A HUGE Day ...

Flew into Vegas again from San Fransisco yesterday afternoon. I hit the mat with a few Blue Belt candidates for an evaluation and testing before hitting the pillow for the night. Today I ran a huge class of UFAF Black Belts through six hours of MMA training.
I had the privilege and honour of being engaged to design the new third degree Black Belt requirements for UFAF – and the final touches were put on this work this week. The end result is a condensed, easily transmittable and highly effective MMA-based syllabus. All Black Belts are to be provided with a manual for reference (loads of pics and detailed descriptions of techniques and training drills – along with a logging section for rep-accountability) and accompanying I-POD movie files for those more visually inclined. I am very happy with the way it has turned out.
The day was spent running everyone through the material in good detail. I also placed a fair amount of emphasis on the underlying teaching methodologies to aid in dissemination throughout the organization - a long but fruitful day.
It's just hitting midnight and I am still up - busy converting several dozen video clips that I took earlier this evening to be supplied (tomorrow) to all of the Black Belts as IPOD video files t assist in their ownership of the new material. I need to convert the large vid clips down to smaller files so they can be burn't to a singe Cd - I do not foresee much sleep tonight.
A bit more work tomorrow, followed by the formal UFAF dinner and award ceremonies – unfortunately I don’t even own a suit – but I think I have built up some ‘forgiveness credits’ with everyone there over the years – so it’s jeans and shirt one more time …. uncouth Australian!
I’ll be heading back home on Sunday night … although I have had a great time meeting up with my many good friends here – I do miss my family and students; looking forward to being back home for a bit.
I've included a pic of one of todays lessons - and another of myself and legendary Chip Wright - one of America's best point contact fighters - a truly great martial artist. Back to work ...
Best wishes all,
JBW

A Pleasant Day

It was nice to have a day off in San Fransisco with y mate Dave. An easy day - I slept in after a good nights sleep - we had a late breakfast, took in a movie and then headed over to Berkeley to give a lesson to MMA legend, Jake Shields (see pic). I started out by running Jake through a series of training drills designed to better connect up his newly developed kicking skills with some strong double, single and high-c shoots' - we finished off with some work from the butterfly guard and an attack series from the Mount. Jake's an excellent athlete and a quick study - a pleasure t train.
After a relatively early dinner of sushi - Dave and I parted company until the morning when we head to the airort to fly back to Vegas to start working with Chuck Norris's Black Belts.
Time for one more blog before I get on my flight back to Australia ..
Stay well.
JBW

Struggles in Seattle

After saying goodbye to my family in vegas, David and I boarded a flight for Seattle. He wasn't feeling well, and was starting to shiver and cough as the flight took off. By the time we landed in Seattle, David was really sick. We were picked up (at midnight) by Black Belt student and good friend Brian Johnson. In my efforts to see David out of the airport, I left one of my bags on the luggage conveyor - the first of several hiccups ...
We installed ourselves at Brian's apartment - and hoped for a better start the next morning.
David deteriorated badly through the night, by next morning he was delirious and lapsing into unconciousness. We had Brian take him to the hospital, where he was treated with an intravenous drip. I then headed out to Kirkland to teach seminar at our friend Korbett's school. See attached pic of Andy Wilson (MKG Martial Arts), Korbett Miller (Millers Martial Arts), myself and Brian Johnson (Northwest BJJ).
After the seminar, we headed back to Brian's partner's house (the lovely Stacy Thrailkill) - where David had to be re-installed. He was still in a delerious state.
Next day, David still bedridden, Brian, Mike (a student of his) and I, headed out early to make the three hour drive up into Canada to run another seminar for Perry Bateson. Our troubles began at the Canadian/USA border. Border Guards asked us to step out of the car and head indoors for a 'short' interview. We were summarily interrogated for over an hour, seriously delaying our trip. Finally, and seemingly reluctantly, they allowed us into Canada.
Twenty minutes into Canada, we ran into some serious traffic problems. People were out of their cars, throwing frisbees - not a good sign. We turned to the faithful GPS, found an alternate route and continued on our merry way. The new route took us to a river crossing that was facilitated by a ferry service - we joined the queue as the twenty odd cars in front of us drove onto the ferry - you may have guessed by now - the car in front of us made it on, but we were stopped. Full ferry!
We finally arrived at Perry's school and hour and a quarter late. Neverthless, after apologies, I ran a three hour seminar that everyone seemed to enjoy. The drive home was easy - and ironically, the border-crossing back into the USA was nothing more than a 'hello' and a friendly smile - easy!
We arrived back at Stacy's place to a home-cooked meal - thanks Stacy!!! We gulped it down while watching UFC 100. A nice end to a long and 'bumpy' day.
This morning, with David slowly on the mend, I headed to Brian's mat. After spending an hour with Brian, Korbett and Andy, I taught a three hour seminar to around 30 of Brian's students. What a great bunch! If you are ever in Seattle, and into BJJ, head to Brian's school. BTW - he is the world no-gi silver medallist - and three-time winner of Grapplers Quest - has not been scored on in his last 14 matches and won all by submission. And that is only a small snapshot of his resume - he is a great competitor - and more importantly to me - a great friend!
Another home-cooked meal tonight, freed me up to do the last minute touch-ups on Chuck Norris's 3rd degree Black Belt Curriculum - a fairly large task. I have just e-mailed the document off for printing in time for next friday's training session in vegas where I will be taking his black belts through the entire program.
Time for some sleep - and a check-up on David. I'm hoping he will be fit for travel back to San Fransisco tomorrow - as was our plan. We may yet have to stay here - not a scary prospect, considering Brian and Stacy's heartwarming hospitality.
Stay well,
JBW

Strengths & Weaknesses

On any good mat, it soon becomes clear what each of our strengths and weaknesses are. It becomes obvious because our weaknesses betray us and we pay the price of tapping. Our strengths are also obvious because they become self-evident by allowing us to succeed and better control the fight. In life outside of the mat – our strengths may be evident but our weaknesses are often far less apparent.
In life, our weaknesses, those things we are not so good at, can be very easily overlooked. They are sometimes, brought to our attention by friends and loved ones, but on many other occasions, they are not … our friends and loved ones can far more easily ‘let it slide’ and we therefore continue on our merry way, in blissful ignorance. On the mat, we would have tapped – but in life, we often fail to modify our ‘game’ and make the same mistakes, again and again.
Just like on game on the mat, it takes courage to re-invent our game off the mat. It’s almost always far less traumatic to keep doing what we are doing – and stay in the well-understood confines of our personal comfort zones. It takes care and courage to have honest talks with our friends and family in a way that exposes our or their weaknesses. But this is all a part of what constitutes ‘closeness’ when it comes to family or friends – the ability to ‘open up’ and expose personal weakness. In doing so, we open ourselves to the possibility of growth. But just like on the mat – this process is not for everyone – we have to be able to take the ‘bad’ with the ‘good’ – as each of us are replete with both strength and weakness.
Re-invention is a process – it can often be a bit of a roller coaster ride; and like a roller coaster ride – it can be scary at the outset – but you always feel beter for having done it.
Warm regards
JBW

Right Cross to set up a High-C

Here's a quick clip from the vegas Supershow - I do a 30 second demonstration of how to use a right cross to set up a High Crotch entry to the Double Leg.
Hope you like it.
JBW

Vegas Update

The Las Vegas Martial Arts Supershow has come to an end - and what a crazy three days.
My good friend Dave Meyer and I (along with my wife Melissa and boy Felix) have been up early each day, manning our booth/mat.
A few snippets:

- End of first day, we attended the conventions evening event which featured speaker/motivator Tony Robbins. it was an interesting two hours - for sure. Am glad we did it; although a little too EVANGELICAL for my liking, with the masterful Robbins yelling 'give me a YES' every two minutes and the audience responding with complete delight. The funniest moment of the evening was when Robbins had the 2000 strong audience repeating one of his mantra's - "WE ARE LEADERS - WE WILL NOT FOLLOW!' - which was obviously quite ironic - but the funny part was when my nine year old boy pointed this put by saying - 'Dad, Americans are weird - because they ARE all FOLLOWING!' A dozen people around us hear the comment - but fortunately they were all nice and saw the funny side of it. Personally I hope they got his point - David commented succinctly, saying 'Flawless logic!' and gave Felix a pat on the head. It was a good night though and Robbins did have some interesting things to say before he hit the sales pitch for his next life-changing extravaganza. He is a masterful communicator, very, very good at his job.

- Second day, sleep-deprived and still jetlagged - I manned the booth with the help of David and student Jeff Robison and taught on the mat all day. Many school owners bought my professional MMA Curriculum - so that was nice. I also made a few new friends, like the wonderful Riccardo Liborio, owner of American Top Team and legendary Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coach. I also caught up with some old friends including - Benny the Jet, Fariborz Ahzhak, Tom Callos and many others. There are hundreds of schools throughout the USA that use my BJJ curriculum and so I spent a lot of the day meeting, greeting and posing for snapshots. That evening, I ran a three hour seminar on Designing MMA Drills and Super-coaching Strategies (a huge success) so it wasn't until nearly midnight that I got a chance to sit down for a bite to eat. A long day.

- Third day, more of the same. I was engrossed in teaching on the mat when suddenly something heavy and Brazilian leap't onto my back. After dislodging my stealthy opponent and engaging him, I realized it was my long time friend Renzo Gracie. I first met him back in Brazil in '87, when Rigan and Jean Jacques Machado were co-owners of Gracie Barra. it was so nice to catch up with him for a bit - he is a wonderful guy and a great ambassador for Jiu Jitsu. He invited me out to teach some classes at his academy in New York - one of the most successful schools in America. I must do that someday; I really like Renzo! Finally, the show came to an end. SO farewells were made and I headed out to dinner with family and a couple of friends. Tomorrow, sadly, Melissa and Felix head back to LA and onward to Melbourne, while I head north to Seattle and Vancouver for more seminars before coming back to Vegas next week to take all of Chuck Norris's Black Belts through their new 3rd degree black belt syllabus.

Time to get some sleep - and catch up on some e-mails. Stay well all - back for more soon.
JBW

LA - 10 hours on the run

Arrived in Los Angeles - leapt off the plane - out of the airport to be picked up by my long time martial arts friend Dick Treanor. We headed to West Hollywood to pick up my wife and son fro Rigan Machado's house - bug hugs all round - and then a sprint to Universal Studios. We did that in three and a half hours (some kind of world record I'm sure) - then back to San Pedro (way south of LA) to drop of Melissa and Felix at Dick's place before he and I drove onward to the Huntington Beach Krav Maga centre. Caught up with Beau Durocher, another long time friend, who runs the school - and hit the mat for three hours of training. See the embedded vid clip for a glimpse of some of the action. What a fantastic group they were to train - congrats Beau for establishing such a wonderful culture on your mat. I hope to get back there again next year.
Back home around 11pm - four hours sleep - then up to write this blog before waking everyone up for the trip back to the airport where the journey continues to Vegas.
Be well - all!