Epi 324 ADCC Fan Favorite Lachlan Giles

This week we have an interview with ADCC standout Lachlan Giles. Lachlan is coming off an amazing absolute bronze medal performance at adcc 2019. He had submissions over Kaynan Duarte, Patrick Guadio, and Mahamed Aly.

We talk about:

  • His performance at ADCC 2019
  • His match in 77kg with Lucas Lepri
  • A strategy for Kaynan Duarte in the absolute
  • His match with Patrick Gaudio
  • What happened in his match with Gordon Ryan
  • Getting bronze by submitting Mahamed Aly
  • His new leg lock DVD
  • Improving his flexibility
  • His off the mat training
  • Why working on guard passing is so important
  • Why he likes to attack the feet from the top

Links:

Quote of the week: “The measure of who we are is how we react to something that doesn’t go our way.” Gregg Popovich

Article of the week: How’s Your Poker Face?

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

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How’s Your Poker Face?

We’ve all heard that “jiu jitsu is like chess”, but have you ever considered that it’s a lot like poker as well? I spent some time thinking about these two activities today and I see at least five lessons one can learn from playing poker that can be easily applied to jiu jitsu.

  1. You gotta play the hand you’re dealt. Yes, you can discard and draw cards, but you can’t make requests…you have to make the best of the cards in your hand. In jiu jitsu this is true on the macro and micro levels. On the macro level i.e. looking at the journey as a whole – we don’t all have the same physical attributes, we don’t all have the same amount of time to invest, we don’t all have the same training opportunities etc. So, your journey may be a little more difficult and take a little longer, you just have to press forward and play the hand your dealt. On the micro level – every time you go into a competitive roll whether it’s with one of your favorite training partners or whether it’s in a tournament, you each bring different skills to the mats. At that point it’s probably too late to try and revamp your game, you have to use the tools you currently have in your toolbox (or the cards in your hand) in such a manner that will produce the best outcome.
  2. You have to know the rules and understand the objectives. I have a vague memory of a scene on tv of a guy laying down his cards saying “read ‘em and weep” thinking he had a flush, but his cards were a mix of spades and clubs…. yes, they’re all the same color, but that’s not really the goal. While this point has application for those who are training jiu jitsu as a hobby but don’t compete the real value of this point is for the competitor. Don’t lose matches because you didn’t know the rules or intricacies of how points are scored.
  3. Bluffing is a necessary skill to win. When you are bluffing at the poker table you are simply trying to create the illusion that something is true (like you have a great hand) when it may or may not be. Likewise, from guard you may mess with your opponent’s lapel to get him worried about a technique he may not have seen when you have no intention of playing any form of lapel guard. It doesn’t matter so much if you have a decent lapel guard, but it does matter that your opponent believes you do.  
  4. You gotta know when to hold em, know when to fold em, know when to walk away, and know when to run. In poker there are times when you say “I’m good with these cards, I’m going to play them” there are other times you just lay em down and fold. There other times when you have to say, “this table is too rich for me” and just walk away. Then there are other times you realize you’re playing with sharks and you better run. The lesson here is you have to learn to read situations on the mat quickly. If you have been doing jiu jitsu for any length of time you should be able to visit a new school for an open mat and almost immediately be able to read each training partner, you roll with. No matter what position you are in – their stance, posture, grips, frames, etc. are all clues that should help you understand what they are bringing to the mat. 
  5. You never count your money when you’re sitting at the table. In the old west, gambling was a cutthroat business and sometimes men bet all they had on a game. Making a show of counting your money was a sure way to get shot in the alley behind the tavern. You won’t get your ass shot but making a show of every victory you have in jiu jitsu is not the best approach to making friends and earning respect in the community. Having friends and respect in the community go a long way towards helping you get better at jiu jitsu. The goal is to have a healthy ego and be humble at all times.

      In conclusion: If you’re going to play the game, you gotta learn to play it right. There may not necessarily be a “right” and “wrong” way to do jiu jitsu, but there are definitely some ways that are better than others to get good at jiu jitsu and win matches. The sooner you figure this out, the better off you’ll be.

Train hard. Train smart. Get better.

Joe

Epi 323 Coach and Competitor Amal Easton

This week we have an interview with BJJ Black Belt Amal Easton. Amal is the rare person that has both been able to compete at a high level and produce high level competitors of BJJ and MMA.

We talk about:

  • His start to BJJ
  • Coaching jiu-jitsu
  • How skying gave him grit that he used on the mats
  • Moving to Brazil early in his BJJ journey
  • How teaching BJJ has changed over the years
  • The academy is a farm or a jungle concept
  • Creating an environment that is good for everyone
  • Why some people quit BJJ

Links:

Quote of the week: “It’s not about any one person. You’ve got to get over yourself and realize that it takes a group to get this thing done.” Gregg Popovich

Article of the week chess.com/article/view/how-to-win-a-chess-game

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Epi 322 Alan Shebaro We Defy Foundation

This week we have an interview with the Vice President of We Defy Foundation Alan Shebaro. Alan is a 4th degree Black Belt under Professor Chris Haueter.

We talk about:

  • His start to BJJ and martial arts
  • Having a tough time as a kid in fights
  • The We Defy Foundation
  • Working with Joey Bozik
  • What We Defy athletes get out of BJJ
  • His style of teaching a seminar
  • His neck injury

Links:

Quote of the week:  “We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don’t know.” W.H. Auden

Check out our friends at Grappling Rewind Podcast for current info on competitions and upcoming events

Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for Andriod

Epi 321 Grappling Legend Gokor Chivichyan

This week we have grappling legend Gokor Chivichyan. Gokor has achieved gold at the international level at BJJ, Judo, MMA, and Sambo. He has coached Ronda Rousey, Karo Parisyan, Neil Melanson, and many more

We talk about:

  • Growing up as a tough kid in Armenia
  • Starting Wrestling in 1968
  • Starting Sambo in 1971
  • Eventually adding Judo to his grappling mix
  • He also did boxing for four years
  • Bringing leg locks to the United States 35 years ago
  • Teaching martial arts

Links:

Quote of the week: “Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.” -Mary Kay Ash

Article of the week: Learn to Skateboard – Top 5 Tips & Tricks

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Catch us next week for another episode of The BjjBrick Podcast

The BjjBrick Podcast is in iTunesStitcher radio, and Google Play Music for AndriodThis entry was posted in Uncategorized by byronjabara. Bookmark the permalink.