attn south african dude who wants his brown belt

[Eddie Bravo]

Have you guys trademarked the 10th Planet name/logo? If you haven't you definitely should. It wouldn't be hard, it's very clear that you have what's called "first use". (im in a copyright/trademark class right now lol)

Yup, 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu is trademarked but I'm not sure how it works outside of the States but either way his students will eventually figure it out.

[Shaughn]

AJ, keep in mind that there are places which aren't nearly on the same level as the US (especially California).
I got a student who's trained mma for a year in south africa. The gym in which he trained had also a "undefeated champion". According to the student of mine (who trained there before he got into my gym) he tapped those guy every class and never tapped to anyone himself...

First week him training at my gym: He tapped to everyone in my gym. Even the guys with less than a month experience.

May be he over-exaggerated but there are definitively places where you are considered to be a "god of grappling" with a (legit) blue belt.

I don't know about that specific guy tho. What I wanted to express with my comment originally I forgot... I got disturbed by a phone call... Just keep in mind there are places without top-notch instructors around, but a need to train... Have a heart

Sounds like your student is full of it.... 2 weeks ago i watched two Afrikaans speaking South african lads tap a Gracie Barra Blackbelt in a no-Gi tournament.... a black belt of 5 years if i'm not mistaken. I also watched as a former European Champion Gracie Brown Belt failed to win a single match out of 7 all of which were South Africans. So i reckon your German buddy was either training at the wrong Gym or is lying through his teeth....

[Matthias Sieber]

Maybe a combination of both. Personally I don't know jack about the grappling/mma/fight scene in africa.

Alder had a seminar this year in south africa as far as I remember.

[Shaughn]

Maybe a combination of both. Personally I don't know jack about the grappling/mma/fight scene in africa.

Alder had a seminar this year in south africa as far as I remember.

jip i heard he did. would have been cool to go to. JJ is still small here, but with the growth of mma its picking up. One of the guys who beat the Brazillian is also a bit of an mma beast. He easily beat Trevor Prangly (who recently beat keith Jardine) a while back and i reckon could give quite a few of the ufc heavies a decent go.

But anyhow.... whats the mma scene like there in Hamburg?

[Matthias Sieber]

It's small, but growing. People begin to figure out slowly they need to stop working against each other.

[Marius]

Amen !!

[Chris Herzog]

Amen !!

Agreed, Amen, another fraud exposed!

[Shannon]

What's frightening is that these dudes think that they can open up a gym based on some books and DVDs. Nothing wrong with pulling together a free club where you share information and collectively develop the material but charging people for incomplete information is so beyond unethical. It's just plain dangerous. These douche bags are putting the safety of their students at risk with this bullshit.

I totaly agree with you. Learning from books and DVD's is okay in part that its YOUR OWN growth and learning, But you cant walk around and open up a school thinking your a actual instructor, Thats the best way to end up hurting yourself and others, as well as probobly getting sued. Now if your a student and get a group together with friends or people of common interest and share info, develope your game and teach maybe basics, I dont see anythign fully wrong with that. Even in the military when guys are over seas, my dads told me that theres guys that are blue/purple/ and brown belts, that offer free "classes" to teach basic stuff to people that are interested in learning.

Dont see much wrong in teaching basics to those who want to learn, as long as its nothing intense and as long as there is total control and understanding.

but To take an already established group, its logo, philosophy and game then call it your own or acredit yourself from them has got to be the most disrespectful thing you can do towards every JJ/BJJ practitioner and teacher in the world.

it may work for a little bit, but eventualy, the people who are passionate and dedicated to the art will call you out on it.

[sapateiro]

I've been lucky enough to train fulltime in brazil, USA and the UK and Imho the standard of bjj is progressing nicely. We're probably 10 years behind the US, and 5 years behind the UK but we're seeing good growth and improvements year on year.

Give us a few more years and there'll be some great jiu jitsu coming out of SA .

[Ryan Cook]

I totaly agree with you. Learning from books and DVD's is okay in part that its YOUR OWN growth and learning, But you cant walk around and open up a school thinking your a actual instructor, Thats the best way to end up hurting yourself and others, as well as probobly getting sued. Now if your a student and get a group together with friends or people of common interest and share info, develope your game and teach maybe basics, I dont see anythign fully wrong with that. Even in the military when guys are over seas, my dads told me that theres guys that are blue/purple/ and brown belts, that offer free "classes" to teach basic stuff to people that are interested in learning.

Dont see much wrong in teaching basics to those who want to learn, as long as its nothing intense and as long as there is total control and understanding.

but To take an already established group, its logo, philosophy and game then call it your own or acredit yourself from them has got to be the most disrespectful thing you can do towards every JJ/BJJ practitioner and teacher in the world.

it may work for a little bit, but eventualy, the people who are passionate and dedicated to the art will call you out on it.

With all the high quality instructional materials out there, I think it is entirely possible to be self taught. All you have to do is drill, spar, compete and repeat. It is hugely advantageous to have an instructor there to point out your mistakes, but in sparring and competing mistakes become self-evident. Any person who has the resources (materials, space, partners, etc.) and a little bit of intuition would have no problem becoming a very good grappler. Look at the moon instructors out there that don't have regular access to instructors and even some guys that are hotboxing it.