Tournaments in 2009--Copa Nova

Competing in tournaments is good for several reasons. If you're rolling with the same people in class everyday, you may be getting better, but it's also possible that you just recognize their set ups and know how to avoid them. By going to tourmaments you will learn quickly if there are any holes in your game, especially from schools with different fighting styles. For example, if your school drills a lot of techniques with the rubber guard, how will you adapt when faced with someone who has been training mostly with the spider guard? Or butterfly guard? Or X guard? How about a former wrestler?

It looks like the first local tournament will be in a few weeks. The Copa Nova BJJ Tournament will be on Saturday January 24, 2009 in Ashburn VA. I wasn't able to make it to last year's event, but a few people in our club made it out there and reported that it was well run with good judging. It's not as big as NAGA or Grappler's Quest (but then again, what is?), but a good local tournament to go to and sharpen your skills. Put it on your calendars!

For those of you getting ready to compete, check out the SCHOOL CLASS SCHEDULE and see if you can fit in at least one extra day a week of training.

New Basics Class

From now on, Tuesday night will be devoted to learning and drilling basics. This will help new students get up to speed on the fundamentals, and help more experienced students review and improve their techniques.

Here is a basic kimura armlock drill that we normally do in every class during warmups. You should do 20 of these to get you started.

Easy New Solo Stretch

The only thing worse than losing a match because of your technique is losing one because you are inflexible. Like it or not, if you are going to get better at jiu jitsu, you are going to have to work on all aspects of your game, including flexibility. Luckilly, it's easier to see improvement in your flexibility than it is to improve your strength or get better at your other skills, like keeping your weight on someone.



While we do work on stretching during warmups, it's important for you to practice that on your own as well. Here is a helpful trick for stretching out your hips with some old belts from your judo gi. It was submitted by the guys at Submissions 101.








Keep an eye out for changes in the schedule. Most of the people at our jiu jitsu club found out about us by word of mouth (i.e. from a friend), so as new people joined we worked with them to get them up to speed and let them participate in the class. Since we have recently gotten several new students, we may be changing one of the classes to focus specifically on basics. This will help the new students with their foundations and will be a good review for more advanced students.



Also, I will be adding a link on the side to let people know about upcoming jiu jitsu tournaments or seminars in the DC area. If you know of one, send the info to info@capitolcombatsports.com



-Pete Law

Rear Naked Choke Tutorial

I came accross this tutorial on the Rear Naked Choke on YouTube. Drew told me about it after he got done choking me. It's put out by Stephan Kesting from Grapplearts. It's got a lot a lot of useful tips about applying the technique and about common mistakes to avoid. It's about 10 minutes long and it's got some details you can incorporate into your game right away. Good luck out there!

-Pete Law

Happy Holidays

Just a reminder that now that Thanksgiving is over, we have returned to the regular class schedule:

Mondays:

• 7 - 8:15pm Striking
• 8:15-10pm Jujitsu

Tuesdays:

• 8:30 - 10:30 Jiu Jitsu

Thursdays:

• 8:15-10pm Jujitsu

Fridays:

• 6 - 8pm Jiujitsu

Saturdays:

• 9:00-10am No Gi Grappling

Also, for the white belts testing for their next stripe or for their blue belt, the testing requirements are as follows:

3rd stripe: Should know at least 15 submissions or techniques, as well as shoulder, and hip throws, and major outer reap.

4th stripe:Should know at least 20 submissions or techniques, as well as shoulder, and hip throws, and major outer reap. Should have competed at least once.

Blue Belt: 25-30 techniques, good stand up, knowledge of Judo throws. Should be a Positive Representative of the club.

Holiday Schedule 2008

Because many people will going away for Thanksgiving, we are altering the schedule slightly this week.

Monday: practice will be as usual.

Tuesday: J will not be in class. If Juan is available we will keep it open as a regular session. In the even that Juan can't make it, please treat it as an open mat, or a day of recovery, everyone has been working very hard.

Wednesday: No Class as usual.

Thursday and Friday we will obviously be closed to celebrate the pilgrims tricking the natives into giving them all their food.


Additionally, there will be testing in December for promotions.


Those eligible for a stripe/belt test in December are as follows:
Aaron
Jason
Pete (both)
Tom
Jody
Drew

December 4th is the tentative date.

NAGA New Jersey 2008

This weekend Capitol Combat Sports' Sijara Eubanks trekked up to New Jersey for the North American Grapplers Association tournament. Although she was the only one from CCS competing that day, she laid down the law, won all her matches and came back with two gold medals. Sijara won first place in the women's white belt divisions in both gi and no-gi. Congratulations, Sijara.


-Pete Law

CCS Merchandise

Hey Guys, just a quick note. I ordered school patches for the uniforms and they should get here in a couple of weeks. They look like the logo on this blog. I wanted to get them in before the next tournament.

Also, I found a place that will give us wholesale pricing on Gis. I ordered a few to start out and we'll see how it goes. I ordered single weave gis to give new students something they could start out with without spending an arm and a leg (and also because the place that would wholesale double weave gis to us wanted a large order). If this goes well, we'll try to keep some in stock so that when you guys need another one you can order it directly through the school which will help keep our dues down. If anyone needs another gi, let me know. They should be here in a few days.

And finally, people have been asking about ordering another round of CCS shirts with the school logo. We hope to get some new shirts or hoodies in soon. Last time we sold out, so this time please pre-pay so that we are sure we'll order enough for everyone that wants one.

-Pete Law

US Grappling Submission Only Tournament Nov 1, 2008

This weekend some of Capitol Combat Sports' students took a roadtrip from DC to Winchester Virginia to participate in US Grappling's Submission Only Tournament II. This is a tournament with no time limits or points. A win can only come from a submission. Congratulations on some hard fought matches!

Men's No Gi Beginner
Beginner 149 lbs
2nd Place Andrew Elwell

Beginner 159 lbs
3rd Place Jon Christophel



Men's Gi Divisions

White Belt 140-149.9
3rd place Andrew Elwell



Women No Gi Divisions
Beginner 145-159.9
1st Place Sijara Eubanks

Women's Gi Divisions
White Belt 159
1st Place Sijara Eubanks

White Belt Absolute
1st Place Sijara Eubanks

US Grappling Junior Championships II Oct 25, 2008

Recently some of Capitol Combat Sports' youngest students got to feature their skills at the US Grappling Junior Championships II in Richmond VA. Congratulations guys!

Children Beginner No Gi

77 lbs
2nd place Rael Griffin

89 lbs
3rd Place Will Wests


Teen Advanced No Gi
129 lbs
1st Place Grier Freedman


Teen Beginner No Gi
159 lbs
2nd Place Michael McDonald
3rd Place Dean Szollosy

Teen Beginner Gi
139.9 lbs
1st Place Michael McDonald

Recent Tournament Results

Naga Virginia Championship 2008

Greer Freedman
1st place teens no-gi
2nd place in teens gi

Sijara Eubanks
bronze medal: women's 135+ no-gi division

Victor
4th place adult no-gi

Jeff Freedman
3rd in the Executive no-gi division

Jim
bronze medal: Novice gi division



Mission Submission 2008

Cody
2nd Place White Belt Gi

Pete Sanchez
3rd Place Novice White Belt Gi
3rd Place Novice White Belt no-gi

Sijara Eubanks
3rd Place Womens Gi


Copa Nova 2008

Tom Mooney
2d Place Mens Open White Belt - Gi

Jason George
3rd Place Mens Open White Belt -Gi

Class Schedule

Monday - Thursday

• 8:30 - 10:00 pm
  

Location:

• Hard Training Club - 1726 Kalorama Road Northwest, Washington D.C

New Mats, more space for practice!

Knox Gym recently removed the exercise bicycles from the second floor. As a result, Capitol Combat Sports was able add more workout space for our Jiu jitsu class. We purchased a large wrestling mat which gives us an additional 250 square feet of practice space. Several people who were at the open mat session Saturday morning helped carry it upstairs and put it in place. Nice Teamwork, guys!

With more mat space, we can now accomodate more students interested in learning jiu jitsu at our metro-accessible gym, in the heart of Washington DC.

Our classes are in the evening on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, with an open mat workout on Saturday Mornings.


-Pete Law

Class Schedule

Mondays:

• 7 - 8:15pm Striking
• 8:15-10pm Jujitsu

Thursdays:

• 7 - 8:15pm Striking
• 8:15-10pm Jujitsu

Fridays:

• 6 - 8pm Jiujitsu

Saturdays:

• 9:00-10am No Gi Grappling

Val, J., Victor, Stefano, Juan

J COLEMAN: J.Coleman has been training in Martial Arts for over 20 years begining at the age of seven. He has studied Jiu-Jitusu, Judo, Kempo, Uechiryu, Wing Chun and Philipino stick fighting.He began studying jiu jitsu around the age of ten and at eighteen years he choose to focus soley on Jiu-Jitsu. He holds a black belt in Shorijimatokendo (Japanese system encompassing, grappling, self defense, and judo) under the training of John Bannon (4th Dan Jiujitsu, black belt in Judo) and Rob Rivers (5th Dan), Coleman is also second degree black belt in Judo under Master Quoc Dung (6th Dan) , and a brown belt in Kempo. He started his own school in VA with Dave Kang (brown belt) in 2002 and in 2006 he founded Capitol Combat Sports in Washington DC. In 2008 Capitol Combat named Stefano Tempelton (Sukata Jiu-Jitsu) honorary Professor, with Dave Kang and Val Penascino (formerly of Alive BJJ in Japan) as co-instructors with Coleman as head coach and instructor .

VAL PENASCINO : From the first time he saw the Karate Kid Val knew he wanted to do martial arts. After dabbling in the more traditional forms of Karate, Kenpo and Tae Kwon Do, his search for a more practical art was satisfied when he began studying grappling and kickboxing in 2000. From 2001 to 2005 Val lived and studied in Japan where he had the opportunity to train in Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, mma, and grappling with a number of professional fighters who have competed in K-1, Pancrase, Pride, and Shooto. While in Japan, Val competed on the amateur Shooto mma circuit going 2-0.

Val has been with CCS since March of 2007 running the striking/mma and helping out with jiu jitsu classes.

STEFAN TEMPLETON: Bio Coming Soon: In the meantime, you can hear about Stefan's humanitarian work in the Sudan, and the book they are writing about him on NPR.

JUAN: Bio Coming Soon

DAVE KANG: Bio Coming Soon