out of it. So back to wrestling. I have been working on polishing up my wrestling posture when Im standing up. A dvd that has helped me a ton with drills is Ohio State head wrestling coach Tom Ryan. He talks about “shoulder, knee and toe alignment”. Making the shoulder knee and toe aligned whenever your moving, when your shooting, and were just doing this over and over in my class. Ahhh there is so much! So much drilling and trying to be disciplined in our positions.  I am also watching alot of Bobby Douglas, and some Dan Gable. Here are my goals: