Ruiz Combat Wrestling

2011 FILA Grappling World Championships - Brandon's Journal

2011-10-07T17:06:00.000-06:00

September 26, 2011
I don’t know what it is about flying to Europe and crappy in flight movies. Right now I’m being tortured by Kate Hudson and some stupid movie about her sister or friend or whatever cheating with her fiancé. Crap, crap, crap.

At least its dinner time and here comes food! A transatlantic flight is nowhere to be for a heavyweight who forgot to bring his snacks. The smell of dinner drives me wild. I finally get mine. Pasta. Some kind of cheese filled one, pretty good too, but it’s down in about 5 bites and I’m still hungry. Should ‘a packed some snacks.

I ask the stewardess for another round and she says “Sure!” Ask and you shall receive!

Now that I’ve finally got some food in me I can almost endure the awful movies. It’s just as well though. I’ve been ornery most of the flight and could use some sleep. Somehow I seem to remember the planes being bigger and the movies being better.

I’m a simple man though. What do I know? I get more pleasure out of lifting heavy rocks and strangling people than I do watching any slew of movies on this plane. I’ve been a little lighter and it’s made me more edgy lately. I changed up a few things since trials and I think I’ll have more gas in the tank.

It’s Dad’s birthday today too. I love my dad. He’s such a great dad. It made me happy that he came with me to World Team Trials. We got to talk a lot. Funny how we don’t say a whole lot most of the time but on that trip we got to talk a lot. I will always look back at that trip as one of my best and favorite trips with my dad.

September 27, 2011

After cramps and cricks all night I’m awake again (not like I was ever really asleep). I put in my eyeballs and drain a 1.5 liter water bottle back in the galley. Breakfast is making its way around. The in flight programming still sucks and now instead of sucky movies it’s sucky TV shows.

Why are we so easily distracted and afraid of quiet thought? The TV has been on all night. It is a boring flight but at the same time a person could really work through some stuff with all this time. I work through some of my pre-competition worksheet and game plan. It’s something I’ve been using to help me win since 2005 when I met and worked with Joey Johnson. It helped me win at the 2011 Grappling World Team Trials. I’ve learned a lot since working with Joey in his Worthy to Win program. I’ve been reading his book, Worthy to Win, since I won WTT. Funny but I thought winning WTT would have been a relief but really it was the beginning.

As soon as I got back home Worlds was all I could think about. I adjusted my training for more conditioning. At work I would bring workout gear and go condition for an hour a couple times a week. I ran parking lot stairs, ran sprints, went to the downtown city park and watched pimps, ho’s, and drug dealers and addicts hanging around while I did pull-ups and calisthenics at the playground. In between sets I make sure to keep track of where everyone is. I don’t need to get stabbed or mistaken for an undercover cop.

Reading Joey’s book, Worthy to Win, helped me a lot. It helped me keep perspective. There is a lot to deal with leading up to a world championship. Training is the easy part. It’s like hitting a button and it just goes. It’s all the details that get sticky. Like the fact that this year it’s a self funded trip to Serbia. I looked for sponsorship from some companies I thought would help but nothing happened.

I can’t tell you how hellishly frustrating it is to win a WTT, look for sponsors and get nothing. On top of it all people who find out you are paying your own way say things like; “You should look for some sponsors.” Or, “Hey why don’t you get sponsored?” Really? No crap…I just thought I would run up my credit card, drain my savings and pay for the whole thing myself. What the heck ya know? I love getting to choose between a house down payment or a trip to Serbia. Yeah…freaking awesome.

If you want to be an athlete and a shot at being the best get ready for some sacrifices. If you’re married you better make dang sure your wife is on board or you won’t be married for long.

I’ve been sponsored before but it took so much work to get it to happen I figured it was easier to work full time. If I were a fighter and had some cash coming at the end I might have done it different.

In the end my family (Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma) pitched in and helped lessen the load. My instructor Jeff Kunze also pledged some cash.

It’s funny how everyone thinks there is all this money in MMA and Grappling. In reality there is a lot less than people think. Especially in grappling. People ask “So if you win worlds what happens next?” I become a world champion! What else do you think is supposed to happen? This is it. This is the top. There isn’t anything else after this. Unless you count all the other tournaments that will happen after this one…which of course I will want to compete in too.

One time I was in Las Vegas competing and I saw one of those “How to tell if you’re addicted to gambling” pamphlets. Surprisingly enough as I answered the questions from an athlete’s perspective I concluded that I have an addiction to competition. Whether it is ‘healthy’ or not wasn’t something I wanted to think about at the time because I was pretty sure I wouldn’t like the answer.

Almost time to land in Paris and then on to Belgrade, Serbia.

BTW if anyone wants to get some advertising from my YouTube channel or websites I am currently available for sponsorship opportunities. 

October 1, 2011

Things I learned in Serbia at FILA Grappling World Championships

• Referees make calls. You must compete.
• Your opponent has studied and scouted and planned for opponents and situations. Use your Strategy and never show all your cards.
• There is always a BIGGER FISH
• Enjoy it! Appreciate it! – Jeff Funicello “See more than just the venue”.
• Mike Kelly – Gave a second chance. Won 3rd place in Absolute. An amazing person.
• Competition = True Worlds = As competitive as FS/GR. Former Nat’l team members in Judo and Wrestling. Former Olympian(s?) competed. Sambo champions competed. ADCC, Grapplers Quest and NAGA competitors competed.
• No points allowed on me!
• Mat B – “B” is for Brandon!
• France refereed my finals match.
• Appreciate it! – I shook hands with every single referee (all that I could find) and told them “Thank you for the work you do for us”. Give thanks to those who put time in to support events and allow us to compete…even if you may disagree with some of their decisions.
• Responsibility – Ultimate responsibility for scoring and performing is on the athlete. When we win we say “I did it!” When we lose do we say “It was ref/coach’s fault that I lost”? This mentality does not help. It is trying to find a way out of dealing with the realities and pressures of performance. You can’t blame refs/coaches for you not scoring or winning. You have to make the adjustments during the match. The constant is change, or rather, making the current situation align with your game plan and vice versa. Your game plan should include adverse condition scenarios and your pre-determined response. Adaptability is easier to accomplish if it is acknowledged and planned for before the actual situation arises. Few understand this. Once you accept this you can follow your plan and the adaptations/adjustments to it during your match are not as threatening (usually) and also become less complicated. It is better to create a good plan and strategy that can be adjusted and tweaked in small ways than to have little to no game plan that has big sways and shifts in the heat of battle. This is why the best athletes are more consistent.

October 2, 2011

I’m on the last leg of my flight home and I’m savoring my experience. I’m coming home as a FILA Grappling World Champion! Thursday was a great day for me! I was so excited and happy after I won. Besides getting married and the birth of my children it was probably one of my best days ever. Definitely my finest moment (so far) as an athlete. After I won I laughed, I cried, I did cart wheels. It was just awesome! It had been the culmination of years of effort and trying for this title. In 2008 & 2009 I won silver at the worlds (no small feat) and in 2010 didn’t have the opportunity. But this year was my time. I appreciate this win more because of losing before. I’ve always been pleased with my overall past performances and grateful for those experiences, but never satisfied.

I think too many athletes forget to savor the experiences and opportunities of world competition because they are so wrapped up in winning. The matches and results are such a small piece of the experience. Your attitude of how it all fits into your life and how you’ll look back on it make all the difference. I’ve seen so many athletes disregard their world team experience or their world/Olympic medal because it was the wrong color. I understand wanting to win. But I disagree with thinking so little of ‘once in a life time’ opportunities.

It was great having Jeff Funicello as one of the coaches. His experience gives him such a great insight. We were team members on the 2004 Pan Am Championships Greco Roman Wrestling Team and we’ve been friends since then. We took a nice site seeing venture Wednesday before weigh ins. We saw the Belgrade Fortress and Military Museum and a prince’s palace. It was great. Jeff talked a lot about enjoying the journey and the moment. “Some guys never see anything but the venue. You’ve got to enjoy the experience.” I couldn’t have agreed more. Although I was pretty focused and was there with one purpose in mind I trusted myself as an athlete and trusted my game plan enough that I wasn’t worried about being distracted.

Learning to trust oneself as an athlete is exceedingly difficult. The sooner you master it the sooner you will have success. You need to do things that will help you be balanced as an athlete and that will help give you a sense of appreciation to your experience whatever it may be for you. Some guys like staying loose. Some guys like to stay edgy. You have to develop your plan for you.

Back to Thursday…As I was receiving my medal on the podium I thought about how much it meant to me and how much my wife and family had sacrificed right along with me. When they played the national anthem the guys who raised the flags apparently thought they were done and didn’t raise them for my weight class. It didn’t bother me too much because I found the U.S. flag hanging on the wall between all the others and tried to keep my tear filled eyes on it as much as I could. I sang along to the music but kept getting choked up by my tears and blood that still was in my nose and throat. I couldn’t have been happier.

I had been imagining that moment for years. Every time I hear the Star Spangled Banner I have put my hand on my heart and closed my eyes imagining being at the world championships and being the champion. I felt the emotion (as much as I could project anyway…the real thing is better). I imagined the feel of the gold medal and its ribbon under my hand and wrist. I imagined being up on the podium. At 2009 FILA worlds when I lost to U.S. team mate Kelly Anundson I closed my eyes and projected myself into the future as the champion. At every ball game, every church service, every public event where the national anthem was played I imagined my time on the podium. I didn’t know when or how. I just imagined it. On Thursday September 29, 2011 at about 10:30 pm Serbian time I finally stood on the podium with my eyes wide open.

The next day of competition (Friday) I had been scheduled to compete in the Absolute (open weight) division. After I won the gold I felt so drained emotionally and physically that I decided to withdraw and give the opportunity to my team mate and roommate for the trip, Mike Kelly. Mike had been on every grappling world team since 2007. I felt mixed emotions later as I realized that I had foregone another opportunity at a world medal and maybe even championship. But as the day went on I was extremely glad that I had given Mike a second chance. He had competed well but lost in the 90 kg division. Getting another shot for him was like a breath of fresh air.

Physically I was ready for the end, emotionally and mentally even more so and Mike deserved another shot. He made me proud with his effort and his outcome. Mike went on to win tough matches on his way to the bronze medal. I was so happy for him because I knew he truly appreciated that opportunity. Had it not been for that second chance he would’ve missed out on that medal.

Later that night as I learned more about Mike and all that he does for others in his community the happier I was that I had passed along my spot in the Absolute. Mike and his wife do so much for children in their area that I found myself wishing I could do better at giving back to others. It makes me feel good that we will always have that connection because of the decision I made to share.

Those are the kinds of moments and memories that last. As I watched the rest of the Friday events unfold I couldn’t help but realize that this was it. I was leaving tomorrow and I would soon be on my way back to ‘normalcy’ and the same old routine.

I realized that once I stepped out of that venue I would never see it again. The tournament set up would all get put away along with all the flags, mats and podium. All the athletes would be gone and friends that I had made from around the world might not be seen again in this lifetime.

As awards were being presented I made my way down to Mat B where I had fought all of my matches. I took pictures. I sat down. I tried to absorb and internalize everything I could for one last time. Waves of emotion; satisfaction, joy, sorrow, longing, thankfulness, all washed over me as I sat there curled up in the center of the mat.

Before I left I made sure to thank those who make it possible. I tried to find every referee that I could and shake their hand and say thank you for their efforts. It is a hard and thankless job and they do it because they love it and without them we couldn’t do what we do as athletes. I genuinely appreciate those people willing to do that work on our behalf. I also found the FILA tournament director and shook her hand. Without all of her work the tournament wouldn’t have been possible either.

It truly is amazing the power that sport has. Nelson Mandela once said; “Sport has the power to change the world.” I truly believe that. To me athletes are better representatives of their respective countries than any politician. Most athletes come from the working class. Most understand the meaning of sacrifice, hard work, fair play and sportsmanship.

What makes a group of guys and girls from all over the world decide they should all get together under one roof and one set of rules and allow each other the opportunity to manipulate and twist each other without any major incident? We all trusted each other with our lives and our physical well being. I may not know them well, I may not speak their language but I have a brother in Canada, in Russia, in Brazil and in Sweden who all trusted me enough to let me test myself against them. They trusted that I would obey the rules and that I would respect them as people and as athletes.

In sport we do this every day. In politics show me when this happens? Show me the brave politician who would volunteer to go to war for his “just cause” rather than send another in his place to be put in harm’s way? And what for in the end? Failed policy?!? No. Sport is a much more powerful medium for peace than politics will ever be.

Sharing this opportunity with other athletes is so much of what makes international events special. I love seeing all the flags lined next to each other and seeing all the athletes present to compete.

I think about grappling and its recent surge to prominence over the past 20 years. I think about Helio Gracie and his contribution to the world because of how he played a game, because of how he fought. Even though FILA is not connected to the IBJJF or the Gracie’s it is without a doubt that we would not be here grappling without the influence of this man in the world.

I never met him, but I certainly hope to be on the mats until the day I die like he was. Besides my family, wrestling (grappling or BJJ, I call it all wrestling) is the one thing I hope exists in heaven. It has been a journey since the day I stepped into the Taylorsville high school wrestling room 20 years ago.

I have had so many great coaches over the years but there are two who have stood out the most for me. The first is Sheldon Marr of Grappler’s Edge (now Edge MMA & Fitness) in Denver Colorado. Sheldon has been a great coach and friend since 2004. Under Sheldon I was able to make my biggest improvements and achievements in grappling. He always tried to get me to the best competitions an always looked out for me like one of his star athletes. That always meant a lot to me. I never would have competed in grappling if he hadn’t called me up in 2004 to compete as his heavyweight at the Pancrase Submission Wrestling National Championships. Sheldon has stood by me through highs and lows and I am truly grateful for his mentorship.

Next is Joey Johnson who has been a huge influence and other than God and my wife one of the most important keys to my success. After going through Joey’s Worthy to Win program and continuing to use it I have literally become one of the best in the world.

I have also been extremely fortunate to have a great student and training partner in Koffi Adzitso. He is young, hungry and willing to do whatever is asked of him. I have been blessed to have him and to be able to be a part of his molding and success as well.

Ultimately my family are the ones who help me the most and without the support of my wife and kids none of this would mean anything. Without the love, support and belief that my wife had in me I sincerely doubt I would have made the journey to Serbia. It is with great love and respect that I thank her for all she does for me every day. My parents, grandparents and brothers have also given a lot of financial and moral support over the years and I thank them as well.

This truly is fulfilling one of my dreams. I am so happy I had the experience of the journey and the chance to reach the top of the mountain.

6th Annual UVU Hall of Fame Golf Tournament

2011-09-10T17:45:00.000-06:00

Its that time of year again. Utah Valley University is having its annual Hall of Fame Golf Tournament. Several of Utah's finest wrestlers and coaches will be teeing up at the Fox Hollow Golf Course. The tournament is a great way to meet with other wrestlers and donate to the UVU Wrestling team.

UVU Hall of Fame Golf tournament starts at 9:00 AM Tuesday September 13th at Fox Hollow Golf Course at 1400 North 200 East, American Fork Utah.

The tournament is open to anyone and you can get more information by clicking HERE.

2011-08-13T14:58:00.003-06:00

I recently qualified for the 2011 FILA Grappling World Championships in Serbia by winning the US World Team Trials! To get to the World Championships I need to raise money for flight, hotel, food, and competition costs. I hope to raise the money I need to continue on my quest for World Championship Gold!

Help send me to the 2011 Worlds by using the Chip In widget below! Click on the Widget and it will take you to a PayPal page where you can donate any amount that you would like. Login as a PayPal User or as PayPal Guest.

Please tell your friends and fellow Grappling fans about my campaign! Thanks for donating!

2011-05-29T00:55:00.001-06:00

Training with Gabriel ‘Napao’ Gonzaga

2011-05-29T00:46:00.003-06:00

About a year ago Gabriel Gonzaga came to town for a few days of training before one of his fights. It was a great opportunity to get to work out with him while he was here. Gabriel is good friends with Eddie Mori. Eddie lives in Utah and runs Mori Academy, a successful BJJ and MMA Academy in Roy, Utah. Eddie invited me and my team, Kacey Jackson, Koffi Adzitso and Noah Jenkins (of Fusion Academy) to come up and train with Gabriel, specifically for his wrestling and grappling.

Roy is about an hour or so away from where the rest of us live so it was a bit of a drive to get there. When we got there we found out that Gabriel was about 30-45 minutes out from getting to the gym so we kind of just milled around a while till he got there.

Once he arrived we started drilling takedowns and some pummeling. Gabriel was strong and moved pretty well. He was quick and had good grip. He didn’t look as big as he does on the UFC screen though…I guess what they say is true about how TV really does make you look bigger.

We drilled for a while and then we did some live takedowns. That was pretty fun. It was nice to see how my guys and I faired against a BJJ World Champion and professional MMA fighter. I got the better of him on the takedowns and he got the better of my guys. Something that helped me see where we needed improvement at the time.

Gabriel and I had a few good scraps and it would have been fun to get more time training with him. It was great to have one of the top UFC fighters come through town.

Training with Gonzaga helped drive home why so many wrestlers are dominating in MMA right now. They work hard; have good balance and strong takedowns and defense. Even a lot of the better ‘strikers’ like Chuck Liddell and Quinton Rampage Jackson had pretty solid wrestling abilities before their striking really became what it is today.

Things I took away from this training session were:

You are probably a lot closer to the ‘higher level’ guys than you might think. This goes for all of us. Training is not necessarily an indicator of a competitor’s gameness but judging from this workout I feel that I would have faired very well in an actual grappling match. We often don’t give ourselves a fair chance because we may not have an accurate gauge of our skills. You must consistently train/compete with other athletes of roughly your ability to get an accurate gauge of your current skills and abilities
Conditioning is ALWAYS going to be a factor. I felt good but Kacey had problems maintaining the pace. It affected his otherwise good technique. If you are going to compete you must have the stamina necessary to attack and defend over the course of your bout.
Looks can be deceiving and people move differently from each other. Gonzaga was harder to move and knock off balance than I expected. His movements were smooth and then choppy at the same time so it threw me off a little. Once I got the rhythm down I was just fine. Train with more partners so that your reactions can become consistent against more body types and movement styles. This can take some time to develop so get started sooner rather than later. In some cases you may be limited in the number of workout partners available but try to expand out as much as possible. Go with little guys, big guys and everyone in between.

The Day I almost Snubbed Jeff Monson

2011-05-15T00:05:00.001-06:00

It was a busy Saturday. I had went to promote AdvoCare supplements at a local 5k race, then on to teach my wrestling class at the Herriman Rec Center. I had already missed the opportunity to train with Jeff the night before because I wasn’t able to get my schedule rearranged in time and I knew I couldn’t pass up this opportunity again!

Jeff was teaching a seminar at the UCTC gym at the VF Factory Outlet Mall in Draper, Utah and I figured if I could get the appointment with my strength coach pushed back a little I just might make it. All I can say is that I’m glad I was able to get things more squared away on Saturday! Whew!
Jeff taught some things for passing the guard that were great! They definitely sharpened up where I should be making some pressure adjustments and other nuance type movements. Then he showed us his underhook series from the bottom and that was also very enlightening. It added a few pieces to the puzzle for me.

After the seminar we were able to get some live grappling training in together and I enjoyed every minute of it! It really helped me see where I am at in comparison to the rest of the world and to one of the living legends of the sport of grappling. Jeff as you may or may not know has won the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships twice (he was a finalist 4 times) and also won FILA Grappling World Championships 2 times.

The first time I was able to train with Jeff was when we were team mates on the 2008 USA World Championship team at the FILA Grappling World Championships. Back then I really just wanted the opportunity to see where I stood against the best. I had a great time training the day before the tournament and felt if and when we met up against each other at the tournament that it would be a great match and one that I could possibly win. We did indeed meet up in the finals match for 1st and 2nd and Jeff won a hard fought decision against me.

I controlled very well against him on the feet and even was on top on his back (no hooks) at one point and made a small mistake that cost me a lot of points. In the last 30 seconds I was able to get a throw on him and landed in a position where I was able to threaten a submission but nothing more. At the time I was grateful to have competed at my best against the best in the world.

Getting another chance to compare myself to greatness was really exciting and I knew I couldn’t miss Saturday’s seminar and training. It was a great time and I was able to see where I need more work and also to see what was working for me. I was a bit surprised at some of the positions that I was able to reach and felt that I have come a long way since my previous encounter.

I was able to do a quick interview with Jeff about his training and how he has been able to keep so consistent at such a high level over such a long time. A lot of the things he talked about were philosophies that I had been practicing over the past few years and it was nice to feel like I am on the right track in that regard. One of the things that I think is most impressive about Jeff Monson is his consistency and his longevity. He burst onto the grappling scene at the 1999 ADCC World Championships and then has continued to make waves ever since. That’s 12 years of being at the top of the food chain!

For many who never get to the top even one time would be amazing but to be where Jeff has been over such a length of time is truly amazing. Check out his video interview here and find out what he has to say!

Salt City Grapplers Jeramy Hunt-Loveless

2011-04-21T19:00:00.000-06:00

Interview with Salt City Grapplers instructor Jeramy Hunt Loveless. Jeramy has had great success with student Roy Nash who won the Utah Freestyle Wrestling State Championships and also placed 4th at the FILA Cadet Nationals/World Team Trials! Check out Salt City Grapplers on Facebook!

Interview with Roy 'The Buzz Saw' Nash

2011-04-19T18:23:00.000-06:00

Ben Kjar UVU First Ever All American Wrestler!

2011-04-18T22:16:00.000-06:00

Killer Cards

2011-04-18T22:03:00.002-06:00

Killer Cards

Here is a killer workout that you can do with or without weights. Be warned it is not for the faint of heart. You have to be willing to go through the pain and fatigue barrier to do this type of workout. Here is how it works:

1. Get a standard deck of playing cards and shuffle it up really good.
2. Designate one exercise per suit.
Eg. Hearts = Situps, Diamonds = Pushups, Spades = Squats, Clubs = Pullups. Jokers = 40 Squats non-negotiable.
3. Lay out all the cards.
4. Begin completing repetitions of each exercise according to the value set by the card. Eg. Ace = 11, Royalty = 10 etc. Complete one card and then immediately do the exercise and reps as indicated by the next card.
Note: This is a VOLUME workout...if you want to go heavy and use weights I would recommend a weight range range that you can regularly handle for 10 reps. You can try for more as you get more accustomed to the workout.

I did this today with Hearts = Situps, Diamonds = Dumbbell Bench, Spades = Bodyweight Squats, Clubs = Deadlifts Here is what the actual rep count was:
Situps = 95
DB Bench = 95 @ 90 lbs
Squats = 175 (95 + 80 from the 2 Jokers)
Deadlift = 63 @ 315 lbs (I cut the Face card number in half on Deadlifts)

All total that was 428 repetitions! In the DB Bench I moved 8,550 lbs and 19,845 lbs in the Deadlift. Not bad for a workout that takes less than 30 minutes to complete and leaves you gasping and exhausted on the floor!

With our without weight the Killer Cards is a great workout and its made a huge difference in my overall conditioning and my body composition.

Muscle Fuel Study with Dr. William Kraemer

2011-04-15T08:25:00.000-06:00

One of the reasons I like Advocare. Real products! Real Results!

Office Workout Blues

2011-04-14T22:37:00.000-06:00

If you're like me and work in an office you might get a little tired and sluggish...especially with long days and late nights. I had a great little break and blew off some steam with this workout. It only took a few minutes, woke me back up and kept me moving during the day.

2 Sets 50 Push Ups
100 Squats
3 Sets 10-15 Dips
Lunges 30 yards down and back

Let me know if you have anything that you do that helps with your office workout!

Arm Chokes-Darce & Anaconda

2011-04-14T07:44:00.001-06:00

I've been working specifically on arm chokes for about a year now. Here are two that cover more or less the same principle but to opposite sides. Here is a quick version of how to do them.

Front Headlock Turns for Greco Roman and Freestyle Wrestling

2011-04-12T17:08:00.001-06:00

The Front Headlock is one of my all-time favorite turns for Greco Roman and Freestyle Wrestling. Here I show you how to use it for both styles.

Michael O'Rourke, OK

2011-04-11T22:48:00.001-06:00

I really like Advocare's products! I have been taking the Rehydrate and Post Workout supplements and I've been recovering so much better than before! I've also lost about 10 pounds over the last few weeks! Check them out!

Pulling + Grip Strength Challenge Workout

2011-04-10T20:20:00.000-06:00

This was a pretty cool video I came acrossed and thought that it really was a good one to include for grappling training. The trainer's name is Chad Howse and he his website is www.chadhowsefitness.com

Iron Horse Wrestling at JL Sorenson Rec Center

2011-04-09T23:10:00.000-06:00

Interview with Rigan Machado

2011-04-08T23:34:00.000-06:00

Grappling Rehydration

2011-04-08T22:37:00.000-06:00

Over the past few weeks I have been taking a supplement called Rehydrate by Advocare. I have noticed a couple of very striking differences to what I've experienced with other 'sports drinks'.

I notice that as I drink the rehydrate that I actually feel like my thirst is satiated. In the past that has been hard to accomplish. I've tried Gatorade, Powerade, just about every kind of 'ade' out there as a post workout rehydration. I notice that even though I drink them I don't really 'feel' much of an effect in terms of quenching my actual thirst and for lack of a better word...that dehydrated feeling. I am happy to say that Advocare's Rehydrate drink does just that!

I am noticing a huge difference in my body's ability to feel rehydrated and actually not feel drained. This is a unique sensation especially since having wrestled and grappled for the past 18+ years I know a thing or two about what it feels like to be dehydrated. The best I can equate it to is when you give a dry plant some water it seems to perk back up right before your eyes. That is how Rehydrate makes me feel.

I have noticed that I feel more energy after drinking my Rehydrate. Typically I notice an overall energy drain and tiredness after my grappling workouts from losing so much fluid (especially when I train the gi). After drinking Rehydrate I feel like my alertness is still there and I don't feel groggy. So far I've felt really good and I am sleeping better because I'm rehydrating better. I really love this product!

Click here to find out more!

Nutrition & Supplementation

2011-04-04T06:18:00.000-06:00

My wonderful wife Brynne has been amazing in changing our family's eating habits. She has been very studious and diligent in changing our average diet into an amazing one! We have both lost fat and been getting leaner and stronger. Our three kids are also happier and their behavior is more consistent.

What did we change? Just about everything....

We have changed to a 'clean diet'. It is such a seemingly simple concept but who really knows or gets what 'clean' actually means?!? My wife came across some great books that have really enlightened us and I have found some great supplements. We are eating more fruits, vegetables and whole foods. We are avoiding fatty foods, sweets and other processed foods. I honestly can't explain it all as she is the cook, I just love the food! Our new way of eating has definitely helped my recovery and my ability to perform in my workouts!

I also have been supplementing my new great eating style with some amazing supplements. I take a post workout recovery shake after lifting and drinking a rehydration drink right after my grappling workouts. I feel like I'm getting better recovery and know that my body is getting more of what it needs when it needs it most.

These adjustments are helping me as I matched a personal best in my deadlift and have been adding consistent poundage to my bench press! If you would like to know more about how to eat clean check out my wife's blog. http://www.eatcleanloseweight.weebly.com/ To find out more and purchase the amazing supplements that I'm taking and promoting click here!

Level Change & 1 - 2 Combo Drill

2011-04-02T21:41:00.000-06:00

Iron Horse Wrestling Program

2011-03-25T06:28:00.000-06:00

If you have always wanted to learn wrestling skills but never had the chance now is your opportunity! I will be teaching wrestling classes on Saturdays at the new J.L. Sorenson Recreation Center in Herriman Utah! Two classes will be taught. The first is for youth ages 8-12. The second is for teens 12-18 years old. I also am offering personal private lessons. Private lessons can be individual or small groups. Private lessons are also open to all ages including adults.

Schedule:
Saturday
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Youth 8-12 Years Old
11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon Teens 12-18 Years Old
Private Lessons (All Ages) By Appointment

Classes start April 9th and have a monthly reoccuring enrollment. Sign up at the J.L. Sorenson Rec Center. You can sign up for the class by itself and are not required to be a member at J.L. Sorenson Rec.

I will be covering the most important techniques in wrestling like:

Stance
Positions for Attack & Defense
Takedowns
Escapes
Reversals
Pins & Hold Downs
Strategy
Strength & Conditioning
Nutrition for Wrestling & Grappling

Here is the recreation center link for additional information!
Iron Horse Wrestling

If you have further questions or would like to schedule a private or small group lesson you can email or call me directly.

info@RuizCombatGrappling.com

801-414-9708

Home Grappling Workout: Guard work with a Heavy Bag

2011-03-05T14:29:00.000-07:00

What a week!

2011-02-13T23:36:00.000-07:00

This past week was amazing to say the least! It started off like any other then deteriorated quickly as both my wife and I got sick and I missed two days of work. It quickly turned around when two of my high school wrestlers made it to the finals match of the 4A 189 lb. and 5A 215 lb. divisions. Aaron Kuttler (189) of East High School won his title match 9 to 3 against Joseph Carley of Mountain Crest becoming the first East High state champion in years! Lars Oveson (215) of Alta High School fought a tough battle against returning champion Dustin Dennison of Pleasant Grove losing in overtime. Both of our athletes put on a great performance and made me proud!

Then Saturday night, Koffi "The Lion King" Adzitso, went up against Brandon "The Murderer" Melendez for the PSUAC Welterweight Utah State Championship. Many believed that Melendez would win easily over Koffi...we knew that would not be the case. We had a game plan that included attacking our opponent's weaknesses and playing to our strengths. Koffi executed beautifully and won by TKO in the first round!

Koffi has made huge improvements the past year since training with us. His recent wins over Kevin Burns (UFC Veteran) and now Brandon Melendez (TUF Finalist) solidify what I already knew...Koffi is one tough competitor!

This was a great week for me as a coach to be able to see the success of my athletes and also to re-solidify that the technique I teach and the stategies we employ work across the board and at the highest levels.

Click here to see our wrestlers in action.

Click here to see Koffi pre and post fight.

Clearing the Air

2011-02-03T06:39:00.000-07:00

For years martial artists have argued "which style or discipline is best?". For years there has been little resolved until the UFC's first few tournaments. What I find ironic is even though we've learned so much from those first few tournaments in 'reality based' competition that the argument has still found a way to resurface and remain strong.

I've noticed in magazines and online that 'traditional' martial artists still love to claim the lock on usable 'real' skills and abilities. Somehow they're 'deadly' techniques are the best and there is no way a 'sport' guy could even hope to hang with them...I completely disagree.

The history of martial arts in particular, Judo, was instrumental in creating a way for martial artists to train full power in moves that were less debilitating (generally speaking) and allowed for a martial artist to more fully develop their skills. The 'deadly' or 'lethal' techniques never went away from the art. The 'sport' was still based in MARTIAL skills.

That being said in my own experience "The Rules Make the Game". Whether you're fighting for points, trophies or your life, the rules make the game. Combat at its essence is still combat. There may be more or less dangers and some trained responses from one art or 'sport' may not transfer as well to another. However here are the advantages of a 'sport' guy vs. a 'traditional' martial artist:

1. Real time experience with full power techniques and full resistance. This is critical in real encounters. How many times have you heard 'it has to be instinctual'? How does a technique or principle become instinctual if you never get to actually use full power or experience full power against you? Without a real time resisting opponent how will you deal with one on the street? My experience with athletes is that those who experience dealing with pressure and resistance eventually come to find ways to execute their game plans and techniques. Under high stress circumstances this is of utmost importance. Execution becomes paramount.

2. Superior Conditioning. 'Sport' guys quickly learn that conditioning can be one of your greatest allies or one of your worst enemies. Without it you won't last long and your execution will be sloppy at best. With it you stand a great chance of executing your technique and game plan and coming out on top. Let's be honest few people want to face the ugly monster of conditioning. The 'sport' guy at least understands the value of it and is conditioning in order to compete. Conditioning not only allows you to execute your technique it allows you the energy to defend and recover more quickly from your opponent's attacks.

3. Game Plan and Strategy. Traditional martial arts constantly talk about strategy and philosophy. Sport guys actually do it. There is no greater way to develop your strengths than to actually have them tested against those of your opponent. When your opponent is out to defeat you while you're simultaneously trying to do the same you will experience many setbacks and reality checks. Sometimes you will be exposed to your true weaknesses and lack of skill or strategy. This is one of the greatest advantages that the 'sport' guy has...he learns, evaluates and improves on regular basis.

All that being said each and every martial art or 'combat sport' will have something to offer. In real situations the advantage goes to the one who establishes dominance first. The ones who are prepared mentally to deal with pressure situations and still execute will prevail. This is the bottome line.

Home Workout: Guard Work with a Heavy Bag

2011-01-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

If you're like a lot of BJJ practitioners you're probably wishing you had more of one very important thing....time to train. Here is a great workout you can do in 15 minutes at home with a heavy bag to develop your guard. I show guard drills, arm lock drills, and even some striking. These drills help a lot because they are simple yet super effective movements that the majority of practitioners either gloss over or skip altogether. Training your body to efficiently perform these movements on a daily or every other day basis will improve your guard game in less than a month!

See the video here!

BJJ Black Belt Brandon Ruiz on Goal Setting for Jiu-Jitsu

2011-01-19T22:53:00.000-07:00

BJJ Black Belt Brandon Ruiz on Goal Setting for Jiu-Jitsu
January 19, 2011

by Daniel Mower

Goals have only been marginally successful for me in the past. I always saw them as a list of wishes…nice things to aim for that could possibly happen if I was lucky and didn’t get distracted.

The notion that goals can help you improve your Brazilian jiu-jitsu sounds cool. But goals, like Brazilian jiu-jitsu, work based on principles and techniques. Until you understand the techniques, setting goals is just that…wishful thinking that will end in failure.

Brandon Ruiz is what I would call a “black belt goal setter.” I was introduced to Brandon through my coach, Dave Johnson. Both are BJJ black belts under the Machado flag in Utah. Despite family and work requiring much of his time, Brandon has been a very successful competitor, particularly in no-gi, winning numerous tournaments (most recently at Pancrase and NAGA in 2010). He attributes that success in competition to setting and reaching goals.

The goal-setting techniques Brandon has taught me in the last few months have changed the way I train for the better. I don’t know a single BJJ practitioner (especially a beginner) who doesn’t want to improve at Brazilian jiu-jitsu. And if learning to set goals can speed that process up, who wouldn’t want to at least hear about it?

Click here to read more!

A Boxing Legend: Gene Fullmer

2011-01-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

This week my family and I went to The Gale Center of History and Culture in South Jordan, Utah. There were lots of great exhibits for the kids about local Utah and South Jordan/West Jordan history. It was all very nice and interesting but the most exciting thing for me was the exhibit featuring the Fullmer brothers (Gene, Don, and Jay) and their boxing exploits. There was a nice video that talked about their fights and even included some fight footage. Gene was a great Middleweight Champion from the 1950's and 60's era of boxing. He beat the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson to win his first world title. He then lost the title back to Robinson. Later he beat Carmen Basilio for his second world title and successfully defending it 13 times!

The brothers were all very accomplished fighters and won numerous awards and titles. Don beat Emile Griffith to win the American Middleweight title and had 78 professional fights. Jay was a promising welterweight and had 27 professional fights before suffering a career ending injury.

It was exciting to see a group of brothers from a working class family accomplish so much in their craft. It also hits home that you don't need to have all the fancy trimmings in order to work your way to the top. Truly inspiring!

Home Grappling Conditioning #2: How to use the Ten Basic Drills to improve your Grappling

2011-01-08T22:27:00.005-07:00

Now that you have a good grasp on the drills that you should be using here are a few quick ideas to help get you started developing your own training sessions with them.

First you will need to find a suitable size area where you can do both ground and standing drills.

Second determine which areas you want to focus on the most. If you can’t decide you can simply do them all and then adjust your focus as you get a better feel for where you are weakest.

Third choose your workout format. Will you do a set and rep type workout or would you rather work through a series of timed rounds? I find that the set and rep workout is better for pure skill development while the timed rounds are great for a combination of skill development and conditioning. Again if you have a hard time choosing just pick which sounds best to you. I have included examples for both in this article.

Ten Basic Drills to improve your Grappling
1. Bridging (Neck and Shoulder)
2. Shrimp
3. Elbow Sit Up
4. Technical Standup
5. Granby Roll
6. Pendulum Swing
7. Sprawl/Burpee
8. Squats
9. Lunges/Level Changes
10. Stance Footwork

Set and Rep Workout (sets are listed first, reps are listed second)
1. Bridging
a. Neck 2 x 15
b. Shoulder 2 x15 to each side
2. Shrimp 3 x 15 to each side
3. Elbow Sit Up 2 x15 to each side
4. Technical Standup 2 x10 to each side
5. Granby Roll 2 x10 to each side
6. Pendulum Swing 2 x15 to each side
7. Sprawl/Burpee 2 x 10
8. Squats 2 x 50
9. Lunges/Level Changes 2 x10 to each side
10. Stance Footwork 2 x 2 directions

Timed Rounds Workout: 3 – 5 rounds
(1 Round = Perform 5 - 10 repetitions of each exercise over a 3 minute period with 1 minute of rest before your next round)
1. Bridging (Neck and Shoulder)
2. Shrimp
3. Elbow Sit Up
4. Technical Standup
5. Granby Roll
6. Pendulum Swing
7. Sprawl/Burpee
8. Squats
9. Lunges/Level Changes
10. Stance Footwork

Working on your skills in this manner not only allows you to get better at the basics but increase your specific strength and conditioning levels. I have found that this type of training is much more effective than other forms of cross training as it is extremely sport specific. I hope these suggestions help you on your quest for grappling greatness.

Click here to see the drills in action!

Home Grappling Conditioning #1: Ten Basic Drills to improve your Grappling

2011-01-08T22:27:00.002-07:00

The following drills are very important parts of developing solid basic skills for grappling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Each one has a specific purpose and I can’t think of too many matches where they are not necessary. By incorporating these into your workouts at the BJJ academy and most importantly at home your grappling skills will improve dramatically.

In my personal quest for grappling greatness I have tried to simplify as much as possible by asking: What are the most important skills? What skills and positions show up in every match? What is the most basic and obvious solution to the problem?

These questions help me keep my mind focused on executing the little things and the basic skills consistently. If find that in today’s world of “cyber experts” one has to boil the art down to its most essential components. With so many different fancy techniques out there practitioners can easily become addicted to learning techniques and never grasp the basic principles behind them.

These are my top ten drills for making rapid and consistent improvements in grappling. There is always room for improvement in these drills regardless of if you’re a white belt beginner or a seasoned world class fighter.

Ten Basic Drills to improve your Grappling

1. Bridging (Neck and Shoulder)
2. Shrimp
3. Elbow Sit Up
4. Technical Standup
5. Granby Roll
6. Pendulum Swing
7. Sprawl/Burpee
8. Squats
9. Lunges/Level Changes
10. Stance Footwork

I hope this helps you on your quest for grappling greatness.

Click here to see the drills in action!

Home Grappling Workout

2011-01-03T21:50:00.001-07:00

Have you been a white belt forever? For the last 5 years you can’t seem to beat anybody because you don’t have time to train? Do you work odd hours that don’t let you get to the gym? Man that sucks…

I’m going to show you new ways to train and develop your game so that you don’t have to worry about making it to the gym just to get on the mats. There’s so much you can do at home, you won’t even believe it! You don’t need a lot of equipment or a big investment. It will help you get better in your top and bottom game and I’ll even throw in a few tips about how to get better at takedowns.

To Read More Click Here!

Watch the video!

Body Slam! Grappling Conditioning Basic Workout

2010-12-30T11:41:00.002-07:00

Body Slam! Grappling Conditioning Basic Workout

Body Slam can be followed as part of a daily routine, every other day, or as you feel best for your specific grappling conditioning needs, style, and system. You may also simply choose to implement a few exercises here and there in your current grappling conditioning programs. Below are some example exercises and a basic structure for a complete Body Slam! workout. Studying the exercises on the DVD will help in your ability to maneuver and control your training partner. Remember to alternate back and forth, as soon as you finish one set your partner does one and then you go again and so on.

Grappling Conditioning Basic Workout
Gymnastics and mat work: (pick 4 or 5)
Jogging, cart wheels, shoulder rolls, front rolls, bridging, shrimping, round offs, etc. along with stretching for a warm up.
The best way to do this: pick 4-5 exercises and do 5-10 reps of each and then stretch. This will get your joints and muscles ready to go.

Medicine Ball throws: (pick 2 or 3 from the DVD)
Up for height 2 sets of 5 throws
Down like a snap 2 sets of 5 throws

Body weight exercises: (pick 2 or 3 from the DVD)
Squats 2 sets 25
Push-ups 2 sets of 25

Buddy Lifts: (Pick 5 or 6 exercises from the DVD)
Double Leg lift: 3 sets 5-10 reps
Single Leg lift: 3 sets 5-10 reps
Reverse lift: 3 sets 5-10 reps
Straddle lift: 3 sets 5-10 reps
Fireman’s Carry Squats or lunges: 3 sets 5-10 reps

Buddy Lifts (BL) and Body weight (BW) exercises
BL-Double Under-hooks: 4 Carries for distance (i.e. across length of training mats, down and back equals 1 rep)
BL-Piggy back: 4 Carries for distance
BL-Wheelbarrow: 4 Carries for distance
BW-Squats: 50-100 reps
BW-Push-ups: 50-100 reps
BW-Pull-ups: 20-30 reps
BW-Lunges: 2 sets of 10-15 reps

Partner Sit-ups and neck: (Pick 3- 5 exercises from the DVD)
Hands and knees/Legs in armpits: 2 sets 10 reps
Sit up while he stands (your legs locked): 2 sets 10 reps
Flip over w/ partner: 10 reps
4 Way Neck: 10 reps each side

Start with the gymnastics, mat work and medicine ball throws as part of your warm up drills and stretching routine. Then begin the buddy lifts. After you have done your buddy lifts you can incorporate as few or as many of the body weight exercises as you like but if you do too many before your buddy lifts then you will lose out on a lot of your “pop” and power in your buddy lifts. This is a basic recommendation so feel free to be creative and try to gear your workout towards your individual needs.

This workout will take about 45 minutes to an hour depending on how many exercises you choose and also depending on your rest times. A good rule of thumb to remember is that if you want to make the workout more explosive then do more sets with fewer reps and longer rest times.

If you want to make the workout more endurance oriented then do fewer sets with more reps. You can also increase the number of exercises for the same effect.

The great thing about this type of workout is that it requires very little equipment, only a partner and medicine ball, and can be done just about anywhere and anytime. If you don’t have a partner available you can also use a throwing dummy or heavy bag.

This workout is pretty intense so be ready for it. If you are starting out I would recommend doing the minimum number of exercises or even reducing numbers in half at first and then work your way up.

Have a great workout!

2010 NAGA World Champion

2010-12-24T17:48:00.005-07:00

December 18th my wife and I traveled to Forth Worth Texas so that I could compete in the 2010 NAGA Grappling World Championships. I was able to win the semifinal match with a front choke submission in the first minute! I won the final match by decision in a technical battle of positioning and conditioning. I had a great time competing and won a beautiful NAGA World Championship belt.

The event was huge with adults competing on Saturday and the kids competing on Sunday. There were literally thousands of people in attendance between competitors and spectators. NAGA puts on a great event and their staff is great to work with. Their events are quickly becoming one of my new favorites to compete in.

Preparing for the event I incorporated a lot of the things I talk about on my website. Specifically I had been focusing on a core group of techniques for the past six months. I also utilized Cross Fit style workouts to help my conditioning the last 4-6 weeks leading up to the tournament. I also used the bike inner tubes and swiss ball training like I usually do. To top it all off I wasn't without my game plan which was pretty simple and to the point. I made sure to write it down and keep it with me during the competition to help with the final pre-match mental preparations.

Here is a picture of me and my belts (UCE Grappling Championships on my waist, NAGA West Coast Championships on my left and NAGA World Championships on my right).

Zar MMA and Champion Challenge XV

2010-11-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a good one for Team Machado Utah and Kingdom Klub. We had Koffi Adzitso, our Welterweight phenom, fighting in the Zar MMA Fight Night on November 12, 2010. Koffi's opponent was Kevin Burns, a UFC veteran. Koffi came out strong and lit up Burns with his fast hands and power. Koffi cut Burns under the right eye with a left jab and a few seconds later cut him under the left eye with a right cross. Burns appeared dazed and confused and began throwing wide shots, Koffi countered beautifully and sent Burns down in flames. Koffi won by KO in the first round!

At the Champion Challenge XV Grappling tournament Team Machado Utah members Spencer Kutler and Brandon Ruiz competed and did well in their respective divisions. Spencer had two matches in which he worked on his skills and gained more mat time and experience. Spencer is improving and is looking to start making some break throughs soon. Brandon won both Gi and No-Gi Super Heavy Weight divisions.

In all it was a great weekend for our team! Plus I found a great new barbecue joint up in Layton called Holy Smoke BBQ! Jeff, the owner was an awesome down to earth guy and I can't help but get a little emotional and excited that there is one more great BBQ joint in the world!

Grappling for Dummies

2010-10-27T10:26:00.000-06:00

If you're looking for a great way to supplement your grappling workouts look into getting a throwing or grappling dummy to train with at home. They are fairly easy to store, and you can drill as many times as you want! Check out my website for more on working out with dummies: http://www.grapplingcrossover.com/

Get ahead of 90% of your Grappling competition!!!

2010-10-25T10:05:00.001-06:00

If you want to get better than 90% of the Grappling competitors out there focus on the areas you know will present themselves in your Grappling match! Takedowns, Side Control, Passing the Guard, Mount, Back Mount, Guard are all positions that show up in every single Grappling or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu match. Rather than take time getting fancy get good at the basics in these main positions!

NAGA West Coast Championships

2010-10-18T22:02:00.001-06:00

Back in September I took a few of my students with me down to Las Vegas to compete in the NAGA West Coast Championships. Team Machado Utah/Kingdom Klub did very well! Jeramy Hunt-Loveless Gold and Bronze, Wes Kjar Silver, Koffi Adzitso Silver, Spencer Kutler (DNP), Brandon Ruiz Gold. We had a great time and got some great experience. We are now preparing for the Champion Challenge here in Utah in November!

Left to Right: Jeramy Hunt-Loveless, Wes Kjar, Koffi Adzitso, Spencer Kutler, Brandon Ruiz

RMBJJF 5th US National Cup

2010-10-18T12:54:00.003-06:00

RMBJJ 5TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CUP Team Grappler's Edge proved once again who the top Grappling Team in the region is by dominating the competition at the Rocky Mountain Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (RMBJJF)'s "5th Annual National Cup" held on Oct. 16, 2010 at Arvada High School, Arvada, CO.
Team Grappler's Edge entered 8 Competitors, and came home with 11 medals (and 8 of them GOLD)!!! Team Grappler's Edge Winners were: Jess Zobeck Adv -127 GOLD Leo Snow ADV -140 SILVER Brett Tellis ADV -150 SILVER Nick Marr ADV -167 GOLD Shane Cross ADV -182 GOLD Brandon Ruiz ADV +220 GOLD Nick Marr ADV -180 Absolute GOLD Brandon Ruiz ADV +180 Absolute GOLD Adrian Valenzuela BEG -150 SILVER Mike Trujillo BEG -182 GOLD Bret Tellis -150 (Gi) GOLD
CONGRATULATIONS TEAM... OUTSTANDING JOB!!!

Left to Right: Nick Marr, Jess Zobeck, Brandon Ruiz, Leonard Snow, Shane Cross

Interview

2010-10-15T11:40:00.002-06:00

I recently did an interview with Daniel Mower of www.arcanumbjj.com and we talked about some of my beginnings, some philosophy and the who has best brazilian jiu jitsu in MMA.

Here is part 1 of the interview: http://www.youtube.com/user/dmower397#p/u/1/YPGVQDoqA30

and part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/user/dmower397#p/u/0/ISa-GbA02zU

Now teaching and training at Kingdom Klub

2010-10-15T10:32:00.001-06:00

I'm now teaching and training at Kingdom Klub Gym up in Woods Cross Utah! It is an amazing facility! We have 6 full size tatami mats, kick bags, throwing dummies, and great locker & shower facilities. It is definitely a World Class facility! http://www.kingdomklub.com/

Greco Roman Wrestling for Cage Defense

2010-10-15T10:30:00.001-06:00

Check out this intro to cage defense. We use Greco Roman wrestling techniques to move and control against the cage.
http://www.youtube.com/user/RuizCombatGrappling#p/a/u/1/e8dyMRXc6ds

Roy Nash - National Champion Throwing the Dummy

2010-10-15T10:27:00.003-06:00

Check out one of our team's younger wrestlers! He is only 14 and already a Freestyle and Greco Roman National Champion (YES that is 2 National titles!). Here he is throwing the heck out of the dummy! (FYI it only took us 10 minutes to get him 'wired' right to throw...before we 'wired' him he was falling flat and splattering himself) Pretty good for a 10 minute rookie!!!
http://www.youtube.com/user/RuizCombatGrappling#p/a/u/0/Z6GS2JlC4NA

2010 Pancrase World Championships

2010-04-07T21:40:00.005-06:00

This year's tournament was fun as always. I was able to bring my family along with me to Colorado...its like a homecoming of sorts. Our oldest daughter Cheyenne was born in Colorado Springs and we still have many friends there. It was a great trip. I won my division at the tournament winning by submissions.

I also had a really cool foot lock submission that I learned from Jake Shannon, Catch as Catch Can Wreslting ambassador and http://www.scientificwrestling.com/ founder. Its pretty sweet and won me a match as you can see from the photo. As you can see its pretty painful when applied correctly.

Team Grappler's Edge - 2010 Pancrase Submission Wrestling World Champions!

2009 FILA WORLDS

2009-12-17T21:53:00.005-07:00

December 12, I competed in the 2nd FILA Grappling World Championships tournament. I was able to advance to another finals appearance and bring home another silver medal. The United States Grappling team won the team title in the Men's and Women's No-Gi Grappling as well as the Men's and Women's titles in Gi Grappling. I felt very fortunate and blessed to have the opportunity to represent the U.S. and this time here in Florida!

This year has been a struggle with two new babies and a three year old daughter to tend to, plus working full time and other side projects, not to mention getting injured at the end of September at another tournament. I had planned on competing in the FILA Grappling World Team Trials but was unable to because of the injury. I was however able to petition for a spot on the team...this was on November 16! Just getting to this tournament was an amazing miracle for me! I was so ecstatic when I advanced past Brazil, submitted France, and submitted Spain on the way to the finals! I thought that for sure I would be champion! I lost my finals match in a competitve decision loss. All in all I felt good about my overall performance and under the above circumstances it is a miracle to even have been competing!

I enjoyed being at "home" in the U.S. and winning another world medal and being part of my second world championship team. I understand that we may be receiving championships rings from the U.S. Grappling commitee. It's all very exciting! After years and years of sacrifice and struggle and wondering if I would ever get my shot at world level teams and medals here I am for my second year living the dream and seeing them become reality. It is definetly an experience of a life time!

Family Movie

2009-09-05T09:06:00.001-06:00

2008 FILA Worlds

2009-09-05T08:31:00.003-06:00

Altitude Fitness & Combat Sports

2009-06-23T15:47:00.000-06:00

Utah’s newest martial arts gym will be opening July 1st 2009!

Altitude Fitness & Combat Sports is a gym dedicated to the teaching and promotion of the grappling arts; namely Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Catch As Catch Can Wrestling, Olympic and Folkstyle wrestling.

Altitude Fitness & Combat Sports head instructors are:

Brandon Ruiz is; a Machado Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, Grappling World Champion and BJJ World medalist, and an accomplished international level Greco Roman wrestler.

Jake Shannon is; a Catch Wrestling Master, Krav Maga certified instructor, Cross Fit certified instructor, Shamrock Submission Fighting instructor, and owner/creator of the website www.scientificwrestling.com

Classes will start July 1st. Nightly class schedule is as follows:

Monday & Wednesday: Catch As Catch Can Wrestling 7:00-8:30pm
The class will cover drills, games, conditioning and instruction for the perfection of techniques of Catch as Catch Can style wrestling.

Tuesday & Thursday: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 7:00-8:30pm (8:00-8:30pm Open Mat)
The class will cover instruction, drills, and live sparring/application of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Grappling techniques and principles.

Single Discipline Membership $75 a month
All Access Membership $97 a month

Altitude Fitness & Combat Sports is located at:

27 N. 800 W.
Salt Lake City, UT 84116

Check out our website at:
http://www.altitudeslc.com

2008 FILA Grappling World Championships

2009-03-10T16:00:00.008-06:00

In December of 2008 I traveled to Lucerne, Switzerland for the first FILA Grappling World Championships. FILA is the official World Wide governing body for Olympic wrestling. FILA put on their first official World Championship in which I won a SILVER MEDAL in the 125 KG division!

I defeated Bulgaria and France with Rear Naked Chokes, defeated Canada by a narrow 1-0 decision and lost a 5-1 decision to U.S. team mate Jeff Monson. It was a very exciting tournament! I felt that I performed very well!

There were 26 or 28 countries that participated. Our United States team won the team championships in both No-Gi and Gi divisions. It was an honor and a great blessing to have been able to compete and experience such a large scale and prestigious event!

The weekend before I also earned my Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Jeff Kunze in the Machado system. Jeff earned his black belt from Rigan Machado.

You can also see my finals match against Jeff Monson, at my friend and U.S. team mate Ricky Lundell's World Championships blog. http://2008filaworlds.blogspot.com/

World Bronze Medalist

2008-06-09T21:39:00.002-06:00

This past weekend I won a Bronze medal in the Brown Belt Ultra Heavy Weight Division at the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Championships!!! It was an awesome experience! I had a ton of fun being there with my wife and little girl. We had some spare time to check out a few fun things in Long Beach too while we were there.

I had a couple good matches on the way to the bronze medal. I also was able to see more of what the "next level" for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is all about. I have a long way to go but I think its reachable. I hope to keep on winning medals and improving my technique as I work my way to my black belt.

In my division I had a nice submission win over a tough opponent (Lalo Salazar) and then lost a decision to Gustavo Dias.

In the Absolute Division I won with a submission over an athlete from Finland (I used a Kimura Arm Lock), then won by advantage point over a Brazilian, and then lost to Kayron Gracie by submission just two matches shy of the medal rounds. It was a much better experience than I had last year losing one and done.

Now that I have medalled at Pan Ams and Worlds in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu I am looking forward to winning those tournaments in the years to come. I am grateful the Lord has blessed me to be able to compete and do the things that I enjoy and feel that I need to do in life. It has been awesome to be winning again!

Fighting Spirit

2008-03-22T14:24:00.003-06:00

The Pancrase World Submission Wrestling Championships was a great time for me and my family. I had been having some problems with my back over the last few weeks and it hurt so bad it was killing me.

The first match I had out there was against an athlete that looked like nothing physically and I thought I would run through him...DOH!!! So after I had taken him down and a few seconds later I was tapping out to a knee bar. I was shocked! I couldn't believe I had just lost my division! Especially to a physically inferior opponent! I then got more mad and focused than I have in years and choked my opponent for 3rd and 4th in under 30 seconds which won me 3rd place.

I had to stand with the other competitors and receive my 3rd place medal...I walked over to where my wife and girl were talking with a friend and I threw my medal down on my gear...I was even more mad after I won 3rd...and more focused on DESTROYING any and all opponents in my way to the Absolute title. Throwing my medal was very uncharacteristic and I'm usually as graceful and humble in defeat as in victory...but today was different. Something inside me decided it was time to fight and fight hard.

In the Absolute division I submitted (with a one arm smother choke) my first opponent in less than 2 minutes. Then I submitted (with a Kimura armlock) my second opponent in about the same time. Then in the finals match I defeated my last opponent on points...I had a chance for a submission but my aggravated back didn't allow me the flexibility I needed to finish it.

I was awarded a HUGE trophy, a nice medal, AND, the tournaments OUTSTANDING GRAPPLER award!!! It was an awesome experience and I am so glad that I was blessed with the seemingly NEGATIVE outcomes and circumstances that forced me to REACT and ACT in a way that was necessary for me to succeed and win the title that I REALLY wanted. Sometimes the LORD works like that and sometimes we have to be willing and ready to pick our self up and take another shot as soon as we can. It was an awesome feeling to comeback and overcome and be the champion for the whole tournament and outstanding grappler. It was even sweeter that my little family was there with and for me.

I am now able to have the title of WORLD CHAMPION!!!

"KING OF COMBAT GRAPPLING"!!!

2008-03-19T09:56:00.001-06:00

March 15th I won my FIRST World Championship!!! I won the Pancrase World Championships of Submission Wrestling. I won the title of "KING of Combat Grappling"!!! Pretty exciting! I will write more when I get a chance. It was a great weekend and great blessings!!!

Pancrase..."World" Championships

2008-03-07T15:36:00.002-07:00

I will be competing in the Pancrase Submission Wrestling "World" Championships on March 15th. We will be taking the trip to Denver, Colorado. It was formerly called the North American Championships...which I won 3 out of the last 4 years. I am hoping to win this tournament and have some fun in the process.

Wrestling Training

2008-02-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

Training has been improving at UCTC. We have a few more bodies to train with. More bigger guys to train with and its getting fun! I am having better workouts and hope things keep going well.

Planning on a training trip to Canada soon...hopefully. Read an article on www.themat.com about my training partner Ari Taub.

Here is a link: http://www.themat.com/index.php?page=showarticle&ArticleID=18177

Hope it works...DOH!!!

Pancrase in 15 Days!!!!!

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training

2008-02-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

Training has been going well. Getting in shape and ready for the Pancrase Championships in Denver, Colorado.

Also getting ready for Greco Roman Nationals which qualifies for Olympic Team Trials in June.