You have to look at the silver lining in things. My broken ankle has been a blessing of sorts. It gave me some much needed time for reflection.
Rich Zaydel’s Broken Ankle
What a week or so I have had….crazy how life works and how so many things can hit all at the same time. What do they say, bad things come in threes? So, in between teaching private lessons and helping at Cota’s martial arts, I roll with one of my best friends, TC, who has a couple years of mat time on me and 40 pounds. I have been doing jiu jitsu since 1993 on and off and steady since 2005. I have never had a broken bone other than a finger in my life. But, during one of our regular rolls last week with TC, I broke my ankle. It was loud like a crack of the whip.
Our cat of 13 plus years has not been home in a week. She is old, loyal and almost toothless. She has been extra lovey-dovey lately and feel she walked off into the sunset or has been eaten by a coyote which happens frequently where I live.
I have or had a boss who is a bully. I was taught to be humble through martial arts. Some people mistake that for weakness. I took some abuse because I wanted to learn so bad. But when I stood up to him because I expected him to keep his word or show me an ounce of respect, he was taken back. Bullies don’t like when they can’t intimidate you. Since then, he has been playing passive aggressive games. Admittedly I was doing horrible at the job. Part of it was the bully’s lack of support. He helped me just enough to be able to say he helped, but not enough to be effective. But, part of it was my fault. Most things I pick up pretty fast. But maybe this wasn’t for me. Maybe I found something I would never be good at and was wasting valuable time being stubborn. I had been there a year and was not generating an income. Sitting with my broken ankle, I had to admit I failed at this position.
At the end of the day, I put the blame on myself for my poor judgement. If you fail in life, it is nobody’s fault but your own. I think most of us are honest people, most of us, but I think sometimes its hard for us to be honest with ourselves and own our mistakes and learn from them. Good judgement is the result of experience and experience is the result of poor judgement.
Spider Guard w/Spiral Hook Details For Success! – RocknRoll BJJ
Spider Guard w/Spiral Hook Details That Are A Must For Success! I love playing open guard and use the spider guard with lasso hook all the time. I wanted to share these details that helped me a lot. Thanks for watching. Be sure to stop by the RocknRoll BJJ Website!
I love playing open guard. One of my favorite positions is spider guard with a spiral/lasso hook. It is a lot of fun and there are a TON of attacks.
But before we get to the attacks, I just want to break down the basics of how to set it up from the closed guard. Hope this video helps you guys out.
Be sure to stay tuned for the next one in the spider guard with spiral/lasso hook series. I will go over a few subtle details based on this video like more detailed grip, how to defend this position if you are the guy on top and a couple other tips that will have you dominating your opponents in no time!
Hey all you Brazilian Jiu Jitsu bad asses! The RocknRoll BJJ website has just been updated! I am pretty proud of it since I designed it and programmed it myself!
Go check it out now! Let me know what you think! Happy training! Ossss!
As many of you know, among the many hats I wear, I am also a loan officer helping people with home loans (If you ever need to get(if you ever need to get pre-approved for a home loan or want to refinance, contact me!). After doing it a while, I have met some really great REALTORS! Unfortunately, if you have watched the news, more and more REALTORS have been attacked at their open houses or showings. Beverly Carter, RIP, was killed last year it such an instance.
This prompted me to want to start making very simple videos for REALTORS to watch and practice together. Of course it is better if I could refine the techniques in person to make sure they understand all the little nuances, but I figure at least putting something out there is better than them having zero options to attempt in the event of an attack.
Here are just a few we put together one day. Of course as a martial artist I know that every situation is different and some watching the videos with some self defense background may recommend other options. These are just a start of a series I hope to continue.
SoCal Realtor Self Defense Day One:
SoCal Realtor Self Defense Day Two:
SoCal Realtor Self Defense Day Four:
SoCal Realtor Self Defense Day Five:
Again, these are very basic techniques. I would prefer to share these in person to help with all the nuances. For example on the first video, many people forget to tighten up their neck making the attacker’s grip hard to hold and, or, forget to cross their arms in front of them to prevent eating a knee as they bend down slightly. I have at least a dozen self defense moves for the situation shown in the first video. I just chose the one that had the least moving parts in hopes the little bit of knowledge may make a difference.
Hope the REALTORS who come across these will take the time to practice. Always be aware of your surrounding. When scheduling private showings, please do not do it alone. If you have to make sure you let people know where you are at all times and that you set up a time to contact someone when you’re showing is done so people know you are safe.
Don’t forget to stop by my SoCal Loan Man website at http://www.socalloanman.com if you need to get pre-approved for a home loan or you would like to refinance. I serve all of California! The beauty of technology!
Hey all! Just wanted to touch base here, its been a while and I apologize.
I got so busy with private lessons and teaching at a couple of different schools that trying to keep up with every thing like social media and blogs has been difficult. Besides having a passion for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu I also have a passion for real estate and marketing and have started a couple new ventures since my last blog entry. One of those being a Loan Officer under my own brand, SoCal Loan Man. The other is Hits the Spot Media which focuses on REALTOR marketing and lead generation. I also had reunion shows with my old band, Simplex, and was playing quite a few shows around the SoCal area. That said, I am starting to get caught back up and am able to make a little more time for teaching brazilian jiu jitsu private lessons and blogging.
In 2013, I am happy to say I finally received my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt. I had a little drama at a school I was at and the instructor was hanging the black belt over my head as well as others who were due promised promotions. I had to make the decision to suck it up and leave the school and instructor who I will not even dignify with naming. Some people are black belts in jiu jitsu, but not black belts in fairness, loyalty and being decent human beings. Best decision I ever made. So, I had to wait an additional year to get my black belt from Master Joe Moreira who welcomed me back with open arms. For those of you who know, Joe was my first real instructor back in the 90’s. I started with Rickson Gracie and trained under him for a few months, but the drive to Los Angeles was too far. After only a couple months with Rickson, Master Pete Loncarevich suggested I try Master Joe Moreira and I have been with him or have trained under one of his black belts ever since.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Rich Zaydel and Master Joe Moriera!
Its been an amazing journey to this point. The funny thing is the more I learn jiu jitsu, the more I realize I still have a lifetime of learning to go. I am excited for the journey to continue and look forward to training and sharing what I have learned along the way with you all!
On August 24th, RocknRoll BJJ Open Mat Saturday will be held at Master Joe Moreira‘s school in Irvine, California! It will be the usual schedule. 11am-12pm will be the informal group class with lots of questions and answers and sharing of techniques. From 12pm – 2pm will be technical rolls and some great music!
Alfredo, Master Joe Moreira, Rob Lewis and Rich Zaydel
Master Moreira’s school is inside a great gym called Custom Bodies at 4880 Irvine Blvd #102 Irvine, CA 92620
This is going to be a lot of fun. This will be a great chance to meet a Coral Belt and legend of the sport if you haven’t met Joe before. Come share techniques and have some technical rolls and listen to great music. Bring some of your own MP3’s or CDs if you want.
In case you haven’t been to an RNR BJJ Open Mat Saturday, it is very laid back. We are not out to roll like we are doing the Worlds though if you want to roll hard there are always one or two guys who are up for it. The focus is to be as technical and fluid as possible and to have fun!
I came across this link and thought it would be very helpful not just to white belts, but to some of the higher level players who sometimes forget about the art and etiquette of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
If you are a serious Brazilian Jiu Jitsu player competing in tournaments, or, an endurance athlete of any kind, then you understand the importance of good nutrition. And, studies show it’s not just what you consume, but how much and when to consume it. Timing has become critical. Here are some of the pre-tournament guidelines we recommend to our competitors at RocknRoll Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Fitness in Orange County, California.
RocknRoll BJJ Tournament Nutrition Works!
Many have heard of carb-loading. Technically, its called ‘glycogen supercompensation’ and its a technique used to increase muscle glycogen before an endurance event. Studies have shown that carb-loading can nearly double muscle glycogen storage, increasing endurance and performance potential. However, it’s important not to overdo it. Start by adding one additional carbohydrate serving per meal starting three days prior to the tournament. Make them healthy carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables or carbohydrate-rich grains. These extra amounts of carbohydrates will help in storing glycogen in the muscles. It also assists muscles in holding more fluid. On the night of the event, an extra serving of carbohydrates is recommended, such as granola and yogurt, or a bowl of cereal. RocknRoll BJJ and Fitness Good Carbohydrate List
Repeated days of intense training for an upcoming tournament can dwindle a persons glycogen stores. A high-intake diet of healthy carbohydrates will help to replenish the glycogen stores, but, timing is very important in maximizing recovery. Consuming 1.5 g/kg of carbohydrates within 30 minutes of training is recommended to maximize glycogen replenishment. If intake is postponed by as little as two hours, the results may be a decrease of total muscle glycogen syntheses by 66%. Additional meals of 1.5 k/kg of carbohydrates every two hours are recommended to completely restore muscle glycogen.
Carbohydrates should be the focus leading up to the tournament, but an endurance athlete must not neglect daily protein requirements. Protein is crucial for forming red blood cells and increasing the number of oxygen carrying enzymes in the blood. and replacing the body’s protein stores. Protein also builds and repairs muscle tissue, boost the immune system and replaces hormones. Our bodies do not store excess protein as protein or amino acids, so its important that adequate protein is consumed each day.
Figuring your daily protein needs is easy. Endurance athletes such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors should consume between 0.7-0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily. For example, a 200 pound man’s daily protein requirement would be 160 grams because 0.8 x 200=160.
RocknRoll Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Fitness Protein From Food Chart
The need for protein is actually a need for amino acids. All proteins are made up of amino acids which are needed to build and repair tissue. There are a total of 21 different amino acids and all protein is made up of a combination of them. Our bodies can make some amino acids, however there are eight essential amino acids that must come from foods we eat. All the essential amino acids are needed in order to build and repair muscle. A balanced diet consisting of real foods will provide the proper balance of all the amino acids.
Hydration is important. Men require a baseline of 125 fluid ounces daily and women require a slightly lower amount of 90 fluid ounces daily. Be sure to drink the required amount. Don’t worry about having to drink extra. The additional carbohydrate servings will help hold water. However, be sure to consider how much you sweat. If you are a heavy sweater, be sure to add a little sodium to your meals.
On the day of the tournament, eat a meal two to three hours prior to your matches. Your meal should consist of roughly 100 grams of carbohydrates and 15 to 20 grams of protein. Also, include 20 grams of fat and 20 ounces of water. If you sweat a lot, be sure to add a little sodium to your meal.
Timing this may be frustrating because often times Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournaments don’t always stay on schedule. Adapt these guidelines to the best of your ability to the timing of your fights.
Dana Riddle, Andy Goodman, Rich Zaydel and Pete Loncarevich
If your bracket or round of fights are under an hour, then you will be fine with just drinking water. However, consider using a sports drink in between matches instead. Sports drinks aid in hydration, replace electrolytes and slow glycogen depletion.
If you are lucky enough to compete in the finals and now you have an hour or more between your next fight, your focus should switch back to carbohydrates. The amount of carbohydrates will vary depending on the physical demands of your prior fights. An intake of 30 grams to 90 grams is recommended. Whether the carbohydrates come from a sports drink or a tasty Acai bowl with granola is up to each individual athlete. RocknRoll BJJ and Fitness Good Carbohydrate List
Hopefully, these guidelines will help you as it has our RocknRoll Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Fitness family.
Happy training!
Rich Zaydel is head trainer and instructor at RocknRoll Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Fitness in Orange County, California. Rich Zaydel is a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer and a certified Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor under Master Joe Moreira.
I have been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on and off for almost 20 years and somehow I finally was given the gift of cauliflower ear during my last training session. I actually didn’t even notice it until a couple days after when I went to shave my head. I happened to bump it and it felt puffy. I gently squeezed it and could feel it was full of fluid. It didn’t hurt at all.
How to Fix Cauliflower Ear – Thank you to Rich Zaydel famous ear model
I figured I would make an attempt to get rid of it. I didn’t want end up like one of those fighters that looks like he has used bubble gum attached to the side of his head for ears.
Before I share with you what worked for me, understand I am not a doctor, and, if you try my process you are doing so at your own risk!
You will need rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to sterilize your ear before and after the process and a new sealed 3cc syringe and a new sealed 23g x 1″ needle. A roll of gauze or something similar is also needed.
The How to Get Rid of Cauliflower Ear Tool Kit as Seen on TV
One of the guys at the gym I train at is a diabetic. I explained my situation and I was lucky enough to obtain a syringe and needle from him. I know this might not be an option for some of you, but if you ask around, you might get lucky like I did. Remember, always use a brand new sealed needle and syringe and never share needles. Don’t be an idiot!
It is important to insert the needle at the correct angle and depth. Don’t just stick it in the juiciest part and start sucking away at it. You won’t be successful removing all the fluid.
Get Rid of Cauliflower Ear – Placement and Angle of Needle
The angle above is how to inserted the needle. I actually laid the needle against my ear and then changed the angle just enough so that the tip of the needle stuck and then I pushed it in about 1/16 an 1/8 of an inch. I held the syringe in place with one hand then began to pull the plunger back. But I found that I couldn’t pull the plunger at all because the vacuum was too strong and I had not gone deep enough. I pushed it in a little further and pulled the plunger and this time I hit the mother-lode. It was just over two CCs of blood. I kept on pulling the plunger until I couldn’t get any more fluid. Think about the concept of sucking all the air out of a sandwich bag until it is completely flat. Then, I slowly pulled the needle out.
Be sure to wipe the ear with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide after the process to keep your ear infection free.
I was told to wrap my ear against my head with gauze tightly to keep it flat as much as possible. I didn’t have any gauze, but I did have a bandana. I folded it up to about a 3″ wide and tied it tightly around my head making sure my ear had plenty of pressure on it. I slept on it. When I woke up it had gathered a little bit of fluid in it again. I repeated the whole process and walked around for a day with a bandana.
My ear looks good as new to this day and has not effected my ear modeling career a bit!
Be sure to avoid training for a couple weeks or more for the best results. Otherwise, you will have to repeat the process each time you train.
By the way, if you live in the Orange County California area, come by and train Brazilian jiu Jitsu with us at RocknRoll Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Personal Training!
RocknRoll Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Fitness - RNR BJJ 