Sacramento BJJ | Martial Arts | Self Defense
A World Class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Martial Arts Academy Serving Sacramento Since 2011.
In the last several weeks, I was blessed with the opportunity to compete two times back to back; first at the IBJJF Las Vegas Open and, most recently, at the IBJJF Chicago Open. Both were tremendous experiences filled with emotion and they were so close to each other that it felt like it was a extended dream!
Vegas is always a great trip for me. Besides the obvious enjoyment of being in such an intoxicating city, I regularly compete here. The last couple editions of the IBJJF Las Vegas Open a group of competitors from Yemaso BJJ have participated. It’s always a great opportunity to fight against some of the most talented of the practitioners from the west coast and, as I have said before, it is important that we prioritize what events we participate in.
The IBJJF has the most consistent presentation and professionalism in their events and we will continue to support our confederation in their ever expanding attempts at making the sport we love THAT much more presentable. The Las Vegas Open is no exception and the event ran smoothly even including online brackets with real time developments. I was very impressed with the presentation this year!
Our team did very well and of 10 competitors we brought back 11 medals!
It is always such a challenge for me as a coach to get around to every fight of my team mates and I find myself each and every time BARELY making it to their matches only to begin screaming directions! Lol, Even more difficult is that I often lose track of time and end up needing to run to the bull pen to get to my own fights at the last minute! The day is somewhat of a blur for me as my emotions run far higher coaching the guys than when I myself fight. I feel like when I fight I am at home, very tranquil and focused and I am even known to lay down and sleep if left alone in the bull pen for too long (lmao)! When I coach, though, that is a different story and I find myself jumping up and down in excitement, talking to people close to me, laughing and getting emotional when I see each individual achieving their goals. After all, I was there with them when they killed themselves in training and know just how hard they worked to get there.
However, I’m not too sure about being honest about this but, I get frustrated when coaching sometimes as I know the capabilities of each and every student and since I know the game and strategies well, I get anxious when things don’t go their way. But, this is a learning process that accompanies both student and instructor. I mature with them as they gain strategic experience and understand the complex nature of the game. Many times I take for granted that I have a lot of experience and that I am a tactician, attributes that are acquired over many , many years of doing tournaments and no matter how hard I try to prepare mental processes in my students, some of these lessons are learned the hard way. This is yet another reason why I compete so much; I want to be savvy when necessary and intuitively strategic as to maximize profit and minimize loss.
This was my second time in Chicago this year, the first in the MUCH colder month of March and yet again I pestered the Redzovic brothers, convincing them to help me in my stay in their gym. The Redzovic brothers have all been extremely hospitable and at the gym (“The Loop” for those wondering) off Michigan Ave were a number of other travelers from across the globe looking to get their hands on some IBJJF hardware in Chicago. It is always really cool for me to travel to new places and meet new people and BJJ has given me an endless fountain of new influences. Saturday began with the gi and I fought two fights in my division. I won the first by armbar and the second by points against a tough competitor in Zach Lenon. This was not our first encounter and, being the active competitor he is, I doubt it will be the last. I really enjoy our matches and was fortunate enough to also have another final with him, this time in a no gi match on Sunday. I took gold in both my gi and no gi divisions and also took a bronze for my efforts in the gi absolute.
The absolutes are crazy sometimes! I fought in my semi final match a super tough ultra heavyweight from Nova Uniao named Leo Pecanha and he was probably my favorite match of the last two weeks. I lost the match, but I learn so much rolling from bigger guys like that. He passed my guard by smashing my hips, something that rarely happens for me and even less in competition and it’s always really fun for me to try all my tools to get to my power positions.
After my no gi final on Sunday Idriz Redzovic made some recommendations on places to visit and places to eat so I hit the town with my girlfriend Valerie Guzman who, in visiting from Puerto Rico, has also been bitten by the competition bug and has already collected two IBJJF medals in the last month! She took gold as well in Chicago with a perfect performance of two fights. We decided to spoil ourselves rotten by hitting the Navy Pier after gorging on some deep dish pizza at Giordanos! We ate dessert at the Ghirardelli restaurant, also on Michigan ave and, after more than 3 weeks of making weight, we almost couldn’t keep it down!
Immediately following Chicago, it was time to bring the diet back down to competition form as it was time for American Nationals. Yemaso BJJ did not disappoint. We brought back over 15 medals from 7 competitors. It was a great showing of the work we have been putting in. Check out the American Nationals story below:
[youtube=http://youtu.be/rPHWB9E-y2g]
Happy hunting!
Osu
Not only did the island bless me with heritage and culture, a constant influence in my youth, but also a wealth of new and existing Puerto Rican Jiu-Jitsu practitioners that look to me with a sense of pride. Every time I go I am received with the curiosity of puerto rican bjj aficionados, and the warmth of the hometown Puerto Rican crowd. I appeared in one of the biggest newspapers on the island, el Nuevo Dia, and the feeling of being honored for my sacrifices from such an amazing group of people is indescribable.
They are as proud of me as I am to represent my fellow Boricuas (Puerto Ricans).
I held a number of classes from the Natatorium, a massive pool complex where many international events are held (and where Eduardo Ortiz from the Behring Wolfpack holds classes), to the Coqui Dome in Cupey where Manuel Rey from Behring BJJ hold his. I was able to teach a class at Shimmy Disoriannos school in Isla Verde, RIGHT in front of the beach and, finally, I was able to teach a seminar at the Sparta Wrestling Club where Puerto Rico has produced Olympic wrestling champions such as Jaime Espinal, Franklin Gomez and Francisco Soler. I look forward to working with the local mma talent in Puerto Rico.
I am humbled and honored to be recognized among them and pray that my continuing battle to be the best I can be motivates the new generations of Boricuas to do the same. The classes were packed. Sometimes even comically bringing some practitioners out of their self imposed “breaks” as everyone wanted to check out some of the new techniques I bring back!
Make no mistake, the Boricuas are hungry for knowledge and even though our current numbers in IBJJF events are not substantial they are growing bit by bit and many have brought back medals from Chicago, NY, Atlanta, Miami, and Boston Opens.
I even have the opportunity to continually work with Carlos Saquic whom I consider to be one of Puerto Ricos most promising stars. He has medaled at many IBJJF events including the Pan Ams, taking silver in 2012 as a blue belt ( no small feat at such a prestigious event).
Aside from the understandable depression associated with leaving the island, I am filled with optimism and pride of the growth on the mats. I leave with my batteries charged and another 10 lbs that I have no clue where they came from! *wink* I am ready now for more… Hungry (not literally …. Well, maybe yea literally lol) for more GOLD and for hard training.
Osu
Wow what a weekend! This marks the first time that Team Yemaso competes on two different coasts , with the American Cup on the west coast and the IBJJF New York Open on the east! This is historic in that we are still a relatively small team but have extended our influence in the competitive arena to a nationwide level. Team Yemaso did not disappoint bringing back a number of medals from the American Cup & the IBJJF New York Open.
Coach and black belt Eliot Kelly also got in the mix and took home an impressive silver in his division and bronze in the absolute for his efforts. I have been to the American Cup and competed in Claudio Franças events and can say they are one, if not the best, run tournaments in the states. I know our guys worked hard and am very proud to see their work paying off! Now they are continuing their preparation for the IBJJF Vegas Open this weekend. Remember guys, I might not be there in person but I am always with you guys when you fight! I am very proud of you all and your dedication motivates me to keep working harder! Kick ass in Vegas!
On the east coast there was the 2013 IBJJF New York Open. This marked the first time I was able to compete in the Big Apple/ Empire State and I also was blessed with the opportunity to realize a dream in training with a man who’s credentials speak for themselves. I was initially reluctant to go considering a huge portion of the team was doing the American Cup on the west but under the guidance of Eliot Kelly I knew they were in qualified hands! This left the door open for me to go a couple days early to Marcelo Garcia’s academy in NY.
A good friend of mine and fellow black belt Paul Schreiner had been telling me for years, “hey man, come out and train, Marcelo is a beast!” And, he even opened his doors to host and let me stay with him in East Village. This was a SICK experience for me as I got to live the BJJ lifestyle as a New Yorker for a couple of days; walking the streets, hitting the subway ( an INCREDIBLE system for public transportation), training with beasts and eating delicious food – a definite MUST in NY as the culinary arts here are perfected!
After Paul schooled me on the subway system he let the reigns go and I was getting to Marcelo’s gym in under 20 min, probably much faster than a car or taxi ride too! Marcelo himself is an amazing person.
This sounds very cliché but it’s very important for me, especially in this time where our Jiu-Jitsu culture is experiencing some less that acceptable behavior, to see the character in a person of his stature that can be admired, respected, and even emulated.
I had said it once before when Royler Gracie came to my academy in Sacramento, CA that it’s soul food for me to see these people I idolize be such great human beings.
Not only is Marcelo a perfect ambassador for the sport but he is also a person that, after getting to know personally over the last couple days, I feel I can consider a mentor.
His approach to Jiu-Jitsu is very similar to mine in presentation. He is very detail orientated and you can see the glare of a perfectionist when he assesses your technique. Sure, I had taken seminars and shared techniques with world champs, but I felt the desire and the enjoyment of being a student again. I had been looking forward to a roll with him for years and the only thing that disappointed me was that I heard the bell and felt like I wanted more time lol I needed more time to soak up more info, more time to pick his brain, more time to roll, more time….
After his beasting of my guard (lol) we went to eat and he spoke with me as if we knew each other for years.
No, “I am holier than thou” type of attitude I get from some other world champions that I respect as competitors but not people. He spoke openly about anything and held nothing back. It was, as in the case with Royler Gracie, so refreshing to confirm he was the Man both on and off the mats!
I was able to train with Marcelo, Paul, and Rafael Rosendo among others and we all talked a lot and shared great techniques. This is the stuff I live for!!
I love the feeling of going somewhere new and having the opportunity to share a bit of your trade with other experts in the field and I cherish this experience.
Recently, I had trained with Caio Terra and Leo Lo for the Pans and I also got to sit and chat, share ideas, and be surrounded by great human beings. I just feel so blessed at this point in my life to be surrounded by all of you!
Thank you guys, thank you for being who you are and for opening your hearts and minds and I pray to have provided some measure of influence as well.
Now time for some beach, food, and Jits in Puerto Rico!!! I will be in the island for the next two weeks teaching and training the guys, many of whom look at me in the same light I look at individuals like Marcelo Garcia, Caio Terra, Leo Lo, Paul Schriener, Rafael Rosendo, Jared Weiner, Rafael Lovato, Ryan Hall, Mike Fowler, Royler Gracie, Eliot Kelly, Samir Chantre, Vicente Jr, Quexinho, and the tons more that influence me not only on but off the mats as well. The guys in PR show me a tremendous support being Puerto Rican and when I arrive the seminars/ classes get packed.
Good morning!!! As I wake up this morning the reality of a goal realized sinks in and I can reflect on both its merits and my next steps. I am humbled by my experience yesterday as I Was able to fight very well with men I studied and have come to esteem at a deep level. No one here knows how BAD I wanted this, and how hard I worked and I wanted to give some insight into Just how obsessed I was with Panams:
Panams was a tournament I considered “bad luck” for many years. Those that know me now know that by implementing “mind power” I can get past these obstructions, but hear me out: One year I broke 2 ribs, another I broke my left foot off a toe hold in practice. I had bad allergies that had me sick as a dog one year and I went through a NASTY divorce another. Truth be told I CREATED a negative reality surrounding this tourney. This year I was determined to break the cycle!
I prepped my body and mind, making HUGE sacrifices to realize my goal. I drilled at early hours of the am to prep some parts of my game and did 3-4 practices a day. When Caio Terra presented the option to do a camp I asked to participate immediately. Realizing the stress this places on my ( I teach ALL my classes at my gym and hate missing class to assure everyone gets the work they need) students; I am eternally grateful for their patience with me as I would not have been able to reach my goal had I not been in proper shape.
To Caio Terra, Leandro Lo, Quexinho, Samir Chantre, Marcus Antelante , Rafael Barbosa, Vicente Jr, Manny Diaz, Nathan Mendelson, and the TONS more at The camp THANK YOU! Thank you so much for helping me! I am very happy to have been a part of that camp and you can count on me to be a participant in the future! To my students I thank them profusely as it is with THEM I do most of my training. Thank you guys for supporting me in my endeavors! To my son who is a HUGE fountain of motivation, no importa si me muera mañana estas palabras no se borraran: te amo mi hijo bello y espero que cuando leas esto te sientas dichoso de ser mi hijo!
To all my sponsors; Gilberto from Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear for that KICK ASS black gi I fought with! I love it! For Sam at NHBGEAR, your support since I was a purple belt has been clutch throughout the years! For Peter and Penny Stone as their faith in me has also permitted me to realize my goals, Pete with your help and advice I am a better person, thank you for being in my corner!
Thank you to all the people that follow me (on facebook, twitter, youtube, etc), Team Yemaso is not going ANYWHERE and don’t get it sick and twisted, I am as hungry as EVER and this won’t stop here! Major medals coming back to Team Yemaso as we are on a righteous path and only good can come from that! Sorry if I left anyone out thank you all again and now on to the NY Open!
Btw, I wanted to mention that for almost 3 months I went to the gym with the SAME SHIRT ON! My Panams shirt from God knows when but I saw the words: “Pan Ams” and focused on my goal. I saw no one, no machines, no weights, just myself on the podium. I was so damn focused and so prepped that a recent back AND knee injury were not enough to derail me. We live in the realities we create ladies and gentlemen. I chose to not be derailed by a little bit of pain to achieve my ultimate goal and I did not have to step over anyone’s back to get there. Thank God for giving me the lessons necessary to bring me to this goal here today and thank you all for believing in me!
Osu
Last weekend was busy for Team Yemaso! Saturday I met with fellow Team Yemaso coach
Eliot Kelly from EDHBJJ to attend the 2013 IBJJF Referee Course to update myself on the current changes to the rules. Whether you like them or not, we all play by rules and in my humble opinion it is IMPERATIVE to learn them. One of the biggest crimes of our sport is undereducated practitioners, not just the competitors but the refs as well. I have seen coaches scream horrible things at the refs, wishing ill on their family for 3 generations, just as I was witness on Sunday to some of the worst calls I have seen from the reffing crew at the IBJJF. The fact to the matter is I owe it to myself, to my students, and to the BJJ community that I represent to be educated so that I can illustrate and employ said knowledge both as a referee and an instructor. I urge all of you reading this to educate yourselves on the rules. It doesn’t matter if you agree with them or not it is important that you know the rules of engagement!
Speaking of the students, Team Yemaso reached a historic milestone at the 2013 IBJJF San Francisco Open on Sunday bringing an unprecedented medal to competitor ratio (we had 22 competitors with 25 medals total!!!) in a strong push for a team title. We did not disappoint and with just over 21 competitors we became the FIRST TEAM TO EVER bring back an IBJJF team title back to Sacramento, California!!!! As a team we ranked second among the premier teams in California : Gracie Barra, Ralph Gracie, Atos, Academy of Jiu Jitsu, Brazilian Top Team Long Beach, and Guerrilla Jiu Jitsu, among many more. Many people have asked me if I am surprised, and express astonishment having realized our monstrous goal with so few competitors.
I have said it a million times; I train with a group of dedicated individuals that feed off my enthusiasm and correspond it with a passion of their own. I SEE the work they put in, work I cannot fully describe in this blog as they are parts of our training methods, both physical and mental. I witness their capacity for growth and the tenacity that keeps them pushing in the face of laziness. Each one wanted this team title as much as I did and worked damn hard for it. Some warmed up with smaller tournaments to get the pre-competition jitters out of their system to assure that the mental state would be perfect for the big show. All brought tight training schedules, at my request, to assure that they were complying with what I saw as necessary levels of preparation for one to achieve his/her goal.
It is “Soul Food” for me to cultivate an environment like this, one where we develop goals and work hard to achieve them. Better yet we did it as a team and we were able to synchronize our different academies in the Sacramento area, led by Eliot Kelly and Bill Click respectively, to all meet up, sit together, coach, and support each other in the pursuit of accomplishment.
I did my job as normal, running around and coaching, yelling and screaming in both joy and frustration while awaiting my own fights, but for me to see each team member running around doing the same to push their FRIENDS AND BROTHERS to new heights was POWERFUL. They might not yet realize it but they are building on a foundation that will see their social circles and, by extension their lives, change. Our BJJ families unite often to share many occasions from birthdays to holidays and even weddings! To be by someone in their moment of emotion is to solidify a bond that will carry us into a united future and I am honored and emotional to be able to cultivate that environment at Yemaso BJJ!
It is said that, “Only he who fights loses”. Not everyone achieved their ultimate goal of GOLD this weekend but to me that matters little. Sure, I am happy because of the team title but had we not acquired it the work would have STILL been put in! We are just that much better because what is gained through consistency is never lost.
I urge my team members to maintain consistency and regardless of a win or loss these are just learning experiences that should be utilized to motivate us to get better. I have faith in you all!
I personally took DOUBLE GOLD this weekend having some entertaining rolls and am on a war path for Pan Ams this year. I am working particular parts of my game that I brought out this weekend but there is much more to work on! I will not be stopped and less than 8 hrs after fighting I was drilling at 8 am. We then had two classes on Monday so only Tuesday was I able to gather my thoughts on the weekend. Next on my list is the IBJJF Chicago Open, another step on the way to Pan Ams and my determination is insatiable. I am prepped both physically and mentally and these smaller Opens allow for me to be at my best in the quest for the elusive Pan Ams GOLD!
I am EXTREMELY proud of my team and look forward to going to the IBJJF San Francisco Open every year from now on to show we are not only the best team in Sacramento, but one of the best teams in California!