Jiu Jitsu Week Training Day 4 Intermediate Gi training with Professor Junior Fidelis (Denver)

I went to the 8:30pm class last night to roll Intermediate with Professor Junior. We did more cross guard work, and I was able to add an additional sweep to the line up of moves from cross guard. this sweep takes the opponent over my head, so it gives me some options in the event I can't use the 1st momentum sweepI learned with John on Wednesday. We also worked some single leg takedowns. I had a good partner- a newer student but he was really easy to work with.

I'm a big believer in how Easton encourages mat conduct. It seems like we have a ton of really great students throughout the network of schools. People are just patient and good natured on the mats., and I don't think that is really all that easy to come by in combat sports. I get the impression that most of the guys there are really there to learn something, and sometimes to teach something. Knowing these people from training you'd think we were all a bunch of softies, but then I see the same guys roll in comp, and DAMN- we have a pretty tough room out here in Denver!
I am going to try to keep the training streak alive tonight. Friday is pretty bleak at Easton, and there is only one Intermediate session- No Gi at 6:30pm. That one can be a bit rough to get to from work, but my No Gi gear is in the car, and if I can make it I will.

Jiu Jitsu Week Training Day 3 Wednesday NoGi w/ Coach John Boyle (Denver)

Laundry room is getting crowded...

I wore the Prana Monday, the Shoyoroll yesterday, and then my No Gi gear today. I pulled the SYR out of the washing machine and found some black stuff on it, looked at the Prana and fount the same, so I re-washed both along with my SYR Mamba pants, and my rash guard I wore to train today. The end result is a very busy hang-dry rack...

I managed to pry my sorry ass out of bed at 5:30 AM for training with Coach Boyle at the Denver school. It turned out only 3 of us were able to do so- which is awesome, and yet kind of a bummer. Awesome because we get a lot more focus on our technique, but a bummer because it is always good to have a solid class attendance. I have to admit I almost punked out. I ended up going out with a buddy for a few beers after training last night and didn't get home and into bed until midnight. At 5:30 the Alarm went off and I was mentally scrolling through excuses- but then I just went into the mechanics-
1. geet feet out of bed.
2. Sit up
3. Stand up
4. Get dressed
ect...
I had some great excuses- my eye got poked, I was sore, I was mildly hung over (or maybe a little drunk-over). It was cold, I was tired... The thing was, I had commited to this specific class and my wife has errands to run tonight so i am home with my daughter. I knew it was go in the AM, or don't go. Don't go= fail at 7 consecutive days of BJJ. Fail at my plan to rediscover my game.
Nope.
I got my ass to class- STFU and train...

Ben, my training partner from Monday was there, as was Joe- both of those guys are good guys, excellent training partners. We worked on X guard- placement, attacks, recoveries, submissions, drilling all for several minutes each. I have a real nasty triangle attack from there that just feels "right" when I go for it. We finished off class with some up/down/out work. I felt great that I went and already look forward to tomorrow night Intermediate at Denver.

Jiu Jitsu Week Training Day 2 Tuesday Night W/ Coach Rob Sanchez (south school)

I did an evening class Tuesday night. Decided to drive down to the South School for the 7:30pm Intermediate class. I did this because I like the guys down at the south school, and because one of their younger students (15) paid me one of the single nicest compliments I have been given when I ran into him at Coach Vellore's MMA fight on Saturday. This kid is introducing me to another student, an old guy like me and he says "This guy is one of the best training partners you will ever roll with". Now i know he wasn't saying I was the "best" because of skill level. He was complimenting my style of helping instead of "beating" the lower guys I roll with. It was a nice thing to say, so I figured I'd go roll with him for one of my 7 Crazy BJJ days.
Tuesday night Intermediate at south school is a sparring night. We started out with 3 series of flow rolls with different opponents and then moved on to actual sparring. I was the only Blue Belt in the class of 5 so I was prepared to wait out the first round and hopefully work in on the second. Instead one of the coaches offered to roll with me, so I did that.
Tuesdays focus for me was working the things I drilled Monday AM. I was focused on trying to implement De La Riva, and also implementing some inverted guard into the game. At some point I caught a finger to the eye resulting in the damage you see above. That was kind of a bummer, and it still stings a bit today, but I'm pretty sure I'll live.
All in all it was good training, with a healthy dose of live rolling. I was happy I went, and will likely go back again for more of the same (minus the eye poke)

Jiu Jitsu Week Training Day 1: Monday AM with Coach John Boyle

Worked a lot of drills this morning. Arm bars to the left and to the right, then Arm bar / triangle / arm bar left and right, then arm bar/ omoplatta / triangle, and then armbar / omoplatta/ triangle/ arm bar.

We practiced some positional moves from spider guard, including a hip drop that boost the opponent over your head. We also worked on attacking to gain De La Riva, and then sweeps from De La Riva.

Nothing "brand new" but we did a lot of review and repetition which is exactly what I need right now. I had a good training partner and we worked well together.

During the 50% flow roll my partner seemed to favor turtling so i worked on back-takes and trying to set my hooks with mixed results. after a while I figured I'd quit fighting it and let him take me over his head- I held on to an underhook I had and turned the forward roll into an armbar. He had a decent Gable, but if we were rolling 100% I think I could have broken it with my feet. I made a few attempts at mount, but didn't have good control of his knees so I ended up in halfguard, which he capitalized on and stretched me out to sweep. I did manage to work the De La Riva sweep into the roll.

All in all a good review. Looking forward to class tomorrow evening.

Drill Drill Drill

Monday morning intermediate class is 55 minutes of drilling, with a 5 minute flow roll at the end where we go about 50% effort, and allow escapes from submissions.

For drills it is all about training muscle memory- armbar / triangle / armbar, guard passing over / under/ standing up in guard. Mount to arm bar drills to the left, and to the right. Replacing guard, Replacing X-guard, passing X guard... This develops speed, and precision. It builds the game.

The Flow roll is about my favorite drill ever. It is 5 minutes straight of a mental, and physical game exercise where you employ all of your techniques without consequence. Opponent takes your back- then you escape, maybe take mount, opponent escapes the mount and ends up in guard- so they try to pass guard... The nice thing about that is that it trains your mind to transition from position to position developing game, fine tuning the motions.

Really enjoyed Monday morning. This will be part of my new routine.

GORUCK Challenge training and building a more well-rounded BJJ Player.

Bricks. Such a versatile, and useful building material. You can use them to build a house, a bridge, a road, or a fortification from behind which you can wage war. In a pinch you could hit an attacker over the head with them- but I'm pretty sure that isn't IBJJF legal. So how do simple bricks build a martial artist- or more specifically a better BJJ Player? We don't break bricks in this art- that's for demo squads. We use strength, endurance, and cunning when we roll. How will bricks help me develope that?
I went out and bought these 6 "training bricks" to use in my preparation for The GORUCK Challenge coming up in May. Last year the Tough Mudder CO was my non-BJJ related challenge. It was ambitious considering I was slightly overweight, and hadn't run a mile in well over a decade. With the help of BJJ, an improved diet, and the support of my friends I finished the 10 mile Tough Mudder in an above average time. I was proud of myself, but like Alexander I was conflicted once my campaign was complete. As I rode home I thought to myself- "what now?" By most measurements TM was the hardest thing I could find to challenge myself. Sure I could do another one (and I am in fact running TM TX Coast on Jan 28th) I could go for a faster time- but in my mind I wouldn't feel like I was pushing any new boundries. Enter GORUCK. It's a team challenge executed in groups of 30 individuals. 18-20 miles over 10 hours. There is "Cadre" on hand, and they are basically Drill Instructors who will lead us through the challenge.

Why am I going to do this to myself? Because CHALLENGE! Thats why. This is the next evolution- this is pushing myself.

Part of the GORUCK is the fact that I will be hauling 6 bricks on my back based on my weight (over 150lbs). GORUCK provides the backpack for the challenge, but I need to BYOB (bring my own bricks) so, since I need to haul these bricks for the challenge I decided to pick them up early in order to train with them. Allow me to introduce- The Octogon, James Westfall, and Dr. Kenneth Noisewater...
These fellas are going to ride on my back during training for the next 5 months. All together they only weigh 25lbs, which means that when I have strapped them on I will still weigh less than I did at this time last year, of course, adding it all as dead weight hung over my shoulders does make it a bit more tricky. I am training using my Camelback hydration pack as my brick carrier. I hope it holds up to the strain.
The training plan for now is to add  sets of pushups in the evenings with the weight strapped on. Right now I am working my way to a hundred doing sets of 20. Next evolution will be 100 in 3 sets of 33, then 2 sets of 50. Once I am comfortably there, then I'll remap my game plan. I don't think I need to be breaking off sets of 100 pushups in sequence just yet. I'm not Hershel Walker.

So how does all this relate to BJJ? Well, if you read my "rag doll" blog post, then you know I am in deep water on the mats at Easton as of late. Its definitely what you call a "tough room" down there when it comes to Black Belt classes. For this reason, in addition to technique I am looking to improve strength and endurance. I can't tell you how many times I've just been flat tuckered out in the middle of a roll. Mostly this happens with bigger guys. I run out of gas, and then I start getting sloppy. I let my arms get loose, and then I get submitted. It's frustrating. So while I practice at "staying safe" on the mats, I will also be working to increase my stamina in my workouts off the mats. Participating in the GORUCK Challenge is as much mental game as it is physical. You have to endure the strain- push through it- just like you do when you roll. So there you have it- Strength of limb, Endurance of the mind and the body.

 This is how I will use bricks to build a more well rounded BJJ Player.

O.G vs. ComPadre: The Prana / Shoyoroll new pre-order Gi shootout

Ok, so I have had both my Shoyoroll ComPadre and my Prana O.G. for a few weeks now and have put some mileage on both. I'm going to post this as if it were a comparison, but really it isn't. Although the designs are similar they are each very different due in part to the fact that they each utilize different weaves, and fabrics throughout.

Shoyoroll
I purchased the Shoyoroll because at the time I really needed to- my faithful Atama was nearing the end of it's useful life. The collar was getting frayed to a level where a training partner could get a finger caught in it and be injured. It was time to replace it, and in the year since I had bought my Atama, Shoyoroll had surfaced as a brand with "the perfect fit" A3S. I'm 6'1 180lbs, so while a bit short for the A3S by sizing chart standards, I have been able to shrink them to an excellent fit. I ordered the Yank in A3S and the sizing has proved to be perfect. For this last batch- the ComPadre, and Americana it was the lesser of two evils as neither color combo really appealed to me. I like white Gis so I went with the ComPadre. I watched Facebook, and when the opportunity came to place my order I moved on it and sent $168.00 to BudoVideos.com. Then I waited.

Prana
I have seen some interesting web postings calling Prana "Shoyoroll Knockoffs" and then some other posts generally disparaging the brand- even mocking Prana's brand mark FloGo and calling them "Spermyoroll" (I admit I laughed)

Even though I knew this mockery was out there I went forward with an order of Prana's first Gi "The O.G." because I liked their Facebook postings, and I had a good experience ordering a T-Shirt. at $139.00 with free shipping the Gi was significantly cheaper than the Shoyoroll I ordered for $168.00 (inc. shipping) in May, and the wait was set to be much shorter. It also bears mentioning that while I like my Shoyoroll gis alot, the whole process of ordering, then waiting for several months for the Gi to turn up is generally annoying, and I was, and still am looking at alternatives to avoid it.

Hype
The thing for me about Shoyoroll is the fit. It is a matter of fact that the A3S is the right size for my body type. This is why I buy them. Sure, they are somewhat exclusive, but really I'm going to put this thing on and then roll around on the ground in it. Lets just keep that in perspective. It seems like there is a marketing coup here where BJJ players are coveting these things the way some ladies covet shoes or handbags to the point where aged SYR gis are going on Ebay for $400.00+ dollars. That is ridiculous. Equally ridiculous is laying out my cash in May to receive a Gi in October. It's tiresome. When Prana advertised a Shoyorollesque sizing chart featuring A3S sizing I figured this might be the alternative to that obnoxious process. I laid out my $139.00 and waited.

Review
Shoyoroll ComPadre $168.00 USD Shipped, wait time 5 months

The Shoyoroll is pretty much more of the same you would expect- A3S is a perfect fit, and the goldweave is light, yet very soft and comfortable. This was exactly what I was hoping for as my old Atama Goldweave is now retired, and all my other gis are pearl weave. I like having a goldweave kimono on the rack as it is the most comfortable material IMO. Given the 5 month wait, I was surprised that the Rebels seem to have fallen off on the details- for instance there is a silver lining on the inside of the lapels/collar just like there is on my SYR Yank, but on the ComPadre the stitching isn't as good, so the edges of that silver material were pretty scratchy for the first few washes.
here is a shot of the offending lining

It seems to be getting better now, but the quality lapse was disturbing.
The pants on the Shoyoroll are heavier twill material and they are absolutely perfect- these are the best Gi pants I own. The padding in the knees is great, and they feel incredibly durable- like rolling in blue jeans. they also improved their drawstring by using a narrower gauge cordage. It's a little easier to tie, and seems to stay tied better. All in all I really like the Gi, and sincerely hope the pants Shoyoroll offers moving forward are identical to these. The pants for my Yank are just too thin and feel too fragile.

Prana O.G. $139.00 USD shipped, wait time 2.5 months.

the Prana O.G. is a white gi with gray stitching, and grey/black badging
I am pretty impressed with the Prana Kimono. They got all the details right on this first attempt. It's a bit heavy compared to my SYR pearlweaves, but that is acceptable for a training Gi. All of the stitching is well done with nothing loose or scratchy like with the ComPadre, and it has something my Shoyorolls do not- it has fabric tape that covers the interior seams. This makes the kimono very comfortable to wear without a rashguard- and you need to wear it that way, because it traps bodyheat. I sweated like a beast wearing this Gi.
Here is the taping

No tape on the Shoyoroll


I bought the OG in A3S, and the pearlweave kimono sized out exactly like my pearlweave Shoyorolls- a few washes and drys and it fits like a glove.
The pants however seem a bit wide across the ass for an A3S sizing- they cinch up fine, but tend to bunch up across the back which goes to show they aren't cut from the same pattern as the SYR pants.
Here is a pic of my old ripped Shoyoroll A3S pants on top of the Prana A3S pants- the Prana Pants are a lot wider.

The pants are very well made though, they are a heavier rip-stop material. These pants have great padding in the knees, and the crotch gusset is well reinforced. I prefer the twill pants from my Shoyoroll, but since Shoyoroll doesn't offer additional pants I decided to go ahead and order a second pair of these Prana pants which I intend to use with my Shoyoroll Yank for training, this way I can save the fragile navy blue Yank ripstops for comps or whatever.

Overall I am extremely impressed with the Prana, I think I'm going to get a lot of life out of this gi as it is built to last using heavy materials, and superior manufacturing- every seam is reinforced.

So there you have it, I have 2 brand new Gis to go roll around on the ground in. I like both of them quite well. If I have to pick on value, I'd go with the Prana. It is a well made Gi, that is built to last. The fit is very good, and no corners were cut in it's manufacture. If I were choosing based on materials, then I'd say the Shoyoroll is the more comfortable of the 2. The scratching from the lining went away after the 4th wash or so, and i just love the gold weave. Also- the SYR pants are exceptional for this batch.

Knockoff?
Let me say this- if you had never seen a Jiu Jitsu Gi you might think the Prana is just a knock off of a Shoyoroll, but since I own both I'll put that to bed right now. They aren't the same. Similar in the basic design, but materials and manufacture are quite different. Trust me on that.

Asthetics, and Exclusivity
Since a lot of people are buying these things based on exclusivity / vanity- I will also say the Prana wins for aesthetics. White with the grey stitching looks great, and the badging is all stitched in rather than a patch that is sewn on. The first time I wore it one of my coaches commented how nice it looked- so if you are into that sort of thing, Prana has it goin on.
Word is out, and SYR isn't nearly that exclusive anymore. When I first wore the new SYR I walked into the academy and saw 3 ComPadres and 2 Americanas during black belt class. At another lesson at the Boulder school I saw 4 people wearing SYR gis of various batches. As far as I know I am the only student at my academy rolling in a Prana. Doesn't get much more exclusive than that since we are a big school with 5 branches. Not like that matters, but if it does to you, then there it is...

Who knows, maybe Prana will take off and the prices and wait times will go up like they did with Shoyoroll- for right now I'll enjoy the fact that I have found another manufacturer of gis that has my fit right. I look forward to their future offerings, and hope for a Prana Goldweave sometime in the future. For what it is worth, Prana has already acknowledged that their pants run bit big. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see that remedied in the next batch.
  
Additional Questions
A reader requested some additional info on the Gis, as is specific to the A3S sizing. The conversation is in the comments, but i am reposting here for anyone who is curious. Reader request a measurement from cuff to cuff.

I spread each of the Gis out and measured from cuff to cuff across the chest. My measurements were taken in inches

Please bear in mind that all my Gi's have been shrunk intentionally using warm water and hot cycles in the dryer

Shoyoroll Yank (Pearlweave) 71"

Shoyoroll Compadre (goldweave) 68.5"

Prana O.G. (pearlweave) 69.25"