Since I started posting technique videos, my goal has been to keep the concepts fairly basic and to only post techniques that I knew well enough to have used before. I've never thought that what we're doing was that much different from what others are doing.
Back in September I posted a technique video on our YouTube channel, Reversals out of Side Control. The reversals involved some basic concepts of body mechanics. A couple of months ago, someone commented on the video, saying, "very hard to tell whether this is effective when he's holding you in such a poor side control."
I didn't think too much about it at the time and my response was cordial. I explained that I believed most instructional videos of this nature portray a cooperating partner so the technique can be demonstrated at a slower pace and explained more in depth. Determining a technique's effectiveness based off of an assessment like this is not really valid. The only way to truly know would be to practice the moves and try them out.
I never heard back from that commenter, so I don't know if he ever tried them out or if he's even a Jiu-Jitsu player.
Yesterday another person commented on the video, saying, "I have to agree, whether it is demonstrated slowly or not. A good wrestler base or just a decent BJJ practitioner would never roll like that. In respects to the first maneuver. The second I will have to try. ;-)"
This prompted me to review the video footage I've accumulated. I was able to locate a handful of matches (Open Mat and competition) where the first technique was utilized by our grapplers. The only footage I could find of the second technique was from Rob Bieber's Debut Fight when he used it to reverse his opponent, who by the way has a wrestling background. Unfortunately our amateur videographer wasn't able to capture a good shot of it, but you can see it at about the 1:00 mark in the video.
So naturally I put together a short video with the various clips of the reversal in action. I generally try not to get sucked in by the rude YouTubers, but this one was just too easy to counter. Maybe if I weren't sicker than a dog right now, I wouldn't have felt the need to respond to the anonymous critics.
Nevertheless, here they are. You be the judge.
Reversals out of Side Control
Reversal out of Side Control (Demonstrations)
1/3/09
Technique Videos
1/1/09
Thank You, Ray
I'm truly blessed to have such a great group of people to workout with. I can honestly say that I would give the shirt off my back to any of the folks I train with. I've been under the weather for the past couple of days, so really wasn't up to teaching class tonight. Ray was kind enough to take the lead. I know I shouldn't worry about missing a class or two because there's always someone willing to step up to the plate. As a matter of fact, I had to miss a handful of classes last month, but someone always pulled through for me.
Not that I would expect any less, but I was proud to see how well everyone was working together today when I stopped in. I hadn't thought about this for awhile, but I think it's important to take a step back at times to get perspective on things. Today I had that opportunity and I liked what I saw.
For those who don't know, Ray is a Blue Belt in Jiu-Jitsu and a Black Belt in Judo. It's great having him in the class to keep us sharp on our takedowns and remind us how important the stand-up is. I learn something new every time he teaches a throwing class.
Thank you for all you do, Ray.
The Road Less Travelled, Renzo's Take on the History of Jiu-Jitsu
Lately I have been working my way through the first few chapters of Renzo Gracie's (and co-author John Danaher's) book "Mastering Jujitsu." While I want to keep this post as brief as possible, I want to recommend it to anyone who wants to get a feel for the longer, deeper, more in-depth understanding of Jiu-Jitsu philosophy, its origins, and why it is studied as it is today. Of all things, Gracie and Danaher pay necessary homage to the Japanese roots of Jiu-Jitsu-this I see as a conscientious undertaking on the part of the authors. I see my piece as a supplement to Conan's writing on "The Answers Revealed."
This book is highly theoretical. I find such quite refreshing. In the end, the authors seem to conclude that there is no original source to point to when it comes to knowing the origins of contemporary grappling arts. This way of thinking about martial arts is quite fascinating, actually. My appreciation is found in Renzo's and Danaher's rejection of the "single great story" emerging at some monumental time in history.
In the continental philosophy tradition of research, we call this the difference between modernity (the belief that history is made of grand stories of grand figures that did grand things) and postmodernity (the realization that history is much more complex and is not a collection of only a few grand stories, but is a system in which there were numberless contributors to ideas and movements in which the complexity of history is forgotten for the sake of celebrating a few heroes, it is supplemented with a subtle skepticism toward the modernist model of thinking). Hence, the postmodern perspective is the answer to, the face-the-music answer to, the dreams of modernity.
Where I go now in this writing is tangential, but is meant to expound upon the discussion, if needed. Skip this paragraph as necessary. For those interested and for clarification of my discussion of history with an example, consider the Darwin-evolution story. Modernity tells the story that Charles Darwin "stumbled" upon his findings. The postmodern perspective on history realizes that the concept of evolution has been around since Darwin's grandfather Erasmus taught the theory before Charles was born, and goes back thousands of years even to Aristotle's writings, and even further. Note: this is not an attack on Darwin, but an example of how history is much more complex than we like to believe. Darwin is very important, but we are not taught deeper histories-that is the point of this paragraph.
My point is that Renzo and Danaher take the road less traveled in telling the story of Jiu-Jitsu. They take the more complicated, more realistic postmodern approach to understanding this thing we call "Jiu-Jitsu." It would be much easier for Renzo to tell the more common story that his family created the current system of grappling practically from scratch. Instead, Renzo and Danaher look back into the social conditions of many ages and give credit where credit is due. What it seems to me is that the authors ultimately find that there is no single, grand narrative of the origin of how the art that we currently train emerged, only that its Japanese roots are the essence of the entire system that all current practitioners of Jiu-Jitsu employ.
Making this move is brave of someone in a position such as Renzo Gracie. He's interested in understanding martial arts (and grappling specifically) as a cultural phenomenon instead of a system for combat that emerges from a single person(s).
In some ways the conclusions the authors draw are not fulfilling for the reader. They tell us that we can't take a clear snapshot into history to know what was practiced when and what it means now. Yet they are right. The encouraging part is that the authors face the music, realizing that history is much more complex than many would have the Jiu-Jitsu community believe. This perspective on the history of Jiu-Jitsu is refreshing and, on the part of Renzo, a sign of humility.
12/31/08
Curtis Yergensen Jiu-Jitsu
This is a video of my brother Curtis in a match at the 2008 Aggro Submission Grappling Tournament in Salt Lake City, UT. He's a brown belt under Pedro Sauer. He won his division. Just thought I'd share. He's the person that got me interested in Jiu-Jitsu so long ago. He's a master at the art. Of course, I am the better looking of the Yergensen brothers (but he, as well as my other brothers, already know that). He's the fighter in the gray shirt and beard.
Here he executes a beautiful transition from armbar attempt to triangle.
12/30/08
Karen Takes Home Another Win!
Many of you may remember Karen. She trains Judo and Jiu-Jitsu here at Roseberry's, but has been absent for awhile due to wrestling at Northstar. I had heard stories about how she was whoopin' up on all the boys, but hadn't had the pleasure of seeing her in action until today.
I slid into the packed Lincoln East High School gym shortly after ten this morning. I didn't see Karen right away, but figured I'd hang out for awhile and trust I hadn't missed her. I sat through a handful of matches before the break. As the fans started filtering back into the gym, she came out onto the mat with her team. She was easy to spot with her ponytail bouncing around as she and her team did laps around the gym to get warmed up. I made my way down to the edge of the mat in the hope I could get her attention. It only took a few laps while I pretended to be a dorky old guy yelling, "Karen!" everytime she came past. Thank God she finally heard me.
I have to say it was pretty interesting watching the matches play out. I was pleased to see Karen Judo toss her opponent. Many of the skills she learned on our mat, she put into practice. She held her opponent in Kese-Gatame a couple of times, and this was the pin that won the match for her.
I could see that she's come a long way in her training and hopefully we'll see her back on the mat with us someday.
Here's a short highlight from today's dual. Old habits die hard. Notice how she bows at the end of the match when she shakes hands.
We miss you Karen!
12/29/08
My Jiu-Jitsu Superhero
When the monster Doomsday ran through the Justice League he had only one more city to destroy, Superman's beloved Metropolis. When he arrived at the edge of the city, the hero in blue tights was there waiting for him, determined to stop the monster from ravaging humanity. After hours of bloody battle, Superman lay dead in the streets as the victorious Doomsday pillaged the city. After being buried by city officials, the people of Metropolis lost faith as they succumbed to the bullying of the zealous monster.
Then, forty days later the ground began to shake and a stronger, angrier Superman emerged from the ground. With his new found strength he found the monster, strapped it to a meteor, and sent it to outer space, never to return to earth.
This is my favorite Superman story. I tell it because of his willingness to fight until the end. Sometimes we talk about someone's physical prowess. We also talk about someone's heart and their unwillingness to ever give up. This is where the will gives in because the body can't build up the strength to continue through the pain. Yet it goes the other way. Sometimes the will can get broken first and as a result the warrior that has superior physique (whether it be strength or skill) can't endure, even though the athlete's body is not taken to the breaking point.
I think there is a third place we can talk about strength. The third site of strength is where neither can be broken, its where the will is so much stronger than the body that the body can be broken down completely, but the will does not know how to stop. As a result, the body continues, unfazed by the damage that it has taken. This is where the body, defeated upon observation, still continues. Maybe this is where you get to the soul of a warrior. This is the strength that makes true heroes.
My little theory on a third place of strength is inspired from watching my Jiu-Jitsu hero, Antonio Rodrigo Minotauro Nogueira. I watched him get pummeled the other night by the strategic, brilliant martial artist Frank Mir. While I was cheering for Nogueira from the beginning, I found myself more and more inspired by him with each moment of that short fight. When Herb Dean helped him up, he was still ready to fight. While Nogueira lost the war, he won my heart (even more than ever before). The reason I am so inspired by him is because, while to a degree it is speculation, I am now completely convinced that his eyesight is very very bad. While it was Mir's left hand that ended the fight, Big Nog clearly had no idea that any of Mir's constant right uppercuts were coming. Debating about his eyesight is irrelevant and I don't claim to have the answers here, but from watching the fight this claim I make it is clear. Nog endured it anyway without excuses, without giving up. He wanted to win, not believing that there was any disadvantage on his part. That isn't just inner strength, that is courage.
Let me get back to my point. Minotauro crystallizes what Jiu-Jitsu can do, what it is capable of. He has given us years and years of inspiration with his armbars, triangles, and chokes, yet I have been even more inspired by his will to never ever give up. It was very difficult to watch Minotauro's face at the end of the fight when Mir's hand was raised. The expression of dealing with bitter defeat that Nog had on his face was so vivid that I could taste it. He is the living material that Rocky Balboa is meant to be made of. He is a champion, the greatest representative of Jiu-Jitsu, and the man that possesses a strength to a degree that no other mixed martial artist can reach.
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