Once Upon A Time....In My Life

Open Mats 23.04.2011

Not much has been going on lately. Just getting on with life. Here's a short video of Marcos and Tommy mucking around on a beautiful Saturday morning.

(Screaming like a girl is optioonal..lol)

3 Black Belts in the House

December 4, 2011 marks another milestone for Escobar BJJ with another seminar, this time with Prof. Alan "Finfou" Do Nascimento, Prof. Victor Costa and our very own Prof. Marcos Escobar. The seminar was split between a no-gi session and a gi session. There were some crazy moves in the seminar (see video below) but I particularly enjoyed the basic ones especially in the gi session eg controlling the opponent in setting up the submissions. For me it's the basics all the way.

All in all, it was well worth the time. Thanks Fight Zone Malaysia/Checkmat Malaysia/ EscobarBJJ in organizing this one

ps - if you check out this video, you will be able to see one of the craziest back takes ever (which was taught at the seminar) at 2:44, bugger me!

Great Fun With Kids BJJ

Today we had great fun with the kids at their 1st ever BJJ class. Marcos started the class by showing the kids the proper way of bowing to inculcate respect towards their fellow team mates. This was followed by some stretching exercises (not my best showing) and some floor exercises to get the kids comfortable with moving on the ground. As a final appetizer, the kids were briefly shown some positions from the closed-guard and side mount.

I am not sure about the kids (actually they enjoyed themselves) but I definitely had a great time today, being able to bond with the girls and hopefully being able to do something together and sharing the same hobby. It's only the first class but let's hope the kids stick to it. Fingers cross. Osu!!

Battlestar Sciatica

I busted my back again last week and it's my old friend Sciatica paying me a visit (again). Consequently, I've been been walking and sitting funny the whole week trying to ease the pain. Fortunately for me, I am not in excessive pain, its more like an annoyance really. Anyway, I tried these sets of stretching exercises last night and the relief is almost immediate. Have a look, there's some good shit in there

A 7 Year Old's Point of View

I really shouldn't be doing this but as I flipped through Dawncie's notebook/diary she had this to say about me, I shall reproduce word for word what she wrote :

"..papi has high colestrol that isn't good and his colestrol has gone higher and it is not, good indeed I hope his colestrol goes down if not, he may have to take drugs. I hope he doesn't end up like Michel Jackson Greatest signer and king of pop ... mom is very woried and I hope that some thing will work I don't want him (papi) to take drugs bye bye".

- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Jalan Klang Lama,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia

UFC Gym Grand Opening

I haven't been to a gym lately but check out this video. This should be the future of gyms.

Big Wow! I am a fanboy. Click on the link below to see the gym's set up



UFC Gym Grand Opening this weekend in California

Dr. Escobar PhD

Just a short note. This is our very own Dr. Escobar Phd (in house doctor, BJJ coach, father, mother etc to all of us at Escobar BJJ academy ) draining the ears of 'Pok Cik'. Looks painful..heheheh..but that's the price to pay

Leo Vieira In Malaysia

Click on the poster (to enlarge) for details.


An opportunity not to be missed

Once in a lifetime chance

With 1 of the Gods of Jiu-Jitsu

Bangkok BJJ Open 2009

Last week saw the whole bunch of us competing in Bangkok at the Bangkok BJJ competiton. As usual as with any competitions, win or lose, we came home learning something new or learning about the flaws in our games.

Overall, this time we only managed 1 medal BUT it was a gold medal, delivered by none other than our Darren who positively crushed all competition. Well done my friend, we are really proud of your achievement.

After taking a long break in Bangkok and consequently missing 2 classes, I must say I am determined to push myself harder. Well, as far as this old body can take me anyway. There's a whole lot to do but I think, honestly, I really need to improve on my stand-up game. If I were to score myself between 1 to 10, I would say that my stand-up game is a 2 (sad but true). So priority no. 1 is stand-up and priority no. 2 is to continuously improve on the basics of the ground-game.

There you go...sap sap suey.

Manila 2009

Team CheckMat Malaysia/Escobar BJJ left for Manila last weekend to attend the 2009 Pan Asian BJJ/No-Gi International on the 2 - 3 May 2009. It was a good time all round for the team as it was an opportunity for the entire team get some competition experience especially for us newbies. Fang, Alex & I have previously competed in Singapore and since that was our first time, we thought it would be a good idea to do it again. More importantly Manila presented the team with an opportunity to bond also.

I also got to catch up with some old pals like Albert who is now fighting out of Sarawak and whom I have not met in more than 2 years I think. New friends were also made and hopefully we can keep in contact (through Facebook)

Of course I would like to thank Alex for taking me & Sumi out for a short sight seeing tour around Manila. It is much appreciated bro.

Anyway, I've not had the time to edit the videos and so for now here's just a simple slideshow of the trip.

Açaí Baby

If you ask any BJJ exponent from Brazil, they will do 1 of 2 things. Firstly they ask you if you have tasted açaí and secondly they will ask you if they can find açaí in Malaysia. I've been told that açaí is a type of berry and it's usually ice blended, served cold (obviously) and mostly mixed with granola and I am told it's popular among BJJers in Brazil as it is an energy booster. The picture above which I downloaded from wikipedia should give you an idea of how it looks like when it is served.

More importantly, açaí is I am told and amateurishly verified through the net , high in antioxidants and wanting to believe the hype I've bought Berry Splash which is "Powered with Acai Berry'. It comes in powdered form and doesn't taste all that bad. If I've got the time I will write a follow up review. Hopefully I'll get a bit of benefit on the antioxidant front failing which I'll just enjoy this overpriced Ribena with the kids.

Uncle Ben Drops In For A Visit

Today Uncle Ben paid us a visit at CheckMat Malaysia for a few friendly rolls. For those of you who are not familiar with Uncle Ben, he's the surfer dude from Down Under who is currently residing in Bali. From the look of things, he hasn't lost any of his ground skills and was consequently making life miserable for us on the mats today. But jokes aside it was good seeing you again and hopefully we'll get to see more of you either here in KL or in Bali.

p/s : Uncle Ben, I lifted the pic from your FB account. Hope you don't mind that I display your ugly mug for all to see

Iron Time

It's almost to the year since I last set foot in a gym, meaning I have not run on a treadmill or lifted weights in a long long time. Not to mention the swims I used to do at the gym's pool. Honestly with the constraints of work, time on the mats and time with the family, time is really at a premium.

Previously, I was usually too damn tired to work out after BJJ classes (fatique would last several days after classes) but the good news is that my cardio or whatever you want to call it has improved considerably since those days. Nowadays I feel quite ok the day after BJJ classes unless it was an exceptionally tough class. The main reason I feel I need to get back to the gym is to improve my strength, by strength I mean 'killa' strength, strength that once I get you in my grips, there's no escaping.

The remaining question is whether I should go back to my old gym or try out a new one. Ahh...decisions, decisions, decisions. Any suggestions?

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Seminar : Checkmat Malaysia

In about 2 weeks time our gym will be having a BJJ Seminar with classes to be conducted by Marcos and Chico. One thing you have to know about me and it's this : I am a lazy git. But nevertheless I can assure you guys that I will be attending.

I can give you a thousand excuses why I don't want to go but despite that, I will be there and I will tell you why. Let's face facts, it is a huge deal to have a BJJ Black Belt exponent in Malaysia or even within the ASEAN Nations. We have Niko Han in Indonesia and Cristiano Carvalho in Singapore and Marcos Escobar in good old Malaysia. With this seminar there will be 2 BJJ black belts in our midst and I can tell you it sure hell saves a lot more money to have them come here and teach than for us to go over to Brazil.

And to tell you the truth, I will be hitting 38 this year, yep you heard me right...38 (having just taken up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 2 years ago) and that means this sport is getting tougher by the day for me and so I just want to go out there and absorb as much as I can before...well before I call it a day as far as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is concerned. But honestly I am quite happy with my progress so far. I am just keeping to the basics, constantly improving on them (I hope) and improving on my cardio

Tentatively I've been told that the first day of the seminar will deal with fighting from the bottom and on the second day fighting from the top. Actually I hope to see most of the guys from our gym attend and maybe from the other gyms too, correction especially from the other gyms. Opportunities like this don't come often and I hope it can be seen in that light.

The address and contact are as follows :

No. 8-3 JALAN PJU 5/10
DATARAN SUNWAY
KOTA DAMANSARA

tel. +6012 2206 064
email. ebjj@live.com


SEE YOU GUYS THERE

The Star : Monday February 23, 2009

By S. INDRAMALAR

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one martial art form that advocates defence without violence.

IT’S hard to explain how watching two people wrestle on the ground, each trying to out-manoeuvre the other and applying chokeholds to bring the other into submission, can be so fascinating.

Marcos Escobar: ‘BJJ is an amazing way to work out your body.’

As savage as it may sound, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art form that requires skill and efficiency, not brute strength. BJJ is built on the principle that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend himself against a bigger, stronger assailant using proper leverage and technique.

“The literal meaning of Jiu Jitsu is ‘gentle art’ as it is an art in which you don’t have to apply strength. It’s a smooth art where you use leverage and apply techniques to submit your opponent,” explains Marcos Escobar, a BJJ black belt holder and instructor from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Escobar recently opened a studio in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, where he has about 35 students enrolled in classes.

While BJJ is often compared to judo, there is one major difference between the two: in judo (and most other martial art forms) the goal is to bring your opponent to the ground. In BJJ, the fight really begins once you get down on the ground.

While many may compare BJJ to wrestling rather than any martial art form (such as karate, kung fu and judo which are stand-up sports; being on the ground equals failure), Escobar disagrees. “BJJ is still very much a martial art form,” he asserts.

Down but not out

Before going any further, there are some terms that will inexplicably be used when talking about the martial art form. First, the aim of BJJ is to get your opponent to submit, which is BJJ-speak for surrender.

To achieve this goal, you have to use a variety of manoeuvres such as (now, don’t be alarmed) chokes, strangles and locks while executing other moves (such as mounts and guards) to gain a dominant position to defend yourself.

Weight leverage: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is built on the principle that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend himself against a bigger, stronger assailant.

To concede defeat, the fighter who is overpowered has to tap his opponent.

You can train in BJJ for self-defence or for sport (to enter competitions). You can, of course, also treat the martial art form as a workout. In competitions, there are rules to follow to ensure the safety of players and uphold the integrity of the martial art form.

BJJ practitioners have to wear a standard gi (costume) which is similar to that worn by judo or karate exponents but with tighter cuffs on the pants and jacket so that there is less material for an opponent to manipulate. Escobar, who has participated in dozens of com­­petitions, has won many titles. He was champion at the Brazilian Team Cham­pion­ships (1997, 1998), the Red Nose BJJ Open (1998), the State Championship (Brazil, 1998), Abu Dhabi Championships (2001), the Brazilian Cup (Absolute Division, 2002) and the Brazilian Championship (2007), among others.

“I love competing. The training, the focus, the adrenaline ... it’s the best feeling in the world. Although I like it here in Malaysia, I do miss competing and whenever I go back to Brazil – which is twice a year – I try to take part in competitions,” he says.

Ground fighting

BJJ can be divided into three broad categories: self-defence (where you learn unarmed striking techniques to fight an armed opponent), free fighting competition (now popularly called Mixed Martial Arts competitions), as well as sportive BJJ.

Although he teaches sportive BJJ, Escobar claims that the techniques his students learn leave them more than able to defend themselves in any situation.

“What you learn in sportive BJJ is very effective for self-defence. In the real world, 90% of all fights ends up on the ground. In cases of abduction or rape, they always end up on the ground and the ground is our territory,” says Escobar, adding that BJJ also has techniques that teach you how to fight on your back, commonly perceived as a weak position to be in. It’s not as easy as it sounds though. Learning to move on the ground takes a lot of hard work and practice.

Force of habit: BJJ practitioners must wear the standard gi.

“In BJJ you also learn how to relax your body and fall without hurting yourself,” says Escobar.

The most important thing to master is leverage – it negates the significance of physical strength.

At Escobar’s studio in Kota Daman­sara, students are made to do gruelling warm-up exercises and conditioning drills at the start of each lesson. From running laps to doing push-ups, per­­form­ing solo drills that teach you how to fall safely and moving your hips on the ground, you will undoubtedly get a full body workout almost immediately.

Escobar took up BJJ 14 years ago while still in Brazil, and has never looked back since.

“I have always liked fighting. As a kid, I saw myself as Rocky Balboa or Bruce Lee. I learnt kung fu and water polo. Then I took up BJJ and it became a passion. I was hooked and did not stop until I had a motorcycle accident that forced me to take it easy for a while,” says Escobar who came to Malaysia to work as a fitness trainer three years ago.

Early origins

The early origins of Jiu Jitsu can be traced to India among the Buddhist monks who lived in isolation in monastries. The monks often faced threats from robbers who raided them for supplies.

Because of their principle of non-violence, the monks had to find an approach to self-defence that was effective but humane – no arms or violence and something that would not hurt their attackers, just overpower them. So they came up with a form of self-defence that used leverage to overpower.

Over time, this form of self-defence spread to Japan where it was further developed. Japanese Jiu Jitsu prize-fighter Mitsuyo Maeda came to Brazil circa 1915 and met a Brazilian politician named Gastão Gracie who was fascinated by the sport. Gracie wanted his teenage son Carlos to learn Jiu Jitsu from Maeda, and subsequently share what he learnt with his brothers.

Light touch: To concede defeat, the overpowered fighter has to tap his opponent.

Unfortunately, the Gracie boys were not as strong as Maeda, so they had to improvise: they introduced new techniques that hinged on leverage. They refined their techniques further, concentrating on ground fighting and this pretty soon evolved into an independent art form which we now recognise as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

BJJ picked up in Brazil as well as internationally in the early 1990s when expert Royce Gracie won several championships, sometimes against much bigger opponents.

Addicted to BJJ

BJJ student Lim Fang Han says he is hooked on the sport which he took up a couple of years ago.

“Initially, I had reservations about wrestling other guys on the floor, but once you get past the initial discomfort, it’s really challenging.

“I took up BJJ for fitness. I have an interest in martial arts too. I like BJJ because it is very physically demanding; it gives me a great workout and provides stress relief from work.

“It is a sport in which you have to prove yourself before attaining any rank. It takes an average of eight to 10 years for a person to get a black belt,” says Lim, who trains at Escobar’s studio three times a week.

Adds Escobar: “BJJ is an amazing way to work out your body. You are going to work muscles you never knew existed. You will get fit doing BJJ but you also need to be reasonably fit to train for the sport.”

May Tan took up BJJ for self-defence. She has since learnt that it is a great way to keep fit and lose weight.

“It’s tough, but I like it very much,” says Tan who signed up about five months ago.

Being a woman is not an impediment to BJJ, reckons Tan, because the sport is not about physical strength.

“That’s another reason I like BJJ. Most of the guys in my class are double my size but this is not an advantage in BJJ,” says Tan who is undaunted by the physicality of the sport.

Marcos Escobar can be reached at 017-635 6079 or ebjj@live.com

BJJ Camp. The countdown

2 more days to go and I'll be off to Pangkor for my first BJJ seminar/camp. I'm actually looking forward to this camp as I am kinda burnt out at work, pushing myself hard at the office for the past 4 weeks including weekends. Well the good news is that the work backlog has been serioulsy reduced. The bad news is that I can't stand the sight of another legal brief.

So this weekend will be all about BJJ, just thinking about BJJ, practising BJJ and rolling with the guys including with the 2 gentlemen above : Marcos Escobar & Chico Mendes of Check Mat BJJ. Man I can't bloody wait. I hope my body can take the pounding.

It's a last minute thing but I hope I can secure an extra room at Pangkor Island Resort so that the kids and the missus can tag along and join in the fun. Nothing beats having the family along

I Don't Understand, Therefore I Ban

The Associated Press

Malaysian clerics are considering an edict to ban yoga for Muslims because it might contain religious elements that violate Islamic teachings, an official said Thursday.

The National Fatwa Council, the main grouping of clerics, will likely issue a ruling by February on whether the ancient practice of yoga is permitted for Muslims, said Harussani Idris Zakaria, the mufti of northern Perak state.

The clerics were studying the issue because some Malaysian Muslims have voiced concerns that yoga might promote Hinduism or religious beliefs that contradict Islam, Harussani said.

"If it's something that is against our beliefs, of course we cannot practice it," Harussani told The Associated Press.

The Fatwa Council's decisions are not legally binding on Muslims, who comprise nearly two-thirds of Malaysia's 27 million people, unless they are enshrined in national or Shariah laws. However, many Muslims abide by the edicts out of deference.

Social activist Marina Mahathir criticized the council for considering a yoga ban, saying it could be "a classic case of reacting out of fear and ignorance."

"Yoga may have spiritual roots but most of us do it for the exercise, both for the mind and body," Marina wrote on her blog.

The clerics drew criticism from some Malaysians last week when they issued an edict banning tomboys, ruling that girls who act like boys violate the tenets of Islam.

Aiyo! Open minded sikit lah.

Can An Average Person Do This?

Like a lot of other guys out there, I love my UFC. The discipline that these guys have and not to mention their mental toughness is to put it mildly, awe-inspiring. I've watched this fight quite a few times on the Mac and I can appreciate the hours these guys have to put in to get to where they are today.

While not aspiring to be like these athletes, I sometimes have to ask myself, can I even put in 10% of what these guys put in to be in shape and not get a heart attack by the age of 40? Oklah, 5%. Well in the past year the waist has gone down to size 36 from God knows what previously (too shy to mention).

To put things in perspective, I've only attended 2 BJJ classes in the past month and have basically given gym a miss since Lordz of Pain in March.

Sigh, it's a bloody long and winding road.

P/S : sorry but the voice/sound is out of sync with the video, but enjoy the fight nevertheless. It's between Yoshiyuki Yoshida & Jon “War Machine” Koppenhaver in UFC 84 "Ill Will"

Sports Day

The kids had their sports day this morning. The weather held up and everyone had a fun day out.

The kids won 1 gold medal each under their respective discipline i.e. the Potato Dribble and the Bounce & Thread. Parents were not left out as 10 pairs of parents took part too as you can see from the pics