Rickson Gracie Article Translated: Part 2-B

Article Translation:
400 Undefeated Fights! A Special Interview (Part 2) with legendary Martial Artist: Rickson Gracie! 


- What has been Lost in the Current State of Martial Arts -

"There are very few fighters who were 
brought up on and continue to walk 
along a path I feel proud of."
Photo by Takahiro Kohara

Rickson: For the spectators the fights would seem very exciting. 


However, MMA's transformation into the ultimate sport has resulted in the loss of many artistic elements. Even if there are still elements of this left right now, this element is destined to fade away in the near future. 


It's as though the Roman Gladiators have come back into existence in the 21st Century and as a result, given birth to one of the most stimulating and ultimate spectator sports. Things are certainly within legal limits, and I won't go as far as saying it's barbaric. However, I also feel it's extreme and radical nature might have cast a shadow over the artistic elements of martial arts. 


I have no intention of concluding that this is a bad thing.


People who have sought out the ultimate form of entertainment will most certainly be entertained as a result of this paradigm shift in Mixed Martial Arts.  Within this there exists a great deal of fascination that allures people in.  


For example, most people would stand and watch if two cab drivers started arguing in the middle of the street. They may stop their cars or break from their work to observe the development and want to know the outcome. Many people are drawn to acts of reckless or dangerous violence. 


The way fighters are, the beauty of Martial Arts, and the artistic nature of fighting has completely changed. There are very few fighters who were brought up on and continue to walk along a path I feel proud of.   


Nowadays, as the risks of martial arts events have increased, fighters take on fights for prize money. The prize money has rapidly gone up. As spectator numbers swell, the content will become exceedingly extreme to fuel the people's excitement. 

Up Next Part 2-C: "I would like people to learn Jiu-Jitsu, just as they would learn the piano or the violin."

Article Source:

http://diamond.jp/articles/-/9562?page=2

Translation by:

Eliot Kelly 

Eliot Kelly 

El Dorado Hills Jiu Jitsu
"Read, Share, Train, Adapt!"

Rickson Gracie Article Translated: Part 2-A

Article Translation:

400 Undefeated Fights! The legendary Martial Artist
Rickson Gracie Special Interview (2)
"What has been Lost in Present Day Martial Arts"
An interview with Rickson Gracie brought to you in a four part series. In part two, we will find out what the legendary Martial Artist thinks about the current state of Martial Arts as well as his commentary on what Jiu-Jitsu means.

Q: In part one we heard your thoughts on the "Japanese people," what are your thoughts on the current state of Martial Arts ?

Rickson Gracie
Born: Nov. 21, 1959
Country: Brazil
Jiu-Jitsu Practitioner

Rickson: Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) originated as a battle ground for a variety of different Martial Arts. The reason my brother put together the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships) was to prove that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was the most dominant form of Martial Arts.

As these types of fight promotions continued to move forward, fighters began to take on a comprehensive approach to training. Fighters well versed in striking began to develop their grappling skills, and fighters well versed in grappling began to improve their striking skills.

Much of Martial Arts has followed this trend, and these days everyone seems to have the same style of fighting. As a result of intertwining all these styles of martial arts and techniques, the most important element has become the fighter himself.

Q: Ultimately it comes down to how good the individual is, right?
Rickson: Exactly. Mixed Martial Arts has become the ultimate new sport. Limitations on movement, rules, regulations, and technique don't seem as restricted as in the past. Therefore, it's a battle to see how strong the individual can become.

The match is decided by these elements; How strong you are, how resilient you are, how fast you are, and how efficient you are.

Mixed Martial Arts has come down the defining the individual. I say this because no one is capable of learning all these skills within different disciplines of Martial Arts.

Up Next Part (2-B): "Being a Fighter, the Beauty of Hand-to-Hand Combat and the artistic nature has completely changed."



Article Source:
http://diamond.jp/articles/-/9562

Translation by:
Eliot Kelly

Eliot Kelly 

www.edhbjj.com

"Read, Learn, Share, Train"

Rickson Gracie Article Translated: Part 1-D

Article Translation:
400 Undefeated Fights! A Special Interview with legendary martial artist Rickson Gracie.
"Winning is not the most important thing, rather, it is important to NEVER BE DEFEATED."

"From the moment you are born things don't
go the way you expect them to.  It's a continuous
cycle of competition"
Photo by Takahiro Kohara

Q: A life that serves no value to anyone else has no value.

Rickson: When trying to communicate this idea, first I always ask this question. "What is the most important thing to you?"
      Then, everyone starts thinking. I hear all these different answers like, family, success, work, health, and I feel the one's who include "My" at the the front of all these responses are headed down the right path. If you are thinking about something aside from yourself, then at some point you've lost confidence in yourself. You lack the purpose to live for yourself.
     First, you need to become the best you can be. Then you will be able to do something for others. Finally you can go beyond the frame of "me," and serve as a valuable person to someone else.
     A life that serves no value to anyone else has no value. People who only think about themselves, who won't move an inch to help someone else, are just plain selfish. However, building up your strength to eventually help someone is a noble cause. That's why you give yourself priority.
     What could you possibly do for your family by living a stressful life, always being tense and nervous, or disliking what you have to do?
     Are you really of value to your friends and those who you love? Are you able to perform at work? I'm sure if you just kept forcefully trudging forward you would eventually end up collapsing and breaking down.
     If the readers of my book could follow these ideas and become "Modern Day Warriors," I would be very pleased.

Q: So, What are some rules you need to follow to progress as a victorious "Modern Day Warrior?"

Rickson: Well, to attain the power invisible to the eye, you must refine your senses, dedicate yourself, choose the right path as a person, and closely examine things. Understand the circumstances and set up an appropriate plan of attack. You need to attain what you want, and clear the way to find your destiny. What you want, you need to go and get by yourself, without depending on any type of luck.
     From the moment you are born, things in life don't go the way you expect them to. life's a continuous cycle of competition.
     Even a 2 year old, if they had a 3 year old brother, would get into a tiff taking each others small game or toy. Starting from earning the rights to sit in the passenger seat, countless amounts of matters require competition and are settled as a result of some type of quarrel.
     For an only child, the first few years may be rather peaceful, but once they start going to school they will eventually realize that they need to get in line just like everyone else. They will realize that they need to struggle to earn their position, struggle for mastery,  and continue to struggle within society to make that something their own.
     You need to understand your strengths, and develop an ability to comprehend our society in order to win these struggles and competitions. The initial step in becoming a "modern day warrior" is to do this.

Coming Soon! PART 2:  

"The Significance of Present Day Martial Arts and Jiu-Jitsu"

Article Source:
http://diamond.jp/articles/-/9482?page=4


Translation by:
Eliot Kelly

Eliot Kelly 

www.edhbjj.com

"Read, Share, Train, Adapt"

Rickson Gracie Article Translated: Part 1-C

Article Translation:

400 Undefeated Fights! A Special Interview with legendary martial artist Rickson Gracie.
"Winning is not the most important thing, rather, it is important to NEVER BE DEFEATED."
Part 1-C: What is this "Modern Warrior" that pursues ones' happiness?

"It isn't like I blindly follow the ideas
of Bushido (Way of the Warrior)."
Photo by Takahiro Kohara

Q: So, where can we find this answer?
Rickson: My vision of "the Modern Warrior" is a man who strives to live a just life while seeking out what he wants to obtain. All the while, never forgetting his goal of finding joy and happiness. 

     Being relentless with the idea of pursuing something you consider to bring yourself joy and happiness. 

     What's the purpose of your life if you are not pursuing something that brings you joy. Is it possible to live a fulfilled life without being happy? That's just how I feel.
     I don't get the feeling that Musashi and many other fine Samurais, who shared this common philosophy, lived a life of satisfaction.


Q: Isn't Musashi your starting point for all this? 
Rickson:  For some reason there are a lot of people who share this misunderstanding. I have always held true to the concepts of Bushido, long before ever hearing of the name Musashi. 
     I came to deeply understand Bushido and began thinking it was a wonderful after reading the book titled "Shogun" by James Clavell. Actually, it was because of this book I came to understand the Samurai. I didn't read Musashi's "Book of Five Rings" until long after that. 
     My impressions after reading Musashi's book, was that he was very heartless person. 


     He lived a detached life,  where his only aims in life were for the sake of fighting, the sake of winning, or for the sake of escaping death. He had no sense of death, while constantly fighting in battles purely for the sake of winning, as though he was a machine designed to fight. 
     As a result, I can't sympathize with him.


Q: So, your reason for fighting isn't "to win" ?
Rickson: I fought for a much greater reason, for example, to please and bring joy to my family. Additionally, being able to freely demonstrate some high level technique and skill gave me great joy. I stood in front of many opponents, left plenty of accolades from those battles and have created a tradition all because I was pursuing happiness.
     The reason I had to climb over all the other fighters was because I was trying to achieve a rather daunting objective, happiness. 
     I do not just blindly revere the ideas of Bushido. Besides, I think it's easier to live life like the Samurai and be impervious to to your surroundings. A life where you do not prioritize yourself first is much easier to live. 
     However, if the center of the universe is not you, then you very well couldn't say it is your life that you are living. 


Up Next: (1-D) A life that serves no value to anyone else has no value.

Article Source:
http://diamond.jp/articles/-/9482?page=3


Translation by:
Eliot Kelly

Eliot Kelly

www.edhbjj.com

"Read, Share, Train, Adapt"

MS Walk in Folsom

The Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle is all about getting people involved, promoting a healthier lifestyle, and making a difference. This is a great opportunity to get involved and move your body! This blog has over 500 readers each month. Can you imagine what a difference we could make if each of us donated $1? Hope to see you in Folsom on April 30! 

Eliot Kelly

www.edhbjj.com
"Live the Jiu-Jitsu Lifestyle"

What is MS?
Our bodies are in constant motion--moving information from the brain to the body. But MS stops people from moving by attacking the myelin that protects normal nerve tissue. This damage keeps people from living smoothly, both inside and out. People with MS know something about moving that most of us don't understand: moving is not a guarantee. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. Today, new treatments and advances in research are giving new hope to people affected by the disease.
Why I Walk
I've registered to walk because 400,000 Americans are living with MS and my mom is one of them. My mom never gives up! She keeps moving and never seems to let MS keep her from doing what she wants to do. She is the rock of our family...she doesn't miss events, she loves spending time with family, and she always seems to have such an amazingly positive attitude! She visits with friends, travels, visits her much-loved horse, and still manages to get outside with the dogs. My mom reminds me to never give up and I can only hope to be half the woman she is! Each year I participate in Walk MS to honor my mom's strength and resilience and raise money for a cure! 
Why You Should Sponsor Me
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn't. The Society addresses the challenges of each person affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, collaborating with MS organizations around the world, and providing programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. In 2009 alone, through its national office and 50-state network of chapters, the Society devoted over $132 million to programs that enhanced more than one million lives. To move us closer to a world free of MS, the Society also invested nearly $36 million to support 375 research projects around the world. 
The Details
Donations can be made by checks payable to "NMSS" or online at my participant page: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/CANWalkEvents?px=3061310&pg=per

sonal&fr_id=16402
And please feel free to join us! You can join our team online or on the day of the walk. For the first time Walk MS is coming to Folsom! The walk is on Saturday, April 30th at 9am at the Folsom Premium Outlets. We would love to see you there!

Jenni Kelly

"Keep Moving!

Rickson Gracie Article Translated: Part 1-B

Article Translation:

400 Undefeated Fights! A Special Interview with legendary martial artist Rickson Gracie.
"Winning is not the most important thing, rather, it is important to NEVER BE DEFEATED."
Part 1-B: The Age of the Samurai is long over...



Q: So, you're saying that Japanese people feel they are always guarded by something right?

Rickson: Yes, but let's not get critical here. 
     Rather than just listening to their voice of reason, I would like them to be inclined to listen to what their heart is saying, even act upon those feelings they have inside them. The age of the Samurai, a time when people bowed to their enemies out of reverence, is long over.

"I feel (Samurai, pirate like Vikings)
both lifestyles are incorrect."
Photo by Takahiro Kohara

     We live in an age of freedom and internationalization. People from all over the world visit Japan, and Japanese people live abroad in many different countries. Rather than being tied down to conventions unique to Japan, go experience things and live a life filled with vigor and vitality.

Q: How should Japanese people think and act from now on?

Rickson: The important thing is to recognize and admit that you may be living a boring or inactive life. Therefore, you need to figure out how to elevate your potential emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and physically. Without knowing what you need it would be very difficult to start acting in a new way.
     It's important to think how you feel about things in addition to how you will provide for your family or your work place duties.
     What are some ways for you to take better care of yourself? Here are some examples; Bulk up a little bit,  tone your muscles, get healthier, get a girlfriend.... It's all good as long as you are able to enjoy and stimulate your self to bring about an abundance of radiance and happiness from within you.

Q: What do you think about the idea of Bushido (Way of the Warrior)?

Rickson: My thoughts on Bushido and Miyamoto Musashi have never changed. I have always had a deep sense of reverence and admiration for the Samurai's contribution to Bushido and Japanese culture. However, I don't agree with the Samurai's mentality of sacrificing yourself for the sake of serving your master. As a result, when it is all said and done, I feel there is nothing left but the prestige of being a Samurai.
     Pirates, much like the vikings, are the exact opposite. Invading other countries, raping the women, and stealing the treasures. Fighting purely for the sake of joy while only thinking about themselves. On one hand the Samurai may have taken righteous actions as humans, yet on the other hand they sacrificed their spirits by not pursuing their personal goals or their joys in life.
     I feel both ways of thinking are wrong.

Coming Next: I don't just blindly revere Bushido...

Article Source:
http://diamond.jp/articles/-/9482?page=2

Translation by:
Eliot Kelly

Eliot Kelly 

www.edhbjj.com

"Read, Share, Train, Adapt."

Rickson Gracie Article Translated: Part 1-A

Over the next couple of weeks I will bring to you a translation of a four part article featuring Rickson Gracie! Rickson Gracie is a legendary martial artist with 400 undefeated fights! This article by Diamond Co. explores Rickson's background to reveal his philosophy, thoughts, and motivation which led him to his triumphs. Also included are; his thoughts on Japan, Jiu-Jitsu, why he retired from fighting, his future goals, and life to come. All will be brought to you in a four part series. The title of the first interview:
"Winning, is not the most important thing, rather it is important to NEVER BE DEFEATED."

Rickson Gracie (Pronounced Hick-son)
 Born: November, 21 1959.
Nationality: Brazil. Jiu-Jitsu Practitioner.
Known as Prodigal master of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
after leaving a mark in history though MMA.
Established the JJFJ (Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Japan)
 and serves as the President.
Photo by Takahiro Kohara

Q: Rickson, I've heard from others that you are very pro-Japanese. 

Rickson: Ya, it's been about 15 years now since the first time I visited Japan.

Until then, I had carried several images about Japan; Bushido (the way of the warrior), Samurai, Strength, Etiquette, and the stuff invincible men had, not a single crack in mental/spiritual might. All those thoughts about Japan were in my mind.

But I was very disappointed when I came to Japan.

I definitely felt the feeling of deep respect, but I realized those feelings originated from weakness rather than physical strength or mental/spiritual might. Regardless of all the respectful moments I encountered and stern and disciplined rules I witnessed, I didn't feel the slightest bit of strength or power.

Q: How do you define "Weakness?" What do you mean by this word?

Rickson: Well, if I were to use some other words, I guess you could say it felt like people were living inside a bubble. Even though you could sense the feeling of respect, that was because people were scared of intruding on others, or because they didn't want to hear others opinion.

I love Japan! I can definitely say that about the culture. However, I do feel a little disappointed about their weakness.

For example, if you went to a Martial Arts event like my last fight at the Tokyo Dome against Funaki Masakatsu, not a single paper cup would have been found left on the floor. When there was some type of action on stage the entire crowd would gasp at the same time. Sometimes you would hear people cheer "Rickson! Rickson!" but even the timing of this could be predicted after a while.

Observing this type of scene makes me realize how safe these people must feel living inside their bubble. They should open up a little more, allow their energy to be used and put out, it makes me wonder how much happier their lives could be if they did this.

Coming Next: (Part 1-B) The Age of the SAMURAI is long over...

Article Source:

http://diamond.jp/articles/-/9482

Translation by:

Eliot Kelly 

Eliot Kelly 

www.edhbjj.com

"Read, Share, Train, Adapt!"

Technique: Passing the Guard 2

3/28/2011 ~ 4/8/2011

Our focus of the last two weeks in El Dorado Hills has been on passing the guard. Although passing the guard may appear to be as simple as stepping around the person, there are many little intricacies and tricks involved. When trying to pass the guard it is important to remember that there is an appropriate time to create space  and take away space. So many times when we are trying to pass the guard we are so preoccupied with closing the gap to... "Press! Press! Press!" Yet, you need to know how you can create space and take it way.

- PASSING - (Start from the feet, open guard)

- Control the ankles
     1. Reach across and pull the leg across
     2. Push feet up, lead with hips,  shelf and cover legs on your thigh
        - Pass to 100 kilos
        - Pass to Mount (blocking knees against mat)
        - Pass to Mount (hugging knees between legs)

- Control the knees
     1. Jump Over to the mount, lead with the hips
     2. Step to the side to a knee on belly
     3. Fake one side go to the other
     4. Lead with the shoulder, should in the stomach, move up to 100 kilos

Eliot Kelly

www.edhbjj.com 

Learn Jiu Jitsu in El Dorado Hills!

Word of the Month: ACTION!

                 ACTION! is the word of the month for April. Over the years I have realized that there are a several traits successful people have in common. One of these successful traits being ACTION! Action happens as a result of making a DECISION. Sometimes your decision is very conscious. For example, deciding to go for a run or deciding to stretch at the end of Jiu-Jitsu practice. Sometimes your decision is subconscious. For example, eating when you get hungry or you put shoes when you go outside. Many times our actions reflect decisions we have made over a period of time. As a result, our actions are not determined by daily decisions but out of habit or routine. Therefore, if you are determined to do something new, you must make a decision and allow you actions to reflect your decision. If the action does not follow, you really have not made a decision. 
                  Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is all about ACTION! Initially, the action you create is very taxing and inefficient. The decisions you are making are either incorrect or you just don't have the time to make your move within the allotted amount of time. However, as you begin to feel comfortable in different positions and learn to move your body in different directions, you learn how to apply the forces and laws of nature to your advantage. You start to find efficiency with your action. Now you are able to make the correct decision with enough time for your action to be applied. At times Jiu Jitsu may be discouraging, tough, or hard, but allowing yourself to learn from your ACTION! will help you learn. Simply making the DECISION to keep moving will elevate your game! 
                  Sometimes we choose not to make a DECISION. As a consequence, we do nothing and our lack of ACTION! is simply a decision not to act.  If you want to create or make new ACTION! then you will have to make a conscious DECISION and allow your ACTIONS to follow..... Make good decisions, create positive actions, both on and off the mat! 

Eliot Kelly

www.edhbjj.com

"Decide to practice Action Jiu-Jitsu!"