Carlos Machado BJJ Clinic, Very Excellent...

**Gabetuno** · Posted On: 11/17/2008 2:15pm

This past weekend Carlos Machado put on two clinics, a Gi clinic on the 15th at Tim Burrill's BJJ in Providence, and a No-Gi at Mat Santos' Fighting Academy in Cranston on the following day. I attended the Gi class on Saturday morning, and wow did I learn plenty.

Let me say that this was my 2nd clinic, the first being with Abmar Barbosa. I'd just like to emphasize what a great teacher C. Machado is, and while I don't mean to detract from Barbosa or even my own teacher, who I think is one of the best, Machado's ability to get information across to me and make me think differently about scenarios is beyond stellar.

We worked mostly on variations of a two-on-one escape from side control, and the whole session moved over three hours smooth as silk. I felt, most importantly, that because of the way he teaches, and the way everything seemed so closely connected in theory, that my information retention was very high.

I'd love to go train at his school in Dallas, but I feel like there is basically no other reason to go to Dallas. :p Sorry Texas, still pissed about the whole Bush thing.

Anyway, what clinics and teachers have you all experienced that made you feel like this? I hope this doesn't come across as a flame job on my teacher. He really is excellent, I just think I got kind of surprised by Machado.

**E-Van** · Posted On: 11/17/2008 2:22pm

Didnt come across as a flame job at all. Everyone has different teaching styles and its great to get a different taste now and then.

I loved my seminar with Ceaser Gracie and Nick Diaz. Nick was very humble and soft spoken to my suprise and Ceaser had a way of always making you laugh. I liked the fact that Nick would realy break down all the smaller movements in the Jits he was teach and explain why you would do it one way as apposed to the other ways.

Ceaser made me feel alot better about myself when I was trying to pull fast triangles and I was struggling. He came over and I was thinking to myself "Man, Im realy gona get ripped on for this shitty set up". Instead of telling me how bad my triangle looked he told me how well I was doing with my arm bar set ups earlier and how the transitions can be simular. He pointed out that while the triangle was obviously a favorite of Nicks (Oh you think? lol ) that some people just had more trouble with it then others and that with practice I would make it work. He then showed me some stretches and warm ups I could do to help with my triangle. Just a awsome teacher and great guy.

**Gabetuno** · Posted On: 11/17/2008 2:32pm

Yeah one thing that was interesting was to watch him demonstrate with this BB from my school, Daymon Smith. He is a 225lbs 5'6" former linebacker who moves like a little person and does the most crushing side control stuff you'll ever see.

So he had Daymon do his gable grip cross face from side, something that we've all been in and all nearly tapped from, it's so horribly brutal, and he just spent 5 minutes seeing what worked, and basically deconstructed Daymon's move and how to get out of it. So great to watch. Then he showed how to apply the things we learned from that day's technique, which was a real great way to help me mentally translate it to live sparring.

I'd love to get a class in with Ceasar Gracie, but hey, you know, what with technically being a Machado student and all, he might just murder me for family rep. :p

**Kentucky Fried Chokin** · Posted On: 11/17/2008 7:47pm

When I first started jits, we didn't really have an introducotry program so I missed a lot of the basics and had huge holes in my game, the biggest being my side control. That is, until I went to a Mario Sperry Seminar. He started from the ground up showing each of the position and emphsized putting pressure on the opponent. We learned each, then drilled moving from one to the other. He then showed us submissions from each. I don't remember all the submissions, and hardly use any of the ones I remember, but people complaint about my crushing side control and over estimate my weight by about 20lbs. Because after that seminar, I practiced the hell out of my positioning. I just got a heavy bag and moved from one position to another over and over.

Best $50 I ever spent on BJJ seminars/videos/books.

**3moose1** · Posted On: 11/18/2008 10:52pm

I've only attended a Mark Tripp SAMBO seminar, which was absolutely amazing.

We have frequent saulo/xande seminars and Regis Lebre seminars, though. I think after reading some of this thread, i'll find some way to get to them.

**Zapruder** · Posted On: 11/18/2008 11:36pm

Originally Posted by 3moose1

I've only attended a Mark Tripp SAMBO seminar, which was absolutely amazing.

We have frequent saulo/xande seminars and Regis Lebre seminars, though. I think after reading some of this thread, i'll find some way to get to them.

Just rub it in...

My input here is TAAAAAKKKKEEEE NNNNOOOOTTTTEEEESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and dont pay too much, but mainly take notes. I still peruse my notes from my very first seminar with Carlos and I get details that I incorporate into my game( fear my super hook) Throwing 50 bucks a couple of times a year to get some cool new tricks and a LOT of polish is well worth it.

TTTTTAAAAAAAKKKKKKKEEEEEEE NNNNNOOOOOTTTTTEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**datdamnmachine** · Posted On: 11/19/2008 8:25pm

Originally Posted by Zapruder

Just rub it in...

My input here is TAAAAAKKKKEEEE NNNNOOOOTTTTEEEESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and dont pay too much, but mainly take notes. I still peruse my notes from my very first seminar with Carlos and I get details that I incorporate into my game( fear my super hook) Throwing 50 bucks a couple of times a year to get some cool new tricks and a LOT of polish is well worth it.

TTTTTAAAAAAAKKKKKKKEEEEEEE NNNNNOOOOOTTTTTEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm actually the reverse of that myself. I honestly found that in taking notes and trying to take accurate notes, I found I wasn't truly absorbing the information. I guess it would be good to just take really basic notes to get an idea and to act more as a reminder. I would suggest, when possible, to have someone tape the seminar and then you can go back and take the notes.

As for me, I've done two Matt Thornton seminars and I enjoy his concept based method of teaching. Sometimes, we get so involved in the individual techniques that we don't have a full understanding of the concepts behind the techniques and how they apply to other similar techniques, i.e. guard passing, escapes from the bottom, etc.

He also broke down the concept of posture to us, the SBG way. Basically, showing us what type of posture we want to have in the various positions, how good posture helps us and how bad posture hurts us. He also went over how you want to have and maintain good posture while doing your best to disrupt your adversary's posture. From what he told us, that's something he's big on at his school now and it makes since. We did a bunch of posture drills were we were the person trying to maintain our posture and then were the ones trying to break the other person's posture down.

The great thing about it was that it didn't rely on what most people think of when speaking of posture, i.e. the guy on top keeping posture versus the guy on bottom trying to break the top guy's posture. The guy on the bottom has to maintain a certain type of posture as well while avoiding his posture from being broken and the person on the top has to break the bottom person's posture while maintaining his own.

Great stuff that really changed how I keep people from passing the guard as well as how I pass the guard, as well as how I maintain top control when in side control or mount as well as how I need to escape from those positions.

**gandp1120** · Posted On: 11/19/2008 9:18pm

My most notable seminar was with Gokor Chivichyan. It was some mind blowing stuff that was way out of my realm and I will never be able to do any of those moves ever again. But it was damn fun learning them.

Not to mention, since I drove six hours to the seminar he spent about a hour on my take-down. All the Judo was easily retained. Sweet take-downs.

Gabe, Carlos is incredible at breaking down techniques, and making everything slow way down. Did you get a chance to roll with him?

**Zapruder** · Posted On: 11/19/2008 10:40pm

Originally Posted by datdamnmachine

I'm actually the reverse of that myself. I honestly found that in taking notes and trying to take accurate notes, I found I wasn't truly absorbing the information. I guess it would be good to just take really basic notes to get an idea and to act more as a reminder. I would suggest, when possible, to have someone tape the seminar and then you can go back and take the notes.

As for me, I've done two Matt Thornton seminars and I enjoy his concept based method of teaching. Sometimes, we get so involved in the individual techniques that we don't have a full understanding of the concepts behind the techniques and how they apply to other similar techniques, i.e. guard passing, escapes from the bottom, etc. .

The when of taking notes might help you a bit, I always listen to the move, then drill the move, let my partner drill the move, THEN I take the notes. I found this helped me get a feel for how my body worked with the move, as well as getting feedback from the instructor. Everyone is different so do what works best for you, that being said NOTES HELP, thats why you take them in school :qgreenjum