Introduce myself.

Hi Guys. I say that confidently like I know people will be reading this even though I kind of doubt it. This is the first and introductory blog that I will be writing on my favourite sport and pastime, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.


First I'll explain a little about how I got into BJJ. I have to admit to having a bit of a stereotypical reason for originally finding the the Martial Art Form of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu interesting. Back in about 1999 I borrowed a video (yes, video) off of my mate Dave (yes we've all got one). This video was the about the second Vale Tudo Tournament, an eight fighter elimination tournament focusing in part on the time leading up to the tournament of one Mr Rickson Gracie. Now although impressive of physique he was no where near the largest person with regards to stature standing in the ring during that competition introduction. And yet the video was promoting Rickson as the winner of the last tournament, back to defend his title. Looking at some of the other competitors, and coming from a lifetime of believing that the Heavyweight boxing champion of the World was the best fighter in the world (yeah I know, I was stupid), I thought this was gonna be one of those stories where the guy loses of something.

How wrong could I be? Through the video it also showed scenes of a young American Kickboxer called Todd Hayes who obviously, mainly through the hype of his mouthpiece manager, was regarded as a serious contender to stop Rickson gaining the title for a second year in a row. I ashamedly admit that I thought this guy was going to demolish all in his path. Rickson Gracie tore through his opponents, controlling them, then submitting them easily without getting a mark on him. The little guy, Yuki Nakai, who Rickson fought in the final looked like a blood splattered scene from a horror film with one eye swollen up so he could barely see out of it. And Rickson was unmarked. Both had fought 2 fighters before this. Only Rickson had dominated his opponents, Nakai had recieved much damage a won with last ditch submission efforts.

Seeing Rickson dominate his opponents on the ground and submit them all, my first introduction to submissions outside of the laughable "sleeper" attempts and such the like employed in Wrestling, I wanted to learn more. Unfortunately, back then the internet was only just taking of its training wheels and I wasn't one of the people blessed with a connection so all I could do was ask around and check the yellow pages to find there were no BJJ or even TJJ classes local to where I grew up. Dream crushed.

It wasn't until I had moved, got married, had a kid, gone through six jobs and 3 cars that I finally got in a profession where I had free time in the evenings and was in a place where I could do something. It was also around this time that I'd rekindled my yearning for BJJ after finally managing to find a Sky channel that showed MMA matches. So in early 2008 I checked the information highway for any local Jiu Jitsu classes and found one on a Thursday down in Burnham on Sea just a few miles away from where I live. A quick email to the instructor and I was on my journey. It should be worth explaining at this point that I was a brutally out of shape 15 stone 4 ex chef who hadn't done any serious cardiovascular activity for many many years.

March 2008 I had my first Traditional Jiu Jitsu class in King Alfred Sport Centre, Burnham on Sea with the Somerset Jiu Jitsu Alliance under instructor Ian Rossiter and his ever present assistant instructor Gary Davies. They were/are both Black Belts in Traditional JJ with Ian being a fourth dan and Gary a second, but their lessons tended to lean away from traditional standards and veer more towards BJJ lessons. Ian and Gary were both, at that time, Purple Belts in BJJ and their affection had been leaning toward the ground elements of the Brazilian art form which was reflected in their methods of teaching. Classes always began with the traditional warm up, stretches and break fall practice, usually including some sort of novelty warm exercise too, and then started with some kind of stand up technique with a throw or takedown or two and then we went on to the ground techniques. We usually covered about 3 or 4 ground techniques with repeated drilling and then we rolled. Now coming back to my first lesson I remember when Ian told everyone to get a drink and get ready for rolling I had no idea what he was talking about. When I asked he explained that everyone takes part in the sparring at the end to which my ass nearly fell out. I said "what? this is only my first lesson". To which someone told me not to worry as no one would come in too hard on a new guy. True to their word everybody I rolled with that day was really easy on me and generally just tried to show me some techniques and ways of getting out of them in lieu of any real sparring.

I left that day feeling totally exhausted, aching like crazy and craving more as if it was the best new drug on the market. My body has never hurt so much as it did the three days after that lesson. It was nearly a deal killer. My body was regretting it, my wife was telling me I was crazy to do it again if it made me hurt so much and it drove home just how completely unfit I was. In fact thinking back to it I'm surprised I ever went back. But I did cause I loved it.

Continued next time.