Gracie Nationals were awsome!

I just got back from the gracie nationals and man was it a great event. Both the gi and no-gi matches were really good. I competed in the adult light-heavy white belt division. I won my first match but lost my second to a guy from the Triangle Club in Lima, OH, who went on to place first in the division. Alot of talent down there.

We should have some pictures from the event up on our website within the next few days.

http://www.carrolltonjiujitsu.com

ttt

Adam! I've been trying to get ahold of you & Dave!

email me buddy.

william_easlick@hotmail.com

I'm the 2nd eldest son of Helio Gracie and have been involved in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for 51 years. In 1963, I competed in the first jiu-jitsu tournament in the World, sponsored by my Daddy. At the time I had an orange belt. I follow the original philosophy of our family's art. The pass from the half guard was never considered a ligitimate pass until the advent of Brazillian Jiu-Jistu. The more we stray from the original teachings of technique and control the more the system will become like good coffee that has been watered down with milk.

The half guard pass is only an advantage in our system. Why should we reward a competitor the same number of points for a half guard pass as we do for the full gaurd pass. In the guard, the opponent on the bottom has 30 or more diffrent ways to submit their opponent. This is not the case with the half guard.

If you have the mentallity that the Gracie system is some how not fair or ligitimate, I respect your decision not to compete with us again.

Thank you!

Relson Gracie

relson, what if the guy pulls half guard from the standing position and you pass? if he is comfortable enough to pull you to his half guard then that is essentially the guard he normally plays, thus you are passing his best guard, half or not. if you passed the guys guard for three points, he then recomposes to half guad and then you pass again right away, thats different cause the guy never had a chance the second time.

what if you are passing his full guard, and then during passing you get stuck in half guard, and then pass that...does this count as a guard pass for 3 points?

Relson,

I'm looking forward to the Gracie Pro-Am Circuit. I read about it at gracieworlds.com when I checked the dates for the Gracie Worlds in Columbus, Ohio. Will this be starting in 2005?

Patrick

Ronald, why is the footlock question an issue?

Relson does not personally build the website. I'm willing to bet the rules were simply copy-pasted from previous versions of the tournament, without a second thought.

But even so, why do you accuse him of a "bait and switch?" I can only assume that one of your young competitors was caught in a footlock or a toehold. If it was stated during the rules session that footlocks and toeholds were allowed in the kids divisions, what is your objection?

I'll take that as a yes, one or more of your kids got caught in footlocks.

Everyone played by the same rules regardless of when they were announced, so your team was not unfairly disadvantaged in any way. Are you suggesting that your kids would have trained footlocks ONLY if the website had said that they were permitted in the tournament? They've never trained footlocks at any other time? C'mon.

I agree with your other criticism that 1/2 guard passes ought to be rewarded with the full three points but it feels like you're reaching a bit with this criticism.

ray,
ronald is not reaching. it is just not fair to the competitiors when even the refs aren't aware of the rules. to allow foot locks for little kids is just dumb. period.

Ron, that changes things. If you were not told that footlocks were illegal until AFTER your kid was already caught in one, that is messed up.

kiss, straight footlocks are OK for kids. It's one of the safer submissions out there because they hurt so much before they do damage.

It was never posted on our website that straight footlocks were illegal in the Juvenile or Junior divisions

http://gracienationals.com/rules.htm

Please read carefully!

Also,

The ref in question only wanted to know if he should allow the footlock to continue to full submission! In the Juvenile divisions we want the referees to access the progress of a submission and make a determination if the attempt is good enough to stop the match. This, if done correctly by the ref, would keep the Juvenile competitors from getting injured.

Relson is off the forum! We will forward your question to him (He's back in Hawaii)

Near submissions are viewed as advantages. Passes from the full guard to side control are awarded points!