Purple belt Allan Scott from El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has an incredible list of accomplishments in the sport for someone who has started at the age of 49. In addition to his jiujitsu accomplishments, he has a list of copyrights, patents, and other accomplishments under his belt. We had the privilege to have him share with us a presentation on his different and unique steps to best pursue the jiujitsu lifestyle.
His talk was an insightful analysis into the starting and continuing jiujitsu in your 40’s and 50’s. Below are the power point slides he used with some very helpful advice, links, and a plan for people to draw from and find success both on and off the mat.
Fundamentals Camp this weekend! No Class or Open Mat on Saturday or Sunday. We have a great camp planned to start the year! It’s not too late to register: CAMP DETAILS
– 11 hours of instruction & drilling
– 2 hours of Open Mat
– 3 Guest Speakers (details below)
Allan Scott (Surviving & Thriving with JiuJitsu)
Allan will talk about his experiences and lessons learned over the last 5+ years of training jiu jitsu and how it has influenced all the different aspects of his life. He will offer tips on what has worked and what hasn’t while trying to make jiu jitsu into a balanced, lifelong passion.
Ryan Flager (Lasting Impact of Leadership)
Ryan has been deployed 6 times to Afghanistan and Iraq serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment. Jobs included rifleman, sniper, sniper team leader and Sniper section leader. He took part in many combat operations and was awarded for his work while under fire. He took part in the rescue and recovery of the the extortion 17 helicopter crash, arguably one of the most catastrophic events from the war on terror. After the military he worked for the state department providing security for the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. Ryan will be talking about the lasting of impact of leadership.
Jackson Gudel (Perseverance Through Adversity)
Jackson was born in Sacramento, CA and attended Casa Robles HS where he was captain of the football team. After graduation from Humboldt State University in 2000, he worked for 5 years as the operations manager of a ceramic tile installation company in the family business. Joining the Army in November 2005, he went thru OSUT as an infantryman at Fort Benning, GA, Airborne School, Ranger Indoctrination Program, and assigned to 3rd PLT B CO 3/75th Ranger Regiment in 2006. He graduated Ranger school in 2008.
He was deployed six times in support of OIF/OEF, 3 times to Iraq, and 3 times to Afghanistan. While deployed to Mosul, Iraq he was wounded in action and received a Purple Heart. His wounds included gunshots to the pelvis and shoulder, a suicide bomber detonation resulting in TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), and a gunshot wound resulting in a fractured pelvis. 7 months later, he deploy to the same position and did 3 more deployments as Fire Team Leader after his injuries. Medically retired from the Army in December of 2013, he is now married with 3 children.
The one thing we all have in common, 24 hours in a day. I’ve attached a schedule template and an example at the bottom of the page for your reference to make the best use of your time. I learned this in college from our wrestling coach, and I’ve used this template for 10+ years. The basic idea is:
1) ORGANIZE your day
2) FOLLOW through with the plan you organized (means nothing if you don’t)
3) PLAN AHEAD when conflicts prevent your follow through
——–
Notes on the schedule template example:
– USE COLOR for you to see how much time you spend doing stuff.
– Make sure it’s REALISTIC: (Studying the Odyssey at 11pm on Friday is probably not a good idea).
– COMMUNICATE with your spouse or coach what time is for what.
*** If you have a non traditional work schedule, it’s important to update your schedule every time it changes.
Eliot Kelly, head instructor of El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Self Defense, qualified for the most prestigious submission wrestling tournament in the world last weekend in Bayville, New Jersey at the ADCC North American Trials. The ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) Championships, often referred as the Olympics of grappling, will be held in Helsinki, Finland in September, 2017.
The ADCC North American Trials featured some of the best grapplers in North America. Eliot had three bouts to secure his invitation. In his first, he won by referee decision after no points in overtime. In his semi final match, he won by 2 points in the overtime round. In the final match, he won by 2 points in the regulation round. His bouts can be found on flograppling.com
“It’s never easy to travel all the way across the country and compete, but I was able to qualify and make it to the championships. There’s plenty of time to prepare so I’m getting together my coaches from EDH Jiu Jitsu, One Body Pain & Performance, and Apex Wrestling now to represent our community and the United States!”
Everyone gets into jiujitsu for different reasons. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of those martial arts that allows a wide range of people with different interests and at different stages in their life to begin training. Boys and girls as young 3 or 4 can start training and so can men or women in their 30s, 40s, or 50s start learning the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Anthony Bourdain competing in one of the annual IBJJF New York Opens
Anthony Bourdain is one example. Most of us know Anthony Bourdain from his famous traveling cousin show, No Reservations. His humor and observations that he shares with everyone casts a delightful light on the different cuisines and cultures of the world. Interestingly, Anthony is also a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fanatic. When traveling he looks to find a place to train when there is down time. Born in 1956, that puts him at the ripe age of 60. Having started jiujitsu in his 50s, and currently a blue belt in rank, I’m going to guess it’s been an uphill battle since he started training. He says jiujitsu “appeals to some part of my brain I haven’t visited before.”
On the other end are these girls in the gi. This video was taken from the Kids American Nationals in 2015. These two girls were around age 5.
It’s fun to see them compete without any hesitation to try their best. No second guessing. Probably tapping into the same part of the brain that Anthony Bourdain talks about.
Never the less these girls and Anthony both have something in common. They share the passion to learn and have fun on the mat. To compete as a measurement of self improvement. They give their most even on days when they think that there is nothing more to give. They are competitors.
On the other hand, there are others who get into jiujitsu and never step into competition. Instead, they enjoy the relaxed learning environment of training and competitive rolling done in the safety of class with a partner they can get to know and trust. Some look to reap the benefits of getting in great shape, and being the most fit they have been in their life. While others look to learn jiujitsu from a more practical self defense perspective.
There are many angles we can think about self defense. There is the physical self defense jiujitsu can teach us how to protect ourselves when we go to our back and other positions from the feet and ground. However, there are many other self defense benefits to learning jiujitsu as well. The benefit of patience when put under adversity or high stress situations. The benefit of understanding consistency in training as opposed to short term intensity with little to no consistency. The benefit of a lifestyle of activity and movement while interacting with others on the mat. There are so many psycho social benefits to jiujitsu that are applicable to modern day self defense.
While some step onto the mat to become a world champion competitor, some wanting to learn self defense, get in shape, or start a new hobby, everyone enters the dojo with the idea of self improvement. This idea is universal in jiujitsu. Everyone wants to improve and better themselves with each and every class. If you are looking to associate with strong, healthy minded people, give jiujitsu a try!
We started a 7am class in 2013 and in 2015 we moved it forward to 6am. This is a great class for those that have a busy work schedule and an evening full of family activities that just don’t allow them to get on the mat, or for those that have an evening work schedule and are only able to come train in the early am. The training is quick, it’s efficient, and we get things done.
Here are some basic facts about the 6am class at our dojo in El Dorado Hills:
1. Class ends exactly at 7am (If you need to leave early we understand)
2. Class level is for ALL LEVELS from white belts to black belts.
3. Each class includes, warm ups, drills, and rolling
On most occasions the most difficult part of class is getting out of bed. Hearing your alarm at 5:00am or 5:30am and not hitting snooze to wait and delay for another day of training. The reality is once you get out of your comfortable bed and get going it’s really not that bad. There’s much more to be gained from the 6am jiujitsu class than just a good workout. You begin to become comfortable with the uncomfortable. You become okay with removing yourself from the soft and comfortable pillow and embrace the day that’s about to take place. The facial expression each student has as they walk out the door at 7am to go to work says “I’m just got done kickin’ my ass and I’m ready to kick this day’s ass!” There’s nothing like it.
If you need a jump start to your day to challenge your mind and body, then give jiujitsu a try.
The ADCC North American Trials featured some of the best grapplers in North America. Eliot had three bouts to secure his invitation. In his first, he won by referee decision after no points in overtime. In his semi final match, he won by 2 points in the overtime round. In the final match, he won by 2 points in the regulation round. His bouts can be found on flograppling.com
“It’s never easy to travel all the way across the country and compete, but I was able to qualify and make it to the championships. There’s plenty of time to prepare so I’m getting together my coaches from EDH Jiu Jitsu, One Body Pain & Performance, and Apex Wrestling now to represent our community and the United States!” 