[First published in 2008. Scroll all the way down for plain text.]
Alexandre Ribeiro, 27 years old, could not be left out as
one of the greatest examples of how the teachings of
the gentle art lead to a successful life and well-being.
Saulo Ribeiro’s younger brother thought of giving it all
up in the past after a few disappointments, but couldn’t resist
for long and answered his brother’s call. Back, he applied himself
and won everything. A devotee of Álvaro Romano’s ginástica
natural, Xande left chilly Ohio in search of a better quality of life
in sunny San Diego, where he set up Jiu-Jitsu University, together
with Saulo. During a brief stop-through in Rio de Janeiro,
Xande didn’t hesitate in showing a week’s worth of exercises and
positions derived from a beautiful leg-move from the guard. In
doing so he counted on another GRACIE Magazine Association
member, Regis Lebre.
Important: The aim of this article is to allow the reader to
train with a group of friends or make suggestions to the instructor
on how to improve the level of the students. It should
be clear that nobody can do this alone; nor is it our goal to
change the traditional structure of the class. So this training
should be done in a group, at an alternate time. Train hard.
DAY 1
Exercise 1 – Seated, keep your left leg bent backwards
and the right one bent forwards. Next, extend the left leg.
Then extend the left leg and bend the right. The exercise
ends with the right leg bent backwards and the left leg bent
forwards.
Exercise 2 – Seated, keep the right leg bent backwards
and the left leg bent forwards. Next, bring the right leg
forwards and extend the left leg as well. With the left
extended, bend the right leg. Next, bring the left leg
backwards.
DAY 2 / Repeat exercises 1 and 2
Exercise 3 – With your back to the ground, keep your legs
raised and slightly bent. Next, raise your body till supported
on the upper part of your back, with your legs raised high in
the air. Then, return to the initial position.
Exercise 4 – With your back to the mat, keep your arms
away from your body and legs raised. Use the support of your
arms to raise your body. Next, spread your legs and tilt your
body to the right and then lay your belly on the ground. End
the position seated.
DAY 3 / Repeat exercises 1 and 2
Exercise 5 – With your back to the ground, and help from a
training partner, position your legs like in an open-guard. Start
the movement, hooking your training partner’s left ankle with
your right arm while slipping your hip to the left. Complete the
spin to the right on your knees beside your adversary’s left leg,
which remains hooked. Return to the initial position with a roll
and repeat the exercise to the opposite side.
position 1 – With your adversary in your closed-guard, and
grips on both sleeves, release the grip on the right sleeve, swap
grips on the left sleeve to your left hand and hook your opponent’s
left ankle with your right arm. Meanwhile, lift your hips
and apply rightward pressure. Next, pass your legs over your
adversary’s head and trap his left arm. Cross your legs, setting
up the omoplata and obliging your adversary to land on his knees
with his arm trapped. To squeeze out the hold, raise your torso
holding your adversary’s belt. To finish, spread your legs and
apply pressure on your opponent’s arm.
DAY 4 / Repeat exercises 1 and 2
position 2 – As in position 1, switch grips on the sleeves
and hook your adversary’s left ankle. Raise your legs and hips
and pass your legs over your opponent’s head. Once again,
trap your opponent’s left arm with your legs and grip the
sleeve and put him off balance. Holding the left leg and arm,
turn with him, putting his back to the mat. End the position
in the mount.
DAY 5 / Repeat exercises 1 and 2
position 3 – As with the two previous positions, switch
grips on your adversary’s sleeves and hook the left ankle.
When your opponent raises his upper body to defend the
omoplata, do the move from exercise 5 and get up, bringing
your adversary’s left leg with you. Next, grab your adversary’s
lapel and flip your opponent, putting his back to
the mat. Don’t let go of the trapped leg or arm and end the
move with your knee on his belly.
WEEKEND
A Pointer ON getting a better command of this system is to
write down the sequences and do an evaluation of your performance
during the training session. Thus one better identifies which situations
need greater work and what questions should be answered.
Use the last day to have your questions answered and do the positions
not yet entirely assimilated over again. Eating right and getting
enough rest are also important recommendations. Train hard!