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Probably two of the most anticipated black belt promotions happened within minutes of each other at the IBJJF World Championships in Anaheim, California this May.
Yes, we're talking about Mia and Ashlee Funegra, of AOJ fame, who received their black belts from their long-time coach Guilherme Mendes after about a decade on the mats. The promotion came just after Ashlee won the finals match in the brown belt light-featherweight division... and right before Mia would step on the mat for her black belt debut.
You're probably wondering how Mia, who was a brown belt up until that day, was able to register and fight in the black belt division of the World Championships. It's not common, but not unheard of. As a prior world champion (in the purple belt division last year), she could sign up for the black belt division while still a brown belt, as per IBJJF rules. And the move certainly paid off.
Welcome back to the third edition in our series of "Jiu-Jitsu Basics," where we cover the most important information about key positions and techniques in BJJ. Next up: closed guard.
In BJJ, closed guard is the most fundamental position in jiu-jitsu. From white belt to black belt, being able to master this position is indispensable. Especially for those of you who are brand new to the gentle art, understanding and utilizing closed guard will be your saving grace. It's the safest place to be - because anyone in your closed guard has to get out of it in order to launch their own attacks (with minor exceptions). Not only that, but you will also find yourself in a position to launch your own attacks.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the essentials of mastering the closed guard in BJJ, including a basic overview of the position, key principles for maintaining control and a few tips for how to employ it to maximum effectiveness, and some common submissions that you’ll want to add to your toolkit.
There's no replacement for on-the-mat training for developing the necessary hands-on skills in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. There is, however, a way to supplement your training and accelerate your BJJ knowledge: studying.
While it may have a serious physical component, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is just like any other intellectual endeavor in that there's a mass of knowledge out there that cannot possibly be transmitted in short 1 to 2-hour sessions at the academy. In fact, even if it was possible to learn all there is about jiu-jitsu just being on the mat, the amount of time and energy it requires would take a tremendous toll on the body. Nobody has the time - or stamina - for that.
What does every BJJ fan look forward to each spring? There's only one right answer: the IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship. And this year's Pans did not disappoint!
The Pans can be thought of as the opening credits to one of the most prestigious jiu-jitsu events of the year, the IBJJF Worlds. At the Pans, you get to see the best of the best, showcasing what they've been working on and giving you a sneak peek into the battles that will define who will have the honor of calling themselves world champions. And for some, it's the second box to check on their way to an even more prestigious title: the Grand Slam.
This year, Kingz celebrates an incredible 14 of our athletes becoming Pan Champions! From absolute technical clinics and jaw-dropping submissions, to on-the-edge-of-your seat finals matches, our athletes showed fans exactly why they deserved to be on top.
Exactly who brought home the gold medal? Here are all the Kingz athletes who hit the top of the podium at Pans this year...
When you have dreams of standing at the top of the podium of BJJ's greatest events, it's hard to imagine doing it without attending one of the big name competitive teams. To be sure, it does help to be surrounded by many other competitive-minded training partners, all training hard to be the best among the best. However, it's not the only way.
Whether your goals are as lofty as the Brasileiros and Worlds, or simply to win your local tournaments, you can't just rely on going to your regularly scheduled classes. You have to train differently. The good news is, you can reproduce the same kind of high-level, competitive training that you see at the top academies around the world.
Here are four considerations that will help you train in a way to find yourself at the top of the podium more and more often...
