I just added my match against Dan Doerner from the 8 man pro invite division at the Extreme Grappling Open on August 9th, 2008. Check it out on my Competition Video page! And, if you haven’t already signed up for my blog make sure you do! You’ll get email notifications every time I make new posts on competitions, real estate projects, nightlife, etc!
Keep on rollin’!
This past weekend I had the opportunity to compete against an incredible athlete, brown belt Jon Meyer. At 190 lbs, Meyer’s defeated some great fellow competitors out there. I must admit, I was a little nervous to give up that much weight (I weigh 160 lbs), but, it ended up working to my advantage–I won the match 5-2!
When the match began I knew I was going to have my hands full with Jon’s size and strength advantage. His grips were insane! I hadn’t felt functional strength like that in some time on the competitive platform. I knew I was going to have to rely on speed and technique to win.
Just a quick recap of the match:
Sorry there’s no video available for this match…I hope the recap helps! I must admit, I’m more proud of this win then I am most. Jon’s beaten some big names out there and proved to be an incredibly tough opponent. I’m sure we’ll have the opportunity to compete against each other again.
Remember, hard work always beats talent when talent refuses to work hard!
P.S. Be sure to check out BJJSchool.com for awesome video techniques! It’s the only place on the web that you can get blue through black belt video curriculum for only $9.99/mo! And…you have 30 days absolutely FREE just to try it out!!!
If you haven’t already heard, 4th St Live will, for the first time, host live MMA fights right in the heart of downtown Louisville, KY. This means big things for MMA in Louisville!
Bellator (the event host) is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in MMA. This event is sure to take the Mixed Martial Arts scene in Louisville to a new level!
The event starts at 7 PM and tickets are only $15 if you get them in advance ($25 at the door). Contact me at dreilly@bjjschool.com for more info on advance tickets!
Be sure to stick around for the official after party hosted by Shane Messer and I at the Sports and Social Club right in the heart of 4th St. You get FREE admission to the after party (which starts immediately after the fights) with your ticket to the fights! You don’t want to miss our sexy co host, Stacy Keibler!
Contact me at dreilly@bjjschool.com for more info!
Nothing is more frustrating then hitting a “wall” in your training. The sad realty in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is that most people quit long before they ever earn their very first belt promotion! And, the stats for drop outs are even more staggering after the blue belt level! Why is that?
I think there are several reasons. First, it seems that today’s society is, by and large, lethargic and generally apathetic. They’re not use to having to put hard work into anything. And, as you BJJ enthusiasts know, becoming a great grappler requires hard work and dedication!
Assuming your already a hard worker, another potential pitfall competitors experience is hitting a training “wall.”
I’ve been training in BJJ for over seven (7) years now. Throughout those seven years I’ve felt numerous times that my game wasn’t getting any better. I found myself frustrated and upset that some of my classmates appeared to be getting better (and even surpassing me) while I was stuck making the same mistakes over and over again.
So, how do you push through these inevitable plateaus? Step 1, don’t quit! It sounds simple in theory doesn’t it? That’s because, in theory, it is. It’s a matter of making up your mind and vowing to NEVER quit!
Step 2, find an alternative informational source that offers valuable insight into training routines. Sometimes, simply finding an outside info source to supplement class instruction can drastically improve your game and mindset.
I personally use www.bjjschool.com for additional training info. I find they take all the basic bjj concepts and break them up into easy to understand, step by step moves. Plus, they allow you to try it out for your first 30 days free. In my opinion, it’s a no brainer.
I hope this quick blog on training walls has helped. As always, remember to keep on pushing through the press…in the end, hard work always beats talent when talent refuses to work hard!
See you on the mat!
Check out bjjschool.com!!! The site finally went live today and we’re letting everyone try it FREE for the first 30 days!!! Go to www.bjjschool.com and click on the “FREE Trial” icon to get started! After your FREE trial it’s only $9.99 per month!!!
I finally got my brown belt from Shawn Hammonds Sunday April 25th. It was an incredibly emotional belt test for me. For those of you that aren’t familiar with BJJ belt testing, allow me to fill you in.
First, you have to demonstrate your ability to defeat most of the competitors at your current belt level. I recently took home the silver medal at the Pan American Championships so I had pretty much achieved that. Second, you have to undergo a 25 minute mental/physical endurance test where you fight everyone on class without rest. The only stipulation–you can’t quit. Finally, once “belted,” you have to crawl on your hands and knees while everyone in class gets to whip you with their belts.
To some this may sound barbaric. In my eyes, it makes it all worthwhile.
If that weren’t enough, Shawn gave me his brown belt. The one he received from Lloyd Irvin several years ago. This is about the highest honor you can receive from your coach. It meant the world to me.
