Enson Inoue Seminar September 30, 2015

Last night, Grizzly Gym hosted mma pioneer Enson Inoue for a nogi grappling / mma seminar. I was unable to attend the first part. Stupid work. Professor Mike told me to attend when I could and to bring my gi along as well. 

I got there around 7:00pm. It looked like everyone was having a great time. You can tell that a seminar is going well when the participants are smiling and chatting about the techniques as they are drilling. I met Enson last year when he came for a visit. Again, what a nice man. He remembered me (at least he said he did lol), and welcomed me even though I was late.  I hate showing up late. I find it disrespectful, but again, professor Mike told me to come late. 

The stuff that he shows really works.  It nothing too fancy, but it’s all been proven effective. I remember last year someone asked Enson if he’d consider doing straight grappling matches like Metamoris or other super fights. He said that while he would love to, he thinks that the young grapplers today have passed him by with all the new school technique. He said he watches guys at his gyms and is in awe with what they can do. At the same time he said he might be open to matches with the older guys. He specifically mentioned a rematch with Randy Couture.  I don’t know if his opinion has changed or not seeing as how he had an official retirement ceremony in Japan this last year. 

After 2 1/2 hours, the seminar came to an end. Mike asked Sean and myself to put on our gis. Then this happened…

   
    
   
Thanks so much to Professor Mike for believing in me. Thanks to Sean, Wes, Josh, PJ, and all the other Grizzlies I’ve trained and learned with. And thanks to my awesome wife for putting up with the time at the gym, the injuries, and the shitty attitude from time to time (she’s started her BJJ journey recently). As much as I don’t believe I have the skill to wear a purple belt, it was a great honour. I’ll have to keep working hard to fell like I’ve really earned it.    

   
Of course, Sean and I had to have our inaugural purple belt match immediately. All I’ll say is this is the first half. 😉

The end

Patches

Sonetimes I think patches look really good on a gi. Sometimes I think that they look awful. Is being a walking billboard really what Jiu Jitsu is about?  That being said, I just sewed 3 patches on my Globetrotter travel gi that I’ve been meaning to get to for about a year. Using a sewing machine is friggin’ hard!  Not the best job…

   
   
I need more practice. I hope they stay on!

The end

A Compliment, I Think…

After class last Wednesday, I asked a training partner if he thought I was moving better.  He usually submits me pretty easily, so I thought he would be a good person to ask.  His reply was:

“I don’t know if you’re moving better.  You seem to be in the right place at the right time more often to get out of a bad situation and/or attack.”

Or something like that.  I’ll take what I can get.  🙂

I’ve been thinking a lot about the loop choke.  I’ve been watching seminars and online video on the specific technique, setups, and variations.  On Wednesday I attempted to put what I had seen and gone over in my head, in to practice.  Success!  I got 2 submissions in 3 rolls.  One was on the above mentioned partner, whom I never submit.  Yay me!