Free Roger Gracie Seminar - London Sept 5th
- Thread starter J Sho
- Start date
Alaskantkdkid
Green Belt
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2010
- Messages
- 959
- Reaction score
- 0
Yeah, if I was in England I would be on this like white on myself.
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2009
- Messages
- 1,312
- Reaction score
- 0
Damn, I would have come if I had known earlier.
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2008
- Messages
- 1,301
- Reaction score
- 0
If only I wasnt getting married this weekend.
only kidding. =)
Ill just have to wait until Dec. (see my thread: I have the best Fiance ever!)
only kidding. =)
Ill just have to wait until Dec. (see my thread: I have the best Fiance ever!)
Just came back from that seminar. There was a ridiculous amount of people there. It felt like every bit of mat space (there was a lot of mat space) was taken up.
There were quite a few techniques taught by not only Roger but quite a few top level black belts in England.
Most of the people on this board (especially if you are a high blue or over) would have seen the majority of the techniques before but they included a few little details or set ups that I had never seen before. Some techniques that I knew individually were combined in a way I hadn't seen before.
I got to see Oli and say hello. I wasn't quite sure if he knew who I was or if he was just being polite. I don't blame him since almost everybody in England knows or knows of Oli in the UK jiu jitsu scene.
The only bad part was the fact that I only have two gis and both have patches with my gyms name and affiliation. I tried to stay inconspicuous and drill close to the wall so no one saw the badges on my back. The seminar was open to everyone but I felt a bit rude bringing a gi with another clubs name on it. I thought I might be tarred and feathered.
There were quite a few techniques taught by not only Roger but quite a few top level black belts in England.
Most of the people on this board (especially if you are a high blue or over) would have seen the majority of the techniques before but they included a few little details or set ups that I had never seen before. Some techniques that I knew individually were combined in a way I hadn't seen before.
I got to see Oli and say hello. I wasn't quite sure if he knew who I was or if he was just being polite. I don't blame him since almost everybody in England knows or knows of Oli in the UK jiu jitsu scene.
The only bad part was the fact that I only have two gis and both have patches with my gyms name and affiliation. I tried to stay inconspicuous and drill close to the wall so no one saw the badges on my back. The seminar was open to everyone but I felt a bit rude bringing a gi with another clubs name on it. I thought I might be tarred and feathered.
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2009
- Messages
- 100
- Reaction score
- 0
dont take this the wrong way, but why do you think this way? youre not the only one who thinks like this, and this is what keeps the positive growth between clubs/gyms/affiliations from forming relationships with one another and sets a precedence for segregation between schools/people in jiu jitsu.
we are all doing the same thing that we all love, there should be no reason why one person from one gym cant wear his gi or patch while training at another gym. everyone always talks about greeting different members from different gyms with open arms, or a good ol' fashioned invite to open mat whenever. but then there is this particular mentality from students of other masters/coaches that think they arent welcome to another affiliation because of where they train...?
i apologize for getting on a soapbox in this thread, and practically leading it astray, but part of what i love about jiu jitsu is the ability to go literally ANYWHERE, regardless of where i train on a regular basis, and the knowledge that my coach and training partners are working hard to build bonds between themselves and countless other individuals from across the globe because of their love of this sport. i have met, and continue to do so, some of the best people and friends i know because of my relationship with jiu jitsu.
this mentality of being an outsider doesnt belong, and nobody should ever turn anyone else away because their affiliation and location determine whether they train somewhere different. were i to have shown up to this seminar, i would sport my club proudly, and let it be known that i traveled far and wide to gain an opportunity to train and learn from the best in the world, regardless of who my coaches are.
Of course it would be better if we could cross train any where we wanted with whatever badge on the gi without the instructors getting annoyed either overtly or covertly.
The sad fact is that some instructors (sometimes their students are militant about it and the instructor isn't) find it disrespectful and don't particularly like it. Roger Gracie and Gracie Barra in England are generally cool and I know that they wouldn't be annoyed. Most of the instructors in England do have an open door policy, although they may feel reluctant to promote you unless you train with them for a significant period of time.
In the end it is a taboo thing to wear the badge of another academy/affiliation to a gym of another. It would of been more polite if I wore a plain gi with no patches on it.
In my experience I have found that on a more local level, its generally individual gyms or instructors who have a intense rivalry rather with another affiliation.
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2006
- Messages
- 2,234
- Reaction score
- 0
I did know who you were. Well, I worked it out shortly after we spoke, anyhow. @_@
Honestly, I spoke to a lot of people on the day, many of whom I have no idea who they were at all, and I try to be polite, but I'm really really bad with names and faces, so I apologize if I met anyone else I should have known and failed to be suitably sociable. It's not really ever been my strong point. >_<
That said, was a great day. We as an association do (at least in my opinion) have a much more open door policy than some, and I personally have no issue with academy politics whatsoever. I have a very hard time talking to people I have fought in competition if I sense a certain competitive urge there, but that aside...hey, we're all in the same sport, no reason we can't all get along. @_@
Take care,
Oli
Honestly, I spoke to a lot of people on the day, many of whom I have no idea who they were at all, and I try to be polite, but I'm really really bad with names and faces, so I apologize if I met anyone else I should have known and failed to be suitably sociable. It's not really ever been my strong point. >_<
That said, was a great day. We as an association do (at least in my opinion) have a much more open door policy than some, and I personally have no issue with academy politics whatsoever. I have a very hard time talking to people I have fought in competition if I sense a certain competitive urge there, but that aside...hey, we're all in the same sport, no reason we can't all get along. @_@
Take care,
Oli
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2009
- Messages
- 2,444
- Reaction score
- 0
I'm super jealous, I wish I could have gone 
Don't worry about it, I saw you were very busy and I didn't want to bother you. There was something that I never managed to work out which I should of asked Roger. Who is the instructor at the new gym? If its Roger then is it a permanent move? and how the hell can you afford to buy a gym in Piccadilly Circuis?
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2006
- Messages
- 2,234
- Reaction score
- 0
Right now, Roger is the main instructor at Piccadilly Circus. And, uh, well...as for the money, I think you can see from the location it's hardly in main Piccadilly Circus. @_@
As for permanent, I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. The RGA Empire (ahem ^_^) is fairly fluid, so I'm sure instructors will move around from time to time, but I would expect Roger to be spending a fair amount of time in the Piccadilly branch in the future, since it is new and a new location, and all that.
But I don't know for sure. I'm just a brown belt, I'm not privy to these secrets. ^_-
Thanks for saying hi though, and sure we'll run into each other in a less crowded (@_@) environment in the future!
Take care,
Oli
As for permanent, I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. The RGA Empire (ahem ^_^) is fairly fluid, so I'm sure instructors will move around from time to time, but I would expect Roger to be spending a fair amount of time in the Piccadilly branch in the future, since it is new and a new location, and all that.
But I don't know for sure. I'm just a brown belt, I'm not privy to these secrets. ^_-
Thanks for saying hi though, and sure we'll run into each other in a less crowded (@_@) environment in the future!
Take care,
Oli
I haven't seen the Notting Hill facility but I was impressed by the amount of mat space and had nice mats. I didn't see any showers but I didn't look around the whole gym.
Oli hopefully I get to see you at another event, unless we are on the same mat with the referee between us.
I think I would choke myself out, it might save you some time.
?Whats in Buckinghamshire? If you want a cosmopolitan metropolis with the best BJJ gyms in the UK you should come to London. If you want to go hiking and cycling, go to Wales, Peak district, Lake district. If you want to see a nice city apart from London, go to Edinburgh.
I am making many enemies now.
Latest posts
-
-
-
Law I know why we're helping Ukraine; But Congress should be charged with treason.- Latest: Rational Poster
