Does anyone here train with Roy Harris?

[DVD review guy]

I had his VHS BJJ 101. It had some good basics techniques. I picked up a knee belly armbar escape that I still use today.

Other than the tape I have no idea about him. Below is a thread from the atama forum I read. It's loaded with drama.

MMA Underground Forums
&forum=11&page=1&pc=198

BTW - Sherdog is the best grappling forum out there!

 

[footgod]

well I trained there for awhile and I had my reasons for leaving which I won't air on the internet. That's not a swipe at Mr. Turner who has every right to use that avenue to get the money Roy owes him back.

He's a good instructor in a city of great instructors. He certainly taught me well enough but I am much happier and I am recieving much better training under Baret Yoshida.

 

[DVD review guy]

footgod - That's bad azz you train with Baret. Ryan Hall said he would study/watch Barets dvd all day when he was a Blue belt.

Barets DVD's are sick! It's the cheapest priced DVD on the market, with, a ton of great techniques.

What is Baret like as teacher?
How often does he teach class?
Does he teach both gi & no gi?

 

[footgod]

I've trained a lot of martial arts and he is the best teacher I've ever had
Unlike say Roy who you had to pay for a private Baret often goes out of his way to tailor moves for all hius advanced guy individual game
he teaches twice a day 2 classes in the morning 2-3 in the eveing depending on the day
except for saturdays were their is only a monring class
and Sunday where we just have open mat
and he teaches both gi and no gi

 

[Ice 9 Cobra]

He teaches morning? Man, I was in SD a couple weeks ago and I called Undisputed. They told me Baret only does night classes, which I couldn't make.

 

[footgod]

ya one at 9 gi and one at 10 no gi

 

[Macungah]

I trained a few times with Roy Harris when he was handing over the reins to Jeff Baldwin. The first class with Roy Harris was a takedowns class. He taught the double leg. I thought I knew how to double leg, then he honed the technique for me (in relation to my leg length and body type).

Even though I've only received instruction from him a few times, he still remembers my name when I visit the Harris Academy from time to time. I last saw him at a guard passing seminar, which was supposed to be 9 hours but ended up very close to 12 hours long. We only learned a few guard passes, but my guard passing was noticeably improved after that. I learned how to lean my weight, how to dominate via grips, and how to change various forms of guard into the type of guard that I enjoyed passing. He was very generous, and stayed afterwards on the final day for about 2 extra hours to roll with anyone who wanted to and tell funny stories.

 

[Calibur]

Really sad to hear about all the drama from that other thread. I was a big Roy harris fan.

 

[LJS30]

Well after reading that whole thread on the UG it really disappoints me to see that the BJJ world still has guys out there bashing other black belts, brown belts, purples, as not legit because they never compete. It also disappoints me to see people bashing Roy Harris black belts as not being legit when you have a guy like Roy Dean out there who is very legit. I really thought all of the bashing and disrespecting guys who don't compete ended back in the early late 90's and early 2000's. There are tons of guys who never once step on the competition scene who are tough and legit. What a waste.

 

[Ice 9 Cobra]

Well after reading that whole thread on the UG it really disappoints me to see that the BJJ world still has guys out there bashing other black belts, brown belts, purples, as not legit because they never compete. It also disappoints me to see people bashing Roy Harris black belts as not being legit when you have a guy like Roy Dean out there who is very legit. I really thought all of the bashing and disrespecting guys who don't compete ended back in the early late 90's and early 2000's. There are tons of guys who never once step on the competition scene who are tough and legit. What a waste.

BJJ uses the sport aspect as a way of vetting the upper echelon (blackbelts). If you don't compete, there is no real way to tell how much is smoke and mirrors. Of course, a great way of proving you are in that upper level of practitioners/teachers is to create world class competitors yourself. (Something that you could argue that Harris has done)

Also, I've never been near as impressed by Dean as everyone else online. I don't know why, maybe my Roy Dean Koolaid wasn't made right.

 

[Calibur]

Also, I've never been near as impressed by Dean as everyone else online. I don't know why, maybe my Roy Dean Koolaid wasn't made right.

Same.

He made a good DVD, but besides that I can't think of anything noteworthy he's done. Not that you have to be world famous to be considered legit, but I'm not really sure where the blind loyalty comes from.

 

[LJS30]

BJJ uses the sport aspect as a way of vetting the upper echelon (blackbelts). If you don't compete, there is no real way to tell how much is smoke and mirrors. Of course, a great way of proving you are in that upper level of practitioners/teachers is to create world class competitors yourself. (Something that you could argue that Harris has done)

Also, I've never been near as impressed by Dean as everyone else online. I don't know why, maybe my Roy Dean Koolaid wasn't made right.

So basically in your opinion of a black belt doesn't go through the "vetting" process then that black belt is questionable? If that's true then that's a real slap in the face to the person who earns the belt and the guy who made the promotion.
As for Roy Dean I have never rolled with him but he's competed against some good guys and has gone through the "vetting" process.

 

[LJS30]

By the way I'm in no way arguing with you or mean to stir up anything ill. I just feel a person's hard work shouldn't be dismissed.

 

[Ice 9 Cobra]

So basically in your opinion of a black belt doesn't go through the "vetting" process then that black belt is questionable? If that's true then that's a real slap in the face to the person who earns the belt and the guy who made the promotion.

Well, I don't know what to tell you. BJJ is still a relatively young sport, there aren't many recreational blackbelts out there. As the sport gets older and more guys who are more recreationally influenced get promoted to blackbelt, the baseline will probably change.

As for Roy Dean I have never rolled with him but he's competed against some good guys and has gone through the "vetting" process.

Beyond beating Diaz in 2001, what competition footage of Dean have you seen? I have pretty much the exact same view as Calibur.

 

[BryanS]

i know plenty of recreational black belts, they train because they like it and they smoke most guys that come through, they just dont have the time or the desire to compete, doesnt make them any less legit, thats a dumb argument in my opinion

 

[fiftysvn]

damn that thread is ugly.

 

[slideyfoot]

[Roy Dean] made a good DVD, but besides that I can't think of anything noteworthy he's done. Not that you have to be world famous to be considered legit, but I'm not really sure where the blind loyalty comes from.

I've said it numerous times before, but having watched many, many DVDs over the years, I think Blue Belt Requirements remains the best DVD ever made for beginners. That's a considerable achievement in itself, IMO. Dean isn't a world class competitor, but I think that he is a world class teacher, based on training with him at a number of seminars, along with his excellent DVDs. I have rolled with Dean, but I'm only a purple belt, so that's not much to go by.

I also admire his character. I once mentioned to him in passing that I was volunteering with a charity, which teaches BJJ to help kids with behavioural problems. He immediately offered to send as many of his DVDs as the charity wanted to help with their work.

Still, I'd agree that blind loyalty is never healthy.

 

[LJS30]

Well, I don't know what to tell you. BJJ is still a relatively young sport, there aren't many recreational blackbelts out there. As the sport gets older and more guys who are more recreationally influenced get promoted to blackbelt, the baseline will probably change.



Beyond beating Diaz in 2001, what competition footage of Dean have you seen? I have pretty much the exact same view as Calibur.

I believe Dean competed in the World's several years ago and won one fight versus a Gracie Humaita black belt then lost to Victor Estima. There's absolutely no shame in that. However whether he competed against the top or not doesn't diminish his level of jiujitsu which from what I have seen and heard is very good.
As for recreational black belts I bet there are quite a few out here in California who aren't always on the competition scene who are very very tough. I'm new to this forum so I'm not sure what state you are in Cobra so perhaps it is different in your area.

 

[LJS30]

i know plenty of recreational black belts, they train because they like it and they smoke most guys that come through, they just dont have the time or the desire to compete, doesnt make them any less legit, thats a dumb argument in my opinion

I agree with this completely. There are some hardcore recreational guys at every belt level who have put it out on the mat off the competition scene who are legit in every way. I truly believe it's the recreational jiujitsu practitioners that are the heart of the sport/art and not just the competitors.

 

[SleepBomb**]

if you are talking about an instructor, you have to look at the students he is producing.

for the 10000000 time mentioned here, danaher NEVER competed but he is regarded as on of the best bjj coaches in america.

if roy produces one dvd that is really good, that is probably more than 90% of blackbelts will ever achieve.