What do you think about?

When you’re in class what do you think about?

• Do you think about the drill or technique at hand?
• Are you visualizing how the technique will go?
• Are you visualizing how this would be applied in a real fight?
• Are you thinking about what you would need to do if the technique fails?

 ==>Arm Shoulder Lock<==

What about outside of class? Do you think about or visualize your techniques when you’re not training?

While you should always be a focused as possible on what you are doing, visualizing should be, needs to be, a part of your training. If all you do is show up for class, train and go home you’re missing a very important step in your skill development. You are slowing your progress and limiting your ability.

The funny thing is that to your brain visulation can be almost as good as doing the real thing!

Have a look at this article: Learn by Visualization

==>Arm Shoulder Lock<==

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

If you would like to repost this blog article or the videos with in you may do so but must include the following credit "The above information / video has been provide by Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling and is used with their permission, www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com, www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com"

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

SMA/Patry Total Fitness

745 Development Dr

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

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Variation is the spice of life…

Always remember that your syllabus, and it’s don’t matter what martial art, is only the starting point. To really understand any martial art system you need to study the syllabus and once you know it, start to play with it.

==>Standing Arm Lock<==

How does any one part fit into the whole of the system?

• Is there other ways of doing this?
• Is there other ways of getting to this technique?
• What would I do if it didn’t work?
• What would I do if this was done to me?

These are just a few of the questions you should be asking yourself. These questions will help you better fully understand your chosen art.

==>Standing Arm Lock<==

Taking something out of its original context and playing with variations will greatly help you remember and improve your abilities overall AND with the original technique. The great thing is that this is true to almost anything… martial arts, playing guitar, drawing, painting…

Have a look at this article: Variation is the key to deeper learning!

Now in closing please remember that while you SHOULD play around with the techniques in your syllabus you should NOT change your syllabus. There is a BIG difference between the two!

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

If you would like to repost this blog article or the videos with in you may do so but must include the following credit "The above information / video has been provide by Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling and is used with their permission, www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com, www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com"

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

SMA/Patry Total Fitness

745 Development Dr

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

Our Google +Page

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Knee Block to Leg Takedown... ouch!

If you didn’t check out last week’s blog on motivation you should check it out HERE.

Last week I also posted a great VIDEO about a striking sequence that leads beautifully into a throw or takedown.

This week let’s look at another striking / takedown sequence.

Your attacker has managed to close the distance and gotten into a clinch. From here we have to be aware of short arm attacks/punches, elbows, takedowns and knees. For this video and today discussion let’s assume they clinch then attack with the knee a very common attack sequence. It doesn’t really matter if they are throwing the knee at your head or your midsection the sequence shown in the video below is a great way to stop the knee, hurt their leg and setup for a nice leg takedown!

==>Knee Block to Leg Takedown<==

The great thing about this block is that it uses your whole body to stop their leg. Even people that train in the kicking arts, like kick boxing and muay thai often do not condition the tops of their leg. The shins and sides yes, but often the tops of the legs still remain much easier to hurt and get a reaction from.

If they bomb the knee and the tops of their legs are not conditioned, the block may well end they fight right there. Even when practicing this technique and people are going light you can see their eyes go big after the block and they start rubbing their leg. I had a student do it moderately hard one day, after his knee met my elbows it shot straight back and he ended up on the ground face down!

While they are thinking about what just happened to their leg, this opens a great opportunity for a takedown. The leg through I show in the video is great because you don’t need to get out of the clinch if they still manage to have it on.

Check out the video and try it in your next class. Please be nice and let your partner know not to kick too had, it really does hurt a ton.

==>Knee Block to Leg Takedown<==

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

If you would like to repost this blog article or the videos with in you may do so but must include the following credit "The above information / video has been provide by Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling and is used with their permission, www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com, www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com"

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

SMA/Patry Total Fitness

745 Development Dr

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

Our Google +Page

Our Facebook Group

Our Facebook Page

YouTube Channel

Whats Your Motivation... or lack of it?

It’s been awhile since my last posting. No really excuse other than not getting my butt in gear and getting it done.

I have a great striking video for you today, but first let’s talk about motivation.

As a martial arts practitioner of almost 20 years and an instructor of +10 years I have seen many people come and go in martial arts and have hear many different excuses. Hell I have even used some of those excuses myself.

I’ll let you into a little secret… I wasn’t always the best student. There are many times I would get home from work and just not feel like going to class, so I didn’t. I’m sure some of you can relate. The funny thing is that 90% of the time I felt guilty about not going and truly regretted my decision to stay at home. The other 10% of the time I really did need the time off.

What keeps you away from training?

• Job
• Family
• Other hobbies
• Lethargy
• Injury
• Training times doing work for you

These are all very good and legitimate excuses. Sometimes life does get in the way.

BUT… guess what, these ARE just excuses!

Site down and think about it, what is really keeping you away from training. You are! Now don’t get me wrong sometimes live really does get in the way but most of the time the excuses are just that… excuses. I know I’ve been there and used these excuses. Why do we make excuses? Justification! I makes out time away feel legitimate.

Almost anything can be worked around if you work hard enough and make training a priority. No one can do this for you, you need to do this for yourself.

Stop making excuses NOT to and start making excuses TO do!

Here is a great striking sequence where we clear and trap the defender's arm, strike, clinch and take their balance and finish with a takedown/throw. The arm clear/trap and strike combination is extremely quick and powerful! Have a look, try it next class and work some variations that work best for you.

==>Trap arm, strike and throw combination<==

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

If you would like to repost this blog article or the videos with in you may do so but must include the following credit "The above information / video has been provide by Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling and is used with their permission, www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com, www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com"

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

SMA/Patry Total Fitness

745 Development Dr

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

Our Google +Page

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Sacrifice the Throw.. Not Your Options!

Sacrifice throws or suicide throws, whatever you want to call them are very effective but also very dangerous if they don't work out.

It's called a sacrifice throw because you sacrifice a standing position for one on the ground. Judo has many of these throws as does jiu-jitsu. There can be few things worse than executing a sacrifice throw and failing. If you're on the mats in your dojo or even in a Judo tournament it's not so bad, heck even in the UFC if all goes wrong you can always tapout. But not on the street.

Imagine you go for the sacrifice throw but they don't come with you to the ground. There you are, on the ground, with them standing over you, that's bad, very bad.

Luckily we are not without options. The video below shows a sacrifice throw and a few options to save your bacon if all goes wrong.

==>Front Scissor Throw<==

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

If you would like to repost this blog article or the videos with in you may do so but must include the following credit "The above information / video has been provide by Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling and is used with their permission, www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com, www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com"

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

SMA/Patry Total Fitness

745 Development Dr

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

Our Google +Page

Our Facebook Group

Our Facebook Page

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Your Standing Arm Lock not Working?.... Try this!

So they bomb you with a straight punch. You block and strike them in the ribs then execute a standing arm lock but....

If you have been looking at my articles for a while now, you know I'm a big fan of chaining techniques together. Taking techniques out of the syllabus and linking in ways that make sense. It would be amazing if in a real fight that your first point of contact, your first technique was the one that ended the fight but in reality it often isn't.

Always remember you do what you practice!

Check out the standing arm lock and a few options of what you can do if it doesn't work out.

==>Standing Arm Lock Follow-up Techniques<==

A nice training tip to help you flow from one technique to another is, when you're practicing your techniques and you find yourself out of position, instead of stopping and starting over quickly move to another technique that fits the situation. Go slow though as your partner likely will not be expecting this new technique.

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

If you would like to repost this blog article or the videos with in you may do so but must include the following credit "The above information / video has been provide by Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling and is used with their permission, www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com, www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com"

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

SMA/Patry Total Fitness

745 Development Dr

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

Our Google +Page

Our Facebook Group

Our Facebook Page

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Surprize Them with this Combination!

Today let look at chaining two attacks together.
This combination works very well if you pay attention to the small details. Both the heel hook and the hip lock work because you're killing (pinning) there legs, both legs.

==>Heel Hook to Hip Lock<==

Now the heel hook isn't really new, this has been out there for some time. The hip lock isn't really new either but few people use it. When these attacks are combined they provide a nice one, two attack. Most people will see the heel hook coming and defend it but when you switch to the hip lock while keeping them pinned, unless they have really good hips your likely to get the tap.

Try it out next time you roll and see if it will work for you!

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

If you would like to repost this blog article or the videos with in you may do so but must include the following credit "The above information / video has been provide by Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling and is used with their permission, www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com, www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com"

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

SMA/Patry Total Fitness

745 Development Dr

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

Our Google +Page

Our Facebook Group

Our Facebook Page

YouTube Channel