GroundWork Books: GroundWork Book 1

To Our Readers:
Did you notice the cover?
Take a look. Don’t see anybody you
recognize? We did that on purpose,
because this publication isn’t about anyone.
It’s not about a breakthrough technique
or medal records…though we may talk about
that. It’s not about one country or team…
though we may take some time to focus on
those. This publication is about the corners of
Brazilian jiu jitsu that set it apart. It’s about
the community, the bonds and the lifestyle.
It’s about creating something you can hand to
your friend, girlfriend, husband, coworker,
or even a complete stranger, and help
them understand just a little bit better,
why you train.
Our content comes from the community. Jiu jitsu boasts some amazing minds
in a wide range of fields and we want those
thoughts to be heard. If you’re one of those
minds, or have an idea you think is worth
sharing, we want to include it. We believe
that great content can come from anyone,
anywhere and we want you to be a part
of the conversation.
Every voice in Brazilian jiu jitsu
has something to contribute, regardless
of reason for practice, global location,
position in the community or team affiliation. We want to be a platform for
those voices. We believe that Brazilian
jiu jitsu will best grow with a common
outlook—with one platform for all
lineages.
Our content
comes from
t h e c o m m u n i t y.
Print copies:
To purchase print copies, visit:
GroundWorkBJJ.com.
Retail distribution: Order more
than 20 copies and receive 25%
off production costs.
Website:
GroundWorkBJJ.com
Facebook:
facebook.com/Gifreak1
Twitter:
@GroundWorkBJJ
Contact:
Want to submit an article,
photo or question? Email us at
info@gifreak.com for additional
information.
Cover photography:
Photo: BJJinEthiopia.com
W h a t ’ s
Adam Henkel
I n s i d e ?
The Spirit
The People
The Academy
The Business
The Body
3Documentary:
Red Belts
6 Sissor Sweeps
and sermons
10 Ask a
Microbiologist 13 How much to charge for BJJ?
17 The Mind:
Long-term training
4
7 Keeping kids interested in BJJ 11 Academy Profile:
London’s
Eddie Kone
15 BJJ Online
18 An introduction to Ginastica Natural 16 Brand development
21 Grappling over 30 Photo spotlight:
Rafael Lovato and his win at the Brasileiros
8 Charity in BJJ
12 Tapping women out
w w w. g i f r e a k . c o m
BJJ Film Premier: Red Belt Grand
Masters of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
T
he red belt in Brazilian jiu
jitsu represents the highest
rank any practitioner can attain. There are few alive at any
one time, and the guys over at
BJJHacks (BJJHacks.com) have decided
to create a film around their lives and
histories. The film will be similar to the
past work from Hywel Teague’s team, in
that it will be an intimate and revealing
look into the art of jiu jitsu, focusing on
a group of men with amazing history in
the sport. It will be distributed for free
through the BJJ community.
They are grand masters like Carlos
Antonio Rosado and Alvaro Baretto.
They are teachers and former fighters
with over 50 years of grappling experience. While most
historical accounts of
jiu jitsu focus on the
famous Gracie family,
these men were their
trusted students.
They followed them,
fought for them,
and helped deliver
the message of jiu
jitsu to generations
of grapplers—from
Photography: BJJHacks.com
world champions to part-timers.
Now mostly retired, they’ve sadly been
largely forgotten. Most exist outside of
the knowledge of those within the jiu
jitsu world. The attention is firmly on
current world champions, but we should
be careful not to forget the lessons these
masters can teach.
Red Belts is scheduled to premier later this
year. Follow BJJHacks on their site or social
media for announcements.
RedBeltBJJ.com
FA L L 2 0 1 3 3
THE
S P I R I T
F E AT U R E D . P H O T O G R A P H E R
W I L L I A M . B U R K H A R T. C A P T U R E S
R A FA E L . L O VAT O ’ S . L A N D M A R K
W I N . A T. T H E . B R A S I L E I R O .
By Rafael Lovato, BJJ black belt
Photography by
William Burkhart of BJJPix
T
o become
the first non-Brazilian to
win a major absolute title is
a very special accomplishment that I am very proud
of. Winning in Brazil made it
even more special since I can
think back to all the memories
I have training and competing
there since I was 16 years old.
The moment I finished that
4 G r o u n d Wo r k
Kimura will be with me for
the rest of my life!
The first time I won the
Brasileiro back in 2007 was for
my weight class. The black belt
absolute at any tournament
is always the most prestigious
division, so that makes this
title a little bigger and more
difficult to achieve. Both
accomplishments are very
special to me—I love making
history! Hopefully my victory
will inspire others to go after
their dreams even harder.
There are many skilled nonBrazilian competitors coming
up that have bright futures
and I’m sure you will see more
non-Brazilians winning in
Brazil at the black belt level in
the future.
G r o u n d Wo r k B J J . c o m
A B O U T T H E P H OT O G R A P H E R :
W
illiam’s
photography
is artful and
expressive,
capturing the most beautiful moments of BJJ with
sophistication and precision. William is a purple
belt under Roberto “Gordo” Correa, training since
2009. He is quickly becoming one of the most recognizable photographers in
BJJ, with work from elite
BJJ competitions in Brazil,
the US and Europe. You
can view his body of work
at BJJPix.com.
THE
P E O P L E
Scissor Sweeps and Sermons
I
t is certainly awkward trying to explain
why the bruises continue to show up.
If I choose to wear a short-sleeved shirt
people are sure to see the sickly looking
spots under my arms. Although BJJ
is widely accepted now, there is still a
stigma that comes with the “gentle art”,
especially in traditional churches. I am
the lead pastor of one of those traditional
churches in Florida and find this situation
to be fascinating.
I have found something that I love to
do and I am in better shape than I have
been in my entire life. However, I don’t
find it easy to let people know that this
is my favorite activity outside of church.
From gi and mat burns to bruises and even
complete voice loss due to a lapel choke
from jiu jitsu legend Renato Tavares, there
are always physical challenges that come
with training. Still, for me, the bigger challenge is whether I can sell my passion for
this great sport to a group of people who
hear Brazillian Jiu Jitsu and think, “Bloodsport”! It would be easy to tell myself “who
cares what people say?”, but I am sure the
better, though more difficult path is to
educate; so, that is what I choose.
For me jiu jitsu is not just an activity
but part of the lifestyle I have chosen. I
By Richard Whitter, White belt.
have an extremely difficult time letting go
of work. BJJ is the only activity (that I am
willing to participate in) I have found that
can take my mind off work related issues.
It’s impossible to forget about other things
when you are trying to escape mount and
not get caught!
Is there something wrong with a “man
of God” if he is finishing someone with a
“rear naked choke”? (I have found myself
using other terminology to describe that
particular submission.) This whole situation
is further complicated by the fact that my
wife and daughter also practice, and are
very found of the sport. I wonder if I possess or will ever have “killer instinct”, and
if I do, is that wrong? Does my daughter
have it? Do I want her to? My wife? God
help me!
There is a complex dichotomy to my
life; preaching love all the time and then
choking someone out, but it is all love,
right? I don’t know if my life and work
have stranger demands than others but it is
interesting trying to navigate BJJ conversations and relationships with people. In
our ever-evolving world I hope that an
understanding of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will
come. Beyond the jacked-up ears, callused
knuckles and bodies smelling of Defense
Soap, there are many well-balanced people
who participate in this sport…and to tell
you the truth there are some aspects of our
gym that I would love to see in our church!
My life is much more than BJJ but it
certainly plays a great role in my life. I can’t
imagine my family and I not on the mat together, but until there is better understanding we will tread carefully in conversation
and work hard to communicate our passion
to people who will someday possibly want to
experience it for themselves.
“Pastor, how did you get that weird
bruise on your face?” “Oh, that was
from a nasty triangle choke!”
6 G r o u n d Wo r k
6 GIFreak
Photo: ©David Davis - Fotolia.com
w w w. g i f r e a k . c o m
A Parent’s
Guide to
Keeping Kids
Interested in
Training BJJ
By Jennifer Stewart, purple belt,
Jiujitsufamily.com
P R E PA R E D
PRESENT & INTERESTED
R E A D Y T O PA R T I C I PAT E
TRUSTING INSTRUCTION
CHECKED IN
EXPLORING
NOT ALL-CONSUMED
STRUCTURED/FLEXIBLE
REWARDED WITH BJJ
They are prepared.
BJJ was a relatively easy sport to prepare
for. All that they needed to get started
was a gi and comfortable training clothes.
Through the years they have acquired gym
bags, ear guards and mouth guards.
We are present and interested.
Busy work schedules can make it difficult
to get to all the practices, but we are present when possible. Our presence shows
the kids that their training is important to
us. I often notice Hunter’s eyes glance my
way before he rolls or when he pulls off a
good move.
We participate and help.
Hunter is so excited when I am able to
help out and teach class. We also practice
at home.
We let our instructor do his job.
I restrain from coaching from the sidelines. After class I will praise Hunter for
working hard and improving. If there is a
need to correct something I saw in class,
I do it positively and in private.
We check in once in a while.
I don’t want either child to feel that they
have to stay involved because the rest of
the family trains. Occasionally I’ll check
in to make sure they still love class. So far
the answer is yes! I don’t anticipate that
changing any time soon.
We encourage them to explore
other sports and activities.
We encouraged Logan to join the Flag
Football team during her freshman year.
Her participation meant a 2-month hiatus
from training. I explained to her that BJJ
will be here for the rest of her life. High
school is only a short 4 years. She should
explore and enjoy all that it has to offer.
We are not ALL consumed.
BJJ is an important part of our lives, but
is not the only thing in our lives. We are
active in our church, scouts and family
functions. The kids need time to socialize
outside of training and really just be kids.
Training should never feel like a chore.
We’re structured and organized,
but we’re flexible.
Hunter knows that he trains three nights
a week. Early in the week, Logan knows
what three nights we plan to train so she
can plan her studies and social life around
them. We allow for reasonable nights off
for special events, family functions, etc.
but we never stay home because “we just
don’t feel like training.”
Never a punishment
Training and exercise are never used as
punishment. BJJ is all about having fun.
To read more of Jen’s advice and keep up with
her family’s training, visit Jiujitsufamily.com.
M
y daughter (Logan)
and son (Hunter)
have consistently
trained in BJJ for
more than 3 years. We never
have to argue or negotiate to
get them to class. This is in
large part due to our awesome
teacher and school. However, I
feel that Tom’s (my husband) and
my approach to their training has
helped to keep them involved.
Here are a few tips based on
what we have experienced
through the years. Most of these
are slanted towards Hunter since
Logan now trains as an adult.
Hunter, Marcelo Meleiro
and Logan
J U LY 2 0 1 3
7
THE
P E O P L E
BJJ Gives Back
By Can Sönmez, Grapplethon.org
A N . O V E R V I E W . O F
T H E . C O M M U N I T Y
E
F
F
O
R
B
R
A
Z
J
I
U
. J
T
I
S
L
I
.
I
N
I
A
N
T
S
U
Limited edition Heavenly Footlock t-shirt
Meerkatsu.com
8 G r o u n d Wo r k
G r o u n d Wo r k B J J . c o m
T
here are not many sports
where it can be said you
literally hold the life of your
training partner in your
hands. In Brazilian jiu jitsu,
that happens every time you
apply a choke. The combination of close
contact, full resistance and genuine (but
carefully controlled) danger may explain
why practitioners of jiu jitsu often form
close bonds with their teammates. That
lends itself to a strong sense of community,
which may in turn partially explain the
numerous charitable initiatives that have
grown out of BJJ.
A number of social projects can be
found on the streets of Rio where BJJ
Photography by Meerkatsu
was born. Kyra
Gracie has a close
involvement with the
Instituto Kapacidade.
Brasa leaders Felipe
Costa and Rodrigo
‘Comprido’ Medeiros
spent almost six years
teaching blind children at the Instituto
Benjamin Constant.
The Nova Uniao team
boasts a proud track
record of giving back
to the local community: for example,
co-founder Andre
Pederneiras holds regular aerobics classes
and dinners for senior citizens living in the
Morro Santo Amaro favela.
Felipe Souza at BJJ School works with
a charity called Future Champions, based
on a similar initiative run by his teacher
Leao Teixeira in Rio. Both seek to help disadvantaged children overcome behavioural
problems through jiu jitsu. Also in the UK
(though I hope to expand the concept outside this country), I have been organising
twenty-four hour charity GrappleThons,
based upon a 2011 Canadian event held at
Martial Arts Planet in Kingston, Ontario.
The most recent iteration, in support of
RapeCrisis, took place on May 4th, 2013.
At the time of writing, we have raised over
£8,500 ($13,000).
Renowned BJJ illustrator and writer
Seymour ‘Meerkatsu’ Yang has been using
his graphic and social media skills to generate considerable sums for charity. He has
been involved in both of the GrappleThons
held to date, producing promotional material as well as getting on the mats. Earlier in
2013, Yang also raised $10,000 for RAINN
through his magnificent ‘Heavenly
Footlock’ t-shirt design. Yang has assisted
various other charities in a similar fashion,
such as the popular t-shirt he created for
Tap Cancer Out, a US non-profit.
Tapcancerout.org
Tap Cancer Out was founded in 2011 by
purple belt Jon Thomas, dedicated to raising funds for cancer research. Along with
fundraising through t-shirts, Thomas uses
the innovative approach of harnessing the
competitive drive within jiu jitsu. His Tap
Cancer Out Open enabled competitors
to start up a fundraising page in order to
earn back their entrance fee, as well as the
possibility of winning a selection of prizes
donated by companies catering to the BJJ
market. Through those combined efforts,
the Tap Cancer Out Open managed to
present an impressive $21,000 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Through charitable activities such as
those described above, jiu jitsu can be a
potent force for positive change, empowering all of us to make a difference to the
communities in which we live and the
wider world. All you need is a mat, a training partner and an idea.
Sources: • brazilianblackbelt.com
• grapplethon.org
• futurechampions.org
• kapacidade.org.br
• novauniao.com
• tapcancerout.org
To learn more about community efforts in the
Jiu Jitsu community, please visit the Charity and
Community section at magazine.gifreak.com.
BOOK ONE
9
THE
A C A D E M Y
“
Your skin
has an
amazing abundance of bacteria
that call
it home.
Photo ©Andri Muzyka - Fotolio.com
”
Ask a Microbiologist: Hand and Belt Washing
H
ygiene in BJJ is more than just
a courtesy. Mats, gis and our
training partners’ skin are all
home to many different harmful
bacteria. Some, like staph, if left untreated,
can result in life-threatening infections.
Thankfully though, some basic practices
can greatly reduce the chances of passing
on those dangerous bugs. To get some
professional input on what to do (and not
to do), we found a public health microbiologist (Dr. B) to answer some questions
we’ve heard around the community. Dr. B
has worked in food safety and has studied
microbial communities and antimicrobial
resistance, but is honestly just really amazing at explaining germs.
Is it best to wash hands/body
with just regular soap and
water?
Washing with plain old warm soap and
water is the best thing you can do to stop
the spread of disease. I know many people
won’t believe it, but the mechanical activity of washing your hands is THE BEST
way to get germs off your body. Hand sanitizing using alcohol-based hand sanitizers
is not a substitute for hand washing, but it
can be used to supplement a hand washing
regimen. The germs a normal person might
be exposed to on a daily basis don’t really
10 G r o u n d W o r k
require any fancy antimicrobial soaps.
Furthermore, how often you wash and
what you wash with really does depend
on your day job. For people who are
exposed to nasty bacteria on a daily basis
(that would be someone like me), I keep
hand sanitizer in my office. I don’t use
it at home. Only when I’m at work, and
I always wash my hands after I am done
in lab. For the majority of people who
train, they could probably do with using
an alcohol-based hand sanitizer after they
work out, in addition to washing their
hands/showering.
One thing I do want to address is
triclosan. Triclosan is the dominant antimicrobial that’s found in the majority of
anti-bacterial products. Triclosan acts by
inhibiting fatty acid synthesis in bacteria,
and work by Stuart Levy (who is like the
LeBron James of antimicrobial resistance
research) has shown that getting triclosan
resistant mutants in E. coli is actually
pretty easy. They were able to generate a
spontaneous mutant that had a resistance
to triclosan 500x that of the normal strain.
So, the take home from that experiment is
that triclosan resistance is real, and overusage (antimicrobial window cleaner…really?) can lead to resistance. The problem
with this is cross-resistance (resistance to
one antimicrobial also protects the bacteria
from another unrelated antimicrobial) can
become a really scary problem.
So, as someone who does nothing but
study how bacteria acquire and disseminate resistance on a daily basis, I would
hold off on the use of triclosan and other
antimicrobial products. For many people,
it’s completely unnecessary. We see and
deal with the results of overusage on a
daily basis.
There’s a common tradition in
BJJ of not washing the cotton
belts. Good idea or bad?
So…this is really gross. Like…really
gross. Bacteria are really good at clinging to things, especially S. aureus. It’s a
freaking champ. It’s particularly good at
clinging to natural fibers (like cotton). Your skin has an amazing abundance
of bacteria that call it home including
Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes, and our sweat is at
the top of their menu. I would imagine a
sweaty cotton belt would be a perfect place
for bacteria to set up shop. So if the goal is
to encourage the growth of bacteria (‘cause
remember S. epidermidis’s cousin S. aureus
likes sweat too), not washing a cotton belt
is a great idea.
A huge thanks to Dr. B for her time.
We’ ll be bringing you her answers to more
questions in future issues.
G r o u n d Wo r k B J J . c o m
E
Instructor Focus
E
ven though MMA has been more popular in the region,
BJJ in the UK has made some amazing strides in recent
years. It boasts not only legendary names like Roger Gracie
and Braulio and Victor Estima, but also has a strong and
united online community, along with notable gi and gear manufacturers. One of the current BJJ instructors hails from London,
and in a visit to the US, we were lucky enough to catch up with
Royler Gracie’s only European black belt, Eddie Kone. Eddie was
kind enough to share a bit about his methods and philosophies in
running his academy and keeping up with his 16 global affiliate
locations.
From the beginning, Eddie sought out to build something new
in a jiu jitsu academy. So when he opened his first school in 2008,
he made sure to do things differently. He kept his distance by
Photography:
Gabriel Mitrache
isolating his academy from every other existing BJJ school in the
area, and he minimized competition involvement. This kept The
EKBJJ Academy from being affiliated with some of the less-thansavory practices that
were going on at the
time. Eddie’s first
academy was in a rented
space, in a leisure center
(the British equivalent
of a YMCA), with
students practicing on
judo mats. He spent
his first three years here
developing his skills as a
teacher. Eddie knew he
wanted to grow beyond
the rented space, and
finally, after multiple attempts, created the visually stunning studio
where he now trains and teaches.
Surprisingly, his foundation in self defense came not from Royler, but from his experiences as an officer on the streets of London,
a job he left to start a career teaching BJJ. What’s possibly most
remarkable though, is his associations--most notably, because he
boasts what is likely the first non-Brazilian affiliate school in Brazil
(run by Jonas de Almeida). The EKBJJ Association family came
about totally without planning. The first association was formed in
Romania under his black belt, Tudor Mihaita. From there, Eddie
continued to create associations his way--by getting to know their
heads personally, spending time with them, teaching them and
founding a relationship based on trust with an aim toward longevity.
Eddie does have an open affiliation policy, but the entry requirements, instead of being based on monetary exchange, are founded
on an applicable knowledge of self defense and understanding of
the history of Brazilian jiu jitsu. He also will not tack a BJJ program
onto an existing traditional martial arts school. This saves time for
everyone involved on the front end while discouraging anyone who
may simply want to buy their way into an established association.
Eddie stays in close contact with all of his affiliations, visiting
his academies as often as possible for competitions and to teach his
instructors. Most recently, he’s opened his first North American
association in Mexico.
A huge thanks to Mr. Kone and EKBJJ. You can
learn more about Eddie and the association by
visiting EKBJJ.com.
When he opened
his first school in
2008, he made
sure to do things
differently.
EddieKone
BOOK ONE
11
THE
A C A D E M Y
Guys, she needs to lose.
“Handle defeat gracefully.”
By Chrissy Linzy, purple belt, Founder of USGrappling.com
It’s important to be a loser.
It’s a life skill. Losing helps
you learn about yourself,
learn about the game,
learn how to handle defeat
I
I
gracefully, how to recover
and rally. Think back to your
first few months of Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu. You’re probably
can remember driving home from
the academy after training for a few
months, utterly livid that some of the
guys weren’t “training right”. By this,
I mean that they weren’t holding back
on their strength and ability and I
was free to roll as hard as I wanted.
They were bigger and stronger, so that
seemed fair to me. It took me a few more
years to learn that the training partners I
had were doing something far more important than “training right”. They were
actually teaching me jiu jitsu, and teaching
me to trust that it actually worked when
it was done right. They were doing all of
that by making sure I lost, plenty.
As I started spending more time with
other women that grapple, I began to realize that a lot of women trained in gyms
with men that were not allowing them to
lose. These men were denying the women
12 G r o u n d W o r k
thinking that you got plenty
of practice with all of these
things. Maybe you learned
too much about yourself (if
Photography by Meanstreak
the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and fix holes in their game. When
these women come to women’s open mats,
or compete against other women, and realize that their go-to guard pass that works
on “all the guys in the gym” doesn’t work
on a single woman at the open mat, it’s a
pretty big eye-opener.
Imagine thinking you’ve nailed down
the details on some little piece of BJJ, only
to find out that everyone has been treating
you like a six-year-old with a new magic
kit. Everyone knows how the tricks are
done, but they clap for that kid anyway.
Women don’t need that sort of constant
affirmation to keep coming back. We
aren’t going to fall to pieces if our guard
gets passed, or if we need to tap. We are
on those mats to learn, and we can’t learn
nearly as quickly if we aren’t getting
real-time feedback when we make
you discovered that you’re
the tantrum-throwing type).
Those losses in the academy
are critical to improving.
mistakes. Sloppy armbar attempts should
earn us some time escaping from side
control, not a tap. It’s a huge disservice to
female training partners if their male partner is tapping every time they even set up
a submission. Those subtle nuances to get
the details on that armbar right are going
to matter in competition, so they need to
matter in the gym. If you can escape her
submission using technique, you should
escape. If her guard pass attempt is going
to get anyone else doing it caught in a triangle, triangle her. Giving her that guard
pass is not helping either of you improve.
This isn’t meant to give anyone a
free pass to roll hard with smaller or less
experienced teammates (of any gender),
or to take some perverse pleasure in “winning” every night. Winning in the gym
shouldn’t ever matter. Gym time, as one
of my early instructors used to say, is lab
time. Figuring out why my guard is getting passed the same way repeatedly by
upper belts, and fixing that gap, even if it
means losing every night for three months,
is why I’m there. I need the guys in the
gym to take advantage of those gaps.
Winning may be more fun, but losing is
learning. If we’re truly all there to learn,
we need those losses, and good teammates
should be happy to provide them.
G r o u n d Wo r k B J J . c o m
THE
B U S I N E S S
How much for Jiu Jitsu?
I s i t r ea s o n a b l e t o a i m f o r a s i x- f i g u r e l i v i n g i n B J J?
By Megan Williams, blue belt, MBA
A
while back, I ran across an interesting post on a jiu jitsu forum
online. Someone was asking
not only if it were possible
to make a living teaching jiu jitsu…no…
they wanted to know if they could make a
GOOD living—like six figures good—as
a BJJ instructor. We all know there are
big names that pull off that six-figure
paycheck, but how many non-household
names are among the big earners? It was
honestly a great question. While I could
only guess how many are really “living the
dream,” forum user onyx2002 got at the
heart of the issues behind the question:
The conventional wisdom
is flawed.
A lot of people have the romantic idea that
BJJ is being taught by a carefree Brazilian
that shows up late, teaches a wonderful class
and then rolls around all while dispensing
Yoda like pearls of wisdom....From what
I’ve seen those guys can’t pay rent and usually don’t end up having their own spot....
Most of the places I’ve seen that are successful
are run by people who are the actual main
teacher and treat it like an honest to goodness day job....there are contracts, they sell
overpriced merchandise all the usual stuff
Photo: ©Creative Soul, Fotolia.com
“
Will you
live for the
Jitsu or the
checkbook?
”
that people on message boards laugh and
point fingers at.
There are some practices mixed in
there that I’m not a huge fan of, but he
hits on an especially important point:
The money’s not coming from just teaching. All the big names out there know
that, if you want to succeed as a business, you’re at an advantage if you have
money coming in from multiple directions. Forget just BJJ; this is good advice
for life in general. I don’t know why
we’re not hearing this more, but these
days, with the concept of a reliable job
lying snugly six feet under, it’s something
everyone should think about.
So will you live for the jitsu or the
checkbook? I’m personally against aggressive selling tactics and “selling out”
as some would call it, but the pragmatist in me fights eternal. Most people
who train actually love and have a deep
respect for jiu jitsu, and I believe will
always be similarly conflicted. Why?
Because money being what people have
made it, sullies the worth of anything
it measures. So how do you find a fair
price? Where’s the balance between robbing your students and jeopardizing your
ability to continue sharing BJJ
as an instructor?
Continued
BOOK ONE
13
THE
B U S I N E S S
H OW M U C H FO R J I U J I T S U?
Continued
Why undercharge in the
first place?
It’s obvious why people overcharge. They
might be sacrificing volume because of
inflated prices, but many are willing,
sometimes simply out of a lack of understanding, to take that risk and the chance
of more income…but why charge too
little? If you’ve created an awesome, supportive gym environment, and you know
how to take people and teach them to
enjoy sweating, moving and pushing their
minds and bodies, why are you scared to
ask what that’s worth?
Know what price your
ma rket will tolerate.
I’m willing to guess that the reason
a lot of Jiu Jitsu instructors don’t want
to charge what their services merit is
that then...then they’ll get real, concrete
feedback about where they stand in their
“
market. If we conPrice
stantly undercharge,
communicates
We may
people will always
value.
marvel about how
have to
wonderful a product
One of my marketing
accept that what
they get for so little.
professors used to tell
We will never tire
a story about a Eurowe find priceless,
of hearing the inflapean watch maker. The
others may find
tion of our value
company was selling its
magnified by the
watches at average prices
overpriced. That’s
deflation of cost...
and having very little
hard and
but if we charge
success. They decided to
what we’re worth,
triple their price to set
that’s real.
a friend might not
themselves apart in the
find our instruction
minds of consumers. It
to warrant his $115
worked, and they saw
a month and instead choose a bar tab over
sales soar in response to perceived value.
becoming a blue belt. We will, in short,
I’m definitely not suggesting that anyone
have to attach a real, unflinching number
triple their students’ fees, but, like the
to what we may dream is invaluable. We
watches, jiu jitsu is one of those things
may have to say “No” to that student we
for which value is not obvious (rolling
cut a deal for who is SUPER dedicated for
around on the ground with sweaty dudes?).
all of 5 months, but who never internalSometimes people need the cue of cost to
ized the true worth of our time and atpart with their cash. Free is nice and cheap
tention because he was never incentivized
is friendly, but they also send a message of
to. We may have to accept that what we
expendability. Moral of the story? Know
find priceless, others may find overpriced.
what price your market will tolerate, treat
That’s hard and that’s real.
your students fairly and make sure they’re
getting a quality, life-benefiting service,
but be mindful of undercharging for
your work.
”
Your rates are part of
your relationship.
When it all boils down, jiu jitsu is about
relationships, and pricing is a big component of that. You communicate your
opinions of your students, partly in the
monetary sacrifice you ask them to make
to be a part of your gym. What you charge
tells them whether you see them as faceless
cash cows or want to treat them fairly
as important contributors to your gym
environment. Remain respectful of that request, price with long-term commitments
in mind and you’ll be another step closer
to your optimal academy.
To rea d mo re a bou t t he i n du s t r y
of jiu jitsu, visit our business
sec t io n a t : m a ga z i ne.gi f rea k.co m
G r o u n d Wo r k B J J . c o m
BJJ has an active and growing online community. We wanted to share some of our favorite features.
PP O
OD
DC
CA
A SS TT
F O R U M
The best of the Internet
OpenMatRadio.com
OpenMatRadio was founded by three friends and Brazilian jiu jitsu addicts: Paul
M. Moran, Richard Heinrich and Rafael Penha. The
goal of OpenMatRadio is to
expand the discourse within
the grappling community.
Guests include grappling
and MMA stars, coaches and
industry insiders. OMR also
strives to support charitable
causes like Tap Cancer Out
and Vector Jiu Jitsu. Check out
their website for video content,
clothing/gear style guides and
healthy recipes.
JiuJitsuForums.com
Probably the best moderated
forum in the jiu jitsu world,
JJF features discussions of
technique, gear, BJJ, MMA,
critiques of sparring videos,
and pretty much anything
else you can think of. JJF
stands out because of its
vigilant moderator, JackJitsu, a Royce Gracie lineage
brown belt, who keeps the
tone as friendly and respectable as possible.
B L O G
S I T E
DSTRYRsg.com
GiReviews.net
Easily the most comprehensive gear review site
out there, GiReviews.net
features not only reviews of
gis, spats, rashguards and
other gear, but also boasts
a podcast, reviews of both
women’s and kids’ gear, and
an ebook.
Making BJJ blogging cooler since 2009,
DSTRYRsg offers a smart
mix of reviews, technique,
interviews and breaking
jiu jitsu news…
all delivered with a dry
humor that’s made the
site one of the staples of
the jiu jitsu blogosphere.
BOOK ONE
15
THE
B U S I N E S S
When Branding Hits Home, Part I
By Brendan Hufford, purple belt, Chief
Happiness Jedi at Ok! Kimonos, founder
of GiReviews.Net
B
rand loyalty is essential
for the long term
success of any
business. In fact,
in most industries,
loyalty to the brand
is the lifeline that
determines whether
a business can be
successful past the initial hype of a brand
or product launch. Brand loyalty creates
fans that will not only purchase multiple
items from your company, but who
could also become some of your most
vocal supporters. Getting a customer to
become one of those supporters can be
difficult. The progression that a customer
goes through when relating to a brand is
commonly represented through the Keller
Brand Resonance Pyramid. The Pyramid’s
biggest strength is its customer-focused
orientation and its efforts to explain cus-
Keller Brand
Resonance Pyramid
16
G r o u n d Wo r k
tomer interaction with a brand through human, emotional progression. A customer (or
potential customer), walks a path of awareness of who you are (Salience), to favorable
and unique associations with what you are
(Imagery/Performance), positive responses
to what you’re about (Judgments/Feelings)
and hopefully, if you’ve done things well,
they arrive at the coveted meaningful relationship of brand loyalty.
“
Loyalty to the
brand is the
lifeline that determines
whether a business can
be successful past
the initial hype.
”
In the age of Web 2.0 and social media, a
company can harness its most loyal fans to
get the word out on new products, promotions, and/or events. The world of Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu gis/kimonos is no different. Despite
running GiReviews.Net, for the past few
years, I had never really considered the importance of my own brand
loyalty. That is until
my wife and I were
about to have a
baby.
We were packing up our bags in
anticipation of going to the hospital to
give birth to our son. My wife told me to
throw in a few T-shirts in case we had to
stay more than a day or two after he was
born (We ended up staying for 10 days!). I
have a notorious T-shirt collection/hoarding
problem, so being asked to pick out a few is
rarely ever difficult-- I just grab whatever’s at
the top of the drawer…but for some reason
this time it was different. I knew we would
be taking photos that we would look at
for the rest of our lives. Forever, when we
looked at the first images of my son and me,
we would likely see a T-shirt somewhere in
the picture. The possibility really resonated
with me, and I found myself laying out
twenty different shirts, carefully narrowing
down my choices. Since 99% of my T-shirts
are BJJ or Streetwear-related, I was considering not only whether I liked the shirt
but also how I felt about the company, the
owner, their overall voice and message as a
brand. Most of these opinions had formed
long ago at a subconscious level.
I initially purchased my shirts because
they evoked an emotional response within
me; something that every brand wants to
happen with its customers and fans. They
reflected how I felt about myself and told
others something very special about me. Every time I put on a shirt in the past, I was
signaling that I was a part of a unique tribe
of people, and this event would be no different, except this time, the signals were far
more important.
I will be breaking down the shirts
I chose and why, as well as telling the story
of the path to brand loyalty online, so keep
an eye on the Business section on magazine.
gifreak.com.
G r o u n d Wo r k B J J . c o m
THE
B O D Y
No part of your body will have a
greater effect on your training than
your mind.
I
t determines not only strategy, retention and application,
but also rules your attitude,
motivation and determination
in the practice of Brazilian jiu
jitsu—and for most people, is
also the reason they quit. To get
some advice on preparing the mind
to get the longest career possible
on the mats, we spoke with Ryron
Gracie, innovator of the KeepItPlayful movement and life-long BJJ
practitioner. Ryron gave us some of
his best advice on extending your
life in the practice of jiu jitsu.
The Mind
with Ryron Gracie
9 TIPS FOR A LONGER BJJ CAREER
1
Know that competi-
tion is a good thing
A
Some people are naturally
strong, physically quick, or
fast learners. Even if these gifts
mean that you tap more often,
their strength is an opportunity
for you to grow.
Connect with the
community
2
Regardless of affiliation, we’re all
one family. Jiu jitsu has a rich
community both online and off,
in your country and others. Engage with that community both
inside and outside the academy.
3
for the practice. By becoming a
part of someone else’s learning
experience, you’ll keep yourself
on the mats longer and find
value beyond just tapping someone out.
4
Keep it playful
Understand that training should
be enjoyable and that all aspects
of training can be. Think of the
gym as a lab: Let your inner scientist have fun, make mistakes,
learn and repeat. Tapping is not
a loss of self; it’s a furthering
of understanding. If you allow
movement for and against you,
a flow will be created, thereby
increasing your understanding
and improving your reflexes.
Help someone
else learn
Help out in the kids’ class, teach
a friend or be a training partner
for your daughter. Passing jiu
jitsu on to others not only helps
those who are learning, but it
gives you a deeper appreciation
5
Let jiu jitsu
inhabit your life
Embrace Brazilian jiu jitsu as a
positive lifestyle change, not just
a sport or an art. Learn to apply
principles of patience, listening,
discipline and perseverance in
and outside the academy.
6
Understand that jiu jitsu is different from MMA
Jiu jitsu literally means “gentle
art” and there’s a reason it has
that name. While the blows and
strain of training MMA can
translate to fewer years training,
jiu jitsu alone, if approached
correctly, can be a part of your
life for decades. There are not
many reasons that you’ll have to
limit your time if you train the
right way.
7
Don’t be controlled by jiu jitsu
Jiu jitsu should not run your
existence. If your gym closes for
two weeks, you should be ok
and ready to use your time to
improve in other areas of your
life. You train to live, and live
better.
8
Appreciate the
outside benefits
More patience with your family,
better sleep, a healthier body,
community connections—recognize the good that jiu jitsu
brings into your life.
9
Know what
really matters
That tap you got on a higher
belt, that armbar you’ve perfected after months of drilling,
that gold medal you won (or
didn’t) at your last competition-how important are they in the
grand scheme? Stay focused
on your personal growth and
the well-being of your teammates, family and friends and
you’ll bring the best perspective
possible into your academy and
your training.
You can find out more about
Ryron and keep up with the
movement at KeepItPlayful.com.
BOOK ONE
17
B O D Y
THE
A n
i n t r o d u c t i o n
to Ginastica Natural
G
With Adam Henkel, brown belt,
Certified Ginastica Natural instructor,
GetFitNatural.com
N
Photography by Adam Henkel
18
G r o u n d Wo r k
H
aving studied jiu jitsu for
the last eight years, I’ve seen
countless beginners and even
advanced students struggle with
the most basic movements of our beloved
art. As time goes by, we learn more and
more positions, but most students never
quite learn how to smoothly transition
from one position to the next. Bodies are
stiff, movements are choppy, and weight is
not properly distributed. So how do you
correct this? More mat time is the obvious answer, but everyone isn’t fortunate
enough to spend every day at the academy
perfecting skills.
A
BALANCE
T
What can you do?
Ginastica Natural. A very unique method
of physical conditioning, Ginastica Natural
was developed on the beaches of Rio de
Janeiro by Professor Alvaro Romano, a student of the legendary Rolls Gracie. Alvaro’s
intent was to create a training method that
would not only help improve his jiu jitsu,
but also improve his overall performance
as an athlete while enhancing his quality
of life.
U
What is Ginastica Natural?
Essentially, Ginastica takes ground
movement from jiu jitsu, stretching
and breathing techniques from yoga,
simulated animal movements and various body-weight exercises, and combines them all into a very fluid and
dynamic workout designed to improve
physical qualities such as strength,
power, flexibility, mobility, coordination, balance, endurance and breath
control. That said, it’s best experienced
first hand.
It was just after receiving my blue
belt from my instructor, Marcos “Parrumpinha” Da Matta, that he introduced
me to Alvaro Romano and Ginastica
Natural. Parrumpinha told me how he
first started training with Alvaro to rehabilitate some herniated discs in his back,
and how the training helped him heal
and gave him the athleticism and motor
control he needed to get back into world
class competition.
I remember seeing Alvaro, in his
early fifties at the time, effortlessly
performing exercises that had professional athletes in their prime looking like
they were students in a remedial physical
education class. He called the biggest,
strongest guy in the room to come up
and try to push him backward. Not only
could the guy not do it, but Alvaro easily
had the guy back-stepping at will. That
day I was sold on Ginastica Natural.
FLEXIBILITY
And jiu jitsu?
If you are a beginner and don’t already
have experience in wrestling or another
grappling art, the movements of jiu
jitsu can leave you feeling cumber-
STRENGTH
R
AGILITY
A
L
some and slow. Even with drilling or as
an experienced grappler, you may feel like
you’re missing a certain level of smoothness
or proficiency when it comes to actually
applying what you’ve learned. Ginastica
Natural can help smooth your transitions
and make sweeps and submission more
natural and less awkward.
For example, much of the practice
focuses on moving the legs and upper
body while balancing on the hips…movements very similar to playing full and open
guards. You build not only agility, but endurance that you wouldn’t necessarily have
from other forms of movement training.
Leg rotation and extension drills speed up
triangle application and guard replacement,
while flow sequences and shoulder rolling
are a great foundation to inverted guard
and will open your game up to an entirely
new world of sweeps and transitions.
I highly recommend it to all students
of jiu jitsu, regardless of rank, size or age.
BOOK ONE
19
THE
B O D Y
What to Eat After Intense Training
Are you eating differently after an intense BJJ session? If not, you should be.
By: Ryan Gallagher, black belt
Supplements or Whole Foods?
High Glycemic Carbohydrate
(like dextrose, maltodextrin,
sucrose or glucose)
Spikes insulin
Blunts cortisol
Replaces lost glycogen
Aids in protein synthesis
Protein
Decreases protein breakdown
Increases protein synthesis
Increases net protein balance
Leucine
Activates mTOR signaling pathway Triggers greater insulin response
Glutamine
Increases power output
Increases muscular endurance
Increases glycogen storage
Enhances protein sythnesis
Support and maintain healthy immune system
Aid in removal of free radicals
Supports a healthy immune system
Supplies 35% of nitrogen used for protein synthesis
Maintains positive nitrogen balance
Prevents protein breakdown
Hydrates muscle cells
Promotes glycogen storage
D
o you begin to feel generally
rundown as it gets later in
the week? Ever wonder what
you should be eating after
class? Training BJJ can (and
in some cases should) be grueling. However,
over the long term, this can lead to general
fatigue and possible overtraining. Proper
post-workout nutrition and supplementation
can create a drastic improvement in your
recovery after a training session. Regardless
of your fitness level, there are things you can
do to help yourself recover better.
When and Why?
Our bodies are most primed for increased
nutrient uptake after an intense workout.
Take advantage of this opportunity and
jumpstart your recovery process by taking a
supplement within 45 minutes after an intense training session--the sooner the better.
Your ideal supplement should satisfy
multiple objectives that include:
Replacing lost glycogen
Promoting protein synthesis (rebuilding of muscles)
Stimulating insulin and mTOR pathways
Removing free radicals
Aiding in the support of the immune system (It’s been compromised after
heavy exertion.)
After a hard training session, one of the
body’s biggest needs is the replacement of
lost glycogen. This is also the time that you
20 G r o u n d W o r k
Creatine
Vitamins C & E:
are much more insulin sensitive, which
means you can more effectively transport
glucose (sugar in the blood) into the skeletal
muscles. Insulin is a hormone created in the
pancreas that is used to regulate blood sugar
levels by turning blood sugar into glycogen
(carbohydrates stored in muscles for energy)
or triglycerides (stored fats).
What kind of Supplement?
Since timing is an issue, it is recommended
that you take advantage of a supplement in
a liquid form over a meal comprised of solid
foods. For many people a liquid supplement is easier to digest, both literally and
figuratively. After a hard training session the
last thing most people want to do is force
themselves to eat large portions of food. In
addition to being easier to consume, liquid
supplements are much more nutrient dense
and more effective in hitting your macronutrient targets.
What next?
Beyond carbohydrates and protein, there are
additional compounds that can be highly
beneficial as a part of your post workout
cocktail. These include creatine, leucine,
glutamine and vitamins C and E. You can
read more about these and other topics at
themissinglinkbjj.wordpress.com.
The ideal supplement would include dextrose
and/or maltodextrin, both of which can be
References:
found at your local supplement shop or easily ordered online. Gatorade powder is also a
Ivy, J., & Portman, R. (2004). Nutrient
comparable and easily accessible solution. If
timing: The future of sports nutrition. Basic
you prefer to obtain your carbohydrates from
Health Publications. Berardi, John. “The Ima whole food source, overly ripe bananas are
portance Of Post Workout Nutrition.” Weblog
a good option.
post. Bodybuilding.com, Jan.-Feb. 2004. Web.
While immediate post-training nutri06 June 2013.
tion should be high in both carbohydrates
and proteins, it is also
SUGGE STE D P OST-W OR K OUT SUP P L E M E N T N UTR IE N T A M O U N T S
important to avoid
Nu t rie nt
A mou nt
Objec t i ve
consuming fats durCarbohydrate
ing that time period.
Blunt cortisol
58-73g
High Glycemic:
Including fats in your
Replenish lost glycogen
(.8-1g per 1kg
Glucose
Dextrose
Stimulate insulin response
of body weight)
post-training meal/
Maltodextrin
Sucrose
supplement can slow
15-30g
Stimulate protein synthesis
(.2-.4 per 1kg of
down transportaWhey Protein
Increase net protein balance
body weight)
tion of food to the
Activate mTOR pathways
stomach. This can
Leucine
3-5g
Stimulate protein synthesis
compromise the rate
Replace depleted glutamine
1-2g
at which you digest
Glutamine
Support healthy immune system
and absorb your
Support healthy immune system
post-training meal and
60-120mg
Vitamin C
Remove Free Radicals
in turn compromise
potential gains and
Support healthy immune system
80-400IU
Vitamin E
recovery.
4
G r o u n d Wo r k B J J . c o m
10 Tips for the Newer,
Older Grappler
portunity to pass, or find the opening for a
submission—and all of that requires oxygen.
Training your breathing from the start will
ensure that you can stay calm when you
need that air the most.
By Shawn Lord, blue belt, MastersDivision.com
Photo: MastersDivision.com
1
Just start training
The sooner you get on the mats, the sooner
you’ll get in adequate physical condition. The
simple truth is, nothing conditions you for
grappling as much as grappling will.
2
3
Focus on what really matters
For the first months, focus all of your energy
on training, eating healthier, hydrating, or
washing your gi/cutting your nails. Those last
two are only partially tongue-in-cheek. Training is exciting, so there’s a natural tendency
to want to buy every video, book, t-shirt,
supplement, and gizmo. If you really need to
purchase stuff, buy an extra Gi or pay your
coach for private instruction. Real improvements come from mat time.
4
Find a safe school
Be selective in where you train. Observe a
few classes. Watch the teaching style of the
coach(s). Do they cater to a variety of ages,
sexes, and body types? What are the attitudes
like? Do they clean the mats? Is the bathroom
clean? As the customer, make sure you’re paying for a service you’ll use and enjoy.
a week, lock in that time. Treat that hour or
two each week as sacred. Not being consistent
creates opportunities for new excuses not
to train. Be consistent and save yourself the
hassle of “restarting” every few months.
Be social
Sloooow dooooown-Google, “spazzy while belt.”
There’s no reason to be that person. Slow
down. Even (or especially) if you don’t know
what to do next. Focus on staying calm,
breathing, looking for a position or opportunity that’s familiar. Think about what you’ve
been taught. A lot of those basic, simple
fundamentals are what you’re going to be
doing the rest of your time on the mats - so
focus on learning them now. Plus, if you’re
controlled and get stuck, many partners will
give you hints on what to do next. If you’re
being a (potentially dangerous) spaz, you’re
more likely to be taught a different set of
“lessons.”
9
Leave your Ego at home
We train because it works. We spend all those
hours on the mats learning from our mistakes, drilling, and thinking about technique,
because it works. If “muscling it” or flailing
around was all it took, why bother training?
Sure, it takes time for many of us to learn to
control our ego - but once we do, we really
start learning. Remember: the sooner you
tap, the sooner you can start over. The more
you do it, the more you’re going to learn.
Most of my friends are people I met while
training. We’re a completely disparate mix of
political, religious, ethnic, and other groups,
but we all have training and fighting in common. Friends are what gets me to the gym
when I’m feeling lazy. They’re also a huge
factor in how and why I improve. Taking the
time to meet the people you train with can
lead to some great opportunities. Don’t miss out.
I often reflect on when I first started training
and what I’ve learned since then. Here are a few
If you get injured,
notes that would have helped me along the way.
go to class anyway
6
In the past, I’ve avoided the gym after surgeries and other injuries. I didn’t want to be a
distraction or embarrass myself. Looking
back, I can see that I wasted time. If it’s safe
for you or your training partners, just go
watch. There’s a lot to learn by observing.
Plus, maintaining a consistent routine will
help you get back on the mats sooner.
Be consistent
As parents, professionals, spouses, etc... this
can be a hard goal to maintain, but nothing
pays off like consistency. Strength, cardio,
and technique all quickly build through
consistency. Even if you can only train once
5
8
7
Breathe
This is one of those fundamentals that can’t
be stressed enough. Your muscle memory will
slowly learn to adjust your posture, set your
base, feel an attack coming, see that op-
10
“Keep it playful.”
You may have already heard of this one. It’s
mentioned here, because it’s worth reinforcing. Every roll is not a life or death fight. It’s
easy to get stuck in ruts if you’re constantly
reverting to the same positions and solutions
in an effort to simply not “lose.” Get used to
playing around. Experimentation may lead to
more tapping, but it’s worth it if it helps you
learn. Remember, all of this is about learning,
ideally with friends - and in a safe environment. And it’s a journey. Approach it at a
steady pace. There’s no point being in a rush.
BOOK ONE
21
THE
B O D Y
SUPER
TRANSFORMATION
By Julia Johansen,
blue belt, JiuJiuBJJ.com
I
found jiu jitsu purely by accident,
and it was a complete shocker to me
and everyone who knew me. Prior
to BJJ, I had earned a black belt in
Tivo and watched nearly 40 hours
of television per week. (Seriously, all
those sci-fi shows are NOT going to
watch themselves!) I am 5’4” and
when I walked in the door of my first jiu
jitsu gym, I was 33 and weighed 205lbs,
which was down from 231. I had lost the
weight purely through changing eating
habits, but realized it was time to up my
game by adding physical exercise. I decided on judo, which would give me external
motivation due to peer pressure, social
obligation, and set class times. Instead of
taking me to a judo gym, however, my
coworker sent me to a jiu jitsu gym. What
the heck?! It wasn’t even the same sport.
It was some UFC-based, sweaty, testosterone-laden, male dominated place!
Those who saw me my first week
likely thought I
would wash out
quickly. I was
uncomfortable, fat,
had a difficult time
moving, and was
ten years older than
nearly everyone.
But I decided
to commit to it,
buy a gi and go.
Then something
completely crazy
happened. I got
addicted. I started
blogging about jiu
jitsu. I joined forums, bought a bunch of
gis, and went as often as I possibly could.
I credit jiu jitsu with a large portion
of my health and weight loss. I found
the positive peer pressure to be wonder-
22 G r o u n d W o r k
Top photos taken April 2012. Bottom photos taken May 2006. 80 lb weight
loss. Healthy eating + exercise = results. Check out my blog at jiujiubjj.com.
fully motivating. I was moving my body,
and for the first time I was around very
health-conscious people. Shockingly,
geeks are not known for their healthy lifestyles or eating habits.
Between the people I
met in person and online I learned so much
more about healthier
eating, and there was
a constant push to get
more mat time in. In
short, I was a new immigrant in the land of
healthy lifestyles, but I
was ready to become a
resident.
My goals in jiu
jitsu were never to become a world champion, or even to be awesome. I just wanted
to get my body moving. That meant that
even though I was absolutely the worst
in my gym, I was still winning because I
was achieving my goals. My legs and body
were so fat that I couldn’t close a triangle
or do a forward roll. I still remember the
first time I was able to do each of those.
I had lost enough weight and size that all
of a sudden my body could do magical
things – like moving! Going upside down!
When I started jiu jitsu, at 205lbs, I
likened my body to a parked car. It was
incredibly difficult to start moving, and it
would consistently stall out. Three years
later, I have progressed to the point where
I’m 155, and my body is like a reliable
family car that sometimes has difficulty
getting up steep hills or starting when it’s
cold outside. What an incredible upgrade.
I’ll never be a Ferrari, but that’s totally
okay by me – I was a parked car for more
than ten years. I’m hoping to upgrade to
an older model Cadillac that is strong and
consistent and will continue moving until
the owner finally kicks the bucket. I owe
so much to jiu jitsu, and I am thrilled to
have discovered a wonderful addiction,
family, and hobby at age 33.
G r o u n d Wo r k B J J . c o m
O U R M ISSI ON
T
he purpose of this publication
is to facilitate a conversation
around Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
We aim to bring you helpful,
informative content that both serves and
is produced by the BJJ community. We
believe that we should all have opportunities to participate in, and contribute
to the content and community that
surrounds us. This publication is part of a
project with many long term goals, both
online and offline applications, including:
Getting proper exposure for great
projects intended for positive change in
the community—commercial, artistic,
charitable or social
Improving the feedback loop between the
different spheres of our community
Giving writers, artists and other idea
workers in the BJJ community a centralized venue where they can be recognized
for their contributions
Creating a media channel that highlights
the world of jiu jitsu as broadly as possible: regardless of each individual’s reason
for practice, global location, position in
the community or team affiliation
WAN T TO H EL P?
Thank you for taking the time to read,
contribute and give feedback. We hope to
hear from all of you!
ABOUT US
GroundWork is a quarterly publication
composed of work produced by the BJJ
community. Each issue will feature the
following sections:
1. Give this away. We want each issue
to be a work you want to refer back to and
share, so pass this on to instructors, teammates, or even to friends and relatives who
don’t train. The topics we cover transcend
BJJ and we think are a great way to share
what makes our community so special.
The Spirit- A focus on arts and entertainment created and appreciated by the
world of BJJ practitioners
2. Tell us your story. This publication
is about people that train, so if you just
finished a research project and think the
community could benefit, if you have a
story you want to share, or know of one the
community should hear, just let us know!
The People- Dedicated to history,
events and the impact that training has
on individual and the community as a
whole
3. Give us advice. We want to know what
you loved, what you hated, what got you
thinking and what left you asking questions.
Twitter, Facebook, info@gifreak.com
The Academy- Instruction, gym life
and topics around the day-to-day training
and teaching of jiu jitsu
4. Stay in touch. Join our mailing list at
magazine.GroundWorkBJJ.com and keep
up with the latest news on the site and keep
up with new issue releases.
The Business- A reflective and informative look at the money and industry
of BJJ
The Body- A perspective on how jiu
jitsu influences our physical and mental
selves
5. Visit us online. There’s lots more
content on our website, so visit, comment,
link and share.
Interested in adding your own contributions? Use our simple submission from
available at magazine.gifreak.com
GiFreak would like to thank all our contributors, but we give a special thanks to
the following people:
Can Sönmez, Seymour Yang,
Ryan Gallagher, Elnora Williams,
Jackie Reilly, Scott Ramsey Design
Photographers:
William Burkhardt, Shama Ko and
Adam Henkel
Copyright ©2013 Tangled Triangle LLC, all rights
reserved. GiFreak is published four times a year. Unless
otherwise indicated, each credited author/photographer
retains the full rights to his/her work. The contents of this
publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part
without the consent of the copyright owner.
BOOK ONE
23
gifreak.com
Visit GiFreak.com to search the manufacturers below for your perfect gi.
Gold weave, rip stop, contrast lapels,
slim cut…how do you find the gi that’s
best for your needs? Visit GiFreak.com
to search the world of manufacturers by
125 different features including price,
weave, material, size, color, competition
legality and more. Check back often.
With over 200 companies out there
making gis, we’re always on the hunt for
new manufacturers to include in your
search results!
GroundWork is a great way for you
to show potential students what the
community of Brazilian jiu jitsu is all
about. Buy more than 20 copies and get
a 25% discount on print costs.
93 Brand
Essimo
Lucky Gi
Apollo Fight Gear
Faixa Rua
MKimonos
Atama
Fenom Kimonos
Modern Flow Brand
Badger Kimonos
Flow Kimonos
Modest-Gi
Battle Gear
Fuji Sports
OK! Kimonos
BeJJ Clothing
Gameness Sports
Padilla and Sons
BJJ Religion
Gawakoto
Clothing Co.
Phalanx Fight
Company
Gracie Barra Wear
Redstar
Ground Game
Serpentine Kimonos
Grunt Work Clothing
Submission Fight Co.
Howard Combat
Kimonos
Trufol
The information presented in this publication is for general infor-
mation purposes only. Tangled Triangle LLC, DBA GroundWork
makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or
implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability
or availability of the information or products presented in this
publication. Any reliance you place on such information is done at
your own risk. In no event will GroundWork be liable for any loss
or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential
loss or damage arising out of, or in connection with, the use of information presented here. While we do reference websites and other
sources besides GiFreak.com, GroundWork magazine and GroundWorkBJJ.com, they are not under the control of GroundWork. The
works presented are the opinions of the indicated authors and do
not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of GroundWork.
Break Point
Combat Corner
Professional
CTRL Industries
Cynergi
Da Firma
Datsusara
Photo: bjjhacks.com
Inverted Gear
Kingz
Doze Brand
Save 15%
In the smaller area, I have a list of
4-5 companies with coupon codes.
I’d like to list their names, sites, and
brief details of the deals (10% of site
wide…stuff like that) on each.
Zombie Kimonos
Save 5%
Combat Corner: Save 15% on entire order with code
“GiFreak”
Submission Fight Co.: Save 5% with code “GiFreak”
Save 10%
Phalanx Fight Company: Save 10% with code “GiFreak”
Save 15%
Gi Soap: Save 15% with code “GiFreak”
Save 10%
Ok! Kimonos: Save 10% with code “GiFreak”
Save 15%
Gameness: Save 15% with code “gifreakdeal” (Applies to
(Unlimited uses. Valid on all items. One code per order.)
anything in the Gameness Store, including all discounted items)
Prepared by MagCloud for GiFreak Online. Get more at groundwork.magcloud.com.
w w w. g i f r e a k . c o m