No Gi training with the crew @ HQ

Excellent stuff...........thanks guys :)

ADCC 2011

If you don't know who they are.....you really shouldn't ask.......but yes..........I did get to shake Rickson's hand,........ooooooeeeeeiiiiiiiii :)

Tatami Twins....terrible two....beauty and the beast....what ever you wanna call us....

........the excellent work put into us twice weekly by our strength and conditioning coach Andy Marshall is paying off!!!

Hehehehehe!!!

When Black Belts unite........16.9.11

Great training with the Guro Bob Breen Blackbelts new and old................We trained advanced aspects of the knife as well as foot sectoring and sweeps from Guro Dan's Maphilindo Silat.

A great way to set up your weekend :)

MMA students try their hand at Filipino Stick fighting - 13.9.11

The MMA class at Mill Hill BJJ Academy had no idea what hit them when they turned up for their regular MMA class.

I introduced them to the training methods of the Filipino stick fighters which directly crosses over into the regular striking seen in boxing and other striking arts.

They also found out that stick training is actually far more exhausting than they thought as they quickly built up a sweat and developed some blisters on their hands, but they certainly seemed to enjoy the idea and concept of swinging big sticks :)

New CFS BJJ Manchester Blue Belt - James Stafford - September 2011

Congratulations to James on his promotion to Blue Belt. It was given to him following recommendation by Manchester Head Instructor Martyn Cahill and well deserved by all accounts.

Well done ;)

Bob Breen Academy - Black Belt Grading - 11.9.11 - Report

Julian Getting choked out by Winston Fraser just before he got hit again...

Rich Lee getting pounded in 2 on 1 by 2007 Blackbelts Corey Donoghue and Lloyd Walters.......

The Happy Group with the Guro

Sunday 11th September was an important day internationally for a number of reasons an indeed it was also for the 12 participants selected to take the infamous Bob Breen Academy Black Belt test.

Let me begin by giving you a little bit of history about the test and what it invloves.

In order to be able to take the test, you will ordinarily have been training with Guro Breen for several years and have taken the tests at the previous levels. There are 2 at Brown belt level. The test is normally reserved to those who are class members but on the odd occasion Guro will allow students who train with him on his instructor camps and who have shown the appropriate level of skill, determination and heart to test. Taking and passing this test gives you the right to say you are a personal student of Guro Breen and hence claim lineage back to Guro/Sifu Dan Inosanto and SiGung Bruce Lee.

The main arts taught at The Academy are :

1. 
   
   Filipino Martial arts


2. 
   
   Jun fan gung fu/JKD concepts


3. 
   
   Boxing


4. 
   
   Muay Thai
   

In addition techniques and strategies are also drawn from

1. 
   
   Silat


2. 
   
   Wing chun


3. 
   
   Combat submission Wrestling


4. 
   
   BJJ
   

It is because of this, it normally takes along time to reach the level suitable for testing.

The test itself is HARD and long, typically lasting 4-5 hours. You need to know your stuff and you need to be in shape. The test respects no one. Men, women, old and young are all treated equally. If you have any weaknesses....they will be exposed...whether you knew they pre existed or not.

There are technical elements tested:

Padwork - Boxing and Muay Thai

Empty hands techniques - Kali & JKD

Trapping - Wing Chun/Jun Fan

Weaponry - single & double stick, knife

Then there is sparring:

1. 
   
   Boxing


2. 
   
   Kickboxing


3. 
   
   Stick


4. 
   
   Grappling


5. 
   
   2 on 1
   
   

*you may spar in all areas or some but must be prepared for all at the direction of Guro Breen.

2 on 1 is a heartbreaker. There is no where safe to hide from the experienced Black Belts who seemingly push you beyond your limit.

The Muay Thai padwork is not for the faint hearted either especially when you are 'worked' over by 2 x European Muay Thai champ Winston Fraser or Long term Black Belt and student of Guro Inosanto, Savash Mustafa.

On the day....

The twelve called...answered and were successful. All were tested, rocked, pushed but came through the other side as individuals and as a group. The oldest participant was 49 years of age who told me he had been training 5 times a week for the past 6 months and was now going to take it a bit easy and cut it down to 4 times a week......Class!!

First of all I give praise to Guro Breen for his leadership and training over the past 30 plus years. Anybody who is anybody in JKD/Kali in the UK has been taught by him at some point. Secondly I praise the group for their hard work and entertaining the spectators. Thirdly I am extremely proud of Husna Nessa (the only female), Richard Lee and Barry Harte all of whom I have had a hand (or arm) in training over the years.

In closing....I say what I have said many times before in the past....attaining the Black Belt is fantastic, but it is ONLY the beginning. It all starts from here, as did mine in October 1996. Where will you be in 10 years time?!!

Oooooossssss!!!

Good times......

It was good to get a visit to 'HQ' from Blue Belt Coach (and 2 time European Champion Steve Payne) and a couple of his students. It was the first time his students got to roll with a purple & Black belt. Great to have them time and as we say.......Good times :)

Technique of the month - September 2011 - Special Bonus Video - Mestre Ricardo De La Riva

This is a special bonus technique and one not to be missed. The Mestre does what he does best and shows an innovative way to deal with a person who tries to counter a reverse DLR sweep by standing up.

Enjoy!!!