Since I have been studying Jiu Jitsu this guy has rocketed to the top of my favorites list, not just because he is a world champion, because he is a motivator, innovative, and a big guy that moves with the speed and agility of a small guy.
Speaking of innovation,have you ever seen the movie "Beautiful Mind," which chronicles the life of John Nash, who has a unique gift of solving mathematical and statical data that have stumped even the brightest minds? Cyborg's mind seems to cross that of Nash's and he sees the puzzle and reacts to solve the enigma of Jiu Jitsu.
I have never encountered someone that thinks and reacts to Jiu Jitsu like he does. Maybe because he is a self taught, hungry competitor that is consistently improving himself and studying for his next opportunity to show his skill and knowledge of Jiu Jitsu. He believes that for every technique you drill you should come up with at least three variations in case your opponent counters and you have to adjust your game plan. His theory on variations was shown on the techniques that the group of us eighteen guys drilled.
We started with a simple half guard transition to deep half guard. Now this where I got to see his mind at work. He showed us the counters to deep half from top and how to control the opponent. Then he showed us the counters to the counters from the bottom. This is where he spoke of the reaction to the position. You cannot drill the technique and understand it if your partner just follows; they need to react so that you can get a real simulation of the movement and drill correctly.
We probably drilled 10 techniques by my count from deep half with a lot of variations. We worked a lot of sweeps and passes from deep half also. I always wanted to learn some deep half techniques and now I know several.
His instruction on the movements and drilling were something I would not have pictured. He would sit and watch each of us drill what he had just shown,not like an observer, but you could actually see him breaking down our movements in his head. Once he spotted us doing something abnormal with the movement, he would come over and coach us through it.
It was something of a honor to sit and listen to his philosophy of Jiu Jitsu and how he opened his first school as a purple belt with all new white belts, how he encourages his students to develop their own games and variations on Jiu Jitsu, and how the art has changed his life.
The art is full of guys that have the same game and learn and train the same techniques, it was refreshing to learn from someone who has developed their own moves, style, and philosophy on the art of Jiu Jitsu.
I do want to thank Michael Sergi and Cyborg himself for this opportunity. It was definitely an experience I will never forget. If you get a chance to experience one of Cyborg's seminars, I would encourage you to spend the money. The rewards out weigh the risk, and you will be glad you did.
