#127 Olympic Judo, Tadeu, and MRSA
July 27, 2008
Roger Gracie is almost thrown by Brazilian judo team alternate Leo Leite at the 2008 BJJ Mundials.
Our BJJ podcast episodes keep getting bigger and better! We have a huge episode this time around.
First thing is first: safety. You guessed it - I am bringing up MRSA again. It was reported that a fellow grappler died of a drug-resistant staph infection this week. Seventeen year-old Noah Armendariz was a high school wrestler in Southern California. We will review some precautions and safety details that we should always keep in mind when training Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
In happier news, it’s time for the Olympics! While our favorite sport, BJJ, is not in the Olympics, its close cousin judo is! We will speak with Dave Williams, a lifelong judoka from San Jose who will be NBC’s commentator for judo in the 2008 Olympics, and Gumby from OnTheMat.com. Dave Williams will be commentating the judo coverage on the NBC Olympics website.
Thanks to questions submitted by the Mighty 600,000, we will hear about the athletes to watch out for, which countries are expected to do well, as well as what to watch for if you are not very knowledgeable about judo.
The third piece to the show this week is something I am very excited about: as mentioned Friday, our new contributor Colin Foster is an Englishman living in Rio de Janeiro. He has offered to help gather on-the-scene reporting on BJJ in Rio and this time around offers a profile of 42 year old Tadeu, a brown belt whose lot in life is not particularly replete however Tadeu goes to extraordinary lengths to train BJJ. We will meet Tadeu in the show today in audio, just before his competition in the International BJJ Masters & Seniors World Championship this weekend in Rio.
Not much time left in the FightWorks Podcast gi patch design contest! Remember all entries are due August 10th and you can enter as many times as you like!
Oh and one last thing - in the audio I refer to this week’s show as number #128. It’s really episode number #127. Blame it on a long work week!
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#126 Weight Loss in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
July 20, 2008
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is so good at melting fat off people that I don’t know why there isn’t waiting lists to train. Honestly if you personally have not experienced weight loss from training BJJ, I’ll bet that you know someone who has. And unlike well, every other workout I can think of, jiu-jitsu is fun and addictive.
This week on the show we’ll hear from four guys who have lost significant amounts of weight because of training BJJ. I think you will be shocked at the weight some have lost. And they will all tell you that they have been having such a good time training BJJ that losing the weight becomes an afterthought. Seriously, why isn’t BJJ introduced to every child when they begin formal education?
And for those who are wondering, this artfully done photo you see above was taken on location at the Fightworks Podcast photo studio next to the sink and in front of the stove. Get it? The measuring tape instead of a BJJ belt?!?! Our editorial team has outdone itself this time. Kudos, gang. 
Below are pictures of our featured guest on the show this week before training jiu-jitsu and what he looks like now. Danny the Butcher from Long Island trains with Matt Serra and Nick Serra and is now in the best shape of his life because of BJJ.
Remember that our gi patch design contest is still underway!
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#125 Nelson Monteiro and the Birth of the ADCC
July 13, 2008
Nelson Monteiro, Gracie Barra black belt.
This week on The FightWorks Podcast we have an interview with Nelson Monteiro, who along with Sheik Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nayan founded the ADCC Submission Grappling Championship. We’ll hear about that crucial moment in our sport’s history, as well as about the interesting moments about the early days of jiu-jitsu in Copacabana, when Carlson Gracie and Carlos Gracie Senior shared the same building and taught on different nights to the earliest practiotioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
We will also have an installment of What Are You Working On, in which one of the Mighty 600,000 presents a training question to a BJJ black belt. This time around, our listener Steve, who trains with Gracie Barra in Chicago, will have his question about playing guard answered by BJJ author Kid Peligro! If you would like to submit a question for What Are You Working On, here are the easy instructions!
Remember that our gi patch design contest is still underway!
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#124 Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles, Toney Waldecker
July 6, 2008
Cobrinha wins at the 2008 Pan-Ams.
Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles is our guest this week on The FightWorks Podcast 2008 BJJ World Championships. Not familiar with the name? Well if it helps at all, Cobrinha came in first place in the past two years in the Featherweight division of both the Pan-Ams and the Mundials!
In this interview from FightWorks Podcast contributor Emilio Novoa, Cobrinha talks about his transition to BJJ from capoeira, current plans, and more.
We’ll also hear from BJJ black belt Toney Waldecker, the head instructor back at FightWorks in Northern Virginia. Waldecker discusses dealing with typical BJJ injuries (among others), the benefits of grappling in the gi, his experience fighting muay-thai in Thailand, and yep! - much more.
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#123 Andre Galvao
June 29, 2008
Andre Galvao’s hand is raised after defeating the very tough Braulio Estima to win first place at the Mundials.
This time on The FightWorks Podcast we bring you Andre Galvao, of Brasa Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Galvao is a multiple time world champion who has had an amazing year, which recently culminated in taking the gold medal in the middle heavyweight division of the 2008 BJJ World Championships.
In this interview lead by FightWorks Podcast cohost Dan, Andre Galvao offers insight into…
- the recent schism in Team Brasa, and details about how it unfolded
- his controversial first match at the Mundials, which was made into a very popular YouTube video (and later removed), in which he played with his opponent like a cat might with a toy
- his thoughts on entering MMA
…and much more.
Also in this episode of the FightWorks Podcast, we’ll debut a new feature we are going to call “What Are You Working On?” If you (yes YOU!) would like to ask our elite BJJ guests a question, here is how you can get on the show! Our question this time around comes from Steve of SteveBJJ.com.
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EXCERPT FROM ANDRE GALVAO INTERVIEW
The FightWorks Podcast: First of all congratulations Andre on winning your weight class at the Mundials (BJJ World Championship) and winning your weight class and the absolute division at the Pan-Ams. How are you today?
Andre Galvao: I feel so good. Thanks man. I’m happy right now.
The FightWorks Podcast: Andre tell us a little about how you got started in jiu-jitsu.
Andre Galvao: I started training jiu-jitsu when I was sixteen years old. I trained just for three months. This was in 1997, 1998. Then I needed to stop after the three months because I needed to start to work to help my family. And then I thought of my brothers. They kept training because they trained for free. We knew the gym owner and I talked to him and he gave me training for free too. I left my job and started in jiu-jitsu in December 1999. And then I started with Luiz Carlos Aguimar. His nickname is Careca. He’s from Sao Jose dos Campos. It’s a small city from Sao Paulo, one hundred kilometers from the capital of Sao Paulo. When I was a blue belt, I lived in Rio de Janeiro for a couple months and trained there with Osvaldo Alves for six months. And then I won my first Mundial in 2002. And then I came back to train with Careca. He gave me my purple and I started training with Terere when I was purple. He gave me lots of privates, every day. And when I was a brown belt, he had his problem, you know, inside the planes, and so on. So then I moved to Team Brasa. And then I trained there with Demian Maia and Leo (Vieira), and right now I am still there. And now I just keep winning tournaments, thanks to God.
The FightWorks Podcast: When you first started training, did you start competing right away, or did you train for a while and then start competing in tournaments?
Andre Galvao: My first championship, I was a white belt. I had only been training two months and I tried competition. I won two fights and I lost the third fight. The guy caught me in a flying armbar. Then I needed to stop jiu-jitsu to work, as I mentioned. Then I came back to training in 1999 with Careca. Two months after training with him I started to compete and I won every tournament as a white belt. I started to fight early, and I trained every single day, morning, afternoon, and night, every day, when I was a white belt. And I keep training like that.
The FightWorks Podcast: Tell us a little about your training now. You still train a couple times a day, but you break that up in terms of some weights, some judo, with some cross training. Explain that a bit if you would.
Andre Galvao: I train hard every day. I train a lot of drills, for technique. I like technical jiu-jitsu the most. I train a little judo right now, like four times a week. It’s good because every fight starts standing. I think this is so good. And it’s different. The “gas” is different. Judo is a different fight. When you train just standing, a lot of guys get feel so tired. So this helps improving your “gas”, and growing your technique for the fight. The guy will feel bad when he starts the fight with you. You learn a lot about breaking grips. It’s so good to train judo. And I cross train, you know, like circuit training. I like training specific drills on the ball. Those big balls, you know? I think you don’t need to train weights so hard, like lifting weights. I just train isometric training, like pushing and pulling. Kind of like what you use in jiu-jitsu, because you use a lot of technique but sometimes you need to hold the guy and sometimes you need to push the guy. So I train things kind of like that. And I train a lot of circuit training two or three weeks before the tournaments. I take the time of the fights, like ten minutes, and do specialty training, like sprawls. Thirty seconds of sprawls, thirty seconds of ropes, thirty seconds of pull ups… different kinds of training. Fast, you know? Just a little bit of weights, small weights, but fast and explosive, because in the tournaments you need to go fast. You’ve got to go try to kill the guy, to make points very fast, quickly, and catch the guy. That is my idea.
The FightWorks Podcast: There has been a few videos out there of you doing some acrobatic-type stuff. A lot of guys have questions about that. It’s similar to the Ginastica Natural. Do you feel like that helps with your BJJ training?
Andre Galvao: Yeah after training I make a lot of acrobatic moves. I like standing up on the ball, putting my knees on the ball, I like turns… I learned this with a Cuban guy. He taught me a little bit of wrestling, and he said that when you finish training, you should roll, turn, and make movements like Ginastica Natural and capoeira. This is good for you in recovering your body and stretching. And it’s good for the health of your mind. You relax and finish a good training. In [the video you're referring to] I made some movements like that, because it was my first fight in the open class of the Mundials. In your first fight you need to “feel yourself”, like feeling that “this day is my day”, so I just played with the guy because I knew the guy was not very techincal. But I play with him just for my fans too, you know, because I know a lot of people like jiu-jitsu like that. I don’t like boring fights. I don’t like holding fights. I like playing jiu-jitsu that makes exciting fights. So I did that with that guy. I apologize to some people because they say, “Oh [Andre] did not respect the guy” because he pushed the guy. But I did that so the guy would move. The guy just stopped. And a minute before he tried to catch me with a heel hook. But [in that video] they just put the highlights of the fight. After seeing that I felt so mean. I [pushed the guy] just for the public because people screamed, people liked that, and I just made my show. That’s it.
The FightWorks Podcast: So Andre right now you’re still training with the Brasa team. Of course Brasa has some of the most incredible jiu-jitsu names in the world right now. It’s an incredible team. Is there any truth to Brasa breaking up, or people splintering off at this point?
Andre Galvao: Yeah it’s true. Leo [Vieira] just left the Brasa team. I trained with him for like one year, one year and a half after I left TT. So he left Brasa, and some guys left with him like his brother Ricardo Vieira and his younger brother Leandro Vieira, and his friend Chico Mendez. So yeah, some guys from Brasa [left]. But I continue in Brasa because I have a lot of friends there. I have Demian Maia, I have Comprido, Traven, I have Castelo Branco, he’s my friend. Leo is a great professor. He’s a great master in jiu-jitsu. He’s awesome, you know? But I think it’s good for a person to walk with a team, you know? I learned this with Terere. He left the Master team and opened TT. And when his problems started, it’s too hard to survive. So because of this I’m still in Brasa, because of my friends. Leo is my friend too, but I think the team is great. They help me a lot. So for now I wish Leo and his team good luck and I will keep training in Brasa.
The FightWorks Podcast: Are you going to keep doing jiu-jitsu for a while, or are you thinking about getting into the MMA? How long do you think you will keep competing in the Mundials and Abu Dhabis before you make the transition to MMA?
Andre Galvao: Right now I’m thinking about MMA because I am a world champion a lot of times [in BJJ], like seven times. Two times in black belt. Last year I split it with Lucas and I gave it to him. So now I am thinking about my debut fight in MMA. So of course I will train more no gi, more standing, more wrestling. So I will keep training technique and rolling with the gi two or three times a week, so I don’t forget anything about the gi. And I think it’s very important to train with the gi. So maybe I will keep competing in the Pan-Ams and Mundials. The biggest events, you know? Because in jiu-jitsu they don’t give you prize money, and it doesn’t make you excited to fight. So right now I’m thinking about my career and I wish to conquer the other world. Because you can catch people in other places in MMA, not just using jiu-jitsu. Everybody knows MMA now in America, Japan, Europe, Brazil, and Africa. So I am thinking about this. And I love it, I train MMA sometimes with my brothers, my students. So I will do my best. So I will do MMA and fight in the bigger jiu-jitsu competitions just for my fans.
The FightWorks Podcast: So what are you trying to improve in your game? Are there any specific techniques you want to improve in your jiu-jitsu?
Andre Galvao: Every year and in every tournament I try to do something different. Like everybody, I have my game. But I try to learn spider guard, I try to learn hooks guard, I try to learn half guard. I try to do every position. I have a lot of good training partners and they train a lot of different games. I learn a lot with them. I think this year was my best year because I trained hard every day and everything anybody shows me, I try to include in my game. So I am talented at copying others’ games. I can fight like Terere, I can fight like Leo Vieira, I can fight like
June 22, 2008 Another extended episode of Brazilian jiu-jitsu audio for you on The FightWorks Podcast this week! A few people have mentioned that they wish the show were longer, and while I am not actively trying to make it so, we’ve done it again. We’ve got three segments for you this time:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (recommended) June 15, 2008 Brazilian jiu-jitsu family! We’ve done it again! We have a colossus of a show for you this time on The FightWorks Podcast, your home for BJJ audio news online. Coming fresh off the 2008 BJJ Mundials, the main feature of our show this time is a long conversation with Alexandre “Xande” Ribeiro. Yes, we’ve had Xande on the show in the past. The difference this time? All the questions were submitted by you, the Mighty 600,000! We will also speak with Luca Atalla, the editor-in-chief of Gracie Magazine and get his thoughts on this year’s World Championships. Atalla has some commentary on this year’s BJJ Mundials, Roger Gracie, and much more! [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (recommended)#122 Tony Passos, BJJ in Hawaii, & Wilson Reis
The BJJ academy of Relson Gracie, lead by Andre Derizans.
[mp3] Download the show#121 Xande Ribeiro 2008 BJJ Absolute Champion
Alexandre “Xande” Ribeiro, the 2008 black belt open and
heavyweight division Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion.
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EXCERPT OF CONVERSATION WITH LUCA ATALLA
The FightWorks Podcast: Okay we’re here with Luca Atalla, the editor in chief of Gracie Magazine and we’re here to talk about the Mundials. Luca how are you?
Luca Atalla: I’m fine!
The FightWorks Podcast: What were your opinions [about the Mundials]?
Luca Atalla: I have an opinion, not just about the Mundials, but about jiu-jitsu, and that is that it keeps evolving. The most important thing is the development of the martial arts. In my point of view the technique is always improving. The fighters who are coming in in first place are better than those of last year.
The FightWorks Podcast: So you’re saying that the guys who are winning the absolute division are a different class of jiu-jitsu fighter than three, four, or five years ago?
Luca Atalla: Surely. It’s easy for me to say that because I train as well, and I can say that if you stop a while, you lose it. You have to keep up to date. When you train, and when you fight at such a high level, it’s natural [to improve]. Not just in jiu-jitsu but in everything in life. If you just keep doing it, you’re going to get better. So that’s what’s happening with the top level fighters.
The FightWorks Podcast: Can you talk to our listeners about the finals match in the absolute division between Roger Gracie and Xande Ribeiro?
Luca Atalla: They are both great athletes. They’re both at the top level. From long ago Xande won the Pan-Americans, in 2000 or 2001, I don’t remember… in black belt, that is. So it’s been seven or eight years that he’s been in first place.
#120 2008 BJJ World Championships
June 8, 2008
Roger Gracie smashed more opponents yesterday at the Mundials.
In today’s episode of The FightWorks Podcast, we have coverage of the biggest BJJ events that have taken place since our last show.
- The promotion of Gracie Barra’s Carlos Gracie Jr to red and black belt after 32 years as a black belt. Earlier this week on TheFightWorksPodcast.com we posted video of the event but there are surely those in our listening audience who may not have caught those videos yet. We are going to include the audio of the congratulatory speeches from Rickson Gracie and Renzo Gracie for Carlinhos.
- We are smack in the middle of the 2008 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships at Cal State University Long Beach’s pyramid. The world’s very best BJJ competitors have arrived and the chips have already begun to fall. We have audio from:
- Robert Drysdale & Demian Maia, two world champions who are not competing this year as they’re moving on to MMA.
- Alliance’s Fabio Gurgel and Tarsis Humphries, before the day’s action began.
- Kid Peligro will help go over some of the results thus far in the competition.
We’ll bring you the details of all the big news from yesterday, straight from our play-by-play.
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#119 2008 BJJ Mundials Preview
June 1, 2008
Roger Gracie, winner of the 2007 Black Belt World Championship open and super heavyweight divisions.
The 2008 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships takes place this coming weekend in Los Angeles and The FightWorks Podcast breaks down everything a BJJ fan needs to know about our sport’s biggest event!
- Our first conversation will be a round table between FightWorks Podcast cohost Dan along with Gumby from OnTheMat.com. We’ll cover the names and details of the black belt divisions, setting the table for all the action!
- For our second conversation we’ll bring in noted BJJ author Kid Peligro
, who will give us a historical perspective on the evolution of the Mundials as a competition! We’ll also go over what the biggest stories of this year’s Mundials are leading into the event.
If this episode were in a weight class, it would be the super super heavyweight division, as it is over one hour long!
As you will remember, back at the 2008 BJJ Pan-Ams, we got together for breakfast on Sunday. I’d like to do the same this weekend so keep your eyes here on the site this week for the location of breakfast and / or coffee on June 8th!
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#118 Xande Ribeiro Talks 2008 BJJ Worlds, Black Belt Ed Kennedy
May 25, 2008
Xande Ribeiro.
The 2008 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships are just around the corner! For those who have been living under a rock, they will take place June 5-8 at Cal State University in Long Beach. Chatter is heating up about how the black belt divisions are shaping up and who will come away with the gold medals this year at the Mundials.
One very interested party is Alexandre Ribeiro, who won the gold medal in the 2006 heavyweight and absolute divisions, and won the heavyweight division again in 2007. This week we speak with “Xande” about his preparations for the Worlds and his intentions to expand his legacy in 2008.
We will also have a conversation with BJJ black belt Ed Kennedy. Kennedy trains at Romero “Jacare” Cavalcanti’s school in Atlanta and, like most of us, has a nine-to-five job, family responsibilities, and other obligations. We talk about the long and rewarding journey of BJJ, and balancing the obligations an everyday working man or woman inherits when choosing a life of jiu-jitsu.
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