Thanks Coach Herzog and all the instructors at the East Coast Camp!
Made a similar post in the FB Ronins page, but just wanted to say again how awesome this past weekend's East Coast Camp was! Mad props again to Coach Chris Herzog and his staff for putting this together yet again, also much appreciation to all the instructors who taught Gary Meek Amir Allam Zach Maslany Jon Holland Scott Yockel Brandon Mccaghren and of course Coach Herzog for everything they shared with us. The instructors in the system really know jiu jitsu and they all come from different backgrounds and personality styles and while you may gravitate towards certain ones over others each one will leave you with something (a nugget of knowledge as one of my mentors once said). I'm sure everyone regardless of skill level size and goals left as better grapplers then before the camp started, and I def hope these camps continue. Also mad props to all the promotions this past weekend too, it's exciting to see people recognized for their work and progression. I wasn't able to stay for all the superfights, but from what I did see and watch later on film everyone had a great showing and the crowd was entertained.
I know the moonheads and instructors repeat this alot and it's true-seminars and camps like this are important because you get a chance to learn different perspectives and styles of the system (and jiu jitsu/grappling in general), associate with others who share similar goals as you, and have an opportunity to cross train with such a wide body. The instructors and students who are fortunate to train at or near enough to a moon or hotbox know how much they still need to battle when it comes to the system (ask Zach or Jon some of the flak they get out in PA), let alone Ronins (or Lone Wolves as I've heard it called too) so even moreso as a Ronin try to come out to these seminars or camps whenever you can whether it's a camp in your region (East Coast, MidWest, I want to say there's a Southern Camp that run and also the FL Camp) or if it's Eddie Chris Brandon or a moonhead doing a seminar it will help you strengthen your belief in the system (and your own game in general, the encouragement I get sometimes is humbling and gives me the drive I need). Plus who doesn't enjoy Eddie's stories on competing back in the old days or his trips to Brazil.
And if you do train at a moon or hotbox already, it's important to attend too because it supports the system as well and gives belief to the Ronins or people on the fence about the system who do attend (I get encouraged whenever a student at a 10th Planet moon uses a 10thpjj tech on me because I get to see the finer details, and it reminds me the move does work even if I don't get it fully yet). If you have the money time and means to get there it is absolutely worth it, I remember Ryan Hall once said even if your goal isn't to be a black belt world champion (or run your own school or have your own website or dvd series) train like you want to, and everything will be so much easier. I have yet to leave a 10thpjj camp or seminar or moon visit thinking to myself "well, I wish I had spent that money making it rain in the club". Alot of people (esp mainstream) may still not quite understand the art or why we love it as much as we do (and sometimes we have friends or people filter us out of their lives because of the time we spend dedicating ourselves to the art) but in time we can eventually prove to them it was worth it.
My two cents on the entire experience (and my recent trips to the different moons and camps in general). Be strong everyone, know that there are other Ronins or moons growing and spreading across the world (I remember when I was in Taiwan for a few weeks back in 2013 and visited Taiwan BJJ the instructor there saw me write 10th Planet as one of my style influences and he said "ohhh, Heddie Bravo!"....), subscribe to MTS, post your questions on technique to MTS (don't just blindly ask another Ronin or someone just learning the system, you can compare notes and drill together but when the opportunity is there ask a higher ranked belt or instructor many of them are willing to take the time to help you even if they don't know you personally yet it took me a long time to understand this), and attend seminars and camps when you can.
Or Coach Herzog will need to make more Kermit and Han memes lol smile emoticon happy training all!
