Ok, it’s gonna be quick as I don’t have much time. Firstly thanks heaps to Mike and Glen for allowing me to crash their party. It’s a shame we didn’t get more time together but it was John’s gig and no doubt we’ll hit the mats sometime together. Great to finally meet you guys. Also nice to meet Myk.

Anyway, got a lift to the airport with Chirs (when he found the right house that is) and made good time to Auckland. Hung at the airport waiting for Glen and John to arrive, had some food (I think) while we were waiting and caught up on all the goss with Chris.

When Glen arrived we chatted a bit and Johns flight landed shortly after. Headed into Auckland and across the bridge, stopped for coffee at Starbucks then onto the venue. Good size group made up of a cross-section of students with some competent grapplers and some not so competent. About 30 in on the mat, including Ken Dunstan, who is in Auckland for a couple of years for work. While Ken is there he is giving Geln and Mike some guidance which will be invaluable for them. The seminar was in a church hall with standard gym type mats, that separated at the slightest touch, so lots of gaps appearing during the session.


John covered some of the same stuff he did last time with the GSW crew but no in as much detail and depth. Some great half-guard stuff, encouraging the group to start using their feet and legs to solve more problems.

From there we headed to Michael Fooks session in Howick. This one was held in a Judo club with lots of space and a well-matted area. In this session John covered the Basic sweeps and the first 4 arm bars. John then put them together in a couple of very cool drills. Good group of about 20 on the mat. A much more even spread of skill this time and also with the content being easier the seminar flowed very well, allowing John to cover a lot of stuff in the 3 hours.



From there Glen dropped John and I back to Queen St and we grabbed some food and then crashed like a couple of old me at 8,30pm. How sad is that? Next morning we met with Ian Waite his partner Paula and Fari Salievski ( an associate from Sydney).



Fari was over from Aus for the MAIA conference in Wellington. We had breakfast and chatted and I must admit that I was very intimidated as these are people who run huge schools and have some very good ideas about progressing and growing them. I hit it off whit Fari very quickly (once I got past the hair – ask Jill) and just listening to them all talk gave me some great insights. Also John and Fari are good friends and that’s good enough for me.

Ian and Paula then drove us all down to Hamilton for the seminar at 1.00pm. A smaller group this time and very new to the ground game. It made a good contrast to the Michael Fooks session in that Mikes guys and girls are competent on the ground and just wanted to start at the beginning, even though they now a lot of what John showed them the were willing to start again and get it right.

With Paula’s crew it was clear they we still not confident on the mat so the session, while essentially the same as Mikes, was done at a much slower pace with less covered. Having said that though, by the end of the session everyone was much further along in their approach to the skills being taught and they have set themselves well for the next seminar. Paula’s school is fantastic! Very professional and full of equipment. A great set of mirrors and lots of seating for people/parents to observe the classes. Really nice. One of the highlights was watching Fari (White belt) grapple with John. Fari’s style is enthusiastic (read energiser bunny) and watching him walk into the same sub (far arm bar / up and crush from side control) was very entertaining. Fari is fearless and keen for all the information he can get!



We then all piled into the car for the trip back to Auckland and my flight home. It was on the way back that I got a grilling from everyone in the car about the way I administer my classes. (Badly) I got some great advise that I will implement as the club is successful physically but not at all financially. So some stuff will change and other stuff will just be administered better. Either way the trip in the car and the advise was worth the price of the airfare.

Now a couple of pieces of advice. When John says stop… STOP. There was a lot of “I’ll just finish what I’m doing” going on. Not good, John has information to pass on, if your dicking around you’re missing out. Don’t call him bro or Mate. J (long story..) Ask questions. The questions give John an indication of where the session is progressing. If no one asks questions then the assumption is that your struggling to cope with the info you’ve been given. Ask for more, question something you don’t understand or something your partner does when going live.

Going live is the term were adopting for any session where we need active, intelligent (NOT belligerent) input from our partner.. Go Live.. Remember it.

One thing that stood out is the fact that we have a mature mat. Not a better mat but a mat that has some knowledge.. Use it think things through. Everyone on the mat has the basic skills required and as a whole we have a fantastic crew. Be proud of what you’ve achieved.

Thanks all for now I’ll post some pics if I get time. See you on the mat.

Not the full results! Someone else can do that job! But here's how the boys from GSW got on.

Phil wins: Judges decision scored 2 rounds to 1

1st round a bit of an abortion.(Phil’s words)
2nd round controlled and took the guy down, mounted and striking away picking his shots but stood up by the ref?!? At this point it's a draw.
Round 3 all Phil’s, got mount and wailed away for the round taking it 2 too 1

Alex wins: r1 armbar!

Took his opponent down and ended up in guard so he stood up. Guy on the ground kicked out (illegal under the rules) and caught Alex square on the jaw but wasn't called on it.

So Alex fires up and crashes through his guard and secures the armbar. His opponent didn't tap and the ref didn't stop the fight so his opponent’s corner had to throw in the towel!!!! Alex says he mashed the guys arm bad!!

Huge congrats to Phil and Alex on their outstanding wins Thanks to Craig for looking after them in Tauranga and I know everyone is looking forward to hearing the stories from them on Monday!

Well done boys.

Well today is the big day for Alex and Phil. Both are currently in Tauranga for the MMA fights organized through Craig Rofe. Craig’s friend Rone approached him a few months ago about getting some of our guy’s into some friendly sparring at the club. Well it soon escalated into a full on MMA fight show.

Unfortunately the organisation didn’t seem to evolve as fast as the idea did. Hopefully the day will be well run and fair for everyone concerned, and the start of some good MMA fighting in NZ.

Alex has been training like a mad man and I really cannot see him having very much trouble in the ring tonight but there are always factors that will affect the boys in the ring. Phil has been erratic in attendance but has a solid game and has been training outside the club, working standup skills to help enhance his grappling base.

Best of luck to the boys and we at GSW are behind you 100%…

Sorry I know I would normally update tonight but I've run out of time.
Ive been working on the BJJ Australia Newsletter, trying to get it perfect. As it's for John I really need it to be right so it's taken longer than it rightfully should have.

To those of you subscribed ( www.bjj.com.au ) did you get it alright ? Did it come out ok? The news letter hasn't been sent for almost a year so I'm expecting a lot of returns, from bounced email addresses. Another headache. Anyway if anyone has feedback about the newsletter let me know please. :)

See you soon.

Having suffered loss in a very profound way, I now find myself questioning its long-term effects on me. I would have thought that going through that sort of trauma would harden you up. Unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be the case.

It’s amazing the sort of things that take over your mind in times of sadness. Having fare-welled Izi on Monday (and kept it together nicely) I found myself crying in the car on the trip home. Why? What was it that brought it on? And why was it so easy to break down, surely after all I’ve been through this really wasn’t a big thing.

Well I guess it was. Izi has been part of G.S.W. for a few years and as a result part of my life for that long as well. Before training took over so much of my time, I was able to help Izi move flat, I gave here rides home some nights and she was a fixture on the mat. So yes, I guess we were quite close. So it’s sad to see her go, even though she is still “around” we won’t seen her again for god knows how long.

So it got me thinking of all those people who have gone away or just disappeared, and why is it suddenly such a big deal? I mean in the Zen Do Kai days there were literary 100’s of people who passed through the “system” that I interacted with. And although I am friends with many of them still, they don’t mean half as much as the friends I’ve made through BJJ.

Why should that be?

Is it the passion I have for BJJ and GSW? I’m not sure, I know when I did Zen Do Kai I was as passionate and dedicated as I am now, so why is it different? I can only assume it’s something to do with the interaction on the mat. The way BJJ forces you into close contact with everyone you train with. Which in turn instantly makes everyone need to trust more, you literally place your well being in your partners hands. Is that it?

Could it be I’m just getting old and melancholy? Maudlin? Have the losses I’ve been through fundamentally changed the way I interact with the people around me? I know I’m less tolerant, is the balance to that the fact that I care more about those who I allow into my life?

I don’t know.

All I can say for sure is that right now at this time in my life, the people who I interact with and genuinely like have a profound effect on me in ways I have never before noticed. So yes it’s very sad to say goodbye to Izi. And Rodrigo, even though I’ve known him such a short time, I really like the guy. And yes it was sad to say goodbye to Ichi, at least I know I’m not alone on this one. (Ichi is something of a legend on the GSW mat, and is still talked about in hushed tones.)

It’s also sad that Jeremy has gone and Nick is absent, James at home in Bournemouth, Jimi and Chris in Auckland, Harry overseas visiting family, Dan tramping around the globe, in fact both Dan’s away on their adventures, our resident legend Jonny Bares. And the many more who have, for a short time, called GSW home and since gone on their way into the wide world.

Thoughts then turn to “who’s next”?? I know Melissa and Dion have plans to go, how will I cope without them? Ko has a major life changing time approaching and he’ll be gone for a long time (After we only just got him back) who else? And how will it affect me?

Really at the end though it’s not about who’s gone or going but who’s still here…

Those of us that keep plugging on, giving every spare moment that we can find to something that is quickly consuming our lives and thoughts day in and day out. Wondering to ourselves why do we keep going back for more?

The punishment, the sole-crushing sessions, the bruises, the aches and strains. The endless mind numbing questions from the ill informed.

”Wow, do you do Kung Foo??”
”I guess I shouldn’t mess with you”
”How did you get that bruise? – is everything alright at home?”
“So.. like… can you kill people with your bare hands?”

So why do we do it???

Everyone has their own reasons but I know a lot of them will be the same. But for me.. Well it’s the Izi’s and the Ichi’s and the Nick’s the Jeremy’s the Jonny’s the Alex’s the Kats the Melissa’s and Dion’s… and all the people who make the mat what it is. A fantastic place to train and come together with like-minded sadists!!!

So goodbye Izi!
Goodbye Rodrigo!
We miss you Ichi!
See you soon Jonny!
Good luck to everyone who has passed our way and remember, our mat is always open to you; you will always be part of the GSW team!!!!

Geoff