Working with Brazil's Elite Paratrooper Force and Training With Blackhouse MMA

Post training at Blackhouse MMA.

Normally when I post the blog I recount the entire week and go into details about one or two of the days, this week I am going to focus about the amazing day I had this past Friday. As I am writing this I am still soaking it all in. While the week started with me having a bit of a flu bug it ended on a high note with memories I’ll never forget.

Group shot of Antoine and I with some of the army paratroopers we worked with.

Training Brazilian Paratroopers and Wrestling with Black House MMA at X-Gym

Friday morning I woke up, grabbed a quick breakfast and headed down the street to meet Brazilian Olympic Wrestler Antoine Jaoude. In addition to being an active competitor Antoine is involved in several training programs. The first project is a youth wresting program with in the UPP (favela pacification program). His program offers free wrestling training to kids in several of the pacified favelas here in Rio, with the hopes and intentions of opening more. Sports programs work hand in hand with the UPP to provide kids with opportunities they would not normally have had and also help strengthen and bolster the community. While driving past The City of God (a large pacified favela) he explained many of the programs there are and ways they are trying to raise money to further help children get the gear they need to train in their sports. It sounds like an amazing program and hopefully I will be able to go along to one of the training sites soon. Another program is helping train both BOPE and elite military forces in wrestling. As I have said before Brazil is revamping their military training and also creating armed forces sports teams to raise the caliber of both the military and Brazils international athletes. I went with Antoine to Vila Militar to help train members of Brazils Elite Paratrooper Force. Vila Militar is a large military training and housing area for Brazils more seasoned army personnel. The complex is in a beautiful area surrounded by large rolling hills. As we pulled up to the training complex we could see formations of paratroopers, with their red berets, drilling and running through training simulations. The training complex was a large building that was originally used to house the All Military games in 2011. Roughly a third of the floor space was matted off and used for boxing, wrestling, judo, mma, and bjj. When we got there a few guys (all blackbelts) were finishing up some bjj.

Antoine demonstrating a move.

Due to training obligations roughly half of the unit wasn’t present to train but we still had over 20 soldiers there ready to learn. Antoine then said to me “They are really excited to have you here, how about you run the warm up and show a couple of moves and then I’ll show a few things.” So I ran the guys through a wrestling warm up consisting of jogging, stance motion, and shot penetration drills. I chose to cover the basic arm drag series. The first movement was the arm drag to an inside step double with a driving finish landing in a cross body position. The guys all picked up on the leg attack quickly. The second attack I showed was an outside step to a lift and flare finish. This technique is a little bit more advanced and involves using your hips to elevate your opponent off of the mat, making it easier to finish the takedown. Antoine then showed a couple of ways to counter the arm drag as well as some counter offense from the positions it created. He then had the guy wrestle short 30 sec goes takedown only live matches. The wrestling was spirited and everyone having a military mindset was heavily on the attack and always seeking the offense. One of the coolest things about the program is that it is not only for enlisted men and NCOs but the officers as well. You had lieutenants working with sergeants and privates all with the goal of getting better.  The great thing about the training this way is that not only are the individuals of the unit getting better, the unit as a whole is developing and growing stronger. This feeling of unity that bonds them together is what will help them should they ever be called to a mission. It was a great honor to be able to work with them, and I hope I will be back there again in the near future to help them.

On Friday I also had another amazing opportunity. While driving to Vila Militar Antoine got a call from his brother, who is both a member of the navy and an active competitor in wrestling. On Friday’s his brother normally teaches wrestling to Blackhouse MMA at X-Gym, but due to a naval commitment wasn’t able to attend. So he had called Antoine and asked if he could cover for him (which Antoine agreed). Antoine then asked me if I was free and if I would like to go to Blackhouse with him and help/train. With Blackhouse having such a high caliber roster of fighters, I would have been crazy not to accept. We hurried over to X-Gym (traffic was horrible so it took a little longer then expected) and then headed downstairs to the 3rd floor where the Blackhouse training area is. X-gym has phenomenal facilitates and is absolutely beautiful. The weight room and large and modern and in the marital arts area there is a full cage and boxing ring, along with tons of bags and a large mat space. Blackhouse operates on a invitation only basis, and all of their training sessions at X-Gym are closed to the public. We were greeted by MMA coaches Josuel “Distsak” and Rogerio Camoes. As we were walking back to the mats out of the corner of my eye I saw ‘Jacare’ Souza getting ready to hit mitts in preparation of his UFC debut. I also see UFC fighters Paulo Thiago and Erik Silva coming off the mats (along with several other well known fighter). In total there were probably 30-40 guys in training, all in top notch shape. Antoine was introduced and he then introduced me to the class. Antoine then began to teach technique for MMA wrestling.

The mat space at X-Gym

As everyone broke off to work the technique I had a moment of uncertainty. Here I was on the mat with elite level fighters, some of whom I regularly watch on Pay-Per-View, and to me it was difficult to imaging that I would have something of value to offer these world class athletes. But as I went around and started getting a bit more used to the environment the fan boy in me died off and my mentality as a wrestler and a coach began to take over. At first it was mainly telling guys when they were getting things right, then I started to be able to notice little things and make adjustments in technique where they needed to be made. For instance at one point I noticed that there was an overall adjustment that the guys needed to make, I relayed my thoughts to Antoine, who then translated it to the group for me. As he did I noticed heads nodding in understanding and appreciation. At this point I felt right at home and in the zone, I was able to give advice and guys were asking me to watch to make sure they were doing it right. Erik Silva then walked up and asked if I could watch him and Paulo to make sure they were doing it right, luckily I was able to keep my jaw from hitting the floor and watch them (they were doing it right). Antoine then transitioned the guys to live wrestling. It was the same as with the army, live 30 sec goes takedowns only, switching partners for five minute blocks with one minute rest in between blocks. The guys paired up and then Paulo Thiago walks up and asks to wrestle the first 30 sec go with me. I had been helping guys with technique and it was warm in the gym (about 80 and humid) so I was loose but far from warmed up; however when a UFC fighter asks to wrestle you, you don’t say no. The round started and I cautiously stalked forwards we hand fought and I went for a single, which Paulo defended, whizzered and tried to counter with an uchi-mata throw which I was to avoid. Time ran out. We then switched partners, everyone eager to have a go at the American wrestler. Soon I was wrestling Erik Silva, he is fast and strong but I was able to defend his attacks and hit an elbow post to a high crotch, I was in deep on the shot but Erik has great hips and it hard to takedown. I was cutting angles and trying multiple finishes, but I was unable to finish before time ran out. After a few goes, I began to realize just how not warmed up I was; my lungs were on fire and my legs a bit lethargic but I kept wrestling hard. The one minute break arrived and I was able to calm my breath and shake out my legs, by the time the minute had passed I was fully recharged and warmed up. I wrestled Paulo again this time he was able to use the overhook and hit the uchi-mata throw, but we quickly were up and I was back on the offense. My scrambling came out and even if I got put in tough spots I was able to work my way out and counter with my own attacks. At one point Erik Silva dumped me on my ass, but I scrambled, got my hips back, was able to front headlock and score. We rotated several more around, endless battles of attacks, counters, and counters to the counters. At times I was able to score and at other times I got scored on, but every round was competitive. As we finished we all lined up and I was asked to stand up front with the instructors. Distak, Rogerio, and Antoine spoke to the group and then the guys thanked me for coming in. The practice broke with there ending chant which thundered throughout the gym. Everyone went through the customary bowing and shaking hand and then disbanded. Rogerio personally thanked me and said that he hoped I could make it back in (talk about a feather in my cap!). Now I felt in a personal dilemma. I had my camera with me, and wanted a photo with some of the guys, but after working out end helping them I didn’t want to go all fan boy again. Imagine my surprise (and elation) when Erik Silva same up and asked for a photo with Antoine and I. I was in total shock to be asked to be in photo with a UFC star, not the other way around. Needless to say I pulled my camera out as well and made sure to get a photo of us all together. Erik, who doesn’t speak a lot of English, relayed how it was nice to work wrestling with guys who have experience in the sport and hoped we could be back in to help.

As I got home I was still on cloud nine. Not only did I have a great time training with both the paratroopers and Blackhouse, but it I was able to feel like I genuinely contributed to making them better. Situations like this past Friday serve as a confidence booster. It showed me that I do have the knowledge to be able to give instruction at an elite level. Most importantly it showed me that I deserve to be on the mat and training with high level athletes. I am excited to keep moving forward and growing in my training and see what new opportunities will arise.

Photo of Nicole and I in Arpoador

Weekly Training and a Look at Carlson Gracie Academy in Copa

After class at Carlson Gracie Academy in Copacabana. Photo by bjjpix.com

It’s been another great week here in Rio. New people have arrived and some friends who I have had the pleasure of hanging out and training with over the last couple of months are getting ready to leave. It’s always a bit weird having to say goodbye to friends, but I know that at some point or paths will cross again. The weather has shaped up to be beautiful as we get closer to Rio’s ‘winter’ months. The days are sunny and hot enough to enjoy the beach, and the nights are clear and warm creating the perfect atmosphere for relaxing outdoors at some of our favorite restaurants and beach-side stands. 

On a very cool side note I would like to say congratulations to one of my training partners Leozada Nogueira for winning the Brazilian ADCC trials in the under 77kg weight class. It is a great accomplishment, made more impressive by the fact that he submitted all of his opponents. Leozada will now be competing later this year in China at the ADCC Championships.

Leozada working a choke at the ADCC trials. Photo by bjjpix.com

Week in Training

Mondays wrestling focused mainly on misdirection attacks. With misdirection attack you faint an attack to one side to get your opponent to over commit to the defense and then change angles and hit the actual takedown to the opposite side. The key in this style of takedowns is to sell the fake. You have to make your opponent truly believe that the attack is coming from one angle when in fact it is coming from another. As such the better your opponent is on the feet, the more you have to sell the fake. There are a variety of both high and low level misdirection shots and a person who is good at hitting them can make it look like a thing of beauty.

On Tuesday Jeremy came to hold pads and worked our stand up. He worked with each one of us for two rounds while others did technical sparring. Technical sparring allows you to try new things without the fear of being punished, it also allows you to focus more on defensive techniques such as head movement and checking kicks (both things I need to work on). I have got to say it was nice to have someone holding pads for me that I could fully understand. While with the Brazilians I can get the jist and large concepts they are trying to get across, it was some of the fine details that I could work on with Jeremy. One of the new things I picked up is a nice little drill to get you used to pivoting on your foot when throwing kicks. This is something I rarely do and the drill helped me to put more power into my kicks (though there is still a ton of work to be done).

Defending the armbar. Photo by bjjpix.com

Wednesday Night was the weekly CR academy visit; this weeks visit was at Carlson Gracie Academy in Copacabana. Carlson’s Academy is one of the oldest in Rio, having been in the same location for 40 years. As you walk up the steps to the third floor you come to a large wood door with the Carlson bulldog emblem on it. The Academy, while simple, is filled with history--photos and trophies from over the years are throughout the gym. Class was led by Alan Moraes, a 3rd or 4th degree black belt (I couldn’t tell). Class started with your typical jogging and cals, finishing with arm bar drills from guard and mount positions. The technique he showed was a crazy choke off of rolling through your omoplata (think Clark Gracie in Pan Ams this year). The move was drilled extensively and then the switch was made to live sparring. The live rolling at Carlson’s was extremely competitive, with everyone displaying their gameness in fight. The first roll I had was against a purple belt and we had an intense battle taking us from one side of the mat to the other. At one point he threw on a omoplata, he tried to hit the choke that we had just learned. I defended but as he rolled the omoplata came on strong and I tried to tap, but had to resort verbally taping because it came on that quick. It torqued my arm pretty good and I could feel it in my elbow, but I continued to roll. I rolled against several other high quality grapplers; each with there own specific grappling style, but everyone had the same mentality----attack. Whether it was sweeps, submissions, back takes, or guard passes, these guys were constantly on the offensive. The spirit and ideology of Master Carlson Gracie is alive and well in Copacabana and the academy continues to create and build future champions. 

Thursday morning I worked with the MMA and BJJ guys on wrestling. Reyzinho’s fight is next weekend in Sao Paulo, and he wanted to focus on some defensive work. First I went over and fine tuned some sprawl work and then covered the covered the front quarter nelson. I personally  have had a ton of success with the front 1/4 nelson in BJJ and MMA. A lot of times guys will shoot with their heads down or from a distance. In both instances it is easier to stuff the head and use the 1/4 nelson. Once you stuff the head if you circle around and keep pushing the head under his body it will flip your opponent over allowing you to bypass any guard passing and land in side control. The guys picked up on it and hopefully they will be able to add it to their games. I also ran through various ways of snap & spins go behinds to help build the muscle memory of instantly going behind and taking the back. Thursday afternoon was also Jeremy’s Gringo Nogi, We covered several takedown variations and sequences. When we moved to live rolling I was first going to sit it out because my elbow was killing me, but I had the adrenaline flowing and decided to roll anyways. I felt good, my movement and attacks both flowed hand in hand. On Friday I took it a bit easier, my elbow was bothering me so I just did light mitt work and some technical sparring.

Working to pass. Photo by bjjpix.com

Saturday the weather was beautiful and a group of us hit up the beach and enjoyed the sun. Afterwards we relaxed for a bit and then headed to CR HQ,  had a bbq and watched the UFC on fox. It was a great evening filled with friendly banter and of course lots of food.

WOCS 25, Weekly Training Review, and 8 Tips For Rio

WOCS 25 in Lagoa. Photo by Michael Patryn

This week was another great week of training down here. As always I learned a lot of great new techniques and worked hard at progressing and getting better. Also this week Nicole and I, along with other CR members, went to Watch Out Combat Show 25, a phenomenal MMA event here in Rio. Also this week I decided to include a couple of things to keep in mind for making the most out of a trip to Rio,  These included things I have learned from personal experiences plus experiences from others whom have made the trip down.

Week in Training 

Post sparring photo at ATT

Mondays wrestling was a great class, and we further worked on developing chain wrestling. We finished off with positional sparring working from tough positions. I like doing positional work because it forces you to work out of some of the worst positions possible (say your opponent is in deep on a double leg). This not only builds your defense and scrambling, but it makes you comfortable from fighting off attacks when you are in a bad position instead of just giving up a takedown. Tuesdays striking brought a new twist . There is a new guy training with us who is a very good muay thai fighter and he will be working with us on our stand up. He moves incredibly light on his feet, has good hands and chopping kicks (he dropped a guy on leg kicks alone during sparring). Wednesdays sparring was intense. I was able to get work against several different styles. The first guy I sparred was Emiliano, a CR guest from Uruguay. He is short, stocky, and a good muay thai fighter. The second guy I sparred against was Paulo, an experienced MMA fighter who is strong and tough with good takedowns. The third guy was Leonardo, a younger kid who is lanky and unorthodox in his striking and fearless when it comes to who he is sparring. Being able to work against the various body types and fighting styles forces me to adapt my style and work hard to impose my game on them. After the mma sparring I did several additional rounds of submission grappling matches against Leozada who is getting ready for the ADCC Brazilian Trials later this month. I had some hard fought rounds with him, and it was nice starting from our feet so I could blend my takedowns and wrestling with my grappling game. Afterwards I was asked by several of the guys if I was going to compete in the trials because they thought I would do well, but unfortunately the trials down here are for Brazilian citizens only. I will say though, to be asked by some top level blackbelts if I was competing because they think I would do good is a great compliment. Thursday brought another good day of wrestling; working on different leg attacks, such as swing singles and knee taps, plus striking to shots. For live we did takedown rotations, winner stays in. The rotations with fresh guys coming in keeps the pace and intensity high, forcing everyone to work hard.  On Friday I had a great opportunity to meet Fabricio “Predador”, owner of Pride Fight Wear, and was able to pick up some great training gear. I can't wait to wear my new gear this coming week.  Friday night several of us went to WOCS 25 in Lagoa. It was an awesome MMA event and had fights rivaling WEC and Strikeforce shows I had been to in the U.S. One of the cool things is that there were several guys I met at the RFT academy visit a few weeks ago who were fighting on the card. One of them Vitor Oristanio, only 18 years old, made his professional debut in an exciting back-in-forth fight in a classic luta livre vs. BJJ match up. Although he came up short he fought an awesome fight. It will be interesting to see where his career goes. Also there was a fighter from Gracie Barra in the Co-Main event, which won in what I would consider the fight of the night. The crowd's enthusiasm heightened the atmosphere as supporters of each fighter chanted loudly trying to drowned out the other. The fights were amazing and we can’t wait to attend another MMA event here in Rio.

Just one of the great fights to take place at WOCS 25. Photo by bjjpix.com

8 Tips for Staying and Training in Rio


1. Do your research- Rio is likely a much different place than home. As such it’s always good to get some info not only on the training but on customs, travel, daily life, climate, and attractions. You don’t want to come down here totally a miss from what there is to see and do.

2. Realize that in the end research doesn't matter- I’m sure your saying “Wait, what?!?” Listen, for all your best laid plans and research there are going to be a great many things the travel guides and websites have not alluded to. You will be surprised by things you didn't expect, and there will be opportunities that you never imagined. Do yourself a favor and just go with the flow, and enjoy the ride.

3. There is an adjustment period- Most likely your flying to Rio from some far off land, and after a huge trip it will take a couple of days to catch up on sleep, get your bearings, and to get used to the heat and humidity. Which leads me to my next point……

4. DRINK TONS OF WATER- The heat and humidity down here can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. Even just sitting at the beach and catching a tan can leave you a bit low on H2O. Make sure you drink more water than you think you need, and when given the chance to grab a drink during training do it. You are here to have a good time and get the most out of you’re training and staying hydrated will help you on your way.

5. Go on CR Academy Visits and Outings- Here in Rio there is top level training in every nook and cranny of the city. Each place has its own personal twist on technique and theory. While on your stay make an effort to expose yourself to these concepts and ideas. I guarantee it will add flavor to your training and give you once and a lifetime stories. In the last four months here I have trained with Bellator Fighters, former ADCC competitors, BJJ World Champs, Red Belt Grandmasters, witnessed youth and social BJJ programs, gone surfing with a Coral Belt, Met UFC fighters, and got a tour and look inside the training of the BOPE. If you want to make the most out of your trip get out and visit the academies.

6. Ask questions- There are people who have been staying at CR for several months and as such they know the lay of the land fairly well, don’t be afraid to ask them any questions you have. Remember at one point they were just as green to Rio as you, so no matter how little the question may be just ask and they will be more than happy to help.

7. Get out and see things- The training is phenomenal here, and if you wanted you could step onto the mat 2-3 times a day 6 days a week. Even though that is a ton of mat time, there is still a lot of down time. Use this time to rest up, but also to experience Brazil. Getting off of your computer and out of your room can be more relaxing and recharging for your next session than watching an episode of ‘Two and a Half Men’.

8. HAVE FUN! Brazil is an amazing place and who knows, your trip here might be a once in a lifetime deal (hopefully not) so remember the key here is to have fun. Hang out, go to the beach, BBQ, and enjoy yourself. Having fun on and off the mat, in combination of hard training is really what will help raise your game to the next level and give you the trip of a lifetime.

Gringo No-Gi, Academia Strauch, and Competition season

After a great wrestling session at ATT

With the passing of time comes the changing of seasons and as we enter Rio’s ‘fall’, temperatures are changing from hot as hell to just hot. I can honestly say I never thought I would regard a 75F (23.8C) night as cool/chilly temperature. I guess that is the happy price you pay when living in paradise. The changing of seasons has also brought a shift in the training atmosphere in the houses. Currently in the houses there are a lot of people preparing to compete in various tournaments throughout Rio (and Brazil) for that matter. It really adds to the houses creating the work hard, play hard attitude which makes being here in Rio so much fun.

Week in Training

Early Monday morning I hopped a bus and went into Arpoador (a small section of Rio between Copa and Ipanema) and hit a free open air gym along the beach. The place is old school with all the weights made from concrete, and offers a no frills barbell and dumbbell workout. I loved it- for the first time since moving down I was able to deadlift, squat, and perform various other compound movements. After I finished lifting I was able to cool off by hoping into the ocean and then caught a bus back into Barra to wrestle. Wrestling went good, we worked on chain wrestling, one guy slipping punches to a single leg attack and the other guy countering the attack, and then shooting in for his own takedown. Tuesday I mixed up training and went to the gringo nogi class taught by Jeremy DeNardo. As I have said before Jeremy is a great wrestler who has blended his wrestling into BJJ and MMA philosophies and I have learned a ton from him. The class was great, and it gave people in the houses opportunities to learn new takedown techniques, and also some great ground work. He showed an awesome (I mean one of the coolest moves I seen) way to take the back and choke from top half-guard that he learned from MMA standout and CR guest Peter Sabotta. The class was great and I got a chance to roll with some great guys, including the CR sponsored athlete Mike, who plays a smooth nogi game.

Rolling at Academia Strauch. Photo by bjjpix.com

Wednesday’s sparring session was intense. I really started to blend together my strikes and takedowns working offensively. Even though I felt really good I still have a lot to work on. The great thing about this group of guys is while sparring is hard, afterwards we can all sit back and talk about our rounds or head down to the beach. Wednesday night was the weekly CR Academy visit. This week was Academia Strauch in Copacabana. Master Strauch is a red belt grand master in BJJ and he welcomed us happily into his academy. Although in his early 60’s he moves with the agility of a much younger man and taught some great techniques. The rolling was spirited yet fun and the overall atmosphere was of a love for competition. A couple of unique things stand out about the training; one being that during live rolling they play music, something that is very common in the U.S.,  but here in Brazil Academia Strauch is the only academy I have been to that has. Also they did a king of the mat takedown competition, another thing that I haven’t seen much of here in Rio. After training we played a game. We formed a 5 on 6, team vs. team competition where the goal was to submit everyone on the other team. As people tapped they were out. As Strauch put it “I love a good gang fight”. We quickly went out against the other team, a grabbed a guy and then from behind had someone take my back, I battled back and forth with the two guys, a one point I was caught in a double armbar (one guy on each arm) but somehow I managed to escape. Suddenly I had another guy jump on, then another. I managed an anaconda choke on one guy getting the tap. He was quickly replaced by another guy and I found out I was the last guy left on my team. I went defensive blocking choke and keeping my limbs safe. Then I heard counting, and thought it was a countdown to the game finishing. However I soon realized the counting was going up and more hands and bodies were jumping on me. At that point there were ten guys on me and I still managed to survive long enough for time to run out, securing the victory for our team.

Trying very hard not to get submitted durring the Battle Royal. Photo by bjjpix.com

Thursdays wrestling was great. Now that the guys have a base of moves for wrestling we can start each practice with drilling takedowns. The drilling has helped me feel more solid with my technique. The live goes were great and I felt good both offensively and defensively. The class sizes have been growing steadily and we had a great session.

Friday morning boxing session covered various slips and catch drills, all designed to help improve our defense. Luta Livre was great as well with Leozada showing some solid, yet unconventional submission techniques.

Saturday’s sparring went great and I again felt good in my transitioning of attacks. After training we spent the afternoon at the beach. Nothing caps off a great week of training better than sitting on the beach catching a tan, swimming in the ocean and enjoying a large acai. Saturday night we went across the street to 399 and caught Jungle fight 50 on the flat screen. The card had two guys fighting on it from the MMA camp, Thiago ‘Tractor’ and Uziel ‘Maruim’. Both guys fought incredibly hard, with Thiago picking up the win, and Maruim losing a very close decision. Great job to both guys!

It’s always great to see people you know compete and do well. I know that they, as well as the rest of the guys competing (whether in BJJ or MMA) train incredibly hard and have put a lot of time in. I got to say seeing my friends compete and be successful are getting my competitive juices flowing and I am starting to get the itch to compete again.

Some of the other Connection Rio guys and I watching some great rolling. Photo by bjjpix.com