There have been some very good points brought up here, but I have a few questions for Ari (Submissions 101).
1) Where did you learn the techniques you teach?
You have a host of techniques on your website, and im assuming with no formal BJJ instruction, it'd be very hard to learn alot of the intricate details behind the techniques if you were to only learn them through video instructionals. Giving you the benefit of the doubt im sure you've probably attended a few seminars, but that definately does not make up for real, solid, regular instruction, from the watchful eye of a legitimate BJJ instructor. I honestly dont think you should be teaching moves, let alone through a medium such as the internet, because it can be very easy for the viewer to get a false sense of actually being able to apply techniques that were taught poorly, and with huge lacks of detail in the first place.
2) There are plenty of solid schools in Canada (BTT, Nova Uniao, Gracie Barra, RGDA) that you could easily go to and get really good instruction from them, why have you gone down the Solo route?
I understand that having a very accomplished Martial Arts background like yourself, you probably dont want to have to go through the stages of wearing the white belt again. It is a very humbling experience im sure, but its something that we all have had to do at one point in time. Why do you insist to wear a BJJ gi, AND a JJJ black belt in your videos. I think that if you truly in your heart had the desire to want people to know that you dont have a BJJ background, then possibly you could put it as a disclaimer in the beginning of all of your videos. That way someone interested in BJJ will not confuse what your doing with actual BJJ.
3) Why not go to a real BJJ school in your area, and compete with some of the Blue Belts on up in their academies?
Its very easy to make yourself look good in front of your own students, but dont you at least owe that much to your students, and that much to your internet audience to at least go see for yourself EXACTLY where you stand against other GOOD grapplers?
4) Lastly, do you tell your students that they can wear the belts they get from your school, in other BJJ academies?
I've read that you have kind of "created" your own "system". Normally that wouldnt bother me one bit, but when you start promoting people then it begins to worry me. I find it also Ironic you mention of using the same exact belt ranking system of BJJ (white, blue, purple, brown, black). So that means that people are wearing BJJ Gi's, Getting watered down BJJ Instruction, and being promoted in the same chronological manner as BJJ belts. Do you see why everyone says that the actions of Submissions 101 is misleading? BJJ Sponsors, BJJ gi's, BJJ promotion style, and watered down BJJ Instruction.
Please take no offense to these questions, I just honestly feel that this is something that the public deserves to know.
Darcebrabo:
Finally, I can get you your questions. Thanks for waiting this out. I appreciate it.
1) My experience of techniques comes from the regualr intruction I had in JJJ along with seminars I've attended along with grapplers that have shared knowledge with me. My JJJ had a stong ne waza component to it. Many people assume that JJJ is just throws and wrist locks (I read that on this very thread). There seems to be a lack of knowledge when it comes to JJJ ryu ha ( I am not sure if there are any TMA on this forum or thread but I head it all the time). I will say this, I think that BJJ has refind the ground grappling down to a science over the last 80 years. Many techniques that we do or I have show are with a JJJ fell to them.
"I don't like his sweep because that is not how we do it or it's sloppy for BJJ." That might be true for you, but not all technqiues look the same. I remember learning from a technique from a purple belt from Pedro Sauer years back when I just opened my door. He called it the Scorpion Crunch (the vid is actually up) and I said "wow, that's great." We practiced it, and I have been using it ever since.
My grappling does come from a different background than many of you. I ALSO realized that, in order to get better, I needed to seek out someone who could HELP me get better at BJJ. My choice was Eddie Bravo. I FULLY admit that I have lots to learn. We all do. I stand here humbly telling you that I doing what I can to get better.
2) There are some great schools up here. As I said, I chose to study under EB. I didn't chose a solo route per se, I started teaching in 2003 JJJ (basically a goshin style). This included both T JJJ and grappling technqiues.
You said that I prob don't want to go through the stages of wearing a white belt again. You wrong bud. I have a drawer full of white belts. I done a few martial arts in my day and when I started a new one, I was glad to wear the white belt again. That's never been an issue with me, really. When I visit other dojos, I wear a white belt unless the instructor gives me the ok to have me wear my BB (usually JJJ or aikido schools).
The disclaimer is a good idea. I use the term jiu jtisu and not BJJ for a reason. I could also use 'grappling'. Listen, I am not trying to step on the BJJ community's toes and I see us as a family.
3) I've rolled with lots of bjj guys. Been tapped and have tapped. And every time I've tapped, I asked "how'd you set that up? What did I miss?" I've got time for those guys who are willing to share and help. I don't have time for those who don't.
4) I tell my students that when they go to another gym, they wear their white belts (although we are moving away from the gi altogether). I must correct you on a point you've made that is untrue. The belt ranking system I use is from the JJJ system (well, not the traditional TRADITIONAL one where there are only white and black belts: kyu and yudansha ranks). My site clearly states we use the white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, and black ranking system in out Goshin JJ classes. I DO not rank under the BJJ belt system and if that changes in the future where I am able to or my students get ranked under EB, that will change.
So, I tried to answer that as best I could. Dude, I've got screen burn because I've been looking and typing for about 3 hours now. I thought you deserved answers to your questions.
You may not like what you see, some videos may have merit to you, others may not. Such as life.
with repsect
Ari
next....
