Rockford IL Jiu-Jitsu

Today was another great day at Core Combat Sports with the Core Ground Hogs. We started off the students with our normal routine of warm-ups. Then we dove right into class. The younger Ground Hogs, the “Honey Badgers”, started off a bit rough with their behavior so we took them on a “fun run” around the complex to bring them back into focus. After that, we started them off with a take down tournament which made me very proud to see how well they were doing. A special congratulations to Terrick and Jonathan on being awarded their very first stripes! And, as is tradition, they were given their “Hog piles”.

Today with the Core Ground Hogs we worked on some new things. Our ever growing class started off with the usual round of warm ups and then we shifted into the lesson. For our younger Ground Hogs we decided to teach them the proper way to walk while in a combat stance. The older Ground Hogs, learned a new version of a takedown that we had gone over in the past. Then at the end of class, some of our Ground Hogs were awarded their second or third stripes.

It’s been an awesome few weeks at Core Combat Sports with the Ground Hogs. We have had our longest standing student, Maddox, earn his yellow belt, stripes have been awarded, and our competition team just had their very first tournament Saturday. In regards to the tournament, our Ground Hogs have been training very hard and it paid off in full. All of our kids placed most going against their own team mates for 1st and 2nd place. It was a very good morning for all of them and we couldn’t be more proud of our Ground Hogs. We also can’t wait to see how much they will have improved by the next time they compete. Congratulations everyone!

Today was another glorious class with the Core Ground Hogs. Our class started off with the regular warm-ups. Then, we went straight in to live rolling. All the kids were doing wonderfully by applying everything that we’ve taught them. The Ground Hogs are having fun preparing for an upcoming tournament at the end of January.

Today was another fun class with the Core Ground Hogs. Class started off smoothly with our usual warm-ups then we started right in with class. Today we decided to seperate the older kids from the younger. The eldest Ground Hogs got to learn a new arm bar while the young Ground Hogs got to review our “Snap Down” takedown. After they got the grasp of that, we went into free rolling off of the takedown.

Today was a great day at Core Combat Sports with the Ground Hogs. For class, we reviewed the “Pull Guard” takedown we learned on Tuesday. Then, we added the “Snap Down” takedown. We also taught a new armbar from guard. To end class, we played a game of dogdeball. Congratulations to everyone who were presented another stripe and and extra congratulations to the Ground Hogs that recieved their very first stripes!

Today’s class started off with our warm-ups. Then we jumped right into class for our new lesson for a new takedown, Pulling Guard. The Ground Hogs got the hang of it pretty quickly and I’m sure that they will get better at using it and it will be a nice new edition to their takedowns. Then, we ended class with a game of Jitz football.

As I sit watching two Curran fighters sparring in a cage getting ready for a fight in two weeks, here enters a larger then life 5th degree Rickson belt – Luis “Limao” Heredia. Professor Heredia has over 30 years of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu experience and was hand picked by Rickson Gracie himself to help bring Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to the States. Professor Heredia had been in town with Professor Pedro Sauer for a seminar earlier in the year, hosted by UFC vet Jeff Curran and Curran Martial Arts. As it was, I was unable to make the event at the time. So when I saw professor Heredia was coming back, I knew I could not miss time. To my shock, the seminar was open to all BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) practitioners and it was FREE! What a great gift from Professor Heredia and Jeff Curran.Core Combat Sports was there headed by Tommy Woodruff and accompanied by Pauly Pretzer, Mario Rosales, and James Tyler
As any other seminar would go, Jeff the host of this seminar started with an introduction of Professor Heredia as warm-ups ensued. Shortly after performing a few different traditional Curran warm-ups, the Professor began the seminar from where most fights start, the feet. We went from a sequence of pummeling to pummeling with grabbing a leg and finally to pummeling trying to grab the leg and then your opponent shifting his leg back to a drop knee Ippon Seoi Nage (one-arm shoulder throw).

Patiently the Professor watched over us giving correction as needed and I believe we were doing something right because most of the mat space was taken up and no one was hurt performing the technique.

Next came a series of what I will call an off-center guard technique. The technique came from a conversation he and Master Rickson had on the beaches of Maui. It started as a “what-if” conversation and was developed into what was taught to us at the seminar. At this point of the seminar, the Professor asked that all video was to be stopped and I will honor that request by not going into detail right now because of how “Fresh” this technique was to Professor Heredia. But it is fair to say, once you master this technique, many transitions and submission will be afforded to those that put in the work to develop this technique into their game.

The seminar was coming to a close as it was only two hours long, but this is when the best and most inspiring bit of information came to fruition. This man that has put in over 30 years of non-stop training and who is considered an icon to the art said that “I may know over 1000 techniques, but my base is probably 5 go to moves and with these 5 moves, I got you”. He went on to say that it is good to see all that is out there and “try” to develop different techniques into your game, but if they don’t work for you, it’s ok. He stressed that you don’t have to be perfect in all things, but to pick and choose what works for you and be aware of what others may or may not try.

I found Professor Heredia very thoughtful throughout his teaching and inspiring; since he was 45 days past having knee surgery. Another caveat to Professor giving a free seminar was a very subtle praise of Jeff Curran and his expertise in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. It was good to see that someone of Professor Heredia’s lineage give praise to a more than deserving instructor!

If you would like to experience similar teachings of Professor Heredia and that of Jeff Curran, come in and experience it first hand at Core Combat Sports. Use the phrase “Professor Heredia” for a 30 day free trial.

Today at Core Combat Sports with the Ground Hogs, class started off as usual with the normal warm-ups. Then, we transitioned quickly into the class which we decided to make another free-style day in order to see where the kids are in their skills and to give them a taste of what competition looks and feels like. They were sprawling, guard-locking, and tripping legs with the best of them. To finish off class, we played a few rounds of dodgeball and Jiu-jitsu football.