Attack the back seminar @ NGT Runcorn!

Had a most enjoyable afternoon, training with fellow Combat Base members and christening Ng Gar Tien Combat Base's new full time premises, with a seminar from Darren and Helen Currie.  The topic of the day was attacking the back and after one of Helen's legendary warm ups the fun began.

Group photo

The seminar started with Darren showing a number of gi chokes, once you've secured the back control and are in position to submit; once everyone was comfortable with these submissions, Darren then showed ways to take the back from various positions, both from the top and the bottom, starting with the more recognisable ways, before finishing with a few HL reel moves.

As ever, a superb seminar and great to see so many different Combat Base clubs on the same mat, supporting the event for Mike Ng and Russ Gates and all the lads at Ng Gar Tien.

Pix from Tiger Camp, 2010!

A few more pix from my final week at the camp; going from top to bottom:-

With one of my Thai trainers Rose, showing him who was boss!

• With the my other Thai trainer Nazee


• Phil Baroni, Ryan Diaz and Ray Elbe


• With Samat and Nazee


• With Peter Hulk, Cyrus Washington and Ray E
• Thought I'd lost these pix, found them hiding on an old CD!!

BJJ session @ NGT Runcorn!

With the Runcorn lads

As always, had a great time teaching last night over at Ng Gar Tien in their new full time gym, in the bustling metropolis of Runcorn; Russ Gates and Mike Ng have been training with me for many, many years and since joining forces with Combat Base UK, their club has gone from strength to strength, both on the mats and in competition. 

The club now has five blue belts and a purple belt, with many more blue belts in the making; all the lads work very hard and push each other to get the best out of everyone and this is reflected on the competition circuit both in 2011 and 2012, with the lads pulling in medals at every event they enter and at some of the biggest events on the UK BJJ circuit.

Looking forward to Sunday, where I'll be returning to Runcorn to attend their first seminar at the new premises, as head UK instructors Darren and Helen Currie will be delivering a seminar revolved around attacking the back, so expect an afternoon of top notch technical instruction.

www.combatsport.co.uk

Extra dinner time classes @ Fight Factory, Heywood!

I'm pleased to announce that there are now two weekly dinner time BJJ classes at Fight Factory in Heywood; it's been three weeks since classes began and a Tuesday session has been added to the timetable, so any shift workers wishing to get some gi classes in through the day, feel free to come down and join in the fun, as well as everyone else.  The gym is state of the art, spotless with clean changing rooms and showers and a chill out area where you can rehydrate and chill out after training.

Dinner time class

Classes are every Tuesday and Thursday, 12-130pm, £5 per session.

Body Matters Gym
Unit 60
Hooley Bridge Mill
Bamford Road
Heywood
OL10 4AG

www.bodymattersgym.com

My first win at brown belt at the Manchester Open!

Took bronze medal at the Manchester Open at the weekend and also got my first win at brown belt, which I'm very pleased about.  Very happy with the win and looking forward to many more :)

Medal haul @ the Manchester Open!

Had a great day reffing and competing at the Manchester Open, organised by Gus Oliveira at the weekend; nineteen students competed in all belt divisions and I'm pleased to announce that we won three gold, three silver and six bronze medals on the day, a fantastic achievement.

With the brown belt competitors

Combat Base black belt Ryan Hunter fought against my good friend Scott Pickering and won his match on points, a video of the fight will be uploaded soon and I will post it on here, as I was in my first match when they were fighting.

With Sam van Bellingam

The BJJ community is a very small world and I was happy to meet up with two guys I was training with in Rio in 2010; Belgian blue belt Sam van Bellingam flew in to the UK and competed at the event and Lee Wright, who travelled up from Portsmouth and both guys came away with medals, so well done guys :)

With some of my students

Showing off the bling

Huge thanks to Gus Oliviera for organising the event and keeping us fed and watered with pizza and cold drinks, as well as letting me referee on the day, I had a great time and look forward to more reffing duties throughout the year.

www.grabandpull.co.uk

Manchester Open tomorrow!

Really looking forward to this event, not far to travel for a change, just a train ride away and this is reflected in the number of students competing.  Nineteen medal hungry warriors are ready to put it all on the line and step up to compete; for a few this will be their first time in competition and they have chosen a great venue to begin their competitive careers, as there will be a large number of senior grades to back them up when they compete, as well as having Darren and Helen Currie present, so plenty of technical and vocal tsupport throughout the day for all involved.

I'm looking forward to the challenge of competing once again, let's see if I can bag my first win as a brown belt :)

www.grabandpull.co.uk

Worldwide success for EKBJJ!

Eddie and the guys clowning around

My good friend Eddie Kone has every right to be proud of his association and his fighters right now, with wins in prestigious events across the globe :)

http://ekbjj.wordpress.com/2012/04/17/ekbjj-association-score-huge-wins-around-the-globe/

Awesome news, huge congrats to Eddie, all his hard work and dedication over the years is reaping its just rewards :)

Easter Budo weekend @ Butlins, Bognor Regis

Apologies for the late posting, been having laptop problems all week, hope everything is now running fine; over the Easter weekend, I had the pleasure and honour of being the first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor invited to teach on the Masters 121 Evolution course. 

The courses are the brainchild of Stephen Mitchell, Godan Renshi and these courses bring together a wide and varied range of martial arts instructors to teach over the weekend.  Each instructor had various teaching slots and were encouraged to join in when other instructors were teaching, so there was a real mix of styles all training together, regardless of art or politics.

Other instructors included:-

Adrian Valman - Chief Instrcutor KAPAP UK
Terry Hall - 7th Dan Jiu Jitsu
Leeroy Blake - 4th Dan Aikido
George Launders - 5th Dan Judo
George Bishop - Kyoshi Shotokan
Chris Moslin - 8th Dan Aikido
Gordon Lawson - 7th Dan Judo
Frank Watson - 5th Dan Jiu Jitsu

All instructors were open minded and joined in when other instructors were on the mats and it was a great sight to see high ranking Dan grades learning BJJ moves and getting into the techniques, having as much fun as I had twisting up arms and wrists with the Aikido instructors.

It was a long weekend of training and at the end of the course, my body was a mass of aches and pains and so were the rest of the attendees and I'm pleased to say that I have been invited back to teach next year on the course at Dartford Judo Club.

With guest instructors

Coming from a traditional martial arts background, it was a refreshing change to train in other arts and learn some really wicked Aikijitsu techniques that will be put to the test on the doors and to be a student once again.  Huge thanks to Stephen Mitchell for being open minded enough to invite me down to the course and share my knowledge with a great group of guys and I look forward to attending more courses throughout the year.

www.evolutionone.co.uk

New blue belt at Ng Gar Tien Runcorn!

Had the pleasure of promoting Alex 'Sex Bear' Cannon to blue belt at the request of Darren and Helen Currie, this evening at Ng Gar Tien in Runcorn; Alex has been training hard and is a regular competitor and after winning gold medal at the Hereford Open last month in dominating style, the nod was given and the new belt was tied around his waist.

With Alex 'Sex Bear' Cannon

As always, hard work pays dividends :)

Omoplata Escape - Robson Moura style!!

Here's a nice clip of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, Robson Moura, showing an escape from the omoplata submission; pay attention to the details on the video and be sure to drill this out in class!

Tatami Flex Rashguard!

The new Flex Rashguard

The Tatami Fightwear Flex rash guard is the next generation in rash guard design. Featuring breathable mesh material under the armpits and at the shoulder blades, the flex rash guard allows air to circulate more freely around the body making for a more cooler and more comfortable grappling experience. Designed with a striking yellow and black combination and a digital camouflage effect on the left arm the Flex rash guard features fully sublimated graphics that will never crack or peel.

More info at www.tatamifightwear.com

New yellow belt!

Congrats to Lee Jones on being promoted to yellow belt by George Launders tonight at the club; the students are really getting into the Judo classes, which can only be a good thing.  Combining the Judo with the BJJ is really paying off for all the students and is giving them extra goals to work towards, making them more well rounded grapplers.

Lee Jones  - yellow belt!

Well done Lee and on his 17th birthday as well :)