CGJJ Stories from Abroad

[Simon Hayes]

This was a Blog i wrote originally on the EFN forum Last Year.Many of you may have read it,but i'm reprinting it here for those that didn't.
Cheers
Simon

As any of you who have known me a while know i have to travel a lot for work.
I am currently working in Spain.

I always try to train in new academies while away,and teach my workmates BJJ.

I normally travel with enough mats to teach 6 people and for one pair to roll unresricted by space.

I thought it would be interesting for you guys to read about my travels and teaching.

7-1-08
Arrived at my Hotel and went to check out the 'gym'.It is on the top floor of the hotel and overlooks the ocean.
It has an outdoor pool on a terrace,an indoor jacuzzi,steamroom and sauna.
The 'gym' part of it consists of a cheap running machine,old excersise bike and an elyptical walker.
The gym is really a 'spar'.I have decided not to ask the hotel about putting mats in there-i am just going to do it-
and if they say anything i will complain that their gym is not sufficient and my mats are for my daily yoga regime.
My assistants carry the mats into the hotel on their shoulders followed by me humping a suitcase containing some press up
bars,2x10kg dumbells and a single 30kg dumbell.We must look a little strange.I smile at the receptionist who looks slightly
confused and offer up a friendly "Buenos Dias!".We get in the lift before she can reply and hit the button for the 5th floor.
We are in the hotel off season so there is nobody in the spar-no staff and no guests.I set up the mats,then do
a 'weights' workout-
3xsets of press ups to failure using the press up bars that allow full range of movement a little like a bench press.
3x sets of one arm,bent over dumbell rows with the 30kg dumbell.
3x sets of lateral raises for side delts with the 10kg dumbells.

Chest,Back,Shoulders-done.

p.s. My weights routines on this blog do not represent how i train in London-they are a 'needs-must' way with minimal equipment
while travelling to maintain strength.


8-1-08

My first Jiu Jitsu workout in my new 'dojo'.The surroundings being slightly more upmarket than the Carlson Gracie London 'BoilerRoom'!
There have been no complaints from the hotel about the new mats and weights that have mysteriously appeared in their 'spar'.
My first new student is Paul.A 34 year old guy i am working with.He has no martial arts experience but does a physical job and is a good snowboarder.
We are,of course,going to be training 'No Gi'.This is because none of my workmates are experienced and will want to buy kimono's.They wouldn't understand
or want to wear a gi.They want me to teach them some 'gracie shit' like in the 'ufc'.
I do a really thorough warm up with Paul-including Carlson Gracie Neck crunches-anyone who has trained with Wilson,Me or Dickie will wince at
the thought of these!
We then do about 15 minutes of stretching which is a bastardisation of my old Taekwondo stretch routine (have you seen tkd high kicks.....?) and
yoga.
I then show Paul what 'Guard,side control,knee on chest and mount' look like and explain the hierachy of positional dominance in BJJ.
I then teach him the basic 'knee in bum,elbows in quads,trap his leg under your leg' guard pass.
Then its onto side control and an americana submission-showing the secret details.................
We then spar from kneeling.I tell him he can go as crazy as he likes as long as he doesn't put his fingers in my eyes.
I jump guard and after 2 minutes rolling around he is gassed and can't continue.
I was careful not to submit him-because in my experience if you submit people on their 1st session their ego can't take it and they may
not return.I need Paul.I am away until April and i only have him to train with...............

We manage to sneak out of the spar without any questions from the Hotel Staff.Paul persuades me to dismantle the matts and leave them in a
pile in the corner of the spar so they are less conspicuous.It only takes 3 minutes-He's right.

To Be Continued.

Before i left England i had googled "BJJ Los Alazares" and got nothing-same with Judo,which is always my second google
if BJJ doesn't show anything up.

I then looked for the nearest city to 'Los Alcazares' and found it is Murcia.

I then googled 'BJJ Murcia' and found a small advertisement on a local sport forum advetising 'Rafael Santos-Jiu Jitsu Brasiliero Professor'.
I sent him an email saying i would like to come and train and he sent me an email back in spanish saying i would be welcome and not regret it!

I then googled his name and found a you tube video of 'Rafael Santos vs another guy'.They both looked like monsters-over 90kg and at a high level-
i would say Brown or Black Belt (the fight was No Gi).I was going to have my work cut out.


When i arrived at work i asked some of the spanish crew how far it was to Murcia.They told me about 40km's and about 40 euro's each way in a cab.
Phew.This was going to be an expensive excercise.

After work i ordered a cab for 6.30pm at the hotel (the class started at 7.30) and got in the cab with an address written on a scrap of paper.
The cab driver didn't speak any english and i don't speak any spanish apart from
"Donde estas SPACE por favor" from my Ibiza days of the past..............

TBC

I had been in the Cab about 50 minutes and the fare had gone to about 55 euro's before i started getting concerned.
We were in the Northern Outskirts of a strange city,and maybe it was my arsehole going-because travelling to a new club in
a new country is always a little 'challenging' on the old bottle (a bit like going to a competition),the surroundings were looking
a little industrial and rough.

The cab driver stopped and asked a couple of people if they knew where the gym was.They didn't.He eventually found a policeman who
immediately knew the gym-he said it was new.I managed to understand that.

We eventually arrived at the gym at 7.35- i was 5 minutes late and had been in the cab for over an hour.
The journey cost me 70 euro's (about £50.)

The gym had a glass front and looked like a very high quality Body Building gym-and it was packed with monsters.
I scoped it from the outside and saw a first floor with glass walls overlooking the ground floor weights room.
There were two first floor rooms-one with an aerobics class going on and another with 4 guys wearing Gi's standing and talking.
The way the Dojo had a glass wall and overlooked the main gym reminded me of 'The Third Space' in London's Soho.


TBC

I made my way into the gym,and stopped at the desk where there was a turnstile.
I smiled at the female bodybuilder there and just said "Jiu Jitsu",hoping she wouldn't
tell me i had to be a member,pay insurance or do an induction.

She clicked the turnstile and in i walked.I carried on through all the steroid heads
training over to the stairs in the corner.Up the stairs and into the dojo,taking my shoes off and bowing
at the door.There was a 35 year old Purple Belt who was about 6ft 2in and about 85kgs.
I knew immediately he would have a guard game specialising in triangles.
Its funny how after all these years you know by looking at someone what their BJJ will consist of
after 2 seconds.

He was with a small young Blue Belt and 2 big white belts who were in their Thirties.

TBC

The Purple belt walked over to me and i asked "Professor?" he said "Si" and i said "Simon Hayes-Email!"
He said "Porra" and i realised

1.He was not the Rafael Santos from You Tube (phew)

2.He spoke NO english.

3.I spoke a few words of Spanish and a few words of Portuguese-like 'Porra' 'Puta Kipario' 'passe le guard' 'Valeo' 'porra' 'PORRA!!' and 'poooorrrrraaaaa'.

This was going to be interesting.

One of the white belts came over-and his english was about as good as my french-he could understand many single words but got lost on sentences.
I tried to explain that i was sorry i was late,and that i came 'muito kilometres' and that i would like to train and none of them understood a word i said.
I then just said 'OK.Me-kimono' and pointed downstairs to the changing room.They all looked happy and then the Instructor asked the White Belt something
in spanish.The white belt asked me 'You-what belt'.I said Brown and he looked shocked.He said something in spanish to the instructor and the instructors
smile left his face.He said to me 'Faixa Marom?' and i said "Si".
I then turned and left the dojo to go and get changed.
I got into my plain white Mizuno Judo Gi.Wearing a plain judo gi when you are at other peoples academy is a mark of respect to them.
It is disrespectful to turn up with Bulldogs all over your Gi,and can change a nice welcoming reception into resentment and
competitiveness very quickly.
I know how i feel when someone turns up with another teams patch at Carlsons.Much as i try to be mature about it,it bothers me-i am being honest here.
Its like turning up to train at Chelsea with an Arsenal Kit.
I also use a Judo Gi so if i can't find a Jiu Jitsu Club i can go and train at a Judo Club without being immediately labelled a 'BJJ guy'.

TBC

[Simon Hayes]

walked back into the Dojo and i knew one of two things would happen-

either he would say to his guys that i was a visiting Brown Belt and invite me to show them some positions
or he would treat me like any other student.

With him being Brazilian and me being English it was the latter-which was fine for me-i
wanted to train,not be scrutinised.

He started the warm up-just the normal running round in circles routine,then he went into stretches which were
quite complex Yoga movements-i liked it.We then started some positional jiu jitsu excercises and i got partnered
with a big white belt.

At this point a Blue Belt walked into the dojo-ripped to shreds about 25 years old and 80kg.The weird thing was
he looked EXACTLY like 'Lagatixia' who used to train at Carlsons and was from the North of Brazil.He has such a distinctive look
i knew he was Brazilian.

The Instructor then started showing some positions.
He showed a very technical Half guard sweep that uses the 'escape out the back and underneath' method that
is very popular in Brazil lately.It was a position very similar to something Roberto Atalla had showed me this year
and Roberto had said it was brand new-so i sensed that this Purple Belt Instructor Rafael Santos was technical and
experienced.He then showed a sweep to counter what i call the "Carlson Guard Pass".It was a nice sweep but it wouldn't
work on me i don't think unless someone with very long legs who was very strong was doing it.

After we had been training these 2 positions for 30 minutes Rafael said something in Spanish and i looked at the clock.
There was 30 minutes of the class left.The white belt who knew some english came over and said "Fight!"

Rafael comes over and kneels in front of me and i know we will be sparring.
He then matches the other 6 students up and tells one guy 'cinqo minuto'-5 minutes.
He starts by shuffling forward using combat base (one knee up so if i jump to guard i
won't be able to close it).I get hold of his kimono still kneeling.I am very gentle at first.
I will let him dictate the pace.He has a soft 'roll with flow' kind of grip on me (the opposite of what i
am used to from carlsons).He sits back into a relaxed open guard and i kind of hold his knee's in a relaxed
"roll with flow" kind of way,i stand up and let him play around trying a few sweeps and stuff.
I then got a little bored and decided to pass.i slammed his feet on the ground in a decidedly unrolling with flow fashion
and still holding his knees i buried my shoulder into his solar plexus.I held side control for 30 seconds.He wasn't rolling
with flow anymore.He was trying to escape full bore by pushing me and trying to escape his hips.
I started feeling a little guilty as i was the one to start training full power first,so i got the advantage of side position when he was
still 'rolling with flow'.
*we don't really do 'rolling with flow' at Carlsons so i am not sure how hard to go,what is considered sporting etc.Its much easier to just train full power
then everyone knows whats up IMO*

I allowed him to retain guard because i didn't want him to think i had cheated.Now with his guard closed,the real fight could begin.

We then proceeded to have a very tough fight.At one point i looked up and EVERY student in the academy
was sitting cross legged watching.LOL.
At Carlsons when someone interesting and new turns up,at least the students will 'pretend' to spar-i.e.
they will sit in each others guards sneekily watching.......Well this lot just stopped sparring and sat watching their
instructor having it with the new guy.
The end of the 5 minutes was up-we shook hands and he beckoned over the handy looking Brazilian Blue Belt.
I know i said before he was in shape.But again-this fella looked a handful.

So it was time to roll with the Instructors best student.As we began
i saw that the instructor wasn't rolling with anyone-he was sitting watching me and
his Blue Belt spar.The Blue Belt was a decent level and very fit.I thought "shall i hold my style
back so the instructor doesn't see it,or shall i just show him and not care if he knows my stuff"
Well-i just showed everything and thought to hell with it.I had a good aggressive fight with the
young blue belt and he was very good.I played guard and tried to sweep and submit from there.
If i swept to top position i played my game.At the end of the 5 minutes i asked him how long had
he been training because he felt better than a Blue Belt to me-i thought maybe he was also a Judo
Black Belt as he had excellent posture.Well he held up 5 fingers and said "cinqo anos"-
O.K. a five year brazilian Blue Belt,that made sense.

The instructor immediately came over having watched the whole fight and motioned that i would be
with him again for the next round.Because i had just had a tattoo done i was wearing a rash guard under
my Gi to stop any rubbing,and it was damn hot in Spain-like an English summerday.I was gassed and feeling
the heat and he'd just had a 5 minute rest,but i said 'ok' and off we went.This time there was no rolling with
flow.It was just like Carlsons with me playing top and him playing bottom.We had another very good fight
with every student watching.At the end we shook hands.I then had another round with a little Brazilian Blue Belt-a kid really who was about 65kg.
His name was 'Mosquito' for obvious reasons.He was very fast but not as technical as the other Blue.He will be one day-but i could tell he
had like 18 months training and not 5 years like the other guy.

Rafael then asked the class to line up.
At the end we all bowed and he said "Muito Obrigado Simon" and that was it.

I then went to the changing room with them and it was the same area all the bodybuilders used
so i said to everyone in the changing room 'does anyone speak english'.Well they all looked at me like
i was a piece of shit and carried on changing.I think the spanish bodybuilders probably didn't like the tough brazilian guys doing
jiu jitsu at the best of times,but seeing them with an englishman had just made their rep hit an all time low.LOL.

Rafael then asked in sign langauge if i would be back tommorrow and i told him 'No-i can never come here again-it is too expensive and far in the cab"
He didn't understand me and told me his wife spoke english and call her tommorrow at 1pm so we could talk on the phone with her translating.

I also tried to give Rafael 10 euro's for the class but he wouldn't take any money.Very generous of him.

The next day i called and explained that because the cab ride had cost 140 euro's (£100) i couldn't afford to come training anymore with him.
I told him about the tatame (mats) i had at the hotel and said i get saturday and sunday off-could he come and do personal training with me
on both days every week.He is a Jiu Jitsu instructor and i am at work earning money-even though he is a purple and i am a brown i am happy
to pay him if i get to have a scrap twice a week with someone who is a decent level.So we agreed a very fair price and i told him i would see him next saturday.


I was pleased-i now had my little dojo set up in the hotel-with pool and a jacuzzi.I had my weights,a view of the ocean and a Brazilian Purple Belt
to train with every weekend in the Gi.I also had my Jiu Jitsu class to teach with my work mates every night without the Gi-with guys who didn't know anything
and would not react like jiu jitsu fighters-this can be very good for our reactions-i like fighting 'spaz's' i don't know why the americans complain about 'noob's spazzing out'-
i think that is just as important for your development as fighting seasoned jiu jitsu guys.Anyway,i now had both Gi,and No Gi covered.

Everything was going to be fine.


TBC

(Next instalment - what happened with the 140kg Bulgarian.)

Cheers guys

Simon@Carlsons

0-1-08

Today we had a new guy to the class,so it was me,Paul and the new guy.His name is Tim and he is a very good cyclist.He takes everything
very seriously and he is known to his friends (apparently) as 'Tim-Tim I've got to win'.
I didn't know this until afterwards and decided to teach double leg take downs.Well Tim was very good at them and before long he
hit Paul fairly hard with the enthusiasm of a high school wrestler on steroids.He launched Paul and landed with his shoulder in Pauls solar plexus.
I asked Paul if he was ok and he said yeah.
The class continued until sparring and i put the boys together.Within 30 seconds Paul said he couldn't carry on and i asked whats up and he said his ribs were
hurting from earlier.I told him to rest and get some nurofen on the way home.
I went with Tim and he went absolutely mental.He was very athletic and twisted and bucked and generally went mad with me going from mount,to back and
rolling around gently without subbing him.He seemed to get a little perturbed he couldn't remove me and eventually gave up gassed.
I ended the class.

The next morning the nurse at work came up to me and said she had 2 cases of suspected broken ribs.............

Tim had broken Pauls and i had (apparently) broken Tims-well i know i never broke them-what happened was he went so mental
trying to 'sit up' out of mount he has completely pulled every intercostal muscle he has-but he still reckons i broke his ribs.............
Back to the drawing board.

Next-Will there be any more students? And if so will there be any more broken ribs???

What happened with the 140kg Bulgarian powerlifter who has been watching eddie bravo instructionals for 2 years?


TBC

[Simon Hayes]

The characters that will be coming up in future editions-

John the Japanese Ju Jitsu Black Belt

Marcus the Hollywood stunt director who has a TKD Black Belt

The strange spanish male nurse who is a 'Five Animals Shaolin Gung Fu Black Belt' who likes to do his kata's after class with very loud sound effects-2 foot in front of me
while i am getting changed.

The 140kg Bulgarian who is the biggest guy i have trained with who has been studying Jiu Jitsu via the internet for 2 years.He
owns a bodybuilding gym and has a mat space there where he is considered the teacher.He trains in Judo and Boxing and looks like
he has a very interesting 'supplement' regime.

His stroppy 95kilo mate who hates getting tapped and keeps showing the counters in class to each move i teach.

Jim the 40 year old Hollywood exec who gets so excited when he trains he thinks its the UFC and punches me in the face while giggling and spazzing out.

Roy the quiet 45 year old cockney who has the most talent i have ever seen-you show a complex move once and he knows it and can teach everyone else-
and he's only done 4 classes.

The U.S. Marines who are about to start training.


TBC

I'll back track 3 years to Budapest.

I was working there for 3 months.I have known Mihaly from Budapest since he first came to The BoilerRoom in London with MMA fighter
Gerald Strebendt.Mihaly instantly got on very well with everyone and became firm friends with my instructor Wilson Junior.Wilson would go to Hungary
regularly,and Mihaly's team became Carlson Gracie Hungary,now Carlson Gracie/BJJ Revolution Team Hungary with a very strong link to the London Team.

A few years later and i get a job in Budapest on a Movie and i think-excellent i get to train with my Hungarian Brothers every day.
Budapest is a great place and i had the run of the city there.I was provided a car (Black Range Rover!) and a flat by a senior member of the team,and i had a great hotel
room as well.I was working on a movie with a lot of American crew and they wondered how i was so well connected and why i wasn't in the bar with them each night.
I told them i was training Jiu Jitsu,and one guy kept saying how he wrestled in high school and Jiu Jitsu wouldn't work on him.He wasn't being flash,
he just honestly believed that.

Now most of the Hungarian Team are over 90kg and they are tough.I was a Purple Belt at the time and wasn't submitting the Blue Belts there.
They really were cast from iron.Mihaly-the instructor was also Purple.Anyway i trained every day,forging a relationship with Mihaly that has become a Brotherhood now-
i have his team bulldog inked on my arm.Towards the end of the movie i went training one lunch time-i only had an hour and the guy who was a wrestler wanted to come with me.
This guy was Black with long dread locks (like one of those milli vanilli blokes).In Budapest there are very few black people and rather than being racist the Hungarians
were just intrigued to have a Black Fella at the gym.They called him "Predator" in Hungarian.We practised a few positions and this bloke being a good wrestler kept
powering out of the positions we were practising.It came to sparring and i decided not to go with him because i would have hurt his ego and made our
working relationship too hard.

I asked Mihaly to go with him and i sparred with someone else.This guy keeps standing and picking Mihaly up from guard and slamming him again and again.Mihaly has the triangle from hell,and 1 minute into the round i heard Mihaly say 'he's sleeping'

I looked around to see this guy asleep and snoring loudly on the floor.He hadn't tapped for the triangle and he was asleep for ages.I was shouting 'wake up,wake up"-
i always panic when people go to sleep.......Mihaly was saying "Relax brother,it may be a while- i didn't realise he went to sleep until he started snoring,
he will wake soon" Mihaly was as calm as a coma!

When the guy came round he was so embarrased he left the gym without any of his clothes and went and sat in the car in his shorts.We took his clothes out to the car and returned him to work,
but he was slurring his words all afternoon.At about 5pm Mihaly turned up at my work with his socks and jacket.One of the Hungarian Film Security guards came up to me and said
"There is a very heavy guy at the security cordon looking for 'the predator'!".

The wrestler never came to Jiu Jitsu again!

The spanish saga continues tommorrow.

Simon.

[Simon Hayes]

Back to whats been going on in Spain for the last couple of weeks.

The Brazilian Purple Belt living in Spain-Rafael Santos,turned up for the last 2 weekends at my Hotel and we trained together.He also brought his tough Brazilian Blue Belt with him.
We exchanged a lot of techniques and he had some stuff i hadn't seen before.I also taught them some Judo for BJJ which they loved.

We did a lot of sparring and it wasn't 'Rolling with flow'.

I have struck up quite a good friendship with them in the 4 times we have trained together considering they speak absolutely no english and i speak only a few words of
both Portuguese and Spanish.

The film i have been working on is about the Iraq war.There have been a couple of scenes that have involved extra's who are supposed to look like Saddam's
bodyguards.There is a group of 3 of the biggest looking Muslim fella's i have ever seen.Well the biggest one came up to me and pointed at my Carlson t shirt and said
"Jiu Jitsu-I like!" i struck up a conversation with him and in pigeon spanish and english i learned that he owns a local powerlifting gym that also has mats.
He has been studying Jiu Jitsu via instructionals and the internet for 2 years and also trains in Judo.At his gym he runs a jiu jitsu/MMA class and is considered the teacher.
This bloke is HUGE.I have always trained around big steroid abusing bodybuilders-i have been lifting in a tough gym for 15 years.This fella is one of the biggest specimens i have seen.He is as tall as Roger Gracie or Wilson Junior but has a body like a Powerlifter.He is definately between 130kg and 140kg.I invited him to come and train at the hotel.

He turned up the next evening with one of his students.A 95 kilo fella who was 6ft 2inches.

I was running a class for all my beginners (there are now about 6 of them).Well these fella's turned up and were immediately asking questions about the techniques i was teaching.
Because it is better to demonstrate techniques on people that are experienced,i used the 95kilo guy to demonstrate a guard pass and he would'nt allow me to open his guard.I had to
use absolutely full power to demonstrate the technique.
Then everything i showed,the big one said 'but look' and showed the counter.I explained to the beginners that BJJ is like a game of chess,and for every move there is a counter
and a sub counter,and,infact the person who normally won a fight was the person who had more options to each position.
But i was beginning to feel like these blokes had come to test me,and themselves.
They are both technically white belts in BJJ,and tapping a Brown Belt would certainly be a happy event for them both.
It was time for sparring and i decided i'd better go with the big one first.I immediately managed to enter his guard and spent ages trying to pass.It was a nightmare.
He was strong as fuck.I ended up having to stand and force my knee right into his arse to break his guard open.I eventually did,but could not retain side control
as he would just literally pick me up and put me back into guard.As i was fighting i looked at his neck and it was thicker than my quad,i looked at his biceps and it they were thicker
than my quad.I knew i had to tap him in front of all these people but i didn't know how i was going to do it.

TBC

[Simon Hayes]

Everytime I managed to open the big guys leg and try to pass he picked me up
Bench press style and replaced me into his guard.Each time I opened his guard
It took an enormous effort and I was quickly running out of energy.He was
130 odd kilo’s of Bulgarian Powerlifter and even if I had have locked side control
I was wondering how on earth I would have armbarred him or choked him.
It was a pretty tall order.I started thinking while I was fighting about where his weakness
Might be and I couldn’t think of one and I certainly couldn’t see one.I also knew if he was able to reverse me I would be in trouble because even a poorly executed choke
By this monster would be hard to break out of.It was like sparring with a Polar Bear.
So there I was trying to think of a weakness and as I went for a stack pass he blocked
My pass with his knee,dangling his foot in front of my face.Before I even knew what
Was going on I knew the answer-An ankle does not get stronger from Powerlifting-
ATTACK THE FOOT-ATTACK THE FOOT! As he escaped the submission attempt
‘Time’ shouted the timekeeper and that was it.
.


The time was up and the Big guy left the mat.His friend with the 95 kilo’s and strange
Accent came onto the mat,and I knew there would be no rest.As we started I thai clinched him from kneeling and dragged his head down into a guillotine,my favourite No Gi weapon.As I jumped to guard with the choke locked he immediately jumped over my guard before I could close it.I kept hold of the Guillotine and rolled with him.I
Now had side control and a fully sunk guillotine,but you know how hard it is to finish the guillotine from there.If I didn’t do something fast he was going to escape.Still holding the choke I took mount and leg vined him.I have only had this position a few times and I knew it was a very bad position for him because with the leg vine the guillotine is not only a choke,but by extending the leg vines it turns into quite a nasty cervical lock.
I extended my legs and squeezed as hard as I could and he didn’t tap.I held it for so long
That I almost let it go.I was trying to remember everything about this technique that Mihaly from Budapest had ever taught me (this is the sort of technique that Mihaly is
Expert on.A sort of Hungarian Bas Rutten….).I decided the choke must be on and I just had to hold on.’Time’ –The familiar shout came again.

I finshed the class with a 15 minute stretch and invited the 2 Big guys to train with us the next night.

As I walked into the gym at the allotted time the next evening a few of my pupils were there and the big guys sat waiting with them.I have to admit I was nervous
As I knew these guys were always going to be a test.They were strong,powerful and skilful but in a different way to BJJ Guys.We went throught the class,and again as I was teaching the beginners techniques they had a lot of “What If…..” questions,while showing counters and reversals to the moves I was showing.
We got to the end of the class and I said sparring and they asked whether they could spar with me wearing their Gi’s.I said “Of course” and got my Gi out of my bag.
Well, I fought them both,twice and couldn’t get anywhere with either of them.I couldn’t open the big guys guard and I couldn’t submit the other guy from side control.
I finished the class and went back to my room questioning my ability and wondering
If I was losing my technique already.Jesus,I had only left Carlsons in London 2 weeks

[Simon Hayes]

Ago,and already I was losing the ability to finish.

I found out the next day that I had to put my mats on a Lorry bound for Morocco,our next
Work place.I realised that the personal training I had booked with Rafael Santos for the weekend was going to be impossible so phoned him to cancel it.

I then started thinking about what I could do at the weekend.The hotel had a lovely spar
And a massage service.Perhaps I could go for a nice jog and eat some delicious Spanish cuisine.The little voice in my head wasn’;t having it though.”You a chicken-you’ve got those guys phone numbers-they’ve got a dojo-call them and see if they want to fight”.
Why was it whenever my conscience called me a chicken it did it in Leo Negao’s accent?
It would have been easy to ignore the voice.In a few days time I would be in a new country with just my beginners to train with-A nice comfort zone.
I knew I had to call the big guys.It could be my last tough training session for a while and I had unfinished business.I called the smaller 95 kilo guy who said “Of course I will be outside your hotel at midday on Saturday”.

The next day came and I tentatively walked outside the Hotel at 12 o’clock.I’m not going to lie.i kind of hoped no –one would be there,but there he was..I got into his car and he said “We go to gym”.On the radio there was the kind of screaming Eastern European Thrash Metal that Mihaly the Hungarian likes.I am sure the singer is shouting about ripping heads off and eating peoples lung’s for tea in whatever language it was in.He turned the stereo down and we drove in silence for a few minutes.We were leaving the comfortable surroundings of the town and were driving through an agricultural area
With big polythene green houses and fields of what looked like cabbages.
I said “You don’t really speak with a Spanish accent”
He replied “No I am Russian,Russian from 500 Kilometres North of Moscow.500 Kilometres!”.
Suddenly I felt uncomfortable.Maybe it was the fact I had made too many Guy Ritchie movies about people like “Boris the Bullet Dodging Russian Blade” but I was decidedly scared.I don’t know why.Here I was travelling through farmland in a strange country being driven in silence by a Russian who a few days before had taken a dislike to a cervical lock I had tried to put on him.I thought he was going to stop the car,shoot me and feed me to some pigs.What was it Hatchet Harry said “An Adult Pig could devour 7 Pounds of Flesh and bone every minute”. I hadn’t told anyone where I was going and I wouldn’t be missed until Monday morning.

Before I could get myself really worked up we arrived at a small town and parked out side a big new building that said ‘Municipal Swimming pool” in Spanish.We walked in and the girl behind the counter greeted the Russian.We walked down a corridor following signs for the Gymnasium.We walked into a huge weights gym.It was obviously the council run gym but was extremely well stocked.It had Gym 80 machinery
And a lot of free weights.On one side of it was a small matted area with a Heavy Bag hanging to the side of it,and a 130 Kilo Polar Bear limbering up on the mat with a huge friendly smile on his face “SIMON” he shouted,and I immediately felt at ease.

[Simon Hayes]

I asked them if they wanted to train Gi or No Gi and the big guy replyed that they wanted to get good at jiu jitsu,they wanted to train Gi.I then said “Do you want to just train,or do you want me teach you,or do you just want to fight?”.I didn’t want to assume they wanted me teach them-I was in their gym and it would have been disrespectful.
“We need teacher” said the big guy and started to tell me that they train in MMA,Boxing and Judo but wanted to learn BJJ.I asked why they didn’t train with the purple Belt Rafael,but they said he was too far away.The big guy told me they had been studying instructionals and working on them for 2 years.Their current favourites were Marcelo Garcia and Saulo Ribeiro.We started training and I had them do 1500 Carlson Gracie Neck crunches in the hope it might make choking them easier later.I then showed some
nice positions,and to be honest they showed me some nice stuff too from their instructionals.I showed them one thing they loved.It was the ‘Secret Choke” that Dickie
used to finish a fight in the Europeans.

It was time to spar and I rolled with both of them a few times.The really big guy
was very good and without a doubt at a high Blue Belt level.The 95 Kilo guy was good -a few holes in his game but was extremely strong and athletic.My strength didn’t work on him-I supposed he was used to training with the big guy.
We finished training on very good terms and I asked if we could do another session at the same time the next day.

The next day I met the Russian outside the Hotel at midday again and he told me the Big Guy was working security at a Night Club,and the session had turned into a big all dayer and he couldn’t leave.That’s Spain for you-Every club turns into ‘SPACE’ Ibiza style whenever they feel like it.
I was starting to like the Russian.I will call him “Two Times’ because he alwys said everything twice.Either because he wasn’t sure of his English or my hearing,but I think
because he punctuated anything he felt was important by saying it twice.It was funny.
He would say things like “You know big guy is very strong,very strong.But also technical,technical and he once he Bench Presses 230kg-230KILOGRAM!”
(BTW That weight is not an exaggeration).
The Russian and I trained together for 3 Hours and I asked him what he wanted.
He replied “I want many things to train when you are not here.Many Things.We need
Teacher,Yes we need teacher,we fight for a long time,a very long time,but we need teacher because some of our techniques use brute force.brute force”.
I taught him 3 Takedowns from Judo Jims grip (Those in the know will know what I am talking about) Really a bastardized Tani-O-Toshi,a bastardized Tai-o-Toshi and a Bastardized Sumi Gaeshi all working from Judo Jim Warrens wrestling grip.
I then taught him Dickie Martins Triangle Masterclass with all the secrets-I didn’t hold anything back.Then we finished off with a guard combination of Sweep set up,to arm bar,
To oma plata,to violin arm bar depending on how the opponent reacted to each attack.This combination was taught to me by a very important man responsible for a lot of my Jiu Jitsu development.
It was time to spar and we went at it for 40 minutes,stopping only to catch our breath and gulp water for a few seconds every time there was a natural break in proceedings.
At the end I asked ‘Two Times’ if he had any previous Martial Arts experience other than the 2 years self taught BJJ he had done with the Big Guy.”Yes many many years Russian Sambo,Sambo for many years’ was his reply. Things were becoming clear now

[Simon Hayes]

What about the big guy? “Big guy best friend is Mirko Cro Cop Wrestling Teacher-they have many years together.Very Strong Croation wrestler,very strong-even stronger than
Big Guy.They very strong men and make a lot of train together,many training.Croation Wrestler also working with Fabricio Werdum and show Big Guy many techniques,many techniques.”I was beginning to understand there was more to these two than some Marcelo Garcia instructionals…….
“And you-why did you leave Russia”
The answer was pure gold-

“I wanted to change my career-I was acrobat in Russian Circus”.


No Wonder I thought to myself…………..

I left Spain the next day.I am in Morocco now and I have emailed the
“INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR AFRICAN JUDO”
To see if they will allow me to train with them-(they are in Rabat – the same city
as me).I introduced myself as Ray Steven’s student to try and open the door to
A middle aged non-african.I will post when I have some news……………..

I hope you enjoyed the story!

[Simon Hayes]

I am in Morocco now and my mats are on a Lorry on their way here from Spain.Staying in a nice Hotel in Rabat.The Gym
is only 2 meters wide.It contains some prehistoric cardio machines and some nice pink and orange plastic dumbells.The pink
ones are the heavyest-3kg.The good news is that there is a big rooftop terrace outside the Gym that no one seems
to use so i'm going to install the mats there.I need my dumbells.

Today i did what i like to do in a new city-I went jogging to check it out.I ran in the Medina which is like something from star wars.
Lots of tiny little alleys with strange smells everywhere with the alleys only being 2 shoulder widths wide,with me running through jumping over
rolled up rugs being sold out of doorways,and skipping over all sorts of other produce being sold off the alley floor.It was packed full of Local
people and i don't think they'd everseen a big English guy running through their Medina.I then got to the Souk which had an entrance up some steps on a Hill.
The hill was about 100 metres from the base to the Souk entrance with 3 steps (just enough to jump in one go) every 6 running paces.I got there after i had been
jogging 40 minutes and i sprinted up the Hill to the entrance, and walked down 5 times. i then jogged back to the to the Hotel and headed up to the roof top
terrace and managed 40 minutes of Yoga to cool down.

A good restday for my elbows and shoulders.

[Simon Hayes]

So going back to the last week in Spain,we had a nice little No Gi training squad going in the Hotel.
We had Rob who is about 65kilo's and hasn't done Martial Arts before.There was Gavin,a 90 kilo guy who had done a fair amount
of lifting but no fighting,who was as game as a train.Marcus the Stunt Co-ordinator on the Film had started training.He is a very high
level TKD Blackbelt who is pretty much a Professional Athlete because of his job,and has studied a fair bit of Kali,Boxing etc etc through
the need for fight scenes at work.Roy the Spark was still coming and you only have to show him something once and he knows it.
Although he is a little older than us i know he was once one of those kids that was a demon on the soccer pitch-you can just tell he is a proper sportsman.
Anyway everyone is getting on really well.One night Gavin (who is becoming a bit of a handful) missed the class.That evening i taught the Guillotine from kneeling
and jumping to guard.The next night when Gavin turned up i put him with Little Rob who immediately thai clinched him from kneeling,pulled his head down and locked
the Guillotine and jumped to Guard.Tap Tap Tap.It is moments like that,when a 65 Kilo guy who doesn't lift weights,taps out a 90kilo Weightlifter because he had 1 more
class of Jiu Jitsu.It just shows what you put in to this sport is exactly what you get out of it.Your time spent training is completely representative to your performance.
Anyway,i left them at it for another 5 minutes and Gavin managed to drag Rob up from side control using his farside arm onto his side and push his face down to the mat,kneeling across
his head,changing his arm for the Kimura and applying the Lock.We had done that a couple of days earlier.I wanted to shout CARLSON GRACIE!!! But made do with an OOOOSSSSS instead.
The boys are getting better and now they are tapping each other out they are getting addicted to the game.We are now calling Rob "The Guillotine" much to his amusement.

So its all going nicely until one day at work when one of the blokes at work came over and said "The Spanish Nurse does all the stuff you do,i've told him you two should meet up and do some sparring".Whenever someone says something like that what they really mean "Theres a another fella over there who thinks he's tough why don't you two try and beat the shit out of each other so we can all laugh at the loser".

So i said "I doubt we do similar stuff but i'll talk to him later" meaning to avoid the fella at all costs.

Anyway the Nurse bloke came up to me a day later and said "I am student of Martial Arts,i study Shaolin Five Animals Gung Fu,but i am only a Black Belt" and looked all pleased with himself.
I told him i did Jiu Jitsu and was teaching at the Hotel and that he could drop by anytime he liked.He then said "Ahh yes,Jiu Jitsu,In have studied some Wing Chun Anti-Grappling".
Now i have a lot of respect for Wing Chun,in my TKD days i sparred with a Wing Chun guy who i couldn't kick,it is a great close range art,and if you are lucky enough to train it with someone like Master Kevin Chan then it is the real deal.But unfortunately,like so many martial arts,over the years there have been political splits,off shoots with the name spelt differently and all sorts of
stuff happening that has been detrimental to the true art.One of the things i have found particularly distasteful is a group of Doughnuts teaching 'Win Chun Anti-Grappling' which was a knee jerk reaction to Royce winning the UFC.After he won, the real Martial Artist's of our generation started cross training in BJJ,Wrestling and Judo,but the narrow minded traditionalist's started talking about their art having grappling techniques hidden deep within the Kata's and Anti Grappling and all sorts of other bollocks,but i digress................................

I knew this bloke was a doughnut,and i was a little dissapointed when he turned up to class.He had none of the natural athletic ability of Marcus the Stunt man or Roy the footballer,and i had to slow the class down for him to keep up.When it came to sparring i got a funny feeling (anyone who has been in this game long enough has had people like him turn up to the dojo thinking they're pressure point dim mak moves will submit you.......)So i clearly told him these rules-

1.You must not put your fingers in your opponents eyes

2.You must not attack his fingers,only his whole hands.

When i teach Jiu Jitsu my main aim and infact mantra is "Pass the Guard".I explained and showed that you cannot submit anyone with a choke when you are in their guard.Especially without a Kimono.So i put Kung Fu Doughnut (We shall call him 'Tigerclaw' from now on) with little Rob,whose guillotine exploits had impressed me so much i wanted to see him tap the 3rd dan Kung Fu man (Another fishy subject - He told me he was 3rd Dan-there are no 'Dan's' in Chinese Martial Arts-Dan's are Japanese.......) to show Rob,hopefully that 2 weeks Jiu Jitsu would enable him to submit a lifelong martial artist.Well it didn't work.Rob jumped guard after trying to Guillotine Tiger Claw and Tiger Claw spent 5 minutes trying to choke Rob from within his guard.
So next fight after i have done a round,i put him with Gavin the Lump as Gav is a bit lively and after a couple of weeks training can look after himself.Gav passes immediately to side control and gets old tiger claw's tigerclaw right in his eyes.It was well out of order.I told Tigerclaw to stop as Gav was tapping.I finished the class early before somone got hurt.

As we got changed Tiger Claw decided to do an impromptu display of his 5 Animals forms complete with very life like animal sound effects.It was quite awe inspiring.I looked at the ground and tried so hard not to laugh my shoulders were shuddering.


Tommorow-What happened to Tiger Claw the next night.



P.S. Tonight the mats hadn't arrived so me and Marcus the stunt man did standing clinch work.I taught him pummelling,double underhooks to Kosoto,Thai Clinch to take the back (Leo Negao),
Arm drag to take the back,Thai clinch 180 degree step and drag to knee in the open floating Ribs (Attila the Hungarian Style),Thai Clinch to standing Guillotine,Standing Guillotine Defence Ala
Gracie self defence.Arm Drag to Judo Jim Warren's wrestling grip and control. It was a good stand-up grappling class.It's nice sometimes to get forced into a whole class of No Gi stand up!


*FOR ANYONE SERIOUS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO TRANSITION INTO JIU JITSU FOR SELF DEFENCE-WATCH THIS................http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WC8Lh8k-Ic

[Simon Hayes]

So the next evening Tiger Claw turned up again.We went through some basic techniques
which of course,during training he resisted each technique we were pracising as if his life depended on it.
It was difficult for his training partner,who as a beginner was probably wondering if any of the techniques i was
teaching would actually work in reality,as before he got a chance to learn them properly,he was trying to
apply them to a fully resisting opponent,and,as we all know,techniques need drilling many times before becoming
second nature enough to work in sparring.

It came to sparring,and i again went through the rules,singling Tiger Claw by looking directly at him and saying,
while demonstrating by putting my own fingers in my eyes then wagging my fingers in a "NO!" gesture,that
Fingers in eyes were not allowed.

I had a feeling this guy was a little dangerous so i decided the best course of action was to go with him myself rather
than risk the beginners health and/or eyesight.

I started by jumping to guard,which i feel is the least aggresive way of starting a grappling match and often
calms the nerves of a beginner,rather than a clinch and shove fight for top position.

Tigerclaw entered my guard and began putting his hands in my chin and face and generally thrashing around
being uncontrolled.I broke his posture and he kept trying to regain it by pushing my face.
I probably should have swept him but he was pushing my face with an outstretched straight arm so i slowly and methodically gripped his
right tricep with my right hand and his right wrist with my left hand and escaped my hips into an arm bar.Rather than cranking it on,i made sure my
left leg was completely bent to 90 degrees around his neck with my ankle pushing down towards the mat,so i had a very good leg grip on him.
He stood up and tried to shake me off and i,ever so slowly-really gently over the course of about 5 seconds applied more and more pressure to the arm bar with him wildly
trying to shake me off and me just hanging there wondering why he wasn't tapping because by this point although i had applied the lock slowly and gently it was now on quite
hard.I kept pulling in a 'linear' fashion i.e. Not jerking it dangerously (i didn't want to damage him), and eventually (perhaps 10 seconds after first applying it) Tiger Claw howled like a scalded cat and i immediately released him,dropping to the floor (i had actuallly been hanging off his arm,but with a great grip).He then walked off the matt swearing in Spanish and rubbing his elbow.
I said "My friend,you must tap",although i don't think he was listening,or would have understood if he was.

Another couple of Rounds went by and Tiger Claw was still waiting for another round so i decided to put him with Marcus the Stunt Man who is i think a 6th Dan TKD
master and a very well respected 35 year old Hollywood Stuntman,who was responsible for the fighting in such films as the latest Bourne.
Marcus has dabbled in many arts,done a tiny bit of shootfighting and mma but is a BJJ beginner.He picks things up FAST though.

Anyway Marcus basically and methodically starts destroying TigerClaw with great technique,in a controlled fashion and ends up mounted on him.
To secure the position he did what i had taught him and crawled up into a high mount and put his arms out wide and his head on the floor so he had 3
points of contact with the ground,to secure the position before deciding if it was safe to move onto a submission attempt.
From here Tiger Claw put his finger right in Marcus' eyes really hard.
I saw a split second of anger flash through the usually completely calm Marcus' face-well somone was trying to blind him.
And then it happened,a moment of superb technique from an absolute beginner-Marcus span,putting his leg across Tiger Claws Neck and
Slid down his outstretched left arm as if the arm was a firestation pole.He landed with his crotch right against Tiger Claws shoulder and
sat back onto the most almighty arm bar i have seen for ages.He had SO much leverage-Tigerclaws Elbow was above Marcus' solarplexus.
As the Arm Bar went on i yelled "NO!" and surely saved Tiger Claw from a broken arm.The Lock,even though it was not fully applied
had TigerClaw scream again and he jumped up,this time rubbing his left elbow furiously.

I thought at that point it was best to finish the class.TigerClaw got changed quickly and left without doing any of his explosive Forms with animal sound effects this time.

[Simon Hayes]

I had been in Morocco a few days.The mats had turned up and i had mangaged to install them in the Gym on the 4th Floor,
and on days off,we carried them outside onto the terrace and trained in the sunshine.The hours we were all working were long,so
it was only about 4 of us training.It had been a week since last training with the Big Guys in Spain,and i was anxious not to start
getting lazy.Teaching Jiu Jitsu sometimes has a habit of making me lazy.I show a technique 4 times and the students repeat it 20 times
so they are doing more work than me.It is good when there is an odd number and i can partner one of them.Although i do the warm up
and spar at the end,it is easy sparring with beginners.What i am trying to do is only hit submissions from my 'bad' side.
I envy Jiu Jitsu guys who are as good on either side,but i find i have a favourite side to hit each position and submission.
It isn't always the same side for each technique,but nevertheless it is good to try triangling people on my 'bad side'.

One evening i was sitting in my Hotel Room waiting for Room Service to bring me some spaghetti bolognaise.I was watching
'Favourite Submissions' DVD by my teacher Rodrigo Medeiros.

There was a knock at the door,and i paused the computer and let the room service guy in.As he brought me my food in he glanced at the paused
image on the computer and asked in French if i did Judo.I replied yes,and he said he trained Judo as a Boy.I asked him if he could give me the address of the club and he said
he would show me it.

I wonder what he would have offered to show me if i had been watching Porn on my computer instead of BJJ!

Anyway,he said that his next day off was Monday and he would meet me outside the Hotel at 11 am and take me to the Judo Club.

I was very pleased because Judo would be a great test for me in Morocco and i was sure there would be some tough guys there.
It also meant i would be able to train in the Gi.Remember my Hotel classes were all No-Gi and 3 months No Gi is not good for my game.
3 or 4 weeks can be a great rest on the gripping muscles of the forearms and give the ligaments a rest,but 3 Months makes me rusty when i return
to Carlson Gracie.

[Simon Hayes]

Monday came,and luckily it was a day off for me.I met room service man outside the Hotel at 11am,and we began walking through the streets
of Rabat.He didn't speak any English and so were conversing in my pigeon French.As we walked throught the bustling streets in the bright Sunshine
i told him that the weather here in February was the same as the hottest summer's day in England and he laughed.All around us were people
from seemingly different African Cultures,with the recognisable ones being Arabs,Berbers (the indiginous Moroccan race) with people of varying degrees
of Muslim clothes depending on their particular interpretation of the religeon.There were people that looked Arabic,others that were from further south and were
true Africans,with every other mixture inbetween.It was a very busy day in the city.Car horns hooted continually as they all weaved and swerved to avoid each other,
and the sound of 2 stroke mopeds screaming like mosquito's filled the air.The smells were a mixture of 2 stroke oil,diesel,incense,and arabic food being cooked on makeshift
barbecues on the street and sold to passersby.As we made our way the smells changed every few paces.

As we walked along the pavement we avoided street sellars with their wares spread out on blankets on the pavement,selling everything from watches to trainers
to jewellry.There were guys that looked like indian shamen in brightly coloured costumes with bells all over them ringing as they shook their bodies,selling water to drink in the hot sun
which they carried in what i think were ornately decorated camels bladders with tubes to dispense it,like the tubes you would find on an arabic bong,i think they're called hookums?

As we made our way through through all of this i was struck by how lucky i was to be able to witness these far away places and cultures.I wasn't shocked by it,as this was my 5th
visit to Morocco,just enthralled by how magical it all felt.The towns in the first Star Wars Movie accurately described the mix of cultures here.

Every Moroccan city is like a different country.Morocco is the last point of Africa before you get to Europe,so historically there has been a migration of all african cultures North to
find prosperity.So Morocco is a huge mix of people.They all speak Arabic which is the common Language,most speak French which is taught from the very beginnning in all the schools-
a throw back to French Colonisation,and people also speak their own Tribal Language depending on which tribe they are from.

[Simon Hayes]

Room Service man and me eventually reached a doorway and he beckoned me to follow him inside.We walked up a stair case
and on a wall on the stair's i saw lots of pictures of WTF Taekwondo competition,Semi Contact KickBoxing,and Muay Thai.
But no Judo.Having studied all these arts at some point i could make out exactly what art the exponents in each picture were doing,
and it seemed to me we were heading into a Kickboxing Gym that taught WTF TKD,specialised in Semi Contact (WAKO) Kickboxing
and that a few guys here also fought in Muay Thai.

We reached reception and there was a woman receptionist there and a guy who from the look of him was an instructor.

My man asked in Arabic if there was any Judo and they said No.They didn't offer up any Judo clubs and didn't seem too helpful.

I asked if they did Jiu Jitsu,hoping that Muay Thai man behind the desk might know what it was and want to train some MMA,
or that the mention of Jiu Jitsu rather than just solely Judo might open up a new conversation or avenue of communication.
It didn't.He looked at the ground when i said the words "Jiu Jitsu".

[Simon Hayes]

Eventually after more Arabic,Room Service man turned to leave and i said 'Merci Beaucoup' and put my hands together
in front of my solar plexus in a praying motion and bowed slightly,the way Thai Boxing students do,and the way everyone in India
does.I find this to be a courteous,respectful sign that transcends language and culture,and every martial artist understands.

I showed them my respect and left to walk down the stairs.

Room Service man told me that this was the Judo Club when he was a Boy,but there was no Judo there now.At least thats what i think he was saying
in French.He told me that the receptionist had told him to try another address,so we walked another half a mile through the crowded metropolis.

We reached another doorway that was VERY like the last one.Up the stairs,and more pictures of WTF Competition,but this club
seemed to be a more serious TKD club,with pictures of the students competing at the Olympics,pictures of the King Of Morocco visiting the Dojo
and some tough looking guys in WTF sparring gear.

We got upstairs to a beautiful Dojo that was empty,so we went up another floor to a fantastic 1970's style bodybuilding gym with 3 big guys training there.
They seemed very friendly and talked in Arabic to my friend.He told me in French that this Gym was only TKD and weights but these guys had told him where to
find the Judo Club.I asked the guys in French if i could come and do weights another time and they said yes.So i felt like even if we didn't find the Judo Club,
the morning had been worthwhile.

[Simon Hayes]

We made ourway downstairs and walked through an alleyway.My friend told me in french to never
come this way at night because i would be stabbed in the arse.

I told him thanks but i can look after myself and he shook his head and laughed as if i was stupid.

We walked another half mile until we came to a Riad (A traditional Moroccan Building with an outer wall and a courtyard)
and in the courtyard there was a group of young guys playing Volleyball.

We walked to one of the spectators and asked about the Judo Club and he pointed to the corner of the courtyard and said
"Come Back at 5pm".There was a sign in the corner saying 'JUDO' above a door.

I had finally found the Dojo.

TBC

[Simon Hayes]

I thanked my Room Service friend and tried to give him 100 Dirham (about £7) and he made out he was offended
as we walked away down the street.He did a good job of making me feel like i had upset him and said "Non! Mon Ami"
I suddenly realised it was an act and quick as a flash stuffed the note into his jacket pocket.He had spent an hour of his time
on his day off walking me round dojo's and he was a waiter.He looked even more offended and i said "Allez,c'est Fini!"
and he looked relaxed again.We walked together another half mile and he pointed out the weights gym and which direction the Hotel
was.I thanked him and he left.

All afternoon i waited for the time to go training.I spoke to Dickie on the phone to see how Carlson's was doing and told him about
the Judo club,and he said "Be careful you don't get smashed up,they're bound to be good with the French influence and the african
athletisism",i told him i'd smash them up,but secretly i was a little nervous.Both me and Dickie know you can receive a harsh smashing at a
good judo club,and unlike BJJ you can't just tap.You fly through the air and land on your head with the weight of your opponent
landing fully in your ribs knocking the air out of you.I knew i could look after myself on the ground,but standing i am decidedly average.

I walked by myself to Judo at 4.30 after consuming a strong "Nus Nus" in the Bar at the Hotel-A very strong arabic coffee that you have to
put a lot of hot milk in to make it drinkable it is so strong."Nus Nus" literally means half and half.
After walking through the crazy streets again,on my own this time,
I got there and there was a 70 year old man at the Front desk.Its funny,it doesn't matter where you are in the world,70 year old judoka all look the same-
Teeth that are now dentures,cauliflower ears,a smashed to smithereens look about their shoulders and a possible glass eye that stares the wrong way when you talk
to them so you don't know which eye to look at.Think Larry at the Budokwai for those that know him.

I will tell you how i talked to him so you can laugh at my grasp of french.

"Bonjour Sensei,Je'mappelle Simon.J' Habite Londres.Je Voudrais,C'est possible moi Judo avec vous?"

He then asked in French how long i was in Morocco for.

i held up 6 fingers and said "6 weeks" because i couldn't remember how to say weeks in french.

He looked like he was going to say No.

I said,

"Monsier,Moi allez Judo avec Le British Judo Association"

He then asked me for paperwork in french.

"Sensei,Pardon,moi papier avec moi familie du Londres,Sensei moi belt.........."

At this point i opened my bag and pulled out my belt that had my name embroidered in it.

Sensei looked a little more welcoming when he saw the belt with my name.It was not as official as a BJA
license but it was better than nothing.

*Note to everyone-If you want to do Judo in a different country take your license*

I then said

"Sensei,Moi le student du Ray Stevens.Moi allez Judo pour Le Budokwai,Londres"

He said immediately "The Budokwai?"

I said "Oui Sensei,Le Budokwai,Moi Sensei Ray Stevens"

The old mans eyes lit up,and he said in perfect English
"I was at The Budokwai in 1975 with Brian Jack's.He was a very tough man.The Budokwai is a very beautiful Dojo,
the roof is a pyramid like a Japanese Dojo" and he looked wistfully into the air.

He then said "Ok,You are here for a month and a half.I will charge you 100 Dirhams (£7) to train for that time here.
There is training on Monday,Wednesday and Friday at 7.45 until 9.00pm.Come back tonight at 7.45.

I was in! and i was going to get 6 weeks training for £7. Amazing.


To Be Continued.If i live to tell the tale!!!

[Simon Hayes]

Basically i have just returned from Judo and i am too f.ucked to write about it.
I am in pieces.Properly gone.Oh my god.

I will write a report tomorrow.

[Simon Hayes]

As i walked to the Judo Club through the early evening hustle of the city i wondered what would happen.
Sometimes when i am approaching a big challenge where i could get seriously hurt i often do a 'pre flight check'
on all my joints,i circle my shoulders,twist my neck,stretch my toes,open and close my hands etc.I do this not as a warm up,but rather
to rejoice of the fact that i am injury free and i can use my body without pain.I savour the moment and try to install the feeling in my memory
bank,of what a healthy body feels like.So if it is taken away i can at least remember and appreciate the feeling of wellness.
I don't really go through this process at Jiu Jitsu competitions,but i did it before i fought amateur MMA and i certainly
did it before i fought in the 10k Challenge,when i knew meeting Braulio,Monson or Lovato jnr on their way to £10,000 could be a career
ender for me.You will probably not get a chance to tap in that situation,it's just going to go on until the ref stops it.Thats how the game changes when money is
involved.I also sometimes feel like this at Judo if i am fighting a British Team Player and i manage to get a cheeky score from them.I know they will be peeved,and i know
they are capable of really hurting me.Most of the time the young British Team players are kind to me in Randoori,and have enough control
to do a perfect ippon by sending me flying through the air,and then,at the last minute they roll out of the throw instead of landing square on me and breaking me.
On the rare occasion i have managed to piss off a quality judoka,or i have met a good one with an ego problem (very,very rare) i have felt what it is like to be buried
into the mat,and it is scary,and very very easy to get injured in a horrible way.

I don't want to put anyone off Judo as it is a fantastic sport but it is not BJJ.You run a much higher risk of injury IMO.

Anyway,as i walked down the street i realised i was going through my pre flight check routine.I told myself i was probably being stupid and the club would be teenagers,
old people and lower grades.But i knew i was going to a Judo Club where i didn't speak the language of the students and had a different religeon and skin colour.
It was a little daunting.

[Simon Hayes]

I walked into the Dojo ten minutes early.It is disrespectful to arrive late at Judo especially if you are not at your club.
The old man greeted me and asked me to come into the waiting room where 2 other old (60+) Judoka were sitting watching
television.They shook my hand and murmered politely when Sensei explained in Arabic that i was from The Budokwai.
Their eyes never really left the TV screen though.I wondered what was on.I stared at the telly and was shocked to see these
3 old men were glued to a cookery programme.Not really with it because of my nerves i watched and tried to work out why they were
watching it.I suddenly realised why.The young Arab girl presenting it was Hot,Young with skin tight jeans and big tits.I internally giggled
and relaxed enough to sit with them in silence watching the programme.

A fella came through the door way.The old sensei turned to me and said "This is our Sensei" and motioned me towards the
the young man stood in the doorway.The only way i can describe him is as a Moroccan version of Braulio.Same age,build and certainly the same amount of
time in the Gym.The bloke looked like a serious athlete.6ft 2,90 odd kilo's with long legs.ripped to shreds.

I shook his hand and introduced myself in French and he motioned for me to follow him.He showed me the changing room.

I got changed and made my way to the Dojo.As i entered there was a 55 year old Brown Belt in the corner and a 18 year old green belt stretching.
I went and shook both of their hand and began to feel like i would be ok.
The Dojo was a big one,about 1.5 times the size of The Budokwai,or,say,Carlsons or RGA.

It was in a big old Moroccan Hall with tiled walls and a massive tarpaulin stretched out over the floor.I noticed that around the edges the floor was exposed and the mats weren't
very thick,with the floor being tiled concrete under the tarp and the mats.No sprung floor like the Budokwai here.I tapped the floor with my foot and to my horror realised that whatever
was under the tarpaulin,it wasn't Judo tatame.It was hard as fuck.It felt like their was a layer of dishcloths being used as mats under the tarp.
The best way to imagine it is this-The floor was as soft as a Boxing Ring floor i.e. Not very soft at all.Oh dear.I was going to do a class with unknown guys throwing me as hard as possible
onto,basically a concrete floor with a little padding.

The dojo kept filling.More and more people turning up.The class was supposed to start 15 minutes earlier,but everyone just stood around the sides waiting.
There must have been about 40 students.20 of them coloured Belts under thirty years old.15 or so of them over thirty,with 3 Black Belts.A 30 year old 80 kilo Blackbelt,
a 35 year old 95 Kilo Black Belt and the insructor.There were many Brown Belts.

We began a warm up that was similar to a normal Judo/BJJ warm up but lasted 30 minutes and was tough on the cardio system.We were then told to pair up and
a Blue Belt about my age and size came over and grabbed me.We then did moving Uchi Komi for 20 minutes.This is when everyone moves up and down the mat
with one person entering the same throw without completing it,again and again for repetitions on the move,while the other lets the him by walking normally.It is to build footwork,timing
and the breaking of kuzushi (balance) against a moving opponent.Each time you have another go down the dojo you change your technique.

We then did 20 minutes static (still) Uchi Komi,with the instructor showing some specifics.We also did some 1 minute bursts of high speed uchi komi.
Static Uchi Komi is mainly to build an understanding through repetition of the basic's of throws, concentrating on the all important entry-the place where most thorws are won or lost.
During Uchi Komi it is rare to follow a throw through and actually throw your partner.It is all about entry and grip and footwork.

Sensei then said something and everyone got on their knee's.I said to my partner "Quesce c'est" (what is it?) and he said "Ne waza Randoori".

My partner was,by the way,the best Blue Belt in Judo at uchi Komi i had trained with.He felt so much like a Dan Grade i was sure he had forgotten his belt
and borrowed one.

I thought "No No No,not groundwork first.I really don't want to scrap this lot on the ground and have them comeback for revenge later in stand up."
I made a promise to myself to not submit anyone.A promise i knew i wouldn't be able to keep.

I did 3 minutes of ground work with the Blue Belt and i think he was glad when it ended although i was playing a mellow game.To be honest i think
he was wondering how this bloke with the average uchi komi had just changed into a different fighter on the ground.I was wearing a plain white Judo Gi,
my Judo Belt and had deliberately not mentioned bjj.

At the end of the 3 minutes the 30 year old Black Belt came over and asked to go with me.I of course said no problem and we began fighting.I was struggling really hard
not to submit him and large it,just playing knee on chest,side control,changing sides etc.The 3 minutes ended.

The next Black Belt came and wanted to roll with me.He was 95 Kilo's and 6ft 1inches tall.Quite a big bloke.
I started by jumping to guard.I had a tough fight with him and i knew by the end he would be looking for me when it came to stand up.

By the time the round ended i was properly knackered.Sweating profusely,gasping for air.The warm up and Uchi Komi was tough,and fighting Judoka on the floor
is not like doing BJJ,they are very explosive and that style of sparring takes a lot of you.

It was now time for stand up sparring (Tachi-Waza Randoori) and i wondered how i would be able to defend myself i was so knackered.


The first Black Belt i had fought immediately came over and beckoned me to the middle of the mat.

I started tentatively with him but i could tell he was seriously after me for the control i had on the floor earlier.He made the mistake of pushing me very slightly
and i threw him with a lovely tomonage for ippon.I knew now i was in for a really hard time.I could feel that ultimately he was better than me although i had just thrown him.
I spent the rest of the round defending.Towards the end after trying a few counters i hadn't scored again and he still hadn't thrown me.He entered for a lovely Uchi Mata.
When you get thrown with this throw well,you fly.In the air i knew it would be a bad one.Such a bad one i knew that at my club the guy throwing would rollout.It would be too dangerous to
land on your opponent.It was an ippon anyway and there was nothing left to prove.I wondered and hoped this guy would roll.All this went through my head as i flew through the air.

I kind of knew what the answer would be.SMASH.I landed and his full body weight crashed into my ribcage.He had followed me through the air so it wasn't just his weight but all of his momentum
and force landing on me as well.I had broken 2 Ribs 12 weeks previously demonstrating a takedown on a Thai Boxer at Carlsons who had decided to put his knee up as i followed him to the floor to secure side position.They were very badly damaged and as my whole rib cage flexed i wondered if they would go again.Luckily for me it was the other side and i didn't feel any pain.I waited for a delayed reaction but a few seconds later i was still feeling ok.I could walk away.As i stood up the Sensei called "Matte" (Finish),and i walked to the edge of the mat and collapsed in a heep on the floor.

TBC..........................

[Simon Hayes]

I was very lucky it had been the 80 Kilo Black belt who had landed on me and not the 95 Kilo who was now looking for his turn.

[Simon Hayes]

Speaking of being inspired i wanted to share something with all of you
while you wait for my next update.


All i can say that i had been working from 5.30am - 7.30pm everyday for 6 days with no lunchbreak.

I had been to Judo twice that week,and was sore.It was a Friday night and i was being driven back to my Hotel
(a 45 minute drive).

All the way i was playing that game in my mind of "Should i take the night off,it's friday,i'm tired,i've done enough this week..........."Blah Blah Blah

Training twice a week is not enough.It's enough to make you feel like you've done something-but it's not enough to be properly beneficial to our Cardio Systems.

Training twice a week is not enough for Warriors.

After remembering this speech i got dropped off at Judo while all my workmates had Friday night on the piss.

Enjoy



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

[Simon Hayes]

Back To Judo..................

So i picked myself up off the floor and luckily Sensei called "Matte".
I went and collapsed on the floor at the side of the mat.At The Budokwai in London it is seen as extremely poor conduct to sit down at the side of the mat.
For two reasons-

1.If someone throws their opponent onto you,there will be no time to get out of the way and you will get flattened.

2.You should be standing to recover better from the intense cardio of the fight.


Well i couldn't have stood,i was knackered and luckily there were other students sitting so i knew it was acceptable here.
I hadn't done a serious Judo class for 5 months.Saturday has always been my Judo day,but since Wilson,Dickie and myself decided
that there should be a BJJ Class on Saturday at Carlsons it has been my job to run it,unless i am out of the country.So my own Judo has taken a back seat
for the time being,to try to give the students at Carlsons more training sessions.The idea had been to run the class at Carlsons from 2pm-3.30pm then go to
The Budokwai for 4.30pm.I had decided that i would teach the class at Carlsons but not do any sparring so i would get to Judo.Everyweek sparring would begin and for one reason
or another-someone being injured and not being able to spar so me having to make up the numbers,or a visitor coming who wants to roll with the instructor-i always end up sparring.

I had made the Saturday class at Carlsons 50% Judo so i could train my stand up,but doing Judo with BJJ students isn't as taxing as competition Judoka.

So,suffice to say,i wasn't fit for Judo at this first class in Morocco.Infact,i was exactly the opposite.I was f.ucked.
Its funny how you can be fit for BJJ but not for Judo.It just proves that fitness is not JUST fitness.We become fit for the sport we practise most and our bodies become able to practise this sport
without being taxed as hard it should be.

I bet if a rugby player tried to play 90 minutes of Soccer he would be in trouble,and vice-versa,just to make an analogy.

So there i was lying on the mat drenched in sweat,puffing hard,when the 95 Kilo Black Belt i had rolled with on the ground 20 minutes earlier came over and asked me if i wanted
to fight.He wanted revenge!

There is no point being a hero on a Judo mat.I was in no fit state to defend myself and i knew i would need all my minerals for this round,so although my ego was telling me to get
on the mat,i refused."Non Monsier,trois minute sil'vous plait.Je fini,c'est terrible" i said to him.He laughed at me and said "Dakor,trois minute!".
I had 3 minutes to sort myself out........................

[Simon Hayes]

I watched the sparring.The class was awesome.There were orange belts and green belts who looked like Brown and Black Belts.
The standard here was exceptionally high.Sensei was funny.As i said he was about Braulio's age and size and took his judo and his club VERY
seriously.If one of his guys got caught by a silly throw he would shout and scold them in Arabic,running across the mat to kick them HARD if they did not get immediately
back to their feet.If he was very upset with them he would chase them around the Dojo as they zigzagged through sparring couples,with Sensei booting the poor unfortuate
student as hard as he could up the arse as they tried to escape.I laughed at first until the higher grades gave me a warning look,as if to say."This is serious-Don't laugh."

When the student had received his beating,a group of girls training in traditional Hijab's would laugh at him and call him a "Pussy" in Arabic.

I had never really trained in a club this brutal.My taekwondo instructor was quite scary,but if he had a problem with you,you would be chosen to spar with him and he would
get a TKO from kicks to the ribs.It was rare for him to do this though,apart from when he caught my friend Rowen at a Thai Boxing class-but thats another story.

At The Budokwai,all it takes is a stern look from Ray Stevens to keep order.

And here i was watching a half crazed instructor chasing his students around the mat kicking them and slapping them round the back of the head as they ran away because they had been caught by a good throw!

[Simon Hayes]

It was time for the next round and i walked to the centre of the mat to fight the big guy.
We bowed and shook hands.And it began.As soon as i gripped him up i felt like my style matched up to his a lot better than the smaller Black Belt who had uchi mata'd me.
Just like Jiu Jitsu,Judo is all about styles,and sometimes our style is difficult for someone and with other people they can make a throw on us easy.
Well luckily this Bloke was all about strength and Power.His game was not about speed and agility.Luckily for me,his type of game matches up well for me,unlike the other.
We had a good round and both scored a couple of Koka's-The lowest score in Judo-basically a poorly,or well defended throw.The three minutes was up.
I was gasping for air and needed a rest.

[Simon Hayes]

I watched the instructor in the next round with one of his green belts.The green belt must have been about 17 years old,and had the same build as Sensei.
He was as game as a train.I had been watching Sensei being hard on him,scolding him more than everyone else and always being negative about this young chaps technique.

This gave away 3 points,i could tell from watching the kid and my experience of tough instructors.

1.This kid had enough talent to go all the way,certainly at National Level.

2.Sensei was reminded of himself as a green belt.

3.He was secretly Sensei's favourite pupil.

As they fought Sensei scolded the boy for every bad grip,threw him hard whenever he made a small mistake with his foot work.The boy kept coming back for more,literally throwing his being
into attacks-and they were good attacks-putting every ounce of bodyweight,momentum and technique into trying to throw sensei with almost a disregard for being countered.

When you play Judo like this kid was, the rewards when you get a throw are great.It is going to be a BIG ippon,but just like many things in life,the higher the reward the greater the risk-and if you are countered while attacking like this you will hit the ground HARD.This boy had minerals in abundance.

He didn't throw Sensei and was punished by counter's again and again.But one day he WILL throw Sensei.And when he does it will all have been worthwhile.

[Simon Hayes]

So i was fighting one round on and one round off,so i could rest.

Judo rounds in a club are normally 3 or 4 minutes long,and unlike BJJ,the instructor doesn't match you up.
You are expected to match yourself up.This happen's when someone walks over and asks if you would like to "practise",
or sometimes someone will go and stand in the middle of the mat before the round starts to signify he is game and will
spar with anyone who wants some.If no one goes to join him the instructor will usually call out "Come on,that fella over there is looking for a practice",
and that will be enough to get someone to join him.

When i am in a new club i stand *or sit at the side gasping for air* but i try not to ask anyone for a practise.

No one has ever told me it is seen as disrespectful,but i feel it could be misconstrued as a big headed challenge,or 'larging it' in West London patois.

I also try not to ever ask any British Team members,or exceptionally good competition players to spar at The Budokwai,as i am a very average 1st Dan and
i don't want to waste their time if they are training for a comp.If i want a tough practise i will go and stand at the 'Hard' end of the Dojo and wait to be asked.

They only time i break this rule is when Roger Gracie comes to The Budokwai to do Judo.I always ask him to train in TachiWaza and Newaza when i get the chance,
because i know Roger just thinks this is funny and not disrespectful.I am an easy warm up for him in Tachi Waza before he goes on to fight the Proper Competition Players,
and in Ne Waza,although he can tap me every 20 seconds while talking to someone else and not paying attention,he will do that to 99.9% of people anyway.

Anyway,i was recovering slowly when Sensei came over and asked me to practise.I thought to myself "This could range from a friendly spar,to a smashing,or,if any of his students have been complaining about the Newaza it could be a warning not to come back to the club"

[Simon Hayes]

Sensei smashed me.I couldn't get anywhere near throwing him.Every attempt left me looking like a white belt.
I now knew this man was very very good.On a par with others i had sparred with who were on National Teams,in fact,to be honest better than many.
He,technically,methodically and thoroughly took my game apart.

The really disheartening thing was,he did it with such control he didn't hurt me once.He had to put so little effort into the thrashing he gave me,he could literally throw
me through the air and at the last moment with a tug on the sleeve of my Gi,break my fall by 30% for me.

He must have ipponed me 20 times.He also made the round go on a lot longer until i was gasping for air again.All of the people resting were watching this demolishing i was gettin g and the younger ones were laughing.But he did it in such a gentle way it reminded me that a Black Belt in Judo is the beginning of learning.And i was at the Beginning.

After the round i collapsed on the floor and Sensei's green belt protege came over and asked me,as i was lying there,if i wanted to practise.

Sensei was looking the other way but seemed to have a 6th sense.He ran over,clouted the green belt round the head with his open hand and kicked him in the arse,
shouting what i assume to have been "How dare you approach an elder with a Black Belt who is resting,and insolently ask him to fight,you are lucky i don't kick you around this dojo
now go away before i smack you again".

I quickly said "Sensei,Sensei,Non Problem,c'est bon,c'est bon" and stumbled onto the mat with the green belt.

Now green belt thought all his Christmas's had come at once!

He had a foreign Black Belt in front of him,who he had just seen his instructor systematically destroy.The Black Belt was the wrong side of 35,and gasping for air.
This could be his big chance to show Sensei that he wasn't a worthless waste of space and become the Dojo hero for the evening.

I very carefully,very gently did exactly to him what Sensei had done to me.(Well to be honest i only threw him a few times cos i was knackered but i did it in a very controlled way without hurting him or landing on him).

He began to realise that the road we all travel in Martial Arts is a very long one,and along that road we will all meet many challenges.Winning or losing the challenge is not what is important,
but how we do our winning and losing is.

************************************************** ************************************************** *****************************************




I went back to Judo twice more that week.
The next time i arrived Sensei had obviously been told about my Newaza exploits from the first session by his Black Belts.Because he came looking for me.

TBC

[Simon Hayes]

So,48 hours later after a long day at work i was in the truck on the way back to the Hotel.
It looked like i was going to arrive back in Rabat at 7.40pm-25 minutes after the Judo class had started.

I knew from my first class there that they didn't really start the warm up until 7.30pm,the first 15 minutes seemed like a meet and greet time.

I thought about whether it was disrespectful to turn up late to the class,and i figured,it's not my fault if i have to work like a dog,and this was going to happen regularly.

I decided that i would be as respectful as is humanly possible while on the mat but they were going to have to tolerate my lateness.

Remember,there is always a little voice in the back our heads looking for an excuse not to have to train.
************************************************** ************************************************** ****************************************
That voice is our ego's.It is not us.If we all led our life by listening to our ego's the world would be a terrible place.

I can practically put every bit of serious trouble i have ever been in down to listening to my ego.

Sometimes it is VERY difficult to ignore your ego,but the way ahead is to see him for what he is.He is a trickster-He wants you to believe that he is you.

He jumps on the back of your personality,and because he lives in your mind,it is easy to think he is you.Well he isn't-He is a trouble maker and is not to be listened to.

He is not your spirit.Your spirit is the real you.And your spirit and your ego are on opposing sides of a battlefield in your mind where daily wars are fought.

He's the one that tells you to jump out of the car when someone cuts you up.
He's the one that tells you to have a word with the fella in a Bar who is looking at your missus.
He's the one who tells you,you are a pussy if you let someone bump into you and don't tell the bloke off.

He is also the one who tell's you not to go training-because you might get tapped.

Every time you ignore your ego your spirit becomes a little stronger and your ego becomes closer to dying.

Don't get me wrong-If you see him for who he is,he can be a useful little fella-If you can harness his competitiveness,and his will to win it can be a very good thing,

but like everything-too much of a good thing is bad-and listen to him and treat him as your god and you will never go training.

The more you react to what your ego is telling you to do the more you become his slave,and your life becomes one big reaction.

You are pulled from pillar to post all day everyday and become controlled by your ego,and the more this happens the more powerful he becomes.

"THE GREATEST TRICK THE DEVIL EVER PULLED WAS CONVINCING THE WORLD HE DIDN'T EXIST" The Usual Suspects.

Well,the greatest trick your ego ever pulled was convincing you that he is you.

************************************************** ************************************************** *******************************************


So there i was sitting in the truck,listening to my ego and my spirit having their usual fight about whether i was too tired to go training.

As i bumped along the road the boys around me all had fantastic smelling Moroccan Hashish Spliffs on the go,and were all having a deep conversation about whose was best.

Sometimes being in this enviroment is hard.I gave up everything when i got my Purple Belt four years ago.Drinking,Smoking - the lot.

It is the best thing i ever did in my life,for my Jiu Jitsu,My career and my sanity.I wake up every day and praise god (or whoever it is up there) for giving me the
single mindedness to live my life as an athlete should,but every now and then it is difficult.And after a 14 hour day in the sun,with no lunch break in a very high pressure job
it is sometimes hard to carry on with this single mindedness.Especially when a little voice is saying "Go on,you're in Morocco,you'd be crazy not to sample the local delicacies........"

Well i can recognise my ego for who he is and i told the boys-"TAKE ME TO JUDO!"

[Simon Hayes]

I arrived at Judo 15 minutes late,and the warm up was underway.
They have a separate changing room for Black Belts which is great because the regular changing room is carnage.
It is ankle deep in water and there are 50 people in a room that should have no more than 20 in it.

The Black Belt changing room is lovely-it has a carpet and 2 sofa's in it!

I walked in and there was a guy who i hadn't met before.I introduced myself to him,and he seemed friendly enough but i could tell he was
a tough guy and senior in the pecking order,and although we were pretending to be cool there was a tiny bit of an alpha male thing going on.
Sometimes this shit just happens.I could tell he wanted to beat me immediately.He was about 35-40 and a 90kg lump.

Me and him were 2 old guys still walking the walk.........................

I had a brief conversation with him in the changing rooms where i told him how welcome i felt at the club,and how priveleged i felt being able to train there,
and as i told him how good i thought Sensei was,he replied that Sensei was the Moroccan Under 81 Kilo Champion.

Ah-ha! I was glad my senses had been correct.

I was changed now and went to stand at the edge of the mat.Because of my lateness i didn't want to walk straight onto the mat.In Judo you wait for sensei to ask you to join in.

I met Sensei's eye and he beckoned me onto the mat.

It was immediately Ne-Waza (Groundwork) i kneeled down opposite the lump but Sensei came straight over and said something to the lump in Arabic and the Lump moved away and Sensei took his place.

I could tell the other Black Belts who i had sparred with on the ground at the previous class must have told Sensei i was alright on the ground and he was coming to test me.

I started by pulling guard.

We had a tough fight.I showed Sensei some Carlson Gracie Jiu Jitsu,which was fine because at the previous lesson he had certainly shown me some Kawaishi Judo!

(Google Kawaishi if you're interested......)

At the end of the round i hoped Sensei saw me in a slightly different light,as someone who it may be useful to have around,rather than another 1st Dan.

It was time for the next round and the Lump came over.This guy was really good at Ne Waza.It was a very even round.
I had immediately noticed that at this Judo Club they carried on fighting in Side Control or Mount.At some Judo Clubs they train strictly to Competition rules and if they get
side control they consider it a win-and it is-under Judo rules.However some Judo clubs are a little more progressive with their Ne Waza,
and the fight continues unless someone manages to hold side control for like a minute.One of the things i liked about this club were they seemed to be almost sparring on the ground with a jiu jitsu
style to their rules of engagement.

Anyway,here i am scrapping the lump and every time there is even a slight infringement of the rules he points it out.For instance if i am on his back i know i cant attack his face or chin the way i would in BJJ.I am well aware you cannot do that,but even reaching across his face and having my forearm brush past his chin to try to take control of his Gi,he say's " Non,Shido!"
which means " No-Penalty".The fight progressed and i tried some open guard with him and he passed.The moment he passed,having secured North-South for all of
4 seconds he came back to kneeling as if to say "Well i won that one".I realised how it was going to be sparring with him and commited it to my memory banks for next time as the round ended.
I knew i would be meeting him again.

[Simon Hayes]

Guy's - I was thinking about this whole Ego thing today after my post and i wanted to re-post something that has relevance to this subject.

This is something i posted on The Underground Forum a couple of years ago.I know J Sho and others will have read this,but i also think a lot of people haven't.

It is kind of jokey but is definately reality based.

It stems from Me and Dickie's experiences and conversations over the years,and documents what we were feeling with our new Blue Belts,and then
how other people in our class reacted to getting their own Belt Promotions.....................



************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** **

BLUE BELTITIS-

After reading many threads recently from white belts wanting their Blues i just wanted to warn you people of a vicious disease to watch out for that can easily infect people who get a belt too quick,but can also infect anyone else who gets a new belt.
The illness can take the form of a common cold,lasting a few days,or it can mimick a nasty flu bug,lasting a couple of weeks.

In extreme cases it can take as long as a broken limb to heal-MONTHS and in a few documented cases it can infect and never be healed.

This disease leaves the Infected person feeling unable to train due to the intense pressure on their ego of having to defend their new belt in sparring and the possibility of a lower grade tapping them out.

You may notice the beginnings of the infection as it takes hold with things like-you will find a reason you have to work late and not go training. Persuading yourself that you have a slight injury or strain and to miss training. You may find yourself only training on friday nights when you know most guys will not get to the dojo. You may find yourself at Judo more often where you don't feel the pressure of your new BJJ grade under the guise of "needing to work on takedowns more." You may only realise the infection is taking a hold when you find yourself in a Gym, Bench Pressing and doing Bicep Curls when you should be at class rolling.

You will know you have beaten the disease when you look forward to rolling with the naturally athletic Body Builder white belt with unbelievable talent, so you can test your sweeps and submissions from guard.

Coming next-The Virus lays dormant and mutates over a couple of years causing-

PURPLE BELTITIS-Beware..............................

[Simon Hayes]

Hi Everyone,

I've just had another week of intense training,which culminated in me getting smashed to within an inch of my life on Friday night.
I will write up the full story and post it asap.
This week was 2 No Gi,and 2 Judo,with plenty of weights inbetween.

[Simon Hayes]

Sorry guys-my family have been to visit me for a week so I took a week off judo;Jiu jitsu and weights for the first time in years!
I feel 21 again!
Anyway-i do owe you all a weeks worth of judo stories;as well as the new "Matt Damon-who's the daddy?" story-lets just say Mr Damon has been introduced to Carlson Gracie style Jiu jitsu on a dusty bit of waste ground covered in glass.he ended up eating his own bicep.
The kids got taken to the moroccan judo club-which was a bit different to the BUDOKWAI!

TBC

[Simon Hayes]

The Film i am working on in Morroco is about the Gulf War and stars Matt Damon (Bourne etc etc).Matt is a cool guy who trains very hard.He has a Boxing coach full time and has been boxing for 7 years.He has to be careful not to go too far when sparring because obviously it would be counter-productive with his career to have a CGJJ nose.
With Matt there are a load of real soldiers and Marines who saw active service in Iraq.They are playing supporting roles in the Movie.A few of them have been training with me and learning Jiu Jitsu.
I am being very careful to only allow them to spar with me and not each other so there are hopefully no injuries as a Black eye or split lip could cause very big problems with the film schedule,so when i spar with them i have to be careful to keep my knees away from their faces and not use my head while fighting (very difficult given my BJJ style.....).
I tend to go for arm locks rather than chokes as these are far less likely to end up leaving facial marks.All of these guys are tough and tell some mad stories about their service.A couple of them have trained in Martial Arts or Krav Maga,and being American they all have wrestling experience.One of them in particular has 2-3 years No Gi experience so it is fun to spar with him.

Matt Damon has been intrigued about BJJ and is a big UFC fan.One of his friends trains with Marcelo Garcia,so he has been exposed to our sport.He has shown an interest in training with me but i have discouraged it while we are shooting because if he gets a black eye i will be on the next plane home!

Anyway,Markos the Stunt Co-ordinator has been training regularly with me and is learning really fast.He has really taken a liking to BJJ and asked me if i would mind if he put some techniques i have shown him in the film.I,of course said "No,these techniques are secret and if you put them in the film then guys from other academies could use them against Carlson Gracie Team in tournaments",
in the time honoured Jiu Jitsu tradition.







Bollocks-I said "Fuck yeah-Put them in the movie and show the world some decent BJJ in a film after Mel Gibsons Triangle in Lethal Weapon 3 almost stopped Hollywood ever using BJJ in a fight scene again!"

I have been teaching No Gi as you all know.When teaching No Gi it is far more challenging than teaching with the Kimono because you have far less choices and gripping points.Basically as a Gi man i find it easier to teach with the Gi,which is why this time away teaching purely sub grappling will be very good for my development as an instructor,because i am having to really think about the game.It's easy teaching No Gi once a week at your academy and then having 6 days of Gi work before it is No Gi again but when you are having to teach every class without a Kimono it is challenging as there are fewer techniques.

One of the No Gi positions i particularly like as a opening for other techniques is called "Who's the Daddy".Thats what we call it at Carlsons and i believe the evolution of the name came to us like this.I am sure most of you know we have a sister club in Budapest called 'Carlson Gracie Hungary',which is run by my Brother Mihaly Sztraka.He is a Brown Belt under Wilson Junior.
Before Mihaly became part of the Carlson Team he was a very highly respected Thai Boxing instructor.His Thai Boxing is the real stuff.In the UK so many Thai Boxing clubs are really just Kick Boxing clubs that have jumped on the Muay Thai bandwagon and started allowing elbows and knees and called themselves 'Thai Boxers'.

There is so much more to real Thai than kickboxing with Elbows and knees.The real art of Thai contains horrific striking set ups that make your opponent cover up one side of their body,only to expose their floating ribs,liver and kidneys on the other side for the knee.Also the clinch work in real thai is an art within itself,and this clinchwork, opening up takedowns and elbows and knee's is what a kickboxer,no matter how good,can never teach you.

Anyway,Mihaly's Thai is real.It was taught to him when he was in Thailand as a live in student of his master.This wasn't a 6 week summer vacation of Hookers,Weed and training in a beach resort
with a load of Germans.........................

So when Mihaly first started BJJ he went to America to learn it.At the time,the UFC and Mixed Martial Arts were just starting to understand the importance of Thai Boxing as a part of MMA.

The thing about America at the time was this-Even more so than England they had a huge lack of REAL Thai Boxing instructors.The USA has always loved Martial Arts and due to Soldiers being stationed in Japan and Okinawa in the 2nd World war,and U.S. Airforce bases in Korea there has always been a huge amount of Karate and Taekwondo there.Then there was the 'Bruce Lee' revolution in the 70's which led to a lot of Chinese Immigrants successfully teaching lots of different styles of Kung Fu.

But the real lack has been (IMO) the most devastating stand up art-Muay Thai.There has never been a real cultural exchange (due to War or anything else....) with Thailand which has led to very few Thai schools in the U.S.

Even "American Kickboxing" really owes far more to full contact Karate than it does to Thai.The 'Kickboxing' revolution in the US came from good Karate tournament fighters getting bored of
Point and semi contact tournaments which led to some of them making their own rules to test themselves in full contact conditions.Because this was against the wishes and beliefs of many oriental
masters it was called "Kickboxing" rather than "Full contact Karate" or "Full contact Taekwondo" which is what it really was.
I mean,imagine Thai Boxing without the leg kicks....................In the early version of "American Kickboxing" you couldn't even kick below the waist,let alone clinch and takedown..............

Anyway,enough of the history lesson......................

When Mihaly arrived in America he quickly became well known among the Southern Californian BJJ/MMA brigade,because he was an Instructor in REAL Muay Thai.

This enabled him to train with some of the sports top names and go to places like 'Big Bear Mountain' to help certain MMA fighters prepare for the UFC and other events at altitude.

Quite a nice beginning for the young Hungarian wanting to learn BJJ!

So he meets a trains with Chris Brennan,who i am pretty sure was the man who named the technique that Mihaly taught me "WHO'S THE DADDY?".

TBC

[Simon Hayes]

The 'Who's the Daddy' position was a favourite of Ricksons Gracies and is a fantastic BJJ technique to use in MMA.

It's use in MMA is particularly poignant because your opponent cannot 'Intelligently defend himself' if he is caught in "Who's the Daddy"
leaving the Refferee no choice but to stop the fight or allow the man on the bottom to get his face punched in

In Sport BJJ there are many submissions from using the position as the set up.

There are Hammer-Fist Chokes,Arm Bars,Head and Arm triangles,Rolling triangles and Mata Leo's from 'Who's the Daddy'-
So,all in all its a pretty cool,high percentage technique and i like teaching it.

You can achieve "Who's the daddy" from Half Guard,Knee on Chest,Side control or Mount,but for the purpose of this story i will describe the set up from mount.

You are mounted on your opponent and you grab his right wrist with your right hand.With your left hand you open hand strike his right tricep HARD to your right as you drag
his wrist to your right with your other hand.
You then immediately use your chest to put pressure on his right elbow which is now above his throat.So his bicep is bearing down on his own throat and you are holding his
right wrist by his left ear with your right hand,still leaning your chest on his elbow to stop him escaping.
Your left hand (the one that bitch slapped his right tricep....... now reaches around the back of his head and you feed his wrist to your left hand with your right hand.Now gripping his
right wrist with your left hand with your left forearm behind his head you pull hard which will make his right bicep pull tight against his throat.

You can now release the pressure on his elbow with your chest,sit up and while pulling his wrist with your left hand you can punch him extremely hard in the face with your right fist
causing him to verbally submit by screaming and/or whimpering while the referree dives on you to stop the fight.........*CGJJ Dreams of his Pro MMA debut*

TBC

[Simon Hayes]

So i have been teaching a lot of 'Who's the Daddy' set ups to my students as it a great No Gi technique,as well as working with the Gi.

Markos had been planning a fight scene and decided he wanted to change the fight somewhat now he has been exposed to BJJ.

The scene see's a fight between Matt Damon and another soldier.

When the day came to shoot the fight i had a big surprise.Quite honestly i forgotten that Markos had said he was going to use some Jiu Jitsu,and taken it with a pinch of salt anyway.

But when the fight happened it was like a Carlson Gracie Jiu Jitsu class!

The fight starts with a verbal disagreement which results in Matt throwing a punch at the other soldier.The other soldier ducks the punch and shoots for a double leg,he then Kosoto's the left leg
(leg vine's) as he is driving forward during the double leg takedown.From the double leg he then takes mount and secures the "Who's the Daddy" from mount.When it is secured
he then skips from mount to knee on chest and says "You wouldn't fuckin' listen would you,so now i'm gonna have to be your daddy".

As it happened first time i could almost hear the whole cinema of Carlson Gracie students all shout "OOOOOOSSSSSS' when he said the line!!!!

So,hopefully if the fight stays in the film the general public will be exposed to some proper Jiu Jitsu in a real situation (On a dusty bit of concrete in Baghdad...........)

More soon!

Simon@Carlsons

[Simon Hayes]

I found an old thread from 'The Underground' written by an American guy training in Rio,it makes excellent reading and i thought it would appeal to anyone who enjoyed my stories.

Good Reading!!

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma.cfm?go=forum_framed.posts&thread=43307

[Simon Hayes]

And here's a link to the "David5" Blog about his recent trip to Rio

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/?go=forum_framed.posts&forum=1&thread=1402104&page=1&pc=232

[Simon Hayes]

deleted for privacy

[Simon Hayes]

deleted for privacy

[Simon Hayes]

deleted for privacy

[Jamie Taylor]

keep going mate !

[green_hornet]

Gripping stuff mate. Great read.

[david5]

missed it :(

ttt for more stories please simon

[hurricane]

cheers for the thread simon...this will fill up my offshore boredom!

Dean

[apocalypse18]

Fantastic read mate! Particularly liked you taking on the 130kg Powerlifter!

Any more would be great!

[Iconoclast]

I've only just found this thread. It's excellent.

[mathematist]

That was seriously gripping. I loved the cliff hangers after each post. Several things one can learn from this

1 - Going against the flow.By this I mean he went against what all his mates were doing i.e. getting hammered after a hard days work and went to train instead. This requires a lot of control over your base desires, something we all have. His inner voice said don't train, yet he did the opposite etc... Nuff respect for this.

2 - Always respecting seniority of rank regardless of age etc.... which shows humilty and good etiquettes.

Both these qualities are lacking today in society and probably on the mat too. People too often don't stop to think about this.

agree or not lads?

[v1o]

Keep going mate!

[Pheno8]

Awesome read.

The spirit vs. ego post was really inspiring, thank you

[Wikwit]

Very fascinating read. Kept me glued in front of the monitor for a while there. ;)
Can't wait to go back to the mats!

[Simon Hayes]

As i walked out through the customs gate in arrivals at LAX Airport i saw a
short black guy,wearing a suit holding a card with my name.
He was about 28 years old,5ft 6 and 250 pounds.
Maybe he did some jiu jitsu..............maybe not.I greeted him and we walked out of the airport to the car park,i squinted,the bright sunshine burning my eyes.I looked around me.Yes,this was the place.The place i'd been dreaming about since Steve Austin 6 million Dollar man at 5 years old,and then with the BMX boom in 1980 at 10 years old.By the time E.T. screened in 1982 at 12 it was a done deal.I wanted to live in LA.
As 14 approached and ICE T was rapping about the 'West Side' and Dr Dre was saying
'Fuck the Police' i was immersed in west coast culture.

So here i was,finally,at 40 years old in the land of my dreams walking towards a blacked out limousine that would take me anywhere i wanted to go in la la land.
My driver said,"buddy,most people that come out of the airport want to go and eat straight away,can i recommend 'in and out burger'?".

My reply was simple,i hadn't planned it,i think i was a bit freaked out by how surreal my surroundings and the situation were.I looked in his eyes,in the mirror of the limo and these were the words that came out of my mouth-
"Take me to Rickson Gracie"


TBC

[Simon Hayes]

"Rickson Gracie?" the limo driver replied,"where is that?" i realised this guy didn't do jiu jitsu,didn't watch MMA or he would know.He would just KNOW
who i was talking about.My illusion was shattered and i began to google the addresss of Rickson's academy which i had already checked was right in the heart
of Westwood,in the same street as my hotel,Wilshire Boulevard.I told the driver the address and said "Just take me there,i want to visualise how far it actually is from my hotel.As we drove through Inglewood i recognised the streets i'd been hearing Dre rap about for the last 20 years.i seemed to be feel at home in the strange place that i'd never been to before.We drove throught the run down streets and slowly as we drove the houses got bigger and the cars got newer.

We ended up driving towards Hollywood on Wilshire Boulevard and the driver said 'we are almost at you address'.I looked around,this was an upmarket part of town.
The equivelant of Kensington High Street in London.I wondered how Rickson could afford the rent here.

I have been reading for the last 10 years about the fact that Rickson was hardly ever in the academy,and even more rumours in the last 3 years that he had moved
back to Brazil leaving his Son Kron running things in LA with his mother Kim.I didn't care if i didn't meet Rickson,all i knew was i needed an academy really close to the hotel so i could get there regularly.I had packed my plain white Mizuno Judo Gi in anticipation.Stories always came back from Rickson's that students from out of town were not allowed to wear patches on their Gi's and were asked to buy Rickson Gracie Gi's.I wondered how much of this was true and how much was internet bluff and rumour.I had also heard mutterings that people who turned up were asked not to wear the belts they'd been awarded because the only belts recognised in the academy were belts Rickson himself or his father Helio had awarded.I made up my mind,i'd wear whatever Gi they asked me to wear,and if they wanted me to buy a new Gi that would be OK,but if anyone asked me not to wear my belt i would take that as a huge sign of disrespect.It would be a deal a breaker.
A man must have a limit and asking me to remove my belt would be stepping over a line.As i thought about all of this as we drove towards the academy
i felt the familar feeling of my heart starting to beat faster,and the tell tale sign of sweaty palms that would give away my anxiety to my opponents at a hand shake.
Is that why Jiu Jitsu guys just touch fists i found myself wondering as we drove at 10mph through the traffic in the sunshine of the second mecca of BJJ...........

tbc

[chunkymonkey]

Awesome Simon. Can't wait for the next installment!

[Simon Hayes]

My thought process was broken by the driver who said "This is the place" and i looked over and saw the sign,those words "RICKSON GRACIE BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU"
and i said "OK,i'm just going to go and check it out,wait here i'll be back in 10 minutes" and with that i got out of the limo".

As i walked across the pavement i wondered how they could keep an academy going in such a great location,it was surrounded by jewellers and up market clothes shops.As i got closer i looked through the floor to ceiling glass shop front and realised the academy was closed.

I started to notice that most of the newer signs said 'KRON GRACIE' not 'RICKSON' and the inside looked a little run down.Don't get me wrong,it was very nice
but kind of at odds with the retail outlets that surrounded it at this incredible location.Hanging in the window were beautiful 'Kron Gracie' plain white Gi's with that famous triangle emblem and an inner label saying 'on the mat'...........so,they weren't selling those almost legendary Mizuno Rickson Kimonos anymore.

I saw lots of posters of Kron and his father and something that really struck me deep was the samurai swords displayed in the window.I knew where they were from.
I knew that story,that tale was one of the early reason's i began this sport,this way of life.

Legend has it that a famous Japanese turned up one day at Rickson's,he'd travelled from Japan with his manager and some press with the plan that he would
ambush Rickson in his own academy and ask the master to take part in the 'Gracie Challenge',a challenge that could not be turned down,no matter what and had stood since Rickson's Uncle Carlos had placed the challenge in a Rio Newspaper in the 1920's with the immortal words "If you would like your face well and truly smashed in and your arms broken come and visit Carlos Gracie".

First Carlos had defended the family honour,then his brother (Rickson's father Helio).When Helio was passed his prime the responsibility was awarded to a 17 year old Carlson,whose father Carlos and Uncle Helio despaired as the teenager literally punished challengers with his fists from the mount rather than finishing them easily with a quick submission.As Carlson's time came to an end it was Rickson's big Brother Roll's turn until,as Roll's life was cut short with a fatal hang gliding accident the family honour and defending was placed in Rickson's lap.

[Simon Hayes]

So back to the Samuarai Swords being proudly displayed right before my eyes in the window of the academy.The Japanese fighter had turned up unnannounced
at Rickson's and i believe one of Rickson's black belts was taking the class that day because Rickson was sick at home with flu.

The BB was Luis Herida who now runs a successful academy in Hawaii.As he explained that Rickson was sick and he didn't know if the challenge could take place,
young Rockson (RIP) Rickson's oldest son was already out of the academy door and on his way home at speed to get his dad.Rockson already realised what it meant
to be a Gracie and he was infuriated that the Japanese had the disrepect to turn up unanounced at his fathers gym.

Rumour has it that Rickson,who was in bed and poorly immediately left the house when the impending news arrived via Rockson that he turned up at the Academy
half dressed and in bare feet to meet his challengers.

[Simon Hayes]

The usual 'waiver' was signed and the press were told they could not watch the closed door match,but that the contract entitled whoever wins the match
to keep the video that one of Rickson's students would film of the vale tudo fight.

The Japanese fighter was defeated once easily without too much damage being done as was usual in these situations.He then made the mistake
of demanding to fight again.This time Rickson was not so kind and behaved in the same Carlson had done all those years earlier and punished
the challenger for his insolence by pounding him until both his eyes were closed from the beating.

The next day,legend has it,the Japanese Challenger,a man of honour,a man whose cultural identity was formed by how he behaves in defeat turned up
at the academy with his manager and the samurai swords,to give Rickson the greatest present a Japanese can bestow on a foreigner.
The swords being a symbolic gesture of respect.

So,having grown up reading about this challenge on various now defunct forums,here i was gazing at those very swords with my own eyes.
I felt something as i looked at them.I know something of what it is like to have to be able to perform against anyone that walks into the acadamey
at any time,and the responsibility of the belt and what that means.That it didn't matter if you were feeling under the weather or a bit out of shape.
And my experience is only with Jiu Jitsu.Vale Tudo against some of the toughest challengers in the world where a mistake could change your life
was a completely different matter.And to jump out of bed and go to the academy in bare feet and meet a challenger in front of your son and your students
and hand out an incredible beating that,if a mistake is made could ruin your reputation is something that i respect.

As i looked at those swords,that is what i felt= Respect.

[Simon Hayes]

So,the academy door was locked but i saw a sign on the door saying 'If you do not arrive before the bow in,you may not attend a class'.
At that point i started thinking about my job,what i was really in LA to do,and whether this was the right place for me.I knew i'd almost always be late
for the evening class and i started to think perhaps i'd better work on a back up plan and get an introduction to Kron before i turned up for a class.

I got back in the limo and drove to the hotel.One mile away in the same street.The location was definately right for me,but was the club?
I am a Carlson Gracie Black Belt,how would they feel about me training there? I could turn up without my team patches and t-shirts but
i could not remove the bulldog and the words 'Carlson Gracie' on my arm,tattooed on a Budapest Council Estate in 2007 as a mark of brotherhood
with Mihaly the coach in Hungary.

[Simon Hayes]

I realised i would need an proper introduction and so as i got into my hotel room i formulated a plan.I looked out of my suite on the 19th floor at
the view of the Hollywood Hills and marvelled at the hot tub.This was a long way from my last serious training trip abroad as a Brown Belt in 2007
visiting Morocco.No,this was different,i was in luxury but i had a belt to defend.The stakes had got higher,and as a 40 year old now,the odds had
got slimmer.This wasn't a time to dwell on such matters though.It was a time to believe in myself,grow some balls and go and fight.

[Simon Hayes]

I punched the numbers in my cell phone and called Todd.A close protection specialist and Black belt who could be anywhere in the world.
I needed his help,he knows Rickson having spent many years training at the academy.Todd was my first BJJ Instructor and still someone
i have a deep respect for,a mentor to me.
As his answer machine beeped i spoke "Hey Todd this is Purple (my nickname) i'm in LA and i wanna go and train at Rickson's.I realise he won't
be there.Could you please contact Kron and introduce me".

At that point i hung up.It was 7pm LA time,but 3am UK time.It had been a long day and i decided if i was going to have a scrap tommorrow
i'd better get some rest.I set my alarm for 6.30 am.YES, 11.5 hrs sleep,an extremely rare occurence.Just knowing i could sleep,wake up,sleep again
for hours and hours gave me hope i would have some gas in my tank for the next day....................


TBC

[wobblybob]

Awsome... fucking awsome.. it makes me proud to be a Carlson Gracie member... Ooss

[Simon Hayes]

The alarm went off at 6.30 am,i'd slept for almost 12 hours and i felt great.I switched on my phone and saw i had a message.
"Hey Purple it's Todd,if you're in LA i would recommend training with my friend Henry Akins at dyanamix martial art's on Wilshire and 7th.
Man,Wilshire again.I know who Henry is,Todd used to room with him when he was living in LA and training at Rickson's.Henry arrived at Ricksons
in like 1995 and never really left,started working on reception there and immersed himself in learning Rickson's style.I have heard many people
comment over the years that because Rickson doesn't really teach anymore there is one person who can REALLY teach you what he teaches and that is
Henry.Henry was awarded his BB in 2008 and now runs his own school.

So,i google mapped the academy and looked at the schedule.It was 3 miles from my hotel.The schedule looked good too.But something was bothering me.
Rey Diogo's was 4 miles away and he is one of the old school Carlson Team,teaching out of the same premises that Carlson taught from all those years ago
when he moved to LA.If i was going to drive 3 miles,i may as well drive 4 to train with my own family.

I looked at Reys schedule- There was a No-Gi class this morning from 10am-11.30am.OK,lets get the game face on because i'm gonna need it.

I went down to breakfast and as i considered what type of monsters i was going to come up against at Rey's i ordered an egg white omellette
and a bowl of Acai and granola.My god this City of Angels!

[Rob T]

Awesome stuff again!!

Write a book.

[Simon Hayes]

I started to think about turning up at Rey's.It was a No-Gi class so no one would know my belt.Good,i would just try and blend in quietly
and not draw attention to myself and try and just train quietly and get the measure of the academy.

As i jumped into my hire car i could feel the familar heartbeat speeding up,the clammy feeling in my palms and a slight sickness in my gut
from the knowledge i would be on the mat with a load of unknown monsters in an hour.Images of UCLA division 1 wrestlers and
UFC fighters got the better of me as i started to type Rey's zip code into the Garmin.

This was exciting,the sun was beating down,i was driving in LA for the first time,on my way to a new academy with sat-nav=Life is sweet.

[Simon Hayes]

I was directed onto the Interstate and was immediately reminded of the programme CHiPS from my youth.It was exactly the same,all concrete
and no tarmac like England.

My thoughts drifted to Rey's..........How many people would train on a thursday morning? Wouldn't everybody be at work?? Oh shit,everybody apart
from professional fighters.I started thinking about the belt Wilson had awarded me 3 years ago.The game had changed since i was travelling with a Brown.
The Black is pressure,everybody wants a piece of you.Everybody would tell all their friends 'i tapped a black belt'.You can't have an off day.Everyday
Wilson's decision needs defending.And Wilson's decision wouldn't just pour scorn on me and him if i let him down,it would pour scorn on Rodrigo and Junior
and the whole Carlson team.I started thinking,'but its ok because i'll be at a Carlson club' but then that horrible little fella who lives in my mind,my ego
chimed in "It'll be even worse if you get ironed out you prat,everybody will know".
Oh,so he was back was he? Mr Ego,my old adversary,the real opponent.Well i had a message for him- FUCK YOU.I'M READY!

[Simon Hayes]

As i turned off the interstate highway i could immediately sense i was in a more residential area.A tough area.
Not South Central but an area where if you went looking for trouble it would find you.Nice well kept houses
with small front yards but a feeling of more poverty.There was a white guy pushing a supermarket trolly full
of junk.Crackhead.As i got closer i saw Reys academy.It was like looking at a proper Carlson Gracie gym.
Bulldogs on the front and a kind of rawness,a roughness around the edge that i recognised and felt an instant affinity with.

[Simon Hayes]

http://i594.photobucket.com/albums/tt27/faixaruakimonos1/165588_485023066045_518416045_6481838_8045785_n.jp g

[david5]

awesome stuff simon :)

[Simon Hayes]

I parked the car up.It was 9.30am and the class didn't start until 10.I walked round the corner and stood outside the academy
for 10 minutes.As i stood there 2 gangsters walked past,new caps,jeans hangin off their arses.In London i wouldn't give a fuck
but here i knew they'd both be tooled up properly.I decided to go for a wonder and get some water.As i walked down the street
i began to see the area was rough n ready.I went into a small corner shop and bought a bottle of water.As i walked back down to
the academy there was still no one there.Then i remembered something Andre had said about Rey on the underground.That he runs on Rio
time and i chuckled to myself.At least it was sunny,not like waiting for Wilson in the rain at Royal Oak all those years ago.
At about 10 to 10 another guy turned up,tall athletic,6ft 2inches,94 kilos and late 30's.He greeted me and instantly thought i was Australian.
Most people in the US ask if i'm Australian for some reason.I asked if many people trained in the daytime and he replied about 12 usually,and then
added,'All big guys,all animals....' Great i thought.

So as we were talking an old korean dude turned up,looked late 50's (i later found out he was 69).Both guys were friendly,didn't ask how long
i'd been training or what belt i was.

As we talked suddenly a car bumped up the kerb and drove along the pavement and i saw driver.I recognised him immediately from pictures.
It was Rey,looking about my age,in good shape,like a guy who's been training twice a day for his whole life.Vest on,tattoo's all over him,
the famous one of the fighting cock which was apparently in honour of Carlson (cock fighting was Carlson's favourite 'sport' LOL).
He had a small Jack Russell puppy on his lap,with its paws on the steering wheel as he drove.Very funny,extremely carioca'ish.

[Simon Hayes]

As he got out the car he greeted his guys and then came over to me, "Hey where you from Bro?", "London" i replied.
"Man we got a guy here who talks like you" he turned to his guys and said "wheres Brett? He speaks like this guy".
Whats your name man?" "Simon" "Samuel,welcome to the academy man"............and that was it,i walked in.
Rey tied up the jack Russell so it could either chew the edge of the mat,peoples trainers or walk outside on its leash
(he left both big doors to the gym open onto the pavement).Passers by could see straight into the academy if they
looked in,and the Dog barked at any strangers walking past.

Pukka i thought,this is just how i like it.A dog on the side of the mat and a load of nutters.Just like London.

[Simon Hayes]

Rey called me over and said "how long you been training man?" i said "10 years sir" and he looked at me and said "so you a black belt yeah?"
i just nodded and he shouted "hey everyone sam is from London and he's a Black Belt!" and then turned to me and said "thankyou for choosing
my academy" i said to him "there was no choice to make sir,i am Carlson Team,this is my family",he laughed and slapped me on the shoulder
and said "Junior send you right? he was just there in London with Ari Gallo! they my good friends!".I felt at home.This is what jiu jitsu teams are about.
All you fucking ronins,i hope oneday you feel what its like being welcomed into an academy full of guys you've never met before like you're their
long lost brother because it may change your mind about what it really means to be part of a team.

[Simon Hayes]

As i looked around i saw at least 8 guys who outweighed me and 3 who were over 250 pounds like American football players.
And the ones who weren't huge were tall and rangy and looked like they could triangle bulls.

My cover was blown,they all knew i was a black belt even though it was a no-gi class so i couldn't use the element of surprise.
Fuck,i'd just have to rely on my jiu jitsu.I hadn't done much No-gi for about 2 years.OK i took my gi off religeously once a week for a
round with someone decent,but i'd stopped teaching the no-gi class at Carlsons 2 years ago when i decided i had to give Sundays
to my boy.And here i was,ring rusty,a little out of shape in a room full of monsters.

[TRIBULUS]

Like a late Xmas present, awesome. A whole month of this to come. :)

[Jay]

http://uploads.libertylounge.net/files/resurrection.jpg

[The Natural]

Great thread.

Keep it going simon.

[Bateman]

Loving these , only half way through

[Burnzie]

Simon, you should start a blog!

I really enjoy this thread & I'm always on cage warriors, but a blog would be much easier for you to post to!

[davids]

Come on Simon, I've been waiting all day for the result!

[david5]

Come on Simon, I've been waiting all day for the result!

simons knows, always leave them wanting more...

[seanbrowne]

The revival of the best thread on CW.. Yippeee!

[Simon Hayes]

more later guys.........

[Gareth]

more later guys.........

Can't wait!!!

[dougie fresh]

cant wait very good post ooooossssss

[Josh Palmer]

Cheers for sharing Simon, we must have more! These are always a wicked read!

[davids]

Oh come on Simon, this is getting ridiculous, it's been almost a day now! When you create something special and release it to the public, you have a responsibility to maintain it. Just like George Lucas, he can and should be held accountable for certain aspects of certain films!

[Mutley]

I remember this thread from EFN a while back.

Awesome. These stories seriously need to be put together in a book.

[Simon Hayes]

A tall guy walked in and Rey shouted "Hey Brett,this guy is from London,he talks like you!" and over walked a
bloke who was about 6ft 2 and 93 kilos.As soon as he started talking i knew he wasn't from London.I couldn't quite
place his accent.I recognised it slightly but it wasn't quite welsh,and wasn't quite from Devon.This wasn't helped
by the fact the geezer had a kind of 'traveller' twang to it,it was the sort of accent that had been to a lot of different
places.So i asked him `'where you from mate?' his reply instantly made me laugh "Hereford".I instantly said
"So you train with Dave Coles then?" Brett seemed genuinely surprised that i'd worked out his dojo instantly
and knew Dave.He told me he had been training with Dave a while and was interested in BJJ and Muay Thai
and had actually been to Thailand training with Dave recently.I looked him up and down to get the measure
of him.He looked like a big tough bloke."Are you from Hereford then?" i asked, "Pretty much" he said.
This answer rang an alarm bell for me.I knew what he meant."Services then?" I pryed.......
" ex Parachute regiment" he said with a grin.Ok,so i had one of Colesy's blokes here,a bloke who travels
the world training in Martial Arts.And when someone from Hereford says 'Parachute Regiment' it can sometimes
mean something else.Bloody hell he was one of the smallest in there.

As Rey started the warm up he was loudly berating a 275 pound (130kg) black guy who was about 6ft 1 and built like the
american football player some of you may remember as 'the fridge'.This guy was wearing a tight rash guard and it
looked the seams were going to burst any minute.As Rey barked orders at us,this guy was literally taping every
joint on his body with gaffer tape.Ankles,Wrists, Rey was shouting "Man,what you doing,you trying to stick your
body back together??" I realised the way he ran his gym was fun,this was no strict traditional place.It was being run
in true Carlson style with everybody joining in the banter.There were shouts of "You're gonna need that tape buddy"
and stuff like that and everybody was just generally laughing and joking as we did a static warm up,a warm up very
similar to the one Rodrigo Medeiros does,and something i now realised from seeing the same thing from Rey was probably
the way Carlson ran his warm ups.Nothing too strenuous,not a boot camp cardio blast,just gentle movements to awaken
the body followed by some stretches.It lasted about 15 minutes.

A guy came in late and looked at me.I was standing in the front of the warm up where Rey had asked me to stand.
I was obviously in his place.Rey shouted "Ritchie,this is Simon from London.Black Belt".Ritchie grinned the sort of grin
that looks like a cross between being pleased to meet you and wanting to immediately just spar with you.
He was about the same size as Brett.6 ft 2 and perhaps 95 kilos.As he took his place next to me i realised he must be
the highest ranked student there.This is the thing about No-Gi,you have to try and suss out who is who and what belt they
are.

[Simon Hayes]

Rey "guys to day we gonna do some positions from the half guard".Good,i'm really enjoying half guard a the moment
after a very luke warm relationship with it until a couple of years ago.Wilson really likes the half guard but my other
old teacher Nelson had a more old school attitude towards it.If you were in bottom half guard look to replace guard.
He had some really great technical ways of replacing guard from half guard and up until Brown Belt that was really
what i based my game on.As half guard became more fashionable and from sparring with guys like Luiz Tosta and
having Mario Reis teach a half guard seminar at our place i was beginning to become more open minded about it.
Wilson was,week by week expanding my top position half guard game and giving me a mulititude of passes to
work on and then one day Luiz Tosta introduced us to Eduardo Goncalves who was his mate.Edu came from
Novo Gericau in Rio which is a Carlson lineage club in Leblon.The club actually that Rodrigo Medeiros has
links with.It is run by a famous Carlson BB called Toca.
Anyway,Edu, who at that point was a Brown Belt began training fulltime at Carlsons London and i began to spar
with him a lot and realised that although only 64kg his bottom half guard was very difficult for me to pass and
it gave him a great defence to my game.It was at that point i decided i was going to study the half guard
until i'd learned what i needed to know.

[Simon Hayes]

And from that moment i have religeously spent a whole session each week working purely half guard.
So,i was interested to see what Rey's take was on it.Firstly because i knew that he is old school Carlsons,
but also he is teaching in a place where the competitition for BJJ schools is very full on.LA probably has
more top level BB's from Brazil teaching than anywhere apart from Rio.Half Guard is very very 'trendy'
in BJJ right now and if you ignore it students will porobably vote with their feet.
So i wondered if Rey's half guard positions would be old school or new school.
Well,remember this was no-gi so the game changes slightly but i was immedialtely super impressed with the first
technique.

[Simon Hayes]

It was simple,aggressive,fast and i liked it.Guillotine from bottom half guard.Oh yes-
MY GAME! Opponent is double over hooking your hips with his arms and about to sprawl
on your legs to break open the guard to pass.His head is tight to your stomach.Head is
pushed hard with one hand to the ear to side and other arm punches under the chin and sit up
for the guillotine.I have always loved guillotines from half guard and often find myself
applying them but in a less technical way.This was beautiful and would fit directly into
my game.

[FlameBoy]

Excellent, as always!

Now just get to the fights!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dave coles]

A tall guy walked in and Rey shouted "Hey Brett,this guy is from London,he talks like you!" and over walked a
bloke who was about 6ft 2 and 93 kilos.As soon as he started talking i knew he wasn't from London.I couldn't quite
place his accent.I recognised it slightly but it wasn't quite welsh,and wasn't quite from Devon.This wasn't helped
by the fact the geezer had a kind of 'traveller' twang to it,it was the sort of accent that had been to a lot of different
places.So i asked him `'where you from mate?' his reply instantly made me laugh "Hereford".I instantly said
"So you train with Dave Coles then?" Brett seemed genuinely surprised that i'd worked out his dojo instantly
and knew Dave.He told me he had been training with Dave a while and was interested in BJJ and Muay Thai
and had actually been to Thailand training with Dave recently.I looked him up and down to get the measure
of him.He looked like a big tough bloke."Are you from Hereford then?" i asked, "Pretty much" he said.
This answer rang an alarm bell for me.I knew what he meant."Services then?" I pryed.......
" ex Parachute regiment" he said with a grin.Ok,so i had one of Colesy's blokes here,a bloke who travels
the world training in Martial Arts.And when someone from Hereford says 'Parachute Regiment' it can sometimes
mean something else.Bloody hell he was one of the smallest in there.


Simon I just choked on my cornflakes!!

Great stories mate, keep them coming.

[Torre]

Awesome stories, as many have said before, you really should write a book, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. So I take it this guy is/could be a former member of the SAS?

[The Last Starfighter]

Is this stuff fact or fiction? Either way it's good stuff!!

[zefff]

LOL! He is real, its just his writing style that is so engaging that it made you to question it.

[davids]

how the fuck does he manage to make us wait so long for the fight! Simon, you should write a soap!

[Simon Hayes]

As we paired off to pactise the technique,Brett the English guy introduced me to a guy who i could
practise with.He instantly reminded me of 'Jay the Animal' from Carlson's London.Same mad look
in the eyes,friendly but tough demeanor.There was a difference though.Jay The Animal is about
5ft 6inches and weighs about 95 kilos.Built like a small gorilla from lifting steel all day every day
in his job as a welder.Blokes like this don't look like bodybuilders,they get shaped differently
from lifting awkward bits of metal up stair cases and stuff.They look more like primates as i've
mentioned.Well this partner of mine was built just like Jay with no neck,short legs,long arms and
a barrel for a chest but he wasn'r 5ft 6 and 95 kilos,he was 5ft 10 and 120 kilos.
Blimey,a freak of nature i thought and wondered how much damage he did in sparring as he worked
his way through the class.He was a lovely fella though,very humble,asking me questions.He wanted to
know the secret of my guillotine which i shared with him.Just feeling his strength filled me with
anticipation for later.

[Simon Hayes]

The next technique Rey showed was a lovely shin grab from bottom half guard that allowed you to post your
other hand on the ground and pull your trapped leg out and take the top of turtle position.Nice.
The third and final technique was how to turn the attempted shin grab into a kimura if your opponent
tried to pull out of the position,and inturn how to change the kimura into a wrist lock.Very slick stuff.

[Masterhulk]

Hey Simon
Great read have fun with my brothers
oooossss

Peter
Carlson Gracie / Rey Diogo Scotland

[Simon Hayes]

It was time to spar so i politely waited to see if Rey would pair me up.He didn't and i watched as various people asked each other
if they'd like to roll.No one asked me so i prepared to watch the first round.The 2 fighters i was most interested in were 'The Fridge'
and the highly ranked student whose grade i didn't know.The Fridge was about 6ft 2 and 275 pounds (130 kilos) and he wasn't fat.
The other guy whose place i had taken in the warm up was perhaps 6ft 2inches and about 95 kilos.I was amazed when they started
rolling.The fridge was moving in an exceptionally athletic way for such a big guy and was obviously very skilled at BJJ.
But the other guy was a technical wizard.Using pure skill he effortlessly answered every attack by The Fridge and punished every mistake
the big guy made.This was superb jiu jitsu and i was worried.He certainly had the skills to give most high level opponents fits.
I asked Hereford Brett what belt level this guy was.His answer didn't surprise me- "Brown Belt 4 stripe"

[Simon Hayes]

As the round came to an end i thought i'd better ask someone to spar so as Hereford Brett was sitting next to me
i paired up with him.I didn't know what belt he was but he was a big tough bloke and wasn't wearing a Gi.
When you take the Gi off,things don't always go according to plan and sometimes a mistake can be punished
severely by a lower grade so i was certainly going to be careful

[Simon Hayes]

Brett immediately pulled guard.Good,without a kit on i'd much prefer to play top position.
This guy was strong though and had very nice jiu jitsu,good hip movement and i could tell
he loved an arm bar.Every time i got my knee in his back side he managed to scoot his butt
up my thigh to avoid the pressure.As we rolled i asked him what belt he was.Blue was the answer
and he was certainly a very very good blue belt,doing a great job of nullifying my attempts to open his
guard.His guard felt truly dangerous,like an arm bar or triangle could come out of nowhere so i concentrated
on breaking down his guard step by step and not taking any short cuts.In a nutshell it was a very tough round
and i had work really hard and make sure i didn't take risks because i knew this guy could punish a risk taker.

[Simon Hayes]

After the round the 4 stripe Brown Belt immediately asked me to roll and i said 'sure'.He went off to get a quick
drink and Rey shouted "Hey Simon come on my friend i wanna show you some stuff".I said "OK sir,just a second" and
quickly went to the drinking fountain and said to the brown belt "Man,Rey's asked me to roll,i couldn't be rude,do you mind"
to which he smiled and said "no problem bro".
Rey is almost exactly my size and weight at a guess.A high ranking Carlson Black Belt who has spent his whole life training.
Looking at him i would guess we are the same age too.I know sometime in the last couple of years he won the pan-ams
so he is a serious proposition to roll with.I spar with a lot of Black Belts at Carlsons who are visiting or passing through
from Brazil,as well as my own BB team mates and i can tell you there is never an easy round when 2 BB's spar.

[Simon Hayes]

The thing about Black Belts is this-they can finish.They will finish.If you fuck up you get tapped,fullstop.
Thats how they got a BB,by tapping people.It is slightly harder to tap someone no-gi but nevertheless
i was very aware i was going to be rolling with a very famous man who had been training since he
was a teenager.We touched fists and started tentatively with Rey pulling guard.One of my strong points
is my base and i was in awe when,with my base set he almost swept me with just a very small hip movement.
It was awesome,just amazing.I just about managed to recover my base,but the fight almost went completely
tits up in the first few seconds.As we rolled i noticed he moved and flowed so well,like he didn't really have to think.
Every movement i made was immediately countered or nullified by an instant reaction.His movements were so quick
i knew there was no thought process slowing him down-every choice he made was instinctive,but not only instinctive,
but correct,100% correct at the same time.When we got to the end of the round i was in pieces.I had tried 100%
and through sheer technique Rey wasn't showing any signs of tiredness.His flawless technique taught me a lesson.
Truly good Jiu Jitsu must not be interupted by a thought process.it should be instant and instinctive.I know that feeling
and sometimes i can roll like that for a while,but to be able to do a whole round like that with another black belt,
just instantly reacting is something very special and was humbled.

[Simon Hayes]

The moment the round finished,there he was-The Brown Belt......."Wanna roll?"
Of course i didn't,i was knackered,in pieces but to say no is utter cowardice.I don't turn down rolls.
We started and he'd obviously seen my style.He'd clocked my game and knew what i do so he wouldn't jump
guard.Here was a guy who was not going to his back.Strange i thought because earlier i'd seen him always jump
guard and his guard was literally world class in my opinion.

[Simon Hayes]

We played the game,trying to take dominance from kneeling but both of were experienced
and knew the game.The only thing that would sort this out would be a mistake and whatdya
know? I made one.I saw his neck and tried a jumping guillotine.He was far too good to fall
for it.The thing is,usually with a jumping a guillotine even if i don't get the tap,i will still end
up playing guard so nothing ventured nothing gained.

[Simon Hayes]

But this guy was like lightening.He punished my attempt with glee and was
in side control in an instant.I'd seen him finish other guys with ease earlier.
This was,as Nelson used to say "red alert.......RED ALERT".I tried to remember the
basics and not feed this hungry animal any meat because he had a sniff of blood and
if i stuck a wing out it would be his,no doubt

[Simon Hayes]

As he went to transition to knee on chest i saw my chance because believe me,with a
big,tall,strong 4 stripe brown belt there will not be 2 chances.I managed to replace half
guard.As i triangled my legs around his legs to give myself a 20 second rest i tried to
keep calm,keep that horrible impending panic well away from my game and just think
positively,here i was,playing half guard,something i had spent the last 2 years working on.

[Simon Hayes]

He wouldn't let me go deep.I wanted to get underneath him desperately because i knew with my
body type (short and stocky 5ft 10) against his (long and rangy 6ft 2 ) my best chance would be
to hook up deep half guard but this fella wasn;t a mug.He wasnt gonna fall for it and sprawled everytime
i dived for it.

[dougie fresh]

keep going simon need to know what happen next

[The Natural]

its like an eastenders cliff hanger..:cool:

[Bateman]

i have suscribed to this ... come on !! whats going to happen ..!!

[davids]

I hope you're not going to go all Sopranos on us Simon!!!

[david5]

Fucking cocktease!!!

[oebs1]

Awesome and inspiring thread. Thank you Simon!

[Simon Hayes]

Guys,sorry to keep you waiting,i've been training really hard and just havent had the time to really get the rest of the story
finished.But i'm building up loads more.I just got back from Rey's where i was privileged to be asked to show some techniques
and had some real battles.

OOOSSSS

[Shoco]

http://i54.tinypic.com/2i7mixc.jpg

[seanbrowne]

I keep coming back to check but... santa hasnt been yet.

[Andy K]

This thread is awesome, really respect the points about going to a gym and feeling part of the family

[J-Sho]

Great stuff as always.

Have you met Shen yet?

[david5]

Great stuff as always.

Have you met Shen yet?

yeh, he met shen. posted about it on atama bjj forum

[Simon Hayes]

So there i was,on the bottom,trying to hook up deep half guard with a very good 4 stripe brown belt who knew exactly
what i was up to,sprawling at each attempt.He slowly,methodically began to pass my guard and there was nothing i could do about it.
As he moved to side control i tried to escape my hips but his knee was locked to my hips and he gave me absolutely no space to try
and replace guard.He jumped up to knee on chest to try and look for an opening and i managed to immediately replace half guard
but we went through the same process.He passed again and this time took the mount.I was feeling ok with him mounted and i just kept
thinking 'keep calm and don't make any mistakes'.I am pretty used to being to underneath mount as my training partner Dickie has a very
aggressive mount and i know how to try and not give any submission openings,and try to force my opponent into a submission attempt that
will give me an opening to escape.You see the thing is,when you have a brown or black belt your own weight mounted on you,your normal
escapes won't work,they are too good,too wise.You have to force them to make a mistake,thats your only way out.After i has exausted my
usual escape attempts and none of them worked i showed the dog a bone.A dangerous game but i stuck my arm up.Bang,he immediatley
swung for the arm bar and i ripped my elbow towards me,and felt that magical feeling of the joint being passed his groin as i sat up.
We were in a scamble and back to kneeling.The round finished and i thanked my lucky stars that hadn't happened in a competition and there
were no points being scored,because this guy would have won about 12-0.
A wake up call.This guy was tough.After speaking to him afterwards i began to realise just how solid his depth of Jiu Jitsu is.As well as the training
he'd done with Rey in LA he'd lived in San Francisco for a while and trained at Ralph Gracie's which is a notoriously tough gym.
He told me about the warm ups there that sounded like an SAS boot camp.He also told me stuff like he had to drill 100% arm bar escapes
with a guy with a fully locked arm bar on him and he had to escape,agaain and again for an hour.The regime there sounded truly hard core.
This guy,this brown belt,i have been told,is expected to make a very significant showing in the Pan Am's very shortly so watch this space and i'll give
you the result.Its hard for me writing this stuff because there is a lot of things i can't say but suffice to say this guy is extremely well respected in his dojo
and it was an honour to roll with him.


Next,you'll hear about me rolling with "The Fridge" the incredibly skillful 275 pound purple belt.Also meeting the famous "Shen" from The Underground who let
me teach half a class at REY's on his night.Also,my adventures around Beverley Hills and Malibu.
Guys,i'm having such a great time its hard to find time to write but i've got so much to tell you all.
Oh yeah,and i've been invited down to Eddie Bravo's next week.Interesting.Very Interesting.

[JC228]

Oh yeah,and i've been invited down to Eddie Bravo's next week.Interesting.Very Interesting.
Can't wait! I've been gripped by the stories haha. The ego part was really Inspirational too I've copied it down for future reading :)

[Zukes]

This is awesome! Thanks for posting, inspiring stuff.

[Brigsy]

Great writing and great stories. Thanks.

[Torre]

I eagerly await the story of your visit to Eddie's place, should be a fun read. Thanks again for sharing all this.

[akiraB]

So there i was,on the bottom,trying to hook up deep half guard with a very good 4 stripe brown belt who knew exactly
what i was up to,sprawling at each attempt.He slowly,methodically began to pass my guard and there was nothing i could do about it.
As he moved to side control i tried to escape my hips but his knee was locked to my hips and he gave me absolutely no space to try
and replace guard.He jumped up to knee on chest to try and look for an opening and i managed to immediately replace half guard
but we went through the same process.He passed again and this time took the mount.I was feeling ok with him mounted and i just kept
thinking 'keep calm and don't make any mistakes'.I am pretty used to being to underneath mount as my training partner Dickie has a very
aggressive mount and i know how to try and not give any submission openings,and try to force my opponent into a submission attempt that
will give me an opening to escape.You see the thing is,when you have a brown or black belt your own weight mounted on you,your normal
escapes won't work,they are too good,too wise.You have to force them to make a mistake,thats your only way out.After i has exausted my
usual escape attempts and none of them worked i showed the dog a bone.A dangerous game but i stuck my arm up.Bang,he immediatley
swung for the arm bar and i ripped my elbow towards me,and felt that magical feeling of the joint being passed his groin as i sat up.
We were in a scamble and back to kneeling.The round finished and i thanked my lucky stars that hadn't happened in a competition and there
were no points being scored,because this guy would have won about 12-0.
A wake up call.This guy was tough.After speaking to him afterwards i began to realise just how solid his depth of Jiu Jitsu is.As well as the training
he'd done with Rey in LA he'd lived in San Francisco for a while and trained at Ralph Gracie's which is a notoriously tough gym.
He told me about the warm ups there that sounded like an SAS boot camp.He also told me stuff like he had to drill 100% arm bar escapes
with a guy with a fully locked arm bar on him and he had to escape,agaain and again for an hour.The regime there sounded truly hard core.
This guy,this brown belt,i have been told,is expected to make a very significant showing in the Pan Am's very shortly so watch this space and i'll give
you the result.Its hard for me writing this stuff because there is a lot of things i can't say but suffice to say this guy is extremely well respected in his dojo
and it was an honour to roll with him.


Next,you'll hear about me rolling with "The Fridge" the incredibly skillful 275 pound purple belt.Also meeting the famous "Shen" from The Underground who let
me teach half a class at REY's on his night.Also,my adventures around Beverley Hills and Malibu.
Guys,i'm having such a great time its hard to find time to write but i've got so much to tell you all.
Oh yeah,and i've been invited down to Eddie Bravo's next week.Interesting.Very Interesting.

Looking forward to hearing how u get on at eddies, be great if u get to roll with the man himself..whatever way will be interesting read. cheers

[seanbrowne]

I too am very looking forward to the write up on Simons visit to eddies i just didnt want to ne first to admit it ;-)

[TheJuice]

Oh yeah,and i've been invited down to Eddie Bravo's next week.Interesting.Very Interesting. I rolled with Eddie on Monday, nice enough guy, a warning to you though, lots of star seekers there, I'm much happier at Shawn Williams.

[fishface]

Awesome as ever Simon :cool: Had the pleasure of meeting Brett in Thailand last year at TMT ;)

F

[Jogs D]

Awesome stuff Simon... You could make this whole thread into a book, or perhaps even a movie....? :)
Keep 'em coming mate - looking forward to the next installment....! :)

[Sir Tapsalot]

I rolled with Eddie on Monday, nice enough guy, a warning to you though, lots of star seekers there, I'm much happier at Shawn Williams.

Glad to hear you're enjoying it at Shawn's mate, I haven't been to his new gym since the split with HBJJ, but he and all the guys there are awesome.

James

[TheJuice]

Thanks mate, As you know the instructions phenominal even from his students(as Shawns training with GSP this week I believe, then doing a seminar in Norway). Nice location as well.

Jordan

[Robster]

come on simon where are you? i need my next fix ;)

im with everyone else about the book idea i would definitly buy it. or better still you could get someone to film it documentry style

[Sir Tapsalot]

Thanks mate, As you know the instructions phenominal even from his students(as Shawns training with GSP this week I believe, then doing a seminar in Norway). Nice location as well.

Jordan

Are Dane and Joseph teaching then? Awesome, Dane's a machine and Joseph's got some sneaky stuff, say hi to everyone for me please!!

James

[6million$man]

Haven't been on the forums in ages so just seen this! I've missed these stories- so addictive! Sounds like you're having an awesome time over there Simon, but please stop whatever you're doing and give us the next instalment before I break down in anticipation!

[Neil_D]

A polite reminder for more stories!

[daddybaresi]

I am desperate to hear the Eddie Bravo episode

[Bateman]

I am desperate to hear the Eddie Bravo episode

I have been wondering about this

[TRIBULUS]

The Eddie Bravo episode is awesome, Guy Ritchie, Sherlock Holmes, Professor Xavier, Joe Rogan, detailed rubber guard smashing insight and a Lambourghini all in one instalment.

Unfortunately it is being filed in the Kenzo v's Roger drawer for the book release exclusive....

[TatooineFarmBoy]

Argh was supposed to be getting some work done and got sucked into reading this thread. Will buy the book for sure.

[Bateman]

Can we make this a sticky please....

I check back most days to see if there has been an update...

[Ross]

Awesome read, thanks for taking the time.

[Shoco]

TTT For more stories please!

[badshah]

Awsome stories, pretty please with whey protein sprinkled on top, updated this thread Mr Hayes

[Jimmy Boogaloo]

+1 for an update, been printing this out and reading on the train home. good lessons.

[highstage]

I just found this and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. GREAT. THANK YOU.

[London84]

Just found this thread... great read!

More stories pretty please :)

[Jay]

Bringing this TTT for one of the best threads this forum has ever seen!

[Plastikman]

Bringing this TTT for one of the best threads this forum has ever seen!

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang on just one second, where's the rest????

[Simon Hayes]

Back to the BJJ forum.

[Manik]

Great news! And congrats on your recent successes!

[Simon Hayes]

I am going to tell my favourite story of all time.
It's a story i haven't really told in its entirety before because of those involved-but enough time has passed now.
Cut to a film set in Malta in 2001.
I had worked with Guy Ritchie very early on in my career,and i knew him also from growing up in West London,and the party scene and nightclub scene.
In those days pretty much everyone knew everyone.We weren't mates though-just blokes with different sets of friends all descending on the West End or the Kings Road
trying to nick Chelsea girls.
We became mates on his first film,which was also my first film.
A year later and we were making Snatch.It was 1998.Guy told me about this Jiu Jitsu thing,and i said i knew about it because i had seen the UFC.He wanted to try training in
BJJ,but we couldn't find anyone to teach us in London,and quite honestly i was more interested in trying to get my Black Belt in Taekwondo,i had been studying it since
1993.
Anyway,during the making of Snatch,Guy who was a very highly ranked Karateka from the famous Budokwai found out that the Judo boys did a Ne-Waza session (groundwork)
on a friday night,and so we started going to it.Jason Statham used to come too,but Vinny Jones refused saying "I ain't scrapping for fun you didlo's,i'll end up biting someones
hooter off if i get the 'ump" LOL.
The Budokwai sessions were fun but i only carried on for about 6 months after we finished Snatch due to coming off my motor bike and hurting my elbow and wanting to
carry on with Taekwondo (I was still kidding myself Royce's wins were a fluke!).
I got called to work in Malta on a film with Guy in 2001 and when i arrived Guy was very excited.He told me he had been living in L.A. for a bit with his new missus and had started
training with Rickson Gracie.He called over a fella standing in the background and introduced me to Todd Fox.Todd was a very unassuming looking man-28 years old,5ft 8inches
and 75 kilo's but there was a slightly scary look in his eyes.Guy told me he had met Todd at Ricksons and Todd was going to be his assistant on the Film.
Guy said we were all going to learn Jiu Jitsu with Todd.I said that i was doing really well with my TKD training and i wasn't sure i wanted to start a new art.Guy said
"Purple,Taekwondo is for poofs,you're gay and you need to stop mincing around doing ballet".I replied that it was good and it worked.He said that Todd would kick my arse
with BJJ and i said,sure if we are grappling but i would kick him in the face.Guy said "Come on,we've got some mats",so we walked round the back of the studio to some mats
in the burning sunshine and i had a little friendly spar with Todd.I threw a couple of kicks and he moved back,then he immediately dropped into a double leg and took me down and choked me.
Then he did it again.Then again.And again.And again.I said "Okay,teach me this Jiu Jitsu stuff then".
There were about 6 of us on the crew that wanted to learn it,so Todd went off to the nearest Martial Arts store and bought 6 cheap Judo Gi's and we started training in the sun,right next to the sea
every lunchtime for an hour and every evening for 90 minutes.
I found out over the next few weeks that Todd was a Purple Belt under Rodrigo Vaghi,one of Rickson's few Black Belts.He came from Missouri.He lived in LA and trained with Rickson
and actually lived with Ricksons best Brown Belt (i think his name was Henry Akins..........JSho can find out?).
Todd was an ex US Marine who had seen active seervice in Africa and South America and had done a lot of stuff it is rude to talk about.His Jiu Jitsu school was one of the toughest in the U.S.
and Rodrigo Vaghi students were taught real old school BJJ for No Holds Barred and anyone with Blue Belts and above were expected to fight in the cage if they trained there.(Todd had more MMA
fights than BJJ comps on his record).He was a f.ucking nightmare.
We had been training for about 10 weeks daily and had all formed a real bond,and become hopelessly addicted to Jiu Jitsu.
One night i was in the bar everybody was drinking in and a bloke i had't seen before came up to me.I didn't really drink much (i am now completely teetotal) and i'd only had a bottle of lager.
This fella was a bit pissed."Alright mate-you Simon Hayes then? I heard you're mates with the director and you do all of that wrestling together.Bit suspect isn't it?"
I asked him who he was and he said he was an extra technician drafted into help with a few big scenes we needed to do.He was about 27 and a bit loud.
"So go on,tell me about this poofy wrestling"
I told him he should come and have a go,as it was really fun and a great workout.
"Nah mate,i'm a Thai Boxer,I like to smash people with me elbows and smash 'em with me knee's!"
"oh really-i know a few thai boxers where do you train?"
"I train in Thailand mate"
"Oh-ok."
"Yeah-i lived there for 3 months and did it everyday-now i've got a bag in me back garden and i train on me jack jones"
You should try the Jiu Jitsu,it's good.
"No mate,i aint rolling around on the floor-i smash people with me elbows and smash 'em with me knee's"
EVERY TIME HE SAID THIS HE DEMONSTRATED AN ELBOW AND A KNEE=People in the bar were starting to look at him like he was a tool,and i was guilty by association.
"My mates call me The Pitbull cos i'm always the last man standing".
At this point i politely made my excuses and went home for an early night.It was a day off the next day and i had to get up early for training.
Although it was a day off for some crew the next day,others were working to prepare the set for the next weeks filming,
so when i turned up at the studio complex at 10am to train the next morning,Todd had set the mats up in an old dark
studio (really like an old aircraft hanger-a bit damp and smelly and shadowy.At a complete contrast to the exterior just outside the doors,
in bright sunshine,85 degree heat and the sea 100 feet away.
I got in there and the boys were there already,i said quietly to one of them that i had met a right tool the night before,and he said loudly,
'oh yeah,that fella-the pitbull-he drove us all mad-what a plonker'.
Well Guy heard us laughing and asked whats up.I said 'Nothing',he said "whaddya mean nothing-what you laughing about".
My mate told him the story,and Guy said "No,i'm not having that,you must be exaggerating-Purple-is this true?"
I said "I'm afraid it is Guy-we've got a Pit bull on our hands".Guy started laughing and said to one of the drivers-
"go and get this geezer".The producer who was also there said "No,he'e working today,he can't come"
Guy said "No,he's having a bit of time off-go and get him".
Off went the car.
Guy said "Right,we're going to ask us if he wants to join our Jiu Jitsu class today-and if he does,furry muff-but if he starts all of this
'last man standing,pitbull bollocks' we'll ask him if he wants to fight no-rules with Todd".
I looked at Todd at this point and he looked wistfully into thin air with a slight grin but a demented look in his eyes shone through.
Try and picture Jack Nicholson as he grins just before shouting "Johnny's Home!" and attacking the door with the axe in 'The Shining'.
Todd said "If you you want me to fight this man thats fine,but i'm warning you i will hurt him,For all i know he is a champion Muay Thai fighter,
and i'm not going to fuck around with him-i will finish him real fast and it won't be with Jiu Jitsu".
Guy said "Don't worry Todd-He'll be fine.He's a Pitbull apparently".
Some minutes later,the fella's boss came into the dojo.At this point Todd had been rolling his neck around and generally doing scary warm ups continuously.
The fella's Boss said "Guy i hear you want my lad to come down-i need him today-he can't".
Guy said "Don't worry Terry,we won't keep him for too long mate-you'll manage-send him down"
Terry dissapeared looking none too pleased.
Another few minutes passed and in walked 'The Pitbull'.
Guy said "Hello mate,i'm Guy.I heard you were a bit of a Martial Artist and we are all learning Jiu Jitsu,do you want to join in?"
The Pitbull said "Hello mate,nah i don't really rate the wrestling stuff,for me its all about the knock out-i like to use me elbows and Knees and you can't in Jiu Jitsu can you"
Guy said "Well not if you're training normally mate,no-but we could relax the rules if you want to go a bit harder.Todd here has done a bit of Thai,and if you want a full
contact fight with him thats fine-you can show us some elbows and knee's,but its more fun to just train submissions without striking".
The Pitbull replied
"No,i'm like a duck out of water on the floor.I finish fights standing,but if your man wants to have a go with me thats fine".
I then said "No,Don't be stupid mate-you've got no gloves,you'll break your hands and your face'll get messed up"
As i said this i looked out the corner of my eye and Guy was trying not to laugh.Todd was breathing in and out ,in short breaths quite loudly.
'No,my hands will be fine-they've only been using gloves in Thailand for a few years,i don't mind fighting without them'.
I sighed.'Are you sure mate,it doesn't sound like a good idea,lets just show you some Jiu Jitsu moves"
'No it'll be good practise for my Thai to do stand up".
Guy said "Purple-shut up".
I said "okay then,You start standing,there are no rules apart from no eye gouging,no groin shots and no biting or fingers in eyes.The fight will continue until
someone taps or screams,do you understand?"
The Pitbull said 'Yeah thats fine'.
I said "You do understand that you can stop the fight anytime by tapping or screaming".
He said "Yeah alright mate-i heard you the first time".

[Simon Hayes]

I decided at that point i had given him enough chances to get out of this,and it was his problem.
We were in a dark aircraft hanger about to see a real Vale Tudo fight.
The Producer (Who was about 37 and a mental ex Royal Marine -in fact the youngest Captain ever i think)
"Gentleman,i can't allow this to happen,someone will get hurt" in a very authorative posh accent.
Guy said "It's too late now-its all agreed." Adam the Producer said "Very Well,good luck my good man" to the PitBull and smiled.Oh Fuck.
They came together in the center of the mat and i said "This fight can stop at anytime there is a verbal submission or a tap out,Do you both understand that".
Neither man answered and i shouted "FIGHT!".
The Thai Boxer bounced up and down a couple of times and Todd just stood there.I was expecting a few low kicks,but what came next was the biggest,
most telegraphed,head height Thai shin kick i had ever seen.It was almost like slow motion,but that could have been my adrenaline.LOL.
As it arched its way towards Todds head he brought his arm up,to parry it and as it struck his forearm he reached over the top of it and grabbed it,trapping the leg under his arm.
He then shot forward overbalancing his opponent and the thai boxer hit the ground.Todd immediately took mount and (i was expecting a choke,like we had been practising,
or an armbar) proceeded to punch him in the face,full power.He punched him with a right,a left,another right and another left.He then brought his right elbow down into the guys eye,
and his eyebrow split with blood going everywhere.He then immediately dropped the left elbow.At this point i felt a shove and Adam the Producer ran past me and pushed me out of the way and dived on Todd knocking him off mount shouting "Purple-what sort of bloody refferee are you-this man is hurt",to which i replied "But he didn't tap...................."
The Pitbull went straight to hospital and,to his great credit,returned within the hour with 6 stitches in his eyebrow,to where we were still training and asked if Todd would teach him Jiu Jitsu,and if he could train with us.We called him "The Poodle" for the rest of the film,but accepted him for a while until he was seen at Lunchtime on his own practising Nunchuka's.
My biggest regret is no one filmed it.