Back From Thailand by Gregg DePasquale

I am back in the states after a 3 week long adventure in Thailand.  It feels great to be back on the mats at D'Arce Jiu Jitsu on Long Island.  I met some great people while training and went to some great gyms.  The high level of Kickboxers in Thailand is CRAZY!  At any time there are multiple world champions training right along side with you.  If anyone has the chance and opportunity to make the trip and train over-seas I highly recommend it.  It is an experience that I will never forget.  Stay tuned for the videos that I shot...

A Training Tip by Brian Michelino

      When training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or MMA at D’Arce Brazilian Jiu Jitsu you learn at least one move or technique per class, often practicing the move till near perfection.  In either case it’s important to try and remember what you learned in class on that day, the techniques you learn in class will come in handy during live training. Often I’m in a certain position in our live training sessions and I will instantly remember a
move from class that might help me escape a bad position. One of the reason I’m able to remember nearly all the moves I was taught in class is because I keep a daily journal of each technique, and often study them.
      Keeping a journal is a common practice in many different BJJ schools, though not mandatory for class, I would highly recommend it especially for more complicated moves. Techniques often have many different parts so it’s important to remember all the options you have so you can maximize the effectiveness of the move itself.  Often at D’Arce Jiu Jitsu after class the instructors or some high level grappling competitors will stick around to drill some moves. It’s at this point in class were you can ask a instructor or competitor questions or advice about a move you want to learn, it’s also just as important at this time to record all the advice you got all this information is the key to Brazilian jiu jitsu success.
       Eventually the idea is to make these moves become second nature but honestly that takes a lot of training and mat time. So until then do yourself a favor and write it down. As soon as I get home I write down the moves we learned and a description of them just to make sure I don't forget. I always make it a point to try moves we did in the previous class as well, this will ensure I’m keeping myself sharp.

Grappler -vs- Striker (New School) by Brian Michelino

Shinya Aoki

     An interesting match up will take place at DREAM on October 24th in
the DEEP organization. Shinya Aoki Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black belt and
the current DREAM light weight champion will face former boxing title
holder Yokthai Sithoar.
     For those of you who are not familiar with Japanese MMA Sithoar is a
former Lumpinee Stadium muay Thai champion, he eventually turned his
attention to boxing and became a professional boxer in 1994. Aoki is
the current DREAM LW champ and has won most of his fight via
spectacular submissions.
Shiya is not known for his Striking abilities but is considered one of
the best in the world on the ground. He is known for brutal
submissions from all positions.
       Their contrasting styles remind me a lot of James Toney Vs Randy
Couture, although Yokthai Sithoar has far more ways to win then Toney
did, the bottom line is this will be his first pro MMA fight and he’s
facing one of the best in the world in not only Jiu Jitsu but in MMA.
These fights are similar to UFC 1 when we saw fights where it was
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Vs Boxing, basically one style Vs another
completely different style.
       I expect the same results as Royce Gracie’s early victims: the
grappler will prevail. Aoki ranked in the top 5 in the LW division and
has a very exciting Brazilian Jiu Jitsu style so if your interested in
seeing some high level jiu jitsu like you’ll see at D’Arce Jiu Jitsu I
suggest you check out DEEP 50 on October 24th.

Muay Thai Kickboxing for MMA by Gregg DePasquale



Gregg DePasquale Training with Aitsara Tamnanchiwit



The head trainer eyes the camera as his student passes on his gyms knowledge

My main focus for the past 3 weeks has been Muay Thai Kickboxing.  While it is a sport in which I am passionate about and really enjoy training, my primary training for almost my entire life has been Wrestling, Submission Grappling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  I have been blessed with the luck to train with, and by some of the best combat sports participants in the world, whether it is Olympic wrestlers, Kickboxing world champions or Mundial (BJJ) and Abu Dhabi (ADCC) world champions.  


With that being said the training that I have been getting in Thailand has been top notch.  Some of my trainers include Lumpinee Stadium Champions, Ratchadamnoen Stadium Champions and K1 Champions...these guys know their stuff, and have been perfecting their craft since they were old enough to strap on their own gloves.  That being said, from a striking for MMA standpoint I feel Muay Thai must be modified to some extent, for example (in my humble opinion) the hand position in the stance is a little loose, the hands are kept a bit too far apart which could allow for small professional size mixed martial arts gloves to sneak through.  And one of the most important aspects of the stand-up game is the ability to not get taken down and dictate where the fight takes place which again the traditional Thai style stance is not conducive to (and why should it be after all, they don't have to worry about ground and pound or submissions in Thai fighting). 


The point is, this game that we all love is truly Mixed Martial Arts and EVERYTHING has to be modified from its original form...when it gets put together as a whole the sum of its pieces are reflective of their pure discipline but refined in order to adapt.  This is something that at D'Arce Jiu Jitsu and MMA in Long Island New York we do better than anyone.  After all of my travels and training with the best of the best I can say this from true experience.  If you are in the Long Island area and have an interest in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, or Mixed Martial Arts you have to see our trainers in action...I guarantee you will leave impressed not with just the skill set each possesses but the atmosphere in which everyone learns.

Flexibility, the overlooked skill in combat sports by Brian Michelino

When a person talks about a fight, be it MMA, kickboxing or Jiu Jitsu you might
think of a fighter being fast and strong but in reality that’s only a
small part of what it takes. In Jiu Jitsu especially you’ll find out
that if you use too much speed or too much of your strength you’re
going to get tired fast. In Jiu Jitsu and also in MMA I believe that a
particular ability is overlooked, I believe this ability is just as
important as both speed and strength that ability is: flexibility.
      
Without flexibility the bottom line is some moves will be much
tougher for you to accomplish. Entire systems like the rubber guard
(created by Eddie Bravo) become unobtainable without the adequate
amount of flexibility. High kicks are impossible without training your
flexibility, the more flexible you are the easier they are to execute.
    
I’ve adapted flexibility as a major part of my game; I believe it’s
one of the very distinctive features of my particular style. It makes
a world of difference when you're in side control against someone a lot
bigger and stronger then you and you have the ability to just slip
your foot in between his leg and recover to full guard. One of my
favorite moves (a reverse triangle from side control) can only be
accomplished once you achieved a significant amount of flexibility,
once you guys think your there come on down to D’Arce Jiu Jitsu and
I’ll be glad to show it to you haha.

Could Jose Aldo hold his own at 155lbs?

Could the current 145lb WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) champion jump up to the 155lb weight class and dominate like he has at his natural weight?  I think so...


At 24 years of age the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and vicious striker Aldo has shown little sign of weakness, considering he is not even in his prime yet I expect big things from him.


After virtually destroying his competition up until now I think it is safe to say he could make big waves at lightweight.  There are so many interesting match ups for him at 155, not to mention the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) currently doesn't have a 145lb division, which could spell big $$$ for native Brazilian Aldo.


The current UFC lightweight champ Franky Edger's natural fighting weight is 145...he obviously has no problem hanging with the "big" boys...with that in mind, I think it is only a matter of time till we see Aldo on the big stage in the UFC.

Muay Thai in Bangkok by Gregg DePasquale

Wow...so much has happened since the last time I wrote about this trip.  For starters training is going well and I have been at a few gyms but for the most part spending most of my time at The Jitti Gym.  I just really like the atmosphere here.  Training costs on average around 500 Baht ($17) for an hour lesson plus you can use the gym for the day.  There are a lot of foreigners training in Thailand some are really cool...others not so much.  I guess there is a tendency for some people to try and prove they are tough all the time (definitely not the case at D'Arce Jiu Jitsu and MMA haha).  Anyway, once everyone gets to know me they usually end up warming up one way or another. 

I got front row seats to a fight the other night they were around $60 and really intense...the locals were going NUTS!!!  They gamble big money on the fights and really get into each strike, it was a very cool experience. 

I have filmed a lot of footage while I am over here and I will put it all together when I get back.  It is of me training, the gyms I visited, and some fights that I have went to.  I will be going to Phuket Island soon and have a few gyms I plan on visiting.  Wish me luck!