Grapplearts: Step-By-Step Submissions, and Functional Training Gone Bad

[Stephan Kesting]

CONTENTS:

1 - NEW DVD ADDED TO ROADMAP PACKAGE
2 - FUNCTIONAL TRAINING GONE BAD

------------------------------------------------------------

STEP-BY-STEP SUBMISSIONS DVD

I just want to keep you in the loop and quickly tell you that I'm
adding another DVD to my Roadmap for BJJ Package. It's tentatively
titled "Step-by-Step Submissions".

This new video will be in a different format from my other DVDs.
Basically it's a reference tool so you can quickly look up the steps
and the key points for the most important no-gi submissions. Think of
it as the Cole's Notes for chokes and joint locks.

Featured on "Step-by-Step Submissions" are 31 setups for 10 different
submissions. Each setup is first broken down into the correct
sequence and then shown at 'action speed.' I also go into the key
details that 'make or break' each choke or lock.

So here's the deal:

This DVD is in the final stages of editing. If everything goes
according to plan I should be able to start shipping it out in about 3
to 4 weeks.

Everyone who has already bought the Package gets this new DVD shipped
to them for free as soon as it's ready. No shipping, no postage, no
nothing.

Everyone who buys the Package between now and when the new DVD is
released will get everything else shipped to them right away (i.e. no
waiting), and then I'll also send you "Step-by-Step Submissions DVD"
as soon as it's done. Again, the shipping is on me.

www.grapplearts.com/roadmap

BTW - I think that the addition of yet another DVD takes an already
great product and makes it a fantastic product, but of course I'm a
little biased ;-)

------------------------------------------------------------

FUNCTIONAL TRAINING GONE BAD

Today I'm going to tell you about one of the sillier ideas I've ever
had...

About 10 years ago I got interested in functional training and sports
specific exercises. I wanted to get away from the Pec Deck and do
exercises that more closely mimicked the movements I was using on a
daily basis in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo and wrestling.

So I used books, magazines and the web to find sports-specific
exercises. Then I'd try them out and see how I felt. Some of those
exercises I still use to this day.

Once in a while I invented my own exercises. Some of those were good,
but others were abject failures....

I noticed that I often ended up on my knees when trying to finish a
double leg or single leg takedown. I also observed that quite a few
wrestlers would finish from here by lifting their opponents off the
ground.

Lifting an opponent off the ground starting from the knees obviously
requires strength. "Wouldn't it be great", I thought, "if I could
simulate this move in my weightlifting."

So I put on a set of kneepads and loaded up a barbell in the squat
cage. I stood straight, squatted down, dropped to one knee, and then
knelt down. Then, with the bar still on my shoulders, I got back to a
standing position one foot at a time.

Basically I was going up and down from a standing to a kneeling
position with 225 lbs on my shoulders.

People in the gym were looking at me like I was on crack...

I did about 10 reps, rested a while, and then did a second set. "Good
enough for the first day," I thought. "Maybe I'll do more reps and
sets the next time."

Maybe it's not too surprising but the next day my knees ACHED! Not a
good, muscular-burn sort of ache, but that stop-doing-this-or-you'll-
be-sorry type of deep joint pain. The pain did eventually go away,
but I never did that exercise again.

So the take-home message is that sports-specific training is a good
thing, but be very careful when you're inventing new exercises.
Especially when you're talking about heaving a lot of weight around
and/or contorting yourself into awkward positions.

Take Care

Stephan Kesting
www.grapplearts.com

P.S. Since then I've discovered other ways to train that movement
without compromising the knees. I occasionally do drills like the
Turkish Get Up using either kettlebells or dumbells.

A good Turkish Get Up video can be found here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RqyIuFIdgRk