Thursday, November 4, 2010

Fundamentals class review: By Paul Klien

Disclaimer: I am a blue belt under Romero "Jacare´" Cavalcanti, and I currently train at Alliance HQ.

The fundamental class is 25 lessons, the first three classes are private. I do not know what the first three classes are, but I assume its basic information you get when you first walk in without bjj knowledge.

This is a brief, while biased review of the three classes already taken. Its been well received. The basic structure is warm ups, techniques, and 3-4 drills. What makes it unique, is the combination of which techniques are used together. This is the 'special sauce' of the program.

I. When the techniques is combined with other ones, the drill, makes a mock realistic fight, that enforces muscle memory, and gets the mind out of the way, while the real learning, automatic reactions are being learned and drilled. Example, the Day 4 class, there was a drill to recompose guard. What was a pleasant surprise for my partner I train with, they recompossed guard quick and did it 100% correct. The speed and natural movement just flowed.

II. Transitioning from one position to the next, less hesitation from one movement to the next. Where jiu-jitsu flows, instead of stop, go, stop, think, go, stop, think, go.

III. The emphasis on self defense in the fundamental class. The original scope of BJJ is self defense. The majority if not all of the mock drill fights are both for sports and self defense.

I do have one question for my fellow brothers and sisters in bjj land. I am curious on how Gracie Barra, and the other teams implement their beginning classes.

1 comment:

  1. great post. having attended lesson 4 and 6 this week I like the new format compared to the previous Beginners class. feels like we work more techniques with a great attention to detail and alot of repetition.
    To Jacare, Jordan, and the Fundamentals Instructors, I was wondering if there is a plan to have any published lesson notes for mental-review. I usually try to journal what we cover each day, but sometimes i don't get to it quickly enough and then I forget some of the details... I think it would be really great if we had something to share with the students that lists the lesson# and the techniques reviewed so we could mentally review when not in class. just a suggestion. Thanks so much ! Ossss!

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