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To Gi or not to Gi? That is the question
13 Sep 2009 1:41PM
I was hoping to be able to tell you something about the BJJ classes I had started, but thus far I have managed only one. I’d have been there again this morning but I have a horrible feeling that Pep has passed me his dose of swine flu. (My Mum mentioned this morning that I could get my own back at training when I’m well... I pointed out that this was probably Pep getting his own back for me beating him up three times a week over the last 3 years!). Last week I made the rather lengthy round trip to Gracie Barra Stoke to train with brown belt Simon McGovern at his Saturday morning no-gi and gi classes. I managed to miss the first half of the no-gi session due to a badly set alarm clock but arrived in time for the meat of the class. After that it was the BJJ class and I had to borrow a ‘loaner’ gi... which I now understand is traditionally a diseased, rash infested, sweat soaked and unwashed piece of kit designed to encourage new attendees to buy their own gi ASAP. I exaggerate of course... I’m sure Simon frequently hand washes and conditions all his ‘loaners’. Either way I’m fishing for a gi and a white belt, size A3 if anyone wants to provide one?!
I really enjoyed the class and was grateful that Simon ensured there was plenty of gi tugging and pulling so I could appreciate something of the differences between it and no-gi training. It is what has intrigued me about using a gi in fact – it suddenly has opened a whole other spectrum of grappling you don’t get in no-gi necessarily. It has been pointed out to me since that I am doing it the best way round... as in, as I have some no-gi grappling experience when the gi is on I have found myself thinking “ooh, I can grab that and pull this!”. Whereas perhaps if I had come from a gi background to no-gi one could end up looking for bits to grip and pull that aren’t there. I may be wrong and hope I don’t find a burning rashguard on my garden later on this week and some angry gi clad BJJ vigilantes waiting round the corner to whip me with their purple belts.
I often post on the forum pages at www.cagewarriors.com and had started a thread on wearing a gi for the first time and how did people think it would help my MMA game. Rob T provided a sound reply with this:
“It will benefit your understanding of leverage, balance and posture. That in turn will help you in no gi and therefore MMA. It will also make your first line defence on subs better, i.e. not putting anything in the wrong place... 'cos it's much easier for people to take advantage when they have the gi to grab.”
I think that is a pretty solid argument for BJJ’s worth for MMA. That and the fact that I felt (like anyone who has tried a gi on for the first time) like Luke Skywalker for 5 minutes.... cue a million rolled eyes by traditional martial artists worldwide.
After the session(s) at Gracie Barra Stoke (contact simonjkd@hotmail.com directions and class times at www.impactjkd.co.uk) Cookie took me miles and miles away for a nice carvery lunch before I shot back to Burton and picked up Pep to go to Clash of Warriors in Nottingham (this car journey is when I believe Pep infected me). Despite some late changes to the card Freddy Naghizadeh put on a good show and there were some interesting fights. We were particularly interested in Paul Barton’s semi pro debut and Jimmy Wallhead’s title fight as we have some links with Leicester Shootfighters and train with them every now and again. It was also nice to bump into Paul Daley (smash Kampmann!!!Waaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrr Daley!) and (albeit briefly) Dean Amasinger there.
The first round of Paul Barton’s fight was excellent, a great fight to watch. I thought he took the first round despite his opponent Ben Rose defending the take down attempts really well and both displayed a wide range of skills. The second round was Ben Rose’s and despite Ben being announced the winner I believe it was later changed to a draw... apologies if this is incorrect. Jimmy demolished his late replacement in less than 2 minutes for a nice shiny new belt and Eddie Podolski (a former opponent of mine and Jon’s) took a three round decision in a very unusual fight which was unfairly booed by some. I also had the distinct pleasure of eventually meeting Del from MMA Hit Pit at long last and we managed a quick chat at the break... a nice guy who is committed to promoting MMA in the UK and proud owner of the most understanding girlfriend in the British MMA community! If you see Del at a show in his MMA Hit Pit t shirt buy him a drink or give him some free kit (XL), he deserves it. It was nice to see Ian Dean (Mr Cagewarriors) after a long while as well... a nervous wreck before Stapes’s and Jimmy’s fights but a happy man afterwards no doubt!
One thing has struck me about many of the people I know who I met up with last weekend... while they carry some ‘weight’ in the MMA community there is nothing ‘weighty’ about their attitudes or demeanours. I’ve said it before about MMA sorts – they’re good people who seem to be very self aware and dare I say it, quite meek. Now don’t mis-quote me on this as meekness is not a weakness or any sort of deficiency in character. It sometimes wrongly conjures an image of a spineless weasel type of man. Quite the opposite is true. True meekness is to be ‘patient and long suffering’ and to ‘lack pride’... surely not bad traits to possess. After all ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.’ (Matthew 5 vs. 5)
Hopefully my illness will have passed by next Saturday and Simon’s ribs will have healed up ready for another session at Gracie Barra Stoke and I’ll have more to report on my march towards my black belt and Mundials gold medal... seriously... no honestly... stop laughing please... J
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