tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84228762703917039272024-03-05T03:09:45.935-08:00the bjj diariesYveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-75276955818367035752013-01-04T18:55:00.000-08:002013-01-04T18:55:47.933-08:00new year...new school...new team.So I'm officially a member at Team Shredder/Tropp BJJ. I went in for open mat training tonight with a few friends. For a snowy Friday night, it was on the quieter side. That's not a bad thing, lots of mat space to sprawl out on. What I did notice was that the people who were there all took the time to say hello and introduce themselves. When I introduced myself in return, some of them already knew who I was. Papagaio has a reputation! (and I'm also "the other" Yves Charette)
Troop BJJ is growing and the quality of training partners is off the hook. I'm getting smashed and I love it.
On a seperate note...how about last week's UFC?? Cain Velasquez might officially be the baddest man on the planet after that performance. Joe Lauzon vs Jim Miller was also unreal! (I'm a huge Lauzon fan...he didn't come out on top, but losing in that fashion is nothing to hang his head about).
Stay tuned! It's gonna be an intersting year!!Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-80737683019434640402012-12-28T11:34:00.001-08:002012-12-28T11:34:38.304-08:00the difference a year makes...Wow...I've not posted an entry in a year. And what a difference a year makes!
I've got some clean up to do on this page. For starters, my bio is now completely out of date. I'm no longer a married father of two. I'm a separated father of two working towards finalizing a divorce. Not something I ever saw in the plans for myself, but to echo my earlier thought, what a difference a year makes.
I'm sure there will be people who read this blog and will say "he switched teams, he's disloyal etc..." Those people would be dead wrong. One promise I made to myself a year ago was that I was going to live my life as honestly as possible moving forward. My goal is not to talk any trash or make a joke of my previous experience. I learned my fundamentals at Sudbury BJJ and I'm thankful for that. I fell in love with the sport on those mats and made a few good friends along the way. But life goes on and a new start was required.
Before I move on, I want to give a public thanks to John Cole. (owner and head instructor at Sudbury MMA). When John learned about my situation, he opened his doors and welcomed me to join his team. John is a very good instructor and a world class purple belt. (he has the resume and experience to prove it). The truth is (and I gave John the respect of telling him in advance) that a handful of the good friends I made at SBJJ had migrated over to Team Shredder's Troop BJJ learning under world class black belt under Sylvio Behring, Richard "Monkey" Nancoo. The experience I talked about earlier would not have been the same without some of these guys and the option to get back on the mats with my long time training partners was a big reason for my decision.
I had also heard via "the grapevine" that I was talked about at the last seminar and the idea of being blackballed didn't appeal to me at all. It was time to cut ties with Team Renzo Gracie.
Over the last few months, I've taken care of my work and family life. I also started dating what I believe could be the love of my life. Her support of whatever felt right for me has been hugely appreciated. A year that started off as poorly as it did took a turn for the better over the summer. The pieces are all falling into place to move on in every aspect of my life.
My sons are still members at SBJJ. (due to my ex-wife being a member there). I'm not sure how I'll navigate that moving forward...but I really miss being able to watch them and help out on the mats with them like I had originally done. For now, I'm leaving it alone, but I'll tackle that when the time is right.
Ok, enough about that...2013 is a few days away. A new year means a new start. I've been able to train a bit over on the mats at Nomdaa and next week, I'll be settling up my membership and renewed commitment to training on a regular basis.
With that said, I'm really looking forward to it. Below is a video shot from earlier today during an open mat training session. I'm seen rolling with my old friend (and 4 stripe blue belt) Guy Poulin. In the background, you can see UFC fighter Mitch Gagnon in the black Tapout gi and Professor Nancoo at top left. I got to roll with both of those guys today. (both awesome guys!) Stay tuned for a weekly blog which will follow my training at Troop BJJ and following Mitch's training for his next fight which should be at UFC 158 in Montreal. (on the undercard to GSP vs Diaz)
Stay healthy my friends!! Make 2013 the year you make that change for yourself! (in whatever aspect that fits your life!) Stay tuned...it's gonna be a fun ride!!
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FZdAqnaWRQc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-22467440089041838452011-12-10T08:26:00.000-08:002011-12-10T08:27:01.830-08:00highlights from ADCC 2011 (England)<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/33333379?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&autoplay=1" width="398" height="224" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-49103269733426223412011-12-08T14:49:00.001-08:002011-12-08T14:51:50.673-08:00learning to escape the mounthello my friends,<br /><br />it's been a while...I know. life has been very busy and i was off the mat for nearly a month with a brutal chest cold and nursing a sore shoulder. i know you missed me, but rest assured, i'm back.<br /><br />so i just saw this video online and had to laugh. how badly do you think the guy on the bottom wishes he knew how to escape the mount?! "i got pills bitch!!" haha! (warning, language not suitable for the workplace...and you can't unsee some of this either)<br /><br /><object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pAzGSRdTGgA?version=3&feature=player_embedded"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pAzGSRdTGgA?version=3&feature=player_embedded" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></object>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-71953960904343680672011-10-30T09:47:00.001-07:002011-10-30T09:48:55.415-07:00Slow Rolling aka, "S Rolling"This is a great video on the art of slow rolling. I`m still learning how to do it properly, some guys seem to think it means going balls out either way. (which can be frustrating)<br /><br />For those who roll...check out this clip.<br /><br /><object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TlUXO40uhP0?version=3&feature=player_detailpage"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TlUXO40uhP0?version=3&feature=player_detailpage" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></object>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-46160029420461832952011-10-11T19:43:00.000-07:002011-10-11T20:17:47.770-07:00mid-october random thoughtsSo I got a nose bleed during randori tonight. I was rolling with the Bear and I`m guessing a quick crossface must have done the job. I noticed it on my lapel while rolling. I`m not a bleeder by any means, so I`m guessing it must have been a good forearm...stuff happens! Enough about that!<br /><br />Both tonight and on Saturday, the warmups have been a bit tougher, which has been great. Jenn kicked our butts on Saturday and Steve kept the party going tonight. <br /><br />The Ottawa Open BJJ tournament is this weekend. I`ve essentially decided against being competitive outside the walls of the club. I was hoping to make it down to Ottawa this weekend in support, but simply have too much on my plate.<br /><br />I am hoping to make it to the nation`s capital for Wreck MMA at the end of the month which includes a seminar with Renzo Gracie. I`ve just got to figure out a way to make it happen.<br /><br />Stay healthy!<br />Y.Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-49656693298128559672011-10-03T13:38:00.000-07:002011-10-03T13:51:25.959-07:002011 Fall BJJ SeminarWow...it's been a few weeks since I've posted a blog. I'm trying to think of what's kept me so busy that I've not logged in. I digress...<br /><br />This weekend, we had our Fall BJJ Seminar with Professor Pat Cooligan and brown belt Matt "Hammer" Hache hosted by John Cole at Sudbury MMA. It was my first time at John's new location, a really nice place in New Sudbury.<br /><br />Friday night, we trained for 3 hours working on attacks from the back. Saturday, Hammer taught the regular classes at Sudbury BJJ along with some private classes. On Sunday, we were back on the mat at Sudbury MMA for 3 hours of holding mount, knee on belly and chokes from those positions. I got to work with blue belt, Adam Gignac on Sunday. For anyone who's had the pleasure of rolling with Adam, you'll know that when he puts his knee on your belly or chest, it's not fun. haha! The guys' top game is crushing as it is...in 3 hours, it got even heavier.<br /><br />Adam and I are pretty much the same size. 5'10-5'11 and roughly 215-220lbs. We match up pretty well from that perspective, but in training, his experience usually wins out. (and by usually, I mean 99% of the time) Even with that, it's never a bad experience (unless he's got his knee on your belly as previously noted). But it's in those sessions where I pick up bits and pieces for my own game...based on my body type etc. His game is not a bad one to model mine against.<br /><br />Lots happening in October. In 2 weeks OAMA is hosting the Ottawa Open followed 2 weeks later by Wreck MMA at the Casino in Gatineau, QC. A few members of the OAMA pro team will be fighting along with Rolles Gracie in a co-main event vs Lee Mein. There's also a rumour that Renzo himself will be in Ottawa and hosting a seminar the following day at OAMA. Needless to say, you'll know where to find me at the end of the month!<br /><br />Ok...back to the work week and training at the club. I hope to see you out on the mat and as always, don't forget to wash your gi (and yourself) after every session! (it also doesn't hurt to shower before class either...just sayin!)Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-63589091247558154182011-09-14T14:36:00.001-07:002011-09-14T14:36:50.742-07:00Kyra Gracie<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2gWVKReLOrc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-41838744561735837892011-09-12T14:09:00.000-07:002011-09-12T20:30:28.767-07:00Who am I? O' Papagaio!!As everyone at the club knows, I share a name with the owner of a competitive club here in Sudbury. Yves Charette from Team Shredder.<br /><br />There has been a bit of an ongoing joke with my friends from OAMA that I'm known as "the real" Yves Charette. Of course, this isn't to disrespect Yves, he's much more accomplished in martial arts than I'll ever be, but moreso just for jokes.<br /><br />It all started a few years ago when I called OAMA to reserve my spot for a Renzo Gracie Seminar the night before the second Wreck MMA. The guy who took my reservation was a bit thrown off by my name, but took my $100 and said he was looking forward to seeing me after all this time.<br /><br />Of course, I found that odd, but didn't push the issue any further. I realized shortly after hanging up the phone that he must have thought it was Yves from Team Shredder calling to attend a Renzo seminar at OAMA the day before his fighter Mitch Gagnon was set to take on OAMA's Stephane Bernadel at Wreck.<br /><br />In addition to that, I threw Pat Cooligan off with a Facebook friend request where my face didn't match my name. I've since gotten to know Pat and all is good. (thank god, because he could kick my ass) haha!<br /><br />At any rate, Steve has often said we needed to get me a new name but nothing ever really stuck. I don't believe a person can give themselves their own nickname, so a while back, I took a nickname given to me by my good buddy, training partner and former co-worker Kevin Crittenden. When we worked together, he would jokingly complain that I always had a sarcastic comment or something to mock everyone (mainly him)...I was a "f@$king Parrot!" I used to walk by his office and let out a nice little "KaKaw!!" When we were the only ones left at the office, I would let out a "Kakaw!" on the loudspeaker/intercom.<br /><br />Last year, I played a bit with the nickname to try and make it cooler. In BJJ, many fighters have a nickname that represents a strength in their games "Jacare" means Alligator, "Toquinho" means tree stump for the strength of a guy like Rousimar Palhares. Ricardo Almeida is the BigDog..."Cachorrao". So...for myself, I looked up the Parrot (which is a pretty weak fighting nickname when used in English) and in Portuguese (the language of BJJ), it's "Papagaio". Doesnt that sound badass?!? haha!!<br /><br />Ok...so I'm trying to make it official. I might even put it on the lapel of my white gi's and begin signing autographs using it. (yes, a high level white belt can sign autographs if he wants to!)<br /><br />This came up today through a thread on TopMMANews where I post both as Papagaio and PapaG. The secret of my identity is out! Lookout world...Papagaio is coming to choke your kids!!<br /><br />With love,<br /><br />Papagaio xoYveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-45808865393405700452011-09-03T17:34:00.000-07:002011-09-03T17:50:44.105-07:00Randon Thoughts...The competition team have arrived safely in Montreal to compete in tomorrow`s Montreal Intl IBJJF tourney. Last night, I trained exclusively with Kyle (Fletcher) as he put in last minute preparation for his first competition at blue belt.
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<br />The kid is 16 years old and has a ton of potential. I can only imagine where I might be today had I gotten a start at that age. Makes me feel old when I realize that when I was his age, UFC 1 had not happened yet and the world outside of Brazil had never really heard of Gracie Jiu Jitsu.
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<br />BEST OF LUCK TO ALL TEAM RENZO GRACIE COMPETITORS TOMORROW! You`ve put in the work, it`s time to bring home the gold.
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<br />Speaking of Brazil, now that our family trip to Disney World is in the books, I really want to put a plan together to visit Rio de Janeiro for a week or so to visit the sights and spend some time training in the motherland of jiu jitsu. Who`s in?Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-30908324739872666722011-08-29T20:22:00.000-07:002011-08-29T21:13:16.969-07:00My thoughts on Eddie Bravo.I first learned who Eddie Bravo was maybe 5 or 6 years ago. He would do an unofficial scorecard at UFC events and Joe Rogan would use this when a fight would go the distance during a broadcast. I later got into Jiu Jitsu got my undergrad degree from youtube and google with regards to the ins and outs of the sport. (yes, I agree I knew nothing and am striving everyday to learn "something").
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<br />At any rate, I`ve always known that Bravo was a polarizing figure. People either love him or they hate him. Not a whole lot of in between. There are a few points which keep coming up for debate.
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<br /><strong>1. the debate of training in the Gi vs no Gi jiu jitsu.</strong>
<br />Bravo`s point on this might make sense to the everyday Joe, but there`s more to it. His idea is that training with the Gi and the different grips and techniques involved don`t translate as well to MMA or the street. He claims his brand of Jiu Jitsu is an evolution of the sport for MMA. (this coming from a guy who never wanted to fight from day 1. *you`ll see this in the video below.)
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<br />- my opinion on this is that I really don`t care about his opinion on the gi. (let`s not forget this blog is titled "My thoughts on Eddie Bravo") In the video I posted below, GSP states that he believes training in the Gi improves his game for MMA. It makes it alot tighter. I`ll take GSP`s opinion on this above any others. Why? He`s one of the greatest fighters or all time...and Eddie has never eaten a punch in a professional fight.
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<br /><strong>2. Eddie`s position on marijuana.</strong>
<br />Again, not something I find very important. I don`t smoke, nor do I believe it would do anything to improve my game. (I just need to train more to improve my game.) Do I care that he and others do it or claim it improves their game? Nope.
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<br /><strong>3. His win over Royler Gracie.</strong>
<br />Some say that Eddie built his career and 10th planet JJ on his win in 2003 over Royler at Abu Dhabi (combat club). This might lead one to consider him as Jiu Jitsu`s version of a "one hit wonder". The long awaited rematch was set to happen at ADCC in Nottingham, England next month, but alas, the terms couldn`t be agreed on. (to Eddie`s credit, he was prepared to roll)
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<br /><strong>4. The naming of moves in his system.</strong>
<br />Eddie talks about this in the video below, but I will disagree with him on this. There is a move he calls the "jew claw" which is an Omo-Plata...so to say he hasn`t renamed any moves that already had names is silly. I do agree that naming these moves the way he has enables his students to create a cleaner roadmap for their game. (not to say this isn`t done by higher level guys in BJJ, Eddie just seems to have made it simpler).
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<br /><strong>5. The rubberguard.</strong>
<br />Here`s where I go against the grain. I like this guard and I believe it has it`s place. I find it silly when people dismiss the rubberguard because it comes from Eddie. I`ve been training a little over 2 years and I consider myself an elementary level student when it comes to the art, but for my own use (and the freakish flexibility I have in my legs for a guy my size), it`s a great high guard and setup for attacks off the back.
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<br />At the end of the day, if you see me trying some rubberguard (while wearing the gi)when I`m rolling with my training partners, it has nothing to do with politics. I see it as a good "high guard" option. I`m just trying to get better using any advantage that I can and I have a hard time dismissing something before I try it out for myself.
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<br />The following video is interesting...though I must say that although I personally don`t agree with everything Eddie says, I don`t hate the guy either.
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<br /><object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V-iCNCPnogU?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V-iCNCPnogU?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object><strong></strong>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-9284032831969418262011-08-28T20:53:00.001-07:002011-08-28T20:53:36.026-07:00GSP training with Roger Gracie & Braulio Estima<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UIPMp9cJaeo?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UIPMp9cJaeo?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-34974201035681890542011-08-19T20:31:00.001-07:002011-08-19T20:42:18.183-07:00Shawn TompkinsAs everyone has already heard, Canadian MMA Coach, Shawn Tompkins died of a heart attack on Sunday morning. (he was only 37 years old)
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<br />I started training in BJJ a little over 2 years ago. I had stared at the club`s website for quite some time before making the move and signing up at the club. What nobody knows is that I`d been doing the same thing when I lived in London, but time and money kept me from making the move back then. The club`s website that I stared at was Team Tompkins.
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<br />A friend of mine from work had been dating one of the Muay Thai Fighers and I`d been familiar with Mark Hominick from his Muay Thai days fighting in Calgary (on TSN) in an organization run by Mike Miles. I also liked that Tompkins was teaching the Bas Rutten Fighting System. (Bas had been a UFC Champion at the time).
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<br />At any rate, I never made it out to the gym, but I had intended on it. Here`s a pretty awesome video tribute that was made for Shawn which was posted on my facebook newsfeed tonight.
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<br /><object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/u4bHC5L2IGQ?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/u4bHC5L2IGQ?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-60763718642549250692011-08-17T19:15:00.000-07:002011-08-17T19:16:47.853-07:00new Renzo Gracie interviewI just saw this new video posted on my facebook wall by Ken Primola (IloveBJJ.Com)
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<br /><object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zjwov38TNg8?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zjwov38TNg8?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-86703135735718973872011-08-09T19:49:00.001-07:002011-08-09T19:54:17.092-07:00my bjj birthdayToday makes exactly 2 years since I started learning brazilian jiu jitsu. One might wonder why I think that`s important. For me, it`s an accomplishment in itself to have stuck with it, learning something new each time I step on the mat.
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<br />I rolled today with a couple blue belts and was reminded how even at the two year mark, I`ve got so much to learn. At times it felt like it was my very first day.
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<br />At any rate, I`m back from holidays with my family. Roxanne and I took the boys to Disney World in Florida (we had a blast), but now it`s time to buckle down and get my fitness back on track.
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<br />Lots of exciting things on the horizon!
<br />Stay tuned!
<br />Y.Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-70120482592418746312011-07-29T11:54:00.001-07:002011-07-29T11:54:13.079-07:00This Dog's BJJ sucks.<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-CyerI2VaLo?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-CyerI2VaLo?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-7291961653748714022011-07-22T10:34:00.000-07:002011-07-22T10:44:22.582-07:00The Freddie Roach of Muay ThaiAlthough I don't train in Muay Thai, I was excited to see that Steve & Jenn brought in Jean Charles Skarbowsky for the week to teach a weekend seminar and classes for a week at the club.<br /><br />For those who watch the Ultimate Fighter, you'll remember him as the Muay Thai coach that GSP brought in during season 12 to help train his team. JCS is now a regular Muay Thai trainer for Georges and is through that connection (and his charismatic personality) is becoming known worldwide as the Freddie Roach of Muay Thai. (Ok, I just said that for the first time, maybe it'll catch on...it should...because he is.)<br /><br />It was said on the Ultimate Fighter that Jean Charles is a character. This is indeed the case. If anything can be said for being a product of your life experience, JCS would be that prime example. <br /><br />Last night, a handful of us from the club went out to celebrate JC's last night in Sudbury. To say we had some laughs would be an understatement. I really look forward to seeing Jean Charles again. He's part of the club now. Yet another link in the chain that makes Sudbury BJJ & Muay Thai the best club in town.<br /><br />Here's a video I found online where JCS teaches some techniques. Last night, I watched the last class he taught and this is exactly what he covered at one point. <br /><br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/o1YYY_Gvt3o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />I can say we made a new friend in JC and we've been SKARBORIZED!Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-42665671388177214362011-07-19T20:51:00.000-07:002011-07-19T21:04:28.368-07:00random thoughtsSo I'm away on business again which gives me plenty of time to kill on the internet. These are the times where I dig deep to find things to entertain myself. (keep your mind out the gutter aiiight?)<br /><br />I just watched a ufc presser for a late september card headlined by a title fight between Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson. Jon Jones is a very young champion and outside of Brock Lesnar, the least experienced fighter to win the top rank in mma. From his dealings with former training partner and original opponent, Rashad Evans, I've been turned off by how arrogant Jones has become in such a short period of time. That's not to be unexpected when success at the very highest level comes at such a young age. GSP learned a big lesson in his loss to Matt Serra, you'd think Jones might take that story as a lesson for himself, but it seems the more time goes by, the more he thinks he's invincible.<br /><br />At any rate, as everyone knows, he's now facing Rampage Jackson, a man whose passion to fight has come into question since getting into the movies. With that said, Jackson is only 33 years old and might be the guy who hands Jones his first loss. I'm hoping that's the case anyhow.<br /><br />Back to the presser. One of the things Jones has become known for is his staredown. He refuses to make eye contact and gazes into the crowd or past his opponent. Perhaps he thinks this gives him a mental edge or makes him look intimidating, I'm not sure. It's almost as though he's in a weird staring contest with an abyss. Anyhow, Jackson being a showman completely stole that moment from the young champion. At the end of the presser, Dana White lined them up for the staredown and photos, Jackson leaned in and spun in the same direction Jones was gazing to. With a big smile, he pointed at where Jones was staring and got some big laughs. Rampage wins the staredown 10-8.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlj9m7bA47J_gRlFT8vPfBYrnyvXulEpkJNKsJb9eaV6NgG3DF6S849c7cV1GfV6kAPiGYPu0zufYX96ArL-Pp5QpXLA5dKz2lH7HTmsfl6ReqhpXXlD9bmMR9KTNFDfl8PA2PniIBis/s1600/Bones-Page_staredown_1_large.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlj9m7bA47J_gRlFT8vPfBYrnyvXulEpkJNKsJb9eaV6NgG3DF6S849c7cV1GfV6kAPiGYPu0zufYX96ArL-Pp5QpXLA5dKz2lH7HTmsfl6ReqhpXXlD9bmMR9KTNFDfl8PA2PniIBis/s400/Bones-Page_staredown_1_large.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631280133474647522" /></a><br /><br />The lead up to this fight should be good. Rampage was in fine form today and I feel like he'll be getting his title back in Denver on the last Saturday of September.<br /><br />Stay tuned!Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-85635365699071064922011-07-16T10:22:00.001-07:002011-07-16T10:22:40.052-07:00Renzo Gracie Promotions (NYC)some entertainment from the promotions at Renzo's in NYC.<br /><br /><object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/X_sPnoaLxbQ?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/X_sPnoaLxbQ?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-13194248162015191192011-07-14T22:51:00.000-07:002011-07-14T23:05:32.150-07:00random thoughtshello folks!<br /><br />it`s been a while since i`ve updated this blog properly. to my loyal readers, i apologize for that. i`ve just spent less time online in recent weeks. (less time than usual, which is still more than most i`m sure)<br /><br />so what`s new?<br /><br />last saturday, i packed a bag and fueled up the audi and hit highway 17 east on route to the capital. i met up with jenn who had left a bit earlier in the day. we hooked up with bullets(friend of steve & jenn`s from oama)for a late snack in little italy and then called it a night. we weren`t in town to party, we were there to train and learn from the best jiu jitsu practitioner/competitor in the world...roger gracie!!<br /><br />the seminar was off the hook. roger`s game is legendary for being very basic but what he does, he does better than anyone on the planet. if roger gets mount...he wins. i won`t go into a detailed rant on what he taught. what i will tell you is that my game improved from that afternoon on the mats at oama. without a doubt, when you train with the best in the world, you can only get better.<br /><br />not only is roger an amazing talent, but he`s truly a very cool guy. i got to talk to him a bit during the class as well as afterwards. i`m pumped for his fight in september vs king mo lawal, former strikeforce light heavyweight champion and div 1 wrestler. he`ll be back in ottawa in the fall from what i understand. if you miss him the next time around, you`ll kick yourself. the trip is worth every penny.<br /><br />myself with roger<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYM5cFDVYlneWExLne69WHMx39BWD6Ra-XCn2aS-alDd-dZCLDDlbKV5NpmcRBDibvZ-4m4jdHSJfU2zP2mlCea54z9HvQV7DFEilujlOxLakXnHMZosNgLHFe8w7gEYQmth4qM0bJv8/s1600/DSC00279.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYM5cFDVYlneWExLne69WHMx39BWD6Ra-XCn2aS-alDd-dZCLDDlbKV5NpmcRBDibvZ-4m4jdHSJfU2zP2mlCea54z9HvQV7DFEilujlOxLakXnHMZosNgLHFe8w7gEYQmth4qM0bJv8/s400/DSC00279.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629455757494028658" /></a><br /><br /><br />in other news, i`m nearing my second birthday. (my bjj birthday is august 9th, 2009) that doesn`t seem like a big deal, but it is to me. to celebrate, i ordered some zebra mats so i can train at home with my boys. i`ll post some pictures when they arrive. i can`t wait! :)<br /><br />see you at the club!<br />y.Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-23139719316553995482011-07-06T19:25:00.001-07:002011-07-06T19:25:38.080-07:00UFC - RIOREALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CARD!!<br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/25912995?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/25912995">UFC Rio - Versão do Diretor</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/leandrorial">Leandro Rial</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-6633426019406682812011-07-03T21:49:00.000-07:002011-07-03T22:07:32.394-07:00BJJ REVELATION!So I was folding Noël and Ben`s gis tonight and I had a revelation. There comes in a point in every boys` life where he doesnt want to be hugged and cuddled by his Dad. (at the least, not in public)<br /><br />Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will allow me to hug my sons while allowing them to be "cool". haha!<br /><br />on a seperate note...<br /><br />I`ve been on the mat a ton lately. I managed to train 4 times this past week which was a real treat for me. I`m hoping that now that July has arrived, I`ll have a bit more time to put in the work. <br /><br />Next Sunday, I`ll be at the Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts for a seminar with Roger Gracie. Stay tuned for a full rundown when I get back.<br /><br />Life is good...enjoy it.<br />Y.Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-39136848388506574622011-06-17T20:59:00.000-07:002011-06-17T21:24:21.511-07:00fridays are always great daysAfter spending the week on the road for work, Friday finally showed up on my doorstep. After clearing up some paperwork and administration, I headed over to the club for 11am class. After some light stretching, Steve asked if I could lead the small class through warmups which I was happy to do. I figured today`s class would be nice and light seeing as the people I lead through warmups were all on the newer side...fresh meat. That is until Adam Gignac showed up.<br /><br />It`s very rare that I`m able to sneak out during working hours for a class. However, it seems that everytime I do, I end up paired up with my buddy Adam. Don`t get me wrong, that`s not a bad thing. It just means I`m going to get crushed at some point. Adam is my size, pretty much the same height and weight. The difference is that he`s a blue belt who really knows how to distribute his weight and make himself feel very heavy. His grips are also becoming somewhat legendary.<br /><br />To make a long story short, we had a great class. We worked on s-mount, weight distribution and arm locks from mount. I could feel the sweat beading off my freshly shaven head. Working with Adam helps me see how I should be playing the game. One day at a time, one foot in front of the other. I`ll get there...eventually.Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-15649786932779290232011-06-06T11:47:00.001-07:002011-06-06T11:47:45.031-07:00Al Bundy (Ed O'Neill) talks about his first class.<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tSSt5OQ4zHc?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tSSt5OQ4zHc?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422876270391703927.post-45472732818944769252011-06-04T20:57:00.001-07:002011-06-05T07:43:35.507-07:00where am i with my bjj?So I`ve been training BJJ now for just under 2 years. (started August 9th, 2009) I`ve got 3 stripes on my white belt and I`m starting to find my purpose. My combination of health and age brings me to the realization that I`ll never be a real competitor in the sport. I had planned to compete a few times, but my health always had other ideas. (I`m not complaining, I feel great and my condition is under control, just stating the facts.) With that said, I do have a goal of competing next year...maybe just once. We`ll see how it goes and play it by ear.<br /><br />That`s not to say I don`t have any goals. Nothing could be further from the truth. BJJ is an incredible cardio workout and when things are going your way, it`s a ton of fun! Like many Canadian boys, I grew up loving hockey and wrestling. Back in the early 80`s my Mom`s youngest brother Norm lived in our basement while he attended college. My Saturday mornings consisted of watching International Wrestling with Norm which always led to me kicking his ass like my hero Rick Martel did to Dino Bravo. My point is, I`ve always loved to wrestle and rough house with my friends. With BJJ, I get to keep doing that as an adult. :)<br /><br />I`m getting sidetracked...back to my point. I`ll be 35 on August 1st and my personal goals are clear. Earn my 4th stripe and work towards earning my blue belt in 2012. <br /><br />So what will it take to get there? The quick answer is "more time on the mat". That`s a given...but I`ve also got to work on my weak areas and develop a gameplan. You might wonder why I need a gameplan when I`m not planning to become an active competitor. Well, BJJ is a game. When you`re new to it, it looks like a puzzle with many pieces scattered across the floor. As you learn to put some of those pieces together, the puzzle turns into a chess match. You can either spend your time trying to put the pieces together on the mat (which could take an eternity), or develop some type of gameplan. Being strategic in training means focusing on the basics and creating a formula based on your strengths and weaknesses. Once this is figured out, along with the ability to escape basic positions using muscle memory, I think I`ll be ready for that next step. Faixa Azul!<br /><br />In related news, Noël turned 7 in April and has now moved up to the Kids BJJ class, graduating from the Little Ninja`s program. He`s big enough and certainly smart enough to make the jump, I just need to be sure he continues to enjoy the sport while learning with the bigger kids. I was proud of him today...he did really well.<br /><br />Ben, being 5, will be in the little ninja`s program for a couple more years. He seems to be taking a bit more of a leadership role in class. He was proud to be the highest ranking student in his class today. That meant he stood at the front of the lineup for opening and closing remarks. <br /><br />What`s most important for me is that both boys are having fun. So far so good!Yveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947703651438208865noreply@blogger.com0