Last class of 2021!

 Wimbledon BJJ had its last class of 2021 last night, clocking in a three and a half hour session for good measure :)

Respect to student and PSP legal adviser Craig Lawson for coming down from Leicester for one last session; Craig arrived early so I got to the gym to meet him and we had over an hour together, going through the Nelson and Alches, before regular class began.

Had a Q+A session which brought up a number of interesting questions which led on to talking about the pressure game and then dishing some pressure out when we rolled, much to the delight of my students ;)

Managed some more rolling and glad to say the feet didn't let me down, so hopefully I am back on track to regular training again in the New Year.

Thanks to all my students who have trained with me and supported the club throughout another crazy year; looking forward to a better and busier 2022 at SW19, seminars already booked and lots to look forward to.

Happy New Year!

Last night's class

 A very enjoyable session last night, double shark tanks for the lads and I got some rolling in as well, without pain from my poorly trotters this morning :)

I badly injured my feet way back on August Bank Holiday Saturday and I've not been able to train as much as I'd like, so hopefully this is the start of a full recovery and look forward to more rolling tomorrow night :)

We are open tomorrow!

 If you are near to SW19 and your gym is closed tomorrow, Wimbledon BJJ is open tomorrow and Weds 29th December...more than welcome to drop in and get a sweat on :)

Merry Christmas!

 It's been a funny old year, but with the help of my students, Wimbledon BJJ has weathered the lockdowns and is bigger and busier than ever, as we approach one more sleep til Christmas Day :)

I've had some great seminars this year and highlight of the year was being recognised by my peers with an outstanding achievements award, in front of and together with many high ranking martial artists. I look forward to working with a number of them in the new year.

I'd like to thank all my students for their loyal support this year and into the next year and to all my martial arts friends around the world.

Put your feet up and enjoy the next few days :)

I'll be back open on the 27th and 29th, so we can burn the excess off and get ready for New Year's Eve!

Last night's class

 The last class before Christmas and was visited by the four Monkeys of the Apocalypse :)

Lots of fun last night, looking forward to the next class on the 27th :)

Merry Christmas to you all from the Northern Monkey :)

Last night's class

 Still got a few monkeys left, so I dug deep into my festive bag of tricks and we went through another Catch submission sequence, which went down very well, plus we got in a solid hour of rolling.

More fun tomorrow night :)

Last night's class

 An evening full of firsts last night at SW19, the Northern Monkey going deep into the old school teaching guard passes, sweeps and leg locks never been shown before on the London mats :)

Last night's class

 December is always a quiet month here in London, with my foreign students going back home abroad for Christmas, whilst other students go back to family in the UK.

That said, we still managed double figures last night :)

Wimbledon BJJ's newest recruit!

 Received this heart-warming photograph today from Tilly Hunt's father Jason, a beaming smile from a young girl who's been through hell this year, proudly showing off her patch and coaster, an official member of the club :)

Tilly Hunt Charity Seminar

Had a brilliant day out yesterday at West Midlands Aikido HQ in Walsall, helping raise money for two worthy causes, who have been very supportive to young Tilly, as she underwent aggressive chemotherapy earlier this year to treat a brain tumour.

For me, it was back on with a white belt, as I did three sessions of Aikido with instructors Jason Hunt, Tilly's dad, Pete Bates and Richard Power. My training partner for most of the sessions was Nick Ronin, an Aikido black belt, with wrists and forearms of steel, as are all Aikido black belts. 

He put me through the mill, twisting me up, locking me up and getting me on my toes and in return made me look like a black belt rolling at the right time. Thanks mate :)

My good friend Lucci Del Gaudio shared the mats and showed some Combat Jiu Jitsu and I ended the day with some Jiu Jitsu, Northern Monkey style.

We had a raffle at the end and I won a HUGE bag of sweet and at the end of the day we raised a grand total of £555, to be split between two charities, PASIC and Young Lives vs Cancer.

Last night's class

 Great fun last night over at SW19, an evening packed full of submissions, Catch style...everyone left the class walking an inch or two taller ;)

My new sponsors :)

 I have two passions in life, Jiu Jitsu and Wetherspoons, so what better way to show my love of socialising in the Spoons after our Saturday sessions than with a finely crafted patch, from my good friend Kevin Herbert at Osss Patch UK :)

Last night's class

 Another solid session with the monkeys last night, great to see things starting to click for a couple of the white belts, as they pull off submissions they have been struggling with the last few weeks. The smiles on their faces are priceless and they now have passed a crossing they've been stuck at and are in cruise control for the time being :)

Photos from the Japanese Martial Arts Show

 Was really nice to finally to get to meet most of the people in these photos, plus getting back on the mats with my old Judo coach George Launders at the Japanese Martial Arts Show :)

With George Launders

With Mark "Guvna' Watson

With Mike Shelton

With Matt Stait

With Sue King and Craig Lawson

With Sue King

With Sue King, George Launders and Craig Lawson

Northern Monkey Highlight Reel!

Huge thanks to my student George who surprised with this little video last week, really brightened my day...never had one done before, mainly because I have no idea hot to make one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk6k_sbR2co

Last night's class

 Another solid session in the bag last night over at SW19...now the training camp has finished, I treated the monkeys to some Catch submissions and submissions using the lapels. Lots of fun had by all!

Japanese Martial Arts Show - instructors photo

 Some of the instructors that where at the Japanese Martial Arts Show, quite a few years experience between us all, plus the odd aching joint or three :)

A seventh, eighth and tenth Dan among others in the photo...

Last night's class

 Another solid session over at SW19, everyone starting to get the hang of the back attack system :)

Outstanding Contributions Award!

 Very honoured and humbled to have been given an award for outstanding contributions to martial arts at the Japanese Martial Arts Show on Saturday.

I've never been recognised like this before, so this award is very special for me and I was there to witness a lot of other high ranking martial artists getting their awards for outstanding contributions and lifetime achievement wards too.

Plus, it's very rare to see me in long trousers ;)

Japanese Martial Arts Show!

 Back home now after a superb event in Wolverhampton yesterday, a very long day from 10am until 11pm, combining a day of world class martial arts seminars across three mats, as well as displays and a fantastic evening session, with more displays, a three course meal and free beer and presentations celebrating life time achievements, outstanding contributions and rising stars.

Lucci, Nick and their team did a sterling job of hosting this event and getting so many quality instructors all together under one roof :)

Looking forward to the next one in April :)

My 230pm slot on Mat 1 :)

Good luck at the English Open lads!

 Last night was the last session of our English Open training camp, with two students competing in the white belt division at the weekend...the first part of the class went into detail on the concepts left behind Demian Maia and then the lads were thoroughly shark tanked and are as ready as they'll ever be, come the weekend.

Sadly I won't be there, but they'll have my assistant instructor and a few students to help cheer them on.

Good luck lads!

Stripes and belt upgrade last night!

 HUGE congrats to brothers Alex and Alvaro on their well earned stripes and new belt :)

First time I've given out a grey/white belt and the first time I've had to stripe a wrist, now I know who it was that left their belt behind after class a few weeks ago :)

Last night's class

 Another solid turnout last night, as we started to go over the gold left behind from the Demian Maia seminars last week :)

Demian Maia group pix and video!

 Nothing but good vibes and a full house on all three seminars at London Fight Factory with Demian Maia :)

Demian Maia at LFF - Day 3!

 Three days of absolute world class Jiu Jitsu training in the bag, from the Jiu Jitsu wizard Demian Maia :)

The mats were flowing with positive energy on all three days, as Demian left us with a huge amount of concepts and techniques on taking the back, controlling the back and finishing the back, backed up with video footage of Demian in action, practising what he preaches.

My students and I absolutely loved it, as did everyone else and we were very sorry for it all to come to an end, looking forward to drilling it all out and remembering as much as I cancme Monday night :)

Demian Maia at LFF - Day 2!

Another awesome of evening of game changing Jiu Jitsu, No Gi style with Demian Maia last night at London Fight Factory :)