JIU-JITSU IN MALAYSIA

BJJ Sweep Technique

2011-10-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

Check out this reliable and high percentage set up for the hook sweep. You can hit this sweep from the sitting up guard or hooks guard (butterfly guard). The key is to just go for it with no hesitation.

Note: You can't go wrong with Marcelo Garcia, the world's best grappler. :-)

End of Raya Break, Hard Work Begins...

2011-09-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

After a lengthy break, PJ Jiujitsu Club members have returned to the mats for more fun rolls and great workouts! Check out the pics below of members training hard.

Training some stand up

Rolling session

Yawei in action

Lots of mat space to practice your moves

Our guest from Sitiawan, Charles (black gi) taking part in the sparring session

Benny "the Jet" Ding training with Yawei

Let's Roll!

2011-07-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

Training on a hot, balmy Thursday night.

Mandeng and Aizat

Group shot of the boys in action

Reveik and Danial

Aizat's Wedding Reception 4/6/11

2011-06-05T00:58:00.000-07:00

Congrats, Aizat, on your happy day!

Some of the team members at the party

Team PJ Jiujitsu with Aizat the happy groom

4 Benefits of Practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

2011-04-19T03:09:00.000-07:00

By Jason Gee

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6179170

In addition to being a very effective combat sport and self defense method Brazilian Jiu Jitsu also offers its disciplined practitioners a variety of health benefits. This art is extremely rigorous and difficult to master, and through this arduous process martial artists can expect to gain physical and mental benefits that may be unavailable through other means.

1) Increased Fitness & Stamina

The first health benefit a Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioner can expect to gain is increased stamina. This is because of the long duration of the physical demands of practice. The average class length ranges anywhere from one to two hours. This is not idle time, this is time spent in motion, going through calisthenics, technique and sparring. Even the most fit individuals can expect to feel deplete by the end of a session. Over time though and with consistent attendance to regular classes you will gain the ability to complete these grueling sessions feeling more composed and prepared.

2) Improved Strength

The second health benefit you can expect to receive from practicing Brazilian jiu jitsu is to see greatly increased strength. Almost every class will incorporate some type of strength training or sparring. Sparring is when two students go over the live application of techniques in free motion. Strength is essential in order to apply techniques live. Gripping the kimono or gi which is the traditional uniform requires a lot of hand strength. Even more so because your training partner will by doing everything in their power to make break your grip on their kimono. This means that you will have to grip and re-grip over and over again.

3) Better Memory.

There are literally an infinite amount of techniques and positions in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Expect to have your memory worked to its very limits. An arm bar for example is just one way to attack your opponent but while this is just one movement there are hundreds of ways and angles with which to apply this attack.

4) Patience

Patience is perhaps the most important benefits of practicing this art. This sport takes a lifetime to master, even for those who are diligent. Even those who have mastered this art to a certain level are sure to face defeat in competition or in the academy. No matter what your level of skill or ability there is always someone or something that can be learned from or overcome. Only those who are truly committed will be able to gain this benefit.

Are you are interested in learning more about Brazilian jiu jitsu techniques or techniques I have used to win a number of competitions? If so, you may want to check out http://www.completeleglocks.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Gee

Just Another Typical Saturday Open Mat Session

2011-04-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

A very short video of a Saturday Open Mat session. The club members are having fun working out and sweating on the mats!

Check out my modified BJJ back pack...

Beginning BJJ: What Kind of Gi Should I Get?

2011-04-07T02:30:00.000-07:00

When you embark on your journey to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, one of the first things that you would need to buy is a BJJ gi (or kimono).

Some beginners use their old judo gi. However, a judo gi has a looser fit; and the sleeves and collar will be much easier for your opponent to grab and use against you. The gi skirt of a judo gi is also very long, enabling your opponent to easily unwrap it to coil around your neck for modified brabo gi choke. Then there is the tae kwon do or karate gi. I find these to be too flimsy to last in grappling. They usually rip apart after a few hard rolling sessions, and sometimes your training partner’s fingers might get caught when it rips, thereby injuring the fingers...

It would be advisable to buy an actual BJJ gi. After all, you doing BJJ right? Just as if you play badminton you would need a badminton racquet, and not a tennis racquet!

So what kind of gi should I get?

Nowadays there are so many types of BJJ gi in the market. Most gis are not cheap. For example, the Atama Mundial gis are around US$200. Bull Terrier gis are from US$200 to US$300. Gracie Barra is between US$150 to US$200. And that's not including shipping charges! Granted, these gis look really good and the quality of course, cannot be disputed. But if you convert these to Malaysian Ringgit, spending RM700 for a gi is simply out of the question for most people.

However, for some just starting out in BJJ, they may not wish to spend that much money on gi. You might be looking for a good, cheap gi. So what are the options?

If you are on a budget, you can’t go wrong with Fuji. Their single weave gis are not too light and not too heavy It is suited for hot weather use. The jacket is durable, the pants are strong with excellent reinforcements. The great thing is, the single weaves gis are all below US$100! (Less than RM400, inclusive of shipping) And they have three colours to choose from: white, blue and black.

You can check out and order the Fuji gis below:

http://bit.ly/fuji-gi1 (white)

http://bit.ly/fuji-gi2 (blue)

http://bit.ly/fuji-gi3 (black)

Note: From previous dealings with the company, expedited shipping is fast, and the gi takes only about 7 days to arrive.

More Tips On Improving your BJJ Guard Game

2011-03-23T22:24:00.000-07:00

I managed to find another great article about how you can improve your guard game. Check out the article below. As you may have concluded, we here at PJ Jiujitsu Club Malaysia always emphasize improving your BJJ guard game . It's a "must know" position for BJJ. Otherwise we might as well be doing some other martial art, right?

How to Improve Your Guard in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

When training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu it is important to understand the guard game. Not that you must always go for the guard and work on guard strategies, but it is an essential part of you Jiu jitsu game. Having a good guard in your Brazilian Jiu jitsu training will give you an edge when playing with bigger stronger opponents. If your opponent is a well versed Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner then weight and strength will play a big role in the outcome of the match. In this scenario a good guard may be the only thing that can work for you.

Steps

To improve your guard it is important to not only work directly on your guard game, but also focus on your guard passing and defense abilities. This will give you the opportunity to see firsthand the things your opponent will be working on you while in your guard. One good strategy while developing your Jiu Jitsu guard is to learn how to reverse the situation by using what your opponent needs to pass your guard and changing the position so he has to follow you. This will enable you to lead your opponent into submissions and sweeps or at least make it very difficult for him to pass. You need to analyze what tools you are best at pulling off, what grips work good and where your position and body weight should be. This will help you to see the openings your opponent will be looking for and close the gaps or change the position before he is successful.
Your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu guard game will vary from person to person. Some people are very flexible and will have very different strategy than someone who is slow or has long legs versus short legs. All of these things will play a factor in the kind of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu guard game you will develop. Learn the position, understand the basic strategy and adjust to it with your physical capabilities. Practicing and drilling the position over and over will help you begin to move naturally in the guard. This is important with any martial art. You need to have it in your muscle memory and be able to respond, not think first then react. This is already too late.
Being flexible in this Brazilian Jiu Jitsu guard position will open up many possibilities for you. If you are a smaller athlete learning the game, work hard on your flexibility it is important for you to be solid in the position. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has many different strategies to explore when developing your guard game: open guard, closed guard, butterfly guard, half guard, spider guard, rubber guard and the combinations go on. A tall person with long legs may prefer to work from the closed guard where it is easy for him to lock his legs around the opponent where a short person may prefer the open guard where they will focus on developing there hip movement and setting up angles of attack. The open guard is also good for someone who moves fast making it easier to change angles setting up sweeps, submissions and giving him the opportunity to reverse the situation quickly.
By moving your hips to different positions in your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu guard, you will open up new opportunities giving you different and more efficient angles and enabling you to respond when the opening is there. A smart opponent will try to pin your hips not giving you the opportunity to move making it easier for him to pass your guard and reducing your options for submissions or sweeps. If your opponent is good at controlling your hips you will also have a difficult time using your legs to defend against his pass attempts.
It is important while cultivating your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu guard game that you play with many different partners this will get you used to dealing with different sizes, styles and skill levels. If you get to the point where your training partner is easily submitted you can give yourself a challenge by only trying to work a few areas you are struggling with or letting him get a step ahead and trying to move back to the advantageous position. If you get stuck and are having a difficult time making things come together ask your instructor what your next step should be or what strategy will work best for you. A basic rule to play by is you need to do the technique three to four thousand times to pull it off under pressure, so don’t get frustrated if you have only done the move fifty or a hundred times. Remember, you can become successful if you put in the time. This will lead to many years of good Brazilian jiu jitsu training.

Sources and Citations

http://www.nwfighting.com

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual.

Here are two great books for the guard that you may like:

For gi game, check out Joe Moreira's Strategic Guard book

For no gi, Eddie Bravo's Mastering the Rubber Guard is second to none.

Guard Game - Critical Concept

2011-03-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

This is a great tip from Stephan Kesting. He shows an important concept when you are playing guard, especially sitting guard. The tip is never allow your opponent to secure any grip on you. Your objective is to remove the grip and go to an armdrag immediately, followed by an attacking move - such s a back take or a sweep. Check out Kesting's video below:

Check out Stephan Kesting's Butterfly/X-Guard Sweeps DVD here.

PJ Jiujitsu Club Members Training in Full Force

2011-03-11T09:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to a couple of our members who returned to the mats this week. Great training session, good rolling and nice workout overall!

Spacious training area in the gym

Mandeng and Alan

Benny and Peter

Reveik and Tin Wai

Aizat and Danial

Muscle Fiber Types and MMA, BJJ Training By Jim Troth

2011-03-02T05:34:00.000-08:00

There are three primary types of muscle fibers. Each type has different abilities. For mixed martial arts, MMA for short certain muscle fibers are more predominately used. By the use of proper training a person will condition those muscle fibers best geared towards BJJ and MMA fights.

MMA is a sport that relies on explosive power for punching, kicking and for going for take downs and submissions. The methods in which a person trains can go a long way towards a person achieving goals in this type of event. Even if a person is not a fighter or has desire to train in any martial art the ability to train correctly will enhance ones ability to do well.

Your muscle are made up of three types of muscle fibers; slow twitch (Type I), fast twitch (Type II), and there is a type that is a fast twitch type but has some limited endurance capability (Type IIb). Each muscle fiber type is trained differently than the other types.

The slow twitch fibers have little overall strength, however they have excellent endurance capabilities. These are the fibers that are mainly trained while doing high repetitions of exercises at slow speeds such as running for two miles.

The fast twitch fibers have almost no endurance capability, but they are strong and quick, and therefore important in speed and power. These are the types of muscle cells that are trained when lifting heavy weights for low reps (4-6 reps). Power-lifters when they train are training this muscle fiber type. Power-lifters can move tremendous amount of weight but they would likely have a difficult time exerting themselves continuously for several minutes due to fatigue setting in.

The Type IIb has strength and speed but also has a better endurance capability than the Type II. They do not have the endurance ability to the extent of the Type I, however. The Type IIb muscle fibers are the ones most important in a fight. If trained properly and enough they give the individual the ability to move and strike hard and fast repeatedly without fatiguing too rapidly. Having poorly conditioned Type IIb muscle fibers will leave a person depending upon the Type I fibers which are too slow and weak, and depending upon the Type II muscle fibers which will tire out far too quickly.

When training for an event that relies on a mixture of speed, power and endurance it is important to train each type of muscle fiber. This is done by a carefully planned conditioning program designed for bjj mma exercises geared towards competition.

About The Author
Jim Troth is a former National Champion in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and has been involved in exercise much of his life. He has trained others in martial arts and in general health and fitness. He has also developed a DVD which features the routine he did to increase his fitness for tournaments. This same routine is used by him to stay healthy. Find out how this DVD is changing people's lives and how you too can live a longer, healthier life... beginning today. Go to http://www.homeworkouts.info/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Troth

Basic Kimura from the Guard, plus a sneaky counter Armbar

2011-02-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

Very good tips on the kimura from closed guard as shown by Brandon Quick. Pay attention to the hip switch.

Basic Attacks from Side Control

2011-02-06T08:22:00.000-08:00

Here's a high percentage attack sequence from the side control position. Very high percentage and reliable, and should be learned and memorized by all beginners.

GONG XI FA CAI 2011!

2011-01-31T01:52:00.001-08:00

We will be closed for the Chinese New Year celebrations from the 3rd of February 2011.

Training resumes on 17th February 2011.

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous new year!!!

Training session 13/1/11

2011-01-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2011!

2010-12-31T18:19:00.001-08:00

Another new year, with lots of good training to come!

Season finale for 2010!

2010-12-23T09:43:00.000-08:00

Well, BJJ season for 2010 ended with a bang! Great turnout, awesome training on the mats! We'll be taking a break and resume training on Thursday, 6th January 2011. See you then!

Thanks to Aizat for the photo.

MERRY X'MAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FRIENDS!

2010-12-15T08:38:00.000-08:00

Selamat Hari Raya!!!

2010-09-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

Wishing all our Muslim students, training partners and friends a very awesome and Selamat Hari Raya!!!

New purple belt!

2010-09-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

After almost 9 long years of training in BJJ, I was promoted to purple belt by Sam Wee last night at KDT Academy.

Thanks, Sam. It was totally unexpected...

Thanks also to my training partner Mandeng, my students at PJ Jiujitsu Club (esp. Rey, Shyang, Alan, Aizat, Benny, Fam, Len, Zairul etc), Mordani and the guys at KDT!! :-)

Another Blue belt in the house!

2010-08-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

Our Mr Fam was promoted to blue belt by Mandeng in class earlier tonight.

Congratulations, Fam!

New Blue Belt!

2010-04-03T03:36:00.000-07:00

Congrats to my long time training partner Mordani (or "Dany" as he is known to his friends) who was promoted to blue belt by Mandeng!

Dany has been doing BJJ since mid/late 90s (before any official BJJ clubs were ever in Malaysia) and has been nicknamed "father of Malaysian BJJ"), so his promotion today has been way overdue. :-)

New Blue Belts!

2010-04-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

Big congrats to our boys Benny and Aizat for their promotion to blue belt on 1/4/10. Thanks to Sam (KDT) for helping out.

Samuel Wee seminar @ Ding's Gym 1/4/10

2010-04-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

Some photos from the seminar.

Important Announcement:

2010-03-02T20:00:00.001-08:00

Our coach Mandeng has been officially promoted to PURPLE BELT by his instructor Sean 'Abdula' Bansfield.

Well done, Mandeng. Congratulations!!

GONG XI FA CAI 2010!

2010-02-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a very happy Chinese New Year!!!

Note: The gym will be closed during the holidays so there will be no training on 13th, 18th and 20th February 2010.

Final training session with "The Scorpion".

2010-02-07T07:01:00.000-08:00

Final training session with our sparring partner Meng "the Scorpion" before he leaves for Australia next week. All the best, bro!

Thursday's Class on 14/1/10

2010-01-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

Drago Boras from Sweden came in for some mat time. Thanks for dropping in, bro!

MERRY X'MAS 2009

2009-12-21T19:50:00.000-08:00

Wishing all training partners, friends and family a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Open Mat on 12/12/09

2009-12-09T21:04:00.001-08:00

Guys, take note: There is no open mat on 12/12/09 (Sat) as the gym will be closed.

Class schedule starting December 2009

2009-11-22T01:01:00.000-08:00

Note: Effective 3/12/09 Classes will be held on Thursdays instead of Mondays. Time remains the same at 8pm. No change for Saturday open mat days

Attn: Class on 21st September 2009

2009-09-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

There will be no training on 21/9/09 due to the Hari Raya holidays. Training resumes on 26/9/09 (open mat) and then 28/9/09 (normal class).

1 YEAR LATER...

2009-08-04T00:22:00.000-07:00

Wow. It’s been 1 year since Coach Mandeng and I started the club here at Ding’s Gym. It’s cliché, but really, “time flies when you’re having fun”.

I remember when we stared the training group, we had only 1 member! But now, with 12 months down the road, our membership has steadily climbed up to around 8-10 regular members, which is quite an achievement considering BJJ is not really popular or well-known in Malaysia. Nevertheless, we hope to do our part to continue spreading the word about BJJ, and making it accessible and affordable to all.

As for our training partners in the club, keep training hard! We look forward to sharing more of our knowledge and experience with you!

Now let’s get rolling!

ALERT!

2009-06-26T12:08:00.001-07:00

Re: H1N1

If you have flu like symptoms (sneezing, runny nose, fever, body ache etc) or you generally do not feel well, please do not come for class.

I'm sure we can all agree on this one: Prevention is better than cure!...

Open Mat 6/6/09

2009-06-02T03:37:00.001-07:00

Take note: This coming Saturday (6/6/09) there's no open mat. Gym is closed due to public holiday.

Open Mat 9/5/09

2009-05-04T10:18:00.001-07:00

Take note: This coming Saturday (9/5/09) there's no open mat. Gym is closed due to Wesak day.

Training Session on 9/3/09

2009-03-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

It's a public holiday on 9/3/09 but BJJ Class is still on as usual at 8pm. So see ya on the mats!

Training Session on 2/2/09

2009-01-30T07:30:00.000-08:00

Training sessions will resume this coming Monday, 2/2/09.

See you all there!

Happy Chinese New Year!!

2009-01-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

To those of you celebrating the Chinese New Year this 2009, wishing you a happy and prosperous CNY!

Replacement Class on 22/1/09

2009-01-15T19:08:00.000-08:00

Ding's Gym will be closed for the Chinese New Year from 24/1/09 to 1/2/09, so there will be no training session on 24/1/09 (Sat) and 26/1/09 (Mon).

However there will be a replacement class on Thursday, 22/1/09 at 8pm. Kindly take note. Thanks!

Season's Greetings!

2008-12-24T01:29:00.000-08:00

Wishing all friends and family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

May the year 2009 bring more great training sessions, much skill improvement, new people to roll with, and all the other good stuff! ;-)

Training session on 29/12/08

2008-12-22T19:05:00.000-08:00

It's a public holiday on 29/12/08 but BJJ Class is still on as usual at 8pm. See you guys there!

Training session on 15/12/08

2008-12-16T20:49:00.000-08:00

It was a great session this week as a couple friends from KDTA and Crush MMA came to roll. To Fang, Raul and Rizan, hope to train with you guys again whenever you're free. :-)

Class on Monday, 8/12/08

2008-12-02T06:17:00.000-08:00

It's a public holiday (Hari Raya Haji) but BJJ Class is still on as usual on 8/12/08 at 8pm. See you guys there!

No-gi training session

2008-11-11T06:16:00.001-08:00

Some pics of our 1st no-gi training session:

BJJ Demo

2008-10-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

Some pictures of our training group in action! (Finally)

2008-10-27T11:11:00.001-07:00

Nice job, you guys! See you all at the next session!

SHOUT OUT!

2008-10-26T03:18:00.000-07:00

Congrats to our training partner Leong, who was promoted to blue belt by his instructor Sam Wee (KDT) last week.

Good job, buddy!

Training Session on 27/10/08

2008-10-23T05:02:00.000-07:00

The Monday training session will be on as usual on 27/10/08.

Please take note.

Anyway, "Happy Deepavali" to all Malaysians!

BJJ Etiquette

2008-09-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

Here're a few tips to bear in mind in order to make your (and your training partners') training more enjoyable:

1. Always show respect to your instructors, training partners, and fellow human beings. Respect in training means: do not seek to harm fellow students physically (e.g., by cranking a submission harder than necessary to make them tap) or emotionally (i.e., by calling them names or making jokes about hurting them). Respect also means that you must train seriously and hard enough for you and your partner to improve his or her skills, conditioning, and fighting spirit. Not giving your best during training detracts from both you and your partner’s experience.

2. Maintain good hygiene (i.e., shower and brush your teeth regularly). As you can imagine, it is difficult to concentrate on technique when you find your partner’s smells distracting!

3. Keep finger and toe nails short and clean to prevent injury to yourself and others.

4. Bring a clean, washed and dry gi to each class. Also, always keep a rash guard or T-shirt in your gym bag for no-gi classes.

5. Keep shoes off the mat, so that we can keep the mats clean and sanitary.

6. Do not walk outside with bare feet. If you have to go outside, wear sandals or shoes. Items (5) and (6) are especially important to prevent the spread of skin conditions such as ringworm.

7. Do not shout loudly or use profanity in the dojo. This should go without saying.

8. Do not talk while the instructor is talking. It distracts those who are trying to learn and is disrespectful to the teacher, as well as other students.

9. Stand, sit with your legs crossed, or kneel during class. No lounging. Studies show that people learn more effectively when seated in upright postures.

10. Please wear your gi, a T-shirt, or a tank top while in public areas of the Dojo. No bare backs!

11. Try not to leave the mat during class without the instructor’s permission.

12. Keep cell phones off during class. Again, they distract those who are trying to learn.

13. If the instructor has not changed the task, then continue doing the task he or she has given (i.e., don’t sit around talking because you feel you have done a technique enough times). You can NEVER do a technique too many times.

14. It is disrespectful to ask an instructor or a higher rank to train with you, so wait until they ask you to roll.

15. During the roll, give way to others who are of higher rank.

16. Shake hands before live training or sparring.

17. Much of what we practice routinely with each other will seriously injure the uninitiated. It should not be practiced on others outside the class.

Training Session on 1/9/08

2008-08-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

The Monday training session will be on as usual on 1/9/08.

Please take note.

Nevertheless, "Selamat Hari Merdeka" to all Malaysians!

The Ribeiro Brothers' Highlights- Saulo and Xande

2008-08-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

Check out the highlight video of Saulo and Xande Ribeiro, they're our inspiration.

p/s Saulo and Xande are now teaching at the University of Jiu Jitsu, San Diego, California.

Simple Tips Beginners Should Know

2008-08-14T03:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a simple but great article I found on the web which every beginner in BJJ or submission grappling should be aware of. It comes from Nathan Leverton's Total Grappling website.

*************************************************************************************
Beginner Grappler Tips

Enjoy The Training

This is a hobby/pastime for most, you are learning to fight but you should also be having fun. It will be hard at times and you may question if it's worth it but you gotta be enjoying it deep down. If you don't then find something else, life is to short.

Relax

Every newbie gets told to "relax" about a hundred times, it'll take time to come but is important for productive training.

What they roughly mean is:

a) Pace yourself. Don't try to go all out for 30 seconds then be unable to carry on rolling without passing out or throwing up. Learn that gassing sucks and that a purple complexion suits nobody.

b) Don't be so tense. It'll slow you down and make you tire quicker. Not every muscle in your body has to be working at full contraction the whole time!

c) Don't freak out in bad positions or when you're caught in a sub, it's just training. By staying calm and reacting instead of panicking you'll learn more.

d) Expend your energy as efficiently as possible.

e) Don't try to do moves a hundred times faster than needed (or that your skill level allows). Mechanics and leverage are important too

f) Don't try to bully moves. Use what is there, not just what you want. Also, learning when to let go of a move is as important as when to go for one.

g) Head squeezers suck. You're there to learn, not to try and headlock someone to death.

Breath

When newbies tense up they tend to hold their breath as well. Try to keep a regular breathing pattern. Sounds simple but you'd be surprised how hard it can be when under pressure. You will gas anyway but breath and you'll last a lot longer.

The full article can be seen here:

A story of "David and Goliath"...

2008-08-04T22:15:00.001-07:00

An inspirational true story for the not-so-big guys out there.

It didn’t look like it would be a fair fight.
Michigan 120-pound Brazilian Jiu Jitsu captain Mandeng Tirmizi
looked up at his 200-pound opponent towering over him.
He planned his first move, and considered his alternatives if his plan should fail. Though confident in his abilities, he wasn’t sure if he could win against the largest opponent he had ever faced.

Click here to continue reading
Source: Michigandaily

An invitation by Mandeng

2008-08-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

Mandeng at Arnold's, 2004.

Mandeng taking on his bigger sized opponent.

Janson and Mandeng in Singapore March '08.

I am here to invite you and your family & friends to join the class (actually it's more like a training group, with a very informal set-up, no sifu/sensei thing) ,with practices on Monday (8pm-10.00pm. You may leave anytime if its too long) and Saturday's open mat (6.15pm-7.15pm).

Anyways, just some quick info on BJJ- it's a highly effective martial arts that emphasizes grappling and ground control. In BJJ, we teach throws and takedown, submissions (joint locks and chokes), positioning and pinning, and half the class is spent on 'rolling'- that's the BJJ's lingo for sparring. There is no form or kata to be memorized, and if you're concerned about getting black eyes, worry not! This is a grappling art so no striking/hitting is allowed. In other words, BJJ is just like wrestling, but in judo uniform. This is not the main point, but in case you're curious of how effective BJJ is, well, you may always hit google or youtube for extra research.

BJJ provides excellent workouts, both for endurance and muscle strength. It is also a great de-stresser. Personally, as I am busy working full time and chasing the MBA at the same time, BJJ provides the outlet to channel my energy, it keeps me fit, and it definitely keep me sane.

Anyone, everyone, all (including children) are welcome to check out the class first before deciding. Absolutely NO previous sports/martial arts background is required - the class is tailored for beginners. Please don't hesitate to contact me at mandengg[at]gmail[dot]com for further information or any concern on fees, time, training etc.

Coach's profile

2008-07-31T10:59:00.000-07:00

Mandeng, extreme right being awarded blue belt by
BJJ World Champion Xande Ribeiro

Mandeng in action, Singapore '08

This is the profile of a friend and training partner of mine, who will be sharing the coaching duties with me.

Tirmizi Muhd Yew or 'Mandeng', as he is affectionately known to his friends, started his BJJ training in Fall 2003 when he was a student at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. During his time in the States, Mandeng was an active BJJ and submission wrestling competitor, and among the tournaments that he won or placed were Arnold Gracie, Gracie US Nationals and Canadian-American championship (his full competition record can be found on <www.umich.edu/~armbar/compresults.html>).

During his competitive days representing the University of Michigan's BJJ club, weighing 120 pounds, he would naturally face bigger guys either in under 145 pounds, or the open weight category as there was nobody close to his weight category ("It's America and I was just a skinny little Asian dude"). He became a reliable competitor and earned the respect of his teammate, and in summer 2004, he was appointed as the competition team captain of the club. ("Well, I got pretty good because I was consistently training and competing then. To be honest though, as a student then, besides class and homeworks, I had plenty of free time. And I am glad I found BJJ and got hooked on it. Now as a working adult, BJJ is a only a hobby- a hobby I take seriously though. BJJ keeps me healthy and strong,and it provides a good balance in my
life")

After close to 2 years competing as a white belt, Mandeng received his blue belt from Xande Ribeiro (the current Absolute World Champion and brother of BJJ legend Saulo Ribeiro) in June 2005. He returned to Malaysia shortly afterward and lay-low from BJJ for a while, until he met Janson and gradually eased back into training in late 2006.

Outside BJJ, Mandeng is currently an executive at a Big 4 Firm while pursuing his MBA. His interests besides BJJ? Watching MMA fights and BJJ videos, and reading on economy and business strategy (yeah,he can be a geek).

Direct Instructors : Sean 'Abdula' Bansfield (Saulo's Black Belt),
Rodrigo Nunes (Marcelo Corleta's Purple) , Matt Jubera (Saulo's Brown
Belt) and Quincy Rice (submission wrestling).

Favorite Submissions: Armbars (all kind of 'em)

COMPETITION RECORD:

Wolverine Classic, Apr '04, white belt, Under 140lbs - 2nd place
Canadian-American Championship, June '04, white belt, Under 150lbs -2nd place
Gracie Nationals, October '04, Absolute Division- Semi Finalist; white belt, under 130lbs-1st place
Arnold Gracie, Apr '04, white belt, Under 127lbs, 1st place
Saulo Ribeiro Spring Invitational, May '05, white belt, Under 150lbs- 2nd place
Alive Singapore "Lordz of the Pain" BJJ tournament March 2008 - bronze medal, blue belt, under 66kg

NO-GI (INTERMEDIATE)

Wolverine Classic, Apr '04, under 140lbs, 1st place

Group training sessions in August 08!

2008-07-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

OK! We'll be starting the training sessions for beginners on Monday, 4th August 2008 at 8pm.

Note: Sessions will primarily be gi based ie you require a BJJ/judo uniform. However, the final week of the month will be focused on no-gi grappling.

Training group

2008-07-07T01:16:00.000-07:00

New training group for beginners to start (hopefully) in August 2008.

More details soon...