Tuesday 12 April 2011

De La Riva UK Trip Round up - 12.4.11

Wow!!! My head is still buzzing!! What a week. As you guys know, 6th Degree Black Belt Master Ricardo De La Riva came to the UK to share his knowledge with us for a week. The week went all too quickly and he returned to Brazil today with his student 4th Degree Blackbelt Marcello Vanusa. The Master was hosted by Roger Gracie Black belt Nick Brooks and myself, and indeed it was only because of his very close relationship with Nick that he agreed to come over. He taught a series of daytime and evening classes at Mill hill BJJ as well as the 2 seminars on the 9th & 10th April 2011. Some pracitioners were lucky enough to get private classes from him and i'm sure the lessons everyone learnt will stick with them for a long long time. Whilst here he was interviewed by the UK's newest specialist Martial Arts/BJJ publication Jiujitsu Style and I know that he will appear in that magazine in due course. In addition, I filmed a series of techniques with him as well as a series of techniques with Marcello Vanusa which will appear on my blog once edited etc. Look out for them because they contain some really really nice and new stuff including his 'new' variation of the DLR guard which was adjusted to counter peoples knowledge of the guard and how to counter it. Last night he gave a class at a packed Mill Hill BJJ, which was then followed by the mandatory rolling. During his trip I got to roll with many different people of all levels and that was great fun. It was good to see BJJ School's own Leoni Munslow and a roll with her showed why she is one of the best in the UK in her division. I want to thank Nick for agreeing to share the experience with me as well as the DLR BJJ he has been studying for some considerable time both here and in Brazil. David Soares for all his translation help and everyone else involved in his trip behind the scenes. If any one is interested in learning more about Master De La Riva's approach to BJJ, feel free to contact Nick Brooks or me. As I say guys.....Watch this space :)

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