Me,Chris
and the Regulars
I hope that anyone
thinking about going to the U.S.A to train will find this account useful
and that everybody else will at least find it readable. I decided to
try to take my training to the next level, in September 2000 having
just arrived back after 10 days training in California with the Machados
in Torrance and with Chris Brennan in Irvine. I had been over there
with my instructor John Kavanagh and another fighter, Dave Roche. All
I could think of doing for the next 6 months was how to get back to
California, for a months training minimum.
Well 27 was approaching
fast and I figured I'd be 30 before I knew it and I basically talked
myself into selling my apartment and throwing caution to the wind for
once. So last May I booked my flights and found myself returning to
Next Generation Fighting Academy late one Sunday evening at the start
of June, and the beginning of one of the best summers I can remember.
Chris had moved
premises, literally 2 doors down, since I had last been there. The mat
size had trebled and best of all there was now the actual King of the
Cage Octagon standing in the corner, on loan to Chris exclusively for
5 years. (See Photos)
Training began
on the Monday morning and although the plane journey had been long,
I felt pretty good at 9am the next day. I pretty much spent Monday and
Friday of that week, practicing little more than tapping out!! Chris'
guys, even the ones with only a months experience, were working at a
different pace to what I had been used to, and my fitness was lacking,
in a way that was not apparent to me before. I weighed in at a 205lb
5'9,who loved jiu jitsu but equally loved weight training and had yet
to strike the right balance between the two.
Week two was better
and three and so on. I got used to the pace, the no gi, which I had
never really concentrated on before, and the constant stream of attacks,
which flow seamlessly from one to the other. By week 3 I was doing some
tapping myself and things were looking up. Things looked really up when
I came face to face with THE HILL!! A giant sand dune on about a 60%
incline and approximately 70metres in length, in other words HELL in
the midday sun. You basically just run up and down, until you can no
longer move, let alone walk up this nature created cardio killer. I
managed 8 the first time and felt sick and 15 before I left and still
felt sick. One of Chrisís guys has done it 68 yes 68 times!!
Training for the
three months consisted of morning and evening classes of Jiu Jitsu,
evening Muay Thai and Fight class 3 times per week. Fight class is basically,
as many sick cardio drills that Chris can think of in one hour, plus
beating the hell out of one another in the cage for 20 minutes. It wasn't
for everyone but all the fighters did it,unless injured and Chris expected
those on his live in programme to follow suit. Between morning and evening
classes, I slept, ate, lifted weights at nearby World Gym, and iced
countless knocks and bruises.
I also spent a
large portion of what free time I had watching the collection of almost
200 videos at the academy, with everything from UFC, Pride, KOTC to
Pancrase and ADCCs.I started writing down techniques in a A4 pad, particularly
anything new that I hadn't seen before. I now have a vitual manual with
75 techniques or variations on techniques which I hadn't seen before.
John my instructor in Dublin, is an excellent teacher, and I had learnt
so much from him in 1 year of training, but training twice a day,6 days
per week,for 3 months opened my eyes to a whole new world of positions
and submissions. Chris is regarded as somewhat unique in that he never
misses teaching a class unless he is away at a fight himself or with
one of the other fighters at a tournament. He is always there bright
and early in the morning and again at night. One or two techniques are
shown and drilled by the class, beginners, intermediate and advanced,
all together and then the rolling begins..and the tapping for some of
us!
I had the opportunity
to attend two King of the Cage tournaments and one Gladiator Challenge
while I was there. I had been at the King of the Cage, with John and
Dave the previous September when Chris lost the belt to Joe Hurley from
the Lions Den. In the second KOTC on August 11th, I watched him along
with 7000 others take one more step towards regaining his belt and at
the same time securing a place in Pride. His next fight is on September
29th is against Steve Berger. A win, which I am pretty sure is on the
cards, despite what you may read on the Underground Forum and the belt
is his. Myself and 3 of the other fighters on the live in programme,
helped set up both KOTC shows in Soboba, an Indian reservation in the
San Jacinto valley. Midday temperatures into the hundreds, and a heavy
cage and seating to set up, who needs weight training!
From the accompanying
photos, you'll see I got to meet a load of fighters and people from
the MMA world. That's the nice thing about this sport, its such a small
community that all the top guys are accessible and are only too happy
to pose for a photo or have a chat about their next/last fight. It may
be cage fighting but its friendly and not underground at all. Families
attended the KOTC complete with Barbecues etc Kids cheered for their
favourites and booed their opponents. A superb atmosphere and long may
it continue.
From the photos
you might be able to see a change in my physique. I lost a grand total
of 35lbs between the second week and the last week. The photo of me
setting up the cage was taken on the 23rd of June 2001 and the one of
me with Quintin Rampage Jackson outside Chris' gym was taken the day
before I came home, on August 25th. I ate like a horse too, which might
give you some insight into the intensity of the training. I canít
give you any information on the night life etc, because I didnít
see any. I went there with one purpose, to get in shape and improve
my Jiu Jitsu. I ended up doing both but also making a lot of good friends
and meeting a lot of really cool people.
Despite all the
bullshit you read on the Underground Forum and other sites, Chris is
an accomplished fighter and an excellent teacher. The Keyboard warrior
fraternity spend far too much time speculating on his abilities, his
relationship with Marco Ruas and where and when he got his black belt
etc. These guys should stop typing and start rolling. Chris has a big
school, over 120 students and at least one new person signs up every
day. The reason, the Next Generation Fighting Academy is like a tin
of Ronseal, it does exactly what it says on the tin. Want to learn to
fight, then this is the place.
I intend to go
back next year for another 3 month stint ( I am a secondary PE teacher
in case you were wondering), Chris has assured me I can have my blue
belt. But it is now about more than acquiring belt; I enjoyed living
Jiu Jitsu rather than just doing it for 2 hours twice per week. If you
get the chance or are thinking about heading to California to train,
my advice is to go for it. If you choose Next Generation, you are guaranteed
a warm welcome, intense training and an experience you will never forget
(and lots of tapping). If anyone has any more questions about training
at Next Generation and Southern California in general, post your questions
on the forum or email me at dj_kimura@hotmail.com
Hope you enjoy
the Photos,
David Jones
Photo Page - Click
Here
