The Story Begins
Even in this day and age with the likes of the UFC and mixed martial arts (MMA) exploding as a main stream sport, it amazes me just how many people don't know what Brazilian Jiu Jitsu actually is.
Before I go into why I personally chose Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to focus most of my training on these days, it'll probably help to get a little bit of background on my martial arts past.
I started off life training in Karate like many naive kids of my generation who's first introduction to learning how to fight came from Mr Miagi and a 'crane kick'. I trained for years with the deluded belief that because I could punch through blocks of wood, I was clearly invincible.
Then one day, in the school playground, a much larger kid than me was giving a smaller guy a hard time. One thing I've always hated -- and still do -- is a bully! So armed with a Mawashi Geri round house kick and ability to punch through bolster wood, I decided enough was enough.
This kid was bigger than me (a lot bigger), but what did that matter? I was a fucking ninja. After the immortal words "Hey, why don't you pick on someone your own size" left my mouth, I readied myself in a forward stance, set to do battle. Before I even had time to Ke ai (scream Hi Ya essentially), a barrage of punches came crashing into my face. Next thing I know I was laying on the floor with a bleeding nose and a missing tooth.
After a somewhat embarrassing beating in front of my peers, it dawned upon me that I had never actually been in a real fight. I mean in Karate, as a kid, I had only ever punched thin air, or 'break boards' and I certainly had never really been hit before, not in the face. That's when I realized that Karate is just angry men in pyjamas that can't fight and I swiftly became disillusioned, disheartened and lost interest.
I Found Muay Thai
A few years later at 16 or 17 I started training in Muay Thai and at first this seemed like the answer to my prayers. With Muay Thai there was no kata, forms or any of the other rubbish that some martial arts practice that essentially detracts away from practical techniques that simply work.
After just a year training in Thai boxing, I once again started to feel invincible. In my late teens I started competing and got a taste for winning.
I moved to Thailand to train full time and eventually fight in the world games (although a broken hand shattered that dream). I wanted to be the best that I could be and reach the zenith of my Muay Thai potential and indestructibility.
Whilst in Thailand I met an MMA fighter who had come to the land of smiles to work on his stand up game. He was in his early thirties, bald, shorter than me and about 15 kg lighter. He had the face of a man that had seen a lot of battles and always maintained a very stern and serious look, even when he was having fun.
One morning at breakfast, he was telling me about his training background and said that he had just recently got his purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.Although I had heard of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the truth is that I never thought a great deal of guys that got into 'cuddling contests' on the ground and the fact that he was only two belts in to BJJ made me fear him even less (I was young and naive).
One night, after far too many Singa beers and Samg Sung shots we got into a mildly heated debate over who would win in a fight, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu grappler or a muay thai boxer. Of course I went into great detail to explain that I'd knock a grappler out long before he'd ever take me down and even if he did get me on the floor, I'd simply ground and pound. After all, I'm a ninja!
The Challenge
A small wager of 2000 baht to test each others claims was laid out. We headed back (from whichever lady bar we were frequenting) to the gym. He had three attempts to take me down and tap me and if at any point I knocked him out, I won.
This was surely taking candy from an extremely drunken baby, or so I thought. To cut a long story short, I was taken down and tapped out three times in a row. I couldn't believe how fast I hit the floor but what really boggled my mind was how a man who must of been 15kg lighter than me was able to easily control and dominate me on the floor.
After another humiliating and humbling experience I was converted. This is where my love affair with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu begins, and it's the start of a very long journey.
Even in this day and age with the likes of the UFC and mixed martial arts (MMA) exploding as a main stream sport, it amazes me just how many people don't know what Brazilian Jiu Jitsu actually is.
Before I go into why I personally chose Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to focus most of my training on these days, it'll probably help to get a little bit of background on my martial arts past.
I started off life training in Karate like many naive kids of my generation who's first introduction to learning how to fight came from Mr Miagi and a 'crane kick'. I trained for years with the deluded belief that because I could punch through blocks of wood, I was clearly invincible.
Then one day, in the school playground, a much larger kid than me was giving a smaller guy a hard time. One thing I've always hated -- and still do -- is a bully! So armed with a Mawashi Geri round house kick and ability to punch through bolster wood, I decided enough was enough.
This kid was bigger than me (a lot bigger), but what did that matter? I was a fucking ninja. After the immortal words "Hey, why don't you pick on someone your own size" left my mouth, I readied myself in a forward stance, set to do battle. Before I even had time to Ke ai (scream Hi Ya essentially), a barrage of punches came crashing into my face. Next thing I know I was laying on the floor with a bleeding nose and a missing tooth.
After a somewhat embarrassing beating in front of my peers, it dawned upon me that I had never actually been in a real fight. I mean in Karate, as a kid, I had only ever punched thin air, or 'break boards' and I certainly had never really been hit before, not in the face. That's when I realized that Karate is just angry men in pyjamas that can't fight and I swiftly became disillusioned, disheartened and lost interest.
I Found Muay Thai
A few years later at 16 or 17 I started training in Muay Thai and at first this seemed like the answer to my prayers. With Muay Thai there was no kata, forms or any of the other rubbish that some martial arts practice that essentially detracts away from practical techniques that simply work.
After just a year training in Thai boxing, I once again started to feel invincible. In my late teens I started competing and got a taste for winning.
I moved to Thailand to train full time and eventually fight in the world games (although a broken hand shattered that dream). I wanted to be the best that I could be and reach the zenith of my Muay Thai potential and indestructibility.
Whilst in Thailand I met an MMA fighter who had come to the land of smiles to work on his stand up game. He was in his early thirties, bald, shorter than me and about 15 kg lighter. He had the face of a man that had seen a lot of battles and always maintained a very stern and serious look, even when he was having fun.
One morning at breakfast, he was telling me about his training background and said that he had just recently got his purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.Although I had heard of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the truth is that I never thought a great deal of guys that got into 'cuddling contests' on the ground and the fact that he was only two belts in to BJJ made me fear him even less (I was young and naive).
One night, after far too many Singa beers and Samg Sung shots we got into a mildly heated debate over who would win in a fight, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu grappler or a muay thai boxer. Of course I went into great detail to explain that I'd knock a grappler out long before he'd ever take me down and even if he did get me on the floor, I'd simply ground and pound. After all, I'm a ninja!
The Challenge
A small wager of 2000 baht to test each others claims was laid out. We headed back (from whichever lady bar we were frequenting) to the gym. He had three attempts to take me down and tap me and if at any point I knocked him out, I won.
This was surely taking candy from an extremely drunken baby, or so I thought. To cut a long story short, I was taken down and tapped out three times in a row. I couldn't believe how fast I hit the floor but what really boggled my mind was how a man who must of been 15kg lighter than me was able to easily control and dominate me on the floor.
After another humiliating and humbling experience I was converted. This is where my love affair with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu begins, and it's the start of a very long journey.