Martial Musings of An MMA Master

A timeline of quips, tips, and anecdotes from over a decade of martial pursuits

Justin Master Chim Garcia

Thanks for checking out my Ebook!

What youll find here is an assortment of short stories, articles, and notes Ive shard with my students over the last ten year at my academy, The Jungle Gym, located in the Bronx, New York.

While not intended to be a formatted design for instruction or espousing my views on martial arts, enjoy the often irregular grouping of different ideas and approaches to both improving your martial arts growth AND your growth through martial arts!

Osu! ~MC

A Chance To Practice What I Preach!

What an experience it was to finally make it to the Abu Dhabi Combat Club World Championships! First off, let me start by saying when I started practicing Jiu Jitsu a little over four years ago, I dreamed of one day being good enough to grace the ADCC mats. I always knew I would make it, and thats the truth. Arrogant you say? Not at all. What I felt was that I loved Jiu Jitsu, and I knew it would be my life for better or worse. What I decided to do was go for broke. I competed in everything I could. I trained everyday, rain or shine. I never wanted to have an excuse for not making it. Ironically enough, it was an interview of a BJJ fighter named Rodrigo Comprido Medeiros that made me believe I could do it. He said in the interview that, I knew I wasnt the most physically gifted fighter in my school so I knew I had to train harder than everybody. I never wanted a reason for failing. I took those words to heart and never looked back. I won some, but lost even more. Sometimes, as a blue belt, I would get tapped by a white belt. Sometimes Id catch purples, even browns. Either way, I always looked at it like Hey, I just got better. I never cared if I got my guard passed. I never cared if I got caught by someone who I may have felt was less advanced than I was. Or my ego didnt care I should say. I just knew that I wanted to reach ABU DHABI. My goal was never dont get tapped when trying new techniques. It was never to be the best Novice or Intermediate grappler in the world. It was making it to the dance that kept me hungry. See, I always preach humbleness to my students, to you folks. I always want you to face your Jiu Jitsu challenges with the hunger of a white belt. Its that hunger that makes you better. Its that hunger that eases the illusionary pain felt when you get caught in class, or when you lose a match at the next GQ. If you were to ask me, Coach, how could I never get caught again? I would laugh and quickly reply," Easy, never roll again! It may sound funny, but it couldnt be truer! We are all going to have days when we get caught and want to throw our gi away, or just want to stop rolling. We say things like, I need to just focus on techniques. or I dont want to get sore because then I cant do my reps. I used to always use the example, If I put a gun to your head, youd roll for three hours straight! I know Im nuts, but the proof is in the pudding, so to speak. I made it to Abu Dhabi! So remember, whenever you feel like youll never be any good, remind yourself of what you knew the first day you walked into the Jungle Gym. Remind yourself of what it was like those one, six, or twelve months ago when you didnt even know what a triangle was, or how a choke worked. Now acknowledge what you know now. Finally, imagine where youll be 1, 6, or 12 months from now. Either way, itll remind you to stay hungry!

A Love for Your Brothers

When I first started the Jungle Gym, it wasnt called the Jungle Gym at all. It was the Brazilian Jiujitsu program at the Shotokan Karate school next to my gym. See, I was a very successful BJJ blue belt who had an unquenchable thirst for coaching. I wasnt an Abu Dhabi vet, nor was I even a BJJ purple belt, but all I knew was that I wanted to share the art that changed my life with as many friends as possible. I came into teaching BJJ with intentions of changing it from its outdated and formal structure into something more intimate. I didnt want people who Id refer to as clients, making sure I did everything in my power to keep their dues current. I wanted to change other peoples lives the way BJJ changed mine. It was for these reasons that I didnt go by Sensei or Sifu, or any other title geared towards creating an impenetrable hierarchy at the school. I went by Coach or simply Justin because I wanted friends, partners, or even brothers, if you will. I was so paranoid about thinking people would consider me in it for the money that often times I even made some bad business decisions for the sake of being genuine. Ive since learned how to keep the business up while keeping the integrity even higher, but I developed something back then that stays with me to this day and Im asking you all to acknowledge and try to develop: A love for my brothers. In my first Brazilian Jiujitsu school there was never an environment that supported those that needed it the most. You simply had those who were talented and were hungry, those with not so much talent but were still hungry, and finally those with little talent and not an ounce of hunger. The unfortunate thing was that there existed an imaginary line between the groups and rarely, if ever, did anyone cross paths with those of another class. What wound up happening was that some guys got really good, some tried their hardest but couldnt get better, and those who just decorated the mat for a couple of hours a week. Well, not at the Jungle Gym, people! Here we look after those that need our help. Here we ignite the fire in those who need it. Here we never leave a man behind! What I only dreamed of not so long ago is finally coming to fruition. We, as a family, have persevered through the most rigorous of training sessions. Weve shown up to tournament after tournament, leaving our hearts on the mats and adding to the entity known as the Jungle Gym, and its about time we recognize what the element is that we have that is lacking in so many other schools, including my first school. No, its not the harness, nope, not the arm drag either. Its the thing that separates us from many, and is what we will always have in abundance here at the Jungle Gym: A Love for Our Brothers!

A Pound A Week
All too often, when it comes to getting in shape, people take the sprinters approach to what amounts to a marathon-type challenge. For some reason, an unwanted condition that took years to develop is attacked with a strategy that will ultimately fizzle when motivation subsides. You see, people, every so often, amass this huge amount of determination and fail to assess its value properly. Being motivated means being positive. With that positive outlook comes the necessity for continuous positive results. Thats where most people falter: Establishing a plan that will produce consistent, positive results. I can very easily say, Im going to drop 20 pounds this month, and then follow up and do it! Now whats the problem, then? you ask? Simple. Any strategy that attacks a long-term dilemma with an extreme vigor is doomed to fail because when, or if, that goal is reached, what happens then? Do you continue to go ballistic with your routine? No, that would probably put you in the hospital. After all, six months of losing 20 pounds each should leave you weighing about the same as a nine year old, no? What about taking some time off, and then hitting it hard again in a month or so? Unfortunately it would be great if our motivation had pause and play buttons, but we all know it was our lack of consistent motivation that got us into this jam in the first place What about just switching over to a more reasonable approach after the sprint I keep referring to? Again, the problem is people are creatures of habit and going 100 mph for a month leaves you in no frame of mind to just switch to a reasonable lifestyle. Without the rigorous nature of your initial approach, youll be juicing jelly donuts in no time! So what is the solution? Well, of course everybodys different, but the title of this article suggests what will probably be the best plan. Adopt a plan that allows you to consistently make incremental improvements in your lifestyle and health decisions. Acknowledge that youre human and its just not feasible to think youre going to be a health nut overnight. Make it a habit to change or eliminate one bad habit a week. This way you sort of pace the motivation youre starting with. You make it last. After all, losing a pound a week is 52 POUNDS A YEAR!

Anxiety
Ahh, the word that explains so many instances during those first few months of Jiujitsu,. Its why we cant breathe. Its why we feel well never get out, or the guy off of us. Its one of the reasons we choose to watch TV instead of coming to class. All in all, its something we need to get under control. See, when I first started BJJ I would freak out when I couldnt get someone off of me. I would start questioning how I was going to die instead of how to get out! Therein lies the problem. What we tell ourselves in these most dire of situations is often more important than what we do! Im a huge fan of self-talk and all its potential for positive change in ones life. I suggest you, too, become a fan for the benefit of your jiujistu. Try this next time you feel anxiety. First, identify that youre about to become irrational because of the anxiety. Then, remind yourself that youre not only going to be alright, but that youre probably going to get a little better because of these obstacles in your training! Lastly, think the position through. What did you learn from that position? How can you try to make it work right now. If you dont get it the first time, what did he do to stop it? And so on Believe you have the tools to get out, and think of it more as a video game that youre trying to get better at, not as a life or death situation!

Are You Coachable?

With numerous tournaments in the coming months, I want to use this opportunity to discuss one of the most valuable characteristics of a champion: Being Coachable. Now there are many ways to describe what coachable is Maybe its listening to your Coach when He/She tells you what to do. Maybe its not talking during class. Shoot, maybe its screaming over, Coach, what do I do now!? during a competition! Well, all of these have some merit, but its a different characteristic that I feel serves a student well and makes them coachable. Its realizing what the Coach is there for. What I mean is, to use you, a student at the Jungle Gym, as an example, that you came to this school to learn how to do Jiu-Jitsu. Maybe it was with the end result of becoming a champion in mind. Or, more realistically, to learn how to defend yourself. Whatever the reason, you came here. Now what I can deduce from this is simple. You needed a coach to teach you. Now, in the beginning you knew nothing. The senior students played with you, you got frustrated, and the need and desire for the Coach's help was reinforced. But after a while a funny thing began to happen. You started learning Jiu-Jitsu! The senior students have a hard time having their way with you. You start dominating a few guys/girls with more regularity. Overall, you start feeling better about your Jiu-Jitsu. Its at this point that students come to sort of a crossroad in their progress. Some choose to stay hungry. They know theyre far from where they one day wish to be, and decide to look to their destination. Its the other type of student that is cause for the Coachs, My, concern. Rather than look to their destination, they decide to choose a different outlook. They decide to protect their location. They feel theyve learned Jiu-Jitsu and suddenly, the goal of their training becomes finding ways to not lose, as opposed to the find a way to win approach that filled their first Jiu-Jitsu stages. It is these students that will falter. Its this group that will someday get stuck at blue, or purple, or maybe even brown! Never to realize their true potential. Their true destination. So, as a Coach, as YOUR Coach, I plead of you. Keep winning, keep trying, and remember to turn at the sign that says Champion!!!

Arrogant Amnesia
One of the things that I find most difficult to teach is not a technique at all. Its the psychology behind jiujitsu that proves to be the most elusive skill and one Im determined to pass on to everybody at the Jungle Gym. Having competed in over thirty competitions so far, Ive seen and felt it all. There were those days where I felt like a Mac Truck that was going to run all my opponents over, but there were also those days where I knew I was going to lose. Now, those truck days didnt always end in me getting the gold, unfortunately. But, I can assure you, those psychic loss days were always dead-on accurate! The one thing I noticed was that whenever I felt I was going to lose, I ALWAYS did! Whenever I had the utmost confidence, however, I always felt I gave 100%. And by 100%. I mean I was relaxed but hungry, giving my all with reckless abandon and I gotta tell ya; It made jiujitsu fun. What I now suggest to you is a strategy to help you make this happen. A strategy that will lead to better training and most certainly better and more productive competition. I call it Arrogant Amnesia. See, arrogance is nothing bad or negative, in and of itself. Its supreme confidence, sometimes even in the face of logic! Its what champions are made of. Now by amnesia I mean that each situation is different and needs to be addressed in a fresh way. Your last performance means nothing. So give your wonderful confidence the benefit of a fresh start!

Birth of a Dynasty!
Well, with the demise of Team Groundhog and the need for us at the school to continue to fly a flag in the world of Jiu-Jitsu, Submission Grappling, and Mixed Martial Arts, a new team has been born: The Jungle Gym. Its going to represent a new era in the submission arts and you can take pride in knowing that you are part of the movement! In a nutshell, we in the martial arts world are consistently beaten into a submission of compliance through the use of titles, hierarchies, and egos. This is where the notion of operating a gym comes into play. Here at the Jungle Gym, we arent interested in whos better. We will never promote the Natural Athlete. We wont care if we get caught a dozen times a day. Why? Because we will strive to improve OURSELVES! Not everybody has the time, potential, money, pain threshold, focus, connections, flexibility, strength, attitude, endurance, and desire to become a world champion (Yep. It takes all that and more!). What we DO all have is the ability to improve incrementally, consistently. What does that mean? It means we all can strive to be better than we were yesterday. We can all realize a degree of achievement in this art that is far passed our original expectations. We will not only be able to defend ourselves in an ever growingly hostile world, but we will learn to snicker in the face of challenge. We will come to terms with the chance of temporary failure, and release ourselves to the inevitability of triumph! Egos are cancer! You had better rip them out of your person or they will eat you alive! The premise is quite simple: Leave your ego home and you will learn to flourish in this school. Hold on to your cowardly ego, youve just established the ceiling that will forever limit your Jiu-Jitsu. I, as a coach, as YOUR coach, promise to leave no one behind. We are a family that will grow and improve together. You need your teammates just as much as they need you, and I will help nurture the hunger that will make us all champions! Remember, learn to keep your light on green, because its in the refusal to stop trying that leads us to the GOLD!!!

10/5/04

B o o m e ra n g Tra in in g
In the relative short time of my jiujitsu training, often the situation has arisen when I needed the assistance of a teammate on a particular drill when I knew they wouldnt get as much of a benefit as I did. I always found myself begging someone to pass my guard, or maintain topside on me, simply because those were my weakspots. Rarely was what I asked of them their choice on top priorities for their games. I would always offer to reciprocate the extra help , but its hard getting someone to get their motor going to not only work a little more to help me, but then work even more still to then receive the favor in return. It was a dilemma I soon realized had some of my teammates running off the mat after rolling or even right after class. This is a situation I seek to remedy here at the Jungle Gym. What I propose is the concept of Boomerang Training. All it entails is simply figuring out what you need to work on, like escaping bottom side, or maintaining the mount, and then asking a teammate to do some Boomerang Training. You would then rotate reps of eachs given Boomerang Agenda. Maybe they happen to be the same thing, maybe theyre completely unrelated. The point is each of you will get valuable individualized drilling, all the while helping make your team stronger. So do yourself a favor and start setting up your Boomerang Training Agendas ASAP!!!!

10

But I Dont Want The Gi!

Yes, I know. I know. You hate wearing the gi. You like the speed of no-gi. You know the gi has nothing to do with the street. Who wears pajamas in the cage, right? WRONG. Its amazing to me how so many students of BJJ fail to see how the roots of their own art have evolved the sport at a rate never seen in the history of martial arts. When the Gracies were choking fools out on the streets of Rio, no, they probably werent doing it in their gis, but their gi training didnt do them wrong either. Many of the top submission grapplers in the world still religiously train in the gi, and espouse the benefits of doing so, but so many rank beginners of the art know. Theyve figured it out, according to themselves. No-Gi is better for reality they say. Well I firmly disagree. The gi is what teaches you the battle of inches. It takes the attributes of its participants and puts them away from the forefront of a match. Some of you cant handle that. It requires patience. After all, why does he keep holding my clothes?, right? Well, Mr. Fordham and Jerome, if you think that someone on the street isnt going to be grabbing at you and refusing to give an inch because of the adrenalin pumping through his veins, youve got another thing coming. But, hey, some of you just dont have fun with the gi, and you know what, thats fine. It really is. Obviously, dont even think of mentioning belt promotions, but its your Jiu Jistu, Brutha. Enjoy yourself!

11

Clim b th e La d d e r Or F in is h th e F ig h t!
On e of t h e t h in gs I , a s a coa ch , pr ide m yself on h er e a t t h e J u n gle Gym is m y su ccess in get t in g begin n er s t o m ove a n d t r y t ech n iqu es, wh ile n ever bu r den in g t h em selves wit h ego-r idden st a gn a t ion . In E n glish , m y gu ys figh t ! I don t a t t r ibu t e t h is t o r u n n in g a Gla dia t or Sch ool n or bein g a sla ve dr iver , bu t r a t h er t o a n a n a lyt ica l, som et im es scien t ific, a ppr oa ch t o t r a in in g a n d lea r n in g. Wh a t Ive design ed wit h m y Agen da Dr iven a ppr oa ch t o BJ J is ba sica lly give figh t er s (yes, if you didn t kn ow, you a r e a figh t er !) t wo ba sic opt ion s a t a n y m om en t wh ile r ollin g/spa r r in g: Clim b t h e La dder or F in ish t h e F igh t ! Clim b t h e la dder r efer s t o a n im pr ovem en t on t h e posit ion la dder (see Agen da Gr id). At a n y given poin t you m a y fin d t h a t su bm ission isn t a n opt ion . It s a t t h a t poin t t h a t im pr ovin g posit ion sh ou ld be you r im m edia t e goa l. Obviou sly, fin ish in g t h e figh t is exa ct ly t h a t , get t in g t h e su bm ission . Th er e will be t im es wh en a su bm ission pr esen t s it self a n d you ll h a ve a ch oice, do I go for t h e t a p ou t or do I pla y m or e con ser va t ively a n d im pr ove posit ion ? Well, for t h e m ost pa r t t h e sit u a t ion will dict a t e wh a t s m or e a ppr opr ia t e. In t h e fin a ls of a com pet it ion , you r e u p by 2 poin t s a n d t h er es 15 secon ds left . Ma ybe t h e flyin g t r ia n gle you ve been wor kin g on ca n wa it ! Bu t , by t h e sa m e t oken , you r e in a ba ck a n d for t h m a t ch wh er e t im e is less of a con cer n , st r et ch h is a r m ! So, r em em ber , t h er e a r e goin g t o be t im es wh en you n eed t o m ove t o a bet t er posit ion a n d t h er e a r e t im es wh en you m ove t o t a p, bu t , n o m a t t er wh a t s h a ppen in g, you a lwa ys sh ou ld be m ovin g!

12

Commitment, the Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle, and You

Well, Id imagine at this point youre all wondering what Im going to preach about now. Unfortunately, I do feel a sermon coming on, so I apologize in advance! See, many of us want to reap all the rewards that Jiu Jitsu has to offer. What rewards? Well, funny you should ask, I just happen to want to cover some of them briefly. Self-defense, for one. Many of us were brought to the Jungle Gym with aspirations of never getting your ass kicked again, and well, for some of you, youre well on your way. Jiu Jitsu certainly sways the odds in your favor during a confrontation and Im confident in my ability to convey those skills to all of you. Fitness. Some of you have literally melted dozens of pounds off on the mats of the Jungle Gym. Others know that its just a matter of time. Whatever the case, Jiu Jitsu is one of the most rigorous and physical activities one could do. The puddles on the mat after class will attest to that! Camaraderie. Everything in my life begins and ends with Jiu Jitsu. My career, my wife, my dreams, all begins with this sport of ours, this lifestyle of ours. Ive met the most fascinating people in Jiu Jitsu. Ive been around the world competing and training. My lifes network is a JiuJitsu network, and I wouldnt train it in for the world. My point is there are infinite benefits to training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Ill spend my life in pursuit of them, and what a fulfilling life it will be. Its a choice Ive made, and an easy choice it was. My question to you is: What role is Jiu Jitsu going to play in your life? See, there are those of us that are hooked from day one. We dream of Jiu Jitsu, we cringe at a missed day of training, and growing our Jiu Jitsu is usually on our mind 25 hours a day. Were a rare breed, but wed rather die than give up Jiu Jitsu. Most other people fall into the next category: The Experimenters. The experimenters are those who have a void that is initially filled by Jiu Jitsu. They have fewer friends than they would like. They could stand to lose a couple of pounds. They want to be able to hold their own in a scrap. Jiu Jitsu is their messiah at first. Its all about training. They spend bank on BJJ accessories. They rack up a Jiu Jitsu video and instructional collection pretty quickly. They ride the wave of our sport to a point in their life where theyre satisfied. After some time, they could probably triangle an unsuspecting opponent. Theyve shed a few inches. And, maybe most importantly, theyve developed an extended family thats gotten them through tough times, and whove equally needed help, too. This is where a sad thing happens. They QUIT! Maybe its human nature. Maybe everybody is ultimately solely motivated by selfpreservation. They just do for themselves. Its all too prevalent in Jiu Jitsu, and needs to stop. These people have passed on their void to the environment that nurtured them and helped them to persist and reach their initial goals. They needed to lose a couple of pounds, but ultimately left someone in the same situation with no shoulder to lean on. They wanted to perfect an armbar, but stranded the training partners that needed help of their own. They came looking for a family, but ultimately left a family looking for them. Im a coach. My life is dedicated to holding the light to the path of my students. This gives me more joy than anything on this Earth. The problem is too often coaches need to make sure someones walking the path. Jiu Jitsu will always be good to you. This transcends the Jungle Gym, techniques, competitions, etc. Just make sure youre good to Jiu Jitsu in return.
13

Consistency
Its one of those sometimes elusive traits of a Jiu Jitsu fighter. It could be interpreted as a plethora of things, but Ill deal with it as that which keeps your butt coming to class! I have yet to meet a student who has nothing in his/her life other than Jiu Jitsu. No, Ill venture to say that 100% of the people that train BJJ are always negotiating the relationships between training and lifes other channels. I myself am having my first child, running a business, and orchestrating a slew of projects on the side. In the midst of this, I recently had to get ready for the ADCC Trials, and have to fight MMA in March. How on Earth do we get it all done and do our best when it comes to the mat or ring? Id say being realistic is the best start. If you went to the store and tried to buy a dollar soda for 15 cents, the cashier would laugh at you and youd know why. In Jiu Jitsu, you must recognize that the progress you see is a direct result of the training youve paid for it. Those weeks you got five classes in are giving you five classes worth of progress, and that week you couldnt make it? Lets just say you didnt get any better that week. Now we all know that there are ways to maximize our training strategies, but the big problem is when people place 5 times a week expectations on a once a week training regimen. Its like trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents!

14

Do You Have A Photographic Memory?

Well, chances are, the answer is a resounding No! I have some good news, though, neither do I, and nor does anybody else Ive ever met in jiujitsu. So, why do I ask? Its very simple: We are humans, not computers, and therefore have always relied on some form of system to organize and store information that is too great for us to memorize right off the bat. Do you know the phone number of every one of your friends and associates by heart? Nah, you probably own a phone book. Would you ever try to explain your favorite book to a friend, page by page, word for word. Nope, youd lend it to them! So why then is it that most Jiujitsu students feel they can remember all the techniques and concepts shown to them on their quests for better jiujitsu? I havent the slightest idea because I, like many successful BJJ competitors and students, believe in the art of writing stuff down! Thats right, folks, when you learn something new, whether it be an elaborate submission setup, or the proper place to grab the lapel when trying a favorite technique, dont rely on an admittedly inferior means of storing info... Get your self a pen and notebook and write it down. How should you organize such a notebook? Well, ultimately, the most comfortable format will be up to your own personal standards, but Ill start you in the right direction: Make a list of all the positions we encounter in a match/fight. You know, mount, top side, etc Then right down a list of techniques you know from each position. This could grow into a section for each position, with concepts and theories included. The next thing you know, you can start to formulate the oh so important agenda from each position, where you know what techniques you can try from each position, and you avoid the disheartening stuck on stupid mode when rolling!

NOW BACK ON THE MAT!!!

15

Dont step on the grasshoppers!

In Kung FU, Blind Master Po gave Caine the nickname Grasshopper. It was one of my favorite movies as a child and it teaches so many valuable lessons. If you allow it to, that is. See, Caine, played by David Carradine, was a pupil of Pos class at the legendary Shaolin Monastery. He showed little athletic potential, but Po recognized what Caine could be with the proper guidance and mentoring. It was through hard work that Caine became a Shaolin Master. The Grasshopper had grown. Well, you might ask, what the heck does this have to do with Jiu-Jitsu or the Jungle Gym? It has everything to do with them! What so many of us fail to realize when we learn JiuJitsu is that just as we are on our own path to discover all the things our JiuJitsu can grow to be, so too, are the students around us striving for discoveries of their own. Some are further down the road than we are. But some are nothing more than Grasshoppers making their first steps down their individual roads to achievement. Im sure we can all remember the disenchanting, sometimes hopeless, feeling that sometimes overcame us during those first few days and months. Aww, Im never going to get better. Or, Man, how am I ever going to do that? It was then that someone helped you out. Whether it was showing you a detail that helped you perform a technique, or (contd on p2) maybe just a motivating word after an otherwise dismal training day. The point is, when times were tough, someone was there to help lift you up. Well, let me ask you a question, whens the last time you helped someone? Whens the last time you gave someone a pat on the back? Knowing most of you as much as I do, Im willing to bet its no more than a class or two ago that you lent a much needed hand to one of your brothers or sisters at the Jungle Gym. My goal with this writing is to identify your helps importance. Many fail to realize that during a class, youre either helping to make the class better or taking away from the class value. Its impossible to be an invisible spectator in a class. Everyones affected by everyone. So, remember, help your family out, and dont step on the grasshoppers!

16

Fighter or Martial Artist?

When I first started to train Jiu Jitsu around four or so years ago, being a great fighter was the pinnacle of studying a martial art. Having been through many individual progressions and evolutions in the art, I can now tell you that being a great fighter has a limited amount to do with the pinnacle of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I often used to wonder how awesome it would be to be able to handle any attacker or opponent with superior Jiu Jitsu skills, and I still very much believe this to be totally true. Whats changed is my definition of the word Handle. When I first started, it represented the perfect armbar, or a slick and sneaky choke; But not anymore. I now define it as being above petty conflict. During those few occurrences recently where a problem was imminent, I would ask myself, What am I going to do, break his arm? Put him in the hospital? Get arrested? Just because he thinks hes tough? He doesnt even know that I train Jiu Jitsu! What would happen is that I painted the total picture in my mind, and I would come to the conclusion that I would be nothing more than a bully if I were to fight this person. I realized I didnt care if he thought he could beat me up. The fact was that he didnt, and I didnt get myself in trouble in the process. Nor did I compromise my integrity as a Martial Artist. See, often at the Jungle Gym we talk about those three letters that will destroy your Jiu Jitsu. E-G-O. Its the element of ones personality that prevents them from the possibility of failure because it sways them away from true obstacles; those obstacles, that when overcame, contribute to true progress in Jiu Jitsu. Ego makes us take on only those challenges that we can win. It helps us make excuses when we lose. Well. This directly translates to the point of this article. Why fight on the street against somebody you know you could beat? Why use what youve worked so hard to develop on something so beneath you? Anyone can swing at somebody else, never being concerned with the consequences. I instead choose to handle them, avoiding conflict at all costs. I usually smirk to myself when they walk away feeling like they just won a trophy, knowing that they are lucky they didnt run into a fighter, but a true martial artist.

17

Have Some Humble Pie!

Its that time of year when everyone starts following their diverse resolutions for the new year and Ill take this opportunity to slip one in on you! Assuming, of course, that if youre reading this you train at the Jungle Gym. Well, its with great confidence, then, that Ill assume that this new year will be one of immense improvement in your Jiu Jitsu. Youll be training hard and youll be noticing the increasing ease with which youll be handling each new addition to our family. Its before this happens that Im taking the opportunity to request you remember your roots. There was a time, whether here or elsewhere, that you began your grappling journey and you knew nothing. You tried to grasp the concepts your more experienced teammates exhibited with ease and they, in turn, tried their best to make your growth as comfortable as possible. All of them, that is, except for those one or two guys that knew they could smash you, and did as often as they could, only to make themselves feel better. You couldnt stand these guys and, newsflash, neither could anyone else! So its with a hopeful intention that I ask you to choose which teammate youll be to your greener Jiu Jitsu brothers and sisters. Are you going to make yourself feel better by showing off and bullying those who havent had the time in that you do, or are you going to have yourself some good ole humble pie?

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How Far Can We Push You?

Ok, now what on earth is Coach talking about now? What does he mean we? Well, if this is what youre thinking, well, good. I want you to be anxious to know what Im talking about, because this is going to be one of those articles thats going to require a great deal of interest in order to make a difference. See, we all know that the Jungle Gym is place built on the concept of tough love. We all know that I want everything you have, then a little more. There have been days when you know you wouldve packed it in if it werent for a suspicious look from me, or a tough love-driven comment from one of your teammates. This is the manifestation of what I had dreamed of when I first started the Jungle Gym, and I couldnt be prouder of the effort put forth by every one of you all. But now I want to open the door for the next level. I think some of you are ready. I started Jiu Jitsu with a fire I rarely saw in my peers, and my drive and hard work culminated in me being invited to Abu Dhabi, the most prestigious no-gi grappling event in the world. Our Olympics, if you will. I didn't get there by stopping when I was tired. I didnt get there by being a little sissy when I got mat burn on my toes. I trained. Thats all. I didnt get discouraged when choked at a tournament. I didnt miss class to go to the beach. I trained. Thats all. I didnt take a week off until my elbows stopped hurting. I just went to watch class if I couldnt move. My dilemma now is I need to find a way to transfer that kind of drive to my students. No, I dont think everyones going to be in AD any time soon. Shoot, you may not even care about reaching that level of competition. But each of you has the obligation, in my opinion, to reach something far more valuable than Abu Dhabi; Your own potential. So I ask of you, what goes through your mind when I give you that look when you tell me you cant go another round? Why do I ask so much of your efforts in class? Is it because I like being a slave driver? Is it because I like seeing people throw up? Or maybe, just maybe, its my job to be your own individual mirror. Maybe I know you can go another round, maybe I know youll feel better about yourself if you push that little extra. Tell me, how far can we push you?

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Ill Never Get it RightOr Will I?

One of the feelings I remember most when I first started Jiu Jitsu is thinking, Man, Im never going to get this stuff! Ill never be able to do those moves! It was a very humbling experience but I think it was my competitive nature, if anything, which got me over the hump, so to speak. I guess its a testament to the powerful impression Jiu Jitsu makes on observers and beginners alike that accounts for the feeling of novice hopelessness to which Im referring. The bad thing about this is that it accounts for a lot of dropouts of those just starting out, but the awesome thing is that its absolute nonsense. I have proof! Brazilian jiu-jitsu was developed by a man, Helio Gracie, that couldnt perform the more demanding techniques of traditional Japanese Jiu Jitsu. In other words, he was too small and too weak. His answer to this dilemma was to alter those techniques to some who is assumed to not have any of the favorable athletic attributes. So, in other words, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is for the weak and doofy! But wait, theres more. In Brazil, the average time spent at each belt is around 2 years or so, leaving the average time to acquire the black belt around 10 years! But thats changing here in the states. The rate at which people are learning the art now is sometimes a fraction of years past. Even I got my brown belt in a little over three and a half years! Theres no more ridiculous time table on progress in this art and it doesnt stop there. The way the art is taught nowadays is improving by the week and techniques of coaching have been brought from all different sports and subjects to help make the road to Jiu Jitsu success a short one. The structure and format of cutting edge schools (like the Jungle Gym) are much more evolved than traditional schools and the progress of its students are what schools of the past could only have dreamed for! So, in conclusion, youve all heard me say this many times but Ill say it again, hopefully more convincingly: The hardest part of Jiu Jitsu is showing up to class. Ive got it from there!

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Intensity
Descriptions often fall sort of adequately expressing its impressive power. No, INTENSITY needs to be shown and, in turn, experienced. Often, when it comes to competitions, people confuse what their perspective on competing should be with what intensity they should have during competition. Now, some choose to compete even keeled, not trying to get themselves to excited, while others choose to exhibit a lot more energy and want to psyche themselves up. I, for one, believe that competition makes us better and we need to always challenge ourselves, regardless of whether we win or not. I truly believe that its the challenge itself that has value. But do not confuse this with a poor mindset going into a match! Every time you get ready to compete the thoughts its OK if I lose or I hope I do well should NEVER enter your mind. Thats the stuff you tell yourself before you leave your house that morning, or the weeks leading up to the competition. If you try to tell yourself that on the mat, you believe you should lose! Whenever you step on the mat to compete, there should be nothing but positive thoughts in your mind. Imagine your son or brother was going to compete, would you say dont worry, its ok to lose? Of course not! Well, you need to treat your self-talk the same way. Tell yourself that youre ready, hungry, and youre going to beat this guy no matter what! That, my friend, is being intense!

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It Doesnt Matter If I Win or Lose? Really?

Ya know, in all my years of competition, whether it be wrestling, football, basketball, or, yes, even Jiu Jitsu, the only thing that was always on my mind was that there was no way anyone could say I didnt give 100%. Yeah, I know, corny as hell, but it couldnt possibly be truer. Maybe I was raised this way, maybe I was blessed with great mentors when it came to competition, or maybe it just made sense to me. Either way, Justin Garcia has never been accused of quitting. Ive never even thought of giving anything but 100% because, if you think about it, the ONLY thing you can control is your effort! Now, dont get me wrong, there were days when things just didnt go the way it was planned. There were days when I was flat out disgusted with the way I performed, but thats just a competitor trying to be competitive. Nothing more! One of the things that Ive deduced over my years of competing and coaching is that the only reason one refuses to compete is the worst three letter word in the English language: EGO. Yep. Thats it. And I absolutely believe in this 100%! See, in a world where status is where its at, and being the best is everybodys dream, we sometimes lose sight of reality. Theres always going to be someone better than us. Always. But, to keep things positive, theres always going to be something we can do to make ourselves better. Maybe its staying those last ten minutes to get a round or two more of rolling. Maybe its getting your butt off the couch and forcing yourself to class. Maybe its putting the cake down! (Im guilty myself!) But the point is, there is only so much we can control, and so many times in competition its the things we have NO control over that decide the outcome! Now some would say, So what youre saying is that we cant control who wins and loses? Absolutely not! What Im trying to convey is that the beauty of competition is its ability to test you against yourself! How hard did I try? How much effort did I give? Those are the things that should decide victory and failure. One of my favorite things in my dealings with the kids is advising them what to do in the case of Bullying. Im sure weve always heard, maybe even said, that the best way to deal with a bully is to stand up to him, win or lose. Either way, we say, the bully will know he cant pick on you without being stood up to. Well, my friends, you are the kid, and EGO is bullying the hell out of you!

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The Jiu Jitsu Agenda Revisited

It s been m on t h s sin ce som e of you h a ve been in t r odu ced t o t h e con cept of t h e Agen da a n d t h e pit fa lls of t h e dr ea ded st u ck on st u pid m ode. My qu est ion t o you is, well, h ows it goin g? See, Im a h u ge fa n of in st r u ct ion a ls, a n even bigger fa n of self im pr ovem en t pr ogr a m s, bu t t h er e h a s a lwa ys been on e pr oblem wit h m y in t er a ct ion s wit h t h ese t h in gs. I a lwa ys seem t o ju st filt er ou t t h e t h in gs I deem u sefu l, a n d disca r d t h e r est . Th e r ea son I see t h is a s a pr oblem is t h a t t h e a ppr oa ch m a y fin d it s wa y in t o m y dea lin gs wit h ot h er t h in gs t h a t m a y n eed a lit t le m or e a dh er en ce t h e wh ole pr ogr a m . Ir on ica lly en ou gh , t h e a gen da is on e su ch pr ogr a m ! I r ea lly wa n t t o a void t h e a ver a ge st u den t h er e a t t h e J u n gle Gym ju st sor t of list en in g t o wh a t I h a ve t o sa y, a n d t h en ju st disca r din g wh a t t h ey deem u n im por t a n t . Rem em ber , you ve a ll en t r u st ed m e wit h t h e job of t ea ch in g you jiu jit su a n d su bm ission gr a pplin g. I cer t a in ly do n ot wa n t t o offer a pa r t ia l pr odu ct ! I u n der st a n d t h a t t h e set u p of t h e a gen da m a y be a lit t le ba fflin g a t fir st , a n d don t wor r y Im pr oba bly goin g t o be cr eat in g a booklet t o do t h a t job for you , bu t I ca n t st r ess en ou gh t o you t o ben efit s of or ga n izin g you r t ech n iqu es. No, m or e t h a n sim ply or ga n izing you r t ech n iqu es, r em em ber , t h e a gen da will in t en sify, solidify, a n d en h a n ce you r jiu jit su !

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Lets Not Make A Bad Situation Worse!

Oh my god!!!! How do I get this guy off of me?!?!?! Ha-Ha, weve all been there, and with varying degrees of success. You know, youve fought with every ounce of skill and effort to stop this monster from passing your guard and, BOOM, hes hugging your ribs like he wants them for dinner! Now, some would say you should just relax and try to escape. Some would suggest working on your guard. Some would say tap when youre about to pee yourself. I would say none of the above! One of the brilliant strategies my friend Lloyd Irving had suggested once sums up what I figured out in my early white belt days the most. He suggested that, when in a horrifying position, not to panic (duh!), but to repeat a positive mantra if you will to keep you in a PRODUCTIVE frame of mind. Im the best in the world at this position is what I believe he said, and he couldnt be more right! The problem with weak positions is that we lose sight of what we know. Not only that, but we lose sight of logic itself! We start getting down on ourselves on how were never going to get out, we cant breathe, were gonna die!!!!! Of course Im being humorous, but Im sure Im not too far off of shared experiences, no? Well, unfortunately, sometimes we have to develop our games from the inside out. We learn how to get our guards back first, then how to make it harder to pass, then how to sweep. Etc The end result is a full agenda from all positions, even the deadly ones! Give it a try!

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Lightbulb Moments
You all know the moment: Youve been trying to get a move for weeks, only to be frustrated by the absence of that one detail that brings it together. That one little step that makes the difference between your opponent tapping from you or laughing at you! Then, when youve forgotten about it, or even when youre busy being frustrated from something else entirely...BAM! You hit the original move flawlessly! You mentally let out a big Ohhhhhhhh and you realize the previous error of your ways. Well, Jiu Jitsu is filled with these Lightbulb Moments and they should always be taken and absorbed in the context of which theyre intended. Youll always find that a technique that is frustrating you should be abandoned for a while. Get it off the plate of anger and into the bowl of patience. Let your subconscious deal with it for a while and youll be surprised at how efficient your brain can be. Never give up on a move. Give it over to your brains hidden workers and let the lightbulb moments shine!

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Ma k e J i u J i t su You r O w n !
In a ll m y yea r s of pr a ct icin g Br a zilia n J iu J it su Ive m et people whove ha d BJ J a ll over t h e spect r u m of pr ior it y in t h eir lives. E ver yone fr om t he gu y who wa n t s t o lose som e weigh t , t o Royce Gr a cie wh os been r a ised on t h e m a t . Th e one t h in g t h a t Ive fou n d in com m on in m ost of t h e people Ive m et is t h eir a ccept a n ce of t h e r ole BJ J pla ys in t h eir lives, a n d t h e ea ger n ess t o st ill r ea p it s ben efit s. J iu J it su is so m u ch mor e t ha n sim ply a ma r t ia l a r t . E ven ca llin g it a lifest yle seem s la ckin g t o m e. F or m e it s a lwa ys been t h e wa y Ive discover ed t h e ch a llenges t o im pr ove my ch a r a ct er a nd lea r n a bou t m yself. Th er e wer e t im es t h a t t r a in in g a llowed me t o esca pe st r essfu l da ys (Ca n you sa y pr egn a n t wife?), a n d t h er e wer e a lso da y s wh er e Ive u sed m y knowledge of BJ J t o pu t a sm ile on som eones fa ce. Th er e wer e t im es wh en t h e m a t s wer en t so fr ien dly, a n d I h a d t o rea lize t h a t som et im es even if I t r ied m y best , vict or y wa s ou t of r ea ch . Ive m et som e of m y dea r est fr ien ds, m y wife in clu ded, t h r ough J iu J it su , a n d ha ve t r a veled a ll over t h e wor ld beca u se J iu J it su is a pa r t of m y life. Now, obviou sly BJ J m a y be a lit t le m or e im por t a n t t o som e wh o m a kes a livin g wit h it a s I do, bu t m y poin t , t h e bigger pict u r e t h a t is, is t h e a r t we've come t o love does m a n y t h in gs for m a ny people. Be it a pla ce to m eet new people, t he mea n s t o pu sh you r self like n o ot h er a spect of you r life does, or t o give you t he t ools for t h e r in g, m a ke J iu J it su you r own , a n d u se ou r J un gle Gym t o do it !

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Org a n ize Yo u r Ch a o s !
Wh en I fir st st a r t ed t r a in in g wit h weigh t s I en du r ed t h e sa m e u seless edu ca t ion a s pr oba bly m ost of you . Well, m a ybe u seless is a t a d bit h a r sh , bu t pr et t y fr ea kin g la m e is a bou t a s soft a s I get . You see, I st a r t ed in t h e ea r ly n in et ies a n d, ba ck t h en , t her e wa s on e t h in g on ever y gym r a t s m in dBODYBUILDING! Wh a t s wr on g wit h t h a t , you sa y? Qu it e sim ply, people st a r t ed wor r yin g a bou t Tr a ps, Abs, a n d bein g H UGE . Th e ba d en d of t h a t wa s t h ey st opped wor r yin g a bou t St a bilit y, Ba la n ce, P ower . Wh a t Ive m a de m y pr ofession is t h e Debr a inwa sh in g a n d Rebr a in wa sh in g of t oda ys a t h let es. Th is is t h e fir st of m a n y in st a llm en t s on wh a t I like t o n ot -so-hu m bly ca ll Th e Ch im Ch im Wor kou t . Now m a n y people believe in m a n y differ en t ph ilosoph ies, m ost som eh ow r ea ch in g a com m on bot t om lin e, a t h let ic per for m a n ce. Im a gin e a t en t in t h e deser t ju st go wit h it wit h m a n y differ en t dir ect ion fr om wh ich it cou ld be r ea ch ed. Doesn t m a t t er h ow you get t h er e, a s lon g a s you do. A differ en t a ppr oa ch doesn t n ecessa r ily a wr on g on e, bu t , ch a n ce for bid, you DO get wr on g dir ect ion s.you r e dea d. So r ea d wh a t I h a ve t o sa y wit h a s open a m in d a s you r br a in wa sh ed on e cou ld m u st er , a n d, wh en you r e don e, I don t wa n t a n y m essia h t a lk. I get em ba r r a ssed ver y ea sily. In a n u t sh ell, m y goa ls in t h e weight r oom a r e sim ple; St r on ger Lon ger . Th a t m ea n s I wa n t t o n ot on ly m a in t a in t h e st r en gt h I h a ve over a gr ea t er per iod of t im e, I a lso wa n t t o con t in u ously in cr ea se t h e lim it of t h a t st r en gt h . (con t d on ba ck ) I don t ca r e h ow m a n y a bs I h a ve, or h ow t h in m y skin is. If I h a ve t o m a ke weigh t , a n d t h a t s t h e on ly r ea son I weigh m yself, I t a ilor m y ea t in g, n ot m y lift in g. Wh a t exer cises a r e best ? Wh a t m a ch in es? Wh a t r est per iod? Well, t h e pur pose of t h is a r t icle is t o con vey a ph ilosoph y, n ot a pa r t icu la r wor kou t or r egim en . Let m e st a r t by sa yin g t h e on ly t im e I u se m a ch in es is t o eit h er r eh a b a n in ju r ed m u scle m ovem en t (i.e.: Ma ch in e Milit a r y P r ess a ft er st r a in in g a n AC join t wit h a t igh t Am er ica n a ), or wh en t h e bodyweigh t /fr ee weigh t ver sion of a m ovem en t is t oo a dva n ced (i.e.: La t pu lldown m a ch ine for a per son wh o ca n t do a pu ll-u p). Th e r ea son for t h is is I WANT TO DO TH E WORK! Ou r m u scles h a ve t wo pr im a r y fu n ct ions, st a bilize weigh t , a n d t h en m ove it . If we h a ve t h e m a ch in e h old it for u s, wh y n ot ju st h a ve it do th e set for you a lso?! Ou r bodies a r e st r ongest wh en t h ey ca n st a bilize a s m uch a s t h ey ca n lift , so let s lift t h a t wa y.
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FIN

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