Training Families

YOUR training family

Posted by Tim on Monday, 17 May 2004, at 11:07 p.m.

Today I was reading an article by Royler Gracie (one of the legends of BJJ). He reiterated the importance of forming a quality training family within your jiu-jitsu club.

Let me explain how I view MY "training family":

Grandpa Caique: Offers the soundest jiu-jitsu wisdom though he is not physically present all the time.

Greg Lucas: Is like a father figure when it comes to jiu-jitsu. This guy has laid the smack down on me many times and punks me anytime I get cocky!

Chris Hayre: Also a father figure with more patience for my questions than Greg (plus he lets me think I "earn" positions on him :))

Kedar: Definitely an older brother(though years younger in age and pounds lighter in weight). Here is a guy who can throw new riddles my way that make me think. We battle hard, have different approaches to the game, but I have MAD respect for the man! Kedar may be the first relevant member of your jiu-jitsu family... he may be your father figure... if so, damn you are lucky! This guy is stellar.

John Hill: Spiritual mentor who helps me keep reality in focus.

Matt Stratta: When it comes to a jiu-jitsu family, this guy is my close brother. He is silky smooth with his technique and has a steele trap mind for the details. In the perfect world, he would be watching every class I teach to remind me to show the one technique I slipped on.

Jeremiah Ashe: I have mad love and respect for this brother. He has helped my game significantly. Laid the beatings down repeatedly, and has the humbleness and control over his ego that we should all aspire to mimic.

Steve Corenflos: Another brother that I feel a strong sense of loyalty toward. At 135lbs, this guy is a tough MF'er! His game is going to get tough the more he trains. Oh, yeah, watch out, this guy is going to Lucas for training! That extra effort will reap him significant rewards!

Paul Hogan: I was ducking you bro! Hogan tough as nails. I am happy to have him in my training family. He has legitimately tapped me freqently. He makes me play my game tightly, and even then it is not enough. At 19 or 20 whichever it may be, he is a force to be reckoned with. I promise that I will reckon that force every chance I get because I get better each time.

Jim VanAtta: New member to the family, but valued nontheless. Jim is strong, wirery, and has great mental prowess when it comes to jiu-jitsu. I enjoy teaching him the moves because his follow up questions force me to rethink the game.

I could stop here and be a very fortunate jiu jitsu student! But to stop here would be to leave out some other very valuable members that I call upon to help me train.

Little brothers include: Will Buck, Ryan Kloman, Andrea Robertson (yep a brother), Lobato, Joe Sunderhaus, Ben Markley, Rebecca Remilard (another yep a brother), Julie Kedzie (though many of you have seen her whip my ass with gloves on!).

I know I have forgotten others, but I trained with Lucas tonight which means I took a beating an my mind is not all there. I apologize.

What I want you to do is find a familial makeup that works for you. Some of you will need to have more brother's than fathers, some of you will be comfortable having many fathers and few brothers. (Gender's can be flipped for the women!)

We are very fortunate to have a jiu-jitsu club that is large and inexpensive. Make the most of it!

Tim

P.S. DTM