GSP in print and on DVD

Another really good magazine has hit the stands geared towards MMA conditioning and training. This is the premier issue of "Train Hard Fight Easy" featuring an in depth interview with GSP and his trainers. The article is written by UFC commentator Joe Rogan and explores GSP's training with side bar interviews of his coaches. Ironically, GSP claims he only does olympic lifts once a week, all the rest of his conditioning occurs through sparring, wrestling and pad work. No crossfit, no circuits and no roadwork. He says the footage of him on Spike; waking up early to run through the snow laden streets of Montreal was just done to make the prefight documentary more interesting.

This is interesting since GSP is the spokesperson for a new DVD series called Rushfit. The DVD's are similar to Beachbodys P90X but feature more MMA specific drills. I bought the series which was developed by BJJ practioner Eric Owings. I have been doing the workouts inbetween my BJJ classes for the past few weeks. So far I am really happy with the workouts, I wanted a functional training program as opposed to just strength training. I like to train exercises that will direclty help me move better in BJJ. These workouts are geared for metabolic conditioning including lots of level changes, sprawls, burpees, air squats, hindu pushups, getups, plyometrics etc... The seven discs consist of five, 5 minute rounds and some of the rounds are dedicated completely to BJJ drills. The price of the collection is only 89.99 which is a fair price.

Back to the magazine, it is nice to see a new magazine emerge that has tons of content and a nice layout. I used to buy alot of different magazines on all sorts of topics but lately the competition from the internet is driving them out of business. Some that are still on the news stands tend to be more advertisments than information. This magazine is the opposite, it is full of content that covers topics important to BJJ trainees such as routines, sleep, diet, training and articles by an A-list of MMA coaches. Check it out.

Posted by Tom

Never Give Up!

by Jen

I heard this old folklore tale over a year ago and it has stuck with me since. It applies to challenges I’ve had personally, professionally and in my training. I love it – enjoy!

Frog in a Milk-Pail

A frog was hopping around a farmyard, when it decided to investigate the barn. Being somewhat careless, and maybe a little too curious, he ended up falling into a pail half-filled with fresh milk.

As he swam about attempting to reach the top of the pail, he found that the sides of the pail were too high and steep to reach. He tried to stretch his back legs to push off the bottom of the pail but found it too deep.

But this frog was determined not to give up, and he continued to struggle.He kicked and squirmed and kicked and squirmed, until at last, all his churning about in the milk had turned the milk into a big hunk of butter.The butter was now solid enough for him to climb onto and get out of the pail!

"Never Give Up!"

I haven’t posted in a while. Life has been super busy. We celebrated my mother-in-law’s 80th, my 40th and now, this weekend, we’ll celebrate Logan’s 14th. Birthdays, the beginning of the school year, extracurricular activities, and, professionally, the arrival of fundraising season have all quickly taken over my life. I’m still trying to adapt to that new balancing act. But, I'll "Never Give Up,"- especially the training. That helps me keep up with the rest.

You can

By Jen

We’re training hard for the Miami open – 6 weeks to go. My biggest hurdle is a mental one - finding my belief in my abilities. Marcelo recognizes this even when I don’t and, consequently, I received more coaching last week. I’m feeling better so far, but I’m beginning to think that this will be my personal battle every time I’m on the mat. Now that I know that, I can work on overcoming it.

I once read that coaches are there to encourage, motivate and inspire. We’re lucky to have found a coach who does just that. Marcelo constructively shows us our weaknesses and motivates us to overcome them. He’s constantly challenging us to get better and to push our limits. It's our job as students to listen and learn. It's only personal in that he is trying to bring us to our personal best.

I’m looking forward to competing on October 23rd and to sharing the day with my Nova Uniao South Florida teammates. Some of us will be returning from last year and some will be competing for the first time. Win or lose, we will be out there doing our best and making each other proud.

"The only one who can tell you 'you can't ' is you. And you don't have to listen."- Nike

First Day – Time to Rebalance

By Jen

First day of school AND the first day of Tom’s return to work. Our lives are about to be filled with homework, field trips, scouts, Sunday school and more.

When Tom lost his job more than a year ago we were forced to take hard look at our budget and determine what could stay and what had to go. BJJ was a non-issue – we knew it had to stay. Going to class was what kept us going on some of those stressful days. We’d rather do without the vacations, dinners out and trips to the movies then give up our time on the mats. How fortunate that as a family we agreed.

I’m thrilled that Tom is back to work. Although, admittedly, it was a huge help to have him more available to manage the day to day needs of the kids. It will take some shifting and balancing to keep all of the activities going as he returns to the workforce. Fortunately, we’re blessed with his mother who generously helps us balance it all.

Today brings new changes. We’ll need to plan, stay organized, remain flexible and be a little creative, but we’ll make it work. With all that we have going on we know that we’ll still need our time on the mat to keep us going. It’s just a matter of staying committed - and with our love for BJJ – that’s easy!

The empty cup

You actually have an advantage if you are new to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and have never trained in another martial art. That might sound strange but it is true. It is better to come in with the mindset of a little child, eager to learn and without preconceived ideas of how to fight. You will learn faster because you are a clean slate.

The instructor does not have to correct bad habits you might of picked up trying to teach yourself by watching YouTube, MMA or from wrestling with your friends in the backyard. The same goes for traditional martial arts like Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Wrestling or Kung Fu. While these arts do give someone a good mental and physical foundation for training, they some time contradict the motions found in Jiu Jitsu. Example: Wrestlers never want to be fighting while laying on thier back, a BJJ practioner actually attacks while on lying on their back. Take downs found in Kung Fu, Karate and Judo usually emphasize only the opponent being thrown down to the ground, in BJJ the take downs envole both individuals going to the mat leaving the BJJ practioner in a superior position on the ground.

Coming in with an open mind is the biggest advantage for the new person. In contrast, someone who starts BJJ and thinks they know everything is very difficult to instruct. Like a popular Zen proverb states "their cup is already full.

The proverb: A Japanese master received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. The master poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”
Like this cup, the master said, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?

Posted by Tom

Family, Faith, Friends & Freedom
by Jennifer Stewart

This sign has hung above our kitchen table for more than 4 years now. Each word reflects the foundation on which we have built our family. The sign hangs in the most popular spot in the house and serves as a constant reminder to us, and to all who visit, of the guiding values of our family.

Ironically, each of these “F” words also relate to how training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has strengthened our family.

FAMILY - The ability to train as a family and share a common interest has been good for us. We’re fortunate in that we all share the love of spending time on the mats.

FAITH – Honestly, I struggled with this one so I’m personalizing it to me. In order to keep balanced I need to make time to train and to spend time in my faith. Both are essential for me to live a happy life and to be successful in all of the other areas. I’d love to hear your ideas on how you see the two tying in.

FRIENDS - Our school, Nova Uniao South Florida, promotes a team atmosphere where we support one another in and out of class. I know with all of my heart that we have found lifelong friends in our coach, Marcelo Meleiro, and training partners.

FREEDOM - Training jiu jitsu allows you to be free from fear by building your self confidence.

Also, training allows a freedom from predetermined stereotypes of what a woman should and shouldn’t do. You can be strong without losing your femininity. The sport proves that you don’t have to be the biggest or strongest to be successful. It’s a matter of technique.

Lastly, all members of our family are free to train. The sports is popular for men, however, me, as a woman, my daughter as a teenage girl, and my young son, are also all welcomed and encouraged to participate.

I remember how nervous I was at my first class. At the end, one of the students shook my hand and said “Welcome, come back again.” I doubt that he even knows the impact of those words. That short statement made me feel like I did belong.

If I could add one more “F” word to the equation, I’d add FITNESS. Jiu Jitsu is like no other work out that I’ve experienced. Regular training can help you lose weight, build conditioning, increase your flexibility and tone your body. We all benefit from the regular exercise that is always intense, and never boring.

For all of these reasons, I would encourage any family thinking about training to check it out. It very well could change your lives for the better.