Japan Day 4

Today I met the Chinese-Taipei (Taiwan) Coach at practice. Coach Ling is an awesome guy with great English, a humble attitude, and willingness to learn something new with each experience. We talked about many things, but somehow we started talking about bowing and he taught me something his teacher always told him:

Rice that doesn't bow only grows straight up and tastes no good
Rice that bows has many kernels and tastes very good

Never head this one before, but it really clicked when we were talking about it. The stronger we are the heavier and deep we should bow!

Eliot Kelly 

El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

"You can always learn something new. You just need to be willing."

Bully Proof Yourself & Bully Shield Your Friends

UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro this weekend will rightly include homage to the iconic Gracie family, creators of Brazilian jiu-jitsu nearly 100 years ago, creators of the Ultimate Fighting Championship nearly 20 years ago, creators of legendary family fighting figures and jiu-jitsu instructors that span the globe.

But the Gracies' most positive impact might be felt at a middle school in a Denver suburb where a seventh grader is unafraid of bullies for the first time since he can remember.

Martin Hendricks, 12, spent a week this summer at the Gracie Academy in Torrance, Calif., in an intensive program designed to make him "Bullyproof." He learned as many jiu-jitsu self-defense techniques as a kid can absorb in five days, he memorized a blueprint for dealing with a bully fairly and squarely, and he gained self-confidence. The first week of school he put the lessons into practice.

Click here to read the rest of the article!

Article Source:
http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201108/real-it-gets-victims-schoolyard-bullying-can-fight-back-help-ufc-royalty

Eliot Kelly

El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 

Self-Defense ~ Fitness ~ Competition

Japan Day 2

We started today with a 6:30 am workout. My body hasn't really adjusted to the time change and I was up around 4. Here is what we did:
- Jog a mile
- Run a 2.5 miles
- Jog a mile


It doesn't seem like much, but at 6:30 in the morning the heat and humidity are killer!


In the afternoon we were on the mat. Practice started at 2:30 with a rigorous warm up and ended around 5:30 with some strength and conditioning drills. My calves were cramping up during our matches and I had to stop after my second match. I hope to get a good nights rest and start tomorrow morning with a fresh start!
However, what I really want to talk about today is not the workouts but the group of guys on the side of the track and mat. Instead of running or wrestling, they were doing a variety of body exercises. After asking why they were not participating in the runs, I found out that they had some type of injury preventing them from running. Instead of sleeping in or sitting on the side of the track, they were working out. The idea is that you never miss a workout, no matter what the circumstances, when others are training so are you. I think there is a lot learn from this way of thinking. 

Many people encounter some form of adversity and allow it to bring their momentum to a halt. They drop everything and wait for the right time to start back up. The attitude here seems to be that, there is always something I can do. Know your limits, appreciate what you have to work with, and make the best of your circumstances. 

Eliot Kelly

El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 

A can do attitude will always win! 

Japan Day 1

Just got to Japan after a long flight. I will be spending a little over a week at the Ajinomoto National Training Center with the National Team preparing for the 2011 World Championships and University Wrestlers preparing for Japan University Nationals. As for myself, I will be entering a No-Gi Grappling Tournament on Sunday August, 21 in Japan.

I didn't land in Narita until about 4pm so, after arriving to the NTC we got some food, and headed to the community bath. The community bath is an interesting experience, and I want to say it is something unique to Japan. It's like going to a heated indoor pool with everyone completely naked. Obviously the baths are split by gender, but you can't help but feel a little out of your element being naked in front of people you never met.

New Kids System from IBJJF

Here is a brief explanation of the New Kids System designed by the IBJJF.

For a more detailed explanation click here.

As Brazilian Jiu Jitsu continues to evolve, new and up-to-date rules should also follow. The International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) considered and made the decision to implement some changes to its rules, rules and systems. A few of these rules have been in existence for a very long time. Most people don’t like change, these changes however are essential for that controlled development of the activity and also the respect it warrants within the grappling sport arena.
The BJJ belt system for kids’ belt promotion might find some positive changes. No more will a young child need to wait years to be able to experience positive reward reinforcement with the tiresome belt ranking system. Unlike grown-ups, children need to see that their persistence, effort, and hard work are being compensated. This positive conditioning can lead to children attempting to train longer and get better in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Different Brazilian Jiu Jitsu schools have used various belt ranking systems for children. This inconsistency is visible at competitions from traditional stripes to the horizontal belt color combinations. This inconsistency is one thing the IBJJF will change to be able to display a more organized Brazilian Jiu Jitsu belt ranking for children.
On January 1, 2012, the brand new IBJJF belt system for kids goes into effect. Kids who start training at 4 years old are only marketed once they turn seven years of age.
To avoid demotivating other kids and also avoid technical differences between beginners and more knowledgeable kids, IBJJF’s new belt system stated a division be included to each already established BJJ belt color.
Belt color for kids will be split into three sub-colors
The gray belt will be extended to children from 4 to fifteen years old.
Using the new belt colors, instructors will have the ability to promote their students each year. For instance, the IBJJF suggests a youngster who begins training at four remain at white belt for six months before being upgraded to gray-white belt.
Example:
If the kid starts at the age of 4, IBJJF suggests 6 months as a white belt, then being graduated to the grey/white belt on the sixth month of training. As for the white/gray belt, it would take six more months until the next graduation – solid grey. After training one year in the solid grey rank, the practitioner would be graduated to gray/black, after a year of training and the by the age of 7 years old the kid is eligible for the next graduation group which is yellow.
After graduating to white/yellow, and 3 years as a yellow belt group, by the age of 10 years old the kid is eligible to enter the Orange belt group, after 3 years in the orange group, by the age of 13 years old the kid is eligible to enter the green belt graduation group. The cycle repeats itself until the students years of training under the kid belt system is done and they are ready to transition to the adult belt ranking system.

New Belt System For BJJ Children’s Competition
As for competitions, each color belt group will be joined in the same group, the whole grey group competes together, the whole yellow group competes together, and same for other belt groups.
The same rules apply and no changes will be made as for weight, age and gender, similar to the way used today.
For athletes 4 – 15 years old in competition, if there is not enough to find a match, merging two or more different color groups in a bracket will be the action taken.
Examples for belt divisions in a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition:
Grey Group – White/Grey, Solid Grey and grey/Black are grouped together.
Yellow group – White/yellow, solid yellow and yellow/black compete together divided only by age, weight and gender.

Eliot Kelly

El Dorado Hills BJJ

"The more motivated you are the stronger you will become."

90% ATTITUDE

- ATTITUDE -

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failure, than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home ... or a school. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we do have and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our ATTITUDES.    

~ Chuck Swindoll & Nancy Harms

Last week we looked at what Vince Lombardi had to say about your inner dialogue and how your attitude changes how you think about yourself. Notice what is being said about attitude here. Attitude is one of the most important things to us because there is always a chain reaction that takes place as a result of your attitude. The cool thing is that you are in charge of your attitude! Similar principles apply to Jiu-Jitsu. Jiu-Jitsu is not so much about what happens but much more about how you react to things. You can get frustrated and quit or you can keep trying. The decision is yours, what kind of attitude will you have today?

Eliot Kelly

El Dorado Hills BJJ

"We Control Our Attitudes!"

YOU CAN ATTITUDE

The word of the month for August is Attitude! Many times our attitude is a result of our what we are thinking. It is important that we check up on how we are thinking about things so that we have an attitude of a champion.

Here is what Vince Lombardi has to say...

- YOU CAN - 

If you think you are beaten, you are

If you think you dare not, you don't

If you like to win but think you can't 

It's almost a cinch you won't 

If you think you are outclassed, you are

You've got to think high to rise

You've got to be sure of yourself

Before you can win a prize

If you think you'll lose, you are lost

For out in the world we find

That success begins

With a fellow's will

It's all in the state of mind

Life's battle's don't always go to the 

Stronger or faster man

But sooner or later, the man who wins

Is the man who THINKS he can. 

                              - Vince Lombardi

It is important to remember that many times our attitude is a result of the people we surround ourselves with. If you notice that the people around you don't have an attitude of a champion, share this with them and help them see that their thoughts need to change. 

Eliot Kelly

El Dorado Hills BJJ

"Always have an Attitude of Gratitude!"

Rickson Gracie Article Translated: Part 4-F

ARTICLE TRANSLATION:
Special Interview with Legendary Martial Artist Rickson Gracie

Q: What do we need to do in order to Win?
Whether you are doctor, lawyer, businessman, fighter, or whatever your job may be, everyone needs to get all of the same elements together in order to accomplish their goals and become successful.

A few examples would be work ethic, bravery, some talent, and a strategy.

Reading my book would help you understand things in detail, but if you use the elements I talk about, you'll be able to maintain a strong mind and as a result see good results.

The important thing is to know that you have the ability to transform yourself.

In conclusion, I would like to say one more thing.

Above all, I want everyone to know this. In reality, what I accomplished can be done by anyone. That's right, the power we actualize is something that we already had within us.

Therefore, I don't want people to be observing me personally, but rather to realize how I was able to push through to the point where I am today.

I pray that the book Rickson Gracie Undefeated Principles is of strength for those on their way to paving their own path.  <END>

Article Source:
http://diamond.jp/articles/-/9711?page=6

Translation by:
Eliot Kelly

Eliot Kelly

El Dorado Hills BJJ
"Learn, Train, Share, Adapt"

Rickson Gracie Article Translated: Part 4-E

ARTICLE TRANSLATION:
400 Undefeated Fights! Special Interview with Legendary Martial Artist Rickson Gracie. 

Q: What's the reason you decided to publish the book Rickson Gracie Undefeated Principles?
After my retirement I started thinking about new goals for myself, and what came to surface was that I wanted to teach and spread to as many people as possible about correct Jiu-Jitsu, ideal Jiu-Jitsu, Jiu-Jitsu that stems from Self-Defense.

In addition, for those who have no connection to Martial Arts, I wished to express the philosophical learnings that took place as a result of practicing Jiu-Jitsu. I wanted to leave behind the important lessons I had learned from my life up to this moment.

I don't intend on reminiscing over memories of the past.

That's why I chose not to talk about my private life in the book. Of course there are parts I where I explain my personal circumstances to help communicate what it is I am trying to say.

However, my intentions from this book are not to talk about what I have left behind or my walk in life.

But that many people have kept their potential dormant the whole time.
Q: So, it's not an "Autobiography" of Rickson Gracie?
That's right. It's not a book about "me" personally, but a narrative on my thought process and how I would behave under different circumstances.

Obviously, there are plenty of people who have been and still are interested in my private life. I think the book help satisfy their curiosity about me.

Q: What would you like to say to your Japanese readers?
In one one word "Bushido." The desire to take on a task with 100% zeal.

To me, "Bushido" is working to achieve some objective with 100% of your strength while stressing the importance of respect.

The "Modern Samurai" living in our present day society, is for fighting to grab ahold of your own happiness.

Whether you are doing a job or working towards a goal, you don't do it because you were told to do it. Reconsider, one more time, if what you are doing will truly come back to bringing you happiness.

Regardless of age, gender, or profession, people are struggling against their fears, sorrows, and many other problems on a daily basis. And I want people to win those battles.

Up Next Part 4-F: "The power to be implemented is something everyone already has"
Article Source:
http://diamond.jp/articles/-/9711?page=5

Translation by:
Eliot Kelly

Eliot Kelly

www.edhbjj.com

"Learn, Train, Share, Adapt"