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You are here: Home / Archives for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

I've been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, otherwise known as BJJ, since April of 2008. I currently hold the rank of black belt. I was awarded this rank in March of 2020 at The Foundry in Maine, one of the oldest and most respected clubs in New England. I continue to train regularly and teach once a week at our school. In this blog category, you'll find commentary on events I've attended, my perspectives on milestones I've experienced, and some of my opinion that I've developed during the time I've trained. I also like writing about technique and theory and offer many posts on those subjects. Add to that a few fairly old videos of yours truly rolling and you've got yourself somewhat of a full-fledged BJJ scene. For the record, I've trained Jiu-Jitsu full time in Glastonbury, CT, St. Augistine, FL, and in Farmington, ME, along with visiting appearances around Palm Coast, FL, Middletown and Hartford, CT.

How To Encourage Learning the BJJ Basics

December 14, 2012

I read an article this afternoon that I found quite interesting. Actually, the article was good, but what I found even better was the format in which it was presented. Question and answer. In this day and age, finding ways to captivate readers is challenging. I enjoy reading Jiu-Jitsu articles similar to the one I […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

The First Of a Long Jiu-Jitsu Sequence

December 13, 2012

I wrote a post this morning alluding to an exciting future for this blog. After I wrote the post, I emailed Jeff and told him that the face of Jiu-Jitsu photography will be changed forever. Perhaps I get a bit too excited about things. Perhaps I jump the gun or put the cart before the […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Jiu-Jitsu Pictures Right Around the Bend

December 13, 2012

I have this buddy named Seth. I’m sure you’ll hear more about him in the future. Anyway, before Jiu-Jitsu class yesterday, Seth mentioned an easy way to get screen captures from video, which is helping him out with his game (by the way Seth, congrats on your fourth stripe last night). He told me how […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

The Essence Of Invisible Jiu-Jitsu

December 13, 2012

There has been some talk recently about a term called Invisible Ju-Jitsu. I’m not sure where it began, but it’s certainly gaining in popularity. I think the time has come for something like this. While Jiu-Jitsu in America is still in its infancy, players who’ve been around for a while may be craving something that […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Update On the Pedro Sauer Ultimate Guard Pass

December 13, 2012

I have some good news to report. The Keith Owen/Pedro Sauer ultimate guard pass was a success. I went to class last night with one thing in mind – that was to test out this new guard pass. While I was somewhat discouraged by my last attempt at trying out a technique I found on […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Keith Owen’s Ultimate Guard Pass

December 12, 2012

I just want to remind you all that I bring you the good stuff. If you want to learn and watch videos of those little Jiu-Jitsu secrets, just check me out. I’ll show you the way. Okay, I’m being “uncharacteristically” cocky because I’m about to post a video of what I think may be a […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

What Is Effective Jiu-Jitsu?

December 11, 2012

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about Jiu-Jitsu. More specifically, I’ve been thinking about effective players and what makes them so effective. I’ve come to a few conclusions. Have you ever wondered why some people just never get any better at things while others seem to be natural practitioners? I have and I […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

An Update On the BJJ Triangle vs. the Whizzer

December 11, 2012

I wrote a post a few days ago called, “Finishing a BJJ Triangle Against a Whizzer.” In the post, I included a video, like I oftentimes do. I explained that this looked like a good Jiu-Jitsu setup for the triangle and we should all give it a shot. Well, that’s what I did last night. […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Jay and John BJJ Rolling in Glastonbury, CT

December 9, 2012

John finally came back to class, which simply delighted me. I’ve been waiting for him, along with his unique sparring style. I’ve been thinking about how John rolls. As I watch video after video, I have come to the conclusion that instead of using my typical loose tendencies, I need to use pressure. John and […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Finishing a BJJ Triangle Against a Whizzer

December 9, 2012

I’ve got long legs, so early on in my Jiu-Jitsu career, I learned that the triangle choke is one of my go to moves. Back in the beginning, I think I had some pretty good luck with it, but as the guys figured out my game, they block it very early on. It was great […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Jiu-Jitsu Sparring With Hands Tied

December 7, 2012

This is a drill I’d like to persuade Jeff to get into. It would help those of us who rely too much on the use of our hands, arms and strength. This is actually an awesome drill for all of us. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed in all Jiu-Jitsu schools I’ve attended, it’s that […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

BJJ Hip Bump To Kimura – One Of My Favorite Combos

December 6, 2012

One of my favorite moves in BJJ, by far, is the Kimura. I swear I can do that all day. I’m pretty good at it too. Many guys I roll with never know it’s coming because I oftentimes go for it while on my back. Another move I’m getting more experience with is the hip […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

BJJ Brown Belt Competition Around Europe With Guillaume Huni

December 6, 2012

Sometimes I wonder why I don’t compete. I think of how much fun it would be to really give something my all and really, really try to win. I crave that. But then I remember my personality. I remember that I won’t be able to do anything else in life while waiting for the competition. […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Sneaky Armbar From Scarf Hold – BJJ

December 6, 2012

GrappleArts.com has quickly become one of my favorite Jiu-Jitsu websites. The personalities over there mesh very well with my own. They are technical, don’t appreciate brute strength and they seem quite intelligent. All things I strive for. So when they have a new video of a technique, I take notice. Today’s technique is pretty good. […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Another BJJ Rolling Go-Round – Chris and Jay – Glastonbury, CT

December 6, 2012

We set up a few matches for video last night, only one of which I could use. The other two had people in the background who might not necessarily appreciate being on Youtube. Oh well – at least the one I’m able to use was good. Here is another round between Chris and me. I […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Three More Ways To Defend Against Side Control in BJJ

December 5, 2012

I found three more ways to defend against side control in BJJ. This time, they come from Ricardo Cavalcanti of Carlson Gracie Las Vegas. I’ll tell you right off the bat, these aren’t as slick looking as the side escapes and submissions from Roy Dean I showed you last night. They aren’t demonstrated as technically […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Drill To Win In the Jiu-Jitsu Laboratory

December 5, 2012

I found a pretty good blog with some nice writing call the Jiu-Jitsu Laboratory. I like it because the author writes like I try to – with some thought. I tend to stear clear of those blogs that just rehash stuff. I want analysis. I read one of his posts called, “Drill to Win: The […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

BJJ Side Control Escapes With Roy Dean

December 4, 2012

I am a researcher. I get that from my mother. I used to ask her a question and after I did, she would walk away. She would return moments later with a book in her hand. She would stand in front of me, hand me the book and say, “Look it up.” I quickly learned […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

The BJJ Inverted Guard

December 4, 2012

I’ve talked about the BJJ Shoulder Roll in a few posts already. The Shoulder Roll is really fun to work with because it can throw your opponent off, especially if they are a lower belt. It’s always entertaining to show some of the more advanced techniques to those guys. Now, the Shoulder Roll is just […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

10 Tips On How To Take Great Jiu-Jitsu Photography

November 28, 2012

This post covers two areas I really love – Jiu-Jitsu and photography. I’m going to start taking a lot more pictures during and after Jiu-Jitsu class. I want to turn my practice into more of a running commentary as opposed to segmented simplicity. I’ve been thinking recently how to best go about this and I’ve […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Shoulder Roll

November 28, 2012

I just finished posting a video where I mentioned that I was working my shoulder roll. There weren’t too many instances of rolling in that video, but during class, I used that tricky technique quite a bit. The shoulder a roll can be a real challenge for your opponent. Once started, many times, guys just […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

A Better Way To Teach Jiu-Jitsu Online

November 27, 2012

A while back, I was talking to Jitsu Jeff about starting a never ending series of Jiu-Jitsu technique videos. I was excited at the prospect of doing something different than what we’ve been watching online for all these years. I was excited to apply some of my style to Jiu-Jitsu. What I didn’t want to […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

How To Defend Against Deep Half Guard

November 26, 2012

A few weeks ago, Jeff went over some Half Guard techniques in class. It was pretty good stuff. One area we covered was the primary reasoning you might want to capture someone in Half Guard in the first place, what to do from there and the steps taken in between. The other area we covered […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Chris and Jay Rolling in Glastonbury, CT – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

November 25, 2012

In each class, I am trying to get at least one video. It’s not the easiest thing because, as was the case last night, a lot of the guys are whooped. Me included. I mean, I was exhausted. The rolling session with Chris made things even worse. Chris is a strong guy and has grown […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Prevent the Stacking Defense During Your BJJ Triangle

November 25, 2012

One really prevalent part of my BJJ game is the triangle. I love it. I’ve got pretty long legs and I move around very well. That’s a recipe for a tough time – for my opponent. I’ve had guys get so frustrated with my legs that they just burst out and use all their strength […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Can You Use Jiu-Jitsu In a Street Fight?

November 23, 2012

There are two commonly asked questions regarding Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. One of them is whether or not Jiu-Jitsu is any good when it’s compared to other martial arts and the other is whether or not Jiu-Jitu is any good when it comes time to get dirty in a street fight. Let’s talk about the first question […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Finding the Perfect Jiu-Jitsu School

November 23, 2012

There is an area of Jiu-Jitsu that I really don’t think much about anymore. I don’t think about it because I am quite happy where I’ve been training for the past four years. I’ve grown as a person and have learned some very valuable skills. I’ve also made some great friends. The area I’m talking […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Jiu-Jitsu Rolling: Jay and Rich

November 22, 2012

Rich is, hands down, one of my favorite guys to roll with. Since he’s lighter than I am, he has to rely on technique, which, through the years, he’s become quite proficient at demonstrating. Not to toot his horn or anything, but he’s thoughtful and careful in what he does. I actually see him think […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

The Jiu-Jitsu Omoplata Escape

November 21, 2012

I will be posting a few videos in just a moment. They show a good friend of mine and me showing off some flow rolling after today’s class. I suppose our instructor had the same line of thought as I did this past week when he suggested that we brush up on this area of […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

What Is Jiu-Jitsu Flow Rolling?

November 19, 2012

There is a serious epidemic sweeping the nation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It afflicts nearly every academy countrywide and greatly hinders student progress and advancement. It’s something that can be easily corrected, if we only accept that we need to change some things we’ve learned in life so far. So dramatic. If I asked each and […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Can You Live a Jiu-Jitsu Centric Life?

November 18, 2012

I’m going to do my best to not get philosophical during this post. A bit of my personal philosophy may creep in here and there, but I’ll try my best to be as normal a human as possible. Listen, we are all in the same boat. Life is going to throw us curve ball after […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Roy Dean’s Second Degree Black Belt Test Under Roy Harris

November 18, 2012

One of my favorite BJJ players by far is Roy Dean. The reason for this is my admiration of his use of Jiu-Jitsu technique as opposed to his use of muscle. He’s also one of the few true Jiu-Jitsu intellectuals I know of. In Jiu-Jitsu, there is an overwhelming temptation to use your muscular gift […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

New Koral Purple Belt

November 14, 2012

Koral BJJ Purple Belt

I know I just made purple belt not more than a few weeks ago, but there was a small issue I had to deal with. My new purple belt wasn’t all that purple. And it wouldn’t stay tied. I thought it was purple the night of the promotions. When compared to the blue belts of […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Jiu-Jitsu Rolling: Jay and John

November 13, 2012

Whenever I roll with John, I have no idea how it’s going to turn out. He is a very unpredictable man. He’s also quite strong, so I oftentimes have a challenge on my hands. Last night, John and I enjoyed two rolling sessions, only one of which was worth putting online. The other, I don’t […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Nate Diaz Breakdown by Rener and Ryron Gracie

November 12, 2012

This is pretty awesome. I haven’t seen this type of analysis before, but I will make a point of it in the future. In this segment, Rener Gracie and Ryron Gracie take a look at and give their own breakdown of the chain of events that led to the Nate Diaz win against Kurt Pellegrino. […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Marcio Stambowsky and Jay Demonstrating a Jiu-Jitsu Technique

November 11, 2012

A while back, Marcio Stambowsky visited our club for a seminar. As usual, we all gained a lot of good information that we still use today. I oftentimes use the roll under mount escape Marcio mentioned in passing the day of the seminar. He wasn’t teaching that technique – I think someone asked a question […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Jiu-Jitsu Rolling: Jay and Chris

November 8, 2012

If you watched my previous video, you’ll notice that Chris is in contrast to Zach. When sparring with Chris, I am forced to use much more strength and pressure. I understand that Jiu-Jitsu relies primarily on technique, but strength does creep in here and there. Chris is an extremely tough competitor. He wasn’t easy to […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Jiu-Jitsu Flow Rolling: Jay and Zach

November 4, 2012

I am starting to take a few videos each class. My goal is to roll with at least two guys each night in an effort to; 1. let you see what it’s like to spar in Jiu-Jitsu with various styles (light, hard or in between), 2. give the guys a chance to watch the videos […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Slow Jiu-Jitsu Warm-Up To Loosen the Joints

November 2, 2012

I took this video quite a while ago, but just recently decided to post it. Although it looks like quite possibly the sloppiest Jiu-Jitsu on the planet, it’s really a great way to loosen up before class or cool down after. I’ll be posting more video of my Jiu Jitsu rolling sessions in the future. […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Earning My Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt

November 1, 2012

BJJ Purple Belt

Last Saturday, November 17, 2012, I was promoted to a Jiu Jitsu Purple belt. I’m pretty thrilled about it and would like to share some bits of information surrounding the event. First, let me give you some background: I belong to a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school run by Jeff Giroux of Giroux Bros Martial Arts […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Third Stripe On Blue Belt – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

December 17, 2011

Third Stripe On Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt

This is simply another post for my archive. Just to remind me of when I got the third stripe on my blue belt for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. We had a guy going for his blue belt a few nights ago. I always enjoy watching people go through the rigors of belt testing because it gives […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Jiu Jitsu Triangle Choke from Bottom

August 13, 2011

This is a Jiu Jitsu submission I can’t seem to pull off. I have been working on it for a few months now and it’s been nothing but frustrating. It’s called the “Triangle Choke from Bottom.” Here’s a video of the move: Triangle Choke from Bottom Cross Side Control After watching this video, it’s become […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Jiu Jitsu Flow Rolling

August 13, 2011

We’ve been changing things up this Summer in Jiu Jitsu class. One, and the most obvious area we alter is our gi. We don’t wear it. The Summer months afford us something very special and that’s hot, sticky weather. To deal with this, we choose to roll no-gi. I really like this because I learned […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Jiu Jitsu: Second Blue Belt Stripe – Muay Thai: Purple Belt

June 28, 2011

Muay Thai Purple Belt

Just a quick update of the more exciting aspects of my life…Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai. Last week, I earned my purple belt in Muay Thai and a second stripe on my BJJ blue belt. I have been doing Muay Thai now for about ten months and Jiu Jitsu for almost two and a […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

BJJ Spider Guard Sweep and Bicep Slicer from Spider Guard

January 21, 2011

Wednesday night was pretty exciting. We had a few guys from other schools come in to our BJJ class to teach us a some things and then spar with us later on. There were three guys; two brown belts and a purple belt. Names aren’t important. In Jiu Jitsu class, all I see is belt […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

BJJ Blue Belt First Stripe and Muay Thai Yellow Belt

January 15, 2011

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt - First Stripe

This is simply a historical post to remind me of when I earned the first stripe on my blue belt for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and my yellow belt for Muay Thai. The BJJ blue belt stripe took about 10 months to get. I knew it was coming up, but didn’t know when. I have been […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – Banana Split

January 15, 2011

We had a friend from my Muay Thai school join us this morning for some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I was pretty excited about this because he was my guest. I never brought in a guest before, so I wanted to really make sure he enjoyed himself. This friend of mine is a blue belt. He’s […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

BJJ Blue Belt Earned

March 30, 2010

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt

I would like to announce something very, very exciting. Last night, I got my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt. I put in a good eleven months to get this belt and as my instructor said last night, I have only missed one class…and that was because of a BJJ tournament. I have also been going […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

NAGA Mr. Armbar T-Shirt

February 9, 2010

Addiction – Back of NAGA Mr. Armbar T-Shirt

After class last night, my man Mersh came up to me and handed me something. He said, “The minute I saw this at the NAGA tournament, I knew it had your name written all over it.” Hmmm…I wondered what it was. When I got in the car, I opened the bag and unrolled the shirt. […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Mersh At NAGA New England Grappling Championship

February 8, 2010

NAGA Grappling Jiu-Jitsu Tournament

Okay, here are some pictures and videos of who we like to call, “Mersh.” This nickname has become a necessity because his first name is quite popular these days. Mersh fought in two categories, “Men’s NO-GI Executive Novice” and “Mens GI Executive White Belt Middle Weight.” These are basically two beginner level categories. NAGA divides […]

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

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